ABUNDANCE OF AWESOME

This weeks new arrivals are sooo cute! If you see something you can’t live without, click here to shop.

Both discount codes ‘vlv14’ and ‘hello2011’ are valid at checkout for taking 25% off your total purchase. You know how Etsy gets though; every so often something malfunctions. A customer placed an order and used the discount during checkout this morning w/o any issue, but last night another customer complained the discount code wasn’t working.

Damn those glitches! But fear not ladies – if Etsy doesn’t make it right, I will. In the event a discount code doesn’t work, I’ll make sure to refund the difference on Paypal. I promise.

With outta the way, let’s get on with the show:

Q: Why does this dress resemble a Singapore sling?

A: Because it’s belongs at your next cocktail party. Hint hint!  Bright and festive 50s cotton dress in a Mayan inspired geometric print, with lil’ bows around the neck and a ruffle hemline. Pair it with the works aka flowers and cocktail umbrellas in your hair, bakelite and bamboo bangles, carved wooden wedge heels, and whatever tastes fruity. Then bust out the Martin Denny records. Sometimes more is just… more.

Heavenly shades of night. This House of Trash dress has a bittersweet story. The best fabric store in town was going out of business, and had to liquidate their inventory. They sold nothing but high end imported fabrics, such as the French silk this is made of.

It normally retailed at $44.00 a yard, so in theory the dress has $176.00 worth of fabric alone. I was able to pay much less than that though.

So to keep the good karma flowing I’ve priced it at under $200.00, AND you can get 25% off my asking price. For a one of a kind, handmade vintage reproduction fashioned from an authentic early 50s sewing pattern (which has a distinct Dior ‘new look’ silhouette) + top quality fabric, you can’t go wrong. There’s a lot of hand stitching on this, and I even added a vintage metal zipper to keep it as authentic looking as possible.

Already sold, but with sharing for fun. 50s silk chiffon dress w/ blue rose print. Romantic, classic, angelic, Betty Draper worthy, you know the drill.

Creme de la creme de la creme de la creme! 1940s + multi colored + rayon + embroidered Hawaiian boutique label = severe case of Stendhal syndrome. Can I get on disability for that? haha

You can never go wrong with vintage Oaxacan tent dresses. I love how this one has rainbow pastel embroidery! Someone else loved it too, as it sold within an hour. Yay!

Honeycomb be my gal. Lush 40s rayon with the cutest bumblebee and geometric honeycomb print in navy blue, bubblegum pink, and white. Tulip sleeves, shirred shoulders, and ruffle hem. So sweet.

**edit** This beauty found a new home right after I posted this. And yes, the buyer was able to use the discount code w/o any issues : ). ******

At last, another 60s dress! We’ve suffered a shortage of them for months, but thankfully replenished our stock last week. There’s many more mod mini’s on the way next week, but this one’s a good start.

Chocolate brown and white op art print. Yum yum yum.

70s meets 7 Year Itch! Had Marilyn lived another decade this could’ve been her dress. Plunging halter neckline, nipped waist, and full skirting. The floral print ain’t too shabby either : P. Technically someone ‘bought’ this on Etsy, but it hasn’t been paid for yet. I’m sure they won’t flake out though. On something this great, who would?

SarahJayne loves the 70s, part 10,000. Joyful floral print in a light stretch knit + matching chiffon overdrape. Cute cute cute. I want to wear this before someone buys it, but I have a tendency to treat my clothes like Tonka trucks, so I’ll resist. Nothing can stop me from swooning though.

Hopelessly. Head. Over. Heels. In. Love. The butterflies and wildflowers, the puffy sleeves, the sweetheart neckline, the cut….. if you’re cute like Doe Deere is, you need this in your life.

Studio 54 approved! This little black polyester 70s dress may be easy to care for, but basic is the last this you can call it. Asymmetrical v neckline, double tiers of asymmetrical skirting with marrowed edges…. dang!

There’s much more on the way too. I have piles upon piles of stuff to list. Good stuff. You’ll see.

xoxo, SJ

I’M BACK

Things have been slow at my day job, so I’ve been on a tighter budget for the past few months. I got tipped off to a hell of an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up on though, so I headed north for the weekend to do some buying for the shop.

In small town USA lives a guy who’s mother did theatre costuming from the 1940s-1980s. When the threatre closed,  she got to keep all 15,000+ costume pieces (talk about a perk!) She died a few years back, but he never held an estate sale. He just hung on to everything, and stashed it in a barn. Until recently, he had no clue there was a market for old clothes.

Eventually someone clued him in though, the word got out, and slowly but steadily pieces have been sold off. When I visited him this weekend, he said there were about 5,000 pieces left. Much of it I had to pass on due to condition issues, but there’s still plenty of very wearable stuff, mainly from the 50s and 70s. And while I won’t leak #’s, I will say this: I got a hell of a deal. I love when this happens, because then I can keep prices lower too : D.

Anyway… it was the shock of my life to come accross such an opportunity. Things like this used to be the norm in the vintage clothing industry, but nowadays most estates get raided by museums and upscale Hollywood shops long before the public is alerted. I was honestly shocked by how much was left. You’d think a big name dealer would’ve purchased the entire lot.

Because I made other purchases from thrift shops, I only had so much room in my car. But believe me, I’ll be back to this secret stash of hidden treasure!

Here are a few pieces from the haul:

Disco divinity! It’s no secret that I love 70s poly dresses like this. And I love the clothes Frederick’s of Hollywood used to make. Best of both worlds. The 2nd picture shows the true color better, which is a lavender.

50s and gathered and floral and full skirted. Oh my. Jewel tones are so underrated.

Have you ever seen a 50s dress where the beading is fringed like that? That was more common with 60s dresses, which makes this quite an oddity. Pretty carnation pink lace, with a full skirt and rhinestones, faux pearls, and bugle beads on the bust. Fun.

Easter everywhere. 50s cutie pie in a large scale check. Lightweight cotton in a cheerful light green and pink color scheme. Already sold.

Colorful + 70s + cropped length = the perfect top for mixing with this springs trends. This one has also sold.

The touch, the feel, the fabric of our lives. Not cotton folks, rayon. Smooth, silky, cold to the touch 40s rayon. Totally luxe; nothing has been made like it since, making this a rare treat. I love the color scheme of this dress. Plus it’s shirred shoulders and lil’ bows.

Obsessed. Vintage Bali crochet stuff is killer! Plus the embroidery and scalloped hems on this piece are pretty sweet.

Serious ‘what the fuck’ moment, in a good way! 50s halter dress w/ a skirting overlayer made of asymmetrical fishnet mesh… which has a beige paint splatters all over it. If Lydia from Beetle Juice time traveled to the Eames era, she would’ve worn this.

Move it, Barbie! Bombshell 50s wiggle dress with a mermaid/fishtail hem. The outer layer is black tulle, which has tons upon tons of lil’ black ribbons and metallic silver threads woven throughout.

Oooooh yeah. I dubbed this dress ‘la Parisienne’ because it reminds me of Miss Pandora, one of my favorite fashion bloggers. I could totally see her in this, rocking some black Louboutin heels so the soles would match the print!

Amazing 60s party dress in a quilted rose print, with an empire waist and fringed hem. I’ll probably end up kicking myself for letting this go.

I can’t help but wonder who the actresses were that wore these, and what plays they were used in. Gigi? South Pacific?

There’s much more on the way of course. Just wait, honey child.

Hope you all had wonderful weekends and Valentine’s Days! I’m so glad fashion week is going on. I can’t wait to see what the fall trends will be.

SHE’S MY WITCH

This enchantress of a dress just landed in stock.

I love how 1930s dresses were all the rage in the 70s. Fashions made back then paid homage to the era, but the edgiest fashionistas (the GTO’s, the Cockettes, Warhol Superstars, Stevie Nicks) took to wearing the real thing.

This lovely dress embodies the spirit of that era perfectly. It’s authentic vintage from the 30s, but was given a new love life in the 70s; when it’s original (likely tattered) lace insert was replaced with a new polyester one in lavender. The rest of the dress is of original black rayon velvet, with lil’ buttons up the wrists, soft tucks below the bust, and a metal zipper.

So very groupie/bohemian/witchy, wouldn’t ya say? It’s perfect for fall, but compliments the spring/summer 2011 trends well too. For only $74.99, it can’t be beat!

FRESH STOCK ADDED <3

New merchandise has arrived by September as promised! Here’s a peek at some of the new stock. There’s tons more to come too : ).

Incredible 20s inspired cutwork dress!

House of Trash butterfly dress. Made from deadstock 50s rayon + a vintage pattern.

Super amazing 70s disco dress with asymetrical scarf hemline.

Cutie pie 60s op art mod mini.

Easy, breezy 70s secretary dress. ALREADY SOLD!

Golden goddess 80s metallic prom dress, by Gunne Sax.

Thanks for checking it out!

xoxo, Goldmine Trash

PARADE OF CUTENESS

 Last weekends estate sale scores!

 I love 50s poodle motif things. And 50s appliqued things. So why not have the best of both worlds? Best trash can ever. The estate I got it from was JAM PACKED with nothing but 1940s-70s stuff. I’m pretty convinced these people stopped shopping in the 70s, and never threw out a thing.

 The sale was supposed to start at 9am, but was postponed till 12 due to the snowstorm. By 12:30 they sales folks finally arrived. Yes, I stood all that time out in the snow. Without a jacket. It was worth it.