This evil evil vintage addiction (men are welcome in this one, too)

[RetroModelSari]

Hi Ladies and Gentlemen!

I discovered my addiction to vintage gets worse and worse the more stuff I get!

In the beginning all I bought was mostly lingerie, but the more I got into my pin up thing the more dresses I started buying - just for shoots in the beginning. This led me to buy more and more swimsuits and than BANG I wanted to wear vintage and vintage inspired every day. Now that I managed to get some cute clothes I go even further with "Oh I want more cute little hats". Will there ever be a end? Can I ever be healed from this addiction?

Share your experiences with me before I´m broke (The devil made EBAY!!!!!!!)

Hugs,
Sari

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Yes, one things does lead to another when it comes to collecting. Sometimes I spend too much time acquiring new old things instead of admiring the ones I already have. I have no answers for you. [huh]

 

[LizzieMaine]

For me, it's patterns. I have piles and piles of patterns, and deep down I know that I'm never going to get around to making up all of them. And yet, I can never walk past a box of them at a flea market and I can never stop searching them on eBay because I know that there's JUST ONE MORE out there I just absolutely need to have.

Oh, and this is also true of shoes. And hats. And nightgowns. And sweaters. And books. And magazines. And records. And radio memorabilia. And kitchen stuff.

Sigh.

If I actually had any money, I'd be afraid of ending up like one of those old eccentrics who lives in one tiny room of her house because the rest of the place is packed solid with accumulated stuff. It wouldn't take much more.

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

Share your experiences with me before I´m broke (The devil made EBAY!!!!!!!)

It gets worse before it gets better lol but you can "just go with it" and buy/sell/trade as a free-time business-hobby. Talking to collectors of other things, the cycle is usually you keep buying more & more as you learn more specifics about what's available and what you do or don't like; then you have to resell all but the ones you really like.

That's what I did with record players for a couple months between I.T. jobs a few years back; it paid the groceries. Got a closetful of 'em now, still awaiting restoration; trying to decide if I'll ever have time. No longer seems to fit in my life plans! [huh] From my old website:

And remember, have fun, don't let the hobby turn into a chore! (that's the mistake I made - well maybe not a mistake, I'm "cured"! )

Swing High,
- Cousin Hepcat

 

[Caledonia]

For me, it's patterns. I have piles and piles of patterns, and deep down I know that I'm never going to get around to making up all of them. And yet, I can never walk past a box of them at a flea market and I can never stop searching them on eBay because I know that there's JUST ONE MORE out there I just absolutely need to have.

Oh, and this is also true of shoes. And hats. And nightgowns. And sweaters. And books. And magazines. And records. And radio memorabilia. And kitchen stuff.

Sigh.

If I actually had any money, I'd be afraid of ending up like one of those old eccentrics who lives in one tiny room of her house because the rest of the place is packed solid with accumulated stuff. It wouldn't take much more.

Yep, patterns are dangerous. I've got a filing cabinet full of them, then it turned into shoes, then bags, and I think I've just about stopped the hat, girdle and jewellery things getting out of control. But Cousin H sounds about right. Go with it till you run out of steam or go bankrupt, and sell everything that isn't exactly what you want to have. Other tip - quit ebaying (it's hard but achievable ), and don't look anywhere else till every thing you have in your current collection is refurbished and in use. Actually I have no idea if that will work, because I haven't tried it yet )(apart from the ebay bit). lol

 

[jitterbugdoll]

Yep, I am faced with this dilemma as well

It started with swing dancing, which necessitated a trip to a vintage store--and in the four years that have passed, I now have two closets stuffed full of clothing! My favorite obsessions are dresses, shoes, lingerie, hats, magazines, patterns, knick knacks of all sorts, and the list only goes on.

This problem only gets worse as you study your favorite eras; you realize just how many amazing outfits there were and you come to the realization that must own one (at least) of each lol

 

[Rebecca D]

Yep. It’s awful.

I have piles of patterns and vintage fabric that will take me years to get through, but I just keep buying. I also have a weakness for vintage fruit prints and fruit jewelry. My other weakness is books; I have shelves of books that I haven’t read yet, but I keep seeing more that I want to read. Just this weekend I bought 3 more books that I probably won’t get to any time soon.

But as for the pattern and fabric addiction, the other morning I was trying to find something to wear and it hit me that I should put on that adorable 40s rayon dress with the giant floral print. But then I remembered I hadn’t actually made the stupid dress yet! The fabric was still in a pile and the pattern was a filing box. How weird is that? I need to slow down on the buying and do more actual sewing.

 

[Rosie]

Originally, for me, it was clothes and fabric but since I've been visiting the Lounge, it's been compacts, purses, more handkerchiefs, now, I troll eBay EVERYDAY where as before it was like a few times a week. Now, after grad school, I want to re do my house, give it a more vintage-esque feel.

 

[Lauren]

Haha! I know the feeling, Rebecca D. Today I was thinking about something I want to sew and it flashed in my mind that I could use some fabric I bought last year, only to remember that that fabric was already tied up in something I already made!

Yes, vintage patterns and ANY fabric, vintage or modern. Getting me into a good trim store is very bad as well, as I'm fantasizing and "This trim would be perfect for a (insert era here) gown." Especially ones for the 18th century. If I see it I usually get at least 10 yards...

For vintage I started with Victorian, moved to Edwardian, skipped 20's and went to 30's, skipped 40's and went to 50's... and I seriously have to hold myself back from buying every little dress pre 40's that's in need of love and cheap (otherwise known as shreading, splitting lace, stains...) but I've gotten much better in recent years.

Old books are definately an addiction- especially pre-20's sappy love stories with illustration inserts. My Mccall's pattern addiction spread into Mccall's magazines and now I have a stack. And any hat pre 1950's has wound up finding it's way into my house somehow. But I'm totally a bargain hunter, and when things start getting past about 20 bucks I always double guess them (like the bakalite handle purse I almost passed up in the midwest on the basis of it being 30 bucks...)

 

[Paul]

I came to the conclusion the most convenient things to collect of often not the most interesting to enjoy with others, A stamp collection might captivate you but your friends will think one stamp look pretty much like another. Where if you made a entrance wearing a vintage 40's dress then they might not apriciate it's an original 40's, but will think you look fabulous wearing it.
One thing I would like to collect is early fashion adverts or packaging ( pre 50's), the way that they have to put modesty foremost then try to work out a way of showing the item within that constraint and describe it with a lot of wording, I think just brings out the best in the artist and the creative mind.Today just a photo of a lady and a short paragraph with it features listed, the rest you just know so boring in my view.

 

[Lady Day]

Oh, Ive always collected.
I have a HUGE children's book collection (200+). Im an illustrator so that collection will NEVER get smaller. My newest addition was another Andrew loomis book!

I also collect film posters. Not just any, but ones I feel are real cool and designed well. My prize is an "Anatomy of a Murder" (original) from 1956!

When my mother left me all of her sewing materials, that included patterns, thread, needles, zippers, etc. Of corse the things I WANT with my sewing are the things she didnt have so out I go to get precious appliques, and such to put on sweaters and anything else I can find

As far as clothes go, Im way more practical. Living in a studio, I dont have a lot of space, and with a thrift store being just a block away (a good and bad thing), I end up dumping a lot of items I no longer want. The thing is, most are the remnants of my modernish attire, so Im making room for more vintage sewing.

Thats my new obsession, I guess. finding a precious cottom calico, and going nuts on skirts. Oh! And buttons! I LOVE fabric covered biuittons, good thing is, I can make those.

So I guess the real thing to do is to make sure that you keep it under control. The Under X$ is a good way, but I always get what I want, well most of the time. Im not a big, gotta get everything shopper. Not anymore

LD

 

[Shimmy Sally]

I grew up on this stuff, so sadly it's more than just an addiction. It's so deeply ingrained that no 12 step program can help me. I'm a hopeless case.

 

[SaraBell]

Hi Ladies and Gentlemen!

I discovered my addiction to vintage gets worse and worse the more stuff I get!

In the beginning all I bought was mostly lingerie, but the more I got into my pin up thing the more dresses I started buying - just for shoots in the beginning. This led me to buy more and more swimsuits and than BANG I wanted to wear vintage and vintage inspired every day. Now that I managed to get some cute clothes I go even further with "Oh I want more cute little hats". Will there ever be a end? Can I ever be healed from this addiction?

Share your experiences with me before I´m broke (The devil made EBAY!!!!!!!)

Hugs,
Sari

Oh no! Thats exactly how its been going with me...I did the lingerie thing, and I've been into dresses for a while now, and the other day I was looking up vintage type swimsuits on the internet!...great, and I'm supposed to be saving up my money...lol

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

I also collect film posters. Not just any, but ones I feel are real cool and designed well. My prize is an "Anatomy of a Murder" (original) from 1956!

fftopic: Pardon the intrusion- Lady Day & anyone interested in 50s commercial graphics, you should check out this book: "Blue Note : The Album Cover Art" (1950's jazz album covers released by Blue Note Records - amazon lets you Look Inside)

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http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/08...104-3416515-3135934?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Swing High,
- Cousin Hepcat

 

[Feraud]

I fully realize I have an addition to collecting stuff. I try really hard to excerise self-control. Sometimes it works and others it does not. [huh]

 

[mysterygal]

I love my vintage addiction. There's nothing like a purchasing 'high' when finding that great 'something' . At first it was dresses, now I'm on the look out for great hats and undergarments. With dressing 'modern', I love this look

 

[Novella]

For me it's all about paper things - especially magazines. My magazine collection is slowly growing, and when I find new ones I can't resist buying *at least* one. I've been trying to reign in my magazine obsession by only buying magazines from the 1930s (plus or minus 5 years). So far so good. There were some fabulous magazines from the 1900s and 1910s the last time I was at the antique store and I almost bought them, but somehow I managed to resist and stick to my new "only from the 30s" rule.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

In a way I'm glad that none of the vintage suits on eBay are even close to my size. I've gotten carried away enough as it is with hats! If I could find vintage suits on eBay I'd be in the poorhouse!

 

[nightandthecity]

I am Mr 1940s average size. And I am in the poorhouse.....

 

[AllaboutEve]

It's jewellery, and anything that sparkles, I just have to have it. I seem to have a gene that makes it impossible for me to read price tags when it comes to jewellery,.......doesn't matter what it costs, just gotta have it.

There are SO many jobs around the house that I haven't got round to doing or paying for as I spend all my money on vintage gear.......

It truly is a sickness