Atomic Fleck

This is one of my favourite recent outfits...

This early 1950s Toni Todd dress was one of my more 'riskier' Etsy purchases in that there was a very limited description and the photos weren't great.  The price, however, was a bargain so after some of my questions were answered by the seller, I decided to purchase it and I am glad I did because I love it.  The photos have made it look like a blue but it is actually more a grey colour!

 

It has an "atomic fleck" to the fabric which is what I really like (as well as the cute red buttons.)  I love those 1950s men's sports jackets with the atomic fleck pattern but adding "atomic fleck" to an Etsy listing title seems to allow for an inflated price!



 

 

I also LOVE my new Miss L Fire shoes!  Especially as they were free!!!  I was lucky enough to be the UK winner of their Thanksgiving Instagram competition in which they were giving away a pair of the Manhattan (seen above) or Savoy shoes.  Although this is not a style of shoe I would usually choose, I think they look better than on their website and they are so comfortable to walk around in. I have quite a few red items of clothing and accessories in my wardrobe so I am glad that I did choose this style and in this colour.  Also, if anyone is interested, this pair (and many others!) is currently on sale on the Miss L Fire website!

Dress: Vintage from Etsy
Coat: Vintage from Vintage Fair
Bag: Vintage from eBay
Shoes: Gift from Miss L Fire!
Earrings: Vintage from Rhythm Riot trader
Bracelet: Vintage from Clobber Vintage
Brooch: Luxulite from Etsy

The Christmas Dress

Happy New Year!  My first post of the year reflects on what I wore on Christmas Day...

 

This dress arrived a few weeks before Christmas and it just made sense to wear it on Christmas Day with some red and white accessories.  I love the ivy embroidery around the neckline and cuffs.  Unfortunately it was a bit too big for me so since wearing this dress, I have actually sold it to someone else.  I have been quite ruthless in the last few months with some of my vintage items, ones that I know I am unlikely to wear again for whatever reason, I will try to sell on.

 



I am also wearing two petticoats with this dress!  A very full reproduction one with my less full vintage one on top.  I normally only wear the vintage one so it was very strange wearing such a full petticoat, I felt like I was going to knock things over wherever I went.

I am also wearing my new poinsettia hair clip from Rosie Alia Designs on Etsy, she has some great hair accessories in her shop.

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year :)

Dress: Vintage from Etsy
Shoes: Vintage (purchased so long ago)
Belt: Vintage from eBay
Hair clip: Rosie Alia Designs on Etsy
Bracelet: Vintage from Clobber Vintage, Bournemouth
Earrings: Vintage from Etsy

A festive outfit for work

First and foremost, I wish all my blog readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

This will be the last post of the year and I decided to make it a festive one.  I have wanted to do some work outfit posts for a while but it is difficult because I leave for work early in the morning and I'm too tired by the time I get home.  I'm not a vintage purist when it comes to work clothes either - comfort and practicality is important for me - so I mix vintage with repro and mostly wear separates.

 

Whilst I don't buy repro dresses, I am a fan of certain repro separates and I cannot get enough of this Collectif skirt.  In fact, I did a swap with my friend Vicki exchanging one of my vintage plaid skirts to get this one!  Swapping vintage for repro, crazy isn't it?!  Except the vintage one was a little too big for me and this one fits quite nicely so it was a good swap. 

 

 

I wish they did this skirt in other colours, I would definitely get more!  It has easily become my go-to work skirt this festive season.

 

 

I don't own many Christmas specific vintage items but I just love these holly leaf screw back earrings!

 





Do you wear purely vintage to work or do you like to mix vintage and reproduction clothing?

 

 

Top: Vintage sweater from I can't remember where!

Skirt: Collectif

Shoes: Clarks

Necklace: Vintage from trader at Bows and Braces Fair

Earrings: Vintage from Etsy

 

When in Bath...

... do as the Romans did and visit the Roman Baths!  And this is exactly what we did when we visited Bath back in October.  Bath is one of my favourite cities in the UK and I have blogged about it before. 

 

Here are some photos of my outfit before we set off.  I had gone for an early 1950s dress (which you can't really see as it is hidden) and jacket.  My favourite era is the mid 1950s - early 1960s but it was nice to go for an earlier look this time.  This dress was purchased on eBay for a bargain price, with the intention that I would wear it to work as it was so cheap.  But when it arrived, I really liked the pattern and decided it was "too nice" for my work.  This often is the case when I purchase vintage clothing for work.  As a result, I wear a mix of repro and vintage to work.

 



And here are some photos taken at the Roman Baths.  I have visited the Baths before but many years ago so it was nice to go again.  I always find it difficult to take outfit photos for this blog whilst I am out and about, as we often need to take a few with different poses and I do wonder what the other people around me must think!

Dress: Vintage from eBay
Jacket: Vintage from Blackout 2 in London
Bag: Vintage from eBay
Shoes: Office (but they have a great vintage style and are so comfortable!)
Earrings: Vintage from the Clerkenwell Fair

A taste of the good life

I am still trying to catch up with my outfits from the summer and this outfit was worn on a day spent in Bournemouth and Poole.

 

 

I purchased this Jonathan Logan dress on the Facebook group "Ooh La La."  Whilst I don't find a lot to purchase on this group, I do feel particularly pleased when I get a good bargain like this (£25!) from a UK seller.  Jonathan Logan is one of my favourite 1950s designers and there is a plethora of dresses on Etsy with this label.  I have a couple more Jonathan Logan dresses, which I aim to feature on this blog soon! 

 

 

This last photo was taken in Sandbanks -  the fourth most expensive place to live in the world!  It was lovely strolling around and taking a peek through the big gates of these mansions.

 

Dress: Vintage from OLL on Facebook

Shoes: Marks and Spencer

Bag: Vintage from eBay

Necklace: Vintage from Bows and Braces Vintage Fair

Earrings: Vintage from Clerkenwell Fair

Bracelet: Vintage from Rhythm Riot

Sunglasses: Vintage from Vera Mode (at the Midcentury Market)



Back when it was warm...

We have been blessed with some unseasonably warm weather as of late in England but this past week there has been a sudden drop in temperature!

These photos were taken a few weeks back when it was still warm enough to wear summer dresses and sandals.

 

 

I have had this early 1960s L'Aiglon dress for some time even though this is its first outing on the blog.  It's colours are perhaps more suited to Spring rather than Autumn.



 

I don't own many of these 1950s beaded cardigans but this one matches the dress pretty well. 

 

 

When I purchased this wicker bag, I never thought about pairing it with this dress but it matches the colours perfectly.  So much so that I think it was destined to be worn with this dress!  I now can't wait until next Summer when I can wear this dress (and bag) again.

 

 

Dress: Vintage from eBay

Bag: Vintage from eBay

Sunglasses: Vintage from Vera Mode on Etsy

Shoes: Next

Cardigan: Vintage from eBay

Bracelet: Vintage from eBay

Earrings: Vintage from Etsy

 

 

 

 





The dress that almost made it to Goodwood

In my last post, I showed you the outfit that I wore to the Goodwood Revival but that was not the outfit that I had planned to wear all along, this dress was the one I had wanted to wear...

I had originally planned to wear this dress with my straw tilt hat but the weather report suggested there might be some rain.  I am definitely one for wearing weather appropriate clothing and a straw hat with the possibility of rain did not sound like a good idea, which is why I made the change to my navy dress and hat.

I did not get to wear it to Goodwood this year but I am glad I got to wear it this Summer.  It has the perfect fit and works well with my white accessories.  Although black and white gingham is quite a popular print, I love how the white embroidery makes the dress a bit different.

I am always very happy to promote vintage shops that I have had good service from and this dress came from one of those shops - Cut + Paste on Etsy.  I bought another Jonathan Logan from this shop a few months ago (which is yet to feature on this blog but it will do some day!) and this dress has been my second purchase.


Dress: Vintage from Cut + Paste on Etsy
Belt: Vintage from eBay
Shoes: Vintage from many years ago!
Bag: Vintage from eBay
Necklace: Vintage from trader at Bows and Braces Vintage Fair
Earrings: Vintage from Etsy
Sunglasses: Vintage from Vera Mode Vintage