Who are the Corroboree and why is there a hat company named after them?

I found a great, lightly used bag, that seemed stylish and well-built. I knew it would make for perfect eBay inventory, so I snapped it up. It is quite a cute bucket bag!

I hadn't heard of the company before, and a quick Google Search quickly led me to more questions than I had originally meant to answer. This bag was manufactured by the Corroboree Hat Company, Australia. 

Wikipedia informed me that the Corroboree is an aboriginal dance. The costuming apparent in the photographs and subsequent Google Image searches did not resemble the aesthetic of this bag at all, and I suddenly had a sinking feeling that I was about to discover a level of branding gentrification that I probably wouldn't appreciate. Think Kachina dolls, Western Americans.

The Art Historian in me is dismayed to realize that the Corroboree isn't identified to a single tribe, and that finding the specific names and distinctions between groups of Aborigines is not easily accessible. If I am wrong about this, please let me know! My curiosity is piqued.

I have a feeling a bunch of hippies connected to a now defunct rollable straw hat store in Van Nuys, CA are responsible for this piece. Boredom struck before I could find any information that might help me date this bag, but my guess is it's not REALLY from Australia, and has nothing to do with Aborigines. Disappointing, I love a cool history in a name.

Oh well. At least the roll-able features of this hat now make sense, Because if it did belong to a defunct company in So Cal, they were definitely touting their hats as travel-worthy because they could  compact and still be beautiful. I agree they've targeted this. I disagree with their branding strategies, but UGGS are no different. Why are Americans fascinated with something, and give it a sense of authenticity, if it's from a different continent? Bummer. I was hoping for something more stimulating to fill my blogging hours ;)

Anyway, it's still super cute, and since it's up-cycled, you're stickin' it to all of this cultural insensitivity by reusing this fabulous retro bag! If it was full, it would stand in a perfectly tapered cylinder. There is a magnet to avoid complete spillage of all bucket pursed items. I'd make this my beach bag, if I could actually afford to go to the beach more often.

You can take it off of my hands by clicking here! If you've ever come across an item you're drawn to, and the link has expired, just explore my store and see if it's recirculating under a different URL! :)

Old Books and Thrifted Intrigue That Goes Nowhere

     Sometimes I buy things just because they're old, and I'm hoping to learn more about how to find treasures of that item type. Yesterday was no exception, as I found a first edition copy of "Pros and Cons: Both Sides of Live Questions Fully discussed." Printed in 1897, and costing a mere quarter, I took the book home to see what else I could learn about it. Even if nothing came of it, getting to smell a book that old was worth the risk.

     There are weird topics being discussed inside, such as whether Cuba should be annexed or not. It seems the book is worth more than the quarter I paid for it, but the context of the subject matter has expired and the wording is exhausting.

     It mentions in the front of the book that this is part of a textbook series, which led me to wonder, were quoted debates often the subject matter of the 20th century classroom? Nobody in the JSTOR database or Google seems to care, and after how boring the subject matter is, I don't care. Some things die for a reason, even if they're inanimate objects.

Still, it's a weird item that will raise a few eyebrows. If you want a closer look, you can see it here.

Bobeau Clothing from Nordstrom at MilKCrate Thrift!

     On my recent inventory excursion, I came across an article of clothing that felt soft to the touch. I didn't recognize the tag, but the feel of the fabric in my hands and the stitching in the tag gave away that it was no ordinary shirt. It may have looked ordinary to the untrained eye, in a maelstrom of other worn garments from junk retailers and stained underpants drifting in a sea of first world garbage.


     I just gave it a Google, and I came across this information in the top of my search bar. Of course the shirt I found is brown hewed, probably a different season from what's current or from a different fashion bend altogether. However, all of those hours of "research" I've spent at department stores, until I'm eyeballed out, have really paid off. I'm drawn to the older, more earthy designs. Maybe that's because I'm a Californian suburban hippie, or maybe that's because grey and black just doesn't look that great on me.

     Honestly, I grabbed it for myself. Selfishness first, business second sometimes. I washed it, but it is just one size too big for me. I'm setting it free, and you can have it - a freshly thrifted item, delivered to your doorstep for a fraction of the cost of getting in the car and finding it yourself.

All you layerers out there, this is for you. I was going to wear it with a tank top.

It's such a beautiful shirt! Check it out at MilKCrate thrift on eBay!