Vintage Mugs for the Vintage Lover

I live and love life with vintage mugs. One of my favorite morning rituals, aside from pouring and drinking the coffee, is to pick which vintage mug I'll be drinking from. I get many from my friends, which only adds to the charm of the collection.

While it's ridiculous to think I need more than a few mugs to choose from (I really don't), I still have a couple dozen in my own collection. And I love every one of them and use them, rotating through them every month.

And because I love them so much, and know I can't keep every one I come across, I sell what I love: so I sell, and have sold, a lot of vintage mugs over the years. Something like 500 of them. That's crazy to think about.

August through December is when I list them because vintage mugs make great gifts. What better way to find a niche mug that works for the person you're buying for? Love camping? Get a camper mug. Love Snoopy? Find a Snoopy mug that works for them. It's a fun way to love them for what they love. And who doesn't feel seen when you play into their interests?

I went to a fun rummage sale a month ago and found a good twenty mugs I could sell. Sure, I kept a couple, but most of them are in my shop now or will be over the next couple of months. I love it when this happens! Saves me time. And I love seeing what people have in their cupboards and decided to give up.

So, hop on over to the shop to see what I have listed! As I said, they make great gifts... especially for yourself. 

My vintage friends, may your day be blessed, your coffee hot (or iced, I suppose), and your mug vintage.♥

Aloha from Perennial Vintage

Posting about new vintage Hawaiian finds is one of my favorite things to write about! There is something spectacular about the colors, fabrics, textures, and cuts of all things vintage Hawaiian. 

Now that summer is here, people are planning Luau parties and trips to Hawaii. Here in California and on the West Coast, we travel to the islands year-round, especially in winter. This is our "local" paradise. 

As a result, tourists have been bringing back beautiful Hawaiian shirts and dresses for decades. So, this means I find a bit more vintage Hawaiian clothing than, say, someone who's sourcing vintage in the Midwest. And I love it. It has really become a huge part of my Etsy shop.

Here are some of the latest finds I've added to the shop within the last month. They're all from the '60s era.♥ 

Aloha...

This is so amazing. It's a palazzo jumpsuit!

Gorgeous label.

Bright, fun colors, this one is like an orange crush!

Love this label.

Love the Japanese influence on this one!

Stunning '60s label.

In contrast to the normally bright colors, I love the neutrality of this one.
Beautiful sage and purple.

Vintage Pyrex Collecting Update

I've been collecting vintage Pyrex for a full five years now.

It began in May of 2021. 

I've gone into detail about why I started collecting it in a previous post, but it really had to do with collecting something I could hold onto, use, and love. As a vintage seller, I was tired of selling all the good stuff!

Vintage Pyrex fits that bill for me. Quite well. The only caveat? It all has to be thrifted!

No way will I pay retail prices. 

I knew, being a professional thrifter, that the Pyrex was out there. I also knew there were a lot of other collectors competing with me as well. But I didn't care. That wasn't going to stop me. 

I knew I could get what I wanted if I was willing to do two things: 

One: thrift a lot, more than I wanted to, and even when I didn't want to.

And two: have patience. A heck of a lot of it. I walk away from most of my visits to the thrift stores empty-handed. But, when I find one I don't have, bingo!

Five years later, I have hundreds of pieces. And while I'm still looking for at least a hundred more to complete all of my sets, the needed number has dwindled. 

If I find one piece of Pyrex I don't have, that's a good month. They're few and far between.

But, they're such a joy to find when I do come across a piece I don't have!

It's possible to collect. You can, too. Trust me, it is. If you want to collect it, it's out there. You just have to be willing to thrift a lot (garage and estate sales, too), and be willing to wait for them to come to you.  And if you're looking, they will.

A sweet vintage friend of mine sent me a set of the cutest birthday cards I've ever seen! They're so perfect, I had to show them to you here. I'm having a milestone birthday this year, and these cards are unbelievably apropos.

A couple of months ago, I found the elusive Christmas bowl in March for $6.99. Can't wait to use it this Christmas!

Last month, I found this beautiful white with green flowers Verde Stamp casserole. My collection of this pattern is close to being finished.

Top shelf, bottom rectangular casserole

This month, I found a white with brown images divided casserole of the Americana pattern. I actually thought I'd had this one already, went home to check, and to my dismay, saw that I didn't and went back the next day to get it! 

Bottom left casserole, white with brown

Fortunately, it was still there. 

So, while the pieces I need are few now, they're even more rewarding to find. It makes the find all the more special.

The rows are two deep! There's a lot in this space.

Thanks for taking this vintage Pyrex journey with me, my vintage friends.♥

Denim-mania at Perennial Vintage

It's common knowledge that I love denim. I wear it, love it, hunt for it, and sell it. And, I especially love vintage Levi's! Partly because I'm partial to wearing them, and partly because it's the heritage of my own hometown. 

I live in a city called Gold River, which was aptly named because gold was discovered in its very river, the American River, of the famed gold rush of 1849. This is where Mr. Levi himself went to sell his denim goods (though miles away from me). And it's been history ever since.

But lately, though I've found quite a few USA-made Levi's, as well as Wrangler, Lee, and others. I'm not going to say no to denim just because it isn't Levi's. Here's a short look at some of the denim in my shop right now. 

Here's a beautifully worn-in pair of '90s 505 jeans. Lovely fades, worn in, and decades more worth of wear just waiting to be worn. Following, there are a few other choice pieces in the shop. Take a peek to see what other denim awaits!

-Heather

Levi's 505

Wrangler

Remember this brand? I sure do. Brittania.

80s Levi's Sherpa-Lined Jean Jacket

These cute women's jeans are coming soon! 

Spring has Sprung at Perennial Vintage

Happy spring, everyone. As usual, spring - really, more like summer with almost 90 degree temps - sprung early on us and we are already warm out. Which is a nice change, if I'm being honest. I love warmer weather.

And yet, winter clothing is my favorite item to sell and wear!

Alas, I still haven't come to terms with my dichotomous mind, so today, I picked up a few items from around the globe, which is always so rewarding, and some are for fall and winter, another for spring and summer.

Listed today is this beautiful wool handmade in South Africa cardigan coat. Exquisite. I've never seen anything quite like this here in Northern California. It's thick, woven, and of glorious sunrise or sunset colors. I'm getting Scottish wool vibes mixed with the Baja, Mexico Hoodies!

Then I stumbled upon another fabulous wool Norwegian cardigan, probably from the early '80s. Beautiful colors, exquisitely made, such beautiful details - those buttons! It'll be listed later this week.

And then a little aloha threw itself at me with this late '60s bark cloth shirt, by Iolani. Straight from the islands, I love the pastel palette of this one, since most from the late '60s are vibrant and bright with fuchsia and purple and oranges! It'll be on the site later this week as well.

Thanks for taking a little trip around the world with me!  Have a wonderful week, my vintage friends.

-Heather

The Classic Couple is Back

I remember the day when I heard JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy (and Carolyn's sister) died in a plane crash. It was the summer of 1999. I was in my early twenties, and this couple had been in the tabloids and news for the past several years. Hearing about them regularly was normal, though they themselves were not normal. They were American royalty.

I didn't know much about the family then (I do now, with my love of the '60s, and Jackie Kennedy's style, and thanks to my vintage life that helps to feed this love). I recall it being serious, that this was a big deal, and words like "Kennedy Curse" floated about the news.

The latest series on FX and Hulu called Love Story has reintroduced the world to this classic couple. He, JFK Jr., and his thick head of hair, hat on backwards, cycling to and from work in New York City, she, Carolyn, with her perfectly minimalist style - a pair of class boot cut 517 Levi's, a crisp white shirt, and her oval sunglasses and straight long blond hair - this was a style I lived through and loved, and I'm glad it's having another moment.

I'm only a few episodes into the new series, and while it's a bit overly dramatized in some areas, there are definite heart-tugging moments; things about this couple we never knew, and things I wish people had known at the time. But life in the '90s wasn't like it is today. Truth wasn't as honest as it can be today with social media, so we, as an audience, are only as informed as the media would tell us.

Can you imagine Carolyn with Instagram today? The things - truthful things - she could've posted? What about JFK Jr.? He would've been inspired, I think. Social media would have been an outlet for him to say what he wanted America to hear; he may not have felt as constrained by the Kennedy name.

Who knows, though. It's all my speculation. 

But as a vintage lover, I am enthralled with the series, seeing what she wore. The costume designers were able to find true vintage duplicates of the things she wore, and for the items they couldn't find, they made them! I'm truly impressed. And would like a few more pairs of the vintage Levi's 517s for myself.

All that to say, while the series isn't perfect, I am fascinated by it, and glad to see the world is once again reminded of how beautiful this couple was, the struggles they went through. I'm also reminded of a few things: that life is fragile, that we should tell those whom we love that we love them, and that we should create our own style and be ourselves.

President's Day Weekend Sale 2026

Hope all of you have been not just surviving but thriving this winter. There's a lot to be shocked and frustrated about in this world, no matter where you turn or what you believe.

But, in my humble opinion, there is even more to be thankful for - as long as we're willing to look for it. So that's what I want to focus on. I'm thankful I get to do what I love every single day. And that, alongside writing, is preserving and selling vintage clothing.

This weekend (well, Monday really) is Presidents' Day, which means my monthly sale is happening right now. 20% off everything.

I'm always bringing in denim and sweaters. Two things I love and love to sell. Not only that, they sell the best - so it's obvious to sell what sells and sell what I love. So new denim is always coming in, and while the rest of this month happens, so are sweaters.

I may live in California (where it's not quite as cold), but I know the rest of the country is cold. I've got you covered! (literally). But, I also have shorts, t-shirts, and short-sleeved shirts ready for the spring and summer months because they are almost here!

Have a great weekend, and remember to enjoy every day. In just a few weeks, spring will be here! (Even if it's a cold spring.)♥

-Heather

Happy New Year 2026

Levi's Denim Stack

Last year, 2025, at my Etsy shop Perennial Vintage was the best year I've ever had, as far as sales and profit are concerned. 

Do I know why? No. Not really. I believe it was due to a variety of things. It may perhaps be dumb luck, but when I really think about it, I believe it was due to hard work and these things:

• more quality items (Quality over quantity.)
• fewer items overall (Less is more.)
• running more sales (The most eye-opening action I've taken.)
• learning as I go for the last 15 YEARS! (A lot of trial and error here.)
• listing what people truly want (They want denim and sweaters.)
• taking advantage of advertising on Instagram and Etsy (Small investment = Big Reward.)
• writing blog posts (Seriously, these posts help Google searchers find my shop.)

So, what didn't work this year? I'm finding that as much as I love dresses, they don't sell well - if you look at thrift stores, there is always a glut of dresses. Twice or three times as many of them as any other item.

It isn't that women don't love dresses anymore. We do, but we don't wear them daily the way we used to up until the early '70s. We wear them for special occasions, rather than a daily uniform.

So, I will be listing fewer dresses in my shop this year to see how I do (and try to sell the rest that I have). But when I do list one, it will be amazing, as in cut, era (1940s), or quality. It will be exceptional.

Instead, I will be listing more of what I love to sell: sweaters and outerwear. I'm super excited about this. As you know, I love sweaters and cardigans. I've made extra room available for them in my spare bedroom closets (now that my two sons have fled the nest) and have bins in place ready to store them until I sell them.

There's always a need for them (minus a couple of months in summer, and even then, people are always looking ahead), so having a larger portion of those items has been the big seller for me this winter and what I'll be doing more of in 2026.

Of course, denim, as in jeans, jackets, and shirts, will always be a staple for my shop and is equally one of the biggest sellers alongside sweaters and outerwear. I also sell a ton of belts. I love and wear belts all the time, and last year, I made it my mission to up my belt inventory. I'm happy to say, I've done it. I have over 100 belts listed, of all shapes and sizes. Visit my shop to see what I have!

I hope you have a fantastic January. Thank you for following me alongside my vintage journey, and I wish you the biggest and best blessings for 2026.

-Heather

Christmas Season 2025 - 15 Years On Etsy

Just a little note to tell you all how thankful I am for you!

November 30th marked the day I "opened shop" 15 years ago on Etsy, which means this is the start of the 16th year. 

Never did I think a fun "hobby" would turn into something I love, cherish, and adore even more now than when I started in 2010. It is a way of life for me: the vintage life. And it's one of the best things to happen to me.

I have sold almost 11,000 items through my Etsy shop. Every piece is a labor of love because I intentionally choose each one of those items to put into my store, to purchase it, photograph it, list it, and wait for it to be chosen by someone else to add to their life (or someone else's life. I get a lot of gift-giver purchases, and this time of year is no exception!)

So these pieces are all a little part of me; my love, my life, a part of who I am and want to be. This shop reflects my specific vintage love, and I feel lucky to share it with the world.

If you've purchased from me, read a blog post, or admired from a distance, thank you so much. I'm living a dream come true: doing what I love to do (that just happens to make a little "daily bread.") I have to add that this year has been the best year I've ever had, as far as sales go. So, for those who think instant success is the norm, it isn't. For me, it's taken 15 years to get there! What a journey.

And, in truth, it doesn't get better than this. It's been a blessed journey

Merry Christmas, and please enjoy continuous sales in my shop throughout the rest of the year to celebrate 15 years of life on Etsy. Visit the shop today to see what sparks joy for you!♥

-Heather

Vintage L. L Bean Bomber Jacket

This gorgeous jacket was made in the ‘80s by L.L. Bean, and is a take on the World War 2 bomber jacket. Bomber jackets have a history that goes back to World War 1 with a slightly looser fit, but their fitted form became the style of WW2, called the A-2 jacket, and is what people think of when they hear the words "bomber jacket."

When I found this a few weeks ago, I felt a little like I was being pranked. It was sitting out in plain sight with a very reasonable price tag. And no one was around me to snatch it from my hands or hope I put it back on the rack for them to pick it up. 

Was I missing something? Nope. I was meant to find it. This jacket is of amazing quality. It’s easy to assume the dupes that come out 40 years after the war are going to feel “fake” or in no way comparable.

I can tell you that’s not an issue with this jacket. Thick leather, gorgeous faux sherpa liner, fur collar, and amazing zippers. It’s made of overwhelmingly beautiful and exquisite materials.

This A-2 style jacket is in the shop. She’s had years of wear, has a lovely patina, but is in excellent condition. The shop is currently 25% all week for the Black Friday Sale. So, now’s the time to get the best deal I’ll have on it.

Happy Thanksgiving, my vintage friends. Eat lots, laugh tons, and enjoy your time with friends and family. ♥

-Heather

Vintage 1950s Wool Black Lilli Ann Coat

Sometimes, it takes 15 years to find a Lilli Ann wool coat, but it was worth the wait!

For someone living in Sacramento, and actively searching for vintage clothing for the last decade and a half, you'd think finding the designer Lilli Ann wouldn't be so hard.

But it is. Partly because they are becoming a little rarer with every passing year, and also because there is a high demand for quality designer fashion pieces.

Lilli Ann was a clothing company created by designer Adolph Schuman, who named it after his wife, Lilliann, in San Francisco in 1934. He was well known for quality, incredible wool coats, dresses, and suit sets, and set the bar high for keeping fashion well-made. Many of his fabrics came from Paris, which is why the label has both San Francisco and Paris embroidered on it.

Yet, I don't live far from San Francisco - maybe a two-hour drive at the most. Why has it taken me so long to find a Lilli Ann coat? I would watch vintage seller after vintage seller via Instagram show their latest "Lilli Ann find" and wonder, What am I doing wrong? People had to bring back their Lilli Ann purchases from "the city" back in the day. So, where are they?

Well, I wasn't doing anything wrong. The vintage seller doesn't get to pick what they're going to find, only hope and pray they do find something great, and get on with their treasure hunt from thrift store, to garage sale, and estate sale.

And guess what? I did finally find a Lilli Ann this week, and she's a beauty. Made of black wool, with pleated sleeves, and a soft, silky interior as exquisite as the exterior, she's in perfect condition. I can only imagine she sat in a closet for the last seven decades or so, rarely seeing the light of day. There is no damage to her, and no moth holes. She's pristine.

Lilliann shuttered their doors in 2000, and founder Adolph Shuman, died in 1985, but their best and most well-known pieces are from the 1940s, '50s, and '60s. This jacket is no exception. 

She's fabulous and in the shop and ready for the winter.

-Heather

Vintage Mid-Century 1950s Walsted Wool Sweater

The longer I sell vintage, the rarer certain things become that I didn't think would become rare. This is true in part because time causes destruction. In essence, moth and rust destroy our manmade items. That's a given. But also, we live in a consumeristic society now. I cringe to think it, but I often wonder how many vintage items are thrown away that could be repaired, all because they're moth-ridden, or just "old."

Yet, this rarity also occurs because, as the decades pass, older items become increasingly less common. Which is strange, even for ubiquitous items. I mean, sweaters are everywhere, right? Well, these days, a quality sweater is like a needle in a haystack. They aren't common anymore (don't get me started on modern sweaters = pure trash.)

What I mean is this: a sweater from the '60s is in abundance in the '80s, a little more rare in the '90s, less common in the early 2000s, and by the time I came into the "selling vintage" scene in 2010, just rare enough to make me super happy when I found it. 

These days, in 2025, I darn near gasp out loud when I see an amazing mid-century sweater. That happened to me yesterday (I couldn't get it off the rack fast enough), snatched it into my arms, lovingly held on tight throughout my sourcing event, to bring it home in pure happiness.

I'm in awe of the piece. It's a 1950s (perhaps early '60s) wool shawl neck sweater. Wool is so easily destroyed if you don't take care of it. Especially if it's from sixty-plus years ago. 

This piece looks untouched, as though it had been folded up for decades in a box (which I'm pretty sure it was, judging by the fold lines), waiting patiently to see the light of day again.

Well, that day is here! It's in pristine condition. And tell me, what color says midcentury better than this butterscotch, Dijon mustard blend? It's beautiful. It's a work of art, I say. A simple vintage sweater makes my day, and hopefully, it made yours. This one was sold in San Francisco back in the day, which warms the heart (the heart I left in SF, that is.) That's just a short jaunt down the freeway from me.

And now, it's in the shop waiting for the next wearer.

And that is reason 782 as to why I love vintage clothing. You never know what you'll find, you never know what's out there, and every day, the world of sourcing vintage is different. 

Being able to give new life to old clothes... there's nothing better, my vintage friends.

-Heather

Vintage Sweater Season

Winter Wear is in my Etsy Shop!

Happy Fall! It's the most wonderful time of the year, for me. And now, it means I can start to wear the fall gear I love so much.

I'd say that 65% of my Etsy shop consists of fall and winter wear. So that means sweaters, cardigans, jackets, coats, and thermals have taken over. Which, to be honest, they do all the time. I prefer winter wear. I also sell winter wear for about nine months of the year. It's the summer months, when everything is put on hold, sales slow, and I'm not selling what I love; when I wonder if I'll ever have a good month again!

And every fall, I laugh at myself. Sales always pick up. Like clockwork. The moment September 1 arrives, it's like an avalanche of buyers shows up too.

I try to pick up fall and winter wear year-round during my sourcing, and hold onto them and list them when August arrives, because the moment September 1st hits, people can't stop buying them. It's a literal switch that turns on the moment the calendar turns. I don't understand it, and yet, I do. Who doesn't want to add a new vintage, amazing sweater to their wardrobe?

This month may be the best month I've ever had in nearly 15 years of being on Etsy. Why? That's the big question. I'm trying to figure it out and see what I've done differently. But I think it comes down to a lot of things, and they're all working together in synchronicity. 

Last year, I downsized my shop from 800 to about 500 items. I sold most of the items, donated some (they'd been in my shop for years and I was over them!), and rephotographed a good hundred of them to relist.

Then I chose to source higher-quality items. This meant choosing the nicer wool sweater, which costs more than five lesser-costing (and less profitable) items. I then added in a new hundred items, all of August and the first couple of weeks of September, so I'm hovering around 600 items. This seems to be the magical number because, as I said, I'm on my way to my best month ever. 

I also, much to my own reluctance, switched out all of my dual photos (photos with two pictures together in one image) for single photos. Etsy told us sellers that this does help shoppers see items better, more clearly, and are visually less cluttered.

Really, I hemmed and hawed at this for a better part of a year. I didn't want to change my photos; things were selling just fine, thank you very much. Well, come to find out, the images are a lot clearer when only one fills the screen (on phone, laptop, or desktop). And it may not look as artsy, but it sure does sell items! I should've listened to them and done this a year ago.

So, with nicer but fewer items, and with photos that actually show the item as clearly as possible, plus selling what's in a good chunk of my shop (fall and winter wear), that all adds up to a very profitable month. I couldn't be happier. It makes me feel like I'm doing things right finally. (It only took fifteen years!)

Happy Autumn, my vintage friends, and check out the shop for all the new winter wear.

-Heather

Cottagecore Craze: Unleashing the Jessica Fletcher in Your Life

I watch reruns of Murder, She Wrote. 

I've been doing this for years, and I still love tuning in and seeing what I missed the first (or fifth) time around. One of the best things about this show, aside from the fact that it revolves around a writer who lives in a cozy New England town, surrounded by friends, and gets to solve murders (a super ideal life goal for me, really), is her wardrobe.

I realize this is all mid-'80s to 1990s clothing. And I lived through it. I wore it. And some of it was not so great. But some of it was, and I love it. And guess what? It's all back in again. 

Because I sell vintage clothing, even some of the newer '80s stuff (I prefer "true vintage," which tends to be older - '20s through '70s), I get to see the changing trends and latest fashion crazes. One of the newer crazes, which has been around for a couple of years, is called cottagecore. What is cottagecore? Exactly what you think it is: grandma in her cottage, lace, flowers, teapots, gardens, floral anything really, plaids and checks, sweaters with geese on them... you get the idea. It's slow living at its finest. It's cooking and baking. It's reading and knitting.

It's the life I yearn to live, really.

So, when I'm watching the fabulous Jessica Fletcher do her sleuthing, you can bet I'm watching what she's wearing. I saw this fabulous sweater that was hidden underneath her jacket. Just based on what I've sold in my shop, this is either an Eddie Bauer or a Lands' End sweater. It has teapots on it! And hearts, and probably the whole "Home Sweet Home" written on it as well.

I googled it, hoping I would find this sweater, but I haven't been able to find it. Regardless, I just sourced this fun Lands' End cottagecore vest. It's in the shop now and wow, do I love it. It really is a throwback to the British Fair Isle vests that are so worn and loved there.

I also have a few other cottage core sweaters. Look at these! Pigs, geese, and cats ... oh my.

Anyway, have a wonderful week, and when in doubt about what to wear, always ask, What would Jessica Fletcher wear? Her wardrobe is classic and truly timeless. I wouldn't mind a whole closet full of her belts, sweaters, jackets, and amazing Coach purses.