Ebay's Garden of Lost Dreams....

Hello blogosphere,

In many ways, Tor (my beloved co-blogger) and I are very different. I have been a proud and obsessive member of ebay for nine years and owing to my infinite patience and mild OCD, I have a wardrobe full of oddities, dirt-cheap designer items and vintage dresses. Tor on the other hand, despite her blackbird eye for bargains has yet to win an item no matter how often I shove her in the direction of hammersnipe. My ebay addiction became especially bad in my first year of university: being 19 years old, lonely and in possession of all that beautiful loan money - it was a disaster waiting to happen. With a few clicks I was the owner of purple Gina heels, blue floral vintage dresses and raw silk coats from the 1920s with the name 'Ethel' written in pencil on the label.

Everything but the jumper is from ebay.co.uk
Norfolk really is beautiful, isn't it?

Ebay was my way of reinventing myself as a shiny new adult. Someone who was glamorous and brave. I didn't have any friends but by god I would walk into seminars in high heels and a giant purple dress with a pony emblazoned on the skirt. Ebay supplied was my armour and an advertisement for the like-minded. Look at my awesome shoes! Let's go to the movies!

Apparently though you have to have a personality as well. Philistines. Eventually I grew vocal chords and then, wonderfully, friends. Friends, incidentally, who don't really care for fashion one way or the other. Still, obsessions don't just die and I briefly financed my terrifying penchant for vintage and obscure fiction by becoming an ebay seller myself.

Here are some of my hilarious inept advertising photos:

I kept this dress in the end. Laura Ashley and way too awesome. Check out my Bette Davis death ray eyes



Bizarrely, nobody wanted this goddess dress. Fools. It sits happily in my closet now.



This went for £5. I gnash teeth and regret it still.



Ah, the Doctor Who assistant dress from Topshop my boyfriend despised so thoroughly. Still, any excuse to model with K-9, right?

Ah, those crazy days. I was armed with nothing but a generic photo editor and a dream. Still, it got me out of a few financial holes whilst still being way too exhausting for little Miss M.E. to even consider as a full-time money earner. Good times. Sleepy times.

Anyway, I thought I'd finish off my ode to ebay by showing you my collage of lost opportunity. These are items that for reasons of escalating price or forgetfulness, I just missed out on owning. At least I can comfort myself with their jpeg'd beauty.

I fell in love with this Missoni mens sweatervest and wanted desperately to buy and make my boyfriend wear it constantly. I posted this on my Livejournal and some lovely soul even went to the trouble of Photoshopping him into the garment:

Gold, right? He wasn't impressed. Plus the bidding went up to £80 and I had to let my dream of a multicoloured Tristan die.


An amazing Balenciaga crepe shirtdress from ferryvintage. She has the most outstanding vintage designer pieces. They invariably hop skip and jump right out of my price range. This one went for £130.


Peter Jensen shoes from kimmie82blue
£18.99. How cool? How comfy-looking? Gah!


Totall amah-zing beaded 70s panda bag from viva-vintage
Totally impractical. Totally broke my balls when I missed it.


Glittering vintage Roger Heim bowler hat from one of my favourites -pepacielo.
The glorious love affair between me and this hat was thwarted by my massive non-vintage head.


50 dental tooth samples. I dunno. I thought they were neat. Also, can you imagine the accessorising possibilities? The pendants you could make? The earrings? Maybe I'd just leave them in the drinks of people I didn't like. There are many possibilities. From the wonderful tedandbunny

I have had many crushing ebay disappointments. These are just a few and I have many pictures and anecdotes saved for another writer's blocked day. I just hope that this post has encouraged you to Never Give Up on Your Dreams, friends.There will always be prey. I'm currently stalking some Jean Paul Gaultier. He'll never know what's hit him.

Love,
Becky.