Saturday, June 21, 2014

Hello, San Francisco!


I leaving for San Francisco, June 23rd to July 4th. BarnabyJack will still be open, but that means all shipments will be delayed until July 7th. During this time, I am happy to offer a 10% discount as a thank you for your patience. 

Use coupon code: SORRYFORTHEDELAY 
Valid 6/23/14 to 7/4/14

BUT, it's not too late to get your last shipment in now before my departure on the 23rd. All purchases made during this weekend will be sent out Monday morning on the 23rd of June.



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San Francisco/Oakland/Berkeley 

I love traveling and this summer I get to visit my other half in the bay area. We will be doing a lot of exploring, visiting friends and of course, thrifting and checking out some vintage shops. This trip is partially for fun, but it is also to scope out the area for a (very) possible move to the area (which means BarnabyJack will be relocating). We shall have to wait and see what happens. 
For those wondering what I will be up to, you can follow me on instagram!:



Thanks and I will see you all in San Francisco!

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

H A N D M A D E B A R N A B Y: The Double Buckle Belt





Introducing the second item in our new HandmadeBarnaby section (section name still to be determined): The Double Buckle Belt

The name says it all. Two buckles, several size options and goes with almost anything. 

Find this item here
(only two available for now, but making more shortly)


Monday, June 16, 2014

O U T F I T T I N G: Summer Music Festival

It is mid June of 2014, which means we are right in the middle of music festival season. While festivals like Coachella, SXSW and Bonnaroo are over and done with for the year, we still have Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits and more to look forward to. Music festival goers are well aware of the importance of being comfortable, and so here are a few things that can help with your next summer music festival outfit:





 inspiration... Millie Mackintosh






Friday, June 13, 2014

Turquoise



I am happy to finally announce that I am adding some handmade goods to my shop. The first of these is a turquoise nugget bracelet. Turquoise is the real deal and goes nicely with summer whites. Soon I will add a handmade double buckle belt so stay tuned... 




Find this item and much more at the shop.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

H O W T O W E A R: Mexican Embroidered Dress


A huge summer staple of mine is a vintage Mexican embroidered dress. It's hard to deny the beautiful floral embroidered work of vibrant colors over a stark white (among other colors). However, it can be a bit tricky pulling one of these dresses off. The wrong fit can give off a frumpy vibe, and sometimes wearing this style can make you feel like a little old lady (unless that's what you're going for). 
But it is possible to wear well, and to give you an idea of what I mean, here are some tips to help you pull off a Mexican dress look. 


 Tip #1: Shorten the hem. I know a lot of people recommend to never buy vintage that you plan to alter because chances are you'll never get around to it. This may be true for some, but if you really love the dress (and if it is one of kind), it may be worth it to take the extra step. Most tailors charge less than $20 to shorten the hem of a cotton dress, and it usually takes no time at all, maybe a day or two (depending on the tailor). Making the extra effort might make a good dress into a favorite dress.


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Tip #2: Belt it. A "frumpy" dress often means that it is a loose fit, shapeless dress. If you can pull off the potato sack look, go for it. But for most ladies, accentuating the waist can feel a bit more flattering to the figure and that is why adding a belt to your Mexican frock works well. Try a a vintage brown leather belt. The more worn in, the better.



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Tip #3: Wear it with a statement necklace. Most times I try to wear the "statement pieces" one at a time. I figure, how many statements can you make? But sometimes working two attention grabbers at the same time works. Mexican embroidered dresses are usually pretty eye catching, and sometimes adding a cool chunky necklace can continue the vibrancy. Think, if you're going to go for it, you might as well go all the way. 




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Tip #4: Go with a more bohemian hippie vibe. If you gravitate towards the "boho, I woke up this way" look, then these dresses are a piece of cake for you. Just throw one on, don't brush your hair and take some sort of leather bag and sunglasses and you're good to go.





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Tip #5: Keep it at home. Sometimes, you may love a garment but it's just a little too attention-grabbing for you to feel entirely comfortable in. If that's the case, use it as a fabulous "around the house" dress. It's comfortable, easy to wear and perfect to wear when your just at home hanging out (which is personally one of my favorite activities).



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Check out all the vintage Mexican embroidered dresses I have in stock (and more) HERE
(two of the three white dresses at the top of this post will be listed soon, stay tuned)



Thursday, June 5, 2014

Lots of Textures and Styles to come...

Since coming back from Los Angeles, I have been busy cleaning, mending and photographing all the beautiful new items I picked up for the shop. Here is a small preview of the patterns, textures and colors to come...











Silks, chiffon's, wool's, embroidery and more! Come check out the shop within the next coming weeks to see what's new. 

Sunday, June 1, 2014

L.A., Topanga and a Summer Sale



I just got back from little ol' Los Angeles and I am excited to say I had a successful visit. My original plan was to scout more vintage for the shop, but I happened to also visit a little hidden gem known as Topanga Canyon and the Getty Villa. 

Topanga Canyon...15 minutes from Santa Monica.

Topanga Canyon is a small community of retired hippies, artists and some L.A. bigwigs. Surrounded by national park, but still 15 minutes away from Santa Monica and 8 minutes away from the beach, this place feels like an old L.A. secret. So it is no surprise that Topanga is the home of a well stocked vintage shop, called Hidden Treasures. I also got to visit a little shop that goes by Hill Billy Hip. This shop is slightly smaller, but still has some great stuff.






... and of course, I stopped by the Getty Villa... The Getty's smaller, more traditional, sister. The gallery was exhibiting ancient artifacts from the Byzantium period, the highlight was the jewelry :)




The quick trip was great but the whole purpose of the trip was to find vintage, and luckily I was able to haul back over 50 new pieces. I will be listing these new items in a couple of weeks, but in the meantime we will be having a 20% off everything sale in the shop. Sale starts today, June 1st and ends thru June 7th! Coupon code: SUMMERVIBEZZ

https://www.etsy.com/shop/BarnabyJack