Luxury on a Budget

There's just no getting around it: This belted loden-and-cream coat is absolutely stunning — and uber feminine. Who wouldn't look like a midcentury goddess with miles of soft silver fox fur framing their face?
If you're into a more recent era, the sleek sheared mink bomber was once worn by Bianca Jagger. (Just kidding. But can't you just see her wearing this over some slinky disco duds?)
RetroMania is kind of excited about finding this Russian "watch" hat. Julie Christie looked so great wearing a fur hat in Dr. Zhivago — girls with long, straight hair can really rock that look. What's extra-cool: It's from the U.S.S.R., comrades! Inside are the letters "CCCP," the Russian abbreviation for the Soviet Union. Do svidanya!

Cutting-edge Vintage Fabrics

I love beautiful vintage fabric and I can't say no to some of the fantastic midcentury textiles that I come across from time to time. Yet I haven't operated a sewing machine since I was in junior high!
But the hoarding had to stop. Here are some fabrics that have left the dark drawer and are now in RetroMania. It's high time for some creative Etsy types to let these beauties shine — as amazing skirts, dresses or tops; on pillows or chairs; or as very cool curtains. For more eye candy, get a load of one of the midcentury master designers, Lucienne Day, whose designs went on everything from carpets to towels to teapots. It'll take your breath away.

Sporting Vintage Letterman Jackets

Letterman jackets look so cool. Always have, always will. Apparently, celebrities and fashionistas think so, too -- The New York Times ran an article about letterman jackets in spring, saying the trend was heating up. In the article, Jack Marcus, the owner of Cheap Jack’s vintage clothing shop in Manhattan said, “Designers started buying them from me about a year ago, so I knew it was coming. About two months ago, I’d say, customers started buying them, too.” Well, then. Never one to be left behind, RetroMania is representin' with this awesome vintage letterman jacket (left).

Vintage clothes at RetroMania

We love vintage clothes as much as the next Fort Worth and Dallas midcentury freak. So while we were rearranging things at RetroMania recently, we decided to add some coats, dresses, heels and assorted accessories to the mix. Take a peek and see what you think — we'd love your impressions. The orange silk heels are about a size 7 or 7.5 (oh, so close!) and most of the dresses/coats are about a size 8 to 10. I think the little '70s dress with diagonal bands of brown and cream would look so great with tall ankle booties and ratted-up hair (man, I miss Amy Winehouse!). There's also a very ladylike double-breasted nubby green coat with fox collar -- just screams for a poofy ponytail and sexy shades. While we're at it, we need to give a shout-out to the latest cool local blog. It's called Mosey! and it chronicles local street style. Hey, maybe we'll spot someone on Mosey! wearing our stuff! BTW, thanks, Fortworthology, for spreadin' the news!

Say Hello to "The Ghost of Goodnight Lane"

We realize it's unbecoming to brag, but we've never been good about doing what we're supposed to. We're psyched about playing a part in an independent feature film called The Ghost of Goodnight Lane. It stars Billy Zane, at right, (so gorgeously creepy in Dead Calm and, admittedly, less exciting in Titanic) and Lacey Chabert, who's been in tons of things but whose biggest movie was probably Mean Girls. Producer/director/writer Alin Bijan is directing and co-wrote the film, which is being shot in Dallas. The movie is -- get this -- based on real paranormal events that have taken place for years at Bijan's production company, Media World Studios in Dallas. Apparently, paranormal investigators have confirmed the hauntings. This is serious, people. But back to us. Actually, our furniture, linens and housewares appear in the movie -- we don't. (Though RetroMania was promised a mention in the film credits.) We've had a blast with our little cinematic foray and made some new friends, like the movie's production designer, Adam Dietrich. There was one casualty during filming: the side table that was part of the Tropitan set we wrote about in our last post. The good news is that our two chairs and ottoman are fine and dandy and the price of the now-three-piece set is $295. We gladly suffer for art.

Oh-so-smart little midcentury credenza

So often, each vintage credenza we find is as long as a city bus -- which can be a good thing, depending on your space. This retro baby is in fantastic shape, and it's a great size: 63 1/2" long, 29" high, with interior space that's 15 1/4" deep. Two drawers and two levels behind the sliding cabinet doors. So many possible uses! Of course, as with most midcentury furniture, it's built to last -- waaaaay past any wackiness 2012 might bring (aren't those Aztec calendars cool-looking, though? Dig the green-turquoise color!)

RetroMania's Christmas Visitors

Next door to RetroMania is Retromania Too, opening up especially for the holidays so we can share our retro-riffic Christmas stuff with the rest of the world. We're just one door down (look for the mid-century light-up Santas and aluminum Christmas trees!). For items in the Christmas shop, payment methods are cash or check. For credit purchases via PayPal, our e-mail address is retromaniafw@gmail.com

A Vintage Thanksgiving Feastival

Well hey there, Pilgrims! Because we're traditionalists here at RetroMania, we refuse to skip straight from Halloween to Christmas. No sir. Especially not when we've got so much to be thankful for, not the least of which is our fellow retro and modernist aficionados, aka you guys! Thanks to all for the kind words and the warm welcome, and for stopping in to check out the midcentury stuff that gets us goin' in the morning. Now, how about passing that Russel Wright gravy boat this way?

Happy Halloween, Retro Ghouls & Boys!

We're suckers for retro holiday kitsch, which must be painfully apparent to anyone who's drifted into our shop this past month. (Next up: wacky tacky pilgrims!) To our fellow MCM enthusiasts in Fort Worth and Dallas, have an over-the-top, insanely fun -- oh, and OF COURSE, safe -- Halloween!

Restoring midcentury furniture

I'm currently working on refurbishing this little Lane table (top photo) to put in the shop. In this line of work, we see lots of furniture that needs love. Some of us are better than others at bringing these works of art back from the brink. On Dallas and Fort Worth Mid-Century Modern, I recently interviewed a man named Hank Tosh, who is dead serious about this endeavor. Check out his shop,Toshmahal (it's on Hampton Road in west Dallas) and you'll see: This man knows how to restore the glory of these deco and midcentury works of art. This is a Lane table (bottom photo) that Hank features on his website. Don't the contrasting colors just melt your heart?