Sunday, March 4, 2012

The Bangles

I have a thing for vintage costume jewelry. I have since high school. I used to go to flea markets and yard sales with my mamaw as a teen, and remember picking up bracelets, necklaces and especially brooches. How I loved a gaudy old brooch back then! I still have one of those brooches that Mamaw bought for me. It has a big ugly lion on it and I thought I was totally rad when I pinned it on my denim jacket with the puffy sleeves and turned up collar.

Mark and I have spent many many hours at flea markets and antique malls(he's definately not an early bird, so we don't usually do yardsales) over the past 24 years. I don't know how much vintage jewelry I picked during that time, only to sell it in a yard sale or send it back to a thrift shop. Sigh.

Not too long ago I was blog hopping when I came across this photo:

Photobucket
Photo Source: http://vixenvintage.blogspot.com/2012/01/bangles-and-bras.html
"GAH!" I thought to myself. "Holy Bakelite Batman! That is one fabulous little collection of bangles! I cannot go on living without my own fabulous little collection of bangles!"

And on a sidenote, if you've never visited Vixen Vintage before...Do It!  I discovered the blog through the bangle photo and became instantly enamored. She posts some of the most beautiful photos and amazing vintage goodies that you are likely to see. It's one of my new favorite blogs!

I immediately went to my jewelry box and started digging. I knew still had at least four bangles because I constantly wear the polka dot, black, gray, and red(not pictured) ones. I managed to dig up several more and WooHoo! I do have a small collection!


Yesterday, Mark and I took off for another round of flea marketing and I picked up a few more pieces to add to my collection. 

None of these was over $2.00! Score! I was so happy to pay .50 each for four of these that I didn't notice the red one was broken until I took the photo this morning. Luckily, I have another red one! This one will be used for a craft project...I'm thinking decoupage.


These were a bit more costly...$3.00 each!! Oh how I love getting stuff for cheap! 
I realize there is not a single piece of vintage Bakelite in the bunch. And a girl can't really have a bangle collection without some Bakelite, can she? For now this girl will...because she is a public school system employee. Furthermore, she already has a serious spending problem with fabric and sewing/quilting items.  So, sadly,  no Bakelite for me until I win the lottery.

Here's my current collection, a few are vintage 60's but most are 70's and 80's bangles. I'm cool with both of those decades! I am looking forward to hunting for a wider variety of eras and lots more colors!  I might have hopped on to etsy.com and ordered a few more just this morning. 
using a sock/underwear drawer organizer for storage. A pretty vintage one is on my "to get" list. 
Despite the Bakelite disparity of my collection, the bangles make me happy! 


For even more Vintage Thingies fun, head on over to The Coloradolady


                                            

7 comments:

My Sister Made Me Do It.... said...

A Flea Market Hopper!.......A woman after my own heart......love the bangles.....I, too, have some of those old vintage pins......maybe I can gather them together for next time!

Nani said...

I love bracelets! In the 80s had had a huge collection of bangles and gummies.

c. Joy said...

Wow. Your collection reminds me of long ago and far away. Especially the dots - I was big into dotted Swiss and dotted anything. I let my daughter play with mine - don't remember what happened to them. It's o.k., I can just remember how coool I used to be.

LV said...

You definitely have a nice collection of the vintage bracelets. I see the young folks wearing all kinds of bracelets, but none like these. They will make comeback one day and you will be really in style.

Anonymous said...

I love all jewelry, but bangle bracelets are too cool!

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

I love all of the funky colors. Bangles are so fun. Too bad I could never wear them. Seriously, can you believe that I have never been able to curl my hand up enough to slip one on. Even in high school when I was a skinny little thing. Weird I know, but so true.
Hugs,
Jann

jeanne said...

Thanks for stopping by Kellie. I adore your collection of lovely bracelets. I too love bracelets but I have some look alike Bakelite bracelets that I love. Lets just decide Bakelite is probably over rated and keep on loving our collections. HA!

Hugs, Jeanne