July 29, 2014

Soooo in love with my new 1950s dress from Better Dresses Vintage




Outfit details

1950s cream lace platter hat: eBay
Plastic dusty peach rose earrings: Handmade by me
Olive green cotton cardigan: Bought at a shop in Scarborough, Ontario that is no longer in business
Vintage gold tone floral brooch: Probably either eBay or thrifted (similar styles of metal brooches available in my Etsy shop)
1950s floral dress: Better Dresses Vintage
1940s/50s mustard yellow ruched gloves: eBay
Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore
1950s corduroy bucket purse: etsy seller Rue 23 Vintage Clothing
Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay
Brown leather wedge sandals: Yard sale find
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace


Photography by Tony Cangiano
























































It had been quite a while since we last did a shoot in my parents gorgeously verdant backyard, so when I slipped on this breathtaking 1950s floral print dress that I received from one of my fabulous blog sponsors, Better Dresses Vintage (who you may remember from this sponsor spotlight post back in April), I knew that it called for that particular equally lush and lovely backdrop.

I could, unbiased as the day is long, sing Better Dresses Vintage's praise until the cows came home. On BDV's independent online vintage store and their Etsy shop, Bee Dee Vintage, alike, one will find a diverse array of yesteryear fashions that are both very reasonably priced in today's ever-more-expensive vintage market and which shop owner, vintage expert, and all around terrific lady, Liza, personally sees to the care and repair of (her adventures of which on this front she sometimes discusses in her store's engaging blog - a must follow for vintage fans everywhere).

The moment I spied this beautiful 1950s floral frock on Better Dresses Vintage I was solidly hooked. Featuring a thick textured cotton fabric, colour palette that has one foot in summer, the other squarely in autumn, and numerous immensely charming details like the sweetheart necklace (my favourite type of neckline ever!), unique green fabric "v" at the waist, and charmingly pretty bow on the back (see last photo above), this dress didn't just call out my name, it begged at top volume to join my closet.

I had worried that based on the length in the description, it might be too a touch short and I'd need to let some of the (ample) hem down, but ultimately my petite length legs saved me from needing to do so and I can wear it precisely as is. That's a good thing, because it has been my go-to elegant daywear dress this summer, including when we were in Vancouver back in June.

Here I partnered it with ruched gloves, a cream lace 1950s platter hat, and pearl and gold toned (the floral brooch) jewelry, which all help bring its radiantly glamorous side to the foreground. I could however, just as easily forgo all those and wear it with a chunky cardigan and tights, for example, come the nippier days of fall and then its more casual quality would shine through. No matter how understated or ritzy I accessorize it though, this dress is a stunner and one that calls heavily on my all-time favourite colour palette: that of fall.

I'm not ready to wave good-bye to summer quite yet (not by a long shot!), but I don't mind sporting its hues in the weeks leading up to it and this stunning frock from Better Dresses Vintage lets me do just that while still remaining cool as a cucumber during these wickedly warm days of July and August.

Interestingly, and I chalk it up to the shape of the hat here (plus how I’m holding my 50s bucket purse in front of me in one of the photos), there is something about the over all look (and colours) of this ensemble that instantly, as soon as I caught my reflection that day, made me think of Canada's own beloved fictional darling, Anne of Green Gables. I know my bouncy auburn curls do their part there, too, but never have I been struck by that sense of looking like Anne when sporting them before quite as I did with this outfit. This is, for a red blooded Canuck like myself, of course another point in this vintage garment’s favour.

Much as I do Better Dresses Vintage, I love this dress. Love, love, love it!!! It's classy and classic, fun and feminine, sweet and sophisticated, all qualities I strive for with my wardrobe choices and which have ensured that this elegant frock will continue to see oodles of wear from me for many, many more sun-kissed summers to come.

42 comments:

  1. The look is amazing! I love these floral classic chic dresses. Love the gloves and the bracelet. It is feminine and simply fun!
    http://balearaitzart.blogspot.com.au/

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  2. Jessica, you look absolutely gorgeous. The outfit really suits your colouring and I like the shape of your eyebrows, if that doesn't sound too weird! These are lovely photos too, they accentuate the colours of the outfit beautifully. xx

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  3. ooohhh - i would love that dress too!
    the fabric, the flowers and colors, the gorgeous details. soooo cute!
    and you looking cute and beautiful with the hat and gloves and this pretty shoes! we need more of such dresses we can wear on hot summer days only with some sandals and a straw bag or in autumn with knee socks and wooly cardigan. or in spring with colorful pumps and a little tailleur and the new easter bonnet......
    <3

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  4. Love this dress! And per usual, you have styled it to perfection!

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  5. You are simply adorable! The colors in the floral pattern are gorgeous!

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  6. Oh! And I loved Anne of Green Gables growing up!! (Still do) Those books were the start of my affectionate feelings towards Canada and Canadians.

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  7. That dress is gorgeous! All of the colors in this outfit are so perfect on you!

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  8. What a fabulous look on you! I love how you've accessorized it so perfectly - the gloves, the hat, the pearl bracelet, the little shrug, everything just works so well with it. The print is really lovely as well. As you said, it's a great transitional dress, because it could be very breezy and summery, or mellowed out for an autumn look.

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  9. Gorgeous! I love the colors in this outfit and I think it will be great for fall too.

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  10. What a pretty dress! Yes, I can see the resemblance to Anne Of Green Gables (who I love, by the way). Your floral dress fits right into that garden setting!

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  11. What a gorgeous print! I love the mustard yellow gloves, too.

    xox Sammi

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  12. what a beautiful dress! I actually have a similer one in blue floral that is a bit too small for me in the waist, it was a high school purchase. Ocassionally I squeeze myself in. You look lovely as always

    retro rover

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  13. Your parents' backyard makes such a great backdrop.
    And you lucky gal ! the fabric, print and colours of this dress are outstanding. Its amazing how even though the dress is from the 50's it looks like new. Definitely the quality shows.

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  14. Honey, you are talking my language in this DIVOON frock! All the best colours, and those gloves are just the cream on top! Love, love, LOVE! XXX

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  15. Wonderful colors! What a great dress! Today I saw bakelite bracelets in a flea market, the same color of green as the ribbon on your dress...which is my very favorite shade. And no, let's not wave good-bye to summer until it's absolutely necessary!

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  16. Love the colors of this dress! You look so good in it :)

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  17. Beautiful bold colors! And, so well accessorized:) I bet you are just so tempted to wear jewelry from your shop too:))

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  18. You dress like I dream I could. Fifties style is so beautiful and feminine. I like that you wear stockings. That they're seamed is even better.

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  19. You look beautiful. Gorgeous print fabric. I love how your gloves perfectly match the yellow in the dress.

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  20. Stunning, stunning dress, and I love the way you've accessorized it. You look so classy and elegant, and I am just in love with the color palette. Beautiful!

    Cheers,
    Jenny

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  21. That dress is gorgeous!! And I love love those gloves.

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  22. That dress is SO beautiful! I would be in love with it, too!

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  23. I can see why you fell for this dress! Such cute features and lovely bright colours. It looks like such a good fabric too.

    I enjoy your outfit posts the most for seeing how you accessorise. You often use colours I wouldn't think to put together, but they always work beautifully. Gorgeous.

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  24. Love it Jessica! You are a summer perfection! I really need to wear more gloves and look so well put together like you!! You are an inspiration!

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  25. this dress has is such a beautiful print! i can't wait to see it without a cardi one day.

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  26. Wow! Beautiful floral print! Adorable dress.

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  27. The dress is gorgeous and I just adore how you pulled all of the colors out of the print with your accessories! It's just such a wonderful, well put together outfit!

    Like you, I'm not ready to say goodbye to summer yet either!

    xoxo
    -Janey

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  28. That dress looks great on you! Love the ribbon detail.

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  29. This dress is soooo pretty! I love the colours. I'm heading over to check out her etsy shop now! :)

    Lisa.

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  30. Oh man, it is beautiful - I am checking your sponsor out for sure! Your parents garden is just lovely too. I loved Anne of Green Gables, I am not sure how I missed that is was set in Canada!

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  31. You look pleased as punch, and understandably so! What a pretty garden setting befitting the floral print, it's all rather lovely. P x

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  32. Oooh, I can't even begin to tell you how much I like your dress, that print is divine! You definitely have a mid-century modern Anne Shirley look going and it suits you perfectly. ♥

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  33. This is a beautiful dress, I can see why it needed to join your wardrobe. I love the greens and mustards of the accessories together with the colours in the dress. So very pretty.

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet dear! I adore this colour palette, too. It seems to meld the hues of late summer with those of autumn so perfectly well. I could live in it day in and day out and never get tired. Mustard yellow is one of my colour BBFs and the others here are certainly all close friends as well. :)

      Oodles of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  34. Lovely, lovely dress, which I would call a late-summer dress. I also noticed your yard sale shoes, I would love to own such a pair. I think it is so hard to find sandals that are both nice and comfy. Yep, I'm catching up on your blog, thanks to Bloglovin'. Wishing you a lovely day, dear. :)

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    1. Very true, dear Sanne, which is almost ironic given that sandals are typically viewed as a being a very comfortable type of footwear. What size shoe do you wear? I would be happy to keep my eyes peeled for a similar pair in your size while I'm out thrifting, yard saling and the like.

      Big hugs & many thanks for your "catching up" comments,
      ♥ Jessica

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    2. You are a true darling, dear. I wear US size 6 and 6.5, Euro size 36 and 37. It is very annoying to be between two sizes. My sandals/shoes insole measure 23.5 cm. Let me know if there is anything I can look for for you. wishing you a lovely and cooler day. :)

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    3. My pleasure! Given that I found one pair here locally, there's nothing to say that another might not show up one day. I haunt the local thrift stores religiously, especially since opening my shop, you never know.

      Ohhh, I hear you loud and clear there! I'm commonly, a size 8 (though my feet look smaller than that - it's weird!), but sometimes I'm a 7.5 or 8.5. In fact, I've said many times over the years that if there was a size 8.25, that would fit me ideally! :)

      I will certainly let you know if any "must haves" pop up, dear Sanne, thank you!

      Oodles more hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  35. What a gorgeous find! I particularly love the way that you've perfectly captured the texture of the cotton in these photographs. You look fresh as a daisy in this beautiful dress.

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  36. The colors in this outfit compliment your skin tone so well, you look radiant. Thank you for being such an inspiration. Plus, I love Anne of Green Gables and you are totally channeling her spirit here.

    Knitting in Pearls

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  37. That's a perfect outfit! And yellow is my favourite colour!

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