Had to pull over and snap a few pics of this old theatre in Kansas, which was en route to my latest buying trip. I don’t document my travels as much as I should and need to work on that asap. I was gone for 4 days and returned last night,triumphant! Quality over quantity this round. I listed a few of the finds tonight:

1940s? Tropical Hawaiian print? Fishtail peplum? We’re so there. You can expect a last minute bidding war on this here.

Rose print 1950s party dress in shocking, bubblegum, and raspberry pink. Shiaparelli would have approved. here

Morton Bergman late 1950s impressionist style blue spring floral cocktail dress set. Wiggle skirting + matching bolero/cropped blouse. High quality tailored look + silk = totally luxe. here

There’s tons upon tons more which hopefully will all be up this week. Some 5 day auctions will launch on Tuesday for sure. This stunner will be for sale via Buy It Now too:

Pick of the litter. Just wait till you see the rest of it!

xoxo, SJ

Emerald green 1950s Fred Perlberg. Full circular skirt, pleated cummerbund inset, boned bodice. Yow!

Runway style 1960s/70s black maxi vest w/ gold + metallic gold embroidery, forming Indian paisley motifs.

Dandy in the underworld. 1960s purple velvet + silk chiffon mod mini w/ metallic silver sequin trim.

Global goddess 1960s/70s dashiki maxi dress. Gauze like vanilla cotton w/ Indian paisley ethnic print.

Couture style construction! Bad photos, but a serious stunner in person. Shocking hot pink late 1950s-60s Mad Men style cocktail dress. Velvet + satin. Kay Selig designer label.

Gothy 1980s-90s black burnout stretch velvet robe/duster jacket.

Gold dust woman meets Brian Jones. 1960s/70s black cotton velveteen blouse w/ metallic gold cording trim + mirrors! Paisley like Indian motifs.

Southwestern / Mexican style striped 1970s dress. Supermodel maxi length w/ micro pleated skirting + ruffle.

Spring fling 1950s – early 60s full skirt light cotton floral print day dress.

Indian enchantress 1960s – 70s coral red maxi vest w/ black + metallic gold paisley embroidery. Perfect layering piece!

1920s flapper inspired style! 80s batwing coccoon draped slouch top / duster jacket. Black + metallic gold floral print lace. Trophy!

Bad mama jama 1970s ethnic paisley / Indian floral print caftan. Runway maxi length. Gorgeous marigold, blue, red, green, black, and white color scheme. Lil brass buttons. Wow!

1970s – 80s Beige cutwork + floral embroidery duster jacket. Ultimate festival wear. So much time and skill went into making this handcrafted masterpiece.

1970s – 1980s Bali crochet rayon maxi dress w/ metallic gold stripes. 10x better in person.

1970s paisley print maxi dress w/ asymmetric scarf sleeves. Last but certainly not least.

 Click here before they’re gone! I also have several equally good dresses + sunglasses and vintage sewing patterns in stock as ‘buy it now’ store prices. If the prices seem steep, make me an offer. I’m flexible.

Stay tuned… tonight’s new crop of auctions include an entire bolt of 50s atomic print fabric, 60s French circular sunglasses (hot spring/summer trend!), and some MAJOR 1950s clothes… including one of the best dresses I’ve EVER found. In a good larger size even!

 xoxo, SJ

PS, these auctions end soon as well >>

1950s mint / light key lime green 50s nylon chiffon prom dress w/ beige lace and floral corsage. Nylon tulle netting gives skirt extra omph.

Almost 3 yards of 1940s hunting scene print rayon fabric. Green/red/pink/chartreuse/black/white color scheme. Cuuute!

 Typical us, we had no prior knowledge of what the city had to offer.  The charming downtown was your typical ‘old town’ – 3 or 4 square blocks of 2 story brick buildings and cobblestones. Only this downtown also had a waterfront. And a lot of greenery. Impressed with how green Natchitoches was, we opted to take a scenic drive.

 What followed were miles upon miles of beautiful farmland, namely fields full of pecan trees. And when I least expected it, there it was. The most haunting sight I’ve ever seen, an old white home largely hidden behind a mess of trees and vines. I had to investigate.

 The driveway was empty. The surrounding grounds could be toured during business hours, which were since over. With the exception of a massive black bumbling bee hovering by the porch we were alone. Or perhaps not. I’m very sensitive to presences and felt watched the entire time. 

 Moments after leaving my dad suffered a mysterious affliction which caused him to lose most of the sight in one eye. Naturally, I think malicious forces from beyond the grave were the culprit. It’s as if they were saying ‘that’s what you get for snooping around’. Thankfully dad made a full recovery after wearing an eye patch for 3 months.

Upon my return home I researched this place of mystery. Magnolia Plantation was on the cutting edge in it’s heyday. Established in 1830, it was well equipped with many cotton gins and hundreds of slaves; who built a great fortune for the Le Comte family. It also stood atop an Indian burial ground. If that doesn’t set the tone for horror, I don’t know what does.

As  sensationalized as the Ghost Adventures episode on it was, they got a few things right. Magnolia Plantation is undoubtedly a very haunted place with a very brutal history.

The basement of the 2 1/2 story main home was used to cure meat, as well as discipline (aka shackle and torture) disobedient slaves. Escaped slaves were often hunted down, then returned and tortured. Once an overseer took slaves to the basement to torture them. Instead they tortured, killed, and cured him. The original ankle shackles used to detain slaves remain in the basement to this day.

The home has a designated ‘dying room’, where several residents and guests have died over the years. Including a Union soldier, who was slowly poisoned and went mad.

When Union soldiers overtook Natchitoches, they attempted to burn Magnolia plantation. The attempt failed, but they did succeed in shooting and killing an overseer at the doorstep. He’s buried on the property, and reputedly haunts the home.

Atypical masonry buildings housed slaves. Each building is subdivided into 2 sections, and each section housed up to 20 slaves. The buildings also housed up to 25 confederate prisoners at a time during the civil war. Many died from suffocation.

 Voodoo graffiti is found everywhere on the property. On the slave houses, the slave hospital, in the main home… even on Christian grave markers. Anthropologists studying the property found many voodoo related artifacts, much to the dismay of the local community – who’d rather downplay the negative parts of their history.

Hundreds of confederate soldiers are said to be buried on the property in unmarked shallow graves. The graves have yet to be found though.

With that said, Magnolia Plantation is considered one of the most haunted places in the south. I’d like to think the trees grow as they do because they hang in shame. Their concealment of the main home is their way of protecting us from the ugliest aspects of humanity.

I originally posted these photos on a personal blog, and had resized them to fit the dimensions of my layout. I regret not saving them in larger sizes and am sometimes tempted to go back and reshoot. But the little voice in my head tells me to steer clear. And little voices are never wrong.

Juliet of the Spirits poster.

there was this incredible photo set by Chantal Michel. I love the use of 50s prom dresses in these! More of her work can be seen here.