Denisebrain best of 2023

Denisebrain best of 2022

December 29, 2022

This year’s best-of starts off with two why-don’t-they-make-them-like-this-anymore-quality New Look-era items. The coat, labeled Bettijean, is made of wool with rainbow flecks.

Dan Millstein made this buttery-soft wool jacket with satin details. Both flew from my shop.

Once again, I am so happy to have had the help of models who really get, and love, the styles.

Here is a 1940s wool gabardine suit and a hooded velvet maxi coat from the ’70s, modeled by Sarah.

With your help, once again I have supported One Tree Planted with a dollar for each purchase from my Etsy shop. One Dollar = One Tree. Isn’t it wonderful to think of the green we are bringing to the world with that tree, and the green choice of great vintage fashion?

Speaking of green, these jade rings sold very quickly. And here are couple more wonderful models, Roxy, in a silk dress by Mort Schrader, and Selah in a Castlecliff iridescent green glass beaded necklace.

That necklace? A dear friend donated it for me to sell with all proceeds going to Save the Manatee Club. As some of you know, I love manatees, and donate 10% of my yearly earnings to Save the Manatee Club. I’m so grateful that many of you care about manatees too.

One customer wrote about this white gown:

I was deliberating between this dress and a couple others from different shops. Then I saw your note about donating to Save The Manatees. Done! Sold! I have loved manatees since I was a child, and I "adopt" one every year. His name is Floyd. Anyway - completely obsessed with the dress and 100% will be supporting your shop as often as I can afford!!!

Here’s another item my dear friend donated to raise money for Save the Manatee Club. It’s a mohair sweater by Lee Herman with puffy little embroidered mushrooms. I thought it looked great with this silk scarf by Jacqmar.

Among things that make a walk in the rain cheerful are vintage raincoats and polka dots. Together? Win-win. One coat’s buyer wrote: Vintage item and so cool, fun description is accurate and seller went the extra mile and I felt like I was receiving a gift! (I love it when people feel that way!)

The other said: Love this raincoat. I looked at it for quite a while. So glad I finally purchased it. (I’m so glad too!)

No color tops black in vintage toppers …at least that’s what you seem to be saying. I routinely sell more hats in black than any other shade.

Speaking of black, here’s a Vintage Convergence: A large fan-shaped bag home-crocheted from rayon cord, with a twisted Lucite handle and carved Lucite zipper fob. The original design was a Cordet Crochet pattern by Jack Frost, dating from 1945. Of course I had to attempt the same pose.

Humor me—this is as close as I get to time travel.

This long, hand-knotted necklace of blue glass beads is simple and beautiful. Another wonderful model, Jessica, modeled this blue silk faille dress for me—also a simply beautiful design made by the color.

Pale pink from the 1950s, ’40s and ’60s. Which is your favorite?

There’s no doubt, vintage Hawaiian-made fashions are perpetual bestsellers. Look at these prints from the 1950s and ’60s and you’ll see why.

You may want to quit Twitter in its newest incarnation, but you clearly don’t want to quit twitterers—birds, that is. Most unusual is the blown glass and wire pin with a bird and nest in a tree that came to me in a box with the following note inscribed on the box's side: "From 'Aunt' Grace Hart, She bought it at the Golden Gate Exposition 1939 — brought it 'home' to me."

The 1950s Coro Duette owl pin clips and earrings are their own sort of amazing, with an ingenious mechanism (patent number 1798867) to separate the pin into two clips.

The duck, in its original gift box, is carved jade.

You (and I) love fashion from the 1940s, and here are two very different representatives: Wide-leg wool gabardine trousers, à la Katharine Hepburn and the most twirl-able cotton square dance dress by Donnell's of Denver.

In fact, black and gold are quickly sold! 1960s brocade, 1950s brocade (with a reversible coat no less) and 1950s velvet with golden cord embroidery.

I’ll let you in on five things I’ve considered my businesses’s mantras in 2022:

Gratefully accept all the help you are offered.
Only do the amount of things you can do well.
Work with a volunteer SCORE or SBDC small business coach.
People truly appreciate intangibles.
Smile as much as you possibly can, and give others a reason to smile.

My personal mantras overlap:

Gratefully accept all the help you are offered.
Only do the amount of things you can do well.
Feed the bees with everything you plant.
Shop small shop small shop small shop small.
Smile as much as you possibly can, and give others a reason to smile.

What advice helped you in 2022? I sincerely want to know.

Here are some diverse jewels that sold this year, from the 1910s through the 1960s.

The coins? This was clearly someone’s souvenir of her travels to South Africa, Belgium, Mexico, Sweden and Austria. The very lovely repeat buyer left this review: These coins must have appreciated in value because wearing this bracelet makes me feel like a million bucks! The very large round brooch is marked Original by Robert. One of my esteemed Vintage Fashion Guild colleagues said about the glorious mishmash: In my opinion, the unique beauty of imagined patterns, colors, and transparencies create the fantasy that makes costume jewelry so appealing.

1930s items are the greatest treat to find—truly becoming quite rare. Here’s a French-made sequined bag, a colorful necklace and an incredible silk dress, all sold in 2022.

These three went out just in time for Christmas.

Wear Vintage Now! Choose It, Care for It, Style It Your Way, which I published in 2020, became an eBook this year, available from Apple Books. And I’ve just received a new batch of books to offer here on my website or in my Etsy store. (P.S. I love reading your reviews!)

A 1950s Schiaparelli bracelet that was purchased in 2022.

I will sign off with my very fondest wishes for 2023 to you.

Here's to a New Year of love, health, happiness, and hope for us all!

—Maggie
of denisebrain

2 Comments

Denisebrain best of 2021

December 30, 2021

For 15 years now, I have been doing an annual roundup of favorite vintage sold in the year just ending. I try to figure out what my customers liked the most by what flew out of my shop instantly and what got rave reviews.

Coats of all eras seem to have been popular.

About the coat from the 1920s, the new owner wrote:

I just received my incredible cape coat. An extraordinary item. Chocolate silk and rosé silk lining. It is light yet warm. A piece I can snuggle into. It is now adjusting to the Parisian air and sun. His was a long journey : from the 1920s to the 2020s. The cape will surely tell me many stories.

I think my customers have been preparing for the parties and events they have been missing. These sparklers made it into carts in 2021.

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The person who purchased the flowered black beaded bag wrote:

Was a gift for my best friend when we first met up after COVID. It's lovely and she was thrilled!

I’m not sure, but I believe I’ve outfitted a few brides this year—Another sign that some of life is going on again, or is being planned.

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And if you aren’t traveling yet, you can still imagine that next vacation—perhaps Hawaii? These three 1950s Hawaiian-made gems sold instantly, one to the daughter of the dress’s creator.

And this year I also was the tour guide for a trip through time and space to the Austrian look of 1940s Lanz clothing, about which I wrote a blog.

Judging from the colors of items sold, my very savvy customers have been foreseeing Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2022: Very Peri (aka periwinkle).

Although you chose blue-flowered and sequined hats, I sold more hats in black than any other color.

Here’s another great color choice: bright pink! It’s always my favorite.

1970s fashion has been popular for years now, but these three items were the fastest sellers (the hat being labeled Dior didn’t hurt!).

Bright and short? Got you (un-)covered! I also have noticed an easy A-line cut is pandemic-friendly, if anything could be friendly about a pandemic.

The pandemic. Sigh. Another wow, what a year. How are you faring?

I have been wearing a mask, staying a measure away from others, and I have had three doses of vaccine. Staying safe for myself, my family, friends and for healthcare workers seems like the least I can do. Some of you may know I have psoriatic arthritis, an autoimmune disease. This makes my concern even more important.

That arthritis is tough stuff, but I’m working to manage with it. You can see how much wonderful help I’ve had in the faces of non-me models this year.

Plaid’s another staple of vintage fashion popularity. Wool, rayon and cotton—all sold before you could say crosshatch.

My two favorite pairs of shoes sold this year were these 1940s rope-covered wedges, and 1920s satin court shoes with cut steel buckles.

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Vintage Vera scarves are sure things. These small works of art look great on Zoom, and anywhere else you’d care to show them off.

The environment has been on many of our minds more than ever.

On July 16, I began giving $1 from every purchase to One Tree Planted (onetreeplanted.org). For each dollar this wonderful organization receives, its team plants a tree somewhere around the world where the need is great.

Also this year, I gave 10% of my earnings to Save the Manatee Club (savethemanatee.org), and I ran two fundraisers. The need this year has been unprecedented, with over 1,000 manatees dead.

I’m glad to say that, because of my wonderful customers, I have been able to give over $3,000 to the Save the Manatee Club this year. And there is a little more green on the planet.

And speaking of green, I noticed this color having a moment. What would you call it, sage?

1950s Egyptian-print circle skirt. Novelty prints and circle skirts are perennially prized.

So was this a good year, or a terrible year? There was a lot of hard stuff to live through, I know.

For me, every year I can work with wonderful vintage fashion, meet more great customers and colleagues, and contribute to making the planet a little healthier is a year to be thankful for. I so hope you have had reasons to be thankful too.

I hope you find reasons to celebrate in 2022. Here’s to your health and happiness. Here is to hope!

My best to you,

Maggie of denisebrain

2 Comments

Denisebrain best of 2020

January 1, 2021

For the past 14 years I’ve rounded up favorite vintage sold in the year gone by, so this blog is just the latest in a series. However there’s never been a year like 2020 before. January 2020 seems like years ago, doesn’t it?

With my psoriatic arthritis making it hard to do my own stunts, I’ve been getting modeling help with my listings for several years now, and this year I finally had to start relying on myself again for new images due to pandemic precautions. I found it personally helpful—smiling at a camera has had an uplifting effect on me. I hope you have found something to lift your spirits in this most difficult of years. Maybe this gallery will provide you a reason to smile.

If I had to pick my customers’ favorite color of the year, surprisingly (or maybe not!), it seems to have been yellow. There is a fashion trend toward yellows, specifically bright marigold, and one of the Pantone colors for 2021 is a bright yellow they call illuminating. It feels hopeful.

Soothing lavender was also popular.

I guess it should come as no surprise that vintage tops might be, well, tops with buyers in a year when our primary mode of face-to-face contact was through the computer.

Likewise vintage robes and lounge wear: A blue velvet robe from the late 1930s? It sure beats sweatpants!

My book Wear Vintage Now! came out at the beginning of the year, and it has made a lot of friends. I heard about it being a beach read, a convalescence read, and a comfort. One customer wrote “In these strange times, this book keeps me sane and makes me happy. I just love it and adore the personal touches.” I hope you have or will pick up a copy for yourself.

Now here’s a perennial: It doesn’t matter what year it is, novelty prints are favorites.

Mod fashion always seems forward-faced and upbeat. May it be a harbinger of good to come.

In 2020—for sitting in one’s own backyard, or taking a stroll—I offered sunhats. These date from ca 1920, 1940 and 1960.

Then there are the four 49ers (don’t anyone sing three french hens, two turtledoves…). Since I live relatively near Pendleton’s home in Oregon, I have the good fortune to find their famous jackets, made starting in 1949. Bonus: They are put-together yet comfortable.

Another perpetual vintage favorite, and a good reminder: Flowers mean spring, which means hope.

I can never have enough green to offer, especially on the beautiful red-haired model Selah. Nothing flew out of my shop faster than that early 1940s yellow and green dress by Lanz.

Once again this year, I have donated 10% of my profits to the Save the Manatee Club. The organization kindly informed me that over many years, I have been able to donate over $12,200 for the protection of this beloved species. I will always continue with this, and I’m so grateful for all the support I get from caring customers, readers, colleagues and friends.

Through the Pink Heart Shop of my Etsy store, I also continued to support Dress for Success in their mission to economically empower women all over the world. This has been a crisis time for many of their clients, and I was glad to offer what I could to help.

Next: To say that late 1930s to early 1940s hats are interesting is unnecessary. Just look at them. This is one of my favorite categories of vintage fashion so this year I gave myself the pleasure of showing these.

There were some mighty spectacular beaded items this year. The 1970s Sister Max dress in the first photo weighed an astonishing five pounds. Sarah (the gorgeous model) said it was her favorite thing she’d worn from my stash of vintage.

More comfort! This time via soft wool bouclé knits.

Beautiful Bakelite, Lucite, acetate surah and rattan—they all run circles around modern equivalents.

And one more vote for spring (you may call me a petal pusher): Alternative petals.

I loved the pink hat’s review “If a hat were to be designed for me, this would be it. It is exquisite. This is a hat that makes me happy.” Isn’t that what vintage fashion is all about?

This was a tough year. Many of us were alone, but we were alone together. If I had just one wish for the year ahead, I’d use it to wish that we would all understand that we are together in everything. Whether it’s wearing a mask and keeping a safe distance for each others’ health and safety, or watching out for neighbors who are less fortunate, or standing by people who are not treated equally, or caring for our planet.

Since I have more than one wish, I wish you and yours a healthy, safe, and hopeful year ahead.

My best to you,

Maggie of denisebrain

Denisebrain best of 2019

January 1, 2020

I’m back with another (I’ve done this since 2007) round of greatest hits from the year just passed, and as usual, it is very hard for me to cull favorites. It’s like trying to name your favorite child!

Looking over my sold items, it appears that red was the most wanted color in 2019.

Also clear: You love your faux fur, and anything with a leopard print.

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There were a few big moments for denisebrain this year, including celebrating my 20th year in business.

Once again I’ve donated 100% of the profits from the Pink Heart Shop section of my Etsy store to Dress for Success and 10% of the rest of my earnings to the Save the Manatee Club.

Do you have a New Year’s Resolution? I’d like to suggest wearing hats—and having them be vintage. Here are a few from my shop that found new homes in 2019.

Then there’s the maximalist trend—strong and bright in 2019. Do you hear me now?

I don’t care what year you are talking about, gold vintage is always popular. Here are some of this year’s gilt-y pleasures:

Another perpetual favorite: We’ll always be glad for plaid.

There needs to be a special mention of the items that I got to see on customers. As an online seller… Well you don’t know how much this means to me!

Thank you to these four and many others!

Have you been watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as avidly as I have? Imagine the thrill as these items were sold to the show’s wardrobe department:

Kendra, who models for me, is also a big fan of the show, and although this outfit didn’t sell to them, we couldn’t help but think of the Maisel costuming when photographing this outfit.

Speaking of costumes, how about a full Western suit? Or a vintage blouse to wear to Disneyland? I love how vintage lets you try on different roles!

A perpetual favorite category, the vintage novelty print, was well represented in 2019.

Special mention for autumnal New York City novelty prints:

We all fell for fall: Autumn shades and prints in general were strong in ‘19.

To vintage wedding dresses, I say I DO! And I have plenty more where these sold dresses came from!

Do I need to remind you that vintage is always suit-able?

In some ways, 2019 was hard. U.S. and international news was disturbing and chaotic. We’ve become more aware of the increasing damage we as humans are doing to the environment.

On a personal level, I’ve been in pain caused by psoriatic arthritis, and finally had to have another hip replacement surgery in December.

2019, I’m glad you’re over. And I’m glad it’s 2020.

But there have been some developments that fuel hope for the coming decade. Above all, people have become much more interested in living sustainably, including wearing vintage clothing. Aren’t you glad you are already clued in?

Really big for me was finishing my book in 2019. I hope it helps many feel more confident in choosing, caring for, and wearing vintage. You can purchase it from most anywhere, but if you buy it from my Etsy shop, or here on denisebrain.com, the author will sign it! :)

Here’s to a 2020 of hope. I hope you get as much joy as you give.

And I hope you wear vintage!

My best,
Maggie of denisebrain

Denisebrain best of 2017

December 31, 2017

It's time again for my annual round up of vintage that sold in the year just ending. I've been doing this year-end feature since I was selling on eBay and blogging on MySpace—Yes, that long!!

Looking at these, I realize some I've chosen because the new owner was so pleased. I love a happy story, and I've heard quite a few good ones this year. What else made me choose these items as favorites? I see peplums, sweetheart necklines, hand embroidery, lace, luminous fabrics, soft knits, beautiful colors, unique prints, and wonderful style. In other words, I see why I love vintage, and why I get up every day wanting to do what I do.

My year, personally, has had its ups and downs. I am still working on my health, including having a new right hip and psoriatic arthritis, which causes fatigue and pain. At the same time, I have been so fortunate to have great help. Honestly, why didn't I look for this help sooner? Read about all I have to be thankful for in this post.

See all those silly grins on my face in these photos? They're real. I love what I do, and am lifted up every day by great colleagues and friends in the vintage world. I've been shown such amazing kindness this year.

I hope you have found as many reasons to smile this year, and that 2018 brings you joy—and, of course, vintage!

Here's to a New Year of love, health, happiness, and hope for us all!

My very best to you, Maggie of denisebrain

10% of sales for saving endangered manatees.

My 2016, part II

December 15, 2016

As promised in my last post, this is the better news side of 2016 here at denisebrain.

First, I have never had so many great vintage items to offer. My storage units runneth over! And I have a new friend with a passion for vintage who has helped me with the hanging and organization. (Thank you, Fay!—If you are in Spokane, you should go visit her space at Chosen Vintage.)

Then there is the book, which I had planned to publish in November. You know when you really want to do something and for some reason you aren’t getting it done? Something was up with me, and I figured out what it was: The book is missing a couple of sections to make it a complete beginners' guide to vintage from my perspective. I am now progressing without that weird feeling of being held back. It’s back to being an exciting prospect.

Then there is the new website, which is thiscloseto being ready. [edit 2/1/17: You're looking at it now!] I know Google has it right about people using mobile devices to search, and I know my old website is not terribly mobile-friendly. This old Neanderthal is finally about to stand up straight! Expect lots of pink (duh!).

Next comes the annual end-of-the-year roundup of favorite items sold. Perhaps you will see something that now hangs in your closet—If so, I hope it’s making you happy!

I love, I mean LOVE seeing customers in their purchases! In fact, I’m devoting a section of the new website to customer images. (If you’ve been holding out on me, now’s the time to make right!)

This 1970s Gunne Sax dress went to a great connoisseur of GS dresses, Rie (thewelldressedethicist on IG)

Kymi (kymijojo on IG) staged a prom birthday party, and wore this princess-y 1950s gown like a true princess

For her birthday, the colorful Sophia (sophiamzell on IG) wore this 1960s party dress

This 1940s New York Creations hat went straight to the head of the elegant Eliza (vintagerosegirl on IG):

(As you can probably tell, I’m doing more over on Instagram this year. If you’re there, stop by and say hi to me @denisebrain_vintage)

Some favorites that found new homes this year:

Starting on September 7, 2016, I began setting aside

I’ve been called the Manatee Lady, and I thought I might as well prove it with every sale.

Then, on November 10, I opened a shop-within-a-shop in my Etsy store.

The Pink Heart Shop

has vintage fashion with

100% of sales going to Dress for Success Worldwide.

The contributions I have been able to make to these causes so far make what I do even more worthwhile to me, and the support customers have expressed literally keeps me going some days.

If you read my previous post, you know it hasn’t been the easiest year for me, but I am fortunate in so many ways. For someone with health issues, having a good team is something to cherish. I have a wonderful, supportive partner in my husband John. I have good doctors. I have caring friends and family. That would be plenty, but I also have the distant but real friendship and kindness of customers and colleagues in the vintage world. You all lift me up.

So goodbye to 2016...

...and hello to a new year of hope, health, joy, and love for us all!

My best to you, Maggie of denisebrain

What's your best denisebrain find?

April 19, 2016

On April 22 my business turns 17 years old.

Since 1999, I have sent many thousands of vintage items to new owners and I’ve heard about (and in some cases seen photos of) many people enjoying their new finds. Are you one them?

I ask because the Denisebrain Vintage Fashion Show this week is all about my customers showing off their favorite purchases from my shops. It would make me so happy if you would participate!

If you haven’t seen one, the #dbvintagefashionshow is a chance to trot out your photo of a favorite vintage fashion item of a particular theme—one week the theme might be shoes, the next week the color green. You show your photos on Instagram, Twitter (both of these tagged #dbvintagefashionshow) or Facebook (as a comment on my page). Then I get to show you off!

If you don’t delve into social media, I would welcome you to email me a photo to include; the address is margaret@denisebrain.com

Please help me celebrate my business’s birthday with your unique and fabulous flair for vintage!

Denisebrain best of 2015

December 29, 2015

It’s time to take a look back at 2015, including favorite vintage items that I sent to new homes.

If I do say so myself: Just. Wow. Ceil Chapman, 1952

Vintage, come rain or come shine

In the navy, c. 1950

Pink lady

Summer and winter 1950s

40s 4-ever

How novel!

Blue notes from the 50s

On a really personal note: I won’t say that this has been an easy year for me. I have lost two people dear to me and had to work around pain from what I now know is psoriatic arthritis. I can’t easily comb my hair, zip my (metal!) zipper or put my shoes on.

If anything though, I love what I do more than ever and cherish my friends and family even more. I am so thankful for all my readers, customers and online colleagues and friends who make what I do such a pleasure every single day. You make it all worthwhile.

Rose up

By any other name

Go elegant or go home (gloves by Roger Faré, Paris)

Totes gorge

Big dipper (the Jantzen “Tahitian Temptation” suit inspired a blog post)

The wild Southwest

In case you missed them, these were my blog posts that seemed to resonate most with people (the first one especially):

How vintage clothing is priced
Vintage glove etiquette
My 9-part series on How to wear vintage for the 40+ year-old woman provoked a lot of interesting and thoughtful responses from readers
Get the look: Katharine Hepburn—one style icon I finally got around to dissecting!
LOTS of vintage convergences documents some of the new pinners on my Vintage Convergences Pinterest board.
Calling modern-made clothing “vintage” is a disservice to real vintage

Go team vintage!

You glow girl, in luminous 1960s pieces

Hot pinks (the fine print? by Alfred Shaheen)

Last flowers of summer

Fall for vintage

If you haven’t joined my mailing list, consider this your invitation to receive ideas and deals delivered right to your inbox:

Spice girl (nothing quite like vintage cashmere and fiesta wear)

Sophisticated lacy

Silver and gold (make new friends but definitely keep the old)

Red alert

I'm very pleased to say that so far this year, with your help, I have raised funds for breast cancer awareness (Living Beyond Breast Cancer), as well as for endangered manatees in Belize (Sea to Shore Alliance) and Florida (Save the Manatee Club). There are a few days before the current fundraiser For the Manatees ends, and I hope to reach $1250...a new record for a single fundraiser here at denisebrain!

Anything-but-mean reds (the Lilli Ann coat looks so cute on its new owner!)

What’s up for 2016? Besides all the best vintage clothing I can find for you, there will be a new, mobile-friendly denisebrain.com!

2016 ought to be exciting...please join me!

Best wishes for a peaceful, happy, loving and beautiful year ahead! May you receive back all the joy that you give.

(I hope you are surrounded by the sort of people who will zip your zipper if you need a hand too!)

Denisebrain best of 2014

January 5, 2015

A few of my favorite sold items from the year gone by. I always find it hard to choose because I actually really love the vintage fashions I offer to you—These are just the ones that stuck hardest in my mind.

Summer to winter, vintage is best

1910s silk satin to 1960s stretch velvet

Polar Vortex collars

True blue

Decked out sweaters

Ready for Valentine’s Day

Sophisticated stripes

Bags with friends

The great white shirt

Spring flirts

Novelty print 40s dresses

Novelty print 50s skirts

Hats with character

Check it out, spring edition

Pretty party

Eee-haw!

Atomic bombshell prints

Ready for the 4th of July

Check it out, summer edition

Picnic anyone?

Suitable for summer

Summer accessories

Viva La Mexicana skirt

Check it out, late summer edition

Novelty print 50s dresses

Meow mix

Covetable bags

Autumn leaves

The red coats are coming

These are silver, those are gold

Gold standard in accessories

Aren’t you plaid?

Sweater girl!

Simply red

Swing coats in the red

You helped me raise $518 for Conservation Northwest this year, and an astounding $1020 for Save the Manatee Club. I couldn’t do that on my own!

One of the nicest comments I received this year: ...this picture made me SO SUPER happy! i had to thank you! ...it just struck me as such an "i love myself" "everything is great" "it's going to be an awesome day" moment, that i had to share that with you. That made me feel like I’m doing something right!

One of the things I like the most is seeing my customers wearing their vintage clothing. Some of these have been photographed by professionals, others by creatively-minded people, others by just us average people, but you are all way above average to me.

May 2015 be a year in which you receive as much joy as you give!