York Street is Blooming

York Street is Blooming… well it’s getting there… when Irving Baby! moved to 35 York Street from Twin Street last year we were offered the opportunity to choose a colour to paint the outside. We could not decide on 1 colour (who could?) so Briar suggested black and white. We tossed around the idea of polkadots but came up with the flower design instead.

Luckily for us we got the go ahead from all those concerned and the wall is being transformed from a grey dead zone to a 60’s inspired mural…

and we are pretty happy with the results… one of us will be up on a ladder to finish it off soon

Rock in a Hard Place

We just heard about this pledge drive for the Rockumentary – “ROCK IN A HARD PLACE”  – 30 years of South Australian Underground original music. 1978 – 2012

you can pledge here: http://www.pozible.com/project/8915

According to Todwina Smart the film is “about a generation of musicians who grew up in Adelaide South Australia and those people who embraced the “do it yourself” Attitude after being Inspired as youths by the punk movement back in the late 70s. This punk attitude was often the driving force behind many teens of the times around the world to want to start bands, set up public radio stations, record labels and DIY music fanzines. Here in Adelaide it was no passing fad, after 30 years these same people are now in their 40s and 50s, still playing in bands, still volunteering at the public radio station and still churning out their local music fanzines.”

We can’t wait to see the film and hope they reach their target of $10 000.

Adelaide has an amazing creative community and the music scene is helped by the local radio station Three D. We agree with Todwina Smart that “Three D has become the backbone of the original music culture of Adelaide” and Irving Baby! gives Three D Radio a big THANK YOU for introducing us to much of the music we play in store.

If you want to find out more about ROCK IN A HARD PLACE visit: http://www.artsendup.yolasite.com

$2 Vintage Fashion SALE

Irving Baby! has a history of $2 Vintage Fashion SALES.

The first one was in 1997 at 29A Twin Street (which later became the live venue: The Jade Monkey) and became a tradition.

For a few years we photocopied cut & paste promo flyers, made special mixed music tapes just for the day and handed out chupa chups.

One  $2 SALE we used Clint Eastwood for the flyer image and played spaghetti western music whilst serving customers in cowboy hats. We remember a customer visiting the store that day looking very confused and asked if this is what Irving Baby! would be from now on.

When we started using myspace and facebook it was a fantastic new way to communicate directly with our friends and customers. We were able to let every one of our followers know when a $2 SALE was going to happen. This led to our biggest $2 SALE at 83  Hindley Street with a line up that went around the block. We were worried about the squash factor and for some customers it was too much but for others it was a fashion frenzy they will always remember.

We found this photo of the line up outside Irving Baby for the $2 Sale on the web, if you took this photo let us know…it’s a great nostalgic shot.

$2 could not buy you a good cup of coffee these days but we love a bargain and like to share them with our customers when we can.

So once again we bring Adelaide a BIG SALE, there will be heaps of $2 items as well as loads of bargains $10 and under. Thanks to our lovely York Street neighbour, Joy Discovery for lending us their veranda so space and fresh air is not a problem.

We love thrifty fashion and the creativity it can inspire…

To be notified about Irving Baby! SALES, EVENTS & to be kept in the LOOP…join the Group: – Irving Baby Latest Scoop on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/irvingbabylatestscoop/

The Australians

Whilst treasure hunting we found this book “The Australians” by Robert B Goodman & George Johnston, first published in 1966 with this edition from 1972.

It is full of photographs and wonderful words about this great country and the lifestyle of it’s population as seen through the eyes of the writers in the 60’s.

How will you be spending Australia Day? Adelaide shops will be OPEN and the city will be bustling. In the 60’s we imagine the shops would have been shut for Australia Day, but if the city was open for business it might have appeared like this:

“On city corners clerks and office workers eat from brown paper bags luncheon sandwiches and meat pies adrip with sanguinary ketchup; window-shopping matrons in splendid hats chew potato crisps or lick at ice-creams, and the young and old sprawl in turfy parks to listen to symphonic music. Crowded pubs over spill to bustling pavements with short-sleeved, beer-sipping men who talk of cricket scores and race tracks and watch with eyes of tentative judgement the upright, high-stepping girls go by…”

Our home city of Adelaide is described as:

“beneath it’s deceptively staid exterior, for some years has been quietly developing not only into a small city of very considerable charm but into a cultural and commercial center of great significance to the country as a whole. It’s biennial Festival of Arts is now recognised internationally. Like Edinbourgh, it is a city of perfect size, ideal harmony, and has precisely the right feel for this sort of festival.”

and

“Adelaide has beautiful streets, miles of parklands, a splendid setting and a fine climate, and some of the most charming colonial architecture in the land… The people are neither as reserved as Melbournians nor as gregarious as Sydneysiders. Although tolerant and good-humoured, they are more complicated and more energetic than the easy-going Queenslanders. At festival time their whole city comes alive with a warm-blooded exuberance that is quite mediterranean in feeling.”

To us this rings true nearly 50 years later…and we are getting excited about the up-coming Festival of Arts and especially the Adelaide Fringe festival which starts next month.

Living in Australia is a gift and we have gifted this book as a Friday Freebie in time for Australia Day via our Facebook page… http://www.facebook.com/irvingbaby

Mend and Make Do

How do you feel about wearing clothes with holes?

Sometimes we see the most fantastic vintage pieces that would look amazing on the right person but they have a few holes in the fabric… like this 70’s maxi dress…it has a few small holes but can you see them?

There are ways to disguise the rips and tears with stitches, patches or by wearing an undergarment in the same colour.

It is hard to imaging a shortage of clothes in Australia todaybut due to war, clothes rationing was introduced from June 1942 – June 1948. In the UK a campaign called ‘Make do and Mend’ was set up by the government at this time to encourage people to get as much wear as possible out of their clothes.  Posters and information leaflets gave people advice and ideas about how to spruce up your clothes, learn remedies for washing silks, mending your clothes and repelling the ‘moth menace’.

Put a Patch On It…you can try to stop that pesky hole from getting any bigger and sew a patch over it… the trick is to NOT look like you’re wearing a patchwork quilt…or maybe it is…

Lu Flux has created some amazing fashion incorporating recycling fabrics and the craft of patchwork.

Of course some rips and holes are in places you do not want to draw attention to, so it might be time to convert that dress into a top or skirt.

Our advice?… if you love it, wear it… holes and all.

Keeping Cool

Sometimes it can be hard to get a good night’s sleep when your house has become a furnace after a few days of 40 degree days.

With electricity prices soaring with the temperature you might want to try this handy hint of how to stay cool under the covers from Mother Nature  Network.

Forget about keeping your freezer stocked with food…who can eat when you have no energy to raise a fork to your lips and the sweat is running in rivers down your back?

Want to cool the bed down? Fill a standard hot water bottle with ice water. Use it to cool your ankles and the back of your knees — it works. You can also try bagging your sheets and tossing them in the freezer for an hour or two before bed.

Now we have no problem bagging your sheets and tossing them in the freezer but how about going for a stylish option?

Instead of using hospital corners and making the bed up with frozen sheets, we suggest wrapping yourself toga-style like Holly Golightly in the icy sheet.

Cool Cool!

Stay frosty Adelaide

Wrap it Up

Whilst we do not offer a gift wrapping service at Irving Baby! we DO offer recycled story book bags that we make ourselves, for smaller items like jewellery, with specially selected Christmas themes for gifts.

When googling we found some interesting gift wrapping ideas using recycled materials like newspaper, vintage doilies…and clothing. (If these are your ideas/photos please let us know)

One idea we’d love to try is these gift bows made from magazine pages we found on  “How About Orange”
… you can see a tutorial here:
http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/make-origami-bows-from-magazine-pages.html

If you know any fancy recycling gift wrapping ideas we’d love to see them.

Happy Gifting!

Happy Gifting

December has arrived and with it the sudden urge to buy gifts for our nearest and dearest just in time for Christmas.

This year it might be worth while adding an anonymous gift to your list.

Apparently in the world, we are all separated by 6 degrees but in Adelaide it is probably more like 2 degrees of separation. Speak to anyone in Adelaide and you’ll soon find a common aquaintance…a little spooky but sorta cool too. If you Shop Locally you are very likely helping someone you know without even knowing it… way to spread the love people!

Some gifts let you know who they are helping.

Dialog Worldbutik creates unique handbags featuring the handiwork of art therapy and women empowerment projects and the work of people with disabilities. Their origami trimming is made from locally recycled fabrics by various such people groups in Vietnam, China, Malaysia and Indonesia. Their hand weaving is made by a tsunami regeneration co-op in coastal Thailand.

We are thrilled to be stocking bags and purses by Dialog Worldbutik.

Bowie Bag by Dialog available at Irving Baby!

Mr Dino purse by Dialog available at Irving Baby!

Birdie Bag by Dialog available at Irving Baby!

You can learn more about Dialog by visiting their website: WWW.DIALOGWORLDBUTIK.COM

As a little gift to our customers we are offering 15% off tonight 5 December 2012 6pm – 9pm at Irving Baby! 35 York Street Adelaide along with a special range of fashion by Vintage Fox only available on the night.

HAPPY GIFTING EVERYONE

20 years ago

20 years ago we were two sisters with a growing excitement about Opening our first shop in Adelaide.

We grew up in a small country town called Kingston-on-Murray with a population of about 300 (before the internet) and dreamed of moving to the big city of Adelaide.

Fashion choices in the area were minimal… we spent a few Saturdays in Treasureway (does anyone remember this?)… but it wasn’t until we discovered the joys of Op Shopping (thanks to a thrifty friend) that we were able to have some fun and experiment with different colours, styles, textiles and eras.

Of course we had oohed and aahed over Mum’s 50’s party frocks and lurid 70’s maxi’s and those same 70’s maxi’s were some of our first pieces for Sale in our shop. Aspiring fashionistas, we loved dressing up and Dad was kind enough to take some photos (before digital photography)…this is us in 1992 wearing Mum’s frocks.

20 years ago we were both studying Arts at University but were given the chance to start a vintage clothing shop by another of our sisters and her husband. Without them it would have remained a dream.

So many people have helped us over the years family, friends, customers, stockists and strangers… thank you.

Splash Adelaide are helping us with our Shine a Light – 20 Shades of Adelaide exhibtion and celebration of 20 years in Adelaide by providing a splash of style and colour to York Street on Opening Night… so there will be an extra area to hang out opposite our shop, Irving Baby!

If you are in Adelaide this Saturday 20 October 2012 from 6:30pm… join us to celebrate 20 years at Irving Baby! 35 York Street Adelaide

Turning 20

We can barely believe it has been 20 years…that is TWO DECADES…since we started our business in October 1992.
A lot has happened in this time…a name change from Bizarre Bazaar to Irving Baby!…changes of location around the fair city of Adelaide (Renaissance Centre, Pulteney Street, City Centre Arcade, Gawler Place, Twin Street x 2, Hindley Street x 2 and NOW York Street…YEP that’s a lot of moving.
So it’s time to CELEBRATE with 20 of our creative friends and put on an EXHIBITION showcasing local talent.

Irving Baby! celebrates 20 years of business in the fair city of Adelaide with an exhibition of 20 Lamps by 20 local artists/creatives.
Opening Night Party 20 October 2012 6:30pm – 9pm
Exhibition continues til 9 November 2012
Lamps by Ryan Sims, Angela Carrig, Minnette Michael, Natalie Gock, Rachel McElwee, Bec Wu, Rain Teo, Jessica Naraniecki , Phebe Rendulic, Pip Kruger, Celia Dottore, Trenna Oelsnik, Monica Watts, Kalila Stewart-Davis, Suzanne Redman, Vera Ada, Lisa Butler, Tracy Chaplin Chloe McGregor and Danielle Reck
All artists started with the same little white lamp…see what they’ve done to it!!!

Woot we can’t wait to flick the switch and see them light up the store!

 

Check out details for the exhibition on our facebook page and pop in for a visit if you’re in the city.

https://www.facebook.com/events/184392205019168/