February 16, 2009
Vintage Find - Bakelite Heart Pin
This week made me think of hearts, plastics, and the economy. Of course I had hearts on the brain because of St. Valentine's Day, but this year, the calendared day of love was over shadowed by fear of the crumbling economy and the letter du jour - the lay off notification.
The last time we saw this sort of economic climate was the Great Depression. While we are not technically in a depression, news of mass lay offs and plummeting stock markets are frightening. It's unbelievable, just as it was in the 1920s when everyone was sipping champagne, people were doing the Charleston till dawn, and living the Garçonne lifestyle. Then Crash!
But what did this do for fashion? Fashionistas who once donned feathers and beads had to learn to mend and reuse. Fashion became minimal and modest.
As we enter an era where we are spending only on the basics and trying to find ways to perk up our wardrobes with inexpensive details in order to save money but still look fab, I am reminded of the amazing little accessory made of the most mundane material that brought joy to frugalistas everywhere - Bakelite jewelry. Bakelite accessories were a relatively inexpensive way to wear highly decorative and whimsical jewelry. Bakelite was such a hit that even women with money started buying the plastic beauties.
This week's vintage find is a perfect way to bid adieu to another Valentine's Day and to welcome wonderful, colorful accessories that brought a whole generation of frugal but fashionable women joy and dazzle to a closet of basics in one of the darkest economic times in history.
Posted by Sandra at February 16, 2009 12:00 AM
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Comments (1)
I really like this pin, it reminds me of a war medal. I wonder if you received it for winning hearts, breaking hearts or surviving a broken heart. I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day.
Posted on February 17, 2009 15:45