Lisa left me a challenge to post about what I WISH I collected. There are alot of things I wish I collected. Like vintage outdoor sprinklers in figural whimsical designs This one was recently posted on Chippy! Shabby!. It is spectacular...but I rarely see these in person, and I know they often run into big money too.
(photo from Chippy! Shabby! blog)
A more realistic item that popped into my head when I read Lisa's comment was vintage swim caps.
I have a desire to someday have my own beach house..I decorate it over and over again in my head. I pull inspirational photos from all my magazines and save them. A couple of the pages I have pulled over the years show swim cap inspiration.
I dig this little display with the quirky swim cap collection.
(image from an old magazine, I can't identify)
I also love the soft colors and patterns of this magazine page of swim-caps.
(image from Romantic Home magazine, Aug 2009)
Unfortunately I do not stumble upon these caps at estate sales often. Since I do not OWN my dream beach house yet, I do not hunt them down on Ebay or Etsy. My collection thus far consists of two caps..
and this flowered beauty.
Someday I wish to own my own beach house and have a row of these pastel caps all lined up nice and neat...a quirky collection of this past fashion trend. I wish...
If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence "show me your collection of _____." I like seeing what I can come up with.
You are too funny! and I hope that beach cottage becomes a reality soon!!
Posted by: Angela | March 01, 2011 at 09:34 AM
Love the swim caps. Used to own some. They weren't vintage at the time but would be now :>)
Hope you get the beach house!!
Annette
Posted by: Annette | March 01, 2011 at 10:05 AM
You let me know when you make the down payment and I'm sure that somewhere out there, there is a turquoise beach cap with your name on it!
Posted by: Lynn | March 01, 2011 at 10:17 AM
This is just too fun!! Your photo's are priceless and the sunglasses just add that right touch!! Love it!!!
The second beach cap is quite fancy. Do you ever score old pictues with women/kids wearing the old beach caps?
Posted by: Lisa | March 01, 2011 at 10:26 AM
That flowered one cracks me up. I think I had something similar for swimming lesson in junior high. I have, well lets just say, a rather narrow head and swim caps are NOT a good look for me. I remember searching for one that had a little volume to it so I wouldn't look like a pin head. Ah, school days......!
Posted by: Kathy | March 01, 2011 at 10:27 AM
Can you imagine how many styles those came in. Those would be fab on dummy heads lined up in a row. Never thought of that I collect those old sprinklers. They are rare. My daughter can spot them in a crowd. Must be because she is closer to the ground. I line my front stoop with them in the summer. Reminds me how styles change. I wonder what we should be saving now?
Posted by: Renee | March 01, 2011 at 10:49 AM
I always HATED wearing those tight rubber things on my head.
Of course, I never had one like the one with the flowers -- that one is pretty cute.
Kathy's idea of having them on dummy heads is a great idea.
You look adorable in the pictures.
Posted by: janet | March 01, 2011 at 11:44 AM
You were in the front yard, for the whole world to see, when you took those pictures, weren't you? You're so cute! Love your inspiration pictures, and I hope you get that beach house some day!
Posted by: Carol @ Old Glory Cottage | March 01, 2011 at 12:00 PM
Oh, that was good for a chuckle! You are too much fun. I had a cap covered with flowers when I was a tween....darn cute, but...when you dove into the pool, the flowers often popped off. I was forever retrieving plastic flowers before they "CLOGGED-THE-DRAIN." Gasp.
Posted by: Lynne | March 01, 2011 at 12:11 PM
O.M.G. Laughing out loud here. You're too funny!
BTW - love Chippy! Shabby!'s blog.
Posted by: Into Vintage | March 01, 2011 at 02:35 PM
I LoVe those vintage Swimmer's Caps!*!*!
F*A*B*U*L*O*U*S...
Jeanine, ChiPPy!-SHaBBy!
Posted by: Jeanine Burkhardt | March 01, 2011 at 03:17 PM
OK. I just have to state now for the entire world. You are my hero! Seriously. No lie. You are my hero.
Because - NO ONE - NO ONE - would put on a swimming cap if they didn't have to, photograph themself and then put said photo on their website!! You have got some chutzpah, lady!! LOL I'm laughing my head off!!! You are NUTS!! LOL Oh, LOrdy I do remember those hated swim caps.
ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kathy
Posted by: Kathy | March 01, 2011 at 04:55 PM
Love the swim caps and hey at least you have two of them!!
Posted by: Linda @ A La Carte | March 01, 2011 at 05:08 PM
I could get hooked on those sprinklers, too. And I hope you get your beach house so you can justify a swim-cap collection.
Posted by: Barbara | March 01, 2011 at 07:25 PM
You are amazing woman! I so wish I had your humor and your looks! You are such a pretty lady, and the swimcaps only highlight that! I, however, hated those swimcaps and do not share your desire to collect them. I do hope your dream of a seaside cottage comes true.
Big Hugs,
Meri
Posted by: Meri Wiley | March 02, 2011 at 06:58 AM
Oh dear....I don't think I will ever be able to read your blog again without thinking of these pictures!!! They're great. You are a hoot! My girls arrived yesterday. I love them. They are sitting in my kitchen window cheering me on to Spring. Great pick me ups! We have had the longest winter ever. I could use a beach cottage about now.
Blessings,
Shelley
Posted by: Shelley Davis | March 02, 2011 at 03:31 PM
God love ya', Laurie... you just made my day!!! Those photos are swell... better than swell! I love your moxy!
I was actually stalking websites for vintage swimcaps last summer. I love them. My sister and I had a white caps with bright, floppy daisies when we were little. Oh, how I wish we had photos. I can still remember the texture and the smell of the rubber material~ it reminds me of childhool summers.
Hugs,
Jill
Posted by: Jill | March 02, 2011 at 07:57 PM
Hi Laurie,
Dahling.......you look...
FABULOUS in your swimcaps and
sunglasses!!! lol : ) : )
I truly think you are so cute
in them and you certainly have
more courage than me wearing them.
I remember those well....and I
hated the chin strap on mine. It
sometimes snapped and it hurt!!!
I've never seen vintage sprinklers
like that and they are so cute!
I do hope you have your dream
cottage by the sea one day.
Hugs,
Janis
Posted by: Janis | March 03, 2011 at 01:54 AM
My mother had the best flowery bathing cap back in the 1960's. I can still remember what it smelled like.....I used to play with it and admire it endlessly. Oh, the simple joys of childhood!
Posted by: Mitzi Curi | March 04, 2011 at 04:07 AM