Shop: A Christmas Gift Guide For Pinup Babes, Rockabilly Gals Or Vintage Fashionistas {Mostly Handmade Too!}

When I give a gift, I try hard to buy (or make!) something that the recipient will really, truly enjoy. And that can be hard if the person you are buying for has a really specific aesthetic. If you aren’t part of the vintage community, it can be tough to know just the right thing. I know because my birthday is at the end of November and for months beforehand my Mum is always asking me what I want for my birthday!!  Even though I’ve spent hours lusting over gorgeous things online, I always draw a blank. Somehow, when put on the spot, I just can’t think! So for your sake (and to answer Mum next year!) I’ve put together a list of great gift ideas.

There is a mix of locally handmade and commercially produced gift ideas, all of them things I’d love to receive. I love to turn the spotlight on all those wonderful local women who are out there being creative and making these fantastic vintage-y items. So many of the things I show here come from businesses run by just one woman! I know many of them have a 9-5 job or kids or both and yet they still find time to make all this wonderful stuff! As you can see below, I have bought from some of these sellers/brands and some I have just stalked on Instagram! It’s nice to think that you will be buying a gift that will be appreciated and supporting local makers. I know some makers are absolutely overwhelmed with orders right now and others are just waiting to make the next order. Which brings me to my next point…

If you aren’t 100% sure which brooch she will love the most or if she already has that colour or you aren’t sure on sizes – Gift Certificate! And if you don’t see a gift certificate listed for an indie maker, shoot them a message and ask! I am sure they will be happy to oblige. I’m not usually into gift certificates but a certificate for handmade earrings or a custom skirt shows so much more initiative than a Westfield voucher. And the same idea applies if you have found the perfect thing but it is coming from outside Australia or is currently out of stock and therefore won’t get there in time. Or if the local maker has temporarily closed it’s doors for a well deserved Christmas break! Your giftee can can have all fun planning out exactly what they want. Trust me, there is no better pleasure than spending someone else’s thoughtfully chosen money! Let’s have a look at my favourite things…….

Brooches & Earrings

I am a bit brooch addicted and have been loving statement earrings lately. Miss Golly Gosh (Christine) always blows my mind and if I won the lottery, I’d be buying one of everything! Martinis and Slippers (Alex) does some truly gorgeous stuff and I love wearing her brooches. The pills in my pill bottle brooch actually shake and move as you wear it, I squeal with joy when I wear it. Erstwilder is very popular and has become very collectable too.  Daisy Jean has some brilliant designs and some just fabulous hair flowers. All of these are handmade in Australia. Erstwilder is small team but the rest are one woman shows!

1. Miss Golly Gosh
2. Martinis & Slippers
3. Erstwilder
4. Daisy Jean Floral Designs

Bangles & Necklaces

When it comes to bangles, size matters! Hellpixie and Splendette both have a range of sizes to suit any hand. Hellpixie (Skye) is a one woman power house of creativity over in Melbourne and will hand make bangles and necklaces to order (via Facebook or Instagram). Splendette are in the UK and sell bangles in Maiden, Regular and Duchess sizes. Also offers necklaces, earrings and more. And the carved bangles from Retrorespection are just a few mm bigger (68-70mm internal diameter) than average and fit me perfectly but other styles may vary.

1. Hellpixie (top two)
2. Splendette (bottom left)
3. Retrorespection (bottom right)

Hair Pretties

I really adore the whole adornment of dressing this way and there are lots of cool bits and pieces that really help you bring a look together. Girl In A Whirl (Rebecca) makes gorgeous and historically accurate ‘doo-rag’ headscarves to protect your set or to cover you rollers. They are adorable and useful! Alana of According to Alana makes sweet wired head wraps/hair scarves to accessorise your look. And if you ask really nicely and send her the fabric, she can make up one to match the outfit you have already made. Lina del Rose (or as I know her, just Lina) makes amazing flower crowns and floral headpieces. As you can see, I own a magnificent specimen of her work and highly recommend!

1. Girl In A Whirl  (top two)
2. According to Alana (bottom left)
3. Lina del Rose (bottom right)

Cosmetics

Oh my, so much pretty vintage packaging that is crying to sit out on a gorgeous vanity! Besame is absolutely true to vintage colours and styles and is perfect for the dedicated vintage girl. I’ve loved what I have tried and I hear they have some mini perfume and lipstick sets in stock online but be quick, they sell out fast! Benefit products are always so cutely packaged and I love the products themselves. They have great holiday sets every year (I had the advent calendar a few years back) and best places to buy in Australia are Myer and David Jones but not all stores stock them, so maybe order online. Charlotte Tilbury is out of my price range but the reviews I’ve seen have been glowing. Plus look at that packaging!

1. Besame (top two)
2. Benefit (bottom left)
3. Charlotte Tilbury (bottom right)

Custom Skirts & Dresses

Skye of Hellpixie not only makes bangles and necklaces, she sews too! She has stopped making custom dresses but still offers several styles of custom skirts in a range of fabrics and with the option to add pockets and pompom trim. Atomic Starlet (Jennifer or you may know her on YouTube as A Vintage Vanity) is based in the US. She has a range of skirts in sizes XS to 4XL plus she is happy to take custom orders. She’s Dynamite (Stephanie) is based in the UK and makes amazing dresses and skirts. Like Atomic Starlet, there are some items ready to buy in a range of sizes but she will happily make up something custom. A skirt from Girl in A Whirl (Rebecca) is my personal dream! Rebecca uses a mix of felt applique and hand painting (ALL washable!) to create the design of your choice on a handmade circle skirt. She also makes these amazing Mexican inspired tourist jackets to order. And if you are buying for a man, she hand paints silk ties with all sorts of vintage designs, including cheeky hula dancers with fringe skirts!

1. Hellpixie (top left)
2. Atomic Starlet (top right)
3. She’s Dynamite (bottom left)
4. Girl In A Whirl (bottom right)

Things I Want In Every Colour

I couldn’t make a gift list without including these items! Part of the pinup up style is being 100% matchy matchy and or being able to create coordinated contrast. All of the things here come in loads of colours and it is my life mission to own them all! Starting with B.A.I.T Footwear because I adore their shoes! I will be getting the Ione style in Vintage Rose and Teal plus a Kira in red for my birthday! I have review the Ione style here and the Kali & Kira Sandals here. Then we move on to MAK cardigans, which are lovely and stretchy and cropped to go perfectly with floofy skirts. I take a 1XL and find it buttons comfortably, with room to move, I think a plain XL would be fine too. I have red and black already but I know I am getting Ice Blue and Magenta for my birthday. The best place to get MAK cardigans in Australia is Kitty Deluxe, which leads me my next thing, the Cinch Belts from Kitty Deluxe! They come in both regular and plus sizes, I have the plus and I love mine! I have both red and black but want musk pink and aqua too. And if you haven’t noticed, I am all about my Sunjellies bag! I have the Large Retro Basket in black but yellow or mint will be my next ones. I’ve linked directly to their UK website but if you know what style and colour you are after, there are quite a few Australian online shops selling select styles.

1. B.A.I.T Footwear
2. MAK Cardigans via Kitty Deluxe
3. Kitty Deluxe Cinch Belts
4. Sunjellies Bag

This has been such a fun post to make! Yes, it took some time to find all the links and photos but I’ve only shown you a fraction of what these makers/businesses have on offer! It was so hard to choose pictures, I wanted to put them all in – really! Most of the things I’ve listed are lovingly handmade and I love that! Buying a gift from this list will help a real person who is out there getting their hustle on and making beautiful things. There is something so nice about that! But I listed these makers because I love what they make and honestly would be thrilled to own the things they make. The whole vintage scene is supported by these people! How could we get our thing on without them? There are loads of options, at a range of price points, so I’m sure you have found the perfect gift here! And maybe started your own wishlist too! I’m happy to field any questions, if you have them but HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!