Vintage colors can be so comforting. They make you feel warm and nostalgic, whether you lived through the era or wish you lived through the era. Not every colorway brings on that nostalgic warmth…yet. If you were around in the 1980s, it’s hard to be attracted to the country pink and blue or peach and seafoam green combos, but give it another ten years and they’ll be trending on whatever social media site comes after Pinterest. This week’s fresh to market vintage is colorful indeed, with the 1940s, 1960s and 1970s checking in to be seen.
For a seller or collector, color plays a role in helping determine the age of an item. Being familiar with the pastels of the 1950s and the earth tones of the 1970s might help determine when a piece of pottery or a garment was made. Other clues like backstamps, quality, shape, tags and country of origin help nail down the age more precisely, but when you’re on the prowl for vintage, the thing that makes something catch your eye as possibly vintage is definitely the color.
With that thought in mind, let’s wander through this week’s very colorful fresh to market vintage.
1970s Skyr Men’s Skiing Windshirt
If you were a skier back in the 1970s, you might have worn a wind shirt under your overalls or with your blue jeans for spring skiing. Nylon button-down windshirts were colorful as heck, just like skiing outerwear at the time. Bright colors and color blocking ruled the day. (Check out our knitting pattern for a 1970s toque for some flashback fashion.)
There’s still plenty of spring skiing left to enjoy. Especially if you do it in this Skyr Windshirt.
1970s Men’s Skyr Windshirt, $36.
-Laurie, NextStage Vintage
Colorful Bone Inlay Brass Bangle
The colors in this bangle remind me that it’s spring even though the weather outside refuses to cooperate. It was most likely initially made for one of those 70s-era import stores like The Akron in Southern California. Those colorful triangles are made of dyed bone, and this style is usually from Central Asia. While I love the bright colors, I’m not sure about the idea of using bone. However, to each, their own and I’m not one to judge.
Bone Inlay Brass Bangle, $ 24.95
-Pam, Vintage Renude
Preston Girl 1960s Flower Power Cotton Shirt
Gosh! I wish I had 5 yards of this bright and cheerful printed fabric! I remember this period fondly. I was in Junior High School and saw similar designs on girls’ dresses and shirts. This wouldn’t fit our dress code back then because girls could not wear pants. This is designed to wear over pedal pushers for activities like biking or roller skating. Dig those butterflies and flowers! This could brighten up any day. Super bonus…two roomy pockets! It comes with a 60s ad for other Preston Girl items with great illustrations and copies talking about just who might be a Preston Girl. Don’t we all need flowers and butterflies right now?
Flower Power Cotton Shirt, $ 64.99
-Mary Ellen, AuntHattiesAttic
NN Hill Lithographed Easter Toy c 1943
In 1889, Norman N. Hill opened his own company designed to manufacture steel bells in a new way. His approach must have made sense because by 1912, “N.N. Hill Brass Company” was the largest bell & toy factory in the world. In the ’30s, the company was awarded a contract to produce wooden toys for Disney and the rest, as they say, is history. This particular pull toy was one of the “Rabbit Cart” series and was released in 1943 for Easter. The brightly colored rabbit is cut out of wood & features a set of rollers and a two-sided, glued-on paper rabbit design. The N.N. Hill Brass Co. closed its doors in the early 1960s, making their wooden toys that have survived a favorite of American toy collectors.
Lithographed Easter Rabbit Pull Toy, $ 120
-Linda, Selective Salvage
That’s this week’s colorful fresh to market vintage. That rabbit cart is unspeakably adorable, as is the Preston girl flower power top. Make up your own mind about the bone bracelet (we love it) and the not-at-all-shy windshirt. Both exude the 1970s like a K-tel Disco Fever album.
We like to think all our Vintage Unscripted posts are colorful, and that we represent different views and different eras with equal enthusiasm. Don’t miss a thing, subscribe to our email newsletter, a once-a-week message with links to all our posts.
