We were in Marin the other weekend. And we drove by the Marin Civic Center. It’s a fabulous masterpiece and looks somewhat incongruous in the pretty Marin setting….like a sleek space station plunked down in the midst of the scenery. In fact, the groovy sci-fi movie Gattaca was even filmed there!

We decided to walk around a little bit, but we were suddenly totally distracted. Look what we have here….

Oh-so-casually parked under this little overhang….a pristine vintage 1960s Plymouth Fury police cruiser. WOW! It was so cool. I felt like I had blasted back in time (and was wishing I was wearing a more special outfit). I love it! But as amazing as the car is, let’s pause for a moment to acknowledge the insane lighting situation going on up there in the background.

WOW! Talk about crazy globes.

No one wants to be pulled over by the fuzz, but man…..this would totally help soften the blow. I’m not sure what the car was doing there. Perhaps they just bring it out for the weekend. Maybe it belonged to some kooky collector. Either way, I was loving it!

I love discovering something that just makes you go, “Oh WOW.” This is one of them! Back in 1938, Viennese chocolatier Stephen Klein started Bartons Salon De Chocolat in the New York area. They had great success creating delicious European-style chocolates and even expanded their line to produce kosher chocolates—earning a reputation in the Jewish community  for being “the” confectioner for Passover sweets. As demand increased, they opened more and more shops. In 1952, as they prepared to open their 50th store in Manhatten, they decided to give their brand a refresh. And what a colorful refresh it was!

Can you believe this place? I love it. LOVE!!!

Every colorful detail was intentional as can be—and quite unlike what was happening in architecture and design at the time. Apparently the rules for store design included missives like “the store front must look modern” “strong colors should not be used; they overwhelm the merchandise” and even “don’t call attention to the ceiling and away from the merchandise”. CLEARLY the brains behind Bartons had their own ideas!

In the August 1952 issue of Architectural Forum, architect Victor Gruen said “store design is taking itself too seriously,” and was determined to turn the candy store into a visual delight. They began by giving the traditional storefront a vibrant paint job that made it stand out on the street.

Together with graphic consultant Alvin Lustig, they set about to create a “toy shop for adults”. The plan? Clever displays, vibrant colors and whimsical Calder-esque light fixtures that were guaranteed to make customers smile and put them in the mood for some candy shopping! (It’s no coincidence that “Lustig” means jolly/lively/fun in German!)

Ahh, those lamps. No detail was spared and even the candy tins were colorful and featured fun illustrations. This spectacular one is my favorite:

So there you have it. The technicolor world of Bartons Bonbonniere! It’s amazing, isn’t it?

images: article / tall candy boxes / round candy box

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Ooooh lalala I love vintage jewelry! And one of my absolute favorites are vintage enamel flower pins from the 60s. Colorful and bold…girlie but graphic, they are like having a secret little garden in your jewelry box! Just take a look:

I’ve been collecting vintage enamel pins for years and just love the variety I’ve unearthed. The flower pins come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some have stems. Some are multi layered. All are colorful and fun!

Look how beautiful these pins are! I’m also a fan of the sparkly rhinestone ones—especially those in whimsical shapes like starbursts and butterflies

Vintage pins are the perfect way to add a little extra color and oomph to your wardrobe. The classic way to wear a pin or brooch is to wear one in the upper corner of your shirt, cardigan or dress. I love them this way!

While you can definitely wear pins on cardigans and shirts, I wanted to show you some other ways to rock the vintage pin. It’s the perfect way to add a little punch to any outfit!

If you’re not in the mood to wear a bright accessory on your outfit, think about adding a little touch on your coat. If your coat is more of a neutral color—like black or grey—this is a GREAT way to give it a little refresh! TIP: If you have longer hair, avoid putting extra pointy flower pins on your collar. Your hair will catch on it like crazy! Trust me…

I’m a maximalist—so one is never enough. Don’t be afraid to pile them on! Two is the perfect number. Three can be fabulous too, but they DO start to get heavy and can wear down the fabric of a more delicate sweater.

Who says your pins have to be at eye level? This is such a sweet and unexpected way to add a little personality to your jeans! I did this one day many years ago on a whim, and I can’t tell you how many people went bonkers for it.

Look cute from head to toe—after you’ve tackled your cuff, why not add a fun pin to your hatband? It works on any kind of hat (floppy sunhat! cozy ski cap!) but I love the incongruous look of a masculine fedora with a quirky flower.

I bought this simple tote at Old Navy years ago. While I loved the houndstooth, it looked a little plain, soooooo I added some a handful of my favorite pins to liven it up. If you have a tote with wider straps, try adding it to the base of the strap, so its visible as it hangs from your shoulder.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but I find that most people always wear their pins like a corsage. Try wearing it smack dab in the center of a dress—or even at the waist band!

Scarves can be slippery little suckers. A sweet pin guarantees your scarf stays in place. It’s also a fun alternative to a necklace. I’m using flower pins in this story, but a rhinestone pin would be just as fabulous! BONUS— wrap the scarf around your head and add a sweet little pin.

Mmm hmm. On your shoes. And why not?? Thread the pin through the knot of your bow and VOILA! Insta-update on your tired old kicks.

So there you have it. Pins, pins pins aplenty! Cheerful, sweet and super easy peasy to style! Are you feeling a little pinspired?? I sure hope so!

{Psst! One word of caution. If you are a mama, the pins with separate petals can get a little pokey when you go in for a cuddle, or so Wolfie tells me. “OW! Mama. Your flower poked me!”}

{Double Psst! People are charging crazy prices for them lately, but you shouldn’t have to pay more than $18-25 for them. $10-15 is a really fair price. I would pay up to $35 if it was a REEEALLY spectacular or unique one! The best place to find them is the thrift store or flea market but scour Etsy and eBay for bargains too! Happy Hunting!}

FLASHBACK // This post is one of our most popular and most pinned! We thought it would be fun to share it with you again in case you missed it the first time around!

In many ways, Dottie and I are really similar. Of course we are both obsessed with vintage. And we both count being mamas amongst our best accomplishments. We both love reading and are obsessed with our Kindles. We both totally think alike. We both have a similar work ethic. We were both raised with the same sense of responsibility and values (yay to our moms and dads!). We both love splurging on a glass of champagne. Or a fancy pair of shoes. We are both sticklers when it comes to saying “please” and “thank you”. We both love theater. And movies. And we both share a similar sense of humor (which may or may not include a fondness for doing weird voices and gesturing wildly when talking). But as similar as we are, we’re not twinsies. We really do have different tastes and different strengths. Which is part of what, I think, makes Modern Kiddo such a fun experience (well, for us anyway!). I have always said that Dottie and I are cut from the same cloth…we’re just cut in different styles. As I was looking through our Instagram feeds a while back, I realized we both had posted pictures of cars that caught our eye. And it made me smile. Same cloth. Just different styles.

Here’s to you, my sweet Dottie!