Wedded Bliss.... or Wedded Miss?

It's the time of the year when there seems to be a wedding every weekend. Correction: there IS a wedding every weekend, and lots of them, especially in a wedding destination town like Charleston, SC. Is it possible to get tired of it all? Can you get tired of looking through snapshots of joyful, glistening guests on dance floors, of clusters of happy hydrangeas and sweet jasmine, of resplendent layered cakes, shy ring bearers, and love, true love? Ok, maybe not love, but I DO know that it's possible to get a little weary of seeing the same. old. dress.

Alright, I know that not every dress is the same- hey, I've been to Kleinfelds. I've seen "Say Yes to the Dress". But I also see about 10 brides every weekend stepping out of churches, posing in gardens, strolling down cobblestone streets, and rolling by in horse-drawn carriages. I am amazed by how similar they all look on what is supposed to be "their day". It seems to me that the little details and personal touches that ladies rely on in their everyday wardrobes have disappeared into a sea of white, strapless mediocrity.

I didn't choose white for my own wedding dress, but I'm a pale, freckled redhead so it wasn't a great option for me. Plus I was never that girl that dreamt of the big poufy white gown. I wanted gold lamé.

From now on, every time I pass a cookie-cutter bride smiling sweetly and boring me silly, I choose to imagine her in one of these vintage confections....



These amazing creations are all for sale at one of my new favorite etsy shops: RedHouseVintages

two new treasuries for t&a

Check out the great new treasuries we're featured in! The first one is a collection of sweet pink snowflakes and it includes Adrian's 100% silk scarf from Milan! I love the Donna Reed Apron and the vintage nutgrinders- mostly because to my knowledge I have never seen a nutgrinder, per se, and these are vintage AND have little matching snowflakes on them. Who needs not only one nutgrinder, but a matching set? Gotta love it.
Spring is quickly approaching! Are you ready? You might need Adrian's funky shift dress... or that gorgeous brown parasol if I don't get to it first!!!! Bring on the SPRING....

Happy New Year!

t&a has been featured in another great etsy treasury! Check out "Ring in the New Year" by fellow etsian samsstuff. Our vintage satin clutch with matching gloves is included! This treasury is also featured on another of my favorite sites, Handmadeology! YAY! WELCOME 2011!

t&a featured in an etsy treasury!

Check out this great treasury "Perfume - after the book by Patrick Suskind" by fellow etsian nakedvavang. It features our vintage fleur de lis loafers!

Polka Dots Forever!

The other day I was wearing a "vintage style" polka dotted skirt that I bought at H&M in New York a few years ago. (sidenote: I miss H&M- we don't have one in Charleston and I think a grassroots petition-signing movement is in order, but more on that later.) Back to the dots... I was wearing a retro 50's circle skirt with bright candy-colored dots all over, a happy go lucky kinda skirt that swishes and spins and makes people smile. As I walked down King Street, I heard someone casually say "polka dots are back." Wait. Did polka dots go out? I feel like it's one of those enduring patterns. Yes, they can have a vintage feel when they appear in vintage designs, but I personally don't remember a time without dots... and I would not want to live in that time anyway. Polka Dots Rule!
Maybe it's because there is something inherently feminine about them. So much so that when I asked my 5 year old son this morning if he liked polka dots he said, "polka dots are for girls and stripes are for boys". He elaborated, "lines and shapes are for boys. kittens and polka dots are for girls". When I asked him where he got that information, he said, "I do NOT like kittens and polka dots and I am a boy. Everyone knows boys and girls like opposite things" Hmmmmm. His ratonale is dubious in my opinion, but anyone who has had a five year old knows better than to argue. And you certainly cannot argue that there are far fewer mens' designs that incorporate dots, neckties and pocket squares excluded of course. And now...

an homage to the enduring presence of the polka dot,
courtesy of some great etsy shops

etsy shops from right to left: CleverVintage, AdoreVintage, VintageDarlene


etsy shops from right to left: TandAboutique, Retrolabs, AdelinesAttic


etsy shops from right to left: Szwzzy, HepCatClothes, NodToModVintage


etsy shops from right to left: InTheDesert, NodToModVintage. SeamsClassic

Newest Obsession... Vintage Jewelry Boxes

I've been on a jewelry-making binge lately. I admit it. I've recently become totally addicted to creating little sparkly things for ears, necks, and wrists....
Pretty soon I'll be posting some handmade earrings and necklaces to the shop, but in the meantime, piles of pretty baubles have been stacking up in my already over-crowded office. What to do with all this loveliness? This question sent me on a quest to find some beautiful and practical storage. Here's what I found on my favorite site, esty.com

Clockwise from top right: Shop: AntiNu, Vintage Farrington Green Box; Shop: TastyVintage Vintage Chocolate Tin; Shop: BDVintage Metal Cut-Out Trinket Box; Shop: Niftic Art Deco Green Celluloid Box; Shop: BambooBettie 50's Pink Mele Box; Shop: LauraHardie Vintage Farrington Box; Shop: RetroVintageBazaar Red Celluloid Asian Box; Shop: ModHuman 40's Cream Mele Box; Shop: LoverlyVintage 70's Patchwork Box with Ballerina; Shop: OpheliaVintageHome 60's Mele Earring Box Down From Center; Shop: CrabvilleinAutumn Vintage Gold Cut-Out Box; Shop: KatsCollection 50's Mosaic Box; Shop:YeOldeVintageShoppe Mid Century Modern Jewelry Box;
Shop: SouthernBellaVintage 60's Cream Mele Box

Store those Jewels in Style!

Newest Obsession.... Vintage Lace Repurposed

I don't usually like really lacy things. Touches of lace are beautiful and I do love me some ruffles. I guess too much lace always makes me think of old ladies. Now don't get me wrong, I love old ladies and I hope to be one someday... and that day is quickly approaching. It's just that I can't get beyond the image of the stereotypical, prim and prudish old lady with a tight hair bun and an asexual body wrapped snuggly in lace, lace, too much lace. I guess that's why I've never really been a fan of the Victorian look. (sidenote: I will always love Molly Ringwald as Andie Walsh in Pretty in Pink and lord knows she was rockin some lace) Lately I've been seeing little swatches of lace repurposed in the most interesting ways and it's changin my mind a little about those feminine looped, twisted, and braided threads. Check out these sweet etsy finds:

from White Owl's shop




That Old Blue House's shop

Vintage Slips

Whenever I put on a vintage slip, I immediately feel sexier. Who can forget Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie the Cat lounging and pouting lustily in her tight slip in Cat on Hot Tin Roof?

I've always been a slip girl. My mom always made me wear one and I got used to it, quite addicted actually. It's still hard for me to wear a dress sans slip. I feel a little exposed or incomplete and like everyone knows I've forgotten my underwear. When I first started collecting and wearing vintage, I usually stayed away from the full slips because they seemed scratchy and impractical with lots of stiff lace and pointy boobs. I couldn't imagine what else I had to wear under the slip to get my regular-shaped boobs to fit into the torpedo-like cups. I believe it was a 1950's era little brown lace Vanity Fair full slip that changed my mind forever. Unlike the uber-practical and utilitarian slips I had always worn, this one was very shapely and fitted, hugging every curve. Somehow, and I don't know how, my boobs fit perfectly into the strange upright lace cups. In fact, looking in the mirror for the first time I remember thinking that I never again wanted to wear a dress- just slips from now on. Did I look like Elizabeth Taylor? probably not. Did I feel like Elizabeth Taylor? absolutely. Maggie the cat, watch out.

Check out this little number on etsy!