about

faq

general shop questions

1. how often is the shop updated?

I try to do a larger update once a month, or every six weeks. Things often sell really quickly, so in between updates, you might see a lot of the shop seems sold out! I do my best to find as much good stuff as I can, but in the end it's really up to the thrifting gods.

2. talk to me about the vintage stuff- is it clean? does it smell like a thrift shop or attic? do you sell things that are flawed? and where the heck do you store all this stuff?

All good questions. Here's the thing about vintage clothing- 99% of the time, it once belonged to a real live person, which means that, YES, it's been worn before. Occasionally, I do come across stuff that's never been worn before, still has the tags, known as "Deadstock". I will always inform you of this in the product description. As far as stuff being clean and in good condition-- YES. I pre-wash everything that can be washed before shipping it off to you. This means that unless an item is *dry clean only*, it will arrive *ready to wear* and there is no need for you to feel like you need to wash it again, as it has been through the wash just days before it meets your hot little hands. My laundry detergent of choice is an eco-friendly one: I use Seventh Generation. As far as the condition of the vintage- I stay away from anything with flaws almost 100%-- the only exception being if I think the piece is absolutely amazing, and the flaw is super minor. If there is any information regarding a slight flaw in an item of clothing or accessory, I will *always* inform you of this in the item's description. That being said, I am human, and busy at that- so if I happen to miss something, please contact me immediately, and we can discuss a happy solution. I am fortunate to have a very large workspace in my house, which has closets galore, and space to work as well. it was a huge selling point with our house when we purchased it in the fall of 06.

3. tell me about the handmade stuff- do you make it all yourself? do you have helpers? what kind of sewing machine do you use? how do you tie those super teeny knots on the necklaces?

yep, it's all made by me. I don't have any helpers at all. i just sort of get bursts of time and energy to head down to my studio and make stuff. there might be times when you don't find any handmade stuff available on the site, which means that i haven't found the time or energy to sew, bead, cut, craft and glue, it happens, ya know? for all the sewn stuff: I use 2 different machines- a pfaff and a vintage singer. i'm all about totes being sturdy- so i use fusible interfacing kinda like it's going out of production. the lining and shell of a tote, in addition to the handles are always lined with fusible interfacing. and almost always, the totes are machine washable, since i use cottons, and reclaimed fabrics-- if it's not machine washable, i'll letcha know. for the necklaces: i use a combination of czech glass, gemstone and vintage beads in combination with a strong nylon cord and sterling components. i guess i am able to tie those knots so closely + tightly to the beads because i have had lots of practice. over the years, i have made thousands of necklaces. really.

4. one last question about the vintage clothing... tell me about the sizing, how does it work?

if you've been around the vintage circle for a bit, you know that yesterday's sizing runs smaller than that of todays. meaning, a vintage 10 dress fits more like a modern 6/8. and shoes generally run a size or two smaller - so if you wear a size 8 today, you might shop for a vintage shoe that is a size 9, 9.5 or sometimes 10, depending on the style. i measure all the garments while they are laying flat on a big table-- shoulder measurements are taken directly across, seam to seam, same with bust measurements. i will often give you the precise measurements for a piece and then my own suggestion for the size that i think it will fit best. i have measured thousands (really) of pieces of vintage clothing in the years that i've been doing this, and i've never had anyone come back and say that something wasn't how i described it. if you have any questions about whether or not something will fit, i suggest you get a tape measure (the kind you buy in the sewing section of the craft store) and measure some of your own best fitting clothing and compare to the item you are interested in. this will give you pretty solid answer on whether or not something will fit.

5. i have a shop. do you do wholesale? trades? special orders?

sorry, no. in the past i have dabbled in the occasional wholesale relationship, but have found that since i am just one person over here, it's not really a situation that works out well for me. as far as trades and special orders go- i kinda don't have a firm rule on that one- i'm always happy to entertain the idea of a trade with someone who's stuff i love... and special orders or requests are ok too... just ask me, it sort of depends on my current workload.

some general order related questions

1. i ordered something yesterday. when can i expect it?

since it's just me over here, and i only have two hands and so many hours in the day, please allow up to 14 days to receive your order. i can get overwhelmed with orders in a matter of a couple days when large shop updates occur, and am only able to carry so many packages into the post office in one trip! your patience is greatly appreciated. i go to the post office 2 times a week and all orders are shipped via Priority Mail which quotes (but does not guarantee) 2-3 business days for delivery. If you have ordered something as a gift, or need it sooner for a special occasion, *please email me* and i will do my best to accommodate you.

2. why don't you ship internationally?

this is something that i have struggled with over the years. tried it, discontinued it. tried it again. the bottom line is: the shipping rates are SO expensive, and more often than not, i get completely burned. the delivery time is slow, most times packages are not track-able, and sometimes things get really, really delayed or worse- lost. i have decided that it is no longer worth it to try and ship orders internationally, i am really sorry for this!!

3. can i exchange or return something?

no, i am sorry. due to the super speed at which things sell, the fact that i run this entire shop by myself and feel that i provide excellent photography and informative descriptions of every item, i have a no return/exchange policy. i am always around the computer during business hours for you to contact me with any additional questions you may have regarding a possible purchase. please don't hesitate to email me!

4. i emailed you yesterday. how come i haven't heard back?!

i'm not ignoring you! please know that i get TONS of emails each day, and it is actually impossible for me to reply to each one right away. it might only be possible if it were the only thing i did, but the fact is, i am busy packaging stuff, buying more stuff, preparing it for the shop, writing in the blog, etc, etc. please hang in there- i do my best to get replies out, and i appreciate your questions and comments.

random questions

1. what kind of camera do you use?

i used a canon powershot for a few years, until last year when i upgraded to a nikon d40x. if you can swing it, i highly recommend this camera. it takes gorgeous shots, and while it is very user friendly (even if you know nothing about cameras, you can definitely point and shoot), there is also a lot of room to grow into a legit picture taker person. :)

2. what kind of glue do you use for those glass magnets?!

i picked up some glass jewelry glue at the craft store that worked great. i let it dry overnight, and it dries nice + clear. i think it was about $5 a tube, and i can't remember the name of it to save my life, i am sorry.

3. i want to open up a shop just like this! can you tell me what i need to do?

i'm glad that you are into vintage and handmade, and i think that it is cool that you like what i do so much that you want to do it yourself! i have been at this for about 6 years now, and it has involved a ton of trial and error. in fact, i still manage to make things difficult for myself, and things grow and change as time goes on. i guess i could just share with you that it ain't easy. it is a lot of hard work, and if you don't have the web/technical skills, i don't know what to tell ya! i have been able to do this whole thing in large part due to my amazing husband's programming skills. i haven't a clue as to how to build a website, i only handle the stuff you see on the front end. find a person who you can call a partner, cause it's definitely good to have help.

i still have a question, and i didn't find the answer here!

ok, hit me up!