The Ones that Got Away

As a vintage clothing seller, my personal wardrobe is usually full of finds (drastically limited now that nothing fits).  Sometimes there are pieces that I thrift or discover that I just can't stand to let go of.  Like anyone, though, I also sometimes agonize over purchases for my personal closet. The delight of vintage clothing is that you're not going to find someone else wearing the same garment as you, but that's also, of course, one of the limitations with vintage.  The message is, if you don't buy it when you see it, you will probably lose it to someone else.

Whenever I wait too long and lose something I really love, I am instantly filled with shopping sadness. Sometimes I keep these items in my favorites so I can go back and stare at them and think about what could have been.  This has happened to me so frequently lately, that I couldn't help but feature some of these lovelies. Maybe one day I'll see them (or their twin?) around vintage land.  Until then:

 1960s dress by Judith Martin found at Custard Heart Vintage

Why I liked it: I loved that this dress had such fun sleeves and this nice, thick quilted skirt. Also, the wrap around ribbon finished it off perfectly. Major bonus, because of the height of the waistline and the fullness of the skirt, it looked like something I could wear in this weird middle stage of pregnancy I'm in as well as postpartum as well.

How I would wear it: I envisioned myself sporting this lovely frock to teach in with maroon tights and brown boots.  If I was cold, I thought I could easily put on a long sleeved tissue tee underneath for some layering action.

Why I hesitated: Because my body is changing, I wanted to try on some things in my closet and compare those measurements to this dress.  This, my friends, is always a smart idea, but if you keep dragging your feet on it like I did, someone will steal your dress. True story.

1960s wool and faux fur coat found at Hollie Point Vintage

Why I liked it: This coat is the perfect combination of factors. I confess I love some leopard print, but it can be overwhelming. This coat has the right amount and the cream really offsets it well.  This coat is also my preferred winter coat length for blustery northern NY days.

How I would wear it: This would be a go to coat for me. I think it works as a staple and I'd probably have taken it everywhere.

Why I hesitated: Because of the cut, this really isn't pregnancy friendly.  While I have quite a few coats in my wardrobe, I don't have one that will work for me until the cold weather clears out so I decided I should save my pennies and use them on something that can keep me warm now rather than later.

vintage kimono jacket found at Pretty Little World Vintage

Why I liked it: This red is such a gorgeous color and the tone on tone flowers really add to the overall look.  I also liked the square neckline and, of course, the drape of the sleeves.

How I would wear it: I would have put this with skinny jeans or gray skinny pants followed up by some chunky heels. I probably would have gone with black shoes, but a contrasting color would have been amazing as well.

Why I hesitated: I'm not entirely sure! This really would have been pregnancy friendly. I think I had a long moment of if I could pull this outfit off and look fashionable in my rural, conservative area.

1960s crewel work dress by Anne Fogerty found at Raleigh Vintage

Why I liked it: This dress is impossible not to love. I mean look at that design! Plus I remembered seeing this dress's twin on Veronika of tick tock vintage and loving it then.

How I would wear it:  I would have worn this to work with some coordinating heels and later paired it with a cardigan. I do like how Veronika layered it with a long sleeve tee and I would probably have tried that out as well.

Why I hesitated:  This was a case of me being too cautious of spending any money.  My mom loved it so much that she offered to buy it for me, but then that made me feel guilty.  And then I almost bought it and then didn't and then almost bought it and then didn't. While I was arguing with myself, it sold.

What are your shopping regrets?

This or That

A lot of what is posted in the store is from the same woman.  She's living in assisted care and sold off most of her household at auction.  I wish I had met her, this saver of a woman who kept 40 years worth of clothing neatly tucked away in her house.  In going through these clothes I realized that she had a strong aesthetic.  I get it. If you were to go through my clothes you'd find a lot of leopard print shoes and gray shirts.  For the store I find I immediately gravitate toward red skirts.

So here, for today's post, a bit of this or that.  Let me know which of these options you prefer.

1950s floral cotton:

                        Dress #1                                                                                              Dress #2


Yellow cotton:

                                         Dress #1                                                                                   Dress #2

Blue Roses:

                      

                        Dress  #1                                                                                                               Dress #2                                          

A Plea

Dear women with small feet;

Would someone with size 6 1/2 feet please buy these shoes.


Wear them with dark washed jeans and a pink cardigan. Wear them with a deep forest green dress. Wear them with style and class, but please wear them.

Love,
women with larger feet


shoes available at Denise Brain store for just $35

A Find From Every Era Friday

Today's FFEEF was a bit delayed as I caught up on all of my lost sleep. A 5 hour nap tends to cut into blogging time. I must admit there were no guiding principles to today's finds. I simply gathered together clothes that I think are beautiful.


1910s

I've always wanted a skirt with interesting fabric on the inverted panels since I saw one in a magazine. There's something surprising and refreshing about the whole look. Since the skirt is really the show here, I'd pair it with a soft gray cashmere sweater and some ballet flats and head off to work. It's a simple yet elegant look.

Blue linen skirt with gray and white stripes on inverted panels. Measurements: 34" waist, 38" hips. Available at Woodland Farms Antiques for $145.

1920s
I know it's a bit confusing to guess what this is by the picture above, but it's the only one I could nab of it. It's actually a gorgeous shawl and you can click the link below for a full view of it. Some places play movies in the park during the summer. If I lived some place cooler than Phoenix, I'd wrap this around myself while taking in a good classic movie. I like versatility though, so I'd also convert this to a wrap skirt. It might take some finagling, but simply wrap this around, pin it with something equally pretty, grab a tank top, find some boots with high heels (height dependent on length of the shawl's fringe) and go. I love this idea so much that I'm wondering why I'm sitting around in pajamas instead of wearing it.

Printed silk jacquard shawl with fringe (click the link for full view). Measurements: 49" square. Available at Contentment Farm for $395.

1930s

I'm sure I'll be blogging next week about my love of ruffles. Until then you can get a glimpse of my obsession with this gorgeous top. I love how feminine and elegant it is. Lately high-waisted pants and skirts are making a comeback which works marvelously with this top. I'd choose some wide legged trousers or a pencil skirt to tuck this blouse into. The ruffles would end just before the skirt or pants began. Now how's that for a pulled together look?

Ivory chiffon ruffle front blouse. Measurements: 36" bust, 24" waist. Available at Contentment Farm for $95.

1940s
I know summer is ending for most of you in the US, but it's still in full swing in the southwest. It's hard for me to think sweaters quite yet, so it's no wonder I'm still coveting gorgeous summery dresses. This one has such amazing color and really it wouldn't take much thoughtful wardrobe planning. With accents of black and white there must be plenty of accessories already in your closet to use with this. Buy it now and take it on vacation as you head south to escape the winter chill.

Cotton batiste dress with applique accents. Measurements: 38-40" bust, 32" waist. Available at Ballyhoo Vintage for $79.

1950s

Oh skirt how I love you! Seriously how often do you see skirts in this pretty of a color? You could pair it with a neutral top or sweater in gray or taupe, or you could liven it up even more with something wild in apple green. Personally I'd put it with a white corset cover or camisole like I featured last week and add a cardigan for good measure. See I can think fall/winter.

Coral pink Evan Picone pencil skirt. Measurements: 29" Waist, 37" hips. Available at etsy seller Green Eden Vintage for $37.

1960s

As winter approaches you may want to start thinking about gloves. I can clearly remember the days back east when getting in the car and putting your hands on the steering wheel meant cold hands, not burnt ones like out here. Protect your fingers and look stylish at the same time.

Dark blue Italian leather gloves with lambswool knit lining. Size: 7 1/4. Available at Ballyhoo Vintage for $22.

1970s

I feel like this dress could go anywhere that there's a party. Grabbing a martini with friends, heading to Vegas to play the slots, going on a tropical trip. Just add a few coordinated accessories and look super sexy.

Yellow polyester knit dress with banded floral trim. Measurements: 42-32-38. Available at Rusty Zipper for $34.

1980s

I confess, I have a shoe problem. I have so many shoes that every once in awhile I come across a pair I'd forgotten I even had. In one day I bought 8 pairs. My mother seems to think I should follow the declutter rule of buy a pair and remove a pair. I don't know who she thinks she's talking to, but if it's me she clearly doesn't understand the need to have shoes in every color and shape for any occasion. These shoes are clearly party shoes and they have a lot of life left in them. I think they need to go dancing. I'm sure you'll agree.

Bronze silk shoes with pastel rhinestones. Size: 9 1/2N. Available at Vintage Martini for $135.

Vintage Love: Embroidery

Today will mostly be a blog in pictures. I've been a bit absent today and yesterday given that I rescued a puppy from the parking lot of my apartment complex this week. While she's a sweetheart, she's not the best at sleeping at night and needs to be taken out during the day as all puppies do. The problem with that is that it's still over 100 here and the AZ heat just sucks the energy right out of you...or well does if you're not a puppy. I'm about ready to fall asleep right here in my chair, but before I do that I'm blogging about one of my favorite details in some vintage clothing, embroidery.

My grandmother taught me how to embroider when I was eight or nine. She set me up with a hoop and fabric, let me use her thread. She had iron on transfer patterns from the sixties that she put onto clean white fabric for me. I started on a cardinal sitting on a branch. I carefully stitched away at the branch, crosshatched red for the body of the bird and used a knot of black for his eye. While my stitches at the beginning were neat and even, toward the end they were rough and large. I think I had figured out the larger I made the stitch the more ground I covered, which is not exactly a characteristic of successful embroidery. This is why I realize the effort that goes into an embroidered piece. Sure, some is probably machine constructed, but I like to think someone took the time to stitch it.

Here's some cute embroidered pieces just dying to be a part of your wardrobe:

1970s cotton gauze shirt with embroidered bib in a floral design. Measurements: 36" bust Available at Rusty Zipper for $24.

1960s orange layered cotton with brown trim and gingko patterned embroidery. Measurements: 36-30-38. Available at etsy seller greasywaitress for $118.

1920s white cotton dress with white floral embroidery. Measurements: 38" bust, 32" waist. Available at ebay seller Lynne Marzilli Textiles with a current bid of $24.99 and a reserve.

1980s Frank Usher cream summer dress with embroidered flowers. Measurements are 38-28-34. Available at etsy seller Lady Day Vintage for $175.

1950s black chiffon dress with embroidered vines and leaves and fabric flowers. Measurements are 34-35" bust, 26" waist. Available at ebay seller traven7 with a starting bid of $29.99 and a buy now of $339.99.