is a beautiful day.
A day the lovely Beate from BetaBoutique
wants to give you, my dear readers,
a very special gift!
For this Give Away,
the winner can choose between two sets of beautiful,
vintage earrings,
both from Latvia in Eastern Europe.
These beautiful rhinestone earrings
in a gorgeous deep brown color,
are finished with gold tone hardware.
These deep blue rhinestone earrings
are very delicately made and also
finished with gold tone hardware.
(Please note:
Both sets of earrings are for pierced ears.)
I decided to ask Beate some questions
about her passion for vintage...
{1} Tell us something about your Etsy shop BetaBoutique.
BetaBoutique is a collaboration between me and my mom, as we've always shared a passion for things vintage, aristocratic, feminine, sophisticated and things with history and their own stories.
We are from Latvia, Eastern Europe, and when we started our Etsy shop (1,5 year ago) there were basically no vintage soul-mates whom we could share our passion to all things vintage with. It's related to our history as a former USSR country, where everything related to the past could have negative connotations)
Etsy seemed like an absolutely utopian place, marked with proper taste and filled with great people.
BetaBoutique is filled with vintage items which represent our aesthetic considerations, love for femininity, Art-House cinema, modern literature and popular culture cliches.
{2} How did your love for vintage clothing and accessories start?
I've loved all things vintage and antique since my childhood
On the day I found my great grand mothers glass marbles in her quince garden in our backyard, I had this feeling that I would found the most precious things on earth, which would connect me with decades behind me. It was something magical. I remember lying under an apple tree, playing with the reflection of the sun in these marbles and, of course, hiding them from everyone.
{3} What is, in your opinion, the beauty of vintage?
The ability to materialize daydreaming about living in past decades, the connection with history and the possibility to escape from the made-in-china reality. And of course the quality, femininity, originality and individuality of vintage pieces.
:
To ENTER this lovely Give Away,
simply leave a comment and tell us
something about your passion for vintage!
Also, leave your email address,
so I can contact you if you are the winner!
:
This Give Away ends on
Wednesday March 31 12.00 AM Dutch time (GMT+1)
Posts
43 comments:
Hi! My love of vintage clothing actually stems from a sense of disatisfaction with apsects of our lives today. Try as I might, I can never find clothes on the high street to fit me, despite being a relatively average size. I find that now clothes are made to look amazing on a hanger, or on a beautiful 6ft tall model, and that fashion nowadays is designed to make women feel inadequate if they cannot live up to these unrealistic styles of beauty. Vintage fashion is the exact opposite of that; it is made to fit real women's bodies, and made for a variety of sizes. Women were made to feel beautiful by what they wore, not that they should change how they look to be beautiful. Vintage clothes also had so much care and attention put into them, and were made to last and be cherished for generations, not worn once and thrown away. For me, vintage is about expressing personal identity, and celebrating diversity in fashion. When I wear high street clothes, I feel as though I just don't live up to today's ideals of beauty, but when I put on a simple 40s gown, I have so much more confidence in myself!
Sorry, that was quite an essay!!
From Carys ofLa Ville Inconnue
For me it's just the sheer wonderment of owning something from the past, something older than me, older than my parents even. Imagining who owned the clothes before I did, what sort of perfect or even horrible things they did with their time. As a big time history nerd 'old stuff' has always appealed to me, be it old coins, my great aunt's radios and clocks (which i reccently just inherited), mysterious bargains from charity shop and car boot sales. This for me is the beauty of it, the very idea of wearing something from the past, this real link with our ancestors (all of our ancestors, the history of our planet and indeed of humanity) is something so worth cherishing.
there's also the hideous enviromental impact of today's 'fast fashion'. I hate high street shops, they completely lack wonder and beauty and truth and I haven't stepped foot in one for over a year now. The idea of the garments they were unable to sell being burnt or ripped rather than given to the needy (this is a reality for most high street chains) is completely irrepsionable and must stop!
Sorry for the rant!!
(and hello there Carys :) )
Amelia of La Ville Inconnue
i grew up in an old victorian house. it was 100 years old, and the walls were an uneven antique plaster, the windows humungous, and the ceilings over 10 feet high. as a child, i didn't like these things, because they were so different from the things everyone else had. however, one of my fondest memories is playing in my room in early spring, my gigantic window open to the dinosaur of a magnolia tree outside my window in bloom. i can still smell that tree on the spring air, and it makes me feel so peaceful. when i was in middle school i found a box of letters and short stories from the girl who lived there in the 1940s, and i started to fall in love with how delicate and aged everything was. i've never really looked back since. i have a great, great appreciation for all things vintage and outdated. the pretty broken things. the costumery of it all is wonderful, and it makes me feel like a small, small child, in a great big house again. vintage clothing, jewelry, architecture, it just makes me so wistful.
i must also note, mila, that this blog gives me that feeling of home, the magnolia blooms on the fresh spring air, the lightness and airiness.
Mine's not so long, but i liiive for searching for vintage at thrift stores. Truly my passion. As much as i love vintage-inspired clothing. Absolutely nothing beats the real thing. and both of Beate's earing sets are beautiful.
fab07002@byui.edu
http://www.loveiiinatrashcan.blogspot.com
I like the idea of re-using but also that vintage things are more than me. they had a story before me, they'll have a story after me. I also enjoy a lot of the imperfections that come with vintage pieces. THe imperfections are what make it unique, give it character, and make them one of a kind. I'm really excited to check out the Beta Boutique. If there' anything I'm obsessed with more than vintage things, its european vintage. It holds a special place in my heart.
sunlitcatastrophe@gmail.com
lovely post
~K
I love vintage for many reasons! For one I adore the fact that most pieces I have no idea where they came from. It's the wondering who used it or what they felt when they wore it that's exciting and dreamy! I also love the thrill of finding something really spectacular! Maybe it's not something someone else would want or care about, but to me its special! xoxo
Kimberly.long at gmail dot com
In the past two years I've really had a love for vintage things. I have acquired a few very special pieces of well-kept vintage jewelry that I love to wear, and I love the vintage reproductions that I'm seeing a lot of with women's clothing. Vintage apparel and jewelry just remind me of a simpler time and of classic staples that seemed common in wardrobes. Clothes and jewelry were special to ladies and were treasured, where as these days most of us have tons of shirts and jeans and shoes in our closets...
Thanks for the chance to win!
shortyssutures(at)gmail(dot)com
Dear Mila,
About two years ago I found an old suitcase on the attic of my grandmother. I was curious, and I just had to look what was inside. After struggling with opening the rusted closures, I could finally look what was in there. It was a suitcase filled with antique dresses from my grandmothers mother. I was so glad that she never threw it away. Pearls and pure cotton. Glass beads and delicate details. I fell in love. She gave me one of these dresses and I'm now exhibiting it on an old mannequin. I will always keep it. From that day on I realized that vintage and antique clothes and jewellry are so special, that they may never be forgotten. It has become my passion. Everytime again in a vintage shop or on a flea market I'm loving to hear the stories behind a little clutch or a pair of gloves. Where have they been and who has worn these beautiful things? It means a lot to me. The jewellry above is so beautifully made... I adore it.
elit-elit@live.nl
elit-elit.blogspot.com
Fleur
I often get tired of seeing the same thing on everyone (including myself) and adding in vintage pieces (whether its a jacket or a skirt or a bangle) transforms an outfit from just-like-everyone-else to one-of-a-kind.
Robin
farabeesiers at gmail dot com
I started getting into vintage clothing after my grandma died, we moved into her house and as we were settling in i found a bag of her dresses from the 50s. They were all in great condition and my grandma it seems had a wonderful sense of style. since then when i seek out vintage clothes or shoes or jewellery i feel closer to her in a way. I'm also an old movie lover and finding something that looks like what my favorite actresses from the 40s-70s wore is just incredible.
my email is bashtinyourhead@hotmail.com
This jewelry is just sooo beautiful!
I love vintage things because they are much more detailed, romantic and playful than cold modern things. But I can't really explain why I love them. They just speak to me. Old things have a story to tell, they have charme.
I love vintage things because they make a statement! It's so cool to tell someone the story about your vintage item when they ask you, "where did you get that?" Awesome!
jenna.kash.allen@gmail.com
The turquoise earrings are SO gorgeous. And I am just in love with vintage for the simple fact that there's always a story behind it, whether you know it or not. It seems we are so used to new new new, and lost traditions of handing things down from generation to generation. So it's nice that some vintage pieces give us the opportunity to hold a little piece of the past.
I am a complete steampunker so vintage is what I live for. It reminds me of a time when the individual was emphasized in clothing design (as in architecture). A time when clothes were made exclusively for one person and therefore a true expression of one's individuality. While vintage clothes were actually made for someone else and, many were mass produced in their time, they are still unique to other clothing/accessories available now and are a better expression of individual personality/style than contemporary clothing selections.
shakespearelives@gmail.com
My passion for vintage is partly because I love things that are unique that not everyone is wearing. Also, I like a lot of older retro styles. One more reason is when I wear something vintage, I always think about how much history is behind each piece... the people that wore them.. the decade.. what memories they might have made wearing it.. things like that. It's like I'm wearing a piece of history!
claudiaschieve@gmail.com
oh so gorgeous, and what a great shop. my passion for vintage is just beginning - i love trinkets and accessories most. especially when their connected to someone you love. the individuality and uniqueness something possesses always captures my attention.
c.dvorachek@gmail.com
Oh great giveaway! For vintage I am passionate for many reasons but the main would have to be the story. What life did this piece live before it was mine? If it could talk what would it tell me?
I love vintage because it's unique and tell's a story. Wether it's shoes, jewelry, or clothes, each piece is special, and makes you feel special wearing it.
stephanierene1@gmail.com
Thanks, your blog is also lovely :)
I love vintage because it takes me to distant times and distant people. It's as close to time travel as i will ever get. It also reminds me of loved ones before me and helps me get to know them better.
laura(dot)maray(at)live(dot)com
Oh I love this giveaway and the interview!
I love vintage because besides of being a great way to be eco friendly, I think there's a special feel about each piece treasured by other people. Every piece tells a story about its owner, I love to treasure what my mom and grandma used to give me :)
xoxo
Giovanna
www.bohomarket.blogspot.com
I love that her mum & her share this common love! My mum generally thinks that vintage = worn old clothes & why not get something new and of good quality? I think my love of vintage started in my teens purely through the internet - there are no good vintage shops where I live. It exploded when I moved to NZ & found all these small town second hand stores that held many treasures - bliss!
pflater at g mail
My grandma is the one to blame for my love of vintage.
She would give me this beautiful vintage dog figurines when I was little and that appreciation grew into passion. These days my grandma gives me her beautiful old dresses instead and whenever I wear them, girls ask me where I got them. They are magical!
Thank you grandma, you will always be my greatest inspiration!
xx Isa
izzadorah@hotmail.com
I love vintage because it makes me happy!!!! I live and breathe it in what I surround myself with and what I wear. It makes me feel closer to a better time...a time I wish I could go back and live in...
luvr_of_paris@hotmail.com
hi
i have been very lost from your blog
and it sorprice me all the time that i come.
hugs.
My love for vintage is growing and growing everyday. It makes me think of better times, though I know they were not, just different. But there's definitely something magic in vintage items, even if you can only watch them.
womansblues@hotmail.com
I love vintage pieces as I know there's a story behind them. That, in itself, adds to its charm and beauty. It's also quite intriguing, too-- wondering who wore what when and where. :) Lyanne; gsb_16@yahoo.com
I have a passion for vintage since I started my year at graphic design school, 5 years ago. I visit a thrift store every week, blog online about it, watch new things on etsy every day. I think I'm addicted. Don't know why. But you feel so damn happy when you find something adorable, with history and so unique. It's wonderfull, vintage. it really is :)
sterrenvangstertje(at)hotmail.com
Wow stunning earrings!
My passion for vintage actually started from when I was about 7 or 8 and my Nan used to take me to jumble sales and bootsales. When I used to go to school, someone would compliment something I had like a bag, or a necklace. When they asked where I got it from they would always give me a funny look after my response. So after a while I started lying as I was too embarrassed that some of my favourite things were second hand.
But then I got to the age where i was DAMN proud of it- I had unique things for less than half the price that people I knew would pay for them! I'm now 20 and I still have the same thrill I had when I was very young from looking through junk to find 'the diamond in the ruff'. Every year me, a couple of my friends, my sister and my dad go to this huge bootsale in a field, which is some days a bit of a let down but we still go almost every saturday! Me and my sister are hoping to start an etsy this sumer as we also make jewellery!
Hat
xxx
h.doveton@gmail.com
Vintage is just better. Things were made to last, they have a story, they have character and they're sustainable.
elissa at iinet dot net dot au
ahh, i just bought a cute vintage pill hat last night! my passion for vintage developed because of my love of all things unique as well as my interest in sustainability. vintage continues to excite me because i am reusing someone's old clothes as opposed to buying new ones that take new energy and materials to manufacture. plus, you can always look cute rocking vintage. the blue earrings look so perfect for prom. :)
My love of vintage started after i had to wear a vintage plaid school uniform skirt as part of my costume for a dance production. I loved that skirt so much I would even wear it to school with band tees and converse.
-Lisa
lisamhampton@gmail.com
The reason I love vintage is the wonderful thought that the item has been somewhere before and lived another life and that when I use it I am, hopefully, only a tiny speck of its experience. Beautiful things deserve beautiful lives.
isabellapachter@gmail.com
I have recently become infatuated with vintage, especially the little details that so often are part of it. I love thinking that pieces have wonderful stories behind them and coming up with them in my head. The problem is, though, I live in a town where the closest I could get to vintage is a beat up cowboy hat from the 80's. I have been searching high and low for beautiful vintage items, but that is especially hard when you are still to young to drive. And though I am still trying to discover just what my style is, I am positive that vintage is a major part of it. Well, it will be once I actually own any. By the way, I absolutely adore your blog, it inspires me to no end. Justmangoey@aol.com
Ohh, count me in! Those earrings are so beautiful! She seems wonderful. xo
i love all things vintage. i love reinventing them into something new and loved. i tend to go toward something with prints or textures, and i love anything with intricate designs or metal/beading detailing.
The blue earings are so beautiful!
I love vintage items because they have a history. The quality is usually better too, things were made to last back then!
www.loloholmes.tumblr.com
lauren.holmes at hotmail.co.uk
I am from Latvia as well and it makes me so happy to "meet" people like Beate!
Vintage is filled with memories. And isn't memories the only real thing we own?
Vintage things - clothing, jewelry, toys, ephemera and such - always bring to mind a time when life was simpler. Most everything was made to last as opposed to today's "just throw it out and buy another" mentality. I loved shopping in thrift stores and, when asked "where did you get that?", saying from a little shop on the East End. I especially love to salvage and refashion vintage pieces in my jewelry making.
I love vintage because it's a special thing to be connected to the past as we move forward. Everything came from something, and vintage is a reminder of that. and very inspirational too! Love love love those earrings :)
Well, haven't you ever noticed the "future" is almost always filled with vintage almost Steam Punk items? Anyway, two is a pair, three is a collection and three new things would just not have the same effect.
zero249@hal-pc.org
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