Today I am starting a new, regular feature highlighting some of my favorite Etsy sellers. Today we are featuring Kris Willis of KrisVintageClothing.
She very kindly
agreed to answer questions I sent her about her shop and her love of vintage
goodies, clothing in particular.
In her “About”
section, she says
Many years ago I planned on opening a Children's book store much like the one in "You've Got Mail" with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, after watching many small book store close I decided to change my focus towards vintage. I have always loved vintage clothing and accessories, I collected vintage hats in high school and had them scattered about my dorm room while in the military.
After the death of a distant family member, closets full of vintage clothing were found and the dream to open a vintage shop was born. I am a stay at home Mom of 3 children, one of which I homeschool. Being able to work from home and give vintage pieces a new life is all a part of living the dream.
1.
What was one item that 'got away'?
This is going to sound silly but it was a mannequin I passed up at
an antique barn sale, when I went the next year the poor dear had lost several
fingers and a foot.
2.
What types of vintage
stuff are you most passionate about?
Clothing and Hats, I love finding a dress that needs a little bit
of love, just by cleaning and possibly fixing a few issue it is given a new
life that someone new will love and wear.
3.
What's your favorite place to find vintage items?
Halloween racks, so many thrift shops put great vintage pieces on
their Halloween costume racks.
4.
Why do you love vintage?
The originality and quality of vintage pieces is what draws me,
however it is the story behind each piece that captures my attention.
5.
Do you like to imagine stories about the vintage items you find?
Oh yes, each and every one of them. Who wore it, where they wore it, what
happened while they were wearing it.
6.
Do you collect vintage items for your own collection?
Yes, for example I collect shoe forms, I have bunches of them
laying around my house waiting for the perfect place to be displayed.
6a. What's your favorite piece?
A pair of Victorian infant leather shoes is my personal favorite,
they reside on the bookcase right beside my desk so I can see them every time I
turn my head in that direction.
7.
If there was one type of vintage item that you would do anything
to find what would it be?
A top hat, I have been searching for a top hat in good to great
condition for my personal collection. Oh I would wear it too, maybe not outside
the house probably while I was cleaning my house or just anytime really.
8.
Do you have a specific era you concentrate on?
No, I do not, I find great pieces from so many different eras that
it is hard to concentrate on just one.
9.
What was one item you sold that you realize now you should have
sold for more money?
The first dress I sold on Etsy, it was a black and white Asian
print Muu Muu.
10. Is there one area of vintage that
you wish you knew more about?
All of it, I don’t believe anyone person know everything about
vintage so I am always learning as much as I can from other sellers, books,
blogs, magazines etc.
11.
What type of vintage area would you like to collect/sell next?
Nothing right now, because I cover a pretty large selection of
vintage pieces in my shop from clothes to luggage to accessories to jewelry to
housewares and beyond.
12. What's your favorite place to sell
vintage?
Etsy, someday I may try my own website again.
Kris, thanks so much for your wonderful answers. You can find Kris’s shop here.
