Outfit Post & Review for Wealthy Street, Grand Rapids Vintage and Antiques: Phil's Stuff and The Brass Owl

I have a nice long post for you today! I'm sharing today's outfit and talking about the vintage stores down wealthy street: Phil's Stuff & and The Brass Owl.

These sunglasses are so ridiculous, and I liked the colors so I couldn't pass such a strange find up! My roommates as bought a matching pair. Today I'm wearing them with my 70s psychedelic art nouveau print shirt I picked up from Vintage Heaven, with green jeans, and beige lace loafers I found over the weekend. Just a casual outfit today for going to class and running to Alpine to pick up art supplies. I'm anxious for spring, especially with the tease of 70-80s weather we had over the weekend.

So, after chatting with the owner's of Eastown Antiques, I continued down wealthy street and found The Brass Owl. 

Who are the Odd Fellows? Some background info & history.

Example of Odd Fellows Regalia used in a outfit, and Odd Fellows Royal Guard Uniform Illustrations.

I talk about The Oddfellows frequently because of the many different beautiful and strange ceremonial objects that were made for their group. While originally their regalia, costumes, and vestments make for interesting additions to a vintage wardrobe, particularly those with a dolly kei bent. Also the collars, pins, and shriner's hats are popular accessories with the Grimoire shop girls.

While I claim no expertise in the subject, I vaguely know their background. There isn't much information online, so I'm going to have a find a history book somewhere to fill in the details.

Odd fellows started a fraternity of "odd fellows" in small villages in Europe, who had too few in numbers to start their own guild of trade. They formed a raggedy crew of differently talented individuals and from here they grew to become a large group that promotes community and charity. Eventually the fraternity moved to the US as well. They are very similar to Freemasons.

They have many symbols they use within their group but the most prominent ones that I have noticed on costumes and regalia are: three entwined chains, a hand holding a heart, a beehive, an eye, and the eastern star which looks like an inverted pentagram.

The Rebekah group seem to be a teenage fraternity, and sometimes a women's group. Their symbols are the moon, a dove, a lavender flower, a beehive, and use most of the other odd fellow symbols as well.

As I learn more information and background information I will blog about it. If you have any information or books to recommend don't hesitate to comment and message me!