Vintage Womens Fashion Success For Single Mom

Oroville Mercury Register:

A So Cal, self-labeled “Valley Girl” by birth, Hampton found herself living in Louisiana during the late ’90s. After about five years in Dixieland she relocated to the city of gold.

“I liked Louisiana,” Hampton said. “It was so beautiful there and I enjoyed the culture, but what I liked about Oroville right away was that it was unpretentious. I didn’t feel like I had to keep up with the Joneses. Oroville had a relaxed atmosphere.”

Taking work in the restaurant industry, Hampton found herself working hard as a single mom. One day, while browsing the Internet she discovered that she could supplement her income by engaging in online clothing sales.

To begin, she dabbled for a year or so before becoming determined to build her online marketplace, known as Mia’s Vintage Goodies, into a full-time operation.

Finding her niche in vintage clothing primarily from the ’30s to ’70s ­ with some items coming in at plus or minus a decade ­ Hampton managed to grow the business to the point where she was able to leave the restaurant industry altogether.

A lot of the clothing items she acquires come from estate sales, however, she is seeking clothing from ladies in the local area who have had garments for many years hanging in the closet that are no longer worn. Hampton pays cash for women’s clothes in good condition and pays a reasonable, negotiable price for them, she said.

“The women clothing of yesteryear are far more outstanding than today,” Hampton said. “Today’s styles are just not as exciting to me as those of the past. Don’t get me wrong, you will find me in jeans sometimes, but when I dress up it does bring out a persona that wouldn’t be there if I was just in a pair of jeans. I might not be as comfortable and have to watch what I’m doing a bit more, but it’s still a lot of fun.”