12 of my top vintage fashion wish list items

Hard as it may be to believe some days, we're more than half way through the year at this point. I don't know about you, but it sure does feel like it's been a busy, sometimes tumultuous, sometimes wonderful, frequently action packed first half of 2013 with more than its fair share of twists and turns too. It's not what I expected it would be in some regards, though to be perfectly honest, unlike last year, I didn't kick this one off with too many specific long terms plans in the works, so it's been both fun and fascinating to watch how it's unfolded thus far.

Every now and then, I'd say one to three times a year, I like to take serious stock of my wardrobe as well as my short and long-term fashion related purchasing goals (a topic we last delved into early last January in Thoughts on my wardrobe for the year ahead). By doing so, I often spot areas where I need to focus my attention more, can cross things off my shopping list that I've purchased in recent months, and revamp my vintage clothing and accessory wish list as needed.

It was on the latter that I was focusing last night, so I thought it would be fun to share some of the items that are on this list with all of you. This is not the list in full (that would probably fill a hefty sized book at this point!), but instead a selection of twelve of the items that are currently coming out near the top and which I hope, at some point in time (be it throughout the second half of 2013 or beyond) to add to my closet.

Back in February, I wrote about Ten investment worthy vintage wardrobe items, some of which I already own, others that I hope to welcome into my closet in the future. A few things on there (such as an awesome 1940s pinafore dress) are definitely wish list entries for me (as is this fabulous Canadiana themed vintage bathing suit), but there several that I haven't chatted too much about here over the years, and it's a selection of these that we're going to be focusing on today.

Come along with me, won't you, as we take a gander at some of the vintage wardrobe items that have been filling my daydreams for ages, and which continue - for whatever reason (price, sizing, rarity, etc) to elude me. Most stop, to my mind, shy of being "holy grail" items (aka, an original Dior Bar Suit) that may never happen (even if I had a millionaire's bank roll) though, and are, at least in theory pieces that I should eventually be able to find in my size and budget eventually.

{1940s or 50s prom dress}

{The more layers of tulle and or lace the better! I've seen scores of great vintage prom dresses over the years, but most have been for those with super slender waists (oh, you lucky gals who can fit into a 24" waist!) and of those that were the right size, I've either been outbid or unable to wrap my head around their sky high prices enough to purchase one. I keep hoping the thrift store gods will here my plea and lead me to find one in my size for a total song one of these days.}


 

{Italian themed (Mexican style) circle skirt}

{While I certainly wouldn't say no to any vintage hand painted or printed Mexican circle skirt that worked for me, I would especially love to find an Italian/Mediterranean themed one, of which I've seen a few here and there over the years, in honour of Tony, who was born and raised in Italy.}

{1930s, 40s or 50s winter boots}

{Hailing from Canada, a land famous the world over for its snow, it's high time I finally hat a pair of genuine (or very authentic looking repro like the gorgeous Miss L Fire pair pictured above) mid-century winter boots (if only they were easier to find in a medium to wide width modern size 8/8.5!). All the better if they happen to be fur trimmed (real or faux), a look that I just adore.}


 

{Vintage or repro high-waisted trousers}

{This is one of those items where fit has kept me from finding my dream pair time and time again (I'm both short in terms of height and relatively short waisted with lots of curves). While I've had great success with my Freddies of Pinewood Jeans, when it comes to trousers made out of fabrics other than denim, I've had rotten luck finding a pair that fit even remotely well, and have ended up selling or giving away those that I have bought over the years. The quest continues though - even if I have to commission someone to tailor make a pair for me!}


 

{Carved floral bangle bracelet}

{There are some breath-takingly lovely 1930s/40s carved floral bangles (often made from Bakelite or celluloid) to be had, and it is precisely that which I'm hoping to add to my bracelet collection a whole lot sooner than later.}

 

{Quilted 1950s dress}

{Having lucked out found one of my previous wish list items – a classic 1950s quilted circle skirt - for a steal of a deal the winter before last, I’ve been on the prowl ever since for a quilted dress from the same era ever since.}

 

{Equestrian/top hat inspired tilt hat}

{It's scarcely a secret that I adore vintage tilt hats of all kinds, but did you know that I've been hankering for an equestrian/Victorian top hat inspired one for as long as I can recall? And on the subject of wish list top hats, I certainly wouldn't say no to one adorned with dramatic bird wings or whole millinery birds either.}

 

{Black Bettie Page Clothing circle skirt jumper}

{Have you ever had one of those times when, after swooning over (and/or saving up for) an item for weeks or even months, you're finally in a position to buy it at long last only to discover it's no longer (or at least not currently) available?

That is precisely what happened to me with this terrific black circle skirt jumper from Bettie Page Clothing. I'd been pining after it for months, went to purchase it from their site mid way through the spring, and they were sold out of my size and the next one up. I've tried looking for it elsewhere online from a North American source, but no one seemed to have the black jumper in stock any more, so for now I'll just hold tight and cross my fingers in the hope that they'll restock it again in my size.}


 

{Elegant 1930s or 40s cape with a hood}

{I absolutely, flat out adore vintage jackets, coats (especially opera coats), cloaks and capes with hoods, yet own nary a one. I'd happily pounce on any of these hooded outerwear options in a heartbeat, but would be especially tickled pink if I could find a vintage hooded cape - ideally in a fabric other than wool, which I'm allergic to - for when the chilly weather returns.}


 

{Western wear suit}

{Though you might not know this about me, I've always had an inner cowgirl and love of Western culture and history. In honour of this fact, it would be a dream come true one to own an authentic vintage western suit (dress, skirt or pants and jacket), and in turn to then head on out to Alberta one July and wear it for a day spent at the Calgary Stampede.}


 

{Classic brown loafers}

{Of all the items on these list, these certainly seem like they'd be one of the easiest to find, and generally speaking, they certainly are. However, as you may have heard me mention in past posts, I have rather hard to fit feet, and have yet to find a pair of classic brown loafers that fit me well. Hopefully this will be the year I finally do!}


 

{1950s style fitted blouse from Big Beautiful Barbara Brown}

{This incredibly charming 1950s inspired blouse from UK vintage reproduction clothing seller is me and my feminine style to an absolute tee. I just wish the exchange rate between Canadian dollars and UK pounds was friendlier (that's the only thing stopping me from ordering it right now!).}


{To learn more about a specific item shown here, including pricing and sizing where applicable, please click on a photo to be taken to its respective link.} 

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As I started putting together this list, it struck me that twelve would be a good number of entries because there are twelve months in the year. I highly doubt all of these items will find their merry way into my dresser drawers and closet racks by June 2014, but in the spirit of wish lists everywhere, it never hurts to hope and continue to daydream.

In just about every case, I'd seen and bid on at least one such item that would have fit the bill perfectly. For some pieces, it's almost become a personal running joke how I've often been outbid (or had some one else purchase an item that was on my etsy wish list before I was able to do so myself) time and time again on them. No matter though, I'm not one to be easily deterred (even by last minute eBay snipers!) - plus, a part of me genuinely adore the hunt, so I'll remain on the prowl for each and every one of these pieces until, all things willing, I find them.

If one was going to try and score these twelve pieces in the following year, that would mean six of them could potentially be mine before this year is up! What a marvelous thought! Though I'm doubtful such will prove to be the case there's no harm in imaging such at all - not to mention looking for, and jumping on, any potential opportunities do so just that which might come my way in the second half of 2013.

I'll be sure to keep you posted down the road of how fruitful (or not) July right on through to the last day of December proves to be on the vintage wardrobe wish list front, and really hope that by this time next year, at least a couple of these beauties will have found their way into my life and closet.

Tortoise shell sunnies, a vintage straw hat, and Brooks Brothers atop Knox Mountain

Outfit details

Vintage straw hat: eBay

Faux pearl stud earrings: Claire's

Dark plastic tortoise shell sunglasses: DKNY

Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥

Black cardigan: Banana Republic

Vintage inspired silver tone bird brooch: eBay

Yellow button front shirt: c. 1980s Brooks Brothers via etsy seller Little Nettie's

Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore

Black vintage handbag: etsy seller A Vintage Revival

Denim capri pants: Nine West

Black faux leather belt: eBay

Black flats with skinny bows: Payless

Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Antonio Cangiano

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Our region of British Columbia isn't called the Okanagan Valley for no reason. Much as the heart of many of its towns and communities are situated on lower grounds, so too is the whole area flanked by a bevy of majestic hills and mountains, some of which are more accessible to the general public than others. Earlier this spring you may recall when Tony and I did our best impression of a big horned sheep to reach Shaka Bluffs, well recently we decided to take in the view from another stunning vantage point, this time in the neighbouring city of Kelowna.

Knox Mountain, named after Arthur Booth Knox, a rancher in the area during the city's early days (of the late Victorian era), overlooks Okanagan Lake and is - I'm very happy to report - easy to reach (it too involves a narrow, curvy road, but at least this one is designed to let two average sized cars drive past each other at the same time). Despite having lived in the Okanagan for much of my life and having gone past the base of the mountain many times before, I'd never ventured up its winding path, so I was delighted when Tony and I got a chance to do just that not too long ago.

Unless you're a brand new reader (if you are, a warm hello!), you've likely seen my beloved eyeglasses many times before, however you've not - before today, that is - seen my sunnies. Between being nearsighted and the fact that I find very few types of frames look good on me, at present I only own one pair of prescription sunglasses (I'd certainly love to expand my collection over time though), which I bought back in 2009, and these plastic tortoise shell babies are it.

They're DKNY, not vintage, but I think they do a pretty good job of looking the 1950s (and early 60s) part, and I'm really happy to have them as we head into another blazingly sunny summer here.

The Saturday on which we took these snaps started out quite a bit brighter, which is why both sunglasses and a wide brimmed vintage straw hat were in order. As the day progressed however, the skies turned grey, there was tons of wind (it was all I could do to keep my hat from tumbling down the mountain side!), and we even got rained on as we headed home later in the afternoon (that said though, the light was still quite harsh, which is why I'm squinting up a storm in the shoots where I don't have my sunglasses on).

Again though, when it kicked off, it was teaming with bright sunlight and decently warm, but not quite to the point where I was willing to forgo a cardigan. Much as I'm smitten with the colour green this year (as you may recall from posts such as this and this), as spring turns to summer, I'm finding myself pulled more and more towards yellow as well.

Yellow is a tricky colour for me to wear, in fact, I'd say it ties with orange as the trickiest, however (in both cases, actually) if I stick with the lightest and darkest ends of the spectrum, I tend to have better luck, and so I was thrilled when I found this classic (circa 1980s) Brooks Brothers pale yellow button front shirt on etsy recently (as an interesting side note, the seller recognized me by name from my blog and we've been chatting about vintage and various other topics there ever since - I love it when things like that happen!).

It's one of only a very small handful of yellow garments presently in my wardrobe, but I adore it so much that it's inspired me to keep looking for more soft and dark hued citrus inspired pieces to add to my closet as the year progresses (and beyond).

You may remember these denim capri pants from last summer (where they appeared in posts such as this), as they are really and truly one of my warm weather go-to pieces, and the perfect kind of thing to wear when trekking up a hill - or, in this case, driving to the gorgeous lookout point on one.

This hat is one of a matching pair that I bought on eBay towards the end of this past winter. It's mate looks identical, save for the fact that instead of having a black band of cotton fabric running the crown (which extends down further, in this case I wrapped it around a low bun on the back of my head), it has a dusty cream hued one. Between the two colours, I have a great mid-century straw hat to pair with nearly any casual or even semi-formal summer ensemble (and the two fill a gap in my warm weather hat wardrobe that I'd been trying to plug for ages!).

Last September, in a post called How Many Personalities Does Your Wardrobe Have? I talked about some of the many different styles that influence the way I dress, one of which has always been the classic preppy aesthetic. It's not a vibe you may detect in too many of my ensembles, but it's one I love and which I think shines through nicely in this particular outfit (the fact that shirt is Brooks Brothers certainly doesn't hurt in that regard!).

I so adore that there are numerous corners of the Okanagan Valley that I'd not explored before (and really hope I never run out of such locations entirely). Getting a chance to visit each one is a serious thrill for me, especially because traveling long distances (or even more than a couple of hours away) is rarely in the cards.

We get to enjoy new sights, learn more about local history, and often take outfit snaps - a trio that's as great as the view from Knox Mountain, if you ask me.

Let's go on a vintage picnic

There are few things in the whole wide world that seem to partner better with a gorgeous late spring or early summer Sunday than leaving the confines of your home and venturing out into nature to enjoy a serene and entirely scrumptious picnic.




Whether you're picnicking merely for its own marvelous merits or in celebration of something wonderful - say, for example like Father's Day today - there's scarcely an occasion that isn't made more delightful by packing up a meal, jaunting off to the seaside, a lovely park, the verdant woods or wherever your heart desires and rejoicing in the mellow pace of a sunny Sunday picnic.

Scattered far and wide across the globe as we are, it's not possible for all of us vintage adoring folks to gather together in one large, delightful communal mean outdoors. Instead, on this beautiful morning, let's go on a virtual picnic together, chocked, naturally, full of vintage loveliness from start to finish.

First off, we'll need a picnic basket. How about this completely charming mid-century red, blue and yellow tartan metal number?





Or if classic wicker is more you're style, why not tuck your favourite picnic foods into this beautiful 1950s example.




And for sheer classic elegance and iconic picnic appeal, they really don't come any more lovely than this great woven version.




If highly perishable foods are on the agenda, we might need a cooler, too - one can never be too careful when it comes to preventing food poisoning! This charming Little Brown Ice Chest and matching Little Brown Jug thermos are sure to do the job.




Naturally, whether we're spread out in a grassy meadow, on a tawny hued beach, or a wooden campground table, we're going to need a white and red gingham picnic blanket. I'm especially fond of the version below created by etsy seller Sewn Natural. It's a three-layer, quilted outdoor blanket that's both eco-friendly and waterproof, too boot! (You've got to love that if you're picnicking with little kids who might accidentally tip over a bottle of grape juice at any moment.) 

We're venturing into the elements, so that means it's time to slap on the sunscreen, even if we decide to set up camp in the shade.





Ants are the only pesky critters who like to show up when picnics are around, so it's probably best if we bring some bug spray, too (or, if you prefer, tote along a nice, big citronella candle).




Perhaps though, we're jumping ahead of ourselves just a touch...we haven't even decided what we're going to wear on our lovely Sunday outing yet. Of course the choice of venue with factor in here considerably, but in general, there are certain options - sundresses and playsuits, for example - that will work well no matter where you're headed this time of year.

In a cute nod to the iconic picnic blanket, I'm rather fond of wearing gingham while I'm noshing in the great outdoors. This two-piece 1950s shorts and crop top set from etsy seller Fashion Rerun would be awesome for those especially toasty days when the last thing you want is to be covered up from head-to-toe.

If pink is your passion, you're sure to swoon (as I did!) over this cute-as-button pink and white sleeveless vintage gingham dress from etsy seller Custard Heart Vintage that practically has "June picnic" written all over it.




For those in the mood for a somewhat darker, but still completely summer appropriate gingham look, may I present a lovely black red fifties dress from etsy seller Vintage Critter, complete with cross stitch inspired detailing and a very flattering square neckline.




Should your picnic take you anywhere near the water - be it lake, ocean, river, stream, or pool - then you may want to slip into this wildly adorable red and white gingham fifties swimsuit from etsy seller Wear It Again.




A wide-brimmed straw hat is a marvelous accompaniment for nearly any vintage picnic ensemble. Equal parts practical and pretty, it shades your face and neck from the sun and gives you the loveliest I-just-stepped-out-of-a-vintage-summertime-fashion-spread look. It's all I could do to keep from swooning right off the couch when I spotted the beautifully elegant flower adorned 1930s straw hat pictured below from etsy Sonnet and Bough.




Now let's turn our focus to the menu. Much as with what we're going to wear, our choice of picnic fare may very a bit depending on where we're headed.

There are certainly beloved staples (beyond just sandwiches and fresh fruit) that are sure to please most picnic goers of all ages and which work well for a variety of venues and events, such as deviled eggs, potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, hamburger pie, and chocolate fudge pie. The 1950s picnic spread pictured below would also be rather tasty!




Supplies, food and outfit determined and ready to go, it's now time we nailed down just whereabouts to hold our lovely Sunday picnic. We could head to the beach...




How about getting the whole family together for a feast at the park?




The woods are always a natural choice for an outdoor meal, and a very relaxing one, too, assuming you don't run into Yogi Bear! :)




Sometimes the best picnics spring up organically in the moment, turning wherever you are in a wonderfully festive spot. Case in point, this 1940s crowd having a wonderful impromptu feast on the hood of someone's car.




Having settled on a location, it's time to unpack the trunk and basket, kick up our heels and savour an ice cold beverage.




Be sure to grab some snapshots of your outing to look back on fondly when winter's icy wrath returns. There's nothing like daydreaming about July in January to help make the long wait until summer's return a touch more bearable.




And last but not least, remember to have fun, smile, delight in the magic of being outdoors. Fill your lungs with pristine fresh air, swap stories with friends, nosh until your heart's content, and make sure to repeat the whole picnic process as often as possible this summer!




Whether you drive for five minutes or two hours to reach your destination, pack a few light nibbles or a full on feast, enjoy tagging along with ten people or just one beloved soul, I hope that over the course of this warm and magnificent season, you all get to revel in at least one thoroughly terrific picnic. They're needn’t cost and arm and leg, can be tossed together on the fly, and often result in some of the loveliest memories of year.

{To learn more about any of the images used in this post, please click on an image to be taken to its respective source.}

Happy picnicking, my sweet dears! And to all those celebrating Father's Day, may you have an absolutely awesome time however you spend this special day!