Junk Love: Boating Party

Am I still in the mood for red, white, and blue? You betcha. And do I still love nautical junk? Yep. If I lived at the coast, I would definitely have boat-y type things in my house, like these great Italian bowls with life preservers:

Set of 4 Mepal Bowls, In Our Shop

And for the legendary cocktail collection, an ice bucket and glasses with nautical signal flags:

Cocktail Set, On Etsy

And speaking of signal flags, this is just one of several that I found on Etsy, and the paper tablecloth and napkin set is a birthday party dream. (By the way, this flag means Yes!)

Signal Flag, On Etsy

1930s Reed Luncheon Set, In Our Shop

For the nautical-inspired home, brass accents are essential:

Pen Holder, On Etsy

Brass Sconce, On Etsy

Brass Sailboat Wall Hanging, On Etsy

And this porthole mirror is FABULOUS:

Vintage porthole mirror, On Etsy

Plus, some classic blue and white for the walls (or the kitchen):

Set of 20 anchor trays, On Etsy

1950s Klafrestrom Enamel, On Etsy

And even if you're not in search of permanent decorations or collectibles, don't you think these would be great for a yacht party? Swab those decks, matey! And chill the champagne!

Junk Love: And a Ship to Sail Her By

As we creep closer to the 4th of July, I find myself yearning for saltwater taffy and sand between my toes. As an adult, I would never go to the beach at this time of year--too many people for my taste. But fireworks at the beach defines the summers of my childhood. We didn't go to fancy hotels or quiet beaches. Nope, it was the lights and kitsch of Myrtle Beach, back when the Pavilion still existed. The Fourth of July was all about the rickety Log Flume and walking the Boardwalk with wet shorts to get dipped ice cream cones and spend all our money in the Gay Dolphin. And then it was rushing back to the cheap hotel to crowd onto our balcony just in time for the bursts of light in the sky. I tend to get nostalgic this time of year, and if you follow our blog, you'll notice a lot of nautical, red, blue, and beachy-type things. Like today, where we are focusing on sailing-influenced fashion. This graphic sailboat dress is a dream come true:

On Etsy

This Malia dress still has sailboats, although they are a little more abstract:

On Etsy

And nothing is better than a big, bold Vera:

On Etsy

One of my favorite things in our shop is this 1960s drop-waist skort dress:

In our shop

And I love the applique on this 70s wrap skirt!

On Etsy

If you're not into red, white, and blue nautical, you could always go for something a little more intellectual, like this 1950s skirt with maps, globes, compasses, ships, and sea monsters in the print. Love it!

On Etsy

Or this one with sailboats and nautical info for Nantucket Sound:

On Etsy

Nautical flags and anchors are a great way to pay homage to the sea without dressing like a sailor:

On Etsy

In our shop

Or perhaps your own little sailboat! On your finger, of course....

On Etsy

Junk Love Monday: Love is Red, White, & Blue

I have always been drawn to red, white, and blue. I just love the combination. In fact, I have a collection of scarves in this patriotic scheme. Their place of honor is on my (navy) bedroom wall, draped on a wall-mounted coat rack. They make a beautiful cascade of different patterns and shades.

So, in honor of the 4th, and as tribute to my many scarves, I decided to search Etsy for other adorable items that pay tribute to the good old flag. Say, if I got a time  machine, and then I got an invitation to a cook-out in the 1940s, maybe I would need a cute dress:

vintagecurve

And with such a cute dress, perhaps I would need a brooch to accessorize:

TheBackShak

Or, if I thought I might need to know what time it is:

hensnest10

But, having a watch might remind me that I have a time machine, and that I could pop in on a party in the 1950s. If so, a change of wardrobe would be necessary:

LeMollusque

With these shoes:

vintagerunway

Properly accessorized, of course:

QuiltsETC

But, I wouldn't be able to stay very long, because I'd be on the way to a 1960s shindig. With, perhaps, a pool? July is so very hot, you know. I'd probably start with this (modesty is a virtue, or something--really, it's so fabulous, I'd wear it in the desert if I had to):

RanchQueenVintage

But, eventually I'd get hot, so I'd have to change into something a little breezier:

MissSunnyDayz

Properly accessorized, of course:

TabbysVintageShop

Until it was time for swimming, in two acts:

FearlessVintage

rudysroundup

All that swimming would probably make me hungry, but I would have to wait at least 30 minutes to eat, so I might as well use that time to skip to the 70s and see what's up. Again, a wardrobe change would be necessary. It's time to salute my shorts:

DorisVintage

Did I mention that it's a skating party?

cupolavintage

Whew! All this partying has done me in. And made me want to wear all of my red, white, & blue scarves (at the same time!). Now, you should get ready for your own festivities. Might I suggest starting with something from our shop?

BlackbirdAntiquesNC

On the Radar -- Ahoy!

Aye, aye, Gene!

There are certain common themes we Blackbird girls are always drawn to -- and nautical is one of those.  Maybe it's because Gene Kelly just looked so gosh darn sexy as a sailor, or maybe we just love the classic color combo.  Whatever it is, if we see a sailboat, or a whale, or a stripe, or a polka dot, we're probably going to buy it.

However, from Michael Kors to Lacoste to Coach, this spring everyone else has jumped on the nautical bandwagon, keeping American sportswear very classic. Designers have flocked to the traditional red/white/navy, with accents of yellow or black.  Stripes, anchors, whales, and sailboats abound.  Rope and boat hardware also make appearances.

So, here's a round-up of some of my favorite finds -- maybe you'll find something you just have to have!

Lacoste, Pre-Fall 2013

Michael Kors, Spring 2013

Coach, Spring 2013

Land of Nod

From Cathy Davey on Etsy, available here.

From our shop!  Available here.

Vintage YSL cotton scarf, also from our shop.  Available here.

On the Radar -- Navy Chic

Jil Sander Fall/Winter 2012

If there's one definite thing we Blackbird girls recognize about our junk lovin', is that when we find ourselves buying and picking up certain things while we are out and about, then we're going to start seeing it EVERYWHERE very soon. Not that we're trend savants or anything, but we're pretty plugged in to the design world, both through television (Project Runway, anyone?) and other media, as well as what we see in the antique and junk retail world on a daily basis. And somehow all that we're seeing and hearing about trickles through our subconscious until it just suddenly becomes clear in our mind.

This week's On the Radar post is about our rediscovery of the color navy.  We had just such a moment of clarity with navy recently. We've been absently talking about navy to each other for months and months, but didn't realize until we went on a junk buying trip this summer, that we were buying many navy things. A navy hat here, three navy dresses there -- navy earrings, a navy purse, navy scarves...you get the picture. 

Hanova Pasadena Enamel Dove Bowl from MonkiVintage on Etsy

Navy really is an amazing color.  It looks great with everything.  Absolutely everything.  It seems less scary and less harsh than black; it can be both classic and modern, all at the same time; and it can be super dark and inky, or it can be a lighter, true blue navy.  It looks crisp with white, comforting with cream, sharp with metallics, and edgy with black.  Both of us Blackbird girls grew up with the hard and fast rule of not mixing navy and black together-- you have to find navy shoes to wear with that navy dress to church! -- but mixing them seems easier these days.  We like the combination now.  White shoes after labor day...well, that's another story...

Color Block Stripe Pillow by Jillian Rene Decor

But where navy can really start to shine is with other colors.  Couple a bright color with navy and you get something that is less graphic than black-with-a-bright-color, and maybe a bit more unexpected than black-with-a-bright-color.  Try navy with kelly green or yellow.  Go monochromatic with lighter and mid-tone blues.  It looks a little more like you really know what you're talking about, that you have that fashion know-how and you're not afraid to use it!

1980s Wool Devon Hall by Robert Paul Taboh Cropped Jacket in our shop.

You can find more of our navy inspiration here, in a new treasury we made on Etsy, or in our vintage shop!  You can also follow our pins for the blog on Pinterest!