There isn't a vintage clothing afficionada/o out there who doesn't dream of owning a Ceil Chapman dress. Well, here's your chance:
This beauty is up for auction at Timeless Vixen and you can find out more here. It might also interest you that the bid started at only $24.00, and as of this moment, that's where its at! I think I just may go for this one!!!!
May the best gal win!!!
I couldn't wait to show you what I found today. . .being the romantic that I am. . .
It's a vintage (c1950's?) satin wedding gown in
amazing condition. . .I fell in love, again. . .yes, she needs some TLC but I can see beyond the wrinkles and tiny marks here and there. . .
The label reads: "A Bridal Creation Original ~ Skinner". It was a much coveted bridal gown in it's day, and today as well ~~apparently the satin produced by Skinner & Sons was some of the best in the industry and they had a very successful bridal line. (Still in the "research" stage on this!)
Satin covered buttons all the way down the back. . .
I love the simple neckline, and the netting is in pristine condition front and back
The sleeves are so elegant, four more covered buttons at the wrists. . .
Of course I have been wondering all day, who was the bride that wore this elegant gown on her wedding day? Was she terribly in love? Did she know this was the gown the moment she saw it? Did she worry if her betrothed would fancy it as much as she? I think, at times, what I love about vintage clothing is the mystery behind it's history as much as the garment itself. Someone's life changed forever the day she wore this beautiful gown. . .and I hope she was very, very happy as every bride should be!
I have that sneaking suspicion I may just hang onto this one. . .after all, my little girl may one day be a bride, and you never know~~she may just wish to wear a vintage gown!
Since most of us enjoy a leisurely stroll down a smart city street looking at fabulously turned out mannequins (aka window shopping) but may rarely have a chance to actually indulge such a luxury, I thought I would bring a virtual window shopping stroll to you! Some of these lovelies are available for purchase, others are just favorite images I've saved from surfing the net. . .enjoy!
*you may learn more about this gorgeous frock here .
* find out more about this lovely dress here
A bit of Carrie~Vintage. . .adorable. . .
Did I ever tell you I had a huge crush on Mikhail Baryshnikov? I watched White Nights about 757 times!
Oh, and her dress is darling!
A fashion delight to behold. . .one of my favorite style inspirations; Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. . .
Doesn't she look a bit annoyed? This is what I look like when I get a busy signal, one of my pet peeves. . .
Breakfast never looked so good!
Spring is just two days away, and with it that illness we all crave to be sick with: Spring Fever!
Spring Fever & Travel Fever are cousins, didn't you know? So, if you are fortunate enough to be very sick with both of them, I have the perfect medicine for you. . .all courtesy of my absolute latest obsession: The J. Peterman Company *
(This coat leaves me utterly speechless)
(I would have
chosen this
for my
wedding dress
had I found it
8 years ago)
(How much
more 1940's
can you
get?)
(Who cares if it rains with this lovely umbrella!)
(A bit
of an
"Out of Africa"
look for your man)
(Yes, you
need him
to carry
the luggage!)
What did I tell you? Just what the doctor ordered! Now, take your medicine, I insist!
Don't forget to send a postcard!
*Thanks for the link, Sharon!
In light of the fact that the entire globe is in an unprecedented, staggering economic crisis, I thought I would devote this post to a very simple, old fashioned, somewhat outdated past~time:
DARNING : (noun) 1. Mending holes in clothes, the work of repairing holes in clothing or fabric with long interwoven stitches.
MENDING : (noun) 1. articles, especially clothes, to be mended.
SYNONYMS : Restoration, patch~up, healing, renovation
It used to be that every domestic diva had a basket full of things that needed mending. A bit of attention with needle and thread could extend the life of a garment by years and that used to matter to people. As the years passed, this simple past~time gave way to the notion that "it's a lot easier to throw it away and buy a new one". Businesses were booming, advertising took on a major role in society, and mass production of just about everything left lots of grandmother's shaking their heads and wondering if the day would come when not one bride~to~be would know how to thread a needle, much less know how to mend something.
But now, it seems, consumers are not so quick to throw things away. Many are actually choosing to "make do" with what they already have and if it needs a little TLC, well that is better than having to purchase a new one. While this poses a challenge for those of us in the "Retail" sector or some version of it, I still find this trend heart~warming in a way. After all, if my adored vintage frocks were not cared for the way they were, I wouldn't have the pleasure of working with such beautifully crafted garments. And so. . .
From socks to cars~~people are choosing to be:
THRIFTY : (adjective) 1.careful with money and resources, managing money and resources in a cautious and sensible way so as to waste as little as possible. 2. Prosperous
Isn't that interesting: PROSPEROUS was the archaic meaning of the word THRIFTY!
In our day, being thrifty has generally been equated with being cheap, tight~fisted, even poor. And yet now being "Thrifty" is suddenly in style. Everywhere. Good Morning America ran a prime time segment on "Secrets of a Thrift Store Shopper" . . .their retail business is booming!! Not to mention that thrift/resale/consignment store shopping is a wonderful way to "Recycle". Check out this interview with clothing designer Elizabeth Kramer and take a peek at her creative flat/studio infused with vintage finds. A far cry from this story of CEO extravagance by Mark Patinkin in the same section of my Providence Sunday Journal.
Perhaps the antiquated meaning of "Thrifty" will come to be in fashion once again. . .while we usually equate prosperity with wealth, this beautiful word means far more. . .
PROSPEROUS : (adjective) 1. thriving 2. flourishing 3. abounding 4. successful
Doesn't that put a lovely new angle on "Prosperity"?
It's who we have, not what we have, that makes us prosper in the most genuine sense of the word. . .and in lean times, remembering that can make a big difference in our outlook every day.
I'm going to try to think about that while I'm sewing today. . .but of course I will be tuned in at half time to watch you know who!
I have been spending quite a bit of time updating my type-lists & links~~you will see some new ones that are well worth a visit~~you will also see a bit of a "Francophile" theme going on rather than much new in a vintage clothing kind~of way. . . I figure I should only add a bit of beauty at a time. Do not fear, the vintage list is in the works!
I also have finally joined "FLICKR WORLD" (which I am still a bit overwhelmed by!) and have added a link to my favorites of other Flickr Members~~you'll see it to the right: I called it"FRONT ROW AT OUR VINTAGE FASHION SHOW"~~be sure to check out the photostream for some AMAZING vintage clothing. It also shows some very thin models which explains why a lot of vintage clothing is teeny, tiny, and that models starving themselves is nothing new! (Of course they lived in "Girdle World" so that was a big help.)
So, what else is goin' on? Well. . .
First, I'd like to introduce you to my friend Karina of the World Famous Karina's Bags. A few months ago, she purchased this vintage bag from my boutique:
and turned it into this:
The bag itself had seen better days, but she took the Vintage Bakelite frame and created this couture purse from it. . .talk about talent! Check out the amazing bags she has~~I especially love the clutches which she accents with vintage scarves. . .she's all over England with her Haute~Spun designs, and British Vogue even did a feature on her last month!
Onto more excitement for talented designers, my good friend Lisa of Pink Lemonade Boutique was invited to participate in The Foundry Artists Association Show in Providence, RI, USA which will be held over the next two weeks. Take a peek at these photos of Lisa's work and you will see why she was invited to this exclusive artists venue:
Here she is, hard at work selling her wares!
Congratulations, Lisa, I know it will be a wonderful success story for you!!
I've also been surfing a few on~line magazine sites and have found these beautiful images to share; they are enough to melt one's Vintage~Lovin'~Heart. . .
This is, of course, a Chanel ensemble. . .
(the hat is similar to this one, don't you think?)
Another Chanel ensemble from the Spring collection, and yet a true classic, season-less, timeless,
. . .
Just Like You!
Remember. . .
Oh, the joy of being a Vintage Clothing lover! I wandered out the other day to do a wee bit of shopping, as my daughter is sick and we have been cooped up for far too long for this suburban socialite. . .
At the very last moment I decided to make a quick stop at one of my favorite "haunts" ( you know. those "High Security" zones that no one else knows about. . .should you disclose location you will be eliminated. . .) and I ran across this Vintage Beauty:
An Oleg Cassini Vintage 1960's Brocaded Chenille Coat. . .
My heart skipped a beat
Well, maybe 25 beats, once I realized I didn't have enough cash
and my credit card was useless
at this establishment. . .
What's a girl to do?
I did the dance,
you know,
"I already have enough inventory to fill a floor on Macys"
and
"This is a bit on the wild side. . .other's may not see the vintage glam of it. . ."
and I
left
without the coat. . .
But I went back today
and guess what?
IT WAS STILL THERE!
SO NOW, IT IS HERE, AT THE RED VELVET SHOE
and I am left wondering:
Are we cousins?
My sister gave me this gorgeous Vintage Bag years ago
and I love it for the simple fact
that the strap is long enough to wear over the shoulder.
(A rare "wonderful" with vintage purses)
When I found this gorgeous coat,
I was obsessed with the thought:
"Is my Vintage Brocade Purse a Match?"
ARE WE RELATED?
Hmmm,
similar features,
but alas,
I do not think so. . .
Hope you have enjoyed this research into
my Vintage Family Tree. . .
