Mable's Unique Shopping Blog » Retro and Vintage

80’s T-Shirts That Make Me Smile

Lauren — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:17:09 +0000

For an easy way to find out how old someone is, just ask them how they spent Saturday mornings as a kid. If it involved heaping bowls of fluorescent colored cereal and watching cartoons about otherworldly creatures at 6AM… you’ve found yourself an 80’s child. Both Sean and I spent untold hours parked in front of our television screens, watching with equal amounts of awe and laughter as epic battles were waged between our heroes. Is it any wonder we gravitate towards 80’s t-shirts?

Sprite covered
Rainbow Brite shirt

Freaky Mumm Ra
Thundercats shirt

Candy covered
Care Bears shirt

The characters were usually cloaked in goofy outfits and had funny sounding names, but they all has a pretty serious mission; Rainbow Brite and the Care Bears kept vitality and love in the world, GI Joe was battling global “terrorists”, the ThunderCats prevented an ancient mummy from controlling the planet, and He-Man and She-Ra were defending the entire universe. We never watched the animated offerings from Lucas, but the Star Wars movies were so influential for us and that plot also involved protecting the galactic from evil. 80s kids were definitely presented with some mature themes and we loved it.

Ninja Turtle
costume shirt

Nobody puts Baby
in a Corner shirt

Darth Vader
costume shirt

Of course the 80’s were also influenced by the Me Generation mindset so we also ended up with fantastically silly or mundane plot lines. The Ninja Turtles were kind of a hybrid, as they fought off potentially multidimensional domination by evil, but they also used surfer slang and ate ice-cream topped pizza. (Which, by the way, is absolutely delicious. Thank you TMNT for prompting me to try that back in the late 80’s.) And then we’ve got a boatload of movies like Dirty Dancing where the drama stems from coming of age and a simple need to dance. Goonies, Ghostbusters, and Back to the Future were also some “heavy” 80s movie offerings that tickled our imaginations as well as funny bones. It was an amazing time for media and for just being a kid.

All things considered, I’m really grateful that I got to spend my adolescence in the polarized yet magical decade of the 80’s. How about you, fellow 80’s children?

Ghostbusters
costume t-shirt

Delorean Back To The Future shirt

Goonies shirt

November’s Hot Vintage Clothing Store - Blue Bird

Sean — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:58:06 +0000

It’s a new month and that means another awesome vintage store shall take the spot light. I hope you all added last month’s hot vintage seller, Filthy Gorgeous Vintage, to your favorite eBay sellers list so you can stay up-to-date with their latest auctions.

This month Blue Bird Apparel is Mable’s featured Hot Vintage Clothing Store and is always rockin’ the vintage styles from the 40’s to 80’s.

Blue Bird Apparel operates out of Rhode Island and currently has some killer vintage coats and sweaters definitely worth checking out. They add over 50 recycled vintage pieces to the store weekly so be sure to add them to your eBay favorite sellers list so you don’t miss out on anything.

Below is a sneak peak of some hot auctions going on right now from Blue Bird Apparel.

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/mables/mables.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/payitforward/payitforward.php on line 122

September’s Hot Vintage Clothing Store

Sean — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:19:05 +0000

Since we announced the addition of the Hot Vintage Clothing Stores monthly feature we’ve been finding new stores to feature from helpful visitors like you. We want to thank you all for your suggestions and to keep them coming in.

This month Mable’s is featuring Filthy Gorgeous Vintage because of their wide variety of 60s, 70s, and 80s clothes, their stock is from both coasts of the US, they ship worldwide, and more. View the Hot Vintage Clothing page for more info.

Below is a sneak peak of some hot auctions going on right now from Filthy Gorgeous Vintage.

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/mables/mables.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/payitforward/payitforward.php on line 122

Hot Vintage Clothing Stores

Sean — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 02:07:05 +0000

You’ve all seen our page stuffed full of our favorite vintage stores from eBay right? Well, now feast your browsers on the Hottest Vintage Clothing Stores; where we pick one super rad store and feature them all month long. From there you can view the hot vintage store of the month and all their super hot auctions.

Every month a new seller will be featured as the Hot Vintage Clothing Store of the month hand-picked by Mable’s. Of course we are always open to suggestions, so send them in.

This month we are featuring Mama Stone Vintage because of her influence, style, and more. So check out the Hot Vintage Store for August, bookmark the page, and read more about why Mama Stone is at the top of the list.

Below is a sneak peak of some hot auctions going on right now from Mama Stone Vintage.

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/mables/mables.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/payitforward/payitforward.php on line 122

Vintage Bathing Suits

Lauren — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:57:43 +0000

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.

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/mables/mables.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/payitforward/payitforward.php on line 122

More vintage bathing suit action on eBay —>

Vintage Clothes: MakiMaki eBay Store

Sean — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 01:49:47 +0000

On the Mable’s Vintage Clothing page we list our favorite vintage eBay stores, but every now we just got to feature sellers who stand out from the rest. Enter MakiMaki Vintage: a vintage boutique specializing in one of a kind dresses and other exclusive items.

MakiMaki features vintage clothing from the 1950s, mod ’60s, hippy 70s, and radical 80s. Shae, the store owner, used to be a stylist and it shows in her fabulous photos that sets apart MakiMaki from the other vintage clothing sellers on eBay.

MakiMaki has been making waves lately in the media and has been featured in VenusZine, Dorian Magazine, as well as on MTV just to name a few. I imagine one of the reasons her store is so popular - besides her great clothing & photos - is the intuitive navigation that categorize by shoes, dresses, jackets, etc. which is a huge plus for an eBay store.

Be sure to stay up to date with their latest vintage finds by subscribing to the MakiMaki Vintage blog, or by becoming a friend on MySpace or Facebook.

Handmade Vintage from Miss Brache’s

Lauren — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:51:08 +0000

We are fascinated by all things vintage and have been known to dabble in many decades. Mid-century is a particular favorite though, as you can probably tell by the recently launched 50’s clothes section and our wedding photo that can be seen there. It was no surprise then when I discovered Miss Brache’s vintage-look Etsy store and promptly fell in love. Halters, wiggle skirts, high waists, and bust/waist enhancing styles: Miss Brache creates clothing that is the epitome of 1950’s glamour and style. In addition to gorgeous pinup dresses and unique separates Miss Brache also designs swimsuits! They are all vintage-inspired as well, ranging from pinup bikinis to reversible monokinis. (I know where I’m getting my bathing suit this summer!) She says that “Her goal is to make women all across the world feel happy in the swim wear or anything they wear. All her items are made by her hard working hands and are limited items.” Some items are pre-made, but most are custom ordered to your exact size and specifications. If you’re a vintage loving vixen, Miss Brache’s is the store for you.

Vintage Eames Furniture Designs on Auction

Sean — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:00:49 +0000

Vintage furniture is a hot commodity on eBay and one of the most popular searches are for the infamous Eames styled items. Eames designed furniture sets the retro mood in any room decor which is partly why it is such a highly sought after design. Learn more about the Eames brothers’ revolutionary and award winning designs here. Remember to check out our retro furniture page for more decor ideas and our 50’s Clothing store for matching outfits.

Find the latest & greatest deals on vintage Eames furniture right now via eBay search. Below is a list of the hottest eBay auctions for Eames furniture.

Popular eBay Auctions

Remember: Buying used items on eBay is another form of recycling and promotes a conscious shopping experience. Stay green!

Mable’s Vintage 50’s Clothing Store is Now Open

Sean — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 23:50:19 +0000

Mable’s is a huge fan of retro and vintage items, and our featured clothing sections, 70s clothes & 80s clothes, has just expanded to include a Women’s 50s Clothing store. Now it’s easier than ever to browse for authentic and reproduction 50s style clothing in our always up-to-date eBay store.

If you’ve got some retro loving friends to shop for remember to check out our handpicked Retro & Vintage Gifts section, too!

Vintage Clothes: Nova Vintage eBay Store

Sean — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:12:41 +0000

If you couldn’t tell already Mable’s loves recycling and vintage clothing sold on eBay is a great way to recycle clothing and have a stylish wardrobe. We were recently excited to see a message in our inbox telling us about the Nova Vintage eBay Store. With their high standards, low shipping costs, many sizes, and weekly updates they are another quality eBay store to add to our vintage clothing page.

Remember that shopping at indie eBay stores supports individuals and their hard work at home, so you know where your money is going. So check out the Nova Vintage eBay store, bid on your favorite items, add them to your favorites, and follow their updates via their Myspace.