Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.....

For some, a quiet Christmas Eve or New Years Eve gives your relationship some special togetherness. Why not spend the evening at home with that special someone in front of a roaring fire, with the lights down low and some hand dipped chocolate strawberries, a bottle of champagne and of course comfortable and alluring in beautiful vintage attire?



Vintage 1960s Blue and Gold Paisley Hostess Gown B36 W38 H40



Vintage 1930s Cranberry Silk Satin and Velvet Robe B36 W28 H46

These and more await your perusal at Born Too Late Vintage

It was a Saturday night. My uncle and his girlfriend had come to our apartment to babysit me and my siblings. My Dad was dressed in his regulation IBM corporate wear (white shirt and black suit, remember it's the 1960s).

I was sitting in the living room playing with my sister. Then my mom appeared. I'll never forget the way she looked. She wore a white spiderweb crocheted shawl but what was under it was even more stunning! There she stood in a fitted brocade gown that hugged every curve. It was made from American Beauty rose fuchsia brocade and had a beautiful rose pattern woven in the fabric. It was like looking at a movie star. My parents kissed us all goodbye and headed out for the hospital auxiliary ball. I tucked that memory away, not forgotten, but put away to savor at a later date.

Mom and Dad in the 1960s


Years later after my folks passed away I was thinking about the impact they'd had on my life and the memory of that gown came back to me again. It's always been such a vivid memory for me. I finally put 2 and 2 together and realized just why I have always fallen for brocades of any color, weight and shimmer. I suppose you could say that the night of the hospital auxiliary ball was a decisive factor in what appeals to me in vintage clothing now. Other items may bring more financially but my heart will always yearn towards brocades.

For the best in vintage clothes on the go check out Ruby Lane Vintage. Nothing is better than a playsuit to keep you cool and comfortable through the dog days of summer.


Vintage 50s 60s Kahala Hawaiian Playsuit -- Size S - M - L

from Catseye Vintage Estate Collection



NWT Vintage 60s Button Lavender Pinup Sunsuit Playsuit Romper~ VLV

from VINTAGE PRETTIES Lingerie, Clothing & Accessories




Vintage 1950s Kahala Hawaiian Blue Floral Play Suit B32 W26 H34"

from Born Too Late Vintage


So don't forget to check Ruby Lane for all your vintage apparel needs and a whole lot more!

What is with the incessant talking?? Can’t a gown get a little shut eye? Who is this mysterious woman they keep saying is going to love me? They keep saying I’m right up her alley and that she should be in today. Lucky for me I’m hanging on a rack towards the front of the store and I can see each person as they come in. Heck, I don’t even need to see them because of that darnn bell they have attached to the door. Oh no it’s that kid again. What is it about bells that make little boys grab them and clang them as loud as they can. Can’t that kid see I’m trying to rest here??

Well here comes another customer in the door. The manager is greeting her like she’s a long lost friend and now she’s saying she hasn’t been in because of all the snow and her girls being home from school, as if anyone really cares about that. She’s making a beeline right to where I’m hanging. Nope, wait, she’s starting at the opposite end of the rack. Oh well I’ll be here forever. Doesn’t anyone like the 1960s anymore??!! She’s getting closer and frowning now. Guess she’s not finding anything to her liking.


Oh my. She’s spotted me. The manager is giggling and saying, “I thought that one would catch your eye. It’s right up your alley.” Oh my gosh she’s checking out all my crochet work and she knows her stuff. Boy that feels nice after all these years. What do you know, she’s checking out my label and getting all excited. Oh wow she’s putting me over her arm and walking towards the register! I’m free! I’m free! Boy this manager is just twisting me all around to find my price. My new owner is saying “let me fold this up.“ Boy her hands are soft and she knows how to handle a fine vintage gown like me. She’s stroking my crochet work and saying how amazing the work is. Ah it feels good to be handled so gently. Boy it sure feels good to be ooohed and ahhed over. It’s been so long. Here I go into the plastic bag. I wonder where she’s taking me. Gee I hope she’s going to clean me and steam me. I’ve almost forgotten how good it feels to be freshened up and presentable again.



Vintage 1960s Fred Leighton Hand
Crocheted Ecru Gown XS B30 W34 H40

When you have to get your groove on check out Love Train Vintage at Etsy.

Who says there's no plus size vintage clothing out there? Have you checked out Specialist Auctions Vintage? We have lots and lots of plus size vintage just waiting for you!

So what are you waiting for?? Let's go shopping

So have you found your dream outfit yet? No! Well come on over and take a look at what the wonderful sellers at Specialist Auctions have for you! They cover the 1920s all the way through to the 1980s! If you want it they've got it. Looking for something you don't see listed? Then sign up as a member of the site (free) and tell us what you're looking for!

Now here's just a smattering of what we've got to get your mouth watering!


Red Box Vintage


ROSE PRINT Vintage 50's RED Roses HALTER Party Dress



ORGANZA ROSES *Vintage 50's ILLUSION Bubble Party Dress


Alley Cats Vintage



Vintage 1950s Blue Butterfly Rockabilly Shirtwaist Dress by L'Aiglon B 40


Vintage 40s Navy Blue Rayon Swing Dress B 40


Nelda's Vintage


Halvor McGarth Vintage 1950s Dress



Vintage 1950s Black Net Dress



Fuzzylizzie Vintage


Vintage Early 1950s Strappy Sandals



Vintage 1950s Black & White Print Gathered Circle Skirt


So check out Specialist Auctions for the best in vintage wear! You'll be glad you did!

Today we are announcing the running of a series of blogs about Helen Bond Carruthers, the name for vintage sellers and aficionados that brings to mind breathtakingly beautiful sweaters in all manners of colors, needlework and appliqué work.

We have had the pleasure of interviewing Mrs. Carruthers’ grand niece, Jenifer Klier, whom is embarking on an entrepreneurial endeavor of her own. Jenifer has been a registered nurse for 24 years working mostly in Labor and Delivery. She has recently become a certified legal nurse consultant (assisting attorneys to win their cases) and is working hard to get her business off the ground. Certainly the apple did not fall far from the tree as Jenifer states of her grand aunt, Mrs. Carruthers, “She was an incredibly talented and dynamic woman, who made a name for herself in the days before it was “acceptable” for women to do that, and I still miss her, even though I am almost fifty years old. She was an extraordinary influence on my life in many ways.“

To start us out Jenifer has kindly provided us a little background information about her family. Some questions can’t be answered as the people who could answer them are no longer living, however, I do believe there will be valuable information provided that has not been discussed before.

Jenifer told us, “Helen was actually my grand-aunt (my father’s father’s sister) and the oldest of four children. The only one of these four siblings to have children of their own was my grandfather (James Edward Bond or “Jim Ed”), and he only had one child (James Edward Bond, Jr.—my father, and no, I am not kidding about the name). My dad is, literally an entire generation all by himself! So Helen, whom I always called “Auntie,” never had any children of her own, but had three great-nieces (me and my sisters!), upon whom she doted, spoiled and helped raise.”

Another point that Jenifer made was, “You need to understand that Auntie passed away when I was about twelve years old (and I am the oldest of the three of us). So, although we spent a large part of our time with her and have lots of memories, they are mostly from a child’s point of view. That said, I can tell you that I remember every step of the process by which her sweaters were made, but failed to appreciate it at the time it was going on. I had no idea of their popularity—then or now, until very recently. Of course a lot of local people had them, but I thought it was just because they were close, were her friends or more likely, didn’t really think much about it at all. I certainly didn’t know that celebrities were wearing them! I grew up in the sixties and seventies, when material possessions were scorned and so were shoes, and I most certainly wouldn’t have been caught dead in one of those sweaters! My mother had a few, but hardly ever wore them, and I never owned one until Auntie’s last remaining sibling (my Aunt Jessie) died and my sisters and I divided what was left. I don’t think I even imagined ever wearing one; we just couldn’t part with them for sentimental reasons. However, styles and tastes change (thank goodness!) and I have actually started to wear them now and then and always get many complements and am surprised at how many people know exactly what they are! There was even a local showing of many of her sweaters about a year ago, which was highly advertised and that I managed to miss, if you can believe it! (I was working twelve-hour night shifts at a hospital at the time; I’m an RN)."

Of course we are closing this installment with a beautiful sweater created by Helen Bond Carruthers just to whet your appetite for more information on this inspirational designer of wearable art. All the sweaters that will be featured in my blog are owned by the Carruthers family members. Check back often as we provide more never before known information about Ms. Carruthers’ work.

Today I decided to talk about bathing suits. Bathing suits have been around since the Greeks. Actually the bikini is very similar to early Greek bathing suits. How we got to those minimalist suits from Ancient Greece to the cover it all up wool suits of the 1890s I'll never know.

As time marched on bathing suits became more and more brief. I'd hazard a guess that most of us remember seeing pictures of Betty Grable in her pin-up bathing suit or Esther Williams in her swimming movies all dolled up and looking great.

Bathings suits give a woman or for that matter a man a way to show what they're made of. Suits of the 1940s and 1950s had modesty panels across the hip area in lots of women's swimsuits. Two piece suits were available but nowhere near as brief as the bikinis of the late 1960s to the present. And of course there was the famous monokini designed by Rudi Gernreich in 1964 that let almost all of it hang out.

So whether you're a let it all hang out type of guy or gal or the type that likes to leave a little more to the imagination, Born Too Late Vintage has lots of bathing suits to fit the real you.

1950s



Vintage 1950s Kahala Sexy Pin-Up Green Swimsuit Bathing Suit



Vintage 1950s Paradise Sexy Swimsuit Bathing Suit



Vintage 1950s Kahala Sexy Pin-up Blue Bathing Suit


1960s



Vintage 60s Jantzen Flower Power Bathing Suit Dcup



Vintage 60s Roxanne Water Lily Bathing Suit D cup



Vintage 60s Roxanne Spider Mum Bathing Suit D cup



Vintage 1960s Gabar Flowered Sexy VLV Swimsuit Bathing Suit


1970s



Vintage 1970s Purple Blue Flower Swimsuit Bathing Suit B40C



Vintage 1970s Blue Sexy Pin-Up Swimsuit Bathing Suit Sz S


So what are you waiting for?

Start shopping NOW!

Today I'm writing about how memories play into the collecting and selling of vintage items. I'm the oldest of 11 grandchildren born to my Nonna and Nonno.


Here I am at age 4 in my cream brocade and squirrel collar dress that my grandmother bought for me. Even then I was dressed in what is now vintage and boy do I wish I still had this dress!



My Nonna and Nonno lived in Garrison, New York but once a month went into the city to collect the rent on the apartment building they owned in the Village. We'd go to the apartment building and my Nonna and I would go floor by floor collecting the rents and the tenants always had a toy or orange, lime and lemon slice candies for "the little princess." My Nonno would talk to the super finding out what was going on in the building while we were doing this. Once the rents were collected and the visiting was finished off we would go.

The routine was to go to John's Pizzeria on Bleecker Street in the village for lunch. My Nonno would give me quarters to put in the juke box and I always played "Peppino the Italian Mouse" by Lou Monte. My Nonno would blacken the top of the pizza with black pepper and to this day I still blacken mine the same way. There's nothing in the world like brick oven pizza. After lunch we would head home to Garrison and I always fell asleep in the car tuckered out from too many orange candy slices and blackened pizza.

Fast forward 33 years to present day Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania where I run my vintage clothing store "Born Too Late Vintage." I'm out and about in my usual fashion and I stumble across this new without tags wool suit from the Elaine Starkman boutique in Greenwich Village.



Memories bombard my mind so I buy the suit and take it home to start my researching. However, I find there is very little on the internet about Elaine Starkman other than Mary Travers from the group Peter, Paul & Mary worked for Elaine Starkman at her boutique in the village. Over the next year or two I search the internet on and off for more information holding the suit until I know more about Elaine. Over time I find auctions of leather sandals that Elaine Starkman made and jewelry that she made as well. Elaine Starkman also had one of the first art galleries in Soho.

A friend named Scott was able to provide me this information, "Elaine Starkman had a boutique in the Village (149 Bleecker) in the early sixties, and she moved up to Lexington (between 64th and 65th Streets) in 1966 or so because most of her client base lived in that vicinity.

Leather goods were a Starkman specialty; the shop made leather pants to order in several styles (the most popular being the diagonally-zipped "peon" pants, which took about two weeks for delivery); they ran around $65 in the early sixties. Other Starkman offerings included such chic sportswear as velour separates in purple, ruby red, deep blue and black and pull-overs with drawstring hems. Prices were all over the board: from about $7 for simple tops to $35 for summer dresses and going all the way up to $200 or so for suede and leather sportswear ensembles."

Once I had this information I was able to list the suit I found almost 2 years prior, satisfied that I knew enough about Elaine Starkman. To my surprise the granddaughter of a friend of Ms. Starkman's contacted me in the last several months to ask me what I knew about Elaine. So I corresponded with her a few times to tell her what I had found over the last two years. She was able to tell me that Elaine Starkman is still living and doing just fine. So my adventure into the world and fashions of Elaine Starkman have come full circle.

My next foray into Greenwich Village boutique fashion will be about Fred Leighton's shop and my fashion connection with him. Until then think green and buy vintage. Save the environment one vintage outfit at a time!

Born Too Late Vintage

From undergarments to dresses to swimwear Born Too Late Vintage loves plus size gals!

Who says buxom babes can't wear vintage?!! Come check out the plus size vintage now at Born Too Late Vintage!!