first beach trip of the season

So I have been working myself like a sweat shop for the past two weeks creating some suit dresses from the 60's to wear to my new job and today we decided to enjoy the holiday weekend and the hot weather by heading up to Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, MA (no pregnancy pacts were made.)

Not only was I able to wear my new 1930's Jantzen wool bathing suit but my vintage loving friend Miss De was able to put on her beautiful 1950's number and join us!



In case you are curious, yes the suit was itchy.

Champaign in the afternoon

I love this town.

All grown up

So, I had my interview and was offered the job. I took the weekend to think it over and on Monday accepted the position. I am excited an nervous to start something new but I have a new wardrobe to look forward to creating. The position is corporate so no more swing dresses to the office for me, it's all suits in appropriate shades of bland. Luckily I have a large collection of 1960's women's suit patterns just jumping off my shelf waiting to be used. My first addition is from Advance #6802 and I spent yesterday altering the pattern as it is a size too large. Here is the muslin mockup. Today I start on the black wool suiting fabric then run off to Vidal Sassoon to offer my time as a hair model. Crossing my fingers on this one!

An Interview My Way

Unfortunately, or fortunately for me I was laid of of my job of four and a half years. Save your tears, it's better to get a life boat than to go down with the Titanic. Well, after one day of resume submissions I get a call in response to one and an interview is set up for Thursday the 10th. After spending half a second at Marshall's looking for an office appropriate suit I gave up and instead spent $35 on a few yards of wool suiting and pulled out one of my patterns from the 60's.



After two days of frantic sewing and creating my very first blazer I can only hope this will be my good luck charm to new employment.

M.I.A

So many apologies for the lack of posts, I am currently sorting out some personal and professional issues but I have a post pending about the opening party for the new Cafe Society in Jamaica Plain, Boston. What a hoot!

I also have a new video in the works demonstrating a 1920's "easy" up-do. So stay patient and return again for some new vintage goodies!

Vintage Pin-Up Eye Make-up

I love dressing up my eyes, and my favorite fun wearable style is the nautical pin-up. It compliments victory rolls and swing dresses and can also be worn with jeans *wink*.

I like to do my "nautical" eyes in a subtle way, so the bright blue catches attention without looking clownish. I have laid out step-by-step instructions after the page break to show how easy this look is.

1940's Floral Swing Dress

Dress: Make by me, Pattern from Sense and Sensibility as a downloadable PDF
Shoes: Guess
Hair clip: Hot pink double flower from Bad Seeds

You may recognize this little number from my previous post, I also used this pattern to make a red version.



This was my first attempt at Sense and Sensibility's 1940's swing dress pattern and it took forever. Half of me wanted to burn the pattern and the other half wanted to struggle through. I can't say the instructions were terribly easy to understand in regards to the bodice/yolk portion. After staring at it on the dummy for weeks angrily I mustered up my google-fu and found some directions from other people who have completed the dress and voila, it all came together just in time for my once a year romantic holiday with my honey to Newport, RI where we attended a rousing polo match.

We picnicked on a three wolf blanket and William donned his "Nantucket Red" slacks for the occasion.

For charity!

I can't get enough of signing up for things and this weekend was no different. Our friends bought and opened a bar in the neighborhood named Lizzy's, it's a great place for cheap eats and to meet the locals. Lizzy's regularly has events to bring together the local folk and this past weekend was no different. They hosted a double event to raise funds for the East End House, they raffled prizes and served hot dogs that were donated by Pearl Meats.

My boyfriend refused to participate in the Mano a Mano Wet T-shirt competition but I stepped up to the plate, literally, and entered the Woman vs. Food portion of the night.

My strategy?


Fork, knife, cocktail and a napkin.

In the end I ate two dogs AND saved my lipstick.

I love this town

Found on the streets of Cambridge, MA

Put a birdie on it!

Dress: Vintage 1940’s, bought at Café Society
Shoes: Nicole Miller, Thrifted
Hair clip: Blue Flying bird, from Now Voyager
Necklace: Vintage sparrow pendant, bought at Café Society



I remember when I found this dress, it was summer, two years ago. I was driving home and passed Café Society on my way. It was customary for me to look in the window every morning and evening to see if there are any new items.



On this day when I glanced at the mannequin I was not intending to stop in but when I saw that this was in the window I new I had to turn around and try it on. It came with me obviously and so did a pair of silk tap shorts in case a stiff wind was to blow the skirt up (speaking from a lot of experience on this.)

Yes, those are badminton shuttlecocks!

I did make a minor alteration to the dress. Originally it was a crew neck which I find suffocating, so I cut a square neckline instead.

The end of a legend

Sad news in Boston, the last bastion for vintage lovers has been sold to a new and hipper owner. Café Society has been my retail refuge for years, providing vintage clothing at reasonable prices without that annoying trendy hipster vibe felt in many new stores.



I discovered Café Society about four years ago when I changed my route to work and I have been a customer every few weeks since. Imagine my surprise when last Wednesday I drive past the shop and see in the window a moving sign. Anticipating my breakdown, Betsy sent me a note explaining the selling of the shop and that the new owner is changing locations but will keep the store name, but I know it will never be the same again. Knowing that this was my last chance to buy all of the items I had been eyeing before they double in price I grabbed the boyfriend and his wallet and spent several hours looking through the racks and just hanging out.


Betsy, Café Society's owner and Lindsay her shop assistant on the last open weekend.



Café Society was exactly what it said it was and nothing more and I will miss driving past the windows every morning scoping out the newest dress on the mannequin who I believe has been in the window since the store opened 30 years ago. The owner, Betsy, loved vintage clothing and when she opened in the early 80’s she was ahead of her time selling jewelry and authentic clothing dating back as far as the Victorian period.



I am so proud to have been part of Café Society’s history and to have known Betsy. I wish her the best on her next adventure. I plan to explore the new Café Society when it re-opens but I don’t expect to spend hours hanging out like I did with the wonderful people who worked at Café Society.

I made a video!

My first YouTube video! I hope I get a bit more skilled at producing vintage beauty videos, I hope to create more.

Casual Friday!

Pants: Vintage 50's denim, online purchase from Kitch Cat
Top: Vintage sunflower blouse, online purchase from Rococo Vintage
Shoes: Aldo...a billion years ago
Hair Flower: Double Blue Hibiscus from Sophisticated Lady

About four times a year I will come to work in denim on a Friday. I'm of the thought that when at work, dress to be at work. This is easy for me to do as my my wardrobe is almost entirely comprised of dresses and pants generally make be feel self conscious about my figure. Today was different, today I really wanted to get these pants out on the town... or at least the office for now.

Robin's Egg Blue

Dress: made by me, McCalls pattern #9712
Shoes: Nicole Miller, thrifted
Hair FLower: White Lily from Crafty Aple

Stepping into the 50s today for no real reason other than I wanted to wear these shoes.



There is something about polka dots that makes me go gaga. I flip every time I find a fabric with just the right colour combination of dots to background and this one just jumped into my arms. There is never enough robin's egg blue in a girls closet if you ask me. Anyway, I think I started sewing up this dress the day after I received the pattern (which was an Etsy purchase from My Sweetie Piepie's shop.) My special touch was the all silk lining I added to the skirt.

No, I didn't create the bolero jacket from the pattern but I intend to when I get the right colour cotton. My thought behind the shrug I designed was due to the necessity of keeping warm in winter with a sleeveless dress. I found this perfect shade of brown wool and lined it with the polka dot cotton of the dress. I thought it was a nice touch even if it makes the shrug a bit stiffer than it would be.

My Great Grand Pappy

Recently I obtained a membership to Ancestry.com and I can't say that I know what I'm doing since I am just running into my aunt's completed tree but I was ecstatic to run into some photos she uploaded of my great grandfather Frederick I. Robichaud. I'm kinda crushing on him.


Fred on a 1914 Harley Davidson Model Ten C, Single Cylinder

My eyes just popped out when I saw this! Grand Pappy Fred was an owner of one the the first Harley's created, not to mention his fantastic style in clothing.



Seriously, can this man get any more dashing?

1938 Frock

 Dress: Made by me, Pattern from Eva Dress 
Shoes: Guess (DSW) 
Necklace: My Grandmother's 
Hair Clip: Made by me 

Finally a warm sunny day in Boston and every spring like day deserves a floral dress. I lurved making this dress. The pattern was purchased from my favorite online shop Eva dress and the fabric was a random rayon find at the local fabric shop. I think I was so excited about this pattern I got the whole shebang completed in one day, and this is including surging on all exposed edges and the belt. I did try to update the pattern (okay, to the 40's) by not including the ruffling and sortening the hem closer to my knee line. 1930's dresses hit mid calf on me and as flattering as I think it is, it does make me look more matronly and I would rather look like i'm going dancing than to a nunnery.

 

P.S. Before you mention how cute the shoes are I must say that they are killing my feet.

1940's Red Swing Dress

Dress: made by me
Shoes: Tahari (from DSW)
Hair flower: made by me 

I loved this dress pattern from Sense and Sensibility. I've made two so far and would make more if the first few steps to making this dress were not so frustrating. I nearly gave up the first go around until I found that a sew-a-long was done on Elegant Musings and careful step-by-step photos were posted which calmed the madness. This red dress was my second attempt and with enough patience I will make another with some rayon fabric I bought.

   

Champagne. Sashay

This dress always makes me think of an old nursing uniform even though it looks nothing like one. It must be the bodice and neckline. The fabric has become delicate in the underarms and I think it might be time to take it apart and create a new pattern from it.