factoryhandbook is taking a short break
Reviews
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rachebara on Jan 12, 2017
5 out of 5 starsGreat find. Love my jacket! In great condition and even cooler in person. Packed very well and arrived quickly. There's not another one like this; exactly what I was aiming for. Very pleased with this shop. Thank you!
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Shenandoah on Apr 6, 2016
5 out of 5 starsA+ highly recommended seller, easy transaction, great pack/ship, arrived perfect condition. It's just what I needed.
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Lisa on Feb 21, 2016
5 out of 5 starsSuper fast shipping, amazing dress, just as described! Perfect experience!
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frannie on Jan 7, 2016
5 out of 5 starsLet me tell you a story: I have coveted this dress for *several* months, gazing lovingly every time I opened my Etsy favorites. It would drift in and out of my consciousness, but was always gnawing at me. Alas, for one reason or another I could never pull the trigger and purchase the burlap-sack-chic dress of my dreams. For reasons I can only ascribe to fate, no one else purchased it either, and one day last week I finally came to my senses and clicked "buy."
Now since this is a review of the store, Factory Handbook, I feel obligated to say that this was a flawless transaction and shipped surprisingly fast. I can only assume that they always operate with such perfection.
But back to the dress. Suffice it to say I have never felt happier with an online purchase. It is perfect, it is everything, it is life. -
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ebsanders on Oct 21, 2015
5 out of 5 starsI LOVE it. It's even better than the picture. Amazingly fast shipping. And I really appreciated the handwritten card! Thanks for helping to make my day special.
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About factoryhandbook
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designer clothing is one of our specialties - with labels from mid-century through the 90s
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we spend all our spare time at work in 'the other' studio designing furniture & lighting for our home line (coming soon)
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vintage sourcing in the southern USA has many one-of-a-kind quirks that benefit our customers' adventurous taste
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we incorporate antique, vintage, and recycled materials into our furniture & lighting designs whenever possible
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there's a no-nonsense approach to vintage clothing here. no costumes, no froufrou - just spot on-trend badass fashion
from our little world to yours...
Factory Handbook is the work of two madly-in-love sweethearts, Carrie & Mike, now happily sharing our life together for nearly 20 years. Recently, when 2010 found us looking at two highly successful but unfulfilling career paths in New York (Carrie in a corporate position as a women’s clothing designer, and Mike at a well-respected architectural restoration company), the realization dawned that we were ready for a major change. Our professional ideal, we knew, would be a way to incorporate both of our talents, interests, and personal aesthetics into one grassroots business venture.
Native Southerners, we decided that our home state of Kentucky made the perfect staging ground. By the Spring of 2011 we had made the move to Louisville, established our inspiring studio space, stocked the shelves with beautiful vintage inventory…and the story of our Etsy store had begun.
Obsessed with vintage clothing from the pre-teen years onward, it was a keen interest in creative alteration (under the watchful eye of a very sewing-skillful mother!) that pulled Carrie toward a career in fashion. Co-authoring the book ‘Fashion DIY: 30 Ways To Craft Your Own Style’ (Sixth & Spring Books, 2006), earning her degree in clothing design from F.I.T., and ultimately working on the design team for a contemporary New York brand – can all count that insatiable love for vintage clothing as their point of origin. Currently, life as a vintage dealer means the fruition of many dreams come true.
For Mike, the chance to flex his skill & ease behind the camera lets the visual artist inside him keep his creativity fueled. Meanwhile, his precision-oriented personality suits nicely to the wide array of customer-service and shipping details that are an everyday part of our business.
Together, we have also been developing a line of furniture, lighting and home textiles that can be viewed online at factoryhandbook.com. Sharing every aspect of the design process in creating these objects, we work hard to offer eccentric yet beautiful pieces balancing form, function, and ethically-sourced materials. The goal is for our ideal environment to overlap with our customers' - by bringing our personal perspective into the day-to-day life of their home.
Shop members
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Carrie Blaydes
Owner, Curator, Model, Stylist, Erstwhile Designer
Every day is a chance for me to discover, preserve, and pass on singular gems from fashion's infinitely-varied past to to the loving arms of my gorgeous customers. All in a grassroots, family-run business. Needless to say, I LOVE what I do!
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Mike Newsome
Owner, Photographer, Shipping, Customer Service
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Ollie
V.I.P. Studio Assistant
Shop policies
Please see the condition key below for a better sense of how we rate our items. If you have a particular concern about any item, or specific needs requiring an item to be in pristine condition, send us a convo and we'll be happy to discuss the details further.
Condition Key:
- Pristine = Excellent condition, very modest signs of wear
- Very Good = More signs of wear, but still outstanding vintage condition
- Good = More notable signs of wear: still very wearable but may require cleaning or minor repairs
- Decent = Needs some TLC
- Archive Item = Damaged and/or too fragile to wear, but desirable for design archive, display, etc.
All measurements provided in the item description are taken following garment industry standards with the item laid flat and doubled for circumference when applicable. We recommend comparing measurements with a similar item of clothing that fits you well, in order to best ensure a proper fit. Search online for 'clothing measurement chart' in order to view more info on how to properly measure a garment. Please keep in mind that these are the flat GARMENT measurements we are providing and NOT our suggestion of what your personal body measurements should be in order to fit the item.
Please convo us prior to buying if you have any specific fit or condition questions about the item, and we will be happy to respond as quickly as possible (usually within 24-48 hours max).
(NOTE: Belts and other accessories are for styling purposes only, and never included unless specifically stated in the item description.)
Accepted payment methods
Returns and exchanges
We make every effort to capture colors as accurately as possible, but many computer monitors will display colors differently and therefore slight variations may exist between the actual garment color and the photos on any given computer screen. We are not responsible for these variations and are unable to accept returns based on this type of discrepancy.
Payment
If that is not possible for any reason, please contact us to let us know when you will be able to pay (up to 7 days maximum) or if we will need to cancel your transaction and re-list the item.
We ship on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings only. Items with payments received after 12pm EST on these days will not be processed until the following shipping day.
At this time we are only able to accept PayPal, direct checkout transactions, and Etsy gift cards.
Sales tax collected for all items shipped within the state of Kentucky.
Shipping
DOMESTIC BUYERS: Shipping on all items to Domestic U.S. locations will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail.
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS: Shipping on all items to overseas locations will be shipped via USPS International Priority Mail. This service includes added security and tracking information that is available to you upon request.
Our International Shipping cost does NOT include any customs fees, taxes, or other charges that may be owed to your particular country - these are the sole responsibility of the buyer.
Please note that we are not willing to lie about value on customs forms - it's illegal!
Additional policies and FAQs
Starting in January 2013, all customers will become eligible for our VIP shopper program once they have spent a minimum of $500 within any one 6-month period.
The program qualifies each member to receive a shipping discount on all orders of 2+ items, as well as an AUTOMATIC 10% OFF EVERY ITEM EVERY DAY!
In addition, we will conduct sales and promotions several times per year, exclusively for our VIP members.