Sponsor Spotlight~Little Bee Vintage

It has been such a pleasure conversing with Jo from LITTLE BEE VINTAGE, a cute little vintage Etsy shop based in the UK with a variety of vintage apparel from the 50s to the 80s!  She's my first international sponsor and I'm delighted to have her. Hope you enjoy the interview!

Isn't she cute?

Explain your reasons for starting an Etsy vintage shop.
Basically I love clothes, I've always been fascinated with different styles & tribes and love the way dressing well gives you confidence and expression. Jean Cocteau said "Style is a way of saying complicated things."


My mother is a dressmaker/tailor, so as a child I remember watching her endlessly at her sewing machine making beautiful creations and effortlessly too. Mum would make me & my sister clothes, whatever we wanted really, which meant we always had clothes in our wardrobe that were a bit different from our peers, and kids thought we were quite cool!


Having my own little shop gives me great satisfaction, I get so excited when it's 'opening time' in the morning. The shopping bit is a very welcome added bonus!


What is your most favorite vintage item you own?
My favourite vintage item at the moment is a 40s Angele Delanghe couture gown with matching sleeveless bolero. I dare not sell it as it's so unique, so it just hangs around my office looking beautiful!

What is your favorite vintage era and why?
The obvious choice is the swinging 60s- this is when the iconic British fashion designers really led the pack. There was a huge movement and shift in attitudes and I think because this was my mum's era, it feels more tangible. I particularly like Jean Shrimpton's fluid & graceful style.

Gorgeous!

I also adore 1920' & 30s fashion and I'm incredibly envious when I see a piece in mint condition. They are so difficult to get hold of in the UK. I love the decadent glamour of the era and enjoyed reading about the rivalry between the queens of couture Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel! Paul Allier's artwork of the time really epitomizes the fashion of the time. I want to look at it forever!

Since you're based in the UK, where do you find your vintage?
 I find my vintage from a number of sources. I have a couple of contacts within the theatre business, so sometimes get have a look through some huuuuge wardrobes. Other than that, auction sites, charity shops (Are these the equivalent to US thrift stores)? Sundays are car boot sale days, they start very early (7am) and sell everything from car engines to home baked cakes & doughnuts, they are amazing places.

Is there an item you sold that was hard to let go?
There have been so many things that were hard to let go off, most recently a 70s Leather saddle bag, some 70s totally funky red leather boots and a 1950s Tribal print dress-  I could've kicked myself!!

5 words to describe yourself.
free spirited, unceremonious, happy, sad, indifferent

What is your favorite item in the shop right now?
Favourite item in the shop right now is a 1950s/60s olive dress that has been there it seems forever, the print is so fabulous and fits like a dream...Why is it still there?

Is Etsy a job or hobby or both?
Etsy for now is a part time job but i hope to go full time. I'm also a Holistic Therapist but my heart lies in vintage shopkeeping!

You've had amazing sales for being on Etsy for such a short amount of time. What have you learned so far?
I've been on Etsy for around 18 months and so far, I've learned that I should reach out to the Etsy community more and use the tools at hand. It's a wonderful marketplace with such artistic folk, it's very inspiring and I feel v special to be a v small part...
I've also learned to ship internationally with a tracking number, it's much better for my nerves!!
 
Hope you enjoyed the interesting interview!  I had so much fun reading her answers.
 
You can also find Jo on her BLOG and on TWITTER.