PRETTY CAT VINTAGE St Patrick's SALE!!!

15% OFF the ENTIRE SHOP!

Please visit http://WWW.ETSY.COM/SHOP/PRETTYCATVINTAGE to check out what's in stock.

Over 60 vintage pieces, including shoes, boots, scarves, pendants, costume jewelry, cowichans, fishermen and fairisle sweaters, polka dots, pinstripes, fur, suedes, velvets and metallics.

Enter STPATTY15 at Checkout to get your 15% off!

Happy Shopping!!

Goodies on EBAY - Aritzia, Urban Outfitters, Free People and so much more

Just updated the EBAY shop with some great trendy pieces. Aritzia, Urban Outfitters, FREE PEOPLE, Aldo, Steve Madden, Nine West, Forever 21, H&M, Banana Republic, Club Monaco, ZARA, O'neill, Billabong and more.



HAPPY SHOPPING!!

March 2012 Collection

A Labour of Love!

What a labour of love this vintaging business is. Sometimes I get in over my head and overbuy, because, well, it's my "business" to go shopping! Hah. So, I am busy filling up my Etsy store, (www.etsy.com/shop/prettycatvintage), and I have a TON of watchers, but still no sales. I'm not discouraged, however. I know that in time, the ball will get rolling. Whether I need to lower my prices (you're welcome!), or just keep on stocking to ensure exposure, I am not giving up.

This is what they mean when they say Labour of Love. I could do this all day, everyday, and it would never feel like work to me. Now, once I start making a living out of it, I will know I am one of the lucky ones.

Until then, I am a piano teacher, and vintaging is just a hobby.

Yes, you read right. I am a professional musician. www.ritamovsessian.com :)

That's all for today!

Check out my ETSY store: www.etsy.com/shop/prettycatvintage
Look up Pretty Cat Vintage on FACEBOOK
Rita Movsessian on FACEBOOK

Cheers :)

Oh my small town, How I love thee.

First of all, I must mention that I absolutely LOVE my small town thrift store. I have been frequenting this shop since I was in the 9th grade, because I could walk in with pocket change, and walk out with a stunning wool coat. I didn't really understand the concept of vintage back then, but I did understand quality. This place is a gem.

15 years later, I am a hobby vintager, and I buy and sell to local clients and online, as well to shops within downtown Vancouver and Toronto. I love doing this so much that it doesn't even feel like work - just like a hobby that makes money. Isn't that the trick to happiness?
Anyways, each time I visit this shop, I have an "OHHH my GOD" moment (that's an official term, by the way). It is the moment in which I realize that what is in my hands, is so unique and so special, and that I am the luckiest person in the store to have found it. This is what makes vintaging worthwhile.

Yesterday was no exception. I am going through the men's suits, a rack I rarely peruse, when I find this stunning vintage suit jacket - all black with satin lapels, in excellent condition. If that wasn't enough to make my day, I check the lining to realize that not only was this custom made, based on the stitching, but it is by Oscar de la Renta!
Pieces like this aren't really my market, so I will likely not sell it in my shop, but I do want to get it appraised, and hopefully get it into the hands of someone who can truly appreciate it!

On top of all that, when I go to ring it in, the sweet old lady accidentally punches in a total that is less than the marked price. I correct her, because, you know, Karma, and so she tries again. "Is this correct?", she asks me, as she looks for her glasses, and I see she has now punched in $1. "Nope, try again"..and she punches in $1012. "How about now?".
Long story short, eventually she got it right, and we all walked away happy - especially me :)


Thanks for reading! :)
Pretty Cat Vintage

To Etsy? Why yes.

Etsy vs. Ebay. What a world of difference. Ebay feels like an overstocked, overprocessed, manufactured, walmart.
There is no longer room for small start up businesses anymore. What used to be a niche market (way back in the day) for the average person to list their unwanted lovelies, is now a place for the same type of seller to go virtually unnoticed for the duration of their listing.
I have done my research. Looked up ways to promote my ebay page, and always to no end. After all the work and hassle, after shipping fees and buyers screwing me over, I barely came even.

Etsy, on the other hand, is a land where I belong. Where cute handmade gems, and selective vintage pickers come to frolic and be noticed. What a sweet community it is, where instead of adding something to your watch list, as per ebay, once you favorite an item, you are listed to the seller as "an admirer" of said item. Sweet.

Anyway, just listed a few items on there to start and hoping for the best. Byebye ebay. You are a vortex of online selling misery. Hello Etsy, I love you.

My ETSY Shop!

like me on facebook!

To Ebay or Not to Ebay - That is the question

As a vintager, I obviously pride myself on the concept of being green, recycling, and not being wasteful or wasting money on consumerism and material goods.

Yet, here I am, trying to sell my fun finds on ebay, only to be packing tiny items in large padded envelopes covered in tape, shipping just about everywhere, which costs money in fuel, air conditioning in the mailroom where it is sorted, and ultimately more garbage when it arrives at its destination.

Now, back to basics. Although this won't widen my market, perhaps it makes a TON more sense to sell locally. Staying within Toronto, I know there's a great market of trendy, fun, interesting dressers like myself! Simple, easy transactions, without a huge percentage going to greedy conglomerates like Ebay and Paypal, which essentially rob the small, honest sellers blind. I'm sure we can all appreciate that!

Local it is. You are welcome :~)