Check out my new vintage bathing suit! That beautiful blue and black polka dotted one-piece is indeed my 2008 choice for swimwear. Due to our taking the Wardrobe Refashion Pledge, a homemade bikini was actually in the works instead of my usual trip to Target’s swimwear section. But like most great wardrobe choices, that blue suit was love at first sight. I haven’t worn a one-piece in years and frankly I didn’t think that a genuine vintage bathing suit would be very comfortable since a lot of them were wool. But I put those concerns aside and decided to be adventurous. I’m so glad I did because not only is this skirted one-piece cuter than any of the bikinis I have been watching, but it’s made of cotton and oh-so comfy. Even better, it was “new old stock” (commonly noted as “NOS” on eBay) so although my Lee Swimplay suit is probably from the 1950’s, I’m still the first one to wear it!

If you’re still searching for the perfect swimsuit (or one of many) and want something really unique for summer then you must see the selection of vintage bathing suits on eBay and Etsy. Unlike new suits, each vintage bathing suit is one of a kind or extremely limited edition, and the range of styles is much more creative than modern swimwear. Buying vintage online also gives us the opportunity to support all the great indie business owners out there.

Left to Right: some girls vintage, Love Spy Vintage, and Mel’s Shoppe Vintage

Here are a few of the hottest vintage swimsuits being bid on right now. It surprised me that they were all one-pieces, but those are indeed the best sellers, almost without exception. Despite the popularity of the modern bikini - and I swear it’s not hyperbole to say that nearly everyone in southern California wears one - it seems that a new retro-loving generation is discovering the one-piece. Some truly fantastic maillot swimsuits did come from seasons past; highly styled designer suits of the 40’s and 50’s, the profusely psychedelic prints of the 60s, deep V necklines and bias cuts of the 70s, and uber high cut legs and fluorescent colors of the 80s. Whether you’re a vintage fashionista or a lover of all things retro and ironic, there’s a style for you.

Below are some of the most popular vintage bathing suit auctions going on right now, but there is always more to be found on eBay.

 

Fabulous Vintage 1920′S
“Jantzen” Ladies Wool
Swim Suit

Vintage Mod Rik-Rak
Yellow Swimsuit Skirt One
Peice Lg

Vintage 80S Backless
Deep-V Swim Bathing Suit
Xs

 

Vtg 1920S Art Deco Womens
Wool Bathing Suit With
Cape

Celanese Women’S Vintage
Bathing Suit W/Skirt Sail
Fish

~Rare~ Vintage Classic
Gucci One Piece Swimsuit
44 6

 

~Pin-Up~ 50′S Vintage
Swimsuit Romper Bathing
Suit L Xl

1920′S/30′S Bradley Knit
Wear Womens Wool Bathing
Suit

Vintage 1940′S Navy Blue
Catalina Swimsuit

SALE ENDS SUNDAY JULY 20th!

GreenLoop doesn’t fool around during their Summer Sale. It isn’t one of those sad “summer sales” where all the winter wear goes 10% off. They have discounted pretty much everything on their site at 20-70% off. If you’ve ever visited their store - or any green retailer for that matter - you’ve probably coveted lots of the sustainable, organic, recycled, Fair Trade eco fashion and accessories, but loathed the price tags. Honestly, they can be pretty ridiculous sometimes. But when they’re discounted up to 70% off, it’s a really smart time to pick up a few organic wardrobe cornerstones. Here are a few of my favorite picks;

• Stewart+Brown Organic Cotton Collar Scoop Shell
• Simple Green Organic/Recycled ‘Toe Stir’ Vegan Skimmers
• Anna Cohen Silky Soy Halter Dress

New items will be added all week long so check back every few days for fresh eco friendly fashion and accessories. And if you sign up for their newsletter, you will get a coupon for an additional 10% off. Shipping is always just $5 flat rate and it’s carbon neutral!

SALE ENDS SUNDAY JULY 20th!

Did you know that, on average, kids throw away 67 pounds of trash every year from their school lunches? This costs schools much needed funds to collect and dispose of that trash, as well as being a huge ecological problem. (I wonder how much adults throw away during lunch.) But we can quickly make lunch time a lesson in zero waste. Participate in the Zero Waste Lunch program by bringing your lunch, and your childrens’ lunches, in stylish and reusable bags. Check out some tips to follow that will help reduce the amount of trash purchased, created, and needlessly thrown away.

For those that want to invest in a quality reusable bag we recommend checking out Nubius Organics’ zero waste lunch section. They feature a stylish line of insulated, reusable totes for transporting your lunch as well as some large bags that are made of recycled plastic bottles. Most, if not all, of their bags/totes are PVC free, teflon free, and lead free so you know your food is safe from toxins.

Nubius Organics also carries another Mable’s favorite: the Laptop Lunch System. Made famous by the Vegan Lunchbox Blog.

About 3 years ago I picked up my first copy of Dream Big by Lisa Hammond on a lark. I was skimming the New Arrivals section at my library and the bright cover and bold title leaped out at me. It wasn’t a topic I had been consciously thinking about, but I was willing to give it a look. The ambitious tag line sounded great too - “Finding the courage to follow your dreams and laugh at your nightmares” - but I wondered how the author was going to cram such life-changing info into the relatively small book. The introduction gives a great insight when Lisa mentioned that she did not start with a business plan, despite everyone insisting that she do so. Following a lengthy “winning formula” can be so helpful at times, but your creativity and integrity will rapidly change your entire life. What made this book so endearing and inspirational to me was that simplicity. She encourages women to start with what counts: finding your passion. Everything else will flow easier once you start from a place of personal honesty. We’ve all heard the old saying that when you find work you love, it never feels like work. This is exactly why Lisa’s book is called Dream Big! She helps break down some of the internal barriers that prevent us from pursuing our DREAM calling. Not a “job” or even a “career”, but a “calling”. What a huge difference this will make in finding fulfilling activities to pursue.

The author is well qualified to write this book, as she is the owner of the mail order company Femail Creations (”Gifts to Celebrate and Inspire Women“). It was started by Lisa when she stopped working at her husband’s construction company. Like many of us, she was “going crazy” working at a job that she had little interest in! Lisa needed new work that was meaningful to her, and would allow her to stay home with their daughter. She was able to do both when she realized her dream of starting a mail order company. What made that meaningful and fulfilling for her was that she offers products that also support other women. Femail Creations sells many handmade, limited run, artisan products created by women, some of which are also SAHMs. Not only does Ms. Hammond now have a calling that she loves, but she is able to help other women realize their dreams by giving them a place to sell their creations. That’s the kind of win-win business planning that I love to hear about!

Femail Creations doesn’t really do sales, but they just let us know about a FREE shipping sale for orders $75+. No coupon code required, just click the link and it will automatically be entered into your cart.

Other places to buy the book online: Half.com (my fave), Amazon, and eBay

We’re barely a week into summer and now feels like a great time to try something new. In an effort to inspire ourselves and create an entirely eco-fashion friendly wardrobe, we’ve decided to take the Wardrobe Refashion Pledge:

We, Mables.com, pledge that we shall abstain from the purchase of “new” manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 4 months. We pledge that we shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for ourselves with our own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. We pledge that we will share the love and post a photo of our refashioned, renovated, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftyness brings! Signed Lauren & Sean

So from July 1st - October 1st we’ll be sharing our adventures with creating, living in, and loving our “preloved” wardrobes. Honestly, being huge fans of vintage and reconstructed clothing, this won’t be a big stretch from what we’re already doing. We like the idea of making a commitment to it though, and sharing our journey with others. We look forward to trying out new refashioning techniques, scouring vintage clothing stores on eBay and better connecting with the sources of our clothes.

Are you interested in taking the Wardrobe Refashion pledge with us? You can sign up for 2, 4, or 6 month period and rest assured you will be in great company. This is the 3rd year and participation gets bigger each time. There are currently over 400 members in the Flickr pool! Whether or not you’ll be joining us in this DIY fashion adventure, what do you think of the idea? Could you avoid buying new clothes for a few months?