Interview with Diana Coatsworth of Flyball Bags and A touch of vintage.

Diana Coatsworth is an actress, handbag maker and “all things vintage” buyer and seller. She has extraordinary style and an eye for vintage that can’t be beat. (I have made many  late night phone calls in a panic looking for vintage sling back sandals,  3 tiered cupcake trays or a vintage slip.)

We spent an afternoon together at two Value Village  50% off sales. I photographed Diana as she made her way through the store, filling her buggy with unique finds for her online stores ” A Touch of Vintage” and “Flyball bags”, while we chatted about scouring the city for the unique, the hilarious and the gems.

Have you always been a vintage shopper? How did you start?

I was a garage sale-r since I was a kid.  My dad and I would get up early on Saturdays. He’d highlight the sales and get out the map, then number them in order of distance.  I don’t think I really started looking at vintage until my 20’s though.  I remember my mom holding on to all my grandma’s china, silverware and cool kitchen housewares.  I told her, ” Just give it away.” She didn’t, thank God!  Now I love it!

How would you describe your style?

Grandma chic!  I love really feminine style in clothing. Especially 1950’s dresses and clothing that has a European feel.

In my home?  Modern country or flea market style is my fave.  The mix between rusty, flaky primitive pieces to Danish design.  Yin and Yang.  Unexpected and funny items mixed in too.  I love beautiful things and the cosy things around me,  but I’m always editing and realizing sometimes less is more.

Do you have a plan of action when you enter a store ?

My plan in thrift shops is housewares first always.  I don’t know what I’ll find so I try to see an item with fresh eyes and see if it’s something I can make look really good in a photo and is there a profit to be made. That’s important.

You are a pro at finding the gems. Is this a 6^th sense?

Well, I don’t know how special it is to find cool vintage things but I do know what I like and I’ve made sure to only list on my site the items that I truly love.  I’ve been selling online for a year and a half and I really have learned what speaks to others. All that info helps me too.

What do you look for in a garment, fabric or houseware?

Well, first the age.  How old is it?  Ideally 1960’s or earlier. Although I’ve listed many amazing 70’s and 80’s finds, but 1950’s is my fav.

The condition of the piece.  Sometimes I’ll buy up a garment even if there’s a hole or stain as it’s still an incredible find and can be fixed somehow.

Colour, shape, design is big.  I don’t like the heavy polyester from the 60s and 70s so I try to stay away from that kind of thing.

Housewares?  Is it worth the shipping cost is a big question.  I used to list a lot of glassware but now I realize it requires so much packaging (which I recycle as much as possible) to ship.

The other thing is, “Will this photograph well?”  Because if it doesn’t look good online, then it doesn’t sell.

Are there any items you steer clear of?

Oh boy… heavy polyester, damaged goods (unless it’s a truly magnificent piece), heavy items, things that smell (can’t get that out).

What is the best item you found while shopping?

I have found the most incredible 1950’s dresses. I have been so lucky with them.  I found a beautiful 1980’s Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche dress once. It sold overnight.  One of my favorites was a classic rotary phone with bold orange and red stripes down the side.  It was one of my highest viewed items until it sold.

Any items you bought and got home and wondered “What  was I thinking?”

Oh yeah,  like huge glassware sets.  I bought 30 juice glasses once, which isn’t easy to store, thinking they would fly off the shelves.  I bought an old tv/radio combo for too much money at an auction. (I got caught up in the action.)  It never made it to my site.  It was ugly.  I sold it last week at my garage sale for $5.

Garage sales, yard sales, thrift Shops, Craig’s list. What are your favorite places to shop?

In general?  Hmmm… that’s tough… I would say garage sales are so much fun.  They have the best deals, but you’ve got to work for it.  Well, that goes for all of the options really. Craig’s list has been very good to me, but you have to be patient.  It took me 6 months to score my Danish hutch for $120 and at least that long for my steel office desk.

You buy most things to sell on your Etsy sites but are there things you pick up for yourself? Do you find it hard to part with things you buy for your shop?

I don’t find it hard to part with items, thats why I got into it in the first place. I was always finding so many amazing pieces.  Now I can pass them on. I don’t feel guilty borrowing the piece for a while and then selling it later

Where do you find your inspirations?

In my friends, like you… I have really really stylish friends.  Books and magazines, gardening, theatre, anything artistic, student art shows, small and large craft shows, flea markets, late night walks and passing by people’s homes with the lights on.. seeing how they live.  I like that.

Visit Diana at her beautiful websites:

They will transport you!

www.atouchofvintage.etsy.com

www.flyballbags.etsy.com