Cause A Frockus

Vintage Expert | Liza with Better Dresses Vintage

Nov 17, 2014 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns

Shopping for vintage is so much fun and sometimes the thrill of the hunt takes you online. Internet boutiques that capture the joyous ritual of shopping are hard to find and today we’re excited to introduce you to our newest vintage expert, Liza with Better Dresses Vintage.  She completely understands that just because you might be cruising through inventory in your pajamas, that doesn’t mean you want to sacrifice a sense of glamour. We know you’ll enjoy the vast selection Liza’s carefully curated and she shared some of her tricks of the trade with us. Let us know what you think in the comments…

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Liza
Decatur, GA
Better Dresses Vintage

My love of vintage grew out of my love of all things beautiful and well made. Compared with modern clothes, vintage is superior in workmanship, materials, and design. They were made to flatter the figure, not simply look good on a hanger, and that makes a huge difference. And this is just as true for casual clothes as it is for party and evening wear. I guarantee that your 1950s swimsuit or sweater will outshine and outlast any similar items you could buy for the same price — or more — at the mall.

Keep up to speed with the latest at Better Dresses Vintage via their Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.

An exclusive for our readers, use code FROCKUS at checkout for 10% off your total order at Better Dresses Vintage or Bee Dee Vintage on Etsy. The code is good through the end of the year.

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Tell us more about your company’s iconic look.

Oh, I am quite enamored of the mystery woman who inspired my logo. Her tiny waistline and confident stride are captivating. Because she’s in front of the famous Barbizon — originally a residential hotel for women — I’d always imagined she was on her way to a job interview, museum exhibit, or to meet friends for lunch. That air of confidence and joy are things that I keep in mind as I curate my inventory.

What are your favorite eras?

The first is the 1950s and early 60s — the “Mad Men” look from the first few seasons of the show. I was wearing those clothes long before any of us had met Betty Draper or Joan Holloway. My mom wore them — both store bought and home sewn — beautifully, and I’ve always tried to emulate her. Even as a child, playing dress-up in her petticoats and dresses, I was already wishing I’d been born in another era, just so I could wear the clothes. This was the early 1970s, and I was really not digging the brown and yellow plaid.

My other favorite era is mid-1870s to early-1880s. The small bustle, natural-form era you see in movies such as “Anna Karenina” and “The Age of Innocence.” That’s really my favorite of all sartorial eras.

What is your inventory’s focus?

My main shop (Better Dresses Vintage) stocks only women’s quality vintage clothing and accessories, with the occasional sewing pattern or other fashion-related item. My Etsy shop (Bee Dee Vintage) offers women’s and children’s clothing and accessories, sewing supplies, plus odds and ends for the vintage-loving home, all under $100.

How do you curate your inventory?

As a newbie, I’d grab everything I could and ended up donating many items that didn’t pass muster on closer inspection. I quickly became more discriminating. For years now I’ve acquired only items in good to excellent condition, which are special in some way.

I’ve always cleaned everything I sell and make any needed minor repairs. I don’t understand why anyone would keep unclean garments in their shop or won’t take a few minutes to replace a missing button or tack a fallen hem. Who wants to buy something that needs cleaning or fixing? My items are wearable straight out of the package — whether the customer paid $25 or $250.

For this beautiful green dress, I documented my restoration process here.

I buy what I love, or suspect my customers will love. I don’t pay much attention to what’s trendy, unless I find a vintage item that is the original inspiration for a currently popular style. I pride myself on having several repeat customers, including overseas shoppers, and I’ve been known to buy things with one of them in mind. When you provide individualized service, you get to know people. I’m not Amazon.com. I’m one very hard-working person who cares about the individuals who spend their money in my shops, or their limited time reading my blog or my social-media posts. I appreciate that they could spend their money and their time elsewhere.

Any advice for our readers as they shop online for vintage?

Lots. But let me offer two biggies that will cover most of the bases.

First, you can’t go wrong buying from trade members of the Vintage Fashion Guild — a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of vintage fashion. In addition to being especially knowledgeable about the items we sell, VFG trade members are required to maintain the highest level of professionalism. Find us here.

Second, shoppers need to know their measurements. Sizes have never been reliable or consistent, and they’ve changed dramatically over the years. Asking what size a vintage item is won’t do you any good. You need to measure yourself (or an item of clothing that fits you), and compare those measurements to the item for sale. Visit the BDV Fitting Room for complete instructions. And of course, your readers can always contact me directly. I’m happy to help.

Any items that you see flying off the shelf (so to speak) or trending as of late?

I’ve noticed that jumpsuits from every era are tough to keep in stock. But generally speaking, my customers are true individuals. Some quirky, some traditional, some young, some “of a certain age.” They buy what they know works for them and makes them feel good, regardless of trends.

What are some staples or “must haves” you would recommend for a vintage lover’s closet?

Well, I could say that every woman needs a 50s pencil skirt and a beaded cardigan. Or that she should have a 1960s boxy suit. But that’s only true if she happens to like those looks and they flatter her figure! It’s all about discovering and developing your own personal style and learning what looks good on your unique shape. No matter what your preference — 40s strong-shouldered suits, 50s full-circle skirts, 60s clean-lined shifts, 70s romantic maxis — there’s plenty of high-quality, affordable vintage out there for you.

What are your favorite memories of dressing up for special events?

As for favorite memories of real-life dressing up, I hardly know where to begin! I feel I’ve spent my whole life finding and even creating excuses to dress up! I suppose if I had to pick just one, it would be my wedding day. But there are many others. My earliest memory of dressing up for a special event was for a family celebration I attended when I was 3. I wore my all-time-favorite, light-purple organdy dress (which I wrote about, here).

If a reader is interested in reenactments or casting calls – any advice on how to dip your toes into that world?

As for reenactments and historic costuming, I am fairly new to this wonderful world of make-believe, and I’m doing my best to make up for lost time! I’d say to start with a Google search. For Civil War reenactments, for example, I’d type “Civil War (your town or region)” and see what comes up. This year is the sesquicentennial, so there are lots of events.

I’d really like to get involved with some of the historic costuming groups, because they have all sorts of events specifically designed to show off their incredible creations. There are groups dedicated to Regency, Victorian, and other historical eras. And of course there’s the huge, worldwide community of folks who dress up in the Rockabilly style of Viva Las Vegas. There are so many eras and events to explore. And once you find one, you’ll find others, as you’ll meet people who know where to look.

For casting calls, try searching for “extras casting (your city).” Then “Like” and “Get Notifications” on Facebook for all that you find. You should sign up at each company’s web site, so they have your pertinent information on file. Then, just pay attention. Atlanta has a growing film industry, so I’m fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. Then again, most of the available jobs are for zombies, vampires, dystopian futuristic folk, and regular Joes. Not for me. I don’t aspire to be an actress. I just want to dress up and when possible, dance.

Your interviews are so wonderful – what are some discussions that stick out for you?

Thank you for your kind words. I find people interesting; I love to hear about how and why they do what they do. I’m so grateful when someone is willing to answer my questions — whether they’re a vintage enthusiast and trendsetter like my sweet customer Carmen or an Emmy Award-winning costume designer like Jo Katsaras.

Who inspires your personal vintage style sense and why?

My mom. It’s always been my mom. She’s all over my blog, including my very first post.

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Cause A Frockus would like to thank the amazing Liza at Better Dresses Vintage.

For our readers: Have you ever done reenactments? If so, what’s your favorite memories?

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