Tuesday Tip ~ Getting Rid of Underarm Stains

I really do enjoy running my online vintage shop and I enjoy scouring and finding pieces that I think are timeless.  However, I feel I pass on many gorgeous vintage items because they have the worst underarm stains.  But, I just couldn't pass on this 1940s pink gown, even with the stains. 

This dress was just too pretty and too special. The lace has little silver metallic sparkles and side is made of silk crepe with sequins attached.  I purchased the dress with the hopes that somehow I could google something that would lighten the one defect this dress had.

I wish I photographed how severe and yellow the stains were before I treated them.  They were really really yellow.  Elsie made a dress for a sweat-er.  

Anyhow, after asking around and googling how to treat underarm stains, I tried one method.  Baking soda.  As most mothers do, I didn't have the energy or to go out to buy 1 or 2 items, so I decided to go with what I did have and what seemed the least harsh.

I'm actually not sure where I found this idea, but basically, you create a paste with the baking soda and water and you rub it in well onto the stained area.  I created a pretty thick paste and slathered it onto the underarms.  Then, you leave the paste on under some sunlight, because the sun is a great lightening agent!  Because mine was so yellow, and because I actually forgot about it, I left it on for a day (like overnight, because I really did forget about it).  Then, I rinsed out the area.  I didn't want to rinse the whole dress because the side is silk.  After I rinsed it, I did get the dress dry cleaned to prevent any damage to the pretty little detailing of the dress.

Here's what the underarms look like now:

Not bad, right?  If you look carefully, there is extremely faint yellowing on the lining, but it's really hard to tell and it's definitely a huge improvement from when I purchased the dress. I could have possibly gotten rid of the yellowing entirely if I had treated it continually, but I didn't want to ruin the lace from all the rubbing.  

Do you have any proven methods of getting rid of severe underarm stains?  If only deodorant was invented earlier! Sigh.

End of October Sale

The end of October is near, so I'd like to start making way for more of the holiday and winter listings.  So, the shop is having a sale!  15% off the entire shop, but my blog readers can receive an extra 10% off with code "10extra" during checkout!  Sale ends October 29th at midnight!  Happy shopping!

Special Tags

From a 1930s Maid Uniform

From a 1950s Cheongsam Dress

From a 1940s Gown

The shop will be updated with some special dresses with extra special tags.  I love hunting for vintage and curating my shop, and one thing I find great delight in is when a vintage item has a gorgeous tag.  It's this extra attention to detail that makes that item even more desirable and lovely to me, and I'm sure to others.

I can't decide if the 2nd or 3rd is my favorite tag.  I love the girl on the 2nd tag, but there's something very personal about the 3rd which is delightful.  Which do you like and please sure some of your favorite vintage tags and link back in your comments!

Orla Kiely AW 2012

 Have you checked out Orla Kiely's Fall/Winter 2012 Lookbook? I'm a summer clothing lover, but her collection definitely makes dressing for fall something to look forward to.  I love vintage clothing, and I also love when modern designers produce vintage inspired collections well, and Orla Kiely created a perfect combination of vintage and modern.

It's currently 97 degrees in southern CA right now and I can't wait to start wearing oversized sweaters with shorts.  This season, I'm seeing a lot of long sleeves and sweaters paired with shorter, fuller skirts.  It keeps the look feminine and dressy.  I will definitely wear this combination whenever the weather allows me to.

I also adore Peter Pan blouses, but the ones worn under the jumper dresses are the best I've seen.  I don't look through fashion magazines really because I just don't have time, but these are such a refreshing take on the already cute collars with the extra subtle ruffling.

What do you think of her collection?

Pale, Bold, Dark

PALES

BOLDS

DARKS

I have a huge shop update today, categorized to your taste.  Although the rest of the country and the upper hemisphere is experiencing autumn weather, I still like to list lighter pieces for my friends and buyers experiencing spring right about now.

So, which one are you feeling? I always like the neutral, pale colors, but putting my items together like this make me realize how I really appreciate bold colors right now, especially the red slingbacks and the goldenrod secretary blouse.  But, you can't go wrong with black, and I love wearing blazers during the fall, like the black boyfriend blazer shown above.  And of course, you could always mix and match!

The shop sale has been extended to Thursday night at midnight, so enjoy the discount!  Happy October!

Wearing Revolving Styles

 

I love when people send me pictures of themselves wearing something from the shop.  Here's Terena wearing a special 1930s dress to a Gatsby themed picnic.  I don't think the dress could have went to a lovelier owner.  I love how she styled it with a cute straw hat and that deco brooch and her hair is gorgeous! 

 

If you have any pictures of you wearing Revolving Styles Vintage, please pass it along!  These make my day!

Home Inspiration- 1967

I thrifted a while back an issue of Sunset magazine titled "Ideas for Planning Your New Home."  Inside are numerous ideas and pictures on how to decorate and plan the home that fits your style and needs.  It's definitely eye candy for those into home decor and design.

I have to admit, I'm quite a rookie when it comes to designing my house.  I don't really have an idea yet of what I want and the shops and kids take up all of my time so that not much thought goes into the decor.  I still have many bare walls, and I call my home the bachelor pad.  It has the essentials and not much of a decorative element.  I have to admit though, I like my bathrooms, and at least my 2nd floor walls are painted.

Anyhow, here are some design ideas and pictures that stuck out to me.

I love the high ceilings and the wood juxtaposed with the brick.  Also, would love that lamp in my living room now, please.

Everything seems so vertical in this room, and it really makes the room seem so spacious.  Plus, I like the light that tall window lets in.  I'm a big fan of natural light, can you tell?

Speaking of natural light, those rows of windows and double doors are amazing!  I wish I had a studio with those windows!

This room is a little more cramped than others, but it's a study and I think this study is adorable.  I love the kilim rugs and that little desk and chair is way more decor friendly than the ugly grey desk I'm at right now.  

So, this kitchen has no cabinets- just drawers and built in shelves.  It actually opens up the kitchen alot, and I like open.  I think the tiny two range stove is adorable, but definitely not practical for a family.

Do you like any of these rooms?

I'm Too Tired to Write a New One

This blog post is actually the same one I wrote for my kids vintage blog, but it explains why I'm too tired to write an entirely new one.  Plus, I think you'll enjoy the story, or get grossed out.  Anyhow, new content to come tomorrow. 

 

My church held a women's fashion night fundraiser this past Saturday, and I was asked to put on a fashion show, where I featured vintage pieces from my shop. I did and September was a crazy month. I've already expressed that. This post is not about that. It's about what happened at home.

I was at church on Saturday from 12-9 pm, and in hellish heels for 4 hours. I feel so relieved to finally go home around 9 p.m. and as soon as I walk in the door, I see the living room has random toys and clothes thrown all around. That doesn't bother me because I know my husband must have had his hands full watching the kids all day and he's putting them down upstairs, so I continue to look for my family. We bathe and change the kids in my son's room, but instead, I see my husband changing the kids in my daughter's room and there are more clothes thrown in the hallway. This is the conversation that happens next:

Me: What's going on here? Why are you changing them in here?

Jonah: Jessie pooped on the carpet.

Me: what do you mean? What did you say?

Jonah, yelling: Jessie pooped on the carpet.

Me looking at husband: What's he talking about?

Husband: Exactly what he said.

Me: Huh?

Husband: Jessie pooped on the carpet.

Me: Oh my.

Husband: and then..

Me: What do you mean and then? There's more? HOw did this happen?

Husband: She was naked and she pooped on the carpet.

Me: WHY WAS SHE NAKED?

Husband: I was getting her ready for her bath and she ran outside and did a kimchi squat and pooped in front of Jonah's train table.

Me: Oh my gosh.

Husband: and then, she picked it up.

Me: WHAT?

Husband: and then she put it in her mouth.

Me; NOOOOOO

Husband: and then I yelled, "JESSIE" and she threw it on the ground.

Me: NOOOOO

Husband: you're going to have to rinse out the bathtub because brown stuff kept smearing everywhere.

Husband then proceeded to go to church because he was in charge of cleaning up the fashion night.

Later, Jonah tells me, "Did you know poop has crumbs?" Oh my goodness.

So, after cleaning the smeared poo on the bathroom and scrubbing down the bathtub and cleaning the carpet, I put Jonah down and went downstairs ready for a beer and some pizza. I find an ant colony on my countertops. So, I probably cursed out loud and cleaned the counter, picked up the mess in the living room, and enjoyed my beer and pizza at 11 p.m. That was the best beer and pizza I ever had.