I’m really looking forward to digging out the small collection of scarves I have and putting them into action.  I think the same effect can be achieved with handkerchiefs too, and I have a few of those as well.  It’s a fab way to add some pop to an outfit, and integrate a lot of different colors into an ensemble.

Outfit
Jumper & Oregon Charm Bracelet: Antique Alley, Portland
Shirt & Belt: Thrifted
Covered Wagon Earrings: Expo
Covered Wagon Brooch: Antique Alley Flea Market
Tooled Leather Purse: Twilight Rummage Sale
Scarf: Red Light, Portland
Stockings: What Katie Did
Shoes: Buffalo Exchange, Portland

Just remember, not every piece has to be vintage! Several pieces I have included in this list are on the hard to find side, so repro is a perfectly acceptable solution!  For the most part, I am focusing on the 1940s, 50s and 60s and attempted to cover a wide range so you can have all of your bases covered.  So here we go!

Please note, these are in no particular order!

1. Pencil Skirt – The pencil skirt is really versatile.  One minute it’s perfect for the office, and the next you’re the bad girl next door ready to rumble.

2. Circle Skirt – Like the pencil skirt, the circle skirt is versatile too.  You can play up the Bobby Soxer look by pairing it with a sweater and saddle shoes or make it very 50s housewife by pairing it with a blouse and heels.

3. Peter Pan Collar Blouse – A regular blouse is just fine, but there is something about that rounded Peter Pan collar that screams vintage.  The blouse goes with anything and everything too and is great for work and play.

4.  Shirt Waist Dress – A shirt waist dress typically buttons to the waist, and below that is a short slit with snaps.  This type of dress is perfect for errand running and is nearly an instant outfit with little effort.

5. Pull Over Sweater – Pull over sweaters are great for lazy days and can go with loads depending on your look.  You can go classic 50s by pairing it with a skirt or go 40s by pairing it with wide-legged slacks.  Not to mention when worn with a bullet bra underneath, you are the perfect sweater girl.

6. Cardigan – Cardigans can act just like a pull over when buttoned up, or can be used for layering and act like a lightweight jacket, which is always a nice option.

7. A Pair of Pants – We vintage gals love our dresses and skirts, but a good pair of pants is always nice to have. And there are so many looks to choose from.  You can go Land Girl or Bobby Soxer with a pair of jeans, Kathrine Hepburn with a pair of wide legged slacks or Mary Tyler Moore when she was on The Dick Van Dyke Show with a pair of cigarette pants.  Pants are one of those things that may be hard to find vintage.  But there are many, many good vintage repro sites out there that produce pants, such as Vivian of Holloway and Freddies of Pinewood.

8. Slip – Slips offer a layer of comfort, security and practicality to your outfits.  Slips lessen the scratchy feel of woolen garments, they also may not be blown up by wind, if your skirt does, and wearing slips means you have to wash or dry-clean your garments less.  For more, please read this post on slips.

9. Bullet Bra – I’m not sure if I can talk enough about the importance of the bullet bra to vintage garments.  The simply fact is wearing the correct bra adds loads to your vintage wardrobe.  Because vintage garments were cut with the then current trend of foundation garments, wearing a modern-day bra may cause vintage garments to fit poorly.  Wearing a bullet bra will help garments fit properly and thus make you look better.  For more on bullet bras, visit this post.

10. Crinoline/Petticoat -  A crinoline or petticoat will help fill out those full skirted dresses of the 1950s and early 1960s.  Otherwise, you look a little, well, deflated.  For more on crinolines visit this past post.

11. Girdle & Stockings – With the exception of the WWII era and the Bobby Soxer look, women rarely went out without stockings.  For the Bobby Soxer, that meant of course wearing socks!  Pre-1960s lovers will want to wear seamed stockings (for more on seamed stockings, visit this post) while the 1960s and 70s lover can wear seamless stockings or pantyhose or tights.  While you can wear a garter belt instead of a girdle, I find girdles to be simply better.  For more on girdles, visit this post.

12. Heels – Whether it’s a one inch heel or a five inch heel, every gal needs a pair! They add instant glam to any outfit.

13. Saddle Shoes or Penny Loafers – These weren’t just for Bobby Soxers!  Ladies of all ages wore them!  They are perfect for casual outfits or smart work attire.

14. Party Dress – Every gal needs at least one beautiful dress for special occasions, nice dinners, etc. And there are glorious ones for every decade and in every style.  You can go for slim crepe rayon of the 40s, or big and poofy 50s chiffon, or a metallic brocade shift of the 1960s.

15. Red Lipstick – It’s amazing how a pair of red lips adds instant glam to any outfit.  With very little effort you can look more put together in a sweater and pants than that gal next to you at the grocery store by putting on a bit of lipstick.

Happy hunting!

I beg you, please, if you see this purse, please make note on the Ooh La La Vintage Swap and Sell post regarding the theft, or contact Courtney.

Now, this is where our fur story begins.  This purse is vintage.  It isn’t new, nor did Courtney go out and hunt down an ocelot and make the purse herself! She found it at an antique shop in her home town.   When she saw the purse, she just fell in love, “I’d never seen anything like it before, it was in sad shape, and I knew no one else around there would give it the same respect I would. I knew it was special and rare, and for being a wonderful endangered animal I feel like someone owning it who understands both sides of the tragedy and wonderment of the piece, that could only be the best thing to do. And because it was just amazing in general,” She shared.  Courtney was also a vegetarian for ten years and adores animals.  When she began working in the vintage clothing industry, her attitudes toward fur changed, “As a vintage buyer I can’t let my personal taste and feelings affect how I buy, and so I had to gradually become friendly with fur and the like for the sake of my job. Then I realized I loved it, it looked good, it was cozy, and the closest I’ve gotten to having a pet of my own since I moved out of my folk’s house when I was 18.”

For those of you who are about to raise up your PETA signs, and lash out by typing with your keyboard on caps lock, will you just listen for a moment?  What can you actually do about this piece? What can you actually do about vintage fur in general? This is something that bothers me the most about people who get upset about fur, even vintage fur.  They will sit there, on their computer, angrily typing and moaning about animal rights, but offer no solution.  What good is that? The anti-fur group just appears to be angry that the fur exists.  As of this moment, the only “ethical” thing I know to do with vintage fur (aside from wearing it) is to donate it to Coats for Cubs, where you can donate fur, that will then be used as bedding for rehabilitating animals. If every piece of vintage fur were to be donated to this cause, they would literally be drowning in fur.  Most of the time, you cannot walk into a vintage clothing shop, thrift shop or antique mall without seeing fur in some manner or another.  It’s everywhere.  So what else is there to do?  Throw it away?  Throwing away perfectly good vintage fur pieces is one of the worst solutions.  I wouldn’t even call it a solution.  First, you’re creating waste. That’s just not good for the earth, and if you care about animals, then let’s assume you also care about the earth too.  Also, don’t you think throwing it away is disrespectful to the animal?  This leaves the only other solution – wearing it.  Courtney concurred, “How I look at the topic of fur is more of a respect for the animal that wasn’t given a choice for it’s sacrifice for fashion. I know it’s a terrible thing to think about, and I certainly don’t want to encourage further production of fur products.  But what can one do about something that’s 75 years old? I think it’s more shameful to just throw it out or cry on it, what good does that do?”  Like Courtney, I don’t care for the current fur industry.  I see no need for it.  There is plenty of fur already out there, and it’s not difficult to find.

Some people have problems with fur with faces (Such as this purse, or my Algernon and Earnest who tagged along the the last Fur & Feathers), but I adore them because they have personality. “I take the time to think about the animal I’m wearing, and that’s also why I don’t shy from wearing furs with faces, I think it’s more honest to be able to look that animal in the face, rather than shrink away from that reality of what went down,” Courtney shared on the topic.

When you buy vintage fur (or vintage in general), you are recycling, which is good for our planet.  You aren’t giving your money to the current fur trade, you’re putting it into your local economy too, which is good for your city and/or country.  You’re also not supporting big-box stores who, in all likelihood, use child/slave labor.  So really anti-fur people, you’re going to criticize a gal for choosing to wear fur over a sweatshop coat, purse, etc.?

Please note, comments do allow for open discussion and it is encouraged.  However, please be respectful.  Courtney didn’t just have this purse stolen from her, but also the contents of the purse were taken as well.  Furthermore, rude, disrespectful, and anti-fur comments which provide no alternatives to wearing or donating fur will be deleted.

The dress is 70s, if you can believe it.  I think the length gives it away. If it was any longer, it would scream late 40s, early 50s.  But I’m contented never the less. I just adore its loud and bright blanket print.  So, what shop did this beauty come from? Mill Street Vintage on Etsy.  You can like them on Facebook and if you’re on Instagram, find them under “millstreetvintage”.

Oh, and the shoes? They’re by Re-Mix, and currently still available, but pricey. $278 to be exact. Ouch. I’d been dying for a pair of tooled leather pumps for years, but couldn’t part with the cash for a pair by Re-Mix, and couldn’t bring myself to wear a vintage pair.  So I began haunting Ebay. And one day I stumbled upon a pair! And in my size!  While the opening bid was incredibly low, I didn’t want to risk missing out on them, so opted for the Buy-It-Now price which was less than half of the retail price.

Outfit
Mexican Blanket Print Dress: Mill Street Vintage, Etsy
Earrings: Hattie’s Vintage, Portland
Mexican Man Brooch: Antique Alley, Portland
Bangles: Various, including Retro Rejuvenation, Coburg
Tooled Leather Purse:  Gift from my dad
Tooled Leather Shoes: Re-Mix by way of Ebay

And I’ve saved my favorite for last…

What is going on here?! Well, thank goodness one of the gals in this photo wrote what was happening on the back!

In case you can’t make it out, it reads “Isabel + I examine a jelly fish the boys speared (the look like tiny parachutes in the water + can they sting!)” How crazy is that?

Swimsuits may be the one thing that I long for the styles of the most.  Contemporary suits often lack the style (and coverage) of the suits of days gone by.  There were so many wonderful details and prints!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

And prior to this endeavor, I had purchased the poster for a film based on the events of my essay, Portland Expose.  While I didn’t think the film was that great, I love it regardless, and I was both enthralled and flattered when I was contacted by Anne Richardson of Oregon Movies, A to Z.  Anne works on Oregon film history and is participating in a swell event taking place June 12.  The Mission Theater is showing Portland Expose! And Phil Standford, author of Portland Confidential, and Robert C. Donnelly, author of Dark Rose, will be in attendance.

I am so eager to attend and watch the film as well as hear Standford and Donnelly speak.

Kim’s home is so cute, adorned with fun vintage prints, records and linens.  Her work space is a seamstress’ dream too.  The gaggle of us oo’ed and aww’ed over her wonderfully hand-crafted garments, before plowing into the bathroom to try them on.

I was in desperate need of pants and purchased a pair of Kim’s best-sellers, the Ankeny, wide leg, high-waist, suspender slacks.

For those of you contemplating buying a pair, it is recommended that you order two inches above your waistline.  The three of us who purchased a pair all did that.  The reason being the higher waist midriff, which covers your ribcage.  I ended up purchasing a pair that was three inches bigger (yay for having an odd number waistline!) so these are a little roomy, but I was purchasing these for comfort and practicality, so having room fills both of those requirements.  Additionally, if you buy a pair, and you find the legs pooling around your feet, that’s natural.  Kim makes her trousers on the long side to accommodate taller gals.  You can either hem them or turn them up, like I did here, yourself.  I also found the need to adjust the suspenders.  The slacks feature a left side zipper, and a right side pocket.

Kim is an absolute doll, and has been sewing since she was a teenager.  You can tell she has an extreme passion for the era and for the garments she produces.  And her quality can’t be beat.  Her garments are hardy feeling and have top-notch construction.  So, go on! Get shopping!

Outfit
Snood: Etsy – April’s Bag
Hair Flower: Made by me!
1940s Blouse: Solanah’s space at Old Glory Antiques, Vancouver
Slacks: Ankeny by Jitterbuggin’
Saddle Shoes: Willits by way of Buffalo Exchange

Please note that I have not included every vintage shop or antique mall in Portland.  I have selected ones I enjoy shopping at.  However, I have also included a handful of other shops that I don’t often visit, but those seeking very high-end vintage garments or furniture may wish to visit. Additionally, I have listed some other Portland places you may want to visit, as well as places to grab a bite to eat or a drink.

Shop

AlexSandra’s Vintage Emporium – Situated in a house along NE Interstate, AlexSandra offers up a wide selection of vintage women’s fashion and accessories.  There is only a selection of ties for the guys.  AlexSandra also attempt to only focus on the 1960s and earlier.  You won’t have to dig through any 80s here!   Not a shop for the thrifter, but rather for the hard-core vintage fanatic.  Brides may also wish to check out her selection of vintage wedding gowns. Open Saturdays & Sundays. 6726 N Interstate Ave.

Antique Alley – Like many other antique malls, Antique Alley has a lot of good that comes with a lot of bad.  But I find loads of treasures here and I’m certain you will too.  It’s mostly knick-knacks and home goods but there is also a lot of vintage clothing (often very reasonably priced) and jewelry. 2000 NE 42nd Ave.

Avalon – This shop is for the hard-core vintage clothing enthusiast and collector.  There is a large collection of very fine menswear and women’s fashion, including a wonderful selection of hats for the gentlemen. As with most carefully curated shops, the prices are top dollar. 410 SW Oak St.

Bettie Page Store – Loved the stuff Bettie Page’s website had to offer, but scared of buying on-line? Well, try it on at the Bettie Page store in the heart of downtown. 818 SW Broadway

BillyGoat Vintage – Situated just a few blocks from Powell’s and across the street from Portland’s oldest strip club is BillyGoat Vintage.  Home to an equal amount of menswear and women’s fashions, with few items newer than the 1960s, in excellent condition and moderate to expensive pricing.  A few housewares thrown in as well.  200 SW Broadway

Bombshell Vintage – I adore this shop. The owner has a wonderful selection from the 1940s through the 1980s and has a pretty fab selection of menswear as well. Moderate pricing.  811 E Burnside St.

Fabric Depot – Love to sew? Then you must visit the country’s largest fabric store! There is even a vintage inspired selection, vintage style toweling material and barkcloth! 700 SE 122nd Ave.

Fab Gabs – While the widely popular Etsy shop does not have a brick-and-mortar, owners Julie and Jesse do open up their home to the extreme vintage enthusiast and collector.  Appointments must be made a minimum of three days in advance. Please use Etsy to contact them for an appointment.  And remember they may not be able to accommodate you, as they may be out of town, as they often sell at shows.

The Foundation – Get your bullet bras here, ladies! Yes, this shop stocks the What Katie Did bras, as well as a wonderful selection of girdles, corsets and stockings! 4831 SE Division St.

Hattie’s Vintage – A very wide range of decades fills this store, mostly 1960s and earlier, with a handful of 70s and 80s.  High-end and on the expensive side.  729 E Burnside St. Ste 101

Hawthorne Vintage – For the most part, Hawthorne Vintage is full of mid-century furnishings, chairs, tables, and lamps, but has a handful of knick-knacks and clothing. Moderate to expensive. 4722 SE Hawthorne Blvd.

Hollywood Babylon – This shop is mainly for the 80s lover or those who just love funky and off-beat stuff – both menswear and ladies’ fashions.  Every so often they’ll get in some earlier items, and their prices are very reasonable so it’s always worth stopping by. 4512 NE Sandy Blvd.

Hollywood Vintage – This place is huge and for both guys and gals.  It also has one of the largest selections of menswear in Portland.  A wide variety of decades and styles are showcased, but divided up by decade and style.  This is also the place to go when looking for vintage eye-wear.  Lots of costumes and accessories as well. Moderate to expensive prices.  2757 NE Pacific St.

Jumblelaya – In addition to their Etsy shop, Jumblelaya now holds buying and selling appointments in their commercial studio space, the top half of a 1920s home located in downtown Camas, Washington, an easy drive from Portland. Jennifer and her partner Allan have sourced hundreds of pieces of wearable vintage from all over the United States, British Columbia, and France. Contact them through their Etsy shop for an appointment and allow 2-3 days advance notice.

Lounge Lizard – 99% furniture with other housewares and a very, very small selection of clothing.  1310 SE Hawthorne Blvd.

Living Threads Vintage – Carefully curated vintage clothing fills this small space! Wonderful items from the 1920s through the 1980s and some of the best menswear I’ve seen! Very high-end, and the prices reflect that.  1008 SW Taylor

LuLu’s Vintage – Shop owner Lulu carefully hand selects each item to put into her small but bright shop.  A wide range of styles and decades are available, as well as menswear.  I don’t make it into Lulu’s shop often, due to her limited hours, but she’s incredibly nice and has swell taste. Moderate to expensive. 916 W Burnside St.

Lodekka – Who doesn’t love a vintage shop in a double decker bus? Yeah, you read right, a vintage shop…in a double decker bus! Mostly women’s fashions from the 1960s and later, but every so often gets in a true vintage gem. Handful of menswear too. Moderate prices. N Williams at N Failing

Magpie – This place always has something wonderful and tempting! There’s lots of 40s, 50s and 60s, with even some 1920s and earlier items! There’s also a bit 70s and 80s thrown into the mix as well.  The shop also has a decent menswear section.  This is a swell place for finding jewelry, including Bakelite. 520 SW 9th Ave.

Patti Smith West – This is one of my favorite shops in Portland! It’s a delightful place that houses fabulous housewares, jewelry and clothes, usually only for the ladies though. And Patti is as absolute delight too!

Powell’s City of Books – Seriously, no trip to Portland is complete a visit to Powell’s.  Get lost in multiple levels of a full block of books both new and used. 1005 W Burnside St.

Red Fox Vintage – While Red Fox isn’t your typical antique mall, it is full of a wide variety of stuff, from kitschy wall decor from the 1950s to clothing from the 80s, you never know what you’re going to find. 3014 NE Killingsworth

Simply Vintage Boutique – It’ll be difficult not to smile when you step into Sarah’s shop (You may know her from Etsy).  Beautiful garments in exceptional condition flank cake batter colored walls.  There’s stuff for the fella too! Sarah puts a lot of love and care into her garments, most items are dry-cleaned before hitting the racks.  Not for the thrifter, but instead for the hard-core vintage enthusiast.  3640 SE Belmont St.

Vintage Pink – An okay shop that carries mostly furniture, with a handful of vendors who carry clothing and other bits and bobbles.  2500 SE Hawthorne Blvd.

Wanderlust – This is one of the cutest shops in Portland.  Shop owner, Vanessa teams up with local artists to create adorable window displays to showcase their work as well as her glorious inventory.  Vanessa carefully selects each item for her shop and puts so much love and care into making sure it’s the right item for her space.  Mostly women’s clothing, but has a small section for the guys.  Not to mention the gal is cute as a button.   2804 SE Ankeny St.

Xtabay – Oh, Xtabay…it’s a plush Parisian style ladies’ shop with pink and silver walls and chandeliers dangling from the ceiling.  Mostly 1950s and 60s items, with a handful of later pieces and a few accessories.  Very expensive.  Brides, make an appointment for the new Bridal Salon located upstairs.  2515 SE Clinton St.

Yours – This may be the tiniest shop you’ve ever visited, but it’s fabulous.  Mostly 70s and 80s, but every so often she’ll have something utterly fantastic. Just a few weeks ago I scored a rayon jersey! Very reasonable prices. 1627 NE 42nd Ave.

Eats & Drinks

Burgerville – American. Need to grab a very quick bite?  Screw McDonald’s. Go to Burgerville.  Burgerville is the Pacific Northwest’s answer to In-n-Out. While a chain, Burgerville only uses locally serviced ingredients and has seasonal specials. Multiple locations throughout Oregon and Washington.

Casa Del Matador – Tex-Mex.  Dive into the Texas Size Nachos (with carne asada!) in this plush, Mexican-Gothic setting.  Two locations: East Burnisde & NW 23rd.

Cup & Saucer - Mostly American.  Pretty good breakfast. Most locations close early, except for the Hawthorne location.

Hale Pele – Hawaiian/Polynesian. Don’t let the plain exterior of this place fool you. It’s a full-fledged tiki bar inside complete with thatched roof, black velvet paintings and somewhere in the distance you can hear a volcano erupt.  2733 NE Broadway

Kenny & Zuke’s – American. And in my opinion the best French fries in PDX. 1038 SW Stark St.

Doug Fir - American.  This place has the feel of some swank 60s ski lodge, and I adore it. It’s classy, but with a touch of kitsch. 830 E Burnside St.

The Driftwood Room – This is hands-down my favorite bar in Portland.  The service can be hit or miss, but the ambiance can’t be beat. It’s so wonderfully dark and swanky. As one friend put it “It’s like I’m seeing you in your natural habitat.”  Located inside Hotel DeLuxe 729 SW 15th Ave.

Voodoo Doughnut – Come on…you can’t leave Portland without getting a Maple Bacon bar… (But if you want a personal tip…I think Coco’s donuts are better.) Both shops have multiple locations.

Other Helpful Portland Tips

The most commonly asked question I get when I say I’m from Portland is “Is it just like that show Portlandia?” Yeah, it is a bit.  That show just takes everything to the Nth degree. We like to recycle, there are loads of cyclists, we take our facial hair very seriously, there are food carts everywhere (and give ‘em a try), everyone loves beer and cocktails, and multiple restaurants tell you where their food comes from either on the menu, on a board or by the waiter.

Don’t be afraid to use TriMet.  The MAX is very easy to use to get around downtown.

That big river that divides our city, it’s Willamette River.  And it’s pronounced WILL-AM-IT.

You may find yourself along Couch Street, and it’s pronounced Cooch.

The Pittock Mansion is worth a visit if you aren’t entirely focused on shopping.

While not in Oregon, I can’t help but suggest the Maryhill Museum of Art for their Theatre del la Mode exhibit. World War II history buffs and fashion lovers will simply adore it.

Please note, it will be very beneficial to double check Facebook and Yelp pages for hours prior to visits.  Some shops are closed Mondays, Tuesdays and/or Wednesdays.

Additionally, this list will continue to be updated as new shops open, and if, sadly, shops close.

We enjoyed brunch while basking in the glow of crystal dripping chandeliers as we chatted while our bangles clicked against each other.  It’s so delightful getting together with people who “get” things such as Bakelite.  Like Solanah of Vixen Vintage toted a gorgeous very wide carved piece that she paid only $60 for! How amazing is that!? And all of us oo’ed and aww’ed over such a steal, while the average person would say “You paid $60 for a hunk of plastic!?” So, needless to say, I adore my vintage crowd. Thanks for being in Portland, ladies!

Outfit
Dress: Bombshell Vintage, Portland
Sweater: From a Toby Berman sweater set, Buffalo Exchange
Hat: Don’t recall…
Purse: Flea market
Bakelite Oranges Necklace: Birthday gift
Bangles: Various
Bakelite Ring: Hattie’s, Portland
Vintage Stockings: Expo…I think…
Shoes: Gosh, I think Payless, like six years ago…

Patrick’s Outfit
Cal-Anita Expressing for Miller’s Jacket: Thrifted by my dad!
(New) Dress Shirt: Nordstorm
Bowtie: Flea market
Cufflinks: Expo
Pants: Who knows…
Shoes: Allen Edmonds by way of Living Thread’s Vintage

And the winner is…

(1 is the earliest comment made and 63 being the final comment made)

Which looks like Joanna of Dividing Moments! You have until Saturday evening at 11:59 pm PST to contact me with your mailing information for me to send you the book, otherwise I select a new winner!

To those who didn’t win, don’t feel discouraged!  You can purchase the same exact book here.  The Style Me Vintage series also has a book focusing on make-up, and another on clothing, but they bundled all three (hair, make-up and clothing) into one book! So if that sounds more appealing you can buy that book!

Thank you once again to all who entered! And be on the lookout for another giveaway!

Hope you enjoyed!