Perennial Vintage

Fashion is usually six months ahead of the current season. So, if we're just starting Fall, that's when designers reveal their Spring line. And when Summer starts, that's when Winter wear is introduced. I think, because we humans find it difficult to stay content with what we have, and are always looking for the next good thing, God created seasons. No. Actually, that's not where I was going with this. While it's true seasons keep things fresh and change is good, we need something to look forward to --something to change the averageness of our day. And that's where "six months out" comes into play. I can be freezing my tush off but just knowing it'll be bathing suit weather and dress weather alleviates pain from my current weather condition. Truth is, I love our Winters here in nor-cal. They're mild. And warmish. And amazing. Summers are brutal. And hot. They're unforgiving and eternal. So, I don't wish for bathing suit weather no

So, you know I have an insatiable love for sweaters. And cardigans. I love wool, and thick cotton, and I love fair isle sweaters. Just love them. And you also know I live in California, meaning, sweaters aren't the most used of all the clothing items currently living in my closet. No matter, I say.  What matters is that I love them and appreciate them and wear them when I can. (Supposed to be freezing tonight, so it's time to bust out the Cowichan -- which is like a once or twice a year glorious event.) What also matters is that I find all the sweaters I can't keep and can't wear and sell them to you. Basically, if the sweater is in my shop, it means I would wear it. Did I mention I prefer mens sweater/cardigans also? Yeah. Not helpful. It means I can never casually look at mens sweaters without a need behind the perusing, or without a underlying intent (i.e. all the mens vintage sweaters for me! ) It's this immutable issue, you see. 

It's here. I can't believe it,  but it's here. Holiday shopping, Christmas fun. Black Friday Small Business Saturday Cyber Monday  All of these apply to me and my shop. So, I'm stocking up people. Overalls, denim jackets, sweaters, vintage 501s ... I've got 'em. And since you're here, reading this, take 10% off NOW, with code VINTAGE at checkout. You don't have to wait. Otherwise, you can wait a week and a half, when the sale begins. At least 20% off everything, and Cyber Monday, may be even more. Meanwhile, have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. Tell those who mean something to you that you love them. Life changes fast, every day and every year. And it only takes looking back on the year to see how different everything is from where you started in January and how different everything will be, starting the new year. Hold on to the most important people in your life by recognizing them. Tell them you love them. That you

I probably write a post about vintage Pendleton shirts every year. And the reason is two-fold. 1. I wear them all the time. They're my favorite wool (not even the new Pendleton shirts can compare) and I love plaid like crazy. So, I'm never not going to wear them. 2. I sell Pendleton all the time. I've joked to my friend Lara that I should call my shop "Overalls and Hawaiian Shirts," because I sell those things the most. But, let me add Pendleton shirts, to that list too. If I could find them more, I'd sell them just as fast. Like me, others know why vintage Pendleton are amazing: they're quality.  Listen, I love the Pendleton company. Even their stuff of today. But, I can't say I'll go out of my way to buy their new product. The moment they shipped their USA manufacturing to Mexico, the quality changed. I know some say the wool is the same. But it's not. And it's the way it's manufactured. It's difficult to explain, but

Levi's jackets I have a huge weakness for denim. Mostly vintage Levi's. (There's the occasional Gap or Lee's that get thrown in when I'm treasure hunting for the shop). For me, I wear vintage Levi's. The quality is second to none. Gap jacket Which means WHEN I come across it, I will stock it in my shop. What kinds of denim, you ask? Dark wash, light wash, denim jackets, jeans, even denim dresses. And yes, denim overalls. I have the ever-popular overalls that just won't quit. Which, in my book, is a good thing. 501s So, come on over. I've got your vintage 501s, I've got your trucker jackets. Visit here ◄ And I almost always have denim overalls. (They sell out so fast, I have a hard time keeping them in stock, but I list them when I find them!) Happy autumn, denim lovers. -HJS

My favorite color in the whole world: olive green. So, naturally, I'm drawn to it like a bug to a zapper. When I'm shopping for items to fill my store, this color gets me every time and stalks me until I pick it up to buy. Not kidding. Vintage military, navy, air force, army, and even the forest service. It's kinda nuts. I love it all. So, here's the thing: If you like this color as much as I do, you're in luck, because I list it in the shop as fast as I can find it. And I also sell it as fast as I list it because I'm not the only one who loves this color. Are you sensing the madness here? Madness in me and everyone else who loves this color like I do? If I'm smart enough to sell the item (assuming it doesn't fit me, because when it does it makes it about a thousand times harder to sell), it's your gain. (duh). But, see this picture? This is me trying on a '50s Korean war era shirt ... and it fit. And I don't HAVE this one,

I'm telling you. The world is bringing me dresses right now. I go through literal deserts, trudging through hot sand, with very little hope of no dresses some seasons. But right now, it's all about the oasis, and three pools all with slides and a spa, and beautiful drinks with fruit and umbrellas in them. The dresses I'm finding are that good. Here's a few just from one store. Seriously. That is insane! (And I'm not complaining.) So this black dress I'm wearing, well, I'm keeping it. For now. See, all four of these dresses (1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1960s respectively from left to right) all fit me, to some degree. Now, three of the four don't fit me as well as I want them to, so I'm begrudgingly selling them, in hopes they fit you better. This black one though, yeah, that's the one I'm keeping. It has rhinestones in the tule/lace skirt. It's splendid. And the belt is still there. Woah. Y'all. You know how hard it is for dresse

K. I'm not sure what the deal is, but I've actually been FINDING '40s dresses, in actual thrift shops I frequent, that I can actually buy. It's surreal. There are times and seasons in this vintage world where what I'm looking for becomes extremely hard to find. Out of reach. Elusive.  I seriously have to contend with my heart whether or not I can handle never finding another 40s dress, and if I'm okay with it. Of course, I am. I have to be. But, it makes the joy of finding these treasures even better when they reappear. Just for me. Last week, I found this amazing 40s house dress. Happened to pick up some new used (modern) Camuto leather pumps beforehand without knowing how well it would match this '40s beauty I found thirty minutes later. Love it when that happens. But then ... it gets better. I found another '40s dress just today, at a completely different thrift store across town from the other one (although I SWEAR they were owned by the sa

Anyone who really knows me, knows that I say two things all the time: 1. Never say never. 2. Timing is everything Think you'd "never" do something based on your likes or dislikes? Think something will "never" happen because of your situation? Think again. I find that whenever I say "never" it's due to pride. My pride. Either it's because I'm living a "holier than thou" moment and think I'll "never" do something based on what I see others doing or have done, or I'm saying "never" because I've already been through something and I'll "never" do, deal with, have, go, own, like, etc -- fill in the blank -- whatever it is I'll "never" participate in.  Or it's because I have no faith in a great future. Meaning, my view is the only view. Pride. Plain and simple. Two things I pretty much always said "never" to was a dress (I didn't wear dresses

I love vintage Hawaiian like I love coffee. A lot. And you know what's so awesome about getting invited to luau-themed party and having all this vintage Hawaiian to wear? GETTING to wear it! Guess who got invited? Yep. As did the rest of my family. And I am able to dress them accordingly from my personal collection and some from what's currently for sale in my shop. Now, you don't need a luau to wear these gorgeous things. Everyone loves Hawaii everywhere. But, it sure does help to have a party to go to! Need some aloha in your life at the end of your summer? Want to throw an awesome luau but want a little something for you to wear to it? Get it here! ◄ (mens or womens) I seriously love vintage Hawaiian, I stock and sell vintage Hawaiian like you wouldn't believe (it's easier to find here on the West Coast) and I wear it. Now, get yourself a Mai-tai, peruse my shop for your perfect vintage Hawaiian, and say aloha to the end of summer. M

It's August 1st tomorrow. And in my book, that is first day of the onset of Fall. Never mind that it's suppose to be 105 degrees then. Really. No joke. But, I'm all about optimism. 105 or not, it's the beginning of back-to-school. And with that, my vintage shop is about bringing in all the good Autumnal clothing. Which is really, really good . All the things I want to wear now, I'll just pretend that I can and begin listing them in my shop. Basically, it's the clothing I'd wear year 'round if I could: sweater, jeans, jackets, boots. I'm happy about this. And you should be too. Vintage fall clothing is headed to the shop! And August 11th through the 13th, I'll have a little fall sale too just to kick off the season. Welcome back my fall friends and welcome back to vintage wools, thick cottons, canvas, and leather. All the good stuff. -HJS PS. If you're itching to get your fall shopping on now, have no fear. I always stoc

Did you know that May 20, 1873, was when Levi Strauss & Co began? Well, you do now! 144 years later and their 501's are still going strong. If you're just a little bit curious as to the history of Levi's Strauss, click here to see a great pictorial history via Levi's site. If you want a little more of the nitty-gritty, then click here. It goes over the wonderful, rich history of the family and its denim, interspersed with details of the ups and downs, and failures and successes of the Strauss family. There are other links there too, with more information to feed your need for Levi's knowledge. Levi's is sort of my history, strictly because of my birthright. Being born in Northern California is the only necessary prerequisite. I fully comply. And I fully qualify. Speaking of ... I recently found some beautiful vintage selvedge 501s. Want a little backstory about it? Want to find some 501s of your own? Then click here to read a little a

Here on the West Coast, Hawaii is a favorite spot to travel to. It's like the Bahamas to the East Coast. What's amazing, is that Hawaiian clothing has a provenance, which means you can almost trace the history of Hawaii with the clothing. From the early '30 and '40s fabrics to the barkcloth of the '60s, even the surf shirts of the '80s, all of them tell a story. I've joked with my friends that I should really call my vintage shop "Hawaiian Clothes and Overalls" because I sell those items the most! Regardless, it's that time of year when many are thinking of summer vacations, and I have a feeling there'll be an uptick in Hawaiian sales in my shop. Here's a few for sale right now! Want to see more? Click here to see all my Hawaiian items for sale. Okay! Gotta jet. There's a Mai Tai waiting for me! Aloha...

So, I'm in the process of writing an article near and dear to my heart for a really cool site called OneUpped Magazine. The article has to do with denim, and Levi's, and vintage. Basically, all things perfect. And together. Trifecta perfection. Type 3- Big E Levi's Denim Jacket But to be honest, I'm still trying to come up with the angle and direction I want to go with the article and writing other things close to what I should be writing usually helps out. A lot. Meanwhile, as I work on that, the vintage denim Levi's I sell in my shop, usually flies out the window. But, I do have an awesome Type 3 jacket still available. Isn't it gorgeous? If it fit me, I'd be keeping it. Anyway, check out my shop for regular denim inventory. And if there's something specific you want me to look out for, let me know! Email me. -Heather

A short car ride away, south of me, is a town called Monrovia. Monrovia is where a little (amazing) company called Railcar Fine Goods exist. And what they do is incredible. If you know me, you'll hear me say (a lot), "They just don't make clothes like they used to" ... because it's true. When in the vintage trade as I am, and after years of sifting through thousands and thousands (and thousands) of pieces of clothing, you can see first hand that they don't make clothes like they used to. At all. (Okay, rarely. So rare that no one donates these items! Obviously.) Today, the consumer buys clothes as items to be worn a couple times, used up, trashed, or whatever, and then they move on to something new. This wasn't the philosophy of the past. Clothes were made to last. You had a simple but quality wardrobe that lasted for decades, adding a piece or two here and there, taking out a piece or two here and there. Railcar is one of the few comp

There's a reason Red Wing Heritage Boots uses the name "heritage" everywhere. It's on their blog, their website, their Instagram, their logos, everything! Heritage is what supports and substantiates Red Wing's name and amazing company. Started in 1905 and going full throttle today, they're a serious company to be reckoned with. My heritage is Red Wing. My father wore Red Wings, my grandfather obviously did, too. Now, it's my turn.  I have many friends who's heritage is Red Wing as well. It's a rite of passage almost, to not only know about Red Wing but to carry on the tradition of wearing these amazing boots. The huge double bonus is they're all hand-crafted and made in the USA. My father had three girls, and I'm a little late to carrying on the "heritage" of Red Wing, but I'm here now! And what's really done it for me is the women's line they brought back. (I'd like one of each please, thanks.) Don&#

Here in Cali, our Winter blues are pretty mild. We have to go without seeing the sun for three whole days  (or hours) in order to acquire this malady. But, when it does happen, it usually means we have clouds...which generally means we're in the 50s (degrees). Yeah, mild. What I'd like to focus on starting this winter in my shop is blues; indigo; denim. More jeans for ladies. More denim for men. Why? Because I love it. And I know so many others do, too. This is my seventh year selling on Etsy and I'm still learning. I'm learning what sells but more importantly, what I want to sell. This is the color palette I'm going for--greens, blues, whites and blacks. These also happen to be colors I wear constantly. If as a writer we're to write what we know for the most effective prose, then why am I not selling what I like for the most effective sales? Many times, I buy what sells. But at the end of the day, is it selling? Do I even like selling it? An