Ho-ho-holly and ivy, can you believe that we're precisely one month away from Christmas? That we are and with such a milestone countdown date being reached, it's time to kick your Christmas shopping and gift giving into high gear.
As such, my sweet friend, it means that it's time (yay!!!) for another fabulously fun and festive edition of Chronically Vintage's annual Vintage Holiday Shopping Guide. Past entries featured gifts for travel lovers, gifts for children, gifts for home decor lovers, and vintage stocking stuffers ideas.
Just as I selected last year's travel theme based on an important aspect of my own life (that, in September 2013, I took my first vacation in several years), so too have I opted to base the theme of 2014's Vintage Holiday Gift Guide on an exciting new part of my life this year: opening my Etsy shop last May.
While you will definitely find a few items from the shop highlighted amongst the twenty-five entries in today's post, it is more the theme of what my store started out (and continues to, though other categories such as vintage clothing, hats, and ephemera have joined the team there in the months since May) selling: jewelry and accessories (including vintage gloves and hats) that are at the heart of this holiday gift giving idea filled post.
Like many people, I'm a huge fan of vintage jewelry and accessories. I almost never wear an ensemble - even when I'm taking Annie to the dog park - that doesn't include at least a couple of outfit "extras", which really, I adamantly believe, are integral to the success of most looks. Jewelry and accessories tie an outfit together. They can be subtle notes or bold expressions. They speak volumes about your tastes in fashion, are instant conversation starters, breath new life in tried and true outfits, can serve as the jumping off point for a whole ensemble itself, and are so easy to collect, wear and adore. Plus, most also have the added bonus of working still no matter if your size changes over the years, something that can rarely be said of most garments.
There are countless types and styles of vintage jewelry and accessories, and one post could never encompass all of them, but that isn't the point of today's festive entry. No, instead it is here to provide you with ideas spanning from the sophisticated to the adorable to the practical, all of which will appeal to a wide range of vintage and non-vintage jewelry and accessory lovers alike. As always, I've kept an eye on budgeting here. The sky is the limit when it comes to what items in this vast category can cost (Cartier panther ring, Hermes scarf, Charlotte Olympia clutch, or Patek Philippe watch, anyone?), and while Christmas can be a time to be generous, it shouldn't break the bank for you, or anyone else, in the slightest.
In fact, as appealing as a mere list of gorgeous pieces of jewelry and great accessories would be, amongst such items in today's post, I've intentionally tried to source unique storage, cleaning and maintance, and display options that are the sort of thing any fashionista or collector is bound to adore and get practical use out of.
These ideas are very handy if you have to be pondering what to get your Vintage Secret Santa holiday gift exchange partner (note: I'll be starting to email out matches for this fabulously fun present swap today, so be sure to keep an eye on your inbox for my email), especially if you happen to know that they're a fan of old school jewelry and accessories (and really, who amongst us isn't?).
Grab a mug of your favourite roasty-toasty holiday beverage, a Christmas cookie or two, and a pen and paper (or note taking app) and get ready to add some great ideas to your holiday gift giving list this year - as well, perhaps, as your own Christmas wishlist! :)
1. Give the gift of Bakelite this holiday season in in a vibrant, beautiful hue that Santa himself would most definitely approve of. Solid crimson coloured and tested to be absolutely genuine, this beautiful vintage red Bakelite Bangle is just the thing to go with holiday outfits all season long, whether worn alone or as part of a daily stack. It's cheerful, classic and super Charismas appropriate. $34.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.
2. If like me, you go gaga for elegant shabby or glam chic decor, than this beautiful metal jewelry or coat rack is for your. Featuring five hooks and available in a wide range of colours, this timelessly lovely storage rack is ideal for everything from necklaces to scarves, belts to bracelets. $27.00 from Willow Grace.
3. A rare and immensely beautiful piece, this art deco era 1930s/1940s pave set clear rhinestone and silver tone metal vintage menorah brooch is truly the perfect Hanukkah (or Bat Mitzvah) gift for anyone on your list this holiday season. $44.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.
4. Make a beloved friend or relative’s holiday season extra fashionable with this awesome, and very beautiful, vintage style Winterwood Mini Top Hat that is handmade by Australian milliner Tanith Rowan. Her products are (I have the honour of owning one, so I can speak first hand here) superbly well crafted, highly detailed, and so very stylish! $85.00 from Tanith Rowan Designs.
5. What would a holiday gift guide full of vintage jewelry and accessories be without a super festive offering like this swoon-worthily lovely (and very well priced) 1950s green sparkle lucite Christmas tree earrings be? $11.00 from Sanne's Vintage Jools.
6. Without a doubt one of the most beautiful elements of the holiday season is making and/or purchasing homemade gifts to give and when they come from fellow members of our vintage loving community, this act becomes all the sweeter! If you're hunting for some seriously charming, affordable and entirely mid-century approved brooches, snoods, hair accessories and similar offerings, be sure to check out fellow vintage blogger Brittany's Etsy shop, Wacky Tuna Vintage, where she sells all kinds of great handmade accessories like the uber cute 1950s inspired blue chenille brooch shown here (which is a very wallet friendly $13.00)
7. Earrings are one of those fabulous accessories that most women adore and wear often (be they for pierced or non-pierced ears), yet housing them can be quite the quandary, especially as a person's collection grows. Enter one of the loveliest earring storage ideas I've ever come across: the Little Book of Earrings, which has multiple pages to efficiently wrangle dozens of different pairs of earrings into one spot. $36.99 for a large sized earring book from Amazon.
8. Cinch belts are a staple ingredient in nailing all kinds of great mid-century looks, yet finding genuine vintage ones from the era can be tricky. Fear not, Blue Velvet Vintage has come to the rescue and offers several different colours of vintage style stretch belts that any yesteryear fashion fan is sure to adore and wear often, all for just $12.99 each.
9. If you're looking to give a gift that is both deeply beautiful and immensely practical at the same time, than these enchantingly romantic 1940s reproduction hand knit gloves are just the ticket. They're expertly crafted, sweetly feminine, and perfect for the whole year 'round. $25.44 from Miss Beta Knits.
10. I'll never, so long as I live, fully get why detachable collars fell out of vogue. They're affordable, stylish and tons of fun, while - most importantly - giving you the ability to make one dress or blouse look like multiple garments. One of my favourite sources for vintage inspired detachable collars is Etsy shop Contrapunt, which is based out of Spain. They offer lots of great options on the detachable collar front, such as this nautical ensemble perfect navy blue and white rickrack sailor collar for $22.00.
11. Whether you're shopping for a vintage jewelry newbie or a long standing collector, Judith Miller's Costume Jewelry is a gorgeous, photo filled look at the some of the most popular styles and brands of the twentieth century. I own (an earlier edition of) this stellar vintage jewelry tome myself and it be my top choice to give, if I was shopping for someone else who also enjoyed books on the subject. $17.61 from Amazon.
12. This holiday season, bows don't have to just be on your gifts, they can also be on the ears of one of the lucky recipients on your holiday gift list care of this fabulously fun pair of vintage gold tone bow hoop earrings, that act as a celebratory note to any ensemble the whole year through. $14.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.
13. If you've got jewelry fans on your holiday shopping list who love to travel, then the thoughtful gift of a jewelry roll like these lush, subtly belle époque looking beaded velvet beauties is sure to be a hugely appreciated present. $36.18 from Plum and Ivory.
14. A vintage or vintage reproduction (as is the case with this marvelous offering) lady tie is something that's been on my fashion wishlist for an age and a half now. Perhaps this year will be the one when Santa finally gets my memo. :D If you'd like to delight the vintage lover in your life with one of these great mid-century accessories, then pop on by Flapper's Girl's store and check out the lovely selection of handmade lady ties she has available, such as this Christmas perfect green and white polka dot version with lace heart appliqués. $22.00 from Flapper Girl.
15. Know a vintage lady who is planning a winter woodland wedding? How about a lover of nature, deer or wildlife in general? Than this fabulously elegant and charmingly lovely 1940s/1950s Melissa buck and faux bois vintage compact is for them. It is in stellar shape and comes complete with its original powder puff. $45.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.
16. If like me, you or your gift recipient has highly sensitive skin and/or prefers all-natural products, then Sparkle Bright's jewelry cleaning products are for yourself or them! Made from all-natural, non-toxic, non-corrosive, and biodegradable ingredients, this company's range of products is just what any jewelry fan needs to keep their skin, the environment and their jewelry all very happy. I'm personally a big fan of their All-In-One Jewelry Cleaner Kit, which includes six great products and a lovely carrying/tote bag, which sells for $37.95.
17. You've heard me speak highly of The Best Vintage Clothing in multiple posts over the years, but did you know that this leading independent vintage seller also has a fabulous Etsy shop? It's true, they do, and they've been upping their inventory game there this year with gorgeous old school offerings like this Christmas or New Year's Eve party perfect beaded gold 1920s Whiting and Davis evening bag that any fashion lover is sure to go weak in the knees for. $75.00 from Best Vintage Ever.
18. Perhaps it's just me, but I always associated monogrammed items like these sophisticatedly beautiful personalized metal purse hooks with the holiday season (I think it goes back to all their monogram-able items that appeared in the Sears Wish Book when I was a little girl). $13.98 from Gifts For You Now.
19. The gift wrapping is practically done for you when you give one lucky recipient on your holiday shopping checklist this wonderful pair of vintage deadstock stockings from (sadly now defunct) Canadian department store, Woodward's, which come in their original packaging. $18.00 (for both pairs and packaging) from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.
20. Even if the vintage glove fan in your life's collection exceeds what can be housed in one small receptacle, a timelessly beautiful antique wooden glove box like this carved version is still a fabulous decor piece that can be used to house a few particularly favourite and/or most frequently worn pairs. $24.00 from Ryoko's Vintages.
21. If ever there was a time of the year when we need the reminder that's front and center on this beautiful illustration by talented artist Lorena Balea-Raitz, the Christmas season is it. Featuring two of any stylish lady's favourite accessories, a tube of fire engine red lipstick and a classic pair of sunnies, this great print is just the thing to jazz up any wall - very much including one's closet, if so desired. $26.71 for a 5.8" x 8.3" print (larger sized available) from Lorena's Ink Designs.
22. Few items are more traditional or tied to Christmas than a beautiful wreath, be it in real pine, faux greenery or even jewelry form, as in the case of this timelessly pretty vintage rhinestone wreath brooch. $15.00 from Red Garnet Vintage.
23. Unlike quite a few books on the subject that have been penned over the years, The Bakelite Collection by Matthew L. Burkholz and John Hylton is still in publication. I don't own a copy yet myself, but it's very high up on my reading wish list and from what I've heard from other Bakelite fans, it's one of the best titles on the topic of vintage Bakelite jewelry around. $53.96 from Amazon.
24. Paging all art deco lovers and their friends, this show-stoppingly gorgeous, winter hued c. 1930s rhinestone, blue glass stone, and silver or rhodium plated bracelet is for you. Stunning as the day is long, perfect for all kinds of holiday seasons parties and year round glamorous wear, this is the kind of vintage verging on antique piece of jewelry that becomes an instant family heirloom and unendingly beloved treasure for any old school bracelet fan. $105.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.
25. If you want to ensure your place on someone special's "nice list" for a lonnnngggg time to come, then a pair of these vintage inspired, seriously awesome leather and fur fur trimmed Alpine winter booties from Miss L Fire is sure to the trick. Available in modern ladies sizes 36 to 41, and in four colours/colour combos. $210.00 from Miss L Fire.
{Please on the link in the description below a specific item to be taken to its photo's respective source.}
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Accessories and jewelry make for a perfect gift for someone who may just be starting out on their journey into vintage, every bit as much as for the wearer/collector who has been enjoying such items for years or decades already. Many styles - such as pearl jewelry, black patent purses, and solid coloured scarves, for example - are eternally classic and will find favour with folks who rarely, if ever, wear vintage as much as with those that live for it.
Though this post does focus mostly on items for women, this category is not restricted to us gals in the slightest. Vintage jewelry and accessories spanning the spectrum from cuff links to bow ties, hats to rings and and of course that most classic of Christmas present for Pop, ties, are all excellent choices for the chap in your life. Some of the sources in today's post stock items that geared to towards the Kris Kringles in your life, and on your holiday shopping list, as much as they are to the Mrs. Clauses out there, so be sure to click through on the links to find out what (some) of them have in that department.
Rarely does a holiday season roll by where I'm not hoping that I'll find a specific vintage accessory or piece of jewelry that I've been eyeing in my stocking and by the same token, I truly adore it when my friends and family send surprise vintage gifts my way. The same is apt to ring true for the vintage fans in your life, too, and I wholeheartedly hope that today's Vintage Holiday Shopping Guide post will help you find the ideal gift for every vintage jewelry and accessory fan on your list.
Which of these items would you most like to find under the Christmas tree or in the glow of the menorah this holiday season?
