Happy Holidays!

You may be wondering why the blog hasn't been updated recently, as with most other professions, Christmas time is a busy time for secondhand clothing wholesalers as well.

I'll be sure to update the blog more frequently after the Christmas/ New Year's rush is over. The blog should be back in full force by January.

In Our Vintage Bundles This Week: 1984 Bruce Springsteen "Born in the USA" Tour T-Shirt

This was the album that made Springsteen a commercial success. The back has a listing of all the countries that Springsteen toured that year, leading us to believe that this may have been purchased abroad. The bad news? Like many vintage polyblend t-shirts it's shrunk to a size that only a girl or teenaged boy could wear, nonetheless, it's a great find for any Springsteen fan.

Other great items that didn't make this week's short list:
-A 1981 M*A*S*H T-shirt
-A 1970s Levi's Western Shirt (White label)
-A pair of 1940s-50s US Navy Wool Pants
-A "Beaver Creek" wool blanket by Pendleton

As usual, here's the label to help you identify one for yourself.

Interested in a bundle?
Click the "email me" link on the top-right of the page to learn more.

In Our Vintage Bundles This Week: Late 40s Silk Scarf Made in Occupied Japan

This scarf is a beauty. It's hand painted, hand rolled and made in Occupied Japan (Japan was occupied by UN troops in 1945-1952). It even has the label to prove it! It'll be headed in our bundles to NYC this month so keep an eye out for it in your local vintage shop.

Other great items that didn't make this week's short list:
-A 1940s Jantzen sweater.
-A 1940s-50s Montgomery Ward 101 Denim Western Shirt
-Levi's Big E 505 Jeans
-Deadstock 1970s Dickies
-WWII "Ike" Military Jacket

As always, here's the label to help you identify one for yourself:

Interested in a bundle?
Click the "email me" link on the top-right of the page to learn more.

The Secrets of Successful Vintage Resellers Pt1: Wholesale Sourcing

Ever wonder where your local vintage shop, or online vintage superstore seems to find rare pieces every week?

Sure, it's possible that they've had amazing luck with thrift stores and flea markets, but increasingly successful sellers are buying vintage in bulk in order to save themselves the time required to "cherry pick" and in order to acquire the volume that they need to run a business.

From who?
There are several possible vintage sources. We're one.

What we do:
Run factories that process thousands of pounds of used clothing each day. The clothing is then sorted into various grades and vintage is separated for resale.

How do we sell vintage?
We sell by the pound in bundles of 150lbs.

What's in a bale?
We usually provide pictures (stay tuned for our upcoming posts). But we regularly pick out Vintage Denim, Vintage Tees, Military Clothing, Dresses, designers like Christian Dior and more.

If we're buying in bulk, why not buy from estates?
Those selling at estate sales often are not professionals and do not grade their clothing. You may find that the condiiton of vintage purchased at estate sales varies wildly. Also, on a pound per pound basis, the cost of purchasing in bulk is significantly cheaper than purchasing at estate sales.

Interested?
Click the "email me" link on the top-right of the page to learn more.

Christian Dior Monsieur: A History Lesson with Eye Candy!

Today, I came across a mint condition "Christian Dior Monsieur" jacket. In an effort to date it I visited the Vintage Fashion Guild's Label Resource, but had no luck. Then I noticed another tag one the side that said "Field Brothers", again Google dutifly did it's job and I ended up on Jrank. According to the article this jacket is really interesting. In the 1970s Dior wanted to expand the Dior Monsieur line into America so they used Bergdorf Goodman and Marshall Field's in Chicago to do so. Effectively, the jacket is not only a well constructed jacket, but also a historical marker of Dior's expansion into the American market.

The label is included below, for your viewing pleasure.

Etsy vs Ruby Lane

Considering opening a vintage clothing/crafts store on Ruby Lane? We thought that we'd follow up Halloween with an e-commerce horror story. Click here to see Shiny Adornment's experience as a seller on Ruby Lane and following comparison with Etsy. Knowledge is power!