ROADTRIP: BRIMFIELD
It was historic - my 6am departure time, that is. The city streets were empty, but there were still many miles between me and the land of all things antique (BRIMFIELD!!!). I could barely sit still as I drove, my limbs twitching with excitement, imagining all the white lace wonders and vintage tees that would soon be mine (I'm fully aware I sound like an addict--I am). Equipped with a cooler of snacks and a solid 90s playlist, we were off to a strong start. The day was bright and slightly chilly, so we drove top-down and soaked in the fresh air. We made incredible time, reaching Massachusetts in just a little over 2 hours (shockingly, we didn't have to stop for a bathroom break!)
Upon arrival, we found ourselves in a line that practically wrapped the building. Finally, 9:30am came around and the doors to the Vintage Clothing and Antique Fabrics Show opened. The line of people waiting to enter poured in-- either to escape the 40 degree weather, or to be the first to get their hands on all the exciting finds inside. Before we could devise a plan for where to go first, we stumbled upon the mecca of Victorian Lace, silk slip dresses and ornate crochet tops. I was a kid in a candy store.
Playing dress up-- turning vintage bracelets into chokers.
We spent hours bopping around the many booths, running into old friends, trying on pieces that were not to be believed, our eyes darting back and forth in an effort to see it all before passing out. When it was time to stop for lunch and refuel, we walked to the car, bags in hand, smiling ear to ear thinking about all the amazing finds we were leaving with (and a few we may have missed). After a much needed lunch, we set off for the fields of Brimfield: thirteen designated areas extending off the main stretch of road that runs through the small town. We found parking quickly as the show hadn't officially begun-- vendors were still setting up their booths for the days to come. We bundled up for the 40 degree weather and began scurrying around in an attempt to find dealer friends before all the mayhem began. We perused over miles of vintage signage, furniture that dated back to the 20s and rows upon rows of every kind of treasure imaginable. The day was cold and grey and after hours of trying to keep warm with hot coco in hand and a game plan for the following day, we called it a night.
Around 4:30pm, we headed back to Publick House Historic Inn for a glass of wine and to unpack from the day--I couldn't wait to go through all my vintage finds and FaceTime Jodie!!
The next morning started early as well-- by 6:30am, day two had officially begun. After a quick coffee and pastry at the hotel bakery, we drove to the fields to try and snag the items we had woken up thinking of before they'd sold to someone else. Our first stop was for a 1920's bathtub from Hungary, followed by a Sciolari metal lamp, and a vintage medical cabinet from the 1900's.
After purchasing our favorite finds, we slowed the pace. We sifted through boxes of vintage patches (for the pockets on our favorite Levis and denim cropped jackets) and listened to vendors share stories about their most prized pieces. Every step we took, we found something else. Lunch was on-the-go-- we couldn't afford to waste time. As the hours passed, we needed hot coco refills to fight the biting cold and keep our energy up.
We finally went back to the car, cranked up the heat and snacked on some Oreos before our final outing. On our last walk though, we found a killer vintage Rolling Stones tee, a stack of Victorian gold bangles, a porcelain railroad sign from the 30s and a pair of Milo Baughman chairs for DANNIJO headquarters. My travel buddy insisted we end the day with the infamous Faddy's apple cider donuts. And yes, they live up to the hype. 
We found our way back to the car, stripped down to our tees and buckled up for the three hour journey back (some of the songs on repeat in the playlist below). As soon as I hit my door, I drew a bubble bath, turned on my Bose and daydreamed about all our finds...
- xx Danielle -
