Baronial Posturings and a Bird Hat

I'm not a REAL Baroness, but sometimes it's fun to play one on my blog!  To quote Dorothy Parker, "I've never been rich, but think I'd be darling at it!" Haha! Seriously, I am content being my non-baronial self, but I do love smart 1930s manor house fashions a la Gosford Park (and its predecessor, La Regle du Jeu).  

Outfit:

1930s Jacket:  Garb-Oh Vintage

1930s style skirt: custom made by Wearing History

1930 style blouse: custom made by Nudeedudee

1930s/40s brown shoes: etsy

1930s feathered hat: my shop

Tea with the Vintage Baroness, Birthday Edition: Part Two

I couldn't resist sharing a few more of my favourite images of we members of the Alberta Vintage Roses group at Rutherford House, just before my vintage birthday high tea.

1930s yellow crocheted cardigan from Top Tottie; 1930s blue hat, Montreal; 1930s crochet gauntlet gloves, Elizabeth's Antique & Collectibles Show; nudeedudee skirt; Remix "It Girl" shoes

Erin, Laurie, Bailey

Back in the (Sugar) Swing of Things

Last night, my lovely new friend Erin, the blogger behind My Twelve Cents' Worth, and I danced our socks off at the amazing Sugar Swing Ballroom. The joint was so jumping they had a line up of people waiting outside to get a chance to dance!!  Kind thanks to the person who snapped this cute photo of us, which I've dubbed: "Imagining 1930s Mildred Pierce and 1950s Mrs. Draper in the same typing pool," and the Sugar Swing photog who caught an image of me mid-dance :). Yay! Such fun to be back in the "swing" of things where my dancing passion is concerned! I leave off with a link to a fun video showcasing some of the more advanced dancers at the Sugar Swing School. Something to aspire to this spring and summer!

My outfit: 1930s style blouse (made using 30s fabric, buttons, and buckle): Nudeedudee; 1930s skirt: Swish Vintage. Erin tells me her very authentically 1950s looking ensemble, including fabulous floral blouse and black circle skirt are entirely repro! This lady knows how to put together a swinging' dance ensemble!  

Image courtesy of Sugar Swing Dance Club

A Study in Scarlet

An ode to two of my favourite things: this 1930s scarlet red knit top and the new BBC Sherlock Holmes series, starring Benedict Cumberbatch.  Without these things, winter would scarcely be bearable.  I should note that I ADORE the late 30s/early 40s red shoes I'm wearing in this post, but they are just a smidge too snug, so they will be going into my etsy shop shortly.  

1930s knit top: Garb Oh Vintage

1930s style skirt: Nudeedudee

1930s/40s shoes: Gadabout Vintage

My Vintage Year

2011: A year filled with personal introspection, transition, revitalization, relocation, re-direction, and now retrospection!  Outfit-wise, a peek back at my year in vintage.

WINTER

30s Schia inspired snowsuit

30s Persian Lamb jacket +  30s plaid scarf & 30s knitted skirt and crocheted cap, outside Whitehern House, Hamilton, ON (scarf, skirt from Top Tottie)

30s plaid scarf again (this time with matching cap), at the Bronte Creek Maple Syrup festival

SPRING

30s flutter sleeved dress and green re-mix shoes for St. Patrick's Day Social at my dance school

30s pale blue gown + capelet set at Casa Loma Big Band Dance Night

30s knit/crochet-wear (hat, flutter sleeved top) + 30s skirt and shoes for the spring cherry blossom season

SUMMER

30s navy & white dress at Palais Royale (also wore this for the ADSLA Cocktails in Historic Places in L.A. in Nov)

Punchy 30s floral dress from Dorothea's Closet Vintage for the Niagara New Vintage Wine Fest

Ethereal 20s chiffon floral dress + straw cloche for Spadina House's 20s Garden Party

My summer go to ensemble: 30s peasant blouse, 30s style skirt by nudeedudee

Feigning Deauville in the early 30s with Nudeedudee striped top and wide legged trousers from Heyday

More 30s resortwear: cute gingham 30s beach pajamas

Faked a 20s bathing belle bathing suit to go with real 20s bathing shoes 

FALL

Amazing 30s crocheted dress

Glammed up for the Queen Mary Cocktail PJ Party with Trashy Diva evening jacket and repro 30s lounging pjs from Time Machine Vintage

30s sailor collared floral organdy day dress

Cocktail sparkle with my gorgeous friend Patricia Lynn of Lady By Choice (I'm shown here in a 20s Schiaparelli-inspired black velvet illusion bow dress which I'm actually selling along!)

MORE 30s knitwear, worn whilst enjoying the "Roaring 20s" shoe exhibit at the Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto

Once again living it up in L.A.; 30s cotton floral dress from Denise Brain

Back to winter with my fave 30s Persian lamb jacket + skirt set, accessorized with 30s dickie, 30s hat, and 30s galoshes.

Looking forward to more adventures in vintage for 2012. Stay tuned!!!

Chocolate Mint

Before I fell ill at the end of my L.A. trip, I had intended on wearing this little "chocolate mint" plaid jumper ensemble I had had custom made for the vacation.  30s style jumper/suspender skirt by Time Machine Vintage, 30s style blouse by NudeeDudee.

Lovely Bones and a Bohemian Blouse

ANOTHER outfit post? Yep, I'm a roll here. One of the many things I love about where I live is that I am surrounded by beautiful historical structures. Today, as I was out and about running errands (and gathering some great new items for the etsy shop) in a couple of the nearby areas, I thought about how wonderful it is to see that this part of Canada has done a great job of integrating "old" and "modern." Well, most of the time...a perhaps less well integrated site is the Loyalist cemetary in Burlington, that is really awkwardly sandwiched between a highway and a strip mall parking lot.  Very bizarre.  Yet, standing under the old maple trees leaning against the outside brick wall that ensconces it, I thought how it really is a wistfully beautiful little oasis of contemplation. I snapped the middle photos while buying from the little butcher and grocery shops in Dundas.  I LOVE that, rather than tearing these beautiful old brick structures and putting in a Walmart or other stripmalls, the town of Dundas has clearly put in concerted effort to preserve many of the lovely "bones" or foundations of wonderful old buildings, while revitalizing other bits where needed, so that really great little shops can be housed inside historical facades. I love that. What do you love about where you live?  Do you live somewhere that clearly values history and preserves the architectural "bones" of the past?

         

Details on Buildings in Dundas

Outfit details:

1930s embroidered "bohemian" blouse (wish you could see the details and vibrance of embroidery better): Wildfell Hall Vintage (like my lovely fellow vintage bloggers--including Tickety Boo Tupney, Wearing History, A Cat Among the Pigeons, Tuppence Ha'Penny and others....I am a lover of the 30s embroidered blouse and this beauty is one of those effortless pieces I've been wearing so much this summer. I also love how each of us wears this style in our own unique way!).

1930s/40s wooden bead bag: etsy

1930s style skirt: nudeedudee

1930s style shoes: Re-mix

1930s carved celluloid bangle: etsy

               

In the Navy Once Again

Today was so warm and summer-like that I decided it was time to debut the amazing halter playsuit+ skirt dress that I had the amazing Kim of Nudeedudee make me over the winter.  I initially had plans to wear it on a cruise vacation that was slated for later this month. Alas, for various reasons, the cruise is a "no go," but that's okay.  This amazing outfit is going to get TONS of mileage this summer. I can see myself wearing it for everything from golfing to frolicking at the beach to camping/lounging at the cabin this summer.  Wahooooo!

The Glories of Goldenrod

I LOVE when vintage pattern illustrations are in color, as I am better able to visualise the sorts of hues that were in fashion back when they were originally circulated.  One color I noticed appearing several times is what I'll call a sort of goldenrod (not as yellow as a mustard yellow?).  Not long ago I happened to find a 70s blouse that is not only this very same hue but in a style that I think is very 30s.  I'd still love to tackle a blouse from a vintage pattern, but this ended up being a very inexpensive find until I feel more confident sewing silky blouse fabrics!!  A note on the skirt: I've been seeking a black 30s skirt for ages, but could not find anything in my size or in a style that I liked, so Kim of nudeedudee once again helped me bring my dream skirt to life.  Okay, I'd better get back to work.  I have TONS of vintage items coming into my shop over the next while, as I have acquired several estate lots.  I am also heading to another vintage event out of town this weekend, so with any luck, I will be positively drowning in vintage lovelies for Adeline's Attic.  Stay tuned... aaaand, if you are on the hunt for something specific for your own vintage wardrobe, don't hesitate to pass your wish list on to me, so that I can keep an eye out for your dream frock when I'm out "hunting."

Blue, Blue Baby

Although today was a Tuesday, it sort of felt like a blue Monday.  The sky is overcast and the humidity levels are stifling.  Then the postman delivered a nice surprise: my 1930s bespoke/repro. dress created by nudeedudee.  I had bought this dress way back in the early spring with my birthday fundage.  As always, proprietress Kim was so accommodating when I contacted her, birthday $$ burning, to see if she could take an image of a dress from a 1930s catalogue (below) and turn it into reality.  Of course, I took forever deciding on the fabric and the right buttons (I'm such a fussy Baroness).  Then, we had to actually FIND said fabric and buttons.  Finally, voila!  I can't thank Ms. Kim enough for her patience and her creative genius.  The dress is BETTER than the picture!!  Would it be wrong to sleep in it tonight? That's how much I love it!