An unassuming table of shoes. The backdrop: Berlin. Three fashion-hungry girls and one quite fabulous shoe designer are on a journey to find the best and brightest shoes Germany has to offer. Our first stop was here, Calypso, a haven of all things vintage footwear…

Read on to hear more about our vintage shopping discoveries, and our day with Ty from Jeffery Campbell!

Now, we can’t claim credit for finding this jaw-dropping gem. Ty, shoe expert extraordinaire from ModCloth BFF Jeffrey Campbell was nice enough to let us tag along on his quest for new inspiration for JC. When we walked in the door, we were greeted with a kaleidoscope of different boots, heels, flats, brogues, wedges, and so much more in every color imaginable! After we stopped hyperventilating, the shopping commenced! An hour and a half and a couple of hundred Euros later, we had the bases of some beautiful vintage looks to come. But what to wear?

Just a short stroll down the street found us at O.F.T., an incredible vintage boutique. Owned by a set and costume designer, her collection has been painstakingly built over years and years – and by way of the store, she’s passing her finds on to the vintage-obsessed of Berlin. The hat collection alone is worth the trip.

A few stores and a handful of shopping bags later, we were ready to retire to our rooms. But on our way back to the U-bahn station, we stumbled across this vintage furniture store. I didn’t catch the name, but I was able to snap a few shots of the treasures inside. Any one of these pieces would make my retro-centric house that much more stylish.

I think Susan, Sari and I can all agree that Berlin deserves an A+ for quality retro threads. What cities are your favorite for the vintage hunt? Thanks for reading, and happy shopping!

By Morgan McVeagh

Over the past year, I’ve spent nearly every Saturday morning waking up to the sound of my mom’s voice. “You have 15 minutes”, my mom warns, “it’s time for estate sales.” This weekend was no different. 7:30 came, and like clockwork, my parents were at the front door. Our plan was mapped out and off we were to 5 of our favorite Pittsburgh neighborhoods.

Read more about this weekend’s adventure.

Our first stop was an old row house in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville where I found a set of 4 vintage Pittsburgh Pirates patches ($3). I’m kind of a fair weather fan, so as soon as our baseball team starts playing well, I’ll probably sew one of these patches on to a jean jacket or a pair of pants.

The next stop was just up the street in Friendship. This sale was a bit too modern for my taste, but I’ve found that this type of sale can be a great source for the essentials: cassette tapes, kitchen items, and gardening supplies are all available at great prices. I picked up two flower pots for 2 bucks and the leather business purse below for $1.

Next up were the two best sales of the day. Lucky for us they were both located within walking distance of our house!

Definitely my absolute favorite finds to date, these vintage rompers were hidden under a giant pile of linens. It definitely pays to dig through the unknown. The blue patterned romper is in mint condition, and the floral romper is just incredibly unique. Unfortunately it’s going to take a bit of altering for these beauties to fit, but I can definitely see myself lounging in a pool, sipping cherry soda Lolita-style by the end of summer. And at $2 each, there is no way I could pass them up!

The faux fur collar ($2) is just the touch I needed to make warm weather outfits uniquely mine. I have been known to wear extremely warm layers in the middle of summer, so this piece will definitely get some use before it gets cold again.

I nearly passed up these amazing gypsy paintings for just 4 dollars! My boyfriend was kind enough to go back for them when I realized what I was missing out on. They don’t exactly match my interior design aesthetic, but the young girl’s style will definitely inspire me to pair a poofy blouse with a denim vest at least once this spring!

My style tends to border on antique, so every once in a while I try to pick up a more modern piece. Originally priced at $15, I decided to walk away from this ceramic umbrella holder. After a few hours I decided to head back to the sale for half off (Tip: Estate sales sometimes go 1/2 off after 1:00). Luckily it was still there, and I’m glad it was, because it fits perfectly on my 60s-themed porch!

We dropped my dad off and snuck in two more stops. I picked up the lovely hatbox above (which I plan to use as a purse) and red kisslock purse. After a hard days work, my mom treated my boyfriend and I to brunch. All in all, I’d say this trip was definitely a success!

By Morgan McVeagh

Hey ModShoppers! Morgan here to give you some hints and tips on my absolute favorite weekend pastime: estate sale shopping!

At ModCloth, we think it’s just as important to have a house full of unique and extraordinary decor as it is to have an unrivaled closet full of clothes. When you’ve cleaned out the shelves of your favorite antique malls and thrift stores, it’s time to go straight to the source.

Keep reading for Morgan’s secrets to finding great estate sale deals!

-Check the web: Estate sales are usually advertised in three places – Craigslist, the local Pennysaver, and the local newspaper. Hard-copy listings are less descriptive than their online counterparts. Check the web for a broader range of listings.

-Plan a route: Estate sales tend to be spread over a wide area. Rather than driving all across town, try to pick a group of sales within close proximity to one another. If you don’t plan accordingly, you may miss something great!

-Pack lightly, but efficiently: Don’t forget measuring tape, CASH, a notepad, pen, scotch tape, and a recyclable tote

-Prepare: Much like a Saturday spent at the thrift store, estate sales can be packed with pushy shoppers. Some estate sale regulars can be very intimidating. Don’t let that get in the way of acquiring the item of your dreams!

-Know what you’re looking for before you start shopping: If you don’t have a general idea of what you’re looking for, you may end up with your hands full of items you don’t need. Impulse buying is at an all-time high at estate sales. Before checking out, think to yourself ‘do I really need another vintage dress?’

-Be open-minded, but don’t go overboard: You have to look beyond the white paint and see the oak table that’s underneath. Don’t be too ambitious, though. If it’s woodwork that your table needs, you might want to pass it up and leave it for the experts (for now, anyway).

-Try your best to make quick decisions: If you’re not sure whether or not an item fits with your aesthetic, grab it up anyway. You can always put it back later. As soon as you show interest in an item, someone else is bound to snatch it up the second you set it down.

-Don’t be afraid to claim your prize: If you’re sure you’d like an item, but it’s too heavy to carry along with you, write ‘SOLD’ on a piece of paper and tape it to the item. Let one of the workers know you’d like to purchase the item and keep browsing.

-Learn to barter: Don’t be afraid to bargain with the salesperson. They expect it! Most of the time they’ll give you a better deal. If they don’t cut the price, you can always buy the item at the original price.

-Measure measure measure!: The perfect piece might not be so great when it’s stuck on your front porch or in your garage. If an item doesn’t fit in your house, it’s no good to you.

-Sales can be hit or miss: It might take a few trips to find a really great sale. Eventually you’ll learn to filter out the not-so-great sales. Here’s a hint…if it’s antiques you’re looking for, avoid sales with the following keywords: La-Z-boy, Ethan Allen, contemporary, multi-family, apartment. Some antique-heavy sales include the following keywords: armoire, oak, Mission, Art Deco, vintage, __ years of accumulation. Certain neighborhoods tend to be better than others. The more often you shop, the better you’ll get at picking out the best sales of the day.

Now that you have the basics, it’s time to get shopping! We suggest you bring a friend to help you carry all of your fun new items. Don’t forget to share all your estate sale finds with us. We’d love to hear your stories!

I have a theory: The further away you travel from a major metropolitan area – the better the thrifting becomes. I tested my hypothesis with a thrifting road trip of western Pennsylvania – and the results were staggering!

See how my vintage shopping stacks up; keep reading!

I started my adventure at the Goodwill in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. It wasn’t on my map for the day, but in the spirit of shopping, I stopped.  I’m happy I did – I snagged two adorable pairs of shoes, an absurdly cute wicker veggie purse, and a hat with my initials on it (what are the odds?) The total was less than $15! I was on my way…

On to Altoona! My first stop was the Salvation Army. I snagged a wonderful set of dishes for $17. It included a butter dish, cream caddy, salt and pepper shakers, and all the retro “wow” I look for in a kitchen item. My boyfriend proclaimed that it was the best thrift store he’d ever been to. We’ll be back soon, for sure.

A skip and a jump away, we happened upon another Goodwill.  I found a few prime vintage dresses, but the hostess in me had my heart stolen by this stone tortilla warmer and clover shaped wooden chip bowl with matching mini dip bowls.  I’m not totally sure when I’ll get a chance to use them, but that is not what thrifting is all about!

Finally, after an hour or two of wandering across the area (read: we were hella lost), I stumbled across a flea market and antiques mall. It was breathtaking. The vintage kitchenware, furniture, memorabilia and other odds and ends seemed to span for miles. I snatched up the mirrored paintings above (which now hang in a very crooked fashion above my couch) for only $15 for the set! Needless to say, I was taken aback by this ceramic owl umbrella holder. At $75, it was out of my price range, but images of such a piece still haunt me in my dreams. I mean, look at it!

I’m hard at work planning another such trip through northern West Virginia. Have any goldmines worth sharing? Email me at lindsay@modcloth.com. Thanks for reading, and happy thrift shopping!

Who: Mod-lover and vintage shopper, Loryn

What: This totally awesome black belt with a golden cougar buckle.

Where: Loryn picked up this fierce little treasure at her local Goodwill store.

How Much: Loryn scored this awesome find for only $2!

Shopping Tips: To save money and stay stylish, Loryn recommends buying lots of interesting and unusual accessories to complement a more basic wardrobe. She says you can never have too many accessories - we agree!

Attention Blog Readers! – We know you guys are the cleverest and most stylish bunch on the web, and we’d love to feature you on future Favorite Find Posts! Please email me (favfinds@modcloth.com) a picture of you with one of your favorite shopping finds (a piece of furniture, a hard-to-find record, the perfect vintage boots, or any other treasure) and answer the questions: Who, What, Where, How Much, When I Use It, and Shopping Tips. We can’t wait to see all the cool items you’ve discovered!

This past weekend I took a trip to Off The Avenue Antiques and Collectibles in Coraopolis, PA. They have lots of vintage shoes, purses, dresses and coats. Needless to say, I found it hard to leave…

Keep reading to find out about my shopping trip!

Here’s a look at what I bought:

Turquoise purse ($12) – this cute purse has a floral brooch closure and comes complete with an adorable change purse and matching lining! I can’t wait to work it into my summer wardrobe.

Vintage yellow gun keychain ($1) – It was a dollar and it looked pretty cool. I was sold. And it looks good next to my Sixteen Candles Key Chain!

Professional Cocktails Glass with  strainer and stirring spoon ($4) – Featuring 8 recipes and retro graphics – I had to add this to my vintage barware collection. With recipes for daiquiris, Whiskey Sours, Sidecars, Manhattans and others, I can’t wait to put this on the vintage bar cart I picked up on my last shopping trip.

Gold Purse ($18) – This purse looks absolutely brand new, and it’s big enough to hold just about everything I could possibly need.  Oh, and it’s fabulous.

Vintage Puppy Print! ($5)  Water stains and all, this is still one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen – and the puppies look just like Marne’s puppy Riley so I had to get it for her.

I know Winston would be glad to know that this antique store has it’s own pug as well! I’m pretty sure the only thing better than a pug is a pug in a sweater.

They had so many vintage ! I wish a few of these pictures were scenes from my closet!

I loved this mint green wall with all the various black and white pictures. Beautifully decorated booths are always an added perk of vintage shopping – they can give you so many ideas!

And these vintage black sandals would have gone home with me had they been in my size. I guess a picture will have to suffice…

There were also plenty of vintage coats. This velvet coat on the mannequin with the double strand of pearls was the epitome of 50’s classic style, and I had to take a picture.

These feather hats were absolutely stunning. I may not be able to pull off wearing them – but I definitely can appreciate how amazing they are.

And lastly, this 60s chiffon shift dress had the most intricate beading I’ve ever seen; it was a little pricey compared to the rest of my purchases ($40), but we’ll see – I may end up going back for it!

Well that concludes this shopping trip. Let me know what you think! And as always, if you have any vintage shopping stories or tips I’d love to hear them!

Who: Marne, ModCloth Photo Specialist and Pens Enthusiast

What: A vintage Pens jersey (circa 80-92), 1980 World Champions Pirates Scorebook, “Pittsburgh’s New Civic Auditorium” postcard, “Pittsburgh – We Love It!” postcard.

Where: The Penguins jersey was picked up at a Salvation Army Super Store, the post cards and scorebook came from an estate sale.

How Much: Jersey - $5, post cards – $1 each, scorebook – $3

When Do You Use Them? Marne wears her Penguins jersey to every game she attends or watches on TV. Her post cards are on display and she plans on framing them. The post cards also offer up some fun facts! On the back of the “Pittsburgh’s New Civic Auditorium” card, the civic arena is described as hosting “prize fights, circus, ice follies, wrestling…and home of the Pittsburgh Hornets (hockey) and the Pittsburgh Rens (basketball.)” !

Shopping Tip: Marne recommends visualizing what you’re looking for before you go out shopping. If you know you’re looking for a pair of vintage heels, you’re more likely to find them than someone who is shopping aimlessly!

Attention Blog Readers! – We know you guys are the cleverest and most stylish bunch on the web, and we’d love to feature you on future Favorite Find Posts! Please email me (favfinds@modcloth.com) a picture of you with one of your favorite shopping finds (a piece of furniture, a hard-to-find record, the perfect vintage boots, or any other treasure) and answer the questions: Who, What, Where, How Much, When I Use It, and Shopping Tips. We can’t wait to see all the cool items you guys have discovered!

Keep reading for the full story on how this china cabinet found its new home!

Who: Liz, a modcloth writer, blogger, and DIYer

What: A retro china cabinet

Where: I had gone with my mom to pick up a dresser that we found on craigslist – the seller had the dresser out on the drive way and ready to go, but in the background we saw a barn full of furniture from various estate sales and we had to take a look. We spotted this china cabinet in a horse stall overcrowded with random furniture. The whole piece was the honey wood color that remains inside the case. I fell in love with the lines of it and knew it would look great painted. I ended up buying the dresser, the cabinet, a bronze dog statue, and meeting some overly friendly farm animals!

How Much: $20 plus the cost of paint.

When I Use It: We put this piece in the purple hallway of my apartment; it fills the space perfectly and adds a great splash of color. The cabinet comes into actual use any time my roommate and I have parties or decide to open a bottle of wine. I love giving tours of our apartment because everyone always stops and comments on how cool our china cabinet is!

Shopping Tip: Always ask if a seller has more items that aren’t shown – I’ve gotten to go in many antique store backrooms this way - It’s a great way to see incoming stock before it gets picked over! And always keep paint colors in mind when looking for furniture – they really can transform a piece.

Attention Blog Readers! – We know you guys are the cleverist and most stylish bunch on the web, and we’d love to feature you on future Favorite Find Posts! Please email me (favfinds@modcloth.com) a picture of you with one of your favorite shopping finds (a piece of furniture, a hard to find record, the perfect vintage boots, or any other treasure) and answer the questions: Who, What, Where, How Much, When I Use It, and Shopping Tips. We can’t wait to see all the cool items you guys have discovered!

I swear I didn’t go there looking for just vintage barware, but when I got home I realized there was definitely a theme to my purchases:

Keep reading to find out all about my shopping trip!

I had to have this vintage glass cocktail shaker ($2). I also picked up these vintage silver polka dot glasses ($2 each). To complete the bar look, I picked up this vintage ice bucket ($2) and another aluminum shaker with a red top ($4).

I’m in love with this vintage bar cart ($40), and it’s the perfect piece for holding my expanding vintage barware collection!

I also picked up this vintage trophy ($3). There’s something so wonderful about it - I have to put it on my mantle. The next step is to make up a story about how I won it…

This radio ($4) is a reproduction, but I love the look of it and I can’t wait to take it outside on the first nice spring day in Pittsburgh.

I couldn’t leave without these vintage car prints (6 for $2). Someday I’ll frame them, and at that price I couldn’t leave them behind.

They have a ton of records at Cappy’s Corner, and at ten cents a piece, they’re definitely worth going through. My brother and I have found many a classic rock LP there, and on this trip I picked up a REO Speedwagon album.

On to what I had to leave behind:

They have quite a few vintage arcade games that I couldn’t stop admiring. The one pictured ($60) doesn’t work as a game, but definitely works as a piece of art. The colors and graphics are phenomenal. Keeping in the child-at-heart theme, I had to take pictures of this vintage Goofy ($6) and Hands Down game ($1).

They have a lot of great vintage furniture pieces as well. If I needed a desk, I definitely would have purchased this one from the 40’s ($25). And this biege cabinet ($75) is actually a bar – genius.

There was plenty more barware at Cappy’s Corner that I didn’t pick up. I suppose this huge glass ($10) is meant to hold bar tips, but after seeing the Ludacris One More Drink video, I’m pretty sure it looks better with Hennessy in it.

This portrait my friend Andrea is holding was a little too creepy and mysterious to purchase – but I had to take a picture. It looks like one of those paintings from Scooby Doo with removable eyes so someone could look at you from another room! And I had a hard time leaving these brass lamps ($45) behind. They would look so great in a modern living room.

Well that concludes this shopping trip. Let me know what you think, and as always, if you have any vintage shopping tips or stories, I’d love to hear them!

One of my favorite places to check out for inspiration (the items are way too expensive to purchase) is 1stdibs. They have antique dealers from around the world posting their best items, and they have a great portfolio feature on this site. If you create an account you can save any item you like and basically create an online scrapbook of your favorite pieces. Even when the items sell, they’ll stay in your portfolio, giving you a great inspiration board whenever you need it.

I frequently use 1stdibs to find ideas for things I can recreate. I never would have thought to frame vintage music sheets, but these look really chic. 1st dibs sells these two framed sheets for $2400! I found some great looking vintage music sheets on ebay for 5.99, and even with the cost of framing you’d be saving way over two grand for a very similar look.

These Regency style gold chairs are so Hollywood Glam! I have yet to teach myself how to reupholster chairs, (It’s on my 2009 to-do list) and I think recreating these chairs would be the perfect starting project.

I always find vintage globes to be quite striking. I have a light up globe from the 40’s at home, and this vintage globe is just as wonderful. While again a little pricey, a great vintage globe at a fair price is not that hard to find at all.

1st dibs is also great for finding items you didn’t even know existed, like this antique hot air balloon chandelier.  If I’m ever an eccentric millionare, it’s going in my entry way!

Also shown: Eames Time Life Chair, Nick Taggart: Cityscape 1980, Opaline Vases, Bronze Horse Sculptures, Large Disco Ball, and French Vintage Brass Carts.

This Hermes-orange lacquered sideboard is absolutely stunning. The $50,000 price tag is even more shocking, but I can calm my sticker shock knowing that I could take a classic lined vintage sideboard and create a very similar look with the right orange paint and lacquer. I love refinishing vintage pieces and I never gave the color orange much thought in my paint selection, but after seeing this piece it’s going to the top of my list!

And while I’m on the topic of great paint colors, I couldn’t help but appreciate the combination of vibrant mustard yellow and charcoal grey on these great vintage chairs. Another look to steal!

I’m kind of obsessed with vintage lighting, and while my apartment came complete with 1920’s chandeliers and sconces, I still find myself lusting after gorgeous light fixtures from the 60’s and pretty much every other era. These aluminum pendant lights are phenomenal and this orange sphere light from the 70’s is strangely alluring as well.

Finally, I fell in love with this old flight map from the Dutch Airline KLM. Again, the price ($4,500) is a little ridiculous, but a quick search on ebay found lots of vintage flight maps well under $20.

Also shown: Audrey Hepburn Portrait, Steel Curtain Sculpture, Turquoise Porcelain Jar Lamps, Art Deco Bar

If you have any other sites you frequent for vintage inspiration please let me know!