Purse On Us

My latest creative passion is making hand sewn clutch bags. Perfect for a night out on the town or even just to store your personal items in your handbag. I have one in my handbag just with band-aids, tissues, lip balm, nail clippers and girly items. Keeps it all in one handy place.

Sewn using gorgeous vintage inspired fabric, and buttons, fully lined and complete with a small internal pocket for cards or lippy. I can also custom-sew these clutch bags to match any outfit or occasion.

Price: AU$20.

To buy a clutch or for more information: Australian buyers: Made-It International buyers: Etsy

Yesterday was the eagerly awaited Manchester Vintage Fashion Fair.  It’s only my second visit and both times I’ve been blown-away by the merchandise on offer.  You can buy everything from clothing and textiles to vintage buttons, beads, lace, compacts – everything!

In addition to all the fabulous vintage merchandise, it’s a great opportunity to talk with the stall holders.  You can’t help but be inspired by their enthusiasm and love for vintage.  Here’s a photo of two lovely ladies that sold me my first items of the day.  I purchased four vintage slips including one by Janet Raeger.  Gorgeous!  If you’re reading this ladies, a big thank you!  I wish you every success for the future and look forward to seeing you both at the next fair.

These two stunning ladies sold me my first purchases of the day!

I also bought two vintage bags from the lovely Maggie of Garbo Antiques.  Maggie has an eBay store and she’s a Manchester gal so I’ve met her a few times.  She has the most amazing selection of vintage and her home is fair to bustin’ with clothes, accessories, costumes – you name it.  Here she is with two of the bags I purchased; a beautiful red leather bag (looks un-used) from the 1960’s and a divine blue satin evening bag from the 1930’s/40’s.  Thank you Maggie – look forward to seeing you soon!

The lovely Maggie of Garbo Antiques

I also purchased some delightful jewellery including one of my favourite purchases of the day, this lovely Art Deco beaded green necklace.  Exquisite!

Another of my favourite purchases was this beautiful coney fur stole which dates from the 1940’s.  Here it is along with the two very elegant stall holders.  I remember only one of your names!  Sorry gals, I know the lovely Gaye is on the right of the photo.  It was delightful to meet you.  Thank you!  Hope to see you again next year.

My coney fur stole along with the delightful stall holders (Gaye is on the right)!

Some of my purchases include:
1940’s brown faux fur coat
4 slips/negligees
3 Art Deco dress clips
1950’s bracelet
1930’s black velvet evening bag
1930’s pink crystal earrings
1950’s brooch (engraved with ‘Mother’)
1930’s decorative hair clip
Coney fur stole
Knitting bag with plastic handles
Red leather 60’s bag
30’s/40’s blue satin evening bag
Late 50’s/early 60’s green dress
Art Deco Green beaded glass necklace

And, last but certainly not least, are Carol and Chris Bates of Past Caring (carolbates@tiscali.co.uk).  What a lovely couple they are!  I had a really good chat with Carol who spends a considerable amount of time in the USA purchasing her divine vintage handbags and compacts. Carol – I could have talked to you all day!  Such an interesting lady and thank you for taking the time to speak to me and my American friend Beth (the lady that loves her plastic)!  Look forward to meeting you again very soon.  Click here to see more of Carol’s outstanding handbags.

A tiny selection of vintage delights from Carol and Chris Bates of Past Caring

I had the best time and can’t wait for the next fair.  I’m thankful they only come to Manchester a couple of times a year.  I purchased way more items than I intended but I love each and every one of them.  Thank you to every stall holder that allowed me to take their photo or one of their stall.  I appreciate it very much and hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my fabulous day out at the Manchester Vintage Fashion Fair.  Big vintage hugs to you all and see you next year!

Take your pick! Some of the offerings at the Manchester Vintage Fashion Fair

It is obvious that women totally love handbags. They are obsessed as much as shoes or even more than that. Some women opt for trendy handbags while others just buy a bag that they feel they are comfortable and look great.

We will talk trendy clutches for Fall/Winter 2009 here. Every runway shows and campaigns clutches are usually presented. They are always in our side and it is quite explainable for us party goers if we don’t have clutch to tote on. Almost women prefer clutches for their size and look as well.

This season, clutches come in a huge variety. Some are very simple and can be pair with casual clothes. There are some clutches that look chic and can be worn only for a special occasion. These clutches are surely encrusted with gemstones, embellished with sequins and made from luxurious materials to complement your look with glamor and beauty.

Clutches for this season are made of reptilian leather skins as it looks extravagant and exotics. They are absolutely durable and come in classic designs to keep you and wear them for a long time.

Some clutches became more attractive due to fur embellishment. Fantastic isn’t it?

For those ladies who wants to stand out from the crowd and prefer bright outfits, season’s designers created variety of bright and flashily stylish clutches.

Clutches with chain handles are still popular nowadays and were presented by the designer collections.

This is the bad I made yesterday – I’m quite pleased with it.

It goes across the body, and rests on the hip. I didn’t put any inner pockets inside, in case it all went wrong, as that would then be a waste of time. I’ve kept the pattern piece I used, so if I make it again (as well as tweaking a few things), I’ll put an inner pocket in.

I really don’t like doing gussets – they bore me. So I pleased the bag around the bottom and the inner lid too, to give it some more body. A cheater’s tip!! Pleating is really easy – no need for a special foot or anything, just fold the material to create a pleat, pin, and sew in place within your seam allowance. It can get quite bulky, so make sure your machine is up for the job. I broke my first needle on this bag yesterday! I was sewing the handle onto the D-rings, and the tip sheapred off, and the rest of it bent at a right angle! Oops! Now I think about it, including the seam allowance and folding over etc, it was going through 8 layers of quite coarse fabric (it’s almost like canvas) so I don’t really blame it!

I was so eager to use the bag last night, that as soon as I’d finished it we went off to the shop, but I forgot to sew up the hole in the lining! A task for today.

I’m quite into embellishment at the moment. I’ve been visiting charity shops quite frequently to  pick up brooches, hat pins etc, as they make gorgeous embellishment, very cheap, and have that ‘vintage style’ that is so gorgeous at the moment. This pig bag (aptly named from the pig fabric which I bought from here) has some buttons sewn on.

So far I’ve mainly been using the extra buttons you get when you buy a piece of clothing. I’ll be in trouble if a button actually falls off some clothing and gets lost, and the spare is on a bag!! So to that end, I bought some buttons from Kleins , and I’m looking forward to using them.

In fact,  I got a bit clicky happy on a few websites the other day, and bought lots of lovely new handbag making goodies!

First up are these beautiful new leather handles I got from Lisa at u-handbag.com. I’ve already used the brown ones before on my big blue bag, and they were so great to use, I bought more in case Lisa stops selling them and I get really sad! I have never used any like the green ones, you sew them on. The pink ones are gorgeous, a lovely colour to brighten up these mirky Autumn days. Not sure what I’ll do with them all yet…

I also went to the Kleins website, and got some gorgeous purse frames and buttons. The buttons look gorgeous, and will be great for embellishing bags. I really like the style of embellishment that Accessorize use on their bags, so I’m taking inspiration from them. The purse frames are beautiful and I’m looking forward to using them.

I’m trying to be strict with myself and make the bags I’ve already planned to, before thinking about any more, lets see how long that lasts!

B Makowsky leather handbags are amazing, the quality and the richness of the leather is evident when you slip one of the little darlings onto your shoulder.  They are even seen on some of the hottest celebrities.  Lexie Grey wore a B Makowsky handbag on the season premiere of Grey’s Anatomy just this week!

But do you realize that the creator of B Makowsky handbags, Bruce Makowsky, is the husband of Kathy Van Zeeland who has her own line of very successful handbags and accessories?  Bruce and Kathy must be reeling in the success of their companies which were acquired by Li & Fung in August of 2008.  (For the full story on the acquisition, check Forbes.com.)  They both still remain president of their company. 

You can find luscious B Makowsky leather bags at high end department stores such as Macys, and you can also find these yummy handbags on QVC and at other websites such as Shop Authentic Handbags.

However, for the best price on B Makowsky handbags, we recommend eBay.  You will find a huge selection of all the most up to date bags as well as some retired B Makowsky bags at a fraction of retail.  Shop from the comfort of your home!  See all the eBay B Makowsky listings here.

We have a large selection of B Makowsky handbags on eBay;  view our collection at Dream-Adventures.

Retail Price: $800.00
Our Price: $399.00
Sale Price: $388.00
You Save: 51.5%

LUELLA designer purses

Product Description
LUELLA designer purses VINTAGE shoulder giselle bag made of grainy calf skin leather with silver hardware and contrast top stitching. The bag has a braided handle that can be adjusted in length by hooking onto the higher or lower side hardware rings. The interior is fully lined and has an extra zip pocket. The top closes with a zipper. Measurements: 14 inches wide X 11.5 inches tall X 1.5 inches deep X 7.5 inches strap drop. Guaranteed authentic. Comes with a sleeper bag. SAMPLE SALE ITEM.

Handbag designer Fendi created this very cute novelty handbag for you to splurge on this season.

Fendi was famous for their bondage-style patent heels and continued its concept to this two huge shiny buckles mounted on this tan purse.
The purse has a traditional tan satchel design trimmed in black patent piping with curved lines and designer logo that was strongly emphasized.

The huge twin buckles are the bag’s main feature. The two handles in over-sized chain are antique colored

After you’ve considered the more obvious features of this handbags, you can see also the additional details that always set Fendi apart from others. Indeed, a nice touch for the signature logo buckles! This handbag sounds expensive but this is a great and deserving member of your collectible Fendi stuffs. A wow-factor for this designer brand this season.

Highlights of this Fendi Luxury Two-Tone Tan Handbag
18″ handle drop (leather and chain)
Inside pocket
Fendi pouch included
Sumptuous leather

Are you looking for that new handbag for autumn?  Yes, it is time to put away our wicker and straw, our fabric and jelly bags and break out something more suitable for the change of seasons.

Dooney & Bourke Nikki Python in Yellow

Have you seen the luscious Dooney & Bourke Nikki Hobo in Python?  It is delicious……..a great sized bag that is roomy enough to carry everything you “need” while remaining comfy and chic too.  It’s not overpowering, but then you can’t help but be captured by the Python beauty!

Available in a few colors, including Slate, Red, Fuchsia, Turquoise and Black on the Dooney & Bourke website.  Retails at $465, so it is an investment piece….but it is sooooo yummy!

You can also find the Nikki Python bag on eBay, at way less than retail. 

Dream-Adventures has a rare yellow Nikki Python Hobo that ends this evening on auction. Take a peek at our Dooney & Bourke bag, plus all of the other 100% Authentic Designer Handbags we carry including  Vera Bradly, Kathy Van Zeeland, B Makowsky, Stone Mountain, Tignanello and many more!

Summer may be over but that doesn’t mean you cant have a little color in your accessories!

This envelope clutch features a bright and retro mini-garden with a complimentary polka dot lining. I love the way the inside dots play off of the circular shapes of the white flowers; always like to  pair floral patterns with more geometric ones.

There are two ANAMU bags made from this polyester scarf … pretty rare since a typical scarf allows for just one. Dont fret though,  each one is still one-of-a-kind!

I am crazy for the textured trends that I’ve been seeing in all the fashion magazines. This is one of the many reasons this gorgeous Gucci has jumped off our shelf and onto the blog. With the turquoise canvas, intricate  embroidery, turquoise embellishments, and bamboo trim, this bag has a lot to offer, so jet down here and grasp your hands around its lizard skin handles. You know you want this limited edition Gucci! By the way, it’s brand new with the original tags!

Limited Edition Gucci

price upon request: 503-222-1554 // info@TheGildedCloset.com

The Gilded Closet – A Consignment Boutique

1024 N.W. 19th Ave., Portland, 97209