I thought for my first post I would share the story of one of my favorite finds. I don't always love the process of finding items, but the pay off is fantastic.
The dress above was found at the sale of an older lady who liked to collect, well, a bit of everything. I had no expectations for this sale and I got there super late. Let's just say I wasn't in the mood to jockey for position or dodge elbows. Surprisingly I managed to be one of the first in line but, as predicted, once inside it was a whirlwind of pushy people, not to mention a crazy maze of a house. I ended up with a small pile of items that I didn't really check over very well (I was tired, hot, and a little cranky by this time.) I waited through a mile long line and headed home to inspect my new treasures.
As I sorted my new finds I was surprised to come upon this dress. I didn't remember grabbing it and furthermore, it was hideous. It had long lace sleeves, a high lace collar, fabric down the front and around the waist, all of which was hand tacked on, making it look pseudo Victorian or bad Gunne Saks. I took a second to process all of this and then quickly began the disassembling process. Taking out my ripper I undid all the additions (and it took a bit of time, trust me!) To my delight I discovered the amazing metal appliques that had been previously unnoticeable and the beauty that is my favorite 1930's dress to date.
Sometimes while waiting to get into a sale I wonder why I am there. It's freezing cold(or boiling hot,) I have needed to use the restroom for the past 3 hours, and everyone in line seems to be posturing, salivating, and turning into the most primal and aggressive version of themselves. But then there is the adrenaline rush of finding that one surprise item. I'm sure most vintage treasure hunters feel this way, it's not an original thought, but nothing compares to the high of that completely unexpected find.
