~ ENTER THE WARDROBE ~

When things in life go topsy turvy and negative situations surround, it's nice to have something to  distract our minds from what could so easily drown us. Vintage fashion has been that haven for me. Besides the fact that I have a wonderfully supportive Mother and a stubborn faith in the unseen, there were many of those times when I needed to get out of my mental rut, and to be honest, shopping was therapeutic for me...
There's something about clothing that can lift a girl's mood, and the thrill of treasure hunting, that get's a lady's heart racing...

I cannot tell you how grateful to God I become just running into miraculous deals on the very things I put on my mental "wish list". I jump up and down with excitement over the littlest things, like that time I found leather, finger-less gloves that looked like they came from Norway at the consignment shop! Or the time I bought a basket full of vintage hats that all fit me perfectly.
Some may judge me as ridiculous, but to me shopping can be a motivational experience.
Love drifts in the air when I enter shops, people seem reachable, colors and sights stir the senses, and dreams fill the imagination. I suspect that it should come as no shock to you that after awhile, I dreamed of having my own shop called "The Wardrobe"; a shop full of vintage treasures and nerdy knits (which I would make myself). I wanted to share with others this excitement and passion for fashion, and still do!
This month God has given me the key to my dream, and I have an adorable new business called "The Vintage Wardrobe" on main street, located in the 'Art Room' which sells all sorts of romantic art supplies.

So why is it called "The Vintage Wardrobe?" Here are some fun facts about the name...

A wardrobe as we know it now is a standing closet made of wood,  used for storing clothing. But, the closest thing to a wardrobe, before it's invention, was a large chest, or a sea chest (treasure chest) .It was not until some degree of luxury was attained in palaces, and among the nobles that a separate accommodation was provided for their apparel. The name of "the wardrobe" was then give to a room in which the wall space was lined with closets and lockers.
Just imagine, a walk in closet, the size of an entire room! Yes, please...

Growing up I would film/direct short comedy productions with my neighborhood friends. Before shooting these productions, we would always run down into my basement that contained wooden closets my Dad had made, full of old clothes. Soon we lovingly titled my basement "The Wardrobe" a space filled with props, and random fashion pieces, most of which was collected over the span of my parents lives, as they were notable for never discarding coats, suits, and jackets.
"The Wardrobe" was a gem mine of possibility, and when combined with the story crafting ability of mine, there didn't seem  to be any era, or character, my friends and I couldn't re-create.
My Mom would chuckle at seeing us re-use her southern bell wedding dress, or my grandfather's  hats, it was just so much fun to re-purpose old clothes and watch them come to life in these stories of mine. There seemed to be an almost magical aspect of my basement - we never seemed to run out of what we needed, because with a little bit of creativity, ingenuity, and purpose...even dusty old boots came to life, life the fairy god mother had waved her wand upon them.
This is where my true appreciation and eye for creative fashion began...in a basement full of hangers and furry coats. Narnia is a land of the imagination, and all you need is a little faith to get there.

As I grew into a young adult, I became more and more of a history buff. As a kid, tea parties, and pretending to be characters from Pride and Prejudice, or Gone with the Wind was something my friends and I would do whenever possible. I loved to "dress up" and that has never changed. There is something wonderful about clothing, like I said before, it can transform you, almost teleport you to a different era, culture, time...No wonder so many people love reenacting, it is more fun than playing video games, or watching movies, because you can feel yourself getting carried away on the wings of time, perhaps a time when life was simpler, and love was more meaningful, when people worked so hard for what they wanted, and achieved their goals. Putting to use the clothes of the past is not only a way to remember and honor your ancestors, and those who came before, but a way of telling their stories...

My desire is that when people see my little "Vintage Wardrobe", this humble and hopeful beginning of mine...that it would stir their imaginations, and that they would think on things that are lovely, bright, hopeful, and see clothing that stirs their "inner child".
 In this world there is a lot of doubt, discouragement, negativity, and we need more whimsical wardrobes to enter, where we can smell of the beauty of life.

So go buy a dress, who cares if you have an "occasion" to wear it or not...make an occasion to wear it. You're never too old to get "dolled up". Go run in a green field with that lacy gown on, throw off those red high heels, let down your hair, and pick flowers by the creek. Let the butterflies land on your dress, and twirl around. You won't regret it. You'll revive your soul. You're made to feel beautiful, you're made to feel loved. So go on over to 'The Vintage Wardrobe' and find something that makes you happy! dream big!

OXOXO, AJ. Childs
"The Vintage Gal"