A diamond in the rough

Not too long after my last adventure into Jack Lux vintage, I decided to make another little lunchtime tour around the shop. This time, there were even more racks of vintage clothing crammed into the store.

While there are certainly a lot of treasures to be found, it's a bit like looking for a diamond hidden in a pile of cubic zirconium. Everything looks pretty from afar, but start digging and you start to realize that things are either A. Something you'd never wear (either because it's not your style or just plain hideous); B. Not your size; C. In rough shape; or D. all of the above.

Luckily, I managed to land across a small gem that suited me just fine. Voilà my 70s patterned A-line skirt:

I think it's pretty darn cute! Not bad for a $20.

THE DETAILS:
Era: 70s
Material: polyester (?)
No label

Here today, gone tomorrow

While I was up at a cottage for a week in July, I got a text from one of my work colleagues with a link to a new vintage pop-up shop right by work. After a bit more research, I found out that this shop, Jack Lux Vintage, was going to be around for a few months only to sell off a huuuuuuge number of vintage items that the owner had bought from the Quebec government's Centre National du Costume. Something like 20,000 pieces of vintage clothing, priced to sell! Well, no one had to tell me twice to get a move on.

The Monday after I returned from the cottage, I went straight into the shop during my lunch break (handily located a mere 3 minute walk from work at Queen and Portland). It was, in a word, overwhelming. The shop had racks crammed with dresses, skirts, blouses, jackets, shirts...you name it. Plus a whole downstairs filled with shoes. And everything was being sold for between $10-$50. As they say, an hour for lunch just isn't enough!

I decided to play strategically and do some power-shopping, vintage style. First I attacked the racks of dresses, digging through them as adeptly as a pig sniffing for truffles. It wasn't long before I had a pile weighing down my arms.

With less than 20 minutes to spare (and I hadn't even glanced at the other 9/10ths of the store), I headed to the makeshift change room. I threw clothes on and off like my life depended on it.  I refused to leave without something in my hand!

With few precious lunchtime minutes to spare, I finally settled on this gorgeous number from the 70s - lined, in mint condition and $30 to boot:

So pressed was I for time, that I actually went back the next day after work just for a bit more browsing. Success? You bet! 60s wool pencil skirt? Yes please:

Please show me to my typewriter.

With only a couple more months left to clear out their stock, I have a feeling I'll be popping in fairly regularly...so much vintage, so little time!

THE DETAILS:
Dress:
Era: 70s
Material: Cotton or polyester 
Label: Trendsetter Best Dresses
Made in Canada (Canadian ILGWU label present)

Skirt:
Era: 60s or 70s
Material: wool/polyester
No tags