“I would rather be able to appreciate things I cannot have than to have things I am not able to appreciate”

It has recently come to my attention that vintage shopping is probably one of my all time favourite recreational hobbies. Yes, hobby. It sure as hell is not a pastime- although I can understand why one would label it as such [past.. vintage.. would make sense?] but no, oh no- I could never belittle it in such a fashion- no, it is so much more than just randomly walking into a store that smells faintly of musk and classic pieces of pre-loved clothing wreaking of faded memories, picking up an item that seems “cool” paying a meagre measly amount, and then walking out thinking you have just picked up a “bargain”, continuing on with your day-to-day activities and never looking back. And this is not a recent revelation due to the fact that I am now the new addition to the BSB Blogging family [Hi, I’m Feda, yes it is a weird name, no it is not pronounced to sound like the cheese and no it is not short for anything].

No my darlings, vintage is so much more than that. So much more.

Vintage is an art. Vintage shopping, an art form. It requires appreciation, love, and most importantly, an imagination. I can see why you may think for a moment I have lost the plot [one may argue that I may never had had “the plot” to begin with, but that’s another story altogether]. No, without understanding and appreciating the journey, one can never enjoy the destination. This is part of the art form. Each item, whether it be an 80’s Prada tote, a Gucci bamboo-handle handbag [circa late 40s] or a pair of Chanel ballerina slippers, each piece has a story, had an adventure, a journey, and capturing a glimpse of that voyage connects you to the item. You imagine who owned it before you.

Who loved it before I loved it?
Who wore it before it adorned my skin, my arm?
I wonder what it did for that woman who owned it first- what did it mean to her?
You get lost in the story, in the item.

It has been quite an ardent task scouting great vintage boutiques in Sydney [did I mention I reside in Sydney, Australia?] and perhaps fellow readers may join my sentiments when I say that BSB really does a great job online. Classic pieces coupled with one off designs collected from lord-knows-where homes, the unique "one piece only available" status- another important vintage factor- truly make BSB a fantastic experience. The excitement of placing the order.. The anticipation while waiting for it to arrive in my mailbox.. The feeling I get when I finally receive it, open up the brown package and immediately try my item on. My imagination runs wild conjuring up a story for my item every single time...

Ahhh.. The possibilities!

Oh m g. How can time fly like this? I must be off- research for my readers, you see, in Sydney, SPRING SEASON is about to grace our shores and oh, what an exciting time of the year!! I will bring you all the sneak peeks at what will be Oh So Hot and what will definitely need to be put at the back of the closet- be warned ladies, your hearts may be racing...

Until next time, remember, appreciation is the first step...

Feda xoxo