Do you know the difference between vintage vs thrifted?  Let me explain…..with rising costs and new tariffs affecting retail prices, many of you are discovering the world of thrifting and vintage shopping. While these terms are often used interchangeably, there’s an important distinction worth understanding.

Vintage is about age and style—items that are at least 20-30 years old and represent the fashion, design, or cultural aesthetic of a particular era. These pieces are sought after for their quality, craftsmanship, and iconic style.

Thrifted describes how you acquired something—by shopping at thrift stores, consignment shops, or secondhand retailers. Thrifted items can be any age, from recent pieces to genuine vintage finds.

The distinction matters because vintage usually implies higher value due to age and style significance, while thrifted emphasizes affordability and sustainable shopping practices.

My Journey with Vintage Textiles

I’m passionate about the vintage side of secondhand textiles. There’s something magical about finding a special fabric that has been cherished by its past owners—people who also understood the importance of saving and reusing beautiful things.

I’m fortunate to have clients, friends, and family who appreciate this philosophy and want to be part of the journey. That’s why I created The Attic Gem Collection— modern designs made from vintage textiles that honor both past craftsmanship and contemporary style(be sure to click on the link to see the original collection).  Each piece tells a story. These aren’t just clothes; they’re heirlooms in the making—items you can cherish and pass down through generations, continuing the cycle of appreciation for quality textiles.

Below is a piece that I made in early 1970 that a friend/client, found while she was vintage shopping. Funny story we had lunch one day and she was wearing it wondering if I would recognize the piece!  Of course that is the first thing I noticed.  You can imagine my face lighting up when I saw the piece on her!!  These moments are what make what I do so worth it.   See a post here.

Here is a piece that I’ve repurposed into modern jacket that my client is now wearing from her cherished textiles.  See the video here.

Let’s Create Something Beautiful Together

Do you have a special textile waiting for new life? Whether it’s a cherished family piece or a vintage find you’re not sure how to use, I’d love to help transform it into something perfect for your current lifestyle.

No project is too small. Every unique piece of cloth deserves to be touched, understood, and transformed into something as beautiful as the fabric itself.

Ready to give your vintage textile new purpose? Reach out today and let’s discuss how we can honor your fabric’s history while creating something uniquely yours.

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Here’s an idea on how to avoid rising tariffs in your wardrobe.  In a world of shifting supply chains and rising tariffs, it’s time to look closer to home for unique solutions. While businesses dependent on offshore sourcing are scrambling to adapt, we’re embracing a different approach—one that transforms forgotten textiles into bespoke treasures.

Your Hidden Gems Deserve New Life-Resist Tariffs

Do you have beautiful textiles tucked away in drawers? Perhaps a hand-woven shawl from your travels or a cherished fabric passed down through generations? These special pieces shouldn’t remain hidden—they deserve to be transformed into something you’ll use and love every day.

Why Choose Our Custom Textile Transformation Service and Tariff Hikes:

• Sustainable – Give new purpose to existing materials instead of contributing to more production
• Personal – Each piece carries its own history and meaning
• Unique – No mass-produced items, only one-of-a-kind creations
• Tariff-Free – Bypass supply chain challenges by using what’s already here

Click here to see a good example of what we do

Another example of our repurposing textiles:

Not your mother’s jeans, but my husband’s (handmade by me)

How to avoid tariff restrictions:

We collaborate with you to understand your vision and needs, then apply our design expertise to transform your textiles into functional, beautiful items perfectly suited to your current lifestyle.  Reach out here.

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Let us help to transform your keepsake textiles into our Legacy Jacket.  Perhaps you have a beautiful tablecloth you love and never use. Or maybe there’s a textile you couldn’t resist buying tucked away in a drawer. You might even have an actual piece of clothing from a loved one holding wonderful memories but isn’t something you’d wear.  We have a way to transform these keepsake pieces into something truly unique and totally wearable.

We are excited to share with you our ‘Legacy Jacket’ made from transforming keepsake textiles.  The  design features reworking vintage pieces that are perfect for those who love retro and vintage fashion and keeping memories alive. Each piece is one-of-a-kind and made to order, making them truly wearable works of art. The Legacy Jacket is also sustainably made in Denver, Colorado and completely eco-friendly.

Each jacket is made even more special with our creative use of visible mending and patchwork techniques.  These techniques add beautiful details and unique accents. Our slow fashion approach ensures that every Legacy Jacket is crafted with care and attention to detail, so you are enjoying  it for years to come.

Whether you’re looking for a statement piece or just want to add some color and personality to your wardrobe, our upcycled heirloom Legacy Jacket is perfect for you.

Join us in our commitment to sustainable fashion and get your own wearable art today!

Contact us here  or at designroom@brooksltd.net.

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Handmade lace with astounding touches have played a part in fashion worldwide since the 16^th century. Lace making is a time-consuming process to make which made it expensive and even more special to wear. European rulers put restrictions on wearing lace from other countries, but that only added to its allure. Everyone wanted clothing with lace detail, so the laws became futile and lace smuggling took off.

Nowadays, dealing with the black market is necessary to acquiring lace. It’s still considered a luxury fabric though. Even with the advent of machine-made lace, the process of lace making remains technical and challenging. As artisans ourselves, we truly respect all the effort that goes into making lace.

Luxurious Fabrics for Clothing

Our use of handcrafted lace touches with details comes from over 45+ years of working in the industry. We’ve made many a lace wedding dress and mother’s lace dress too. Now, at Brooks LTD., we create fun everyday sundresses with beautiful lace details. We also take bits of lace from handmade lace vintage textiles to add interesting accents to jackets and tops. We even make a black lace belt  (or corset as you may know it today), that makes a strong lacy statement to any outfit.  It takes a delicate hand to hand make each of these pieces, I am lucky that I have had experience for over 45 years in nuturing that creative soft hand.

Examples of our work:

White Lace Slip dress

Lace Duster Kimono

Lace belt

 Photos:  Hardy Klahold

Lace has always been a favorite textile of ours. We currently work with lace from cherished textiles that have been gifted to us.  And we utilize things from people’s attics – like Aunt Mae’s  lace vintage cloths, to create fun pieces one can enjoy now and pass down to those who appreciate saving the landfill from these textiles. Many people don’t want to part with their antique lace heirlooms unless it’s for a worthy cause.  Finding a way to make that lace a part of something beautiful to wear is easy for us to do. See more of our lace applications on our web site.  Our pieces are one of a kind, because you’re one of a kind.  See our full collection of repurposed vintage textiles HERE.

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As I reflect I see how Covid changed my direction. My designs are reflective of the times. To slow down and enjoy the process has been  memorizing.  From those of you who have visited the online shop or in person you have responded positively to the final pieces.  Thank you for the encouragement.

I am honored to have been interviewed by Voyager Magazine about my current design career. The article explains more of this new direction.

Read the full article here

Collection of cherished textiles

Moreover, many of us we have collected textiles from our travels or from past generations and do not have a clue what to do with those pieces.  It is our intention to help so as to avoid having special textiles end up in the land fill. Much of the trash that ends up in landfills can also be recycled or reused in other ways, I choose textiles to help improve our planet.

Rules that no longer serve

Rules no longer serve me.   I execute designs with fresh eyes and new techniques. The results are something I never thought I could create.   It has me engaged in an entirely different way.  I have since created a collection based upon these beliefs.  It is called The Attic Gem Collection.   Vintage textiles that have been gifted to me as I turn them into wearables by mixing them with modern fabrics.  If needed I will stitch together these pieces to create another unique cloth to then create with.

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