Old lady clothes

I figured that I wouldn't have a whole lot of time to blog during the last few weeks of the spring semester, but I had no idea that I'd abandon this blog for an entire month. Sorry about that!

I've been enjoying the three-week break between the spring and summer semesters. Last Thursday I went to an estate sale that I wouldn't have been able to visit during the school year, and I found a pile of amazing stuff--a pink rayon 40's dress, an Edwardian slip and blouse, a gorgeous 20's step-in, etc. My sister and I have also made a huge dent in our washing/mending pile, and I started listing things in my etsy shop again. Now, I just need to squeeze in a few outfit posts.

First up is this 40's skirt I purchased at the estate sale I wrote about in my previous post. The woman who passed away was an antique dealer, so most of the items I picked up at the sale were stock for her shop. However, this skirt came from her own closet, and for that reason, I think it's pretty special. I love the bold graphic print and the magnificent gathered detail on the back. Plus, this outfit strikes me as something a fabulous 90-year-old woman would wear, so I'm deeming it a success!

Outfit details:
Urban Outfitters blouse
1940's skirt purchased at an estate sale
Seychelles heels
Early 20th century Gladstone bag

Surprise estate sale

I hadn't planned on posting today, but this morning my sister and I got a phone call about an estate sale with vintage clothing from the 20's and 30's. (Of course we dropped everything and made our way over there!) The sale was run by the late woman's daughter, who told us that her mom was an antique dealer with a soft spot for vintage clothing. While she had an amazing clothing collection, with Victorian blouses, Edwardian underthings, and 20's shift dresses, my sister and I found a lot of accessories and housewares as well.

The best part about the sale was talking with the family. Sometimes family-run estate sales can be a little bit sad and uncomfortable, but the folks at this sale were so joyful and excited to encounter two girls who love vintage as much as my sister and I do. When I got back to my apartment, I snapped a few photos of our purchases, and I wanted to post about them with the sale still fresh in my mind.

A 1950's green velvet fascinator, a floral papier mache tray, two 1920's photographs, a 1920's crocheted handbag, a leather wallet from the early 20th century, and a pile of vintage hankies.

A closeup of the 1950's fascinator.

An Edwardian step-in that I couldn't leave behind in spite of a few stains and pinholes! I also bought a slip dress from the same era, and both will be getting a good soak once I finish up all my end-of-the-semester schoolwork.

I didn't even take photos of everything I came home with; there's also a 1940's rayon blouse and skirt set, a pair of 1920's heels, two vintage picture frames, and an old advertisement for a hat shop! I still feel a little high on vintage, and hopefully, I can redirect that excitement into all the final papers I've yet to write... I may be a bit scarce over the next few weeks, but I hope to be back soon with more photos and maybe even an outfit post in that 40's blouse and skirt.

Procrastination

This outfit post is really just one item in a long list of things I've done over the past few days to avoid working on my Archival Appraisal paper. What else is on the list? Well, on Thursday, my sister Amy and I dragged our mattresses into the living room and watched the entire 2006 Jane Eyre BBC miniseries for the first time. (Which I loved! I think it's better--in many respects--than the 2011 film version that I'm so fond of.) I also spent an embarrassing amount of time poking around online trying to find a vintage stuffed panda. (Amy is in love with a giant one at a local antique store, but it's marked $375...)

Plus, this morning I stopped by my friend Amanda's to pick up a special 20's dress; more on that in another post!

Not a whole lot of paper writing got done today (read: I didn't even start), but I've been meaning to post photos of this dress for a while, so at least there's that. It hits all the right notes for me, with the bowler hat print and off-kilter peplum. I wouldn't mind having an entire closet full of printed rayon dresses from the 40's!

Outfit details:
1940's dress via Eons Fashion Antique (a Pittsburgh vintage shop)
Coach belt
Golden Ponies heels

Beaded

I couldn't believe my luck when I spotted this 20's blouse at one of my favorite antique stores. It's in outrageously good condition, and it's a lot more practical (for me anyway) than the beaded 20s flapper dresses I love so much. I've also noticed that all the beads are black except for a few stray red and white ones. It almost seems like beads were lost in the past, and the blouse's previous owner took the time to carefully replace them with whatever colors she had on hand!

Outfit details:
1920's beaded blouse purchased at a local antique store
J.Crew jeans
Thrifted 1980's boots

On accessories

When it comes to getting dressed, I'm really not that big on accessories. I think I'm just more inclined to spend money on a really special vintage dress or a skirt that makes a strong enough statement on its own. However, these two pieces, a Gladstone bag from the early 20th century and a pocket knife pendant from the 60's, are the sorts of accessories I can get behind. I like that they're a little bit feminine and a little bit masculine. The bag's curvy lines are tempered by worn-in leather, and the daintiness of the necklace belies the fact that it's a weapon (well, sort of; the blade is completely blunt). Accessories like these are first and foremost incredible objects, and that's why I love them so much.