We are about to dive deep into our flea market season! There is nothing more exciting to me then the flea market. I love a good vintage haul, and spending not a ton of money on dusty filled items that have a story and character. Let me know in the comments if you’re a vintage enthusiasts too? Because I’ve got something fun coming to the vintage world this year, but for now lets talk about what I saw this weekend. I’ve got all the trend alerts to share with you. After all, some things are by gut and some things are by what I saw a lot of.

I’ve shared about this in the past, but vintage trends are very interesting to me. Because they are not something that the fashion world can decide on and start mass producing. Most of what you see in fashion comes from a trend research facility usually started from economical reasons, political, environmental, and what’s happening in the pop world. Could be swayed by television (Bridgerton is definitely a good reason for some of these) could be swayed by a global shutdown (which we saw in 2020 and 2021) and most of trends come from previous trends. I am not quite sure of the cycle of it all but as we see trends from the 90’s resurfacing in current fashion and home design…we can rely on this continuing to happen from decade to decade.

What I think is most interesting is the vintage world nothing can be mass produced anymore, so how does all of this arise? Well I think a few ways…

#1 That decade trend idea resurfacing. So as I just mentioned 90’s style is back in fashion, well I believe it’s also back in home fashion. With grandmillenial being a hot trend currently and even the European style these were both popular during the 90’s awful wallpaper trend trying to repeat “grandma’s” home (BUT BADDDD) and the Italian Mediterranean style of the early 2000’s (but very commercialized). So when we talk about these resurfacing we are seeing what we call “vintage”, yes 90’s and early 2000’s are now considered vintage, coming back to flea markets and vintage shops. Ducks being a big trend of the 90’s and a ton of floral pattern. Transferware and other patterned pottery and textiles are all the talk right now.

#2 Demolition of properties and buildings. I believe what happens is there are properties that either commercial contractors knock down and we are seeing products from these old warehouse and homes getting auctioned off and finding their way to these dealers. So a lot architecture or items that may of came from these buildings are coming down in large quantities and making their way at these flea markets and becoming “hot items”

#3 Social Media! Yes, believe it or not blogs, instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and Facebook all play a part in what is happening in the trend world. With more and more designers and home decor acounts showing up and sharing their projects and even “unique” ideas the word spreads faster than ever. So we are seeing this quickly change the industry and mold it.

#4 Fashion! With fashion trends this will always have some kind of influence on the home industry. Which again if its a decade, pattern, color, or style it will influence the home and even vintage buys.

So, that’s my theory how vintage finds become “trendy” but it also depends on your style just as it does personal style and there are different trendy looks depending on your home style.

Let’s talk about what I saw “trending” this weekend at the flea market and what I predict will be hot for the flea market season in vintage home decor.

Kitchen scales

I know this was popular during the “Farmhouse” take over a few years ago but I saw many vintage scales at this weekends flea stroll. It was surprising but I guess with the increase of home gardeners and homesteaders it makes sense. Why not weigh your products at home in style. I can see more and more farmer’s markets becoming a thing so this makes a ton of sense. Not to mention they make a great prop for photography in the kitchen too.

Faux Fruit

We had our faux stems be a thing for a while so why not faux fruit? I never thought I would be a fan since the days of squeezing my grandparents plastic grapes as a child when I would visit their home. But… think alabaster, glass, ceramic fruits. Its becoming popular with the increase of the European style and Granny-chic. Both are nostalgic looks of a grandparent’s home or in my case Italian Grandparents home. I picked up some Morano glass grapes and I can’t wait to style them.

English Regency

If you haven’t heard about the very pop-history show Bridgerton, then you might not be aware that it is most definitely influencing the home trends. I saw some very ornate lamps, sculpture, ceramics, etc. of this English Regency style. Just imagine some ornate queen looking scultpures and detailed furniture and moldings taking over interiors this year. I personally love the look and feel but also have a more classic clean aesthetic to my style so I would see incorporating this in moderation with my European Farmhouse home. Maybe ornate mirrors or classic paintings.

Ducks

I shared about this above, becoming trendy because of the nostalgic feel of the 90’s style resurfacing. Can you remember mom having ducks in her home too? Or maybe while raising your kids you added some duck border wallpaper to a nursery? Its back but I think it’s good, after all I am quite the duck person these days haha. Think ducks in moderation again. Maybe a duck garden statue, brass ducks on a shelf, a collection of wooden ducks in a study, or a really cute duck or swan planter to display a house plant.

A few other items that caught my interest:

• Crystal
• Silver vessels
• Wool blankets
• Ornate garden sculptures and planters
• smoking glass (we saw a few and I bought some to make a light with)
• block prints
• “made in Italy”

This was flea market #1 for me, so I look forward to seeing what the season brings along with my trip to Brimfield next month. That will certainly open up some more trend alerts!