Category Archives: costume jewelry

VPOD: Vintage Art Deco Sterling Peacock Ring


vintage art deco sterling peacock ring

vintage peacock wall sofitel redwood city ca

I attended a seminar this past weekend and whenever I pass out business cards at these events I inevitably get asked why I chose a peacock feather as a brand logo.

There are two reasons, actually.

First, there is how much peacock symbology aligns with my vision of Zuburbia.

For instance, peacocks represent pride in appearance and integrity and challenge us not to be afraid to show our true colors. And while peacocks appear in the mythology of many cultures, ultimately they stand primarily for Beauty, Knowledge and Power, which is the message I try to share every day:

the BEAUTY that is unique to every woman
the KNOWLEDGE that we should seek every day
and
the POWER that we share to change the world

Second, the peacock appears to be my own personal totem animal, appearing unexpectedly and often in my life. For instance, I snapped the picture above as I entered the Redwood City Sofitel Hotel at check-in last Wednesday. This beautiful mural was painted on a wall of the portico and I spied this proud little fella every time I walked through the lobby.

So, with peacocks on my mind, it’s no surprise that I chose this fab ring as today’s VPOD.

This Art Deco sterling silver peacock ring has fine detail and sparkling rhinestones and would be a fine reminder that you possess enormous reserves of beauty, knowledge and power all your own.

What an empowering find for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Deja-Voodoo Vintage.

(To receive the VPOD via email along with detailed size, price and purchase information, sign up for my growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

Written on June 7, 2011 by Mary Kincaid in art deco, costume jewelry, ebay, peacock, Rings, vintage, vintage clothes, vintage clothing, Vintage Jewelry
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VPOD: Vintage Chanel 2.55 Bag Charm Necklace


vintage chanel 2.55 bag charm necklace

vintage chanel 2.55 bag necklace

A lot of ladies know that the famous Chanel 2.55 handbag got its name because it was created in February 1955. But did you know that Coco Chanel designed it with an inner zippered pocket beneath the flap so she had a place to conceal her love letters?

Or that today Chanel, along with Hermes and Louis Vuitton, is among the few luxury craftsmen that still make their own handbags. For instance, as Linda Grant points out in A Thoughtful Dresser, manufacturers can legally have their bags made in China, attach a handle in Europe and label them MADE IN ITALY. And they do!

That’s why so many women still crave the authentic workmanship and cachet of a Chanel bag created some 56 years ago. Of course, if your budget doesn’t allow for a new or vintage Chanel 2.55 handbag, you can satisfy your craving with today’s VPOD instead.

This vintage Chanel necklace bears a lovely 2.55 handbag charm (though it does lack the space for your love letters).

But no worries. It’s still a delightful find for a vintage fashionista!

Available at TORCHWOOD Vintage Online JAPAN.

(To receive the VPOD via email along with detailed size, price and purchase information, sign up for my growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

Written on May 24, 2011 by Mary Kincaid in Chanel, costume jewelry, vintage, Vintage Jewelry
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VPOD: Vintage 1960s Enamel Bracelet


Vintage 1960s Enamel Bracelet

If white is for christenings and weddings, and black is for funerals, then color is for just about everything in between!

And if you’re going to wear Color with a capital “C” then why not make it the boldest, most saturated, deepest, craziest hues you can find.

Take today’s VPOD, for instance.

Sure this vintage 1960s enamel trapezoid bracelet would look dandy in primary red or a gorgeous green, but its electric blue and yellow just elevates it to new style heights.

It’s an eye-catching find for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Atelier Mayer.

(To receive the VPOD via email along with detailed size, price and purchase information, sign up for my growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

Written on April 30, 2011 by Mary Kincaid in 1960s, Bracelets, costume jewelry, vintage, vintage clothes, vintage clothing, Vintage Jewelry
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VPOD: Vintage 1940s Crab Moonstone Pin and Feeling Crabby


vintage 1940s crab moonstone pin

vintage 1940s crab moonstone pin

Feeling crabby? Not me. Not today. The sun is shining and I’m heading home to visit family tomorrow. But like you, I’ve been known to wake up on the wrong side of the bed occasionally. And if you’re not careful and nip it in the bud that crabby feeling can last all day.

But what’s so great is that we get to control our moods. That’s right. YOU are in charge of your moods.

Look, you can’t control the weather. You can’t control  control interest rates. You can’t control if he’ll love you back. But you can control how you feel at any moment.

Wanna feel crabby all day? Go ahead. But life’s a lot more fun when you’re looking at glasses that are half full. So try these quick mood enhancers the next time you’re in a crabby mood:

* Smile and Laugh. Yep, studies show that changing your expression can change your mood and research has also shown that when you laugh, your body releases neurochemicals that improve your mood. (Four-year-olds smile and laugh about 400 times a day. The average adult?  Only about 14 times a day. Something to think about…)

* Listen to Music. Music can stimulate your brain waves and stimulate your body to produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked to mood. Plus singing at the top of your lungs when no one can hear you just feels good!

* Exercise. Move that body! You’ll breath deep, sweat out toxins and release endorphins like crazy.

* Cheer Up Someone Else. That’s right. Get out of your own head and make it about someone else. Compliment someone. Thank someone. Let the frazzled mother with three kids and only one item go in front of you at the checkout. Tell that kid in the army uniform that you appreciate his service. It’s hard to stay crabby and irritable when you spread good cheer.

Plus the only time crabby is beautiful is if it looks likes today’s VPOD.

This vintage 1940s crab pin, with its moonstone belly and rhinestones, is featured in Warman’s Costume Jewelry Figurals.

It’s a chic crustacean for a both crabby and not-so-crabby vintage fashionistas!

Available at Decatique Studios.

(To receive the VPOD via email along with detailed size, price and purchase information, sign up for my growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

Written on April 26, 2011 by Mary Kincaid in 1940s, Brooch, costume jewelry, Pins, vintage, Vintage Jewelry
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VPOD: Vintage 1930s Trifari Bat Brooch by Alfred Phillipe


vintage 1930s trifari bat brooch

During my loft-living days about a decade ago, I had a VERY close encounter with a bat  that resulted in a full round of rabies shots for both me and my daughter to the tune of $10,000. So while you might think I’d have good reason to hate these creatures, in actuality, I’m quite concerned for them.

An emerging disease in the last few years known as White-Nose Syndrome is responsible for an over 70% decline in bat populations in the Northeast and it’s affected one species, the little brown bat, to such an extent that scientists expect it to disappear from the region completely in the next 20 years.

Why should you give a hoot about the only flying mammal on the planet?

Well, for one thing, their pest control services are estimated to be worth anywhere from $3.7 to $53 billion dollars a year! But with such huge losses in the bat population from White-Nose Syndrome, scientists estimate between 660 and 1320 metric tons of insects are no longer on bats’ dinner menus and may need to killed by pesticides instead. And this, of course, could have far-reaching implications for our eco-system.

So while we should all support bat conservation efforts, we should leave the actual work to the professionals and only come close to a bat ourselves when it’s a jeweled version like today’s VPOD.

This 1930s bat pin was designed by Alfred Philllipe for Trifari as part of the Ming series, which used molded jade as a focal point.

It’s a beautiful bat find for a vintage fashionista!

Available from Vintage Luxury.

(Facts via GardenNews.biz)

(To receive the VPOD via email along with detailed size, price and purchase information, sign up for my growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.)

Written on April 6, 2011 by Mary Kincaid in 1930s, Brooch, costume jewelry, Eco, Pins, Trifari, vintage, vintage clothing
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