~ 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, 1980's ~

One of a Kind Unique Vintage & Retro Clothing, Accessories, Sewing Patterns, Fabrics, Doyleys, Religious, Books, Swanky Swigs, Homewares, Pictures, Toys & more. I post worldwide from Adelaide, South Australia.

For as long as I can remember, I have had a love, attraction and good eye for All Things 20th Century Vintage. As a young girl my grandmother’s furs fascinated me with their faint smell of violet essence perfume. I would climb into the wardrobe & slip inside of them imagining being a movie star. She would take me to see old black & white movies where I sat in a trance over the glamorous sequinned & bead encrusted square shouldered gowns of femme fatales such as Joan Crawford, Rita Hayworth & Katherine Hepburn. I adored watching Fred lead Ginger across the screen as she twirled & danced in her feminine voluminous evening gowns. Wonderful costumes by Adrian, Edith Head & Irene together with the music of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Rogers & Hart and Irving Berlin transported me to heaven!

Collecting Beautifully Designed & Sewn Vintage Clothing, Textiles & other fabulous things from yesteryear has been my addiction, passion & career for over 35 years. I adore dresses which have a distinct or unusual cut & are made of exquisite fabrics which are a not only a delight to look at but also fabulous to touch and wear!

The collecting bug first bit me in the early 1970's when I would buy 20's, 30's & 40's beaded dresses & hand embroidered lingerie from local church jumble sales at a time when no one was interested in 'old' clothes (pre the term 'Vintage') & most garments were only a few cents. It was then that I also began collecting Vintage Sewing Patterns & Textiles.

In 1980 I realised my dream & opened my first Vintage Clothing shop in Adelaide, South Australia, 'KOOL KITSCH' - Vintage Fashions & Fads from Yesteryear - specialising in pre 1960's Vintage Clothing, Accessories, Vintage Textiles, Sewing Patterns & bright funky 'Kitsch' edgy Home Wares when most antique shops were selling ornate Victoriana.

In the mid 1980's I qualified in Fashion Design & created Original Wearable Art Fashion under my Labels 'CAFE OLE' & 'JENNY R' using a mix of my collected Vintage Textiles & natural fabrics which I hand painted and screenprinted. Then came a 15 year stint as a Freelance Costumier for theatre, film & television. My current work is as a Lecturer of Costume for Performance which includes History of Fashion, Pattern Drafting, & Historical Period Costume Construction. My student's work is exhibited each August during the SALA Festival (South Australian Living Artists' Festival) in the Adelaide Arcade.

So, in regards to All Things Vintage, especially Fashion, Accessories & Textiles feel confident that I know my stuff! Being a compulsive collector with a VERY discerning eye, I am always finding new treasures (more often than not they find me!) & my home has only so much room (I swear it's beginning to sink!).

eBay is the perfect way for me to share my overflowing Vintage Collection with appreciative Australian and International Vintage Lovers!