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Welcome all you vintage Dames and Dudes!  This is our cordial invitation for you to come and check out our daily goings-on via Instagram.  Now remember Em is an eternal vagabond and Amy is a recovering ex-pro-photographer, so be prepared for art pieces, travel photos, fabulous gardens, and of course our love of all things vintage!!!

9 Ways to Wear Birkenstocks: Birks With Balls

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Birkenstocks. They be back. Back in a big way...

... And honestly? I'm feeling it. 

Amy laughs at me mercilessly, but it's true. I find myself unabashedly enamoured with these so-ugly-they-intrigue-me slabs of cork and leather. Honest to God, I never thought I'd hear myself saying this, but it seems the Pinterestbrainwash has taken hold of my apparently easily-influenced tiny little mind.

And what's more, back in 1992, the New York Times praised what was then the '60s revival of the Birkenstock: 'If a Ferragamo pump is a sonnet, then the Birkenstock, the humble sandal that has found new following lately, is a haiku: simple, spare, unadorned'. 

Well, never let it be said that this girl doesn't love a good haiku. That and I'm going to be burning the cobbles in Italy next month and doubt the $8 leopard print foam flip-flops that dutifully served me during last year's serious pavement pounding of San Francisco will cut the mustard. I'll be sure to let you know how I get on. 

The thing with Birkenstocks, though, is that every little detail hangs in the balance. Get that skirt length just an inch too long and you're way back in granola land, Dorothy. The modern revival of the Birk emphasises a certain minimalistic swagger: frankly, it's all about cojones. So, without further adieu, here are 9 of the best ways to do Birks With Balls...

>> Em

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vintage picking: the shoe doctor

My mother always used to tell me that appropriate footwear was important.  With that in mind I had to laugh at myself over the weekend, for my shoes were entirely inappropriate for my activities...

good for picking, right? // source

Before I share with you how I'm now sporting a dozen bug bites and scraps on my ankles, you should know that I'm often harping on Em about wearing the most protective shoes for various picking situations... i.e. scrapyards, barns, attics, and garages; each often deep in debris.

now, that's what I'm talkin' about // source

The first, and probably the truest, love of my life is shoes... or I should say: SHOES!!!  At last count I possessed 68 pairs of my own personal, not including the vintages beauties I sell, SHOES.

lots and lots and lots of ... complete inappropriate shoes // source

I was quite lucky to have married a husband that finds S H O E S sexy on my feet and indulges me in my shoe-dom. Often I can be heard giving words of wisdom to young twenty year old girls of my acquaintance: always marry a man that at very least appreciates sexy shoes and/or has a full on shoe fetish, because then you shall never lack for the indulgence of S H O E shopping! I mean, let's face it, the only thing better than wearing great shoes is shopping for great shoes.

French antique market browsing? Yes. Barn rummaging? Not on your life. // source

Back to my story. My love of great shoes meant that this weekend I went away on a trip and got some much needed non-munchkin time with my wonderful hubby, with only some slinky sandals in my suitcase {four pairs in-case you were wondering}.  

you might break your neck, but you'll bag an antique ladder for 5 bucks in the process // source

Of course I love to pick whenever and wherever life takes me, but alas, I didn't bring any of my appropriate foot attire to climb through this dilapidated old barn, soon to be torn down, that I happened to stumble across. This of course did not stop me from delving into the heaping four foot high pile of debris on a quest for a single old metal milk crate. This brings us to Monday morning and I find my ankles are driving me wild itching, bumpy, and inflamed from whatever insects were living in that heap...  

the vintage picking feet cure-all: Converse, baby! // source

The moral to my story is: always pack a pair of picking shoes for whatever kind of weekend you have planned, because let's face it, whether we are pickers by occupation or pickers for fun, we should always protect our bodies.

Confession:  Did I learn my lesson?  Absolutely not!!  I'd dig through that old barn again in whatever footwear was available, because, let's face the facts: vintage metal milk crates are a creative,  fun, and organized way to store our growing collection of... S H O E S! ▲ Amy

brighton wanderlust

Happy Saturday, Vintage Dames and Dudes! Have any of you ever been to Brighton, England? It's one of my all-time favourite places on Planet Earth. I recently went to see The National in London and took a little detour to Brighton for two days afterwards. Brighton is bursting with delicious, quirky little restaurants and cafes, music venues galore, vintage shops, other shops, lots of shops, and has a great nightlife. I hope you enjoy the images!

workspace inspiration

Spring is the perfect time for a workspace rehaul! We've been plowing away at our own office and storage spaces over the past few weeks, which were bursting at the seams with stock. There's something so liberating and motivating about shaking things up... so check out these amazing spaces and ideas, and shake it, shake it!

we hear you! // source

love how wall details can make a small corner look grander! 

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fantastic use of space // source

love the use of comic book lunch boxes as a storage solution! // source 

journalist Amy Larocca's dining room provides stunning feminine inspiration for those who need to create dual-purpose spaces. I'm lusting after that Ghost Chair. // source  

adore this minimal loft space // source

proof that you CAN do epic shit in tiny space! // source

I've loved this space-saving idea since I first saw it a year ago! // source
 

And if you can't makeover your physical workspace? Makeover your virtual one! A screenshot of my very own laptop's desktop background, complete with weather, world times, a notepad, and other kinds of useful gadgets. Almost one year later, I'm definitely glad I started when I did. So, what are you waiting for?! Create your own using Rainmeter, and clean up those desktop shortcuts with the fantastic Fences. Happy rehauling! ▲ Em

in-flight essentials

I don't know about you, but Spring has me well geared up for a bit of early wanderlust. Oooh, holiday feet. I've also spent more flippin' time on planes over the past 3 years chasing vintage goodies than I had ever totaled up in my 26-years-previous! I think I've got it just about down now, so here are my tips to help you on your travels. Ready to board!

1. Repeat after me: comfort be thy friend. Leggings are the ultimate go-to for long-haul flights. I am loving this floral pair!  

2. Now, I'm not a religious gal, but praise Our Lord Jesus Christ for Batiste dry shampoo... now in travel size!

3. Sure, you'd normally spend 30 minutes (read: an hour and a half) applying makeup in the morning. Not at 3am when your flight leaves in 2 hours and you need to obsessively check "just one more time" for keys, passport, keys, lipstick... Forget the makeup and add a bold, bright scarf to your tresses for instant glam factor. Then check to see if you have your passport again.

4. Nobody wants to be the irritating pillock at the security belt (yes, we've all been there) fumbling frantically with every last bit of metal on their person. Make it easy! Zip through security with this fab wooden bangle.

5. Loose, comfortable tops like this one are ideal for flying. I always carry a spare one in my hand luggage, too - especially if I've got flight changes to deal with and lots of running around.

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6. These Bath and Body Works hand sanitizers are bursting with fruity scents - there are tons of juicy varieties to choose from!

7. I've recently fallen madly, deeply in love with leather backpacks. They make the perfect carry on, with plenty of room for your essentials, and zipped pockets to keep those important documents in.

8. Wet n Wild's Balm Stain is another new addiction of mine. High-pigment colour that is perfect for livening up your 'Flight Face'.

9. These mint green Topshop ballet pumps are to die for, and easy to slip off at security! (See: fumbling idiot).

10. If you're anything like me, you'll struggle to sleep on planes. Drift off to your own private sanctuary with this beautiful handmade sleep mask.

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11. SteamCream is flying off the shelves of ASOS right now. This multipurpose lotion is ideal for in-flight hydration, and comes in a range of adorable, limited edition tins.

12. The La Fresh range of wipes are quite simply amazing. From nail varnish removal wipes to these soothing body wipes, they make the in-seat freshen-up a total piece of cake!

13. Leave expensive watches at home and fly with a cute silicone bangle watch, available in a rainbow variety of colours!

14. Fourteen hours on a plane does not a good hair moment make. Land, stick on a cuper cute bowler hat, and off you go!

15. Unless you're a fan of the disproportionate amount of Jennifer Aniston movies available on in-flight entertainment systems (no judgement...), you'll be wanting to take a tablet with you. Keep it snug in this adorable iPad case.

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16. Of course, once your trusty tablet has seen you through the plethora of deaths in Game of Thrones season three, you'll be needing this mobile phone and iPad charger.

17. Ward away dark circles with a personal favourite of mine - the magnificent Boot's No7 Instant Radiance Concealer.

18. Make the most of your carry-on allowance with this fantastic wheelie case from the superbly retro Orla Kiely Multi Stem range!

19. Let's face it. There's almost no better feelgood moment than the second you step outside the airport and are hit with glorious rays of direct sunlight that could burn your corneas right off. These fabulous aviators from the Lilly Pulitzer range will stop that from happening.

20. Oh, cashmere. How I do love thee. Especially when the fiend sitting next to me is blasting their air-con to the maddened ferocity of a gale force wind. These Himalayan cashmere scarves from Fig & Bella come in 35 different colours. Just try not to strangle the air-con fiddler with it.

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Oh, and...

21. You know when you keep nodding off on the plane, causing your head to jolt forward like a floppy Dandelion after some kid has given it a gleeful kick? No more panicked glances around the cabin to see if anyone saw: this memory foam travel pillow will keep your head where it's supposed to be. That is, not jamming sporadically into your chest.

vintage makeup

Happy almost-New-Year everyone! We hope you all had a fantastic Christmas. With the 31st just two sleeps away, we've been turning our minds to party time! So, without further ado, here's some vintage makeup inspiration - with coordinating cruelty-free nail polishes - for you to rock this New Year's Eve! Enjoy!

1920's - flapper

+ elf polish in plum

1950s - pinup

+ gosh polish in tropicana

1960s - mod

+ barryM polish in lychee 



1980s - bold

+ american apparel polish in neon coral