today is all about where to find vintage scarves...
Sheila Leiter sells vintage scarves (among other vintage goodies) at 2 different vintage stores in the western suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota. i bought an orange & brown scarf for her awhile back, the scarf ended up being published in a book, so i thought it would be fun to share that news with Sheila & we've emailed back & forth a few times. Sheila was so kind as to agree to answer some questions to help us in our vintage scarf shopping... enjoy !
A: Travel is a priority in my life and getting to shop vintage everywhere I go allows me to experience an added adventure in each town or city! I probably travel 2 months out of the year yet shop probably 2 days of every week. I have brought back vintage, antiques & fabrics from the flea markets & shops of Paris, the Netherlands, Bratislava-Slovakia and direct from people selling their goods on the streets of St. Petersberg, Kiev & Barcelona. In the U.S., my best finds have been in Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, California plus New York is always a place to find something fabulous wandering the flea markets in Manhatten & Brooklyn. But don't overlook the little towns of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. They are within driving distance and make for a great road trip! I fill my vehicle every time I go!
A: The best condition scarves usually are in estate sales & antique shops. You can find them in thrift stores but watch for flaws. Hold the scarf up to the light to see stains, holes, tears & water spots. Keep your eye out for hand rolled edges, not stitched by machine. You want to find the labels still intact for authenticity. Buy 100% silk, cotton or rayon over polyester or blends. Buy signed designer scarves plus travel scarves as collector items.
A: My favorite scarves have bold designs and interesting, off-beat color combinations. Vera scarves are some of the best! The Vera scarves with the small ladybug next to the name are the oldest designs.
A: I sell 99% of the scarves I find. I appreciate & love the colors and designs but tend towards layering & wrapping long scarves year round which allows me to pass on all of my scarves to my customers to enjoy ~
A: My latest story involves finding a British Flag scarf from Lord Kitchner's with the original label still attached! Lord Kitchner's was a very popular place to shop on Carnaby St in Chelsea - London in the 60's. Kings Road & Carnaby St. inspired so many trends of that time. It would make a fabulous pillow with the label exposed! It is still for sale in my space in Hopkins Antique Mall for any Anglophile!
A: I dry clean all my scarves. Hand washing with a silk laundry soap is the only other method to use though some colors have a tendency to bleed. When ironing your scarves, based on the fabric content, too high of a temperature can melt a hole in your scarf. Play it safe and start on a lower setting.
AND also thank you for sharing your experience, wisdom & advice !
Sheila has a beautiful website called VINTAGE WEARS WARES, here are some of the name brands of vintage scarves she has for sale:
Burmel
Doro
Echo
Frankie Welch
Glentex
Paoli
Perry Ellis
Robinson Golluber
Vera (by the way, here's a great resource: learn how to date your vintage Vera scarves)
be sure to check out Sheila's vintage scarves for sale at these 2 locations:
Hopkins Antique Mall
1008 Mainstreet
Hopkins, MN 55343
952-931-9748
Guild
4414 Excelsior Blvd
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
952-378-1815
guildcollective.wordpress.com
If you are looking for something special, have out-of-season prop requests or have goods to sell, please contact via email s.leiter@vintagewearswares.com
that ends Scarves Week, thanks so much for stopping by & have a great weekend !