What's On Your Vanity Table?....

[Butterfield 8]

I just cleaned it up yesterday:

* a box of tissues
* baby shampoo (the best make up remover ever)
* my magnifying mirror
* my just washed make up brushes (drying)
* a cool bamboo three tiered container that holds my q-tips and cotton balls (IKEA)
* a picture of James Dean
* My mother's pearl bouquet from when she married my dad
* My jewelry box

 

[Butterfield 8]

this is my vanity top... it's 30s birdseye maple. There was a vintage ticket stub for the observation deck of the Empire State Building in one of the drawers when I bought it!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that beautiful green mirror!! Belive it or not, Wal-Mart has some really neat bathroom accessories in that same color and art deco style.

Target is also selling a really cool take on the art deco accessories as well. If I can recall correctly, they have a beautiful table top mirror (silver, art deco style), jewelry boxes (mirrored and a black mirror), side tables, etc.

 

[retromom147]

Ooooh I love everyone's vanity tables! I can't wait to get a vanity of my own! I want to decorate an entire "me" room for my vanity and put posters of classic movies and glamorous prints of 40's and 50's stars on the wall!! You have all inspired me! (I'm also a scrapbokking freak so I explained to the hubby that we need a 4 bedroom house, 1 mb, 2 bd, and 1 vanity/scrapbooking/me room) He just rolls his eyes. lol
Oooh yeah does anyone know where to get one of those lounge chairs? I want one of those in there too.

 

[Miss 1929]

That green tray

is killing me... want it... want it bad...

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

Vintage Vanity - what do you keep in it?

My husband just bought me this gorgeous 1948 vanity. (Will post pics when it is delivered)... anyway it got me thinking about one thing.

How did they do it back in the day? What were the absolute essential items that they kept in their vanity (or on their vanity) for their daily beauty routines?

It makes me think that I can do with a whole lot less products/gadgets.. because let's face it.. vintage vanities do not hold 98 metric tonnes of beauty supplies.

What is the bare minimum that you think was kept in or on the vanities? What is in/on your vanity?

Here is my list:

Boar bristle brush, Comb, Perfume atomizer, Cold cream, tissues, bobby pins, and other hair accouterments. Cosmetic compacts and lipsticks. Rosewater or witchazel, cotton pads, face moisturizer. Am I missing anything?

While I love my new vanity, I am going to have to downsize....

 

[Paisley]

Not very old school here

Makeup, an electric massager for my neck, and poly-spandex workout clothes, among other things, fill my 1930s vanity. (My other toiletries are in the bathroom.)

 

[Aurora]

I had to sell my vanity when I moved house. But my essentials were: make-up (never in the bathroom because of humidity), pure bristle brush, nylon bristle brush, hair pins, hair flowers, perfume, various lotions, my grandparents 1940's wedding photo and a photo of my Grandfather in his Army uniform. My ebony jewellery box full of vintage jewellery, a lucite dressing table set and a silver trimmed glass vase with a faux-rose in. Also, my collection of compacts.
Oh, I also had a 1930's style feather fan, and some pearls over the mirror for added glamour!

Downsize?? I had to downsize when I sold it! lol

Do you have a stool with it?

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

Do you have a stool with it?

Sadly, not yet. But, I am thinking of getting a low stool and re-upholstering it myself. (yeah yeah, we will see..LOL)

I want a pink tufted stool with fringe..LOL

 

[KittyT]

Sadly, not yet. But, I am thinking of getting a low stool and re-upholstering it myself. (yeah yeah, we will see..LOL)

I want a pink tufted stool with fringe..LOL

I would try to get a small bench stool with storage inside. It would be a good place to store items you don't use as often.

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

I would try to get a small bench stool with storage inside. It would be a good place to store items you don't use as often.

That is a great idea KittyT.......I am going to have find a bench seat the size of a baby grand piano for my stuff.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Along with the Usual Essentials, I keep a large assortment of Failed Hair Doohickeys -- no matter what I try, it seems nothing works for me better than plain old pincurls. I also keep an emergency sewing kit -- it's easier to sew on a loose button when I'm in the process of getting dressed than it is to run around looking for a needle and thread once I'm out and about.

There is also a drawer that contains nothing but runned/ruined stockings. I've found they can come in handy for a wide range of things around the house, from tying up tomato plants to providing arms and legs for the Halloween scarecrow we made last year at work.

 

[cherry lips]

My vanity is small, so maybe it belonged to a young girl or teenager. It's greyish-white and painted pink on the inside. When you lift up the desk top it becomes a mirror. I use it as a giant jewelry box!

 

[Darhling]

also a handheld mirror so you can check how your hair looks in the back.

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

Along with the Usual Essentials, I keep a large assortment of Failed Hair Doohickeys -- no matter what I try, it seems nothing works for me better than plain old pincurls.

I agree with you..failed hair doohickeys... If I could have my money back on all the failed hair doohickeys I have bought over the years... I could take us out for a lunch........at The Plaza!

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

also a handheld mirror so you can check how your hair looks in the back.

I need one of those.....I am holding out for an antique one.

Sadly, my hair is long and straight.. so I know how it looks like on a day to day basis. "beauty school dropout."

LOL

 

[Darhling]

I need one of those.....I am holding out for an antique one.

Sadly, my hair is long and straight.. so I know how it looks like on a day to day basis. "beauty school dropout."

LOL

lol lol

 

[Lulu-in-Ny]

Everything that fits! I just got mine, and my son pretty much made me move all of my junk out of the bathroom!
So, here goes:
-Hair dryer, Curling Iron, Flat iron, spare hair lotions/sprays, sponge rollers, roller papers...
-Barrettes, my box of stuff for parting and pinning purposes, scrunchies, hair bands, combs, brushes...
-Face stuff (cold cream, lotions, moisturizers, masques, extra toner, makeup bag, nail polish, deodorant...
-Powders, back-ups for anything else, hidden stash of emergency cigarettes...
It fits way more stuff than I would have thought- deep drawers rule!
I was going to get a bench for it, but ended up with a square cushioned ottoman; it fits right underneath.
Definitely get a tray of some sort for the top; wood that's that old get damaged pretty easily.
Enjoy yours! Makes you feel very girly!

 

[miss_elise]

my vanity has 4 drawers...so 1 has all my makeup in it, 1 has all my hair doohickies (failed or otherwise), one has all my scarves and clips (although i'm looking into a better way to store the scarves) and one has all my jewellery... on the top i have my perfumes, hat pins and cigarette holders...

 

[jayem]

I got my vanity at Target when I was little (I know, not terribly vintage), BUT, I vintage-fied it by adding antique knobs, and an antique brass vanity bench. It only had one drawer, and in it is all my makeup. On a flat antique mirror-tray, there is all my various lotions and perfumes. Clipped onto the mirror portion is a mini desk-lamp for better lighting. I have an antique hand-held mirror with an ashtray base. I love it, and so far it's been the only one I've ever found. Then, there are baby-wipes and a terry cloth rag for wiping makeup off the hands. My jewelery boxes (which are antique) are on my dresser. Oh, there is also an antique gold mirror and brush set with little jars with a matching Marie Antoinette-Rococo style print on the backs. I keep dried rose petals in one jar, and cotton balls in the other.

 

[positivelypinup]

I dont really have a vintage vanity but it sorta looks like it...but i have make up hair pins, lotion, and earing stand on mine. its cute. Ive been dying for a vintage one that has a large circular mirror. My goal in life is to get one.