Blogger Elizabeth Spiridakis of White Lightning

By The Inside Source
March 3, 2010

New York City-based Elizabeth Spiridakis is the thunder behind Feels Like White Lightning, a wildly popular blog (it was named one of the 20 Best Fashion Blogs by The Telegraph UK) that infuses insightful fashion commentary with the author's own irreverent, highly addictive, stream-of-consciousness style. She also contributes regularly to the New York Times' T Magazine, among other publications. A veteran eBay fan, Spiridakis tells us, "me and eBay, we've had a love thing going on for quite a long time. The first year I remember getting really addicted was in 2000 when I was living in California. Paypal wasn't the norm like it is today. You usually paid by check, and with waiting for your check to arrive and clear with the seller before your package got shipped, it felt like a lifetime for that super-special embroidered portrait of a crying clown or those crushed velvet platform sandals to arrive. (PS. Those are both things I actually purchased.)"

Over the years, Spiridaks's passion for eBay has only grown—in multiple directions. She shops for old magazines and clothing (her favorite sellers are Liebemarlene Vintage and NOIROHIO Vintage) and is an avid collector of everything from vintage pins to Pyrex mixing bowls. Fascinated by her penchant for collecting, we asked Spiridaks to fill us in on her collections past, present and future.—The Editors

Elizabeth Spiridakis on Collecting:

As much as I secretly desire to lead a minimal lifestyle, with a tiny closet full of like, nine perfect items and three pairs of shoes and an almost empty apartment. . . this is so not my life. I am, in a word, a maximalist. I love things! I start to collect on a whim, sometimes without even realizing it, until one day I look around and realize, "Huh, I would say that owning at least 15 different sets of 1960s and 70’s Pyrex mixing bowls qualifies as a 'collection.'" I have had some serious loves through the years; 1950s kitchen canister sets (at least 10), paint-by-number paintings (approximately 30), any year Polaroid cameras (around 20)—and that's just the tip of the iceberg. When I love something, I have to have it (if I can).

Pins

A recent move has spurred me to root through and photograph some of my amassments. I started with a insanely overstuffed 1940’s applique box that I use for jewelry; specifically brooches. Around 2001, I bacame really obsessed with pins and brooches and buttons. Anything I could afix to my jackets. I would comb thrift stores, antique stores and eBay for enameled metal flower pins, monogrammed stickpins, 70s buttons, anything weird.

After a while, I started to notice patterns in what sorts of shapes I gravitated towards. Apparently, I really like animals, crests and shields, fruit shapes, and flowers.

All these guys really make me smile: a couple of flamingos, butterflies, puppies, a crane that was broken at Yoko Ono’s house, and a tiny beaded alligator. The enamal dog portrait that looks like a school picture day photo is one of my best, I think.

Enameled flower pins from the 60s and 70s are another favorite. At one point, I was going to spraypaint the whole lot flat white and wear them all at once but…I couldn’t bring myself to do it!

Of course, anything with my initials is a must, and I found a bunch of those shield and crest ones in London at a flea market. I decided that my fruit shapes could use an addition or two: I found a sparkly pineapple that I think I need to acquire (Pineapple Crystal Pin; starting bid, $2.98)

I was hot for sparles and twinkles for a while; a lot of these are from antique stores in New Jersey; the purple one was a gift from a friend who got it in New Orleans and the cameo lady was from eBay.

Sometimes, my collecting gets as broad as ‘anything white” or “flat colors and gold”..I just like making aesthetic groupings; it doesn’t always have to have a master theme! The bird, bug and flower are all eBay specials.

I haven’t wrn a lot of these in a while, but since I pulled them out, I have been inspired to start adding them to my outfits more, and I will probably start adding to them again.

Orher unexpected collections that are currently taking up my brain (and closet) space:

Chloé Shoes

Authentic Chloe Lace-Up Wedge Ankle Boots

(current bid, $370.00)

I love love Chloe shoes. I can not afford them at retail, ever. I get them on eBay. I have four pairs, three of which were auction wins, and I really really want to add these to the collection:

Coogi Sweaters

Vintage Coogi 3D Cotton Cardigan

(winning bid, $20)

These are so cool; take my word for it. I don’t see a cardigan that much so this seems pretty important to add to my growing stash,

Tapestry Doctor’s Bags

Vintage 70s Leather Horse Tapestry Carpet Doctor Purse Bag

(current bid, $9.99)

I love frame bags, especially doctor bags. And tapestry. And horses. It’s too many loves in one!

Weird Vintage Sunglasses

Rare France Vintage 60s Sunglasses

(starting bid, $74.95)

I love huge frames, and these weird sad eye ones remind of a pair I have from Slow & Steady Wins The Race.