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If you've seen any of my Instagram stories over the last few months, you might know TJ and I have gotten into antiquing. Like almost every weekend...it's been a great socially distanced activity. It's also a fun way to break up road trips by finding shops along the way! I have looked around a few sites online, but there's just something about sifting through the stores that is so much more fun. Some of our favorite places to look for antiques in the Charlotte area are The Sleepy Poet (in Charlotte and Gastonia), Gaston Pickers in Gastonia, The Depot at Gibson Mill in Concord, and Main St. Antiques in Mooresville.
We have also been frequenting estate sales we find on estatesales.net! But the estate sales are definitely more for home decor. I think I'll need to dedicate several different posts to my decor finds. But that will have to wait until TJ is moved in to our future home, and I can start decorating. We haven't had much luck in get that part figured out just yet...this "unprecedented" year is carrying over into the housing market as well. But anyway, I have been able to style some of my favorite accessory finds for recent posts. So I thought I would share a little bit about those today! Including the categories I look for in stores and where I found each piece.
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I am always on the lookout for silk scarves at antique stores. I usually find them between $4-$15, which I think is a pretty great deal for 100% silk. The North Carolina scarf in the above photo will likely end up a in a frame, but I have been tying it on bags for now. And I think I'll be draping it around some jackets as the weather is getting cooler. This scarf was a find from the Depot at Gibson Mill, the largest antique mall in the south! If you are looking to quickly get in and out of an antique store, this one would not be a good option. We probably spent over 3 hours walking through there to see everything. If you're local, note the front rooms have higher prices. But they get more reasonable as you go around.
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I look for several different sizes of silk scarves, because they can be used in so many different ways. My favorite use of the smaller square sizes would be for headbands, but they also can be tied as a face mask! Also in the above photo, I have had a lot of fun searching through some display cases for some cute vintage pins and brooches. I don't think I have been into a single antique store that was lacking in selection. These are also usually very reasonably priced, between about $2-$10. I haven't had too many options to style these pins lately, but I know I'll be rotating a few around on coats and jackets in the upcoming months. The scarf and pin in this look were both from Sleepy Poet in Charlotte. This is probably the best option within Charlotte. They have reasonable prices, the place takes quite awhile to get through, and turns over enough to be able to come back and see new things every few months.
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Another small collection I have been forming is vintage bags. Thanks to quarantine, I haven't really gotten to carry many of the styles I have recently found just yet. But I'm sure they will be featured in future outfit posts. This is another category I have seen at most antiques stores we have shopped, just make sure the bag is large enough to fit your phone. Some are very small, but I've been surprised by a few styles at how much they can fit. As for the prices, I typically see them between $10-$40 depending on the size and condition for the bag. I found this clutch, that is perfect for weddings, from the Gastonia location of Sleepy Poet.
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I know what you're probably thinking...vintage shoes? Isn't that gross? This definitely isn't a top category I look for while vintage shopping. But finding these never worn Ferragamo heels for $25 (from Gaston Pickers in Gastonia) will probably always be one of my favorite finds. The soles had very clearly never met any concrete, so I had to pick them up! I don't see selections of shoes too often at a lot of the stores we visit, but I do always check to see if there's another pair of unworn Ferragamo's waiting to join this pair.
I have also found a few jewelry pieces and more scarves lately that I just haven't been able to style for the blog yet. Jewelry is another category that is at just about every single vintage/antique store, but I'm pretty selective with what I pick from there. So stay tuned for part 2!
Thanks for reading!