Tales From A Vintage Wardrobe

Custom Made Vintage Fabric Face Masks Made in the USA at The Red Velvet Shoe Vintage

In response to the latest recommendation by the CDC and recently reiterated by Governor Baker that everyone in the U.S. should wear a home-made face covering in public settings, I sewed a few masks for my family and friends.  

Since posting pictures on Social Media, I have received many requests from people asking to purchase masks for themselves and their families. 

So I am currently sewing masks for you to purchase to help protect your family and stop the spread of Coronavirus.

For every ten masks purchased, I will donate one to local Rhode Island & Massachusetts Home Health Care Aides working on the Front Lines protecting those Aging in Place.

CLICK HERE  to learn more.  And please, please, please...stay safe & be well. 

 

Vintage Clothing: Repurpose With A Purpose

If you know anything about vintage clothing it's that, for the most part, true vintage clothing runs on the super-small side. Sourcing a vintage dress that would fit a modern size 12 + is pretty much a modern-day miracle. The lack of larger sized authentic vintage clothing has actually created a niche for retailers who focus on reproduction vintage: Unique Vintage, ModCloth, and Hell Bunny to name a few. Some sellers, like BERRIEZ, focus on more modern vintage from the late 80's and 90's, when the plus-size market was finally, after decades of being ignored, embraced by designers & retail giants.

Combine that with the fact that few today know how to thread a needle, never mind use a sewing machine. I was in Junior High when "Home-Ec" was taken out of the curriculum "for lack of interest". Without giving away my age, that was c.1979. Thankfully, my grandmother was an amazing seamstress (that's her and my grandfather in the picture below a year before they wed) and did her best to teach me how to make simple alterations and repairs to clothing to both accommodate my changing form and extend life due to wear and tear. She was born in 1914 and lived through some of the leanest days of American history, so nothing was thrown away.  Ever. It was repaired, repurposed, given to a friend or neighbor once no-one in the family could make use of it, and last but not least, went into the rag pile where it would be used for cleaning, polishing, and sometimes wiping down a new-born calf in the dairy barn. Like I said: no waste.  Ever.

 

My grandparents in 1936, a year before they wed.

 

I have to admit that, at times, this miserly outlook was a bit embarrassing. I practically grew up on the farm, I knew the hard work and diligence it took to run a dairy in a dying farming economy. I knew that, even though our family owned a lot of land and a lot of livestock, the stress of staying afloat outweighed what appeared to others as a very successful family business. But I was coming of age in the 1980's, an era of crazy indulgence and excess. More was MORE. New was BETTER. Excess was COOL. Waste was EXPECTED.  I can't tell you how many times during my waitress years I would find expensive bottles of champagne practically full after a lavish party of four moved onto their next party. (Thus, my exquisite taste for fine champagne.) I was fighting an inner battle between the standards and ideals I was raised by with the modern world of luxurious excess that seemed so inviting. I'm certain my grandmother sensed it. It wasn't until after she passed and I inherited her vintage clothing and jewelry that I realized she, too, had felt trapped between two worlds. She fell in love with a tall, quiet Swedish man who was a dairy farmer. I'm certain she knew that didn't translate to a life full of elegant parties, dinner and dancing to live orchestras and extravagant shopping sprees in the best fashion houses. But she had a wardrobe that would have said otherwise. Thus began my love affair with vintage clothing.

 

My grandmother on her honeymoon in 1937.

 

It didn't take long for me to regain my senses. In 1988 I sent a letter to the editor of Elle Magazine, outraged over the placement of an Hermès ad followed by a story about the homeless in their March issue; it was published.   I suddenly had clarity of mind about issues that a decade of excess had attempted to cloud. My foundation held and my adulthood became grounded in the ethics and standards of my childhood training. I reconnected with my grandmother on an even deeper level; one of the greatest gifts I've ever been given.

Years later, my aunt sent me my grandmother's sewing machine. I set it up and just stared at it for a long time. So many memories. So much I didn't know. I felt polarized by my lack of know-how and the potential I knew it held. I dreamed of my grandmother that night. I could smell her Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Cream, feel her arthritic hands in mine, hear her contagious laugh. I didn't want it to end. But the next day, I threaded that machine and started practicing on scrap pieces of fabric. And slowly, I relearned how to do the things my grandmother had taught me so many years before. I mended, darned, hemmed, let out seams and took them in. And finally, on one brave day, I altered the waistband on a skirt from one of her vintage suits and wore it later that summer.

The author in her grandmother's repurposed vintage seersucker suit.

As we approach 2020, there's a lot of talk in the industry about "slow fashion" (vs. "fast fashion"), "circular fashion" and "sustainable fashion" - all the tenets of my grandmother's generation coming back full circle. It's like going home again. What's old is new again. Or, can be "like new" again, with a little bit of TLC.  Repurpose with a purpose.

 

Visit this page for a Tutorial on a Vintage Skirt Waistband Alteration that was inspired by my grandmother's suit project.

#slowfashion #circularfashion #sustainablefashion #recommerce #repurpose #sewing #homeeconomics #retail #shopping #clothing #vintageclothing #1980s #secondhand #family #values #ethics #legacy #tribute #fashionblogger

 

Psssst...Highly Coveted Vintage DVF Dress Pattern

To my few, yet faithful readers, I just wanted to let you know I just added this HIGHLY COVETED pattern to my Etsy Shop....may the skinniest gal win!

VINTAGE REVAMP - SKIRT WAISTBAND ALTERATION TUTORIAL

My sister has a few things in her closet that she knows I would just die for.  A 1930's peach satin bias-cut nightgown is one.  I can admit that I truly covet it.  I know that is wrong considering how much vintage stuff I already possess but it's so beautiful it gives me goosebumps.  She also has a lovely green velvet vintage suit, c. 1960's.  The problem with the vintage suit, as with many vintage items, is that the waist band on the skirt is teeny, tiny.  The jacket fits her beautifully, but the skirt is a "never going to happen" deal.

So, being the closet "I~wish~I~were~a~clothing~designer" that I am, I volunteered to fix the waist band for her, to make it a larger size. 

Read on to learn how.  

 

 (My dream atelier)

 

VINTAGE SKIRT WAISTBAND ALTERATION TUTORIAL
by Michelle Horlbogen 

 

YOU WILL NEED:

• small seam ripper
• 7/8" double fold bias tape Quilt Binding (in coordinating color)
• Stitch Witchery Fusible Bonding Tape
• common pins
• iron & board
• sewing machine
• scissors

(TIP: Click on the photos in the tutorial to zoom in.)

1)  First, you need to remove the existing waist band.  I use a sharp, small seam ripper.  The only issue with this can be that the clothing label is on the waist band.  If it is, just carefully remove it and save it to hand sew back on later.  Trim any frayed or long threads you find.  If there are darts at the waistband, you can determine if you need to let any out by slipping the skirt on to see how it fits.  If you still need more room, take out either the two front or two back darts.  (Depending on the fabric, removing darts may leave some marks, so think it through before you do.)

 

 

2)  Take the bias tape and pin it to one end of the waist band with @ 3/4" extra (so you can have something to work with to finish it later.  Measure it all the way around to see how much tape you need (don't forget to add the extra at the other end as well).

 

 

 

3)  Pin the bias tape to the skirt, starting at one end and working around to the other.  The tape just folds over the top of the skirt. As you pin, you may have to stretch the fabric and tape to get a smooth, flat finish.

 

 

 

4)  Now you have to do something with the ends of the tape.  As you can see in the photo above, I just folded in & pressed the tips of the corners, and then place a small piece of the heat n bond tape on the bias tape, just about a 1/2" from the end, so you can fold it over and iron it down.  The goal is to have a nice edge to the tape where the zipper is.

 

 

 

5)  As you can see in this photo, the edge has been folded in and "glued" down, then pinned.  You'll have to determine where to end the new waistband.  I like to just barely cover the top of the zipper, so the two new ends of the waistband touch.

 

 

6)  Now that your pinned and the ends are "glued" down and pinned, it's time to sew.  I usually gage where I want the seam depending on what's inside.  Sometimes a skirt will have a very flimsy liner, so I tend to sew pretty close to the bottom of the bias tape to make sure I catch the lining all the way around.  I've also done it with a double seam, one along the top and one along the lower part of the bias tape.  I don't think it really matters, as long as all four layers are sewn together well.

 

 

 

7)  Trim your excess thread and VOILA!  Your vintage skirt is ready to wear!  If you removed a label, don't forget to sew it back in.

 

 

 

Now, with that said, there are a few concerns.  Firstly, there is the BIG question of whether vintage clothing should be tampered with. I definitely believe that high end, Haute Couture / Couture vintage clothing falls in the category of Fine Art and should never be altered (unless it's in utter disarray with no chance of restoration to it's original state).  That, in my opinion, is indisputable.  However, when you are fortunate enough to have, as I do, some of your grandmother's sweet cotton day dresses or pretty suits from the 1950s/60s, and with a slight bit of alteration you could have some fantastic, unique vintage clothing in your wardrobe to actually WEAR, then I say go for it!

Secondly, if you remove a vintage skirt waist band and replace it with quilting bias tape, it is not going to look quite as nice.  So think about how you will wear the skirt - will you want to tuck your blouse or top in?  If so, then aesthetically speaking, this could be an issue.  A great way to "skirt the issue" is by wearing a wide belt, even if you tuck something in, this will give you a more modern look and is a great way to hide the waistband. 

Thirdly, I must humbly admit I am by no means even remotely close to being a tailor or seamstress, so you may want to try this out on a skirt you don't really care about (maybe one your daughter has outgrown or even pick one up at the thrift store on dollar day to play around with).  This will allow you a chance to try out the idea and maybe even improve on it.  By the way, does anyone have a different way of solving this vintage waistband size issue?  If so, I'd love to hear from you, so leave a comment!

My sister was very happy, the skirt fit her perfectly.  Look how she thanked me, how great is she?

 

 

 

 

A BIT MORE WARDROBE INSPIRATION

You may recall that awhile back I made the big jump of separating my "Blog" from my "Boutique".  While the mission was accomplished, I never did quite figure out how to bring my older posts over to "Tales From A Vintage Wardrobe".  (Haven't I told you I was born in the wrong era?)

Since Spring Cleaning time is just about here, I have decided to play some "Re~Runs" for you~~I'll be re-posting some previously published posts here and removing them from my Archives at "The Red Velvet Shoe". 

Here we go again. . .

My friend Joleen showed up last week with a suitcase full of Vintage Goodies for me and look what I found inside:

I was just beside myself at the sight of these beautiful patterns!!  I may actually make an attempt to sew one for myself:  I think my favorites are the green ones below. . .I just love this era~so chic and sophisticated~so feminine and elegant! 

There were also a bunch of great dresses in the case which I will be going to town on as soon as I get caught up with some other things that are ready to be added to the boutique.

Have a great weekend everyone!

(*Previously posted on October 5, 2007)

DARN IT

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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAUTE HOME SPUN BAGS & CHANEL

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 have also finally created a Flickr account & designed a link to My Vintage Fashion Show . . . proper dress required.

As for what's new around here, 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 from 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,
seasonless,
timeless . . .

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Cleaning the Workspace

The home of my on line~boutique is actually in my basement.  I have one half and our daughter shares the other half with the tread mill and the wood stove.  I love to be down there in the winter~~especially if my DH makes a little fire to keep us company.

But when Spring rolls around I have a harder time descending the stairs when I know the sun is shining bright and sunny up here in the real world.    So I usually take a day and give my "Boutique" some Domestic Spa Treatments~~some dusting, vacuuming, a scented candle & a bit of rearranging.  I can actually spend hours and hours just puttering (as opposed to actually working!)

Here are a few pictures of my workshop/studio/boutique or whatever you want to call it!  This is where I am when I am working on The Red Velvet Shoe:

This is my grandmother's sewing machine.  I have all my sewing notions in that enormous Tupperware thing to the left~~I have a strong aversion to plastic but this is so practical and I like the fact that I can see all my stuff~~the bottom drawer is full of Vintage Sewing Patterns!  That beautiful peignoir set hanging on the right is right out of a 1930's movie~~I love, love, love it even though I will never, never, never fit in it!  It says Size 12 but it's more like a Two! 

This is actually a pool table my handyman husband built years ago.  I dragged it into the corner, covered it with some fabric and Voila'~~a work table!  That's my favorite Robert Doisneau picture on the wall, and hanging to the right of it are my wedding bouquet and two bridle bits from my grandparents farm~~we had a bunch of horses and grew up riding English, Western & most of the time bareback because we used to take them in the pond to swim.  I think these belonged to our Palomino.  And see all of the hats hanging there?  They are all for sale, I just haven't put them in The Red Velvet Shoe yet!  I'm too embarrassed to show you the racks of clothes that still aren't on the floor yet, either!  Let's just say what you see in the Boutique is about 10% of all the Vintage Stuff I have!

While I don't actually have a Brick & Mortar store, my friends are known, on occasion, to drop by to do a little "Shopping". . .this especially seems to happen after dinner parties when the men leave the table to crash in the living room. . .the girls usually grab their wine glasses and  head South~~as in down the basement stairs!  I love this~~probably because I really wish I did have an actual store and this gives me a little taste of what it would be like.  So to give them a bit of privacy I created this dressing room for them.  That's Coco my dress form hiding in the corner.  I hung a curtain rod from the ceiling beam and the curtains can be pulled together when someone is trying on something. 

Old issues of Victoria & a picture of my Mom when she was about five.  I love this picture because I see so much of my daughter in it.

So it's not the fanciest place in the world, actually it is nothing like I would like it to be. . .it's just making do with what I have which is a good thing to learn how to do, I suppose!  I would LOVE for it to look something like THIS beautiful space over at Vintage Home!  If you haven't been there you should check out her site~~beauty, beauty, beauty!

Now that it is all clean & organized maybe I can actually get to work!!  You may have noticed I also made a few changes around here. . .I was having a hard time reading the tiny font I had chosen and thought maybe some others of you have too.  I hope you like it!  And find my ramblings easier to read!

Happy Spring Cleaning everyone!

Michelle