Fashion Friday - Making Vintage work for your Moden Wardrobe

Vintage should not be about converting your entire world as though it's straight out of another era. On the contrary, vintage is about taking pieces and making them work with your current wardrobe, home decor, and lifestyle. Vintage is about personality and individuality. It's about embracing your original sense of style. It's about confidence. THAT is what vintage can do for you.
I have found an Etsy shop called Tractordog. This store features fab vintage clothing and gives spot-on examples of how vintage can work in your everyday lifestyle.

Let's get it started:

In itself this is a great dress. Jazz it up with a belt, hot fish net stockings and some sassy shoes. Suddenly this goes from a great dress to an amazingly sexy dress.

This is a great example on how a vintage piece can bring out the best of an outfit. The vintage pencil skirt is paired it with a funky rocker T, some bright tights and great boots. A rocker look, that's completly current and unique, is born.

Perfect for the office. The vintage jacket is set with a simple pair of pants and a black cami. It's a fresh way to be young yet sophisticated and professional.

This outfit reminds me of Gwen Stefani (I ADORE Gwen Stefani/No Doubt) and therefore I love it. A pair of leggings, wicked awesome shoes, and a vintage cardigan... girlfriend is stylin.

This is a basic dress that comes to live with a few accessories. Gold necklaces and a chunky belt help create a hot ensemble.

Again, all it takes is a few simple accessories. Leggings, rockin shoes, and a cool necklace. This outfit goes from blah to super hot in a matter of minutes.

I love this transformation. The dress itself could be, at first glace, mistaken as something slightly "Grandma-ish". Behold what a belt and yummy shoes can do... Suddenly this dress turns heads and stop traffic as you walk down the street.

A special thank you to my new favorite Etsy shop, Tractordog.
Thank you for reading the HDV blog and
Have a Happy Day!

SCAM ON ETSY

This blog post is for those of you who sell on Etsy. I've had a shop on Etsy for over a year. Many customers have ordered from my shop and I can honestly say each and every single one was a delight to work with (that is not an exaggeration). Recently I got a convo from an individual looking to purchase something from my shop. The following is the message I received in my convo's:

I am interested in the immediate purchase of your item and will be make payment via cashier check/money order, my private shipping company will handle the shipping, but before payment will be made i need to be sure of who i am dealing with if you are going to be honest and sincere throughout the transaction. A certified cashiers check is cash-able the same day,there is going to be an excess fund on the check ,the excess fund is meant for the private shipping company who will come to your place for pick up of the item, so shipping is not a problem,will you be able to transfer the excess fund to the shipping company the same day you receive the check?. check would be sent to you so when you get payment you can easily cash it at any cashing point near you or deposit in your bank. You'll be sending excess fund to my shipper , which would be meant for shipping arrangement.if you agree, signify your interest by forwarding to me your Final Asking Price, Full Name & Contact Address and Tel # also i will want you to email to my private email address (I blocked out the actual given email address) because i had some bad network with my acct in Etsy.com,So plz kindly email me to my email address I await your response soonest.

I have had customers send money orders in the past and I have never had an issue with the deposit. However, the person who sent the message above was asking me to deposit a large check into my account and then pay the shipping company.
I'll admit, at first I wanted to accommodate this individual. I am always willing to work with my customer and pride myself on doing so. But my instincts were telling me something different so I did a little research. Turns out this is a "well known" (well know to everyone but me, evidently) scam used on Craigslist. What happens is the money order is fake. Banks will cash the check as they are not aware it's a fake. A couple days later, once you've already paid the moving company, the check will not clear and the bank will hold YOU responsible.
In Summary, if you get a message like this DO NOT accommodate their requests.
Thank you for reading my blog and
Have a Happy Day!

Fashion Friday - Man Shops Globe

There's a new show on the Sundance Channel called "Man Shops Globe". It is an eight part series where cameras follow Keith Johnson, a buyer for the speciality store Anthropolgie, as he travels around the world. I've watched two shows thus far and I am going bonkers for it. In other words, I love this show! Maybe it's because I adore Anthropolgie, maybe it's because Keith possess a sweet boyish charm which makes him so likable, maybe it's because I want his job, or maybe it's because my passion is treasure hunting for my own shop HDV. No matter what the reason the bottom line is it's a great show. I highly recommend watching "Man Shops Globe".

For this weeks Fashion Friday I have opted to do a comparison between Anthropolgie and Etsy. I adore Anthropolgie and in no way mean disrespect their store. On the contrary, I love their store so much I'm willing to make a comparison between their merchandise and the treasures featured in HDV and other Etsy shops.

Here's the deal: on the left (or upper left hand corner depending on the category) is the Anthropolgie item. The remaining pictures are of items found in HDV or in other Etsy shops. Please take note of the price differences between the Anthropolgie find and the Etsy find.

AT HOME:
Left: Measured time Scale $248.00
Right: Green as Olives Vintage Scale from HDV $24.00

King of the Jungle Jar $98.00
Metlox Poppytrail Owl Cookie Jar from HDV$63.20

Weathered and Worldly Globe $298.00
A Whole New World Vintage Globe from HDV $34.00

CLOTHES:
Upper Left: Stork Club Jacket $168.00
Lower Left: Vintage Creamy Cropped Cardigan from Fluffy Pink Bunnies $32.00
Upper Right: Vintage 50's Knit Ivory Mohair Shrug from Maiden Rapture Vintage $32.00
Lower Right: Vintage Mocha Brown Mohair Crop from Ruby Chic Boutique $75.00

JEWELRY AND ACCESSORIES:
Upper Left: Twined Rock Rose Necklace $48.00
Lower Left: Retro Mazzy from Rachelle D $29.50
Upper Right: Lovely Lady Rose Necklace from Gwyllion $40.00
Lower Right: Fabric Flower Necklace - Penelope Coloration from Genevieve Gail $30.00

Upper Left: Chroma Calyx Cuff, Green $48.00
Lower Left: Whimsy in Green from That Jewelry Girl $19.50
Upper Right: EcoCuff - Earthy Layered Leather Flower on White Band from Green Belts $20.00
Lower Middle: Moss Green Flower Felt Cuff/Bracelet from KendraHa $6.00
Lower Right: Petals and Brass Cuff Bracelet from Vintage Redux $18.00

Dark Depths Bracelet $198.00
Right: Octopus Silver Cuff Bracelet from Express Yourself $36.00

Thank you for reading the HDV blog.
Have a Happy Day!

FRONT PAGE!

We made the front page this morning!

The typewriter (bottom right) is the HDV item.


Thank you for reading the HDV blog and
Have a Happy Day!

Fashion Friday - The Retro and SWANK Lifestyle

Fashion isn't always about what you wear it's also about your surroundings, your home, your lifestyle.
Living in the St. Paul/Minneapolis Metro area gives way to a hotbed of amazing retro shops. One of my favorites is a jackpot of everything I love about the 50's, 60's and 70's. My heart races the second I walk though those doors. It's like I'm walking into a candy store...an eye candy store. I'm talking about "SWANK Interiors". This amazing shop is located in the heart of St. Paul. It offers everything one needs, and more importantly wants, to make their lifestyle fashionable.
Now the good, okay great, news for my Happy Day Vintage customer.... HDV is now featuring items from the bricks and mortar shop of "SWANK Interiors". Stay tuned to HDV for listings of fantastic SWANK merchandise. We will feature a wide range of items. Everything from kitsch, collectibles, sculptures, clothing, decor, luggage, and even furniture will soon be listed on Happy Day Vintage!
Enough talk. Here are some pictures of "SWANK Interiors". If you see something you like feel free to convo me and let me know. I will do my best to get it for you!



Thank you for reading the Happy Day Vintage blog and
Have a Happy Day!

Fashion Friday with Etsy...

For this weeks Fashion Friday I cheated. Really, I did. I let someone else do all the work for me. I found a great new vintage shop on Etsy. It's called SmittenClothing.
Take a look for yourself:

like CARRIE UNDERWOOD blue and white STRIPED knit SWEATER dress $22.00

SALE--like BLAKE LIVELY amazing grace 80s DRESS $15.00

Like VICTORIA BECKHAM 80s PLAID high-waisted PENCIL CUT skirt $23.00

SALE--like RIHANNA pastel blue stripes BUBBLE DRESS with oversized bow $28.00

Thanks again SmittenClothing for making my life so very easy.
Thank you for reading Happy Day Vintage Blog and
Have a Happy Day!

Fashion Friday with Etsy, The 80's Madonna

This week I am featuring Madonna as our fashion icon. Wait, let me start over... This week I am featuring the 1980's Madonna as our fashion icon. Madonna is the queen of reiventing herself. I love all the Madonnas and will more then likely feature every one at some point or another hence, I felt the need to specify which Madonna is featured this week.

Here we go:

.....

The Outfit:

Upper Left: Black cotton leggings lace insert M $30.00

Lower Left: Glam 80s Sparkle Top, Small $21.00

Middle: 1980's Madonna

Right: Madonna Skirt $45.00

Outfit Total: $96.00

The Accessories:

Upper Left: Madonna 1980's Black Fishnet Mesh Fingerless Gloves $4.00

Lower Left: Lollie Couture, Taboo Collection, Black Pearl Fringe Cuff $15.95

Upper Right: MATERIAL GIRL 80S STYLE BLACK LACE BIG LARGE HAIR BOW $10.00

Lower Right (left): Desperately Seeking...Earrings - Swarovski crystals, freshwater pearls & sterling silver $30.00

Lower Right (right): Black LEATHER VTG 80s ANKLE CUFF n TIE Granny HEELS BOOTIE BOOTS $38.00

Accessories Total: $97.95

Entire Outfit in Review:

Entire Outfit Total (clothes and accessories): $193.95

Thank you for reading the Happy Day Vintage Blog

Have a Happy Day!