let me shop for you: vintage caftans!

If you watched my recent IGTV video, you know that my number one go-to at home piece right now is a vintage caftan. It's colorful, fun, chic...yet comfy, too! Since we can't shop at our favorite local flea markets or vintage shops in person right now, there's so much available through vintage shops on Etsy in a range of sizes and prices.

Here are some tips I keep in mind for buying vintage caftans online:

1. Remember sizing for a caftan is more flexible than other clothing. Here's a case where you can wear sizes that are larger than your size since they are meant to be roomy. If you're getting a piece that isn't your size, you have to make sure that the fabric is flowy enough to still drape your frame properly. OR, you can also get them altered (which is generally not too expensive with a simple caftan shape). 

2. The pricing will reflect the quality. You can find some for $25-45 which will likely be a vintage polyester. Those will be durable and easily washable but may also be a thinner fabric. Anything in the lower $100s is likely much nicer quality and will last longer...those however, may be silk or other more precious materials so keep in mind if you'd prefer wear and wash pieces than anything too nice.

3. Keep specific search terms in mind to find more. I searched for "Vintage Floral Caftan" or "Hawaiian Vintage Caftan" to get these results below!

Here are six of my favorites available right now on Etsy....

1. Hawaiian Caftan from ShopExile ($65, size XS/S), 2. Caftan from VintagePrepGirl ($125, size 10-12), 3. Silk colorblock caftan from MilkTeeths ($150, size 10), 4. purple floral caftan by IggyAndBo ($68, size XS, S), 5. Multi-color floral caftan from PendulumVintage ($47, size M/L), 6. Abstract caftan from PurnaPalace ($124, size S).

(Top photo by Casey Brodley)

happy friday + little treasures...

Happy Friday all! Last weekend, I took the kids to the Long Beach Antique Market (which is the 3rd Sunday of each month). I typically go to the Rosebowl Flea Market but missed it this month, so we tried Long Beach instead. While we didn't go needing anything (I am in serious purge-mode with my pending move after all), it always serves as great inspiration trip for me. I love old things with a story that feel unique and I can make my own.

Plus, it's fun way to teach my kids about money and interacting with people. I'll give my kids $10 each to spend. They can buy whatever they want, but cannot spend more than what they have. It teaches them to look people in the eye to ask them how much something is, give money and accept change if they want to make a purchase, and that the money eventually runs out so they have to choose their purchases wisely.

For this past trip, I didn't plan to buy anything but came across these pieces in our last 15 minutes there—a beautiful white and jeweled necklace and a bunch of amazing clip-on earrings. I'll wear the necklace exactly as it is. And, the clip-on earrings I'll pin to my shoes or perhaps a jacket? They pinch way too much to actually wear them on my ears! What else could you do with them? Any ideas?

Anyway, finding the jewelry was our last little treasure-hunting trip which turned out to be just enough until we all got hot and tired and needed to get lunch! Have a great weekend, all...see you soon!

(Photo by Joy Cho)

how to shop vintage on pinterest...

Wearing vintage is one of my all-time favorite things. I love that each piece has a story attached to it (it's fun to imagine who owned the piece before me and what their life was like). I love the idea that I'm reusing clothes and also getting to hand them down over the years. Vintage pieces also incorporate so much color, personality, and amazing details that make an outfit one of a kind.

So...I created a "Vintage" Pinterest board with lots of my favorite styles. Pinterest recently rolled out a feature where you can SHOP items similar to ones in the image. That means that even though a lot of the pieces on the board will be one-of-a-kind and not something you can find now. But, with this new feature, you can find vintage pieces that are similar...or new pieces that have a similar look and feel. Here's a crash course in how to use the feature...

why i love shopping vintage...

If you follow along on Instagram, I'm often sharing trips that I take to the Rosebowl Flea Market or estates sales. My love for vintage has truly gotten stronger and more cohesive over time. It's developed partially based on a deeper appreciation for pieces from the past as well as me coming into my personal style more so as I have gotten older. Here are a few reasons why I love shopping vintage...

happy friday + vintage brooches...

It's no secret that I love vintage pins! They're such a fun, easy way to add a little detail to any outfit that is unique to you, your style, and whatever mood you're in at that moment. And of course, they can make an outfit you've had forever feel good as new! If you aren't sure where to start or have never worn pins before, I'm going to show you a few of my favorite, unexpected ways to wear them and how I group them together...

shopping for vintage: a striped jumpsuit!

Last weekend, I went to the Rosebowl Flea Market and scored this amazing pink striped jumper for $20! It's a piece that's super fun and makes a statement. But it's also a piece when seen on a hanger might not appeal to everyone. One of my goals in sharing fashion posts is to show you how to see the potential in a piece and also how to consider it for your size and body type...both of those things are even harder to do with vintage since you don't have a range of sizes to choose from. So, today, I'm gonna show you how a little styling does wonders to a piece like this, and how it works on a few different people in the Oh Joy office...

weekend project: a vintage end table makeover...

Happy Friday! We've been on a bit of a flea market hunt lately and scoring great finds left and right. We wanted to show you a super easy way to update an old side table that may not be in great condition but still has a great shape. We've shown you how to transform an entryway mat, denim jacket, and backpack with splatter paint, and now we're showing you how to use it to make a vintage end table good as new. Here's what it looked like before...

how to shop for vintage clothing online...

If you know me, you probably know how much I love mixing vintage into my wardrobe (I even had the Oh Joy team get glam in vintage)! Shopping vintage used to be about scouring local thrift stores and flea markets to find hidden gems, but now it's become easier to find great vintage with all the online options out there. Shopping for vintage online allows you to shop from anywhere in the world from anyone's former closet. And, if you live somewhere where there aren't great flea markets, you can still access some of the stuff that other cities seem to have more of. Here are my 10 tips to shopping for vintage clothing online...

dressing the team / vintage!

Inspired by our recent team trip to Palm Springs, today, we have a vintage-themed Dressing the Team! It all started when some of the girls in the office felt like they could never find anything when looking for vintage and asked me for advice. So all went to the Rosebowl Flea Market together last month, and I gave them some tips on how I shop for vintage and pulled pieces that could work for everyone...

Here's the pile of loot we found at the flea market. Everyone took home their pieces for minor alterations (if needed) and put together their vintage outfits to show what cuts and styles worked best for each of us! The best part is...all of the vintage pieces ranged in price from $7-$25, and they're so special and one-of-a-kind...

happy friday + scenes from palm springs...

Last week, to celebrate Oh Joy's 11th anniversary, I took the Oh Joy team to Palm Springs for some inspiration shopping and a little R&R by the pool. Here's a peek at some of the places we stopped along the way...