You will be introduced to a different Team member in each new post. Please check out our Team Gallery page here.
Today's featured seller is Marcia and you can visit her shop TheSpectrum here.
When I was in the first grade my best friend showed me her mother's cedar closet. It was huge & crammed to the rafters with generations of her family's clothing. We spent many happy hours playing dress-up. So I got hooked at a very early age.
I have had a life-long interest in acting, art & fashion design & my love for vintage just grew naturally from those. Plus, being a bit eccentric, I wanted to look different from everyone else. That led me to thrift & antique shops searching for clothing no one else would have, often accompanied by my mother. She was not only interested in the clothes but was thrilled that my passion saved us a lot of money on my wardrobe! A perfect example is the gorgeous blue silk chiffon early 50s gown I wore to a high school prom, for which I paid less than $10.
My eventual husband shared a lot of my interests, along with his passion for antiques, and we ended up running a brick & mortar vintage shop for 30 years.
2. Do you regularly wear vintage?
Not as much as I used to, as I dressed in head-to-toe vintage when I ran the shop. But I am still very fond of wearing vintage jewelry, and I love my vintage purses & shoes. All of my coats are vintage & when I do get dressed up I am likely to choose vintage dresses or skirts. I also love Hawaiian shirts & tea-timers, Asian tops & 50s men's shirts.
3. Do you have a Holy Grail?
I really like novelty prints so I am always happy to find those. I am also on the lookout for a Helen Bond Carruthers sweater for myself.
And, of course, who doesn't dream of finding that huge vintage cache? The one where you are the only one who knows about it? I have had that happen more than once but I am still hopeful to have it happen again.
4. If you could visit the atelier of any fashion designer (dead or alive), who would it be?
Elsa Schiaparelli. Especially during her 30s pre-war period.
5. What do you see as the future of vintage?
I have been selling vintage since 1969 so I have seen many trends come & go. When we first started out, the Victorian, Edwardian & 20s things were popluar. Then it was 30s, followed by 40s & 50s & finally 60s. When we closed the shop people were asking for 70s & 80s.
As long as fashion designers look to the past for inspiration I think people will still be interested in the originals.
6. What is your favorite item in your shop?
This 70s Malcom Starr circus skirt with the jungle cats.
It's the last one out of a collection I had.
Here are a few more items from TheSpectrum:
Vintage 50s Grey Suede Babydoll Shoes Pumps 5
Vintage 50s 60s Red Beaded Sweater Chinese Lanterns Gene Shelly S
Vintage 50s Embroidered Peacock Reversible Clutch Purse
Vintage 50s Hogan Bolas Modernist Earrings
Just a final note. Many readers will realize I am interviewing myself here, kind of like talking to an empty chair ;>)
This will most likely be the final post in this series featuring VFG Etsy sellers. I did the very first one last October & it has been a pleasure to introduce you to my fellow sellers & to learn more about them.
