Mid-Century Magic: Portland’s Antique Mall Adventure

Oh, the joy of antiquing! There’s nothing quite like the thrill of the hunt for that perfect piece of the past to bring into the present. My recent antiquing spree in the charming city of Portland, Oregon was nothing short of magical. The city, with its quirky and retro vibe, is a treasure trove for lovers of mid-century modern, atomic, and retro vintage treasures.

My first stop was the famed Stars Antique Mall, a place where the past comes alive. The aisles were brimming with delightful finds from vintage furniture to quaint knick-knacks. I left with some amazing vintage pieces!! Each booth told a story of a bygone era waiting to be rediscovered. I enjoy shopping at Stars for a couple of reasons:

Stars Antique Mall
Stars Antique Mall

The Stars Antique Mall in Portland is a captivating blend of variety, space, and convenience, making it a must-visit hub for antique enthusiasts. Housing a lively community of 200 dealers, the mall offers a rich tapestry of merchandise ranging from Mid-Century Modern pieces of the 1950s-1960s, retro delights from the 1970s-1980s, vinyl records, whimsical kitchen kitsch, ephemeral items, charming figurines, novelties, and seasonal collectibles, among others.

This diverse array of merchandise not only creates a vibrant and dynamic shopping environment but also invites visitors into a nostalgic journey through time. Adding to its allure is the mall’s spacious and expansive layout, spread across two storefronts on the same block. The generous space provides a comfortable ambiance for shoppers to meander through the huge showrooms, making the exploration of antique and vintage treasures an exciting adventure.

Located in the quaint Westmoreland neighborhood of southeast Portland, the mall is easily accessible to both locals and visitors. To top off the delightful shopping experience, the vicinity boasts a range of refreshment options. Just a short stroll away, one can find a welcoming array of food and beverage outlets, from the comforting brews of Starbucks to the savory delights of Pizzicato, catering to every palate and making the antiquing adventure not just a feast for the eyes, but also a satisfying treat for the taste buds.

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Atomic Era Franciscan Starburst Dinnerware for your Table

Franciscan Starburst Dinnerware pic from Charleston Gazette-Mail
Franciscan Starburst Dinnerware pic from Charleston Gazette-Mail

It all started at the Alameda Point Antiques Faire ( largest open-air antique faire in Northern California with 800+ dealer booths) when we stumbled upon a dealer selling sets of Franciscan Starburst dinnerware and knew the moment had come to add this explosively beautiful pattern to our collection. We had admired the Starburst design for some time as those starbursts just scream atomic era to us, but the moment wasn’t quite right to start our collection until today, and getting to hold the dishes and see the pattern in person was fantastic.

Franciscan Starburst Dinnerware pic from Charleston Gazette-Mail
Franciscan Starburst Dinnerware pic from Charleston Gazette-Mail

The Starburst pattern was introduced in 1954 and only produced through 1957 by Franciscan Ware. The Atomic Starburst design was futuristic for the time and complemented the chrome appliances and kitchens of the era. The Starburst pattern still oozes that mid-century modern atomic chic and is a standout on our dining table today and I can’t help but sing the famous Frank Sinatra song Fly Me to Moon as I set our table!!

Franciscan Ware Starburst Dinnerware
Franciscan Ware Starburst Dinnerware
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Pinup Girl Enamel Pins

Yasmina Greco Crazy4Me Style Enamel Pin

We are excited to share these one-of-a-kind enamel pins with you all that are available now in our little shop crazy4mestyle.com . These are created from custom artwork and we worked with so many manufactures until we found the right one that would make the highest quality pins with brilliant details to bring out all the vintage charm and colors of the design. Here they are; these are the first lot of enamel pins that are in our shop now.

Pinup Girl Rosie Riveter Flamingo Enamel Pins Crazy4Me Style

We’ve got a beautiful Flamingo Love enamel pin that comes in gold or silver. These flamingos are standing in a pool of cool blue refreshing water surrounded by lush palm fronds and perfect for the tiki loving Pinup gal. Our next pin is our Atomic Rocket Blast Off pin and this one too comes in gold or silver and, is so reminiscent of the atomic age. Let talk about one of my very favorite pins, our Pinup Rosie enamel pin. This one is a really nice size and a brooch as well. I am crazy4 our Rosie pin. She has all the details of the iconic WW2 female Rosie the Riveter and our pin is stunning and I think you’ll really love her!! Finally, I’d like to introduce you to our 1956 Nash Metropolitan pin. This is a pin designed after our very own 56 Nash Metro. It’s got all the fabulous fun of the 1950s with the turquoise blue color and chrome, chrome chrome!!

Yasmina Greco Crazy4Me Style Enamel PinCrazy4Me Style Pinup Girl Enamel Pins

Our pins are so easy to mix and match and can be worn casually on denim jackets and ball caps. You can accessorize blouses, tote bags, and cardigans too. Each pin is shipped on a card backing .You won’t see pins like these on others and you’ll stand out with some retro Pinup glam wearing our enamel pins. We are working on a couple new collections so stay tuned. We’d love to share your pics in our #crazy4mestyle pins and outfits so tag us on Instagram for a feature @crazy4mestyle.

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Midway Antique Mall – Atomic, Eames Era, Mid-Century Modern Galore

Over the holiday weekend we decided to take a drive out to Sacramento, CA. When I researched Sacramento I found ‘Midway Antique Mall’ which is a multi-dealer mall and specializes in Eames Era and 1950s merchandise and collectibles. Also, there is ‘57th Street Antiques Row’ which is multiple shops and malls on 57th Street in Sacramento. So, there was sure to be plenty of looking and shopping to keep us busy.

The drive was over 2 hours and traffic was heavy. When we approached Sacramento the sky had a brown tint and the smell of smoke was thick, there was a fire burning somewhere and by the looks of the sky and the smell, it was a big fire. It was a hot day too, by the time we arrived it was over 95 degrees!

Yasmina Greco Crazy4Me

We pulled up into the parking of Midway Antique Mall and there were lots of cars. We walked through the front door and were transported directly to 1960! OUTSTANDING! The first 4,000 sqft or so of this mall is all 1950s and 1960s rooms ranging from multiple setup rooms of living and dining rooms, a dentist office, bedroom and kitchens. Check out these amazing pictures that my husband took.

This mall is clean and well lit. Lots and lots of glass cases and booths that have vintage cameras, kitchen items, paintings, clocks, books, stamps, Holt Howard items and pixieware, vintage clothing and dressing rooms to try on the items, and lots of 1950s and 1960s poodles along with lovely linens.

Yasmina Greco Crazy4Me

The staff at this mall are so friendly and knowledgeable and a dealer named Kevin helped us the entire 3 hours we were there. As we were up at the register, Mark, the owner was ringing us up and packing our items with great care and he was so nice and friendly and told us stories about his 2 Yorkie dogs and how photo shoots take place in his mall and lots of magazine and TV shows have photographed and filmed at the mall because of all the neat and fabulous rooms and items. It has been a very, very, long time since I was in an antique mall and had such a blast! Even if we hadn’t bought a few boxes of items to take back to town with us, the shear experience of walking around the mall and seeing all the 1950s and 1960s rooms that were setup was such a thrill!!  We will certainly be back!!

Yasmina Greco Tiki Pinup

I wore my fun 1950s turquoise blue tiki Pinup dress and thought I fit right into this dynamite destination with all the chrome dinette sets and fabulous mid-century dinnerware.

My sweet husband Gary took these outstanding pictures and captured such a fun day for us.

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Pinup Perfection Tied with a Pussy Bow for the Office

Yasmina Greco Heart of Haute Estelle Atomic Cats

I’ve been getting asked a lot what a work appropriate top is that has Pinup Rockabilly style since the many options on the market can be a little too cleavage reveling to wear to the office.  So, I decided to post my review of the fabulous Estelle blouse by Heart of Haute and the top I am reviewing is in the Atomic Cat print.

First off, let’s talk about the style. The silhouette is dynamite!! Short sleeve with great shape, classic cut to flatter your curves, gathers along the shoulder and a higher neckline compliment with a perfect pussy bow for ultra feminine flair. There is no other blouse that is more conservative yet feminine and flatters a large bust or small bust equally. Because of the feminine cut, the blouse doesn’t have pulling between buttons so rest assured, there will be no buttons popping open. The blouse is incredibly comfortable, doesn’t wrinkle easily and makes you feel confident, gorgeous, and ready to take charge of a meeting, close a big deal, and handle those irate customers all in classic Pinup style.

Yasmina Greco Heart of Haute Estelle Top Atomic Cats
The Estelle blouse from Heart of Haute pairs perfectly with swing skirts or pencil skirts and even wide leg trousers. The Estelle is so versatile. This blouse is a staple in my work wardrobe and the fabulous gals at Heart of Haute keep coming out with new prints and even sleeveless styles so you can toss on a sweet cardigan if the office gets a little chilly. I definitely will be adding many more Estelle’s to my collection. These tops tend to sell out quickly so hurry and get yours while sizes last!!

 

UPDATE: Top Vintage Retro Boutique also has this one in stock-

Yasmina Greco Top Vintage Pinup Heart of Haute Estelle Atomic Cats

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