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Dearest Darlingest Trash Heads,
Apologies for unexpectedly missing last week’s dispatch. My most beloved furry feline, Jasper, had a routine dental surgery that resulted in an emergency tooth extraction and I have been an absolute disastrous mess watching him recover while also juggling a handful of restoration projects on my 1953 midcentury home (do you want to see them?) and prepping for my trip to New Orleans for the Louisiana Vintage Festival (I’m hosting a pre-party — you should come!)
We have lots of vintage finds to catch up on!
Let’s get into it.
WARNING: full autumnal vibes ahead — if you’re determined to soak up every last drop of summer, proceed with caution — there’s a crispy afternoon breeze ahead 🍂
The routine is the same every year. We’ve reached the point of summer when the idea of “pre-fall” begins to creep in, pestering your subconscious into thinking that perhaps you do *need* the new limited-edition colorway of that classic sweater, that another leather jacket could hardly hurt, and that there is, in fact, no such thing as too many pairs of jeans.
But you don’t have to give in!!!!
While there is, of course, nothing wrong with wanting something NEW on a few and far between occasion, I think we’ve become a little too accustomed to the constant churn of “add to cart” — particularly when the clothes we already own are perfectly capable of carrying us into another season (or two or three or five.)
(Not to mention, it feels very apparent that many of us are shopping for the validation that comes from owning new! hot! trending! things and showing them off on the internet — this is not the way!)
The sweaters you wore last year are probably and very much most likely still fabulous and fantastic. And if you’ve been rotating between the same two coats, now convinced that they’ve become dull and drab and lifeless, there’s a fairly easy fix that doesn’t require replacing either of them: styling them with a weird little vintage accessory.
An over-the-top extravagant brooch, an old, soft and worn-in belt, a showstopper of an earring or a stack of mixed and matched rings. Something small enough to experiment with, but interesting enough to make the familiar feel slightly new and exciting and wild and bizarre.
Sometimes the answer to wanting a new wardrobe is just looking at the one you already have a little differently.
SO here are some vintage and secondhand accessories to give your old wardrobe a new lease on life.
A New (To You) Jewel
Jewelry is probably the most fun way to tell the world what you’re into without having to say a word. It’s where personal taste gets a little louder, curious, and deeply specific.
I love meeting a new person and reading the initial charms on their necklace or seeing a brooch shaped like their favorite breed of dog or reading the engravings on a ring inherited from someone’s father’s father’s father. ‘Tis the ultimate silent storyteller!
Stack everything together, wear one very strange ring, pile on the chains, mix metals, add a charm that makes sense to nobody but you (perhaps, this one?)
The possibilities are essentially endless.
You can make the dull-boring-drab-overly-familiar clothes feel completely different just by changing what’s happening at your neck, wrists, fingers, or ears (or somewhere in-between!)
ALSO, why would you spend this much on crappy plastic fast fashion jewelry when there are HUNDREDS of thousands of delightfully delicious, decently priced, well-made secondhand options floating around the internet?
Row 1 - search terms: drop earrings, dangle earrings, beaded tassel earrings, hinged earrings, flower burst, oversized flower earrings
✴︎ amber and gold tone drop earrings ($116)
✴︎ sterling silver gold plated flower burst earrings ($73.50) (a similar sterling option here and here and a funky option here)
✴︎ black rhinestone and beaded tassel earrings ($185) (a similar vibe door knocker option here) (a more budget friendly option here)
Row 2 - search terms: sterling silver onyx, agate, dalmatian jasper, search different stones with “sterling silver” and “onyx”
✴︎ sterling silver green onyx drop earrings ($117.50) (a funky citrine option here)
✴︎ amy khan russell sterling silver agate earrings ($175)
✴︎ dalmatian jasper and onyx drop earrings ($49) (similar vibe here)
Row 3 - search terms: amber, tigers eye, tortoise + play around with searching these designer names
✴︎ kenneth jay lane gold tone catseye statement earrings ($250)
these are CRAZY someone adopt them!!! i’ve only ever seen a necklace version of these, so me thinks they are pretty rare
✴︎ donald stannard tiger eye round earrings ($79.99)
✴︎ anne chez gold tone wrapped tortoise drop earrings ($79.95)
the tortoise is so pretty
Row 4 - search terms: swarovski crystal, gold tone statement earrings, door knocker earrings, faux pearl statement earrings
✴︎ swarovski gold plated door knocker earrings ($69.99) (a more, dare i say….wh*ms*cal option here and a faux pearl vibe here)
✴︎ joan rivers faux pearl burst earrings ($60)
search joan rivers jewelry and you will not be disappointed
✴︎ avon gold tone flower pearl drop earrings ($55)
same with avon — there are thousands of results
Row 1 - search terms: brutalist, modernist, abstract, taxco + “sterling silver”
✴︎ brutalist sterling silver glass stone ring (size 9.5, $109)
✴︎ sterling silver taxco snake collar choker ($298)
over a turtleneck? peeking out of button up? stunning
✴︎ sterling silver botanical wide cuff ($165)
this has a gorgeous patina, but polished layered over a silky slinky top would be !!!
Row 2 - search terms: frosted lucite, bakelite, celluloid, murano glass, lucite pavé, lucite rhinstone, lucite crystal
✴︎ frosted lucite rhinestone bracelet ($65)
layered over a worn-in, well-loved cashmere sweater? yum
✴︎ lucite pave cluster ring (size 7, $49)
a killer statement ring that pairs well with your gold or silver stacks
✴︎ vintage geoffrey beene tiered round lucite necklace ($75)
this is a good one! the price is good for vintage geoffrey beene, too!
Row 3 - search terms: marcasite, sterling silver, onyx
✴︎ sterling silver onyx and marcasite ring (size 7, $71.25) (pinky ring options here and here)
i don’t think marcasite gets the love it deserves since it can often look a little cheesy — but a hint of it done right feels worthy of the best dressed vampire you know
✴︎ marcasite tassel necklace ($67) (similar here)
✴︎ sterling silver marcasite ring (size 8.75, $59.95)
Row 4 - search terms: dalmatian jasper, onyx, sterling silver
✴︎ dalmatian jasper and onyx sterling silver pendant ($59.49)
i love love love dalmatian jasper and think it’s such a unique and RICH texture
✴︎ dalmatian jasper sterling silver bracelet ($125)
✴︎ dalmatian jasper chunky carved ring (size 7.5, $34.65)
THE BROOCH APPROACH
Brooches have been making their trend cycle resurgence over the last few years despite being an accessory that has literally existed since the beginning of time.
A brooch can be sentimental, strange, funny, a work of art, or all of the above, and because of that, it tends to feel much more personal to the person wearing it than whatever happens to be trending that season — it is enduring!!
Row 1 - search terms: baltic amber, bakelite, celluloid, lucite, wood, wood carved, primitive, folk art brooch
✴︎ baltic amber flower burst brooch ($49) (a brutalist option here)
such a perfect autumnal tone and texture
✴︎ butterscotch bakelite cameo brooch ($34.71 on sale) (alts here and here)
i love love love love bakelite it’s the right amount of kitsch meets statement art
✴︎ hand-carved wood floral brooch ($33.75 on sale) (a cool horse option here and here, and a cute weenie dog here)
wood brooches is a very fun rabbit hole
Row 2 - search terms: mother of pearl, baroque pearl, freshwater pearl, seashell, abalone, vintage glass brooch
✴︎ seashell in sterling silver pin ($124.95)
elegant!!!
✴︎ freshwater pearl flower burst ($85) (a fun alternative here and here) (a brass option here)
buy her before i do!!!
✴︎ antique victorian pearl brooch ($75) (a not antique option here, a sterling option here)
this. is. insane.
Row 3 - search terms: black enamel, onyx, marcasite, pavé, art deco, rhinestone, bird brooch
✴︎ black enamel bar brooch pin ($19.99) (similar here)
i love something that feels a little masculine, especially in autumn
✴︎ silver tone marcasite swallow brooch ($125, in 2 carts!)
he has stunning red eyes and is itching to live on your favorite wool coat!!
✴︎ 1930s black rhinestone dagger brooch ($23.99)
Row 4 - search terms: gold tone, sterling silver gold plated, swirl, spiral, modernist, artisan, artist (this is also a good one to screenshot inspiration à la Calder and use Gem’s visual search or eBay’s visual search)
✴︎ gold tone tassel brooch ($22.49) (this is insane and feels like a statement)
✴︎ sterling silver modernist spiral swirl brooch ($202.49 on sale) (similar here) (a wild necklace option here!)
✴︎ gold tone double spiral brooch ($35)
BUCKLE UP (FOR BELTS ON BELTS)
I find that belts are often under utilized when styling an outfit despite being an immediate eye catcher for even the simplest of ensembles. There’s so much you can do with layering, building texture, tucking layers in, pinning things to them, etc etc.
I encourage you to get playful, get weird and experiment outside your comfort zone!
Row 1 - search terms: pony hair, calf hair, animal print, western
✴︎ chocolate pony hair belt (size l, $39.99)
✴︎ vintage animal print pony hair cartier belt (size m, $260)
cartier, dahling!
Row 2 - search terms: hand tooled leather, brass buckle, modernist/brutalist, suede, fringe, tassel belt
✴︎ vintage brass sunburst flower leather belt (see measurements, $180)
with your favorite worn-in vintage tee and levis…
✴︎ tooled floral print leather belt (size s, $16)
✴︎ suede beaded tassel wrap belt (see measurements, $39.20 on sale) (similar here and here)
Row 3 - search terms: rope belt, wrap belt, corded belt
✴︎ black and silver tone rope belt (36”, $74.99)
Row 4 - search terms: grommet, studded, suede stud, silver buckle, silver western, wrap belt, sash belt, obi belt
✴︎ dehanche grommet stud belt (size s, $295)
✴︎ isabel marant suede studded belt (size m, $139.50)
✴︎ brighton silver buckle leather belt (size m, $44.95)
✴︎ jacqueline de ribes velvet sash belt ($195) (similar, less expensive, vibes here, here, here, here and here)
That’s it for now — I have so many more finds to share with you that will be in a Dump next week for paid subscribers! Happy styling!
Thank you for being here!
Until next time,
xo,
G
we do not deserve you
Hehe scooped the ~more whimsical~ door knocker earrings