Here is the third in our continuing series of "Meet Our Advertisers": Marge from Born Too Late Vintage and Born Too Late Vintage Patterns!
How long have you been in business?
Since February of 1999.
What motivated you to go into the vintage & vintage pattern business?
I love the fashions of times past. Back then clothing was made to last and great care was taken in the construction of clothing. I also enjoy sewing with vintage patterns and modern patterns. Sewing allows me to show my creative side. As a plus size woman I like being able to get exactly what I want when I sew. Why pay a fortune for a dress I don't love and that doesn't fit me right? I can custom fit my own clothing and pick out exactly the fabric I want to get the look I want.
What did you do before this?
I worked for the phone company for 20 years and then retired. I then worked as a medical transcriptionist at home for 6 years after I had my daughters. I started out selling their party and holiday dresses and then fell in love with vintage clothing again. I used to wear vintage clothing when I was in high school.
Where are you based?
My shops, Born Too Late Vintage and Born Too Late Vintage Patterns are based at http://specialistauctions.com. I'm the vintage and antique clothing moderator there as well. Physically, I'm in northeastern Pennsylvania.
More fun questions:
What's the weirdest/best/craziest/most beautiful thing you've ever
found?
I absolutely adore this Fred Leighton hand crocheted ecru gown. I have done fine crochet like this in the past and I marvel at the work that went into this: 
What do you have in stock that you can't believe hasn't sold?
I have a variety of mens and ladies fedoras that are in just beautiful like this one.
What do you dream about finding?
I'd love to find a Claire McCardell. My mom was born and raised in Frederick, Maryland, the home of Claire McCardell and I definitely feel a connection with Ms. McCardell.
What do you enjoy most about working with vintage patterns?
When I'm working with patterns I'm listing I really enjoy it when there's a scrap of fabric in the envelope from the former owner or when the former owner has made some notations on the envelope or a piece of paper inside the envelope about what the pattern was purchased for or how the fit of the dress was. That's a treasure to me.
What do you wish someone would ask you about your site?
Why I am selling on Specialist Auctions rather than another site.
It's a good day at work when …
I've been able to get my listings done, sold a few things, received some positive feedback and of course being mentioned on A Dress A Day.
If I ran the internet for a day I'd …
Get rid of the pornography.
The blogs I read (other than ADAD) are …
Always Playing Dress Up (my blog!), Diary of a Mad Fashionista, Zuburbia Vintage Clothing blog, She's a Betty Single Girl Guide and the VFG (Vintage Fashion Guild) blog.
You'd laugh if you knew this about me …
I adore Tom Jones and Sean Connery. Could I have been a Scottish or Welsh lass in my past life?
A Dress A Day 
i just love Marge. She has lots of patterns in my size and she gets her orders out fast. She even tucked a little surprise in my first order.
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Marge, please become Queen of the Internet. I would love to live in your version of the cyber-world.I am also shocked that Fedora has not sold with the folks at Fedora Lounge coveting such things and all.That crochet gives me chills. That is a serious piece of beauty right there.(Sorry so disjointed – I am on limited brain power – neighbors woke me up an hour early fighting…zzzzzzz)
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Is it just me? I can’t see the first pic 😦
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I love your patterns, Marge! I’m wandering through patterns on eBay and I ran across as Claire McCardell:here.How crazy is that coincidence? I love that pattern – the bodice is gorgeous!
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Ok, I’ll bite: Why is Marge selling on Specialist Auctions rather than another site?
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I’m selling on Specialist Auctions rather than on another site because the owners really listen to what their sellers and buyers want. There is mutual respect for the buyer and seller. Specialist Auctions lets me run my business the way I want to. We have the opportunity to make Specialist Auctions exactly what we want it to be. We also have a great group of sellers that really know their stuff when it comes to vintage clothing, vintage patterns and every kind of collectible out there. Our listings are moderated by actual live people. Our moderators check the listings to make sure that they are accurate and the real deal. 🙂
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Specialist Auctions does sound like a great place, all right – perhaps preferable to eBay or etsy (both of which have their own set of issues).I do love that you don’t have to auction things, or that you can set a firm price, and that sellers can list items in their own currency. That would be a big draw for international sellers.I’ll keep this place in mind for if/when I decide I need to leave etsy.
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One thing that I think people who sell don’t realize is that you can sell on more than one site. I did that for a while but when I became the moderator for the vintage and antique clothing and sewing section at Specialist Auctions I decided to concentrate on my stores there. Specialist Auctions can and will upload listings for you. We’ve just expanded our antique clothing section with very item specific categories (which eBay really does not have) and we also just expanded our collectible buttons section (located in the vintage sewing section and the collectibles section). We have three great co-moderators, one for vintage clothing, one for antique clothing and one for the button sections. It’s a place to spread your wings and expand your business. 🙂
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Hi! I’m so enjoying this feature, Erin. Wanted to say that I, too, can’t get to the link. It takes me to Dadadress which seems interesting and has some cute stuff!Thanks for your innerview, Marge.Holly
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THANKS
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I think the bust/waist measurements are swapped on that crochet dress listing. 30 inch bust and 34 inch waist? It doesn’t look pear-shaped in the picture!
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This is fast becoming my favorite blog.
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The question of the bust and waist measurement has come up many times. Those are actually the correct measurements. There is a lining inside the dress and the measurements are of the lining as that would be what is against your skin. The crocheted part is a bit flexible but the lining is not. There are no buttons and there is no zipper to make it easier to get this dress on. It slips over the head. 🙂
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Dahling, you are getting the recognition you deserve at last! And Erin, keep the interviews coming (not to mention the links).
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