We're blowing out all our coats at Love Train Vintage!

So what are you waiting for?



Let's go shopping!

Every so often we all need to make some changes in our life. We need to get shaken out of our complacency and do something a little different.

Selling vintage clothing and accessories is no different. When you see that the same old same old isn't working you have to make some changes.

For this reason we've closed Born Too Late Vintage on Ruby Lane. We still love our Ruby Lane customers but we need to make a change.

So if you're looking for great vintage clothing and accessories please check out our new location named Love Train Vintage on Etsy.

Same management but with a different attitude!

So when you have to get your groove on check out

In today's economy many of us are really having to look at our budget more closely than ever when deciding on holiday gifts for our friends and families. With that in mind, sellers on Ruby Lane like myself are looking at items to list for our customers that will give them a quality gift without breaking the bank.

That doesn't mean we won't continue to stock the best in collectibles, vintage clothing and accessories, etc. It just means that a lot of us will be looking for ways to help our customers keep their budgets balanced while being able to provide a thoughtful gift to people they care about.

This means in my shop for example, I'll be listing more items like neckties, scarves, cufflinks, necklaces, bracelets and earrings which are normally the companion items to my my larger inventory of vintage clothing, shoes, hats and purses. Perhaps a customer's budget won't stretch to purchasing a larger ticket item, but an accent jewelry piece, scarf or necktie is within their budget.

We can all look at this as an opportunity to help our business grow by reaching out to new customers while also building goodwill in a time when it will definitely will be appreciated. Free, combined or discounted shipping can also make a difference for some of our customers. This is something else that is much appreciated as well.

Here are just a few examples of items on Ruby Lane now that would certainly fit the bill and all $25 or under!

from Alley Cats Vintage


Sweet Vintage 1950s Black Velvet
Rhinestone Beret Style Cocktail Hat


from Born Too Late Vintage


Vintage Squire Gold Tone Metal and
Faux Mother of Pearl Cufflinks & Tie Bar


from A & J Esoterica


Vintage Stetson Sovereign Brown Plush
Felt Snap-Brim Fedora, 7 1/4


from Catseye Vintage Estate Collection


Vintage 40s 50s Atomic Rhinestone
Layered Starburst Silver Tone Brooch Pin


from Vintage Pretties Lingerie


Red ~ Sexy Satin Lace up
Babydoll Nightgown Chemise ~ 2X


from Aaralyn's Velvet Dragonfly


Vintage Square Black & Silver
Siam Dancer Earrings


So just remember for your holiday gift giving, it's the thought that counts!

Holiday parties are coming up and what better way to dress up than with something beautiful from Born Too Late Vintage?


Vintage 1940s Black Corde' Elaborate Shell Stitch Hat


Vintage 1980s A.J. Bari Black & Blue Glitter Dress B34 W32 H38


Vintage 1940s Florsheim Black Suede Cuban Heel Oxfords Shoes size 9 1/2 AAA


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


Vintage 1950s Black Velvet Jacket with Mink Collar B46 W46


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

Deal of the Day from Born Too Late Vintage for our lovely lady customers!


Vintage 1950s Navy Blue Straw Platter Hat with Clip Underside
We also have Free shipping in the U.S.!

Deal of the Day from Born Too Late Vintage for our curvy lady customers!


Vintage 1950s VLV Creamy Ecru Brocade Dress B38 W32 H48

We also have Free shipping in the U.S.!

Deal of the Day from Born Too Late Vintage for our curvy lady customers!


Vintage 1970s Count Romi Trench Coat w Notched Fur Collar B42 W42 H46 Plus Size

We also have Free shipping in the U.S.!

Deal of the Day from Born Too Late Vintage for our ladies who love Christmas Sweaters!


Vintage 1970s Red Christmas Novelty Sweater B50 W50 H50


We also have Free shipping in the U.S.!

Deal of the Day from Born Too Late Vintage for our gentlemen customers!


Vintage 1970s James and James
Ltd. Mens Bespoke Gray Wool
Dress Coat Chest 43 W43 H46

We also have Free Shipping to the U.S.!

Deal of the Day from Born Too Late Vintage for our curvy customers!


Vintage 1980s Black Ribbon, Lace and Sequin
Flapper Style Dress with Dropped Waist
B40 W42 H52 Size 22



We also have Free Shipping to the U.S.!

Deal of the Day at Born Too Late Vintage



Vintage 1950s Powder Blue Stiletto Pumps Shoes size 8 1/2

$50 with free shipping in the U.S.!!

Oh how the mighty have fallen. How have I come to this? Hanging on a Halloween rack with a graduation gown, a ballerina tutu, an old baseball uniform and a pair of lederhosen!

Back in the day I was a star, a designer gown, sparkling on the rack just waiting for the discerning lady with very, very deep pockets.

I remember that day so well. The ambiance of The Green Room at Saks Fifth Avenue. The dignified ladies perusing the designer ware, looking for that perfect gown for that very special event. I saw her from across the room. She was tall and model slender. She wasn't a sweet young thing but as close to it as you can get to it at the age of 30. Her figure was to die for and toned within an inch of her life, although she was the mother of two very active children. She glanced my way and made a beeline towards me.

Seconds later she was in the dressing room oohing and ahhing over the cut of me and the sparkle of my green and silver lame' fabric. Her husband had just made partner in the law firm, a long vied for position he had slaved for and they had reason to celebrate. The firm was having their Christmas party at the Rainbow Room and she wanted to put her best foot forward. With a designer gown from Mollie Parnis, designer of the first ladies, you just could not go wrong.

Luckily for her I needed no alterations and I was carefully packed in tissue paper and off I went to her Scarsdale home. I was given the place of honor in her already crowded closet, with all her fashion finds from Loehmann's. But this time she'd not picked up a discounted designer item. She had purchased me in The Green Room at Saks!

Although she splurged and bought me there, her common sense still ruled her and she paired me with a pair of silver stilletos that were her favorites and well broken in. A silver clutch purse already in her closet was added and to finish her look off, she added a pair of art deco teardrop green glass earrings she had found in a quaint little shop in Greenwich Village. She was ready for The Rainbow Room and just could not wait.

Flash forward 49 years later. Here I am hanging on this costume rack. Save me! Doesn't anyone hear me!! I don't belong here! I'm a star! Suddenly I began having this old but familiar feeling. Someone is looking at me from afar. An overweight rather frumpy looking woman is making her way towards me. Goodness she's not going to fit into me. What is she thinking?? She's picking me up and the look in her eyes is the same as my original owner. She strokes my fabric and she has gentle hands. She flips me inside out and finds my label. I see her smile light up her entire face. Why she's not frumpy! She's just hiding her light under a bushel.

Grinning widely and very self satisfied, we make our way to the checkout line. The cashier shoves me inside a used plastic Walmart bag (the peasant!) and off we go. I don't remember the rest of the trip to her home as I fell asleep from the suffocating plastic smell of the bag.

I awoke abruptly as I felt myself being slipped over a mannequin. Then hot lights were turned on me and she started taking photographs. She moved the mannequin this way and snapped away taking pictures of my construction, fabric and my label. I knew then that I was being handled by a pro. This frumpy overweight woman with the twinkle in her eyes was a vintage clothing entrepreneur. She was just the person to find me a new home where I would be cherished. At last I would be happy again, not relegated to the Halloween rack!

Free shipping in the U.S. at Born Too Late Vintage

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

Need a pick me up? Want to brighten up that fall wardrobe? Then do it with a pair of fab shoes from Born Too Late Vintage



Vintage 1940s Sexy Lipstick Red
Baby Doll Platform Shoes size 7 1/2


Vintage 1940s Florsheim Black Suede Cuban Heel
Oxfords Shoes size 9 1/2 AAA



Vintage 1980s Helene Arpels Couture Purple
Alligator Skin Pumps Shoes Size 8 1/2




Vintage 1970s Hush Puppies White Perforated
Swing Style Shoes Size 8 M



Vintage 1960s Inspirations Rust Suede Pump Shoes size 8

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

Buy any two items and get free U.S. shipping (no items excluded!).

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

From the 1920s to the 1980s there is something for everyone at Born Too Late Vintage!





Vintage 1980s Form Fitting
Brown Leather Suit B36 W27 H36



Vintage 1970s B. Altman Cherry Blossom
Floral Print Maxi Dress and Matching Jacket
B34 W32 H40




Vintage 1960s Elinor Gay Black
Cocktail Dress B34 W26 H34



1970s Castleberry Red Knit
Suit B36 W32-36 H38



Vintage 1950s Mr. K Originals Black
Wool Fedora with Iridescent Black Feathers


So what are you waiting for? Let's Go Shopping!!

Variety is the spice of life and we have plenty of that at Born Too Late Vintage


Vintage 1960s Brown and White Tweed Full Length Coat with Matching Scarf B34 W32 H42


Vintage 1950s VLV Creamy Ecru Brocade Dress B38 W32 H48 Plus



Vintage 1960s Vanity Fair Light Blue Nylon Full Slip B34 W30 H34



Vintage 1970s Sears Roebucks Denim & Shearling Work Jacket Coat Size 38 R


Vintage 1940s Florsheim Black Suede Cuban Heel Oxfords Shoes size 9 1/2 AAA


Remember Free shipping on all coats! So what are you waiting for? Let's go shopping!!

Free U.S. shipping on all coats at Born Too Late Vintage!!

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

What in the world is Gordana Gehlhausen doing on Project Runway? What I'm saying is why is she wasting her talents there? I've watched 6 weeks of projects and watched her alternately basically being told to leave the runway as her design was "good enough" to watching her take it on the chin because she's made her fashion too wearable (newspaper outfit). It appears that "make it work" does not count except in Tim Gunn's book. Gordana has made it work on every challenge.

Last night's show just put me over the top. Yes, Gordana's flapper outfit was par for the course for that historical period, however, her execution of that flapper dress was just stunning. She hit the genre of period piece for that time period right on the head in my opinion. She is an extremely talented designer/tailor. Her outfits always come out looking completely and beautifullly finished right down to every seam, bead, macrame section, etc. What she sends down the runway is always wearable. There is such beauty in her execution on all these challenges and yet the judges don't seem to be able to give her credit for that.

I did some reading up on Gordana and her favorite designer is John Galliano. John Galliano! I would never have guessed that Gordana would have chosen him. I've written about John Galliano before (see this blog:

http://alwaysplayingdressup.blogspot.com/2008_06_22_archive.html ).

I have to say when I see John Galliano's designs on the runway the phrase "hot mess" comes to my mind immediately.

I fear that soon the axe is going to fall on Gordana simply because the judges deem her work too "wearable" and not enough of the fantasy pieces that her favorite designer, John Galliano, spins out for the runway.

Ultimately I have to say that I'd much rather have Gordana designing wearable fashion for the masses than cranking out the stuff John Galliano spins for his runway shows. Surely there is room for both the functional and the fantasy on the runway. Are you listening judges?

All it wanted to do was go home. It was 63 years old and although it's owner had loved it for a long time, it was tired. Tired of sandy beaches and salt water taffy. Tired of being passed from sister to sister, niece to niece and granddaughter to granddaughter. Tired of being exposed to sun, summer after summer from Maine to Florida to California and all beach points in between.
It was finally donated when it's last owner just felt it had no use left it it and that's when I found it in my travels.

Checking out one of my favorite shops, I saw that this one was different. There was just something that caught my eye. As I picked it up off the rack and rifled to see the label I could tell that it was vintage. Then it happened. A treasure. A bona fide treasure in a place I shop often. I saw this:



I looked again, not believing what I was seeing. On the exterior I was cool as a cucumber and sauntered up to the checkout line. I paid for my purchase and made my way to the car. Once I got my treasure into the car I gave it a good going over. I'd seen a similar label a few years back.
I decided to head back home as nothing else I could find that day would compare in any way to my treasure.

Once home, I showed my treasure to my husband. He said, "You can't sell that on your venue. Why did you buy it?" I looked at him and smiling, said, "Because I'll never find another one like it." I took my treasure into my office and went right to the Vintage Fashion Guild label resource and looked under Jantzen. There were similar labels but none exactly like this one. The ones that were similar were from the 1940s. Surely there was no way I'd found a 1940s Jantzen bathing suit.

I searched on the Internet for the Jantzen website and much to my surprise found that they are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. So I emailed the sales department and asked that my questions about the bathing suit be forwarded to their archivists.

On Monday morning I received an email from Jantzen letting me know that my treasure was produced in 1946 and called "Sun Soaker", made of gorgeous Lastex Velva-Lure. It retailed for $5.95. I showed the bathing suit to my 12-year-old daughter who loves vintage clothing, in particular vintage bathing suits, but alas, the suit would not fit her, so I had a decision to make.
Would I offer my treasure on another venue or keep it.

Later in the day I received another email from Jantzen offering to purchase the bathing suit. I decided it could have no better home than in the Jantzen archives. So today the Sun Soaker is finally going to make its way home where it will receive a well deserved rest. I am positive that this bathing suit was the favorite of many, many women. Here's hoping that Jantzen will come out with a retro line of these suits. I know at least 3 women in my household who would definitely buy the Sun Soaker.