Daisy Fairbanks

We're working on stocking the website with fresh merchandise for the new year. Here are a few highlights. 1960s Purple Shaheen Dress 1950s Cream Wool & Mink Coat 1970s Gilded Bamboo Dress Read Full Story

Though it is named after the Italian acrobat character, in textile and design terms "harlequin" describes the elongated diamond check inspired by the harlequin's traditional costume. Here are a few harlequin items we discovered on Etsy . Read Full Story

What's more fun than the "Ugly Christmas Sweater?" Vintage ski sweaters, of course. Look for genuine wool sweaters in traditional colors, with classic intarsia knit patterns of winter scenery. Stay warm!   Available at www.daisyfairbanks.com . Click on photos for information. Read Full Story

If you're an average shoe size like me, you probably have a hard time finding vintage shoes. Were people really so much smaller then? So it's rare to come across a colletion of shoes as nice as the ones we managed to find. All in modern size 8, we've just listed 5 pair of beauties from the late 30s to early 50s, in leather, suede, and our favorite, alligator. Take a peeksy here, and click on the photos for details: Read Full Story

Via Jezebel we discovered an adorable presentation of 1950's swimming caps. Using the puppet stage of Punch & Judy , women in strapless suits peek up in variously decorated rubber caps. Remember, most women didn't really swim in the sense we know today. Instead, they bathed , mainly going for a dip up to the neck at most. The reason? It took a lot of effort to style & set the hair, and no woman wanted to end up with a limp, unstyled coif for the remainder of the day. So much has changed for... Read Full Story

Yes, it's been too long since I've checked in. Sorry. But the creativity bug has bit me once again, and I'd like to show you some of what I've been up to. First, I made this yesterday afternoon: Gigantic tote bag made from an up-cycled burlap coffee sack. I love this print! Fortunately I have a couple more sacks, some with the same farm woman print, so I will try to stay on the creative train and get them made up. The bag is seriously big - roomy enough for your groceries and your... Read Full Story

Not to be overshadowed by another event we may have heard something about recently (royal wedding, anyone) our own little Holiday of Hats here in the States, the Kentucky Derby , is taking place today. Take a peek at the lovely hats on display as attendees wait for their favorite pony. Read Full Story

How long can a theatrical costume survive? I'f you're ever worked in a costume shop, you know how hard the stage, lights, and actors are on their costumes. Most well made stage garments need constant cleaning and repair just to get them through the run of the show. Which is why the story of Ellen Terry 's Lady MacBeth Costume is so remarkable. Covered in natural, shimmering beetle wing sequins, and famously immortalized by John Singer Sergeant , the dress is more than 120 years old, and has... Read Full Story

If you're like me and tend to respond to awkward situations with inappropriate humor, then you need to be made aware of The Girl Can't Help It , written by Kim at Fast Eddie's Retro Rags . Enjoy a glance at some of the oddest vintage and retro finds, with a side order of Kim's wicked wit. This week she's featuring our baby hankie . Thanks, Kim, for keeping your finger on the pulse of the most mockable vintage items. Someone has to do it. Read Full Story

Screen legend Elizabeth Taylor has left us . Here's a studio still from her screen debut at age 10, in There's One Born Every Minute Her breakout role in National Velvet came when she was just 12. As a young woman, her classic beauty became its own standard, against which all other beauty was measured. In Giant , 1956 In Cat On a Hot Tin Roof , 1958 In Suddenly Last Summer , 1959: As Cleopatra , 1963: by Richard Avedon, 1964: Farewell, goddess. This is... Read Full Story