No one ever worries about using things like the vintage bangle or sweet red bird decor in this week’s fresh to market vintage because of course you would wear that bangle and hang up that bird. But lots of us get hung up about using vintage linens like the apron and tea towel. That tea towel has sat unused for 50 years. Gadzooks! It’s a London tea towel, not the crown jewels. It was made to be used. And what’s the point of having a perfect barbecue apron if you’re not going to use it when you barbecue.
Linens can stay hidden in cupboards forever because you don’t want anything to happen to them, and we get that. We have a recently acquired pristine Atlantic City printed tablecloth and the thought of it getting stained makes us clutch our pearls and gasp with horror. So we drape it over a chair so we can see it all summer long. Even if you’re scared to use something, like a delicate heirloom quilt, at least have it out somewhere so you can tell it’s story when someone asks. Heirlooms aside, most vintage linens are at their best when they are given work to do. Put those pillowcases on the bed pillows, use those monogrammed hand towels and for heaven’s sakes, use your vintage kitchen linens.
If you have any questions about using vintage things, leave them in the comments. We have Opinions, yes we do. And we are pretty sure the answer is going to be “of course you should use it.”
And now, on to this week’s fresh to market vintage…
Gold Glitter Lucite Bangle
If you have been following my shop for any length of time, you know I have a weakness for chunky bangles. This one seems perfect for summer. It’s big, chunky, and glittery. Just the accessory to spice up your weekend outfit. For those who truly love to make a statement ,add a couple of smaller bangles on either side for an over the top look. Big chunky bangles are timeless, they never seem to be out of style. So manifest your inner Iris Apfel and pile on the bright fab jewelry.
Chunky Asymmetrical Glitter Bangle, $32.95
Pam, Vintage Renude
Folk Art Bird on a Wire Sculpture c 1990s
Handmade and primitive, I love this simple combination of two of my favorite things…hearts and birds. I have no clue who the artist was, but I choose to believe we are kindred souls.
Vintage Handmade Folk Art Piece, $ 40
Linda, Selective Salvage
1970s London Skyline Tea Towel
The colors are crazy on this 1970s vintage Irish linen tea towel with covered with London landmarks. The even crazier thing is that it’s been waiting for 50 years to be used. The sizing is still crackling crisp. If you have a friend who lives at the intersection of loving tea towels and loving London and/or England, this is your sign to shop early for their Christmas gift.
1970s Lamont Irish Linen London Landmarks Tea Towel, $32.
Laurie, NextStage Vintage
1950s Screenprinted BBQ Apron
It’s the start of peak grill season, but you can’t grill at your peak if you don’t have a vintage kitsch barbecue apron. Aprons from the 50s and 60s are highly entertaining and surprisingly resilient. We’ve used a few for years, and we are not dainty in the kitchen or at the grill. Most are made of cotton, so you can use stain removing sprays, gels, sticks or pens and expect good results. They don’t need fussy handling. They were meant to be used.
Grill aprons also make good host/hostess/housewarming gifts. It’s never bad to have a couple stashed should the right occasion come up. This apron comes from a stash collected by the seller’s great aunt and uncle, so it’s got the cache of having belonged to aficionados who knew their way around awesome kitsch linens.
Mid-Century Screenprinted Kitsch Barbecue Apron, $32.
Available from this week’s guest Leslie, Ginger and Bitsy
We’re not saying we’re going all Smaug-mode over that gold glitter bangle, but we’re not saying we’re not. We would certainly add it to our golden hoard and protected it at all costs.
Another thing we protect at all costs is your private info if you wisely sign up for our email newsletter so you never miss a post. You get one email a week with links to all our posts from the previous week. And unlike Smaug, we do not have a small bare patch on our belly, so you can be sure we will keep your preciousssss info safe.
