I recently decided to move my online store to Etsy for a couple of reasons.

First of all it is a collection of similar shops allowing a prospective customer to search the entire site and find multiple items to choose from. While this may sound counter intuitive because you can be judged side by side with your competition, more people will actually find your items. If you have quality merchandise at a fair price point you will get your fair share of sales. It is similar to having an antique store among a cluster of other antique stores. You end up with much more traffic than if you were miles and miles away from any other similar stores because people will gravitate to destinations that they can spend 4-6 hours at vs a one stop shop. In short it’s good for the customer as well as the quality seller.

Secondly – Etsy has very carefully cultivated and maintained a reputation of being an outlet for either articles made by hand or vintage items. High volume, off-shore sellers need not apply. The buyer does not have to wade through search results that show all 30 instances of an item that someone listed on a site like ebay or with a description that includes “vintage like”. Etsy actually polices this kind of behaviour and will remove the seller if they persist. Etsy is still very much a community.

Last of all – Maintaining the e-commerce software side of the website has become as much work as finding and listing vintage items and not near as much fun. Etsy does all that behind the scenes leaving me more time to do what I’m passionate about – find and present vintage fashion items that appeal to me.

The Etsy store can be found here. If there was something you saw at the online store before Etsy and you don’t see it now, drop me a line. The odds are it just hasn’t been listed yet and I’ll get it set up just for you.

I’ve set up a coupon code that readers of my blog and customers of the VintageJoAnn.com store can use to take 10% of any purchase from the Etsy store. Just type in VJStore in the coupon code block during checkout.

I don’t know a lot about cars but I love the way cars from the 50′s look like!  We walked around and admired all the love and devotion the owners had put into their cars.

I shopped at the venders booths, purchasing a red wicker purse and drooling over a red cashmere coat with leopard lining.  I skipped the coat since I have about 10 great vintage coats now and don’t want to part with any.  Several are red and leopard!   I’ll have to take pictures for another post.  Somehow the fact that I have bizillions of vintage purses did not deter me in that purchase!    Gee- I didn’t have a red WICKER purse!  Rationalization-it’s a beautiful thing.   Rick never said a thing- too busy taking pics of gorgeous ladies  in vintage attire!

Everyone was very nice and approachable, friendly crowd, put up with me scurrying around asking questions.  We wan

t to return next year.  Check out the gorgeous ladies of all ages and shapes in the pin-up contest- I was enthralled withe the clothing of course.

I will be featuring vintage woman’s and men’s fashion from all eras and also I am bringing back more vintage childrens’ fashion.    I am also going to be buying the largest range of sizing I can find, including plus sizes.  I really hope all you vintage loving friends will love it!!!!

I finished sewing my red rose dress today from the 1957 pattern.  I wore it with modern peep toe pumps I got from penneys a few years ago. They look so vintage, you can’t tell!  Sunglasses, bead necklace and bracelet- all vintage 5o’s.  The red crinoline is enormass with many layers- looks great but not for everyday! Scratchy!!

The navy blue dress is a vintage early 1960′s shirt dress made of lightweight poly with polka dots.  I wore it with a netted navy blue circle hat (50′s) and a 60′s enamel flower pin and pink beaded 50′s coil bracelet. Shoes, belt and hoop earrings are modern with vintage flair.  I hope this inspires you to send pictures in.  If my aged, chubby little self can have fun doing this– so can you my lovely vintage lovers!

The blue 50′s dress with the lace and tulle looks adorable, and I LOVE the hat!  Also 50′s netting and blue millinary flowers.

The leopard skirt was a 60′s find and very cool as the fabric was actually furry!!!!

Thanks Mandi, you are the best!

You can see more of Mandi’s photos in Vintage JoAnn outfits at the Models section of our Photo Gallery and go to her website on Model Mayhem by clicking here – Mandi’s Model Mayhem site.

I do believe that for most woman clothing represents the history of our lives. An article of clothing can take you right back so clearly you can hear the music and smell the smells you experienced when you wore it.

The pictures are of this customer wearing her red velvet long dress about 1971. The other photo is her in Germany wearing a pair of printed, high waisted pants in an overall style with straps. The print is classic 70′s. These 2 items are currently available in the shop.

She brought many other things such as tall suede boots, black, laced and embroidered boots, a fab pair of embroidered bell bottoms purchased in Gr. Britain on Carnaby St. She also brought some great authentic 70′s platform wedge shoes. The black pants and groovy fringed vest are already sold, as are the rust, suede shoes.

Oh yes, I forgot there is also a fab velvet and tapestry shoulder bag available. It’s always fun to talk vintage clothing with customers!

Pictures will be posted soon

Retro prints galore, takes you back to those disco nights.  I grew to adulthood in the 70′s and remember when…

The guys in my high school and my boyfriend (future husband) sported these beauties worn tight with several upper buttons undone with their bell bottomed pants which were often cuffed and usually dragging on the ground over big chunky boots and shoes with platforms.

My hubby never sported the platforms but he did rock the rest.  Also in his defence, he never sucumbed to the leisure suit fad, although my brother in law’s graduation picture shows him wearing a particularly fetching baby blue polyester one.

Oh, and of course don’t forget that the really cool guys had rather longish hair then, cut in feathered shags that went past their collars.  Facial hair was big too, with big bushy mustaches and long sideburns,

I even remember some of the younger teachers in my high school looking like this. Oh My…..

Anyhow , all you groovey guys out there who need duds for your 70′s party or who just like to keep your friends on edge with your cool vintage clothing, We have quite a offering for you.

Oh great, now I have a bee gees song in my head that won’t GO AWAY!

Amanda in the Green Dress

Last month a very attractive young couple stopped in and and I enjoyed their visit. One of the items they bought was a bright green halter dress, form fitting and dripping with long fringes, like a 20′s flapper dress, even though the dress is circa 1970. She looked absolutely fabulous and they left but not before I asked them to send me a picture to put on my website.

A few days ago she popped back in the store with pictures. Her name is Amanda and she models. The pics were done by a pro photograher and were fabulous. She is also featured on Model Mayhem just like another favorite customer of mine, Kurvy Kara.

Amanda, Barely in the Green Dress

You can see Amanda in this dress at http://www.modelmayhem.com/1143519 which is a Model Mayhem site she set up for her “Green Dress” project. Amanda is trying to get as many photographers as possible to shoot her in the green dress. You can see the rest of her portfolio here -  www.modelmayhem.com/341000.

These girls are really cute and I’m so thrilled they got things here. Amanda bought a long petticoat and a lace parasol her second visit for a southern belle shoot.

My customers are so much fun. thanks ladies!!!

That website is so cool.  My favorite feature is the videos where they check out the “most stylish women on the street” in NYC.  The best part was the women almost always were wearing several vintage items!  They looked great.

Then I lost all track of time watching a video of Betsey Johnson’s 2009 Spring collection fashion show. WOW!!  I love Betsey because she doesn’t follow fashion trends but always follows her own vision.  She is also a role model too, since at age 60, or there abouts, she refuses to be heaped on the matronly mumu wagon and sports leopard prints and pink hair.  Gotta love that!