August 24, 2013

Sorry, Kermit, but sometimes it is easy being green


Perhaps more so for vintage fashion lovers than for adorable frog puppets, though. :)





Outfit details

1940s green floral hat: Blue Rose Vintage
Faux pearl stud earrings: Claire's
Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥
Green 1950s dress: etsy seller
Sam Kay Designs
Cream c.1940s gloves with smocking detail: (I think) eBay
Brown faux alligator purse: Le Chateau
Nude seamed stockings: eBay
Brown faux alligator peep-toe heels: Gift from a dear vintage loving friend ♥
Lip colour: MAC Diva


Photography by
Antonio Cangiano









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As you may recall from numerous posts throughout 2013 already (such as this one, and this, and also this), I dubbed green my colour of the year and have been having a ball ever since, both wearing and buying more of this hue for the past eight months.

I've loved getting to know green better, pairing various shades together in the same outfit (as in this spring time look), better getting to know which spots on the verdant spectrum work well with my skin tone, and enjoying the many fantastic colour combinations that one can create with green at the helm.

Today's outfit however, does not feature green plus a rainbow of other colours. No, in a move that I believe the dear aforementioned Mr. Frog would wholeheartedly approve of it, it all but sings and dances a jig in the name of green, with supporting roles being carried out via earthy brown and soft cream accessories. I look at it, and feel as though it exudes a certain spirit of summer – alive and bright, and so wonderfully tranquil.

I've had this lovely 1950s dress for the better part of two years, but I don't wear it all that often because there's a fair bit of excess fabric in the bust area (Jayne Mansfield I am not in that department) and each time I do sport it, I find myself thinking that I should probably sell it to someone else whom the universe was more generous with in the bust giving department. But then I see it's gorgeous, sage meets jade meets blue spruce hue, remember why I feel in love with it in the first place, and can't quite bring myself to say good bye yet. Perhaps one day I will (in all seriousness, if anyone is interested in it, feel free to email me for the price and/or size measurements), but for now it's chilling contently in the ever-expanding green section of my wardrobe.

One thing that I'm definitely holding onto for keeps is this fantastic 1940s flower covered green hat. I love toppers like this that are decked out in a florist's shop worth of blooms. They're fun, cheerful, and so redolent of the bountiful nature of spring and summer. This beautiful hat came my way as a review gift care of the wonderfully nice folks at Blue Rose Vintage, a recently new-to-me website devoted solely to selling vintage hats.

Lifelong vintage hat lover that I am, I was absolutely thrilled when they contacted me to ask if I'd be interested in selecting a hat of my choice from their inventory, which is updated with new listings on a daily basis. In the coming week, I'm delighted to say, you too will have the chance to add a chapeau from Blue Rose Vintage to your own wardrobe, because we're going to be holding a giveaway for the chance to win the hat of your choice from their beautiful offerings in just a few days (on Wednesday the 28th).

I've loved getting better acquainted with green through the year. It's a colour I've discovered, humbly, often works well with my pale skin tone, auburn/red hair, and eyes which are themselves green. As we inch ever nearer to autumn, I'm sure that I will continue to shop for, and wear, plenty of green, but I know that the change in the seasons will mean a pull towards certain other colours, too (for instance, I've recently become enamored in a whole new way with purple). As such, it seemed only fitting that while the summer's glistening, sauna-warm sun was still steaming down, I decided to don such a generous helping of this peaceful colour.

Because, as the title of this post says, if there's one thing I've learned this year, it's that being - or moreover, wearing - green can be pretty easy, especially when you've got splendidly fun yesteryear chapeaus like this one to propel your outfit choices. Who knows, maybe all Kermit needed to lessen his troubles was a fantastic green vintage hat of his own!

81 comments:

  1. Gorgeous hat. Good choice. Love your blog title. Love your outfit!

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  2. Kaunis! Beautiful ensamble, I really love that dress! Gosh your wardrobe must be huge, I adore your vintage treasures..!

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    1. Thank you very much, sweetheart, that really means a lot to be! Tony might beg to differ (lol!), but I won't call it huge, just well stocked with much loved pieces, most of which fit well and can be whipped into lots of different outfits.

      ♥ Jessica

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  3. Yes. Green is YOUR color. Just throw everything else away!
    (Joking)
    XX

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  4. Breathtaking ensemble!! You look very '50s fashion model here; I could see you on the cover of Harper's or Vogue!

    I have a few of those vintage dresses which are just a little off in sizing, but far too lovely to get rid of. One of these days I'll get myself to a tailor!

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    1. That is one seriously awesome compliment, thank you very much, dear Dakota.

      ♥ Jessica

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  5. That hat is amazing! I think it's true what they say about how flattering the color green is on redheads.

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    1. Thank you very much, lovely lady! I've picked up on that point in a whole new way through this year of becoming BBFs with green, it's so true.

      ♥ Jessica

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  6. Love, love, love! That hat! Oh my gosh! And you dress, delightful! You have a knack for lovely outfits my dear. :)

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    1. That is thoroughly wonderful, and very touching, compliment, dear Kim. Thank you so much!

      ♥ Jessica

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  7. That is a splendid hat, and it looks lovely on you. Green is definitely a colour that suits you. I really like your accessories, and I now have shoe envy!

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  8. oh my god!!!!!
    want this outfit! lovelovelove! the flowers, the hats shape, the fabric and cut of the dress - not to speak about this shoes and bag...... i die........

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  9. dear Jessica, green suits you like the fantastic pictures one can see from Ireland. Red hair and the green dress, not to forget the stylish hat - makes you look like a sparkling star.
    Its always a pleasure to enjoy your lovely posts.
    Have a great weekend and greetings from Switzerland,
    Christa

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  10. Oh, how deliciously Ozian. Anything that makes me think of Wicked the Musical is absolutely wonderful!! I ALWAYS want to go vintage shopping after reading your outfit posts...this is getting dangerous.

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    1. Oooohh, what an awesome comparison! I hadn't even thought about Oz in the scope of all my new green garments and accessories this year. So true...I should partner green and gold/yellow together for an ode to Oz now that you've reminded me of it. Thank you for the great idea, dear gal.

      ♥ Jessica

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  11. This is a perfect outfit! I love the alligator shoes and bag with the green, it works really well. And I'd gladly take that dress off your hands except I am also less than busty. Would wearing a cardigan over the top of it go some way towards solving the problem? It seems a shame to get rid of something that suits your colouring so well.

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  12. I have almost no green in my wardrobe... don't know why!
    You look so lovely, I love the hat!!!

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    1. Merci beaucoup, dear Laurence. I hear you loud and clear - that was my exact thought when it came to the colour green last year as well. I loved the colour, yet own surprisingly little of it. I'm really glad that I rediscovered it this year. It's been a joy to see how well it works with many different hues and to learn that it (humbly) it's a very good hue for my skin and hair tones. I bet it would look stunning on you as well.

      ♥ Jessica

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  13. Haha! Jessica, I like what you said about Kermit and really had to laugh.
    And you really show the world that green is the colour #1 for redheads. I like your outfit, particularly the green hat. It's phenomenal. Like a bouquet of the nicest flowers.

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  14. That hat is SO beautiful on you! Lovely choice. And the shoes are amazing.

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  15. You look gorgeous green! Seeing this has made me realize that I have very little green in my wardrobe, and thus makes me want more. I also wish I could wear more hats. I love vintage hats, but hardly ever wear them. I kinda feel as though I don't know what to do with my hair in hats. That needs to be rectified ;)

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    1. Thank you very much, dear gal. That was the realization ("Goodness, I have so little green in my closet...why is that?") that lead me to dub green my hue of the year for 2013. More than just adding green to my closet, I've developed a new found appreciate for it and am have come to learn, it works (humbly) very well with my colouring, so I'm sure I'll keep upping the green quotient in my wardrobe as the years go on.

      It can be tricky at times to know what to do with your hair, especially if it's long, when it comes to wearing a hat. Last year, in an interview with the wonderful blog, That's a Pretty Hat, I covered this very topic amongst the questions I was asked: http://thatsaprettyhat.blogspot.ca/2012/10/how-to-buy-vintage-hat-online.html, and hope that my thoughts on the subject there may be of some help to you, honey.

      ♥ Jessica

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  16. Wow, I love this, the colour looks GREAT on you. You hair is wonderful too =)

    Corinne x
    www.skinnedcartree.com

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  17. You always look so pretty. I bet you brighten up everyone's day when you are out and about. That hat is really dreamy, just fabulous. I adore all your gloves, too.

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    1. That is so immensely sweet and touching of you to say, dear Dawn, thank you very much. I sincerely hope that I do. here are few things more important in life that one can do than bring happiness to others, so if seeing me in my vintage threads helps brighten someone's day, that would in turn bring an extra dose of joy into mine.

      ♥ Jessica

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  18. Heheh I love kermit and I love your hat! Green is fabulous on you! I agree with you-it compliments your hair and skin beautifully! xox

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  19. Love the hat, and the outfit! After I dyed my hair red, I've got a real hankerin' for green too. This is no coincidence as greens are reds complementary colour, and will naturally harmonize :)Thanks for sharing!

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  20. It certainly is easy wearing green when you look like this - wowzers!

    Love the hat too, it looks fab with your gorgeous ensemble. Long live green!

    www.mancunianvintage.com

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  21. Congratulations on such a fabulous hat! I am actually very happy to see you with a floral hat. I've been looking at some floral hats but haven't really taken the plunge. Yours looks just grand on you and I can quite imagine you at a nice luncheon with this lovely hat:)

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    1. That's a delightful setting to imagine this hat in, I can definitely see it as well. Thank you very much, dear Joanna. My first thought when it arrived was that it would also make for an incredible Easter bonnet. Now that I've worn it, I don't doubt that it would, but it also works well for the summer months, when all the world is ripe with flowers right, left and center. I think you'd look incredible in a classic floral covered topper like this, too - they so often look incredible with suits (especially 50s ones) and I'm sure you would put together a jaw-droppingly lovely outfit with this style of hat.

      ♥ Jessica

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  22. I love this color on you, and the detailing on those gloves is perfect.

    xox, Hannah

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet Hannah, I really bet that these earthy green would look stunning on you as well.

      ♥ Jessica

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  23. Oh your lovely hat! Oh your scrumptious dress! :) And those gloves are to. die. for! All around splendid. I've got behind on your posts and must catch up. I've obviously missed lots of magnificent stuff. I've been able to look at blogs on my phone lately, but have not had time to log on to my laptop when i've been home. And some blogs, such as yours, should be viewed on the 'big screen'! :D So if you find me commenting a lot in the next couple of days, i promise i'm not a stalker! Just a woman who's been missing out on an awesome vintage blog.

    Gorgeous outflt, Jessica. And as is the norm here, i can't choose a favorite part of it. I just can't! Sigh...

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  24. Green is not one of my favorite colors, but I'm seriously tempted to change opinion ... You look beautiful and serene, feminine dramatically in that color ... I'm dying of love with that hat dear Lady ... Please do not let go of that beautiful dress, it's so sweet ... Happy week, dear friend.

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  25. Its a goregeous outfit. Green is certainly the color for gingers, and the hat is divine!

    Kate the old fashioned way

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    1. Thank you very much, lovely lady! I hope you're having a wonderful last month of summer - I miss your fun blog posts! :)

      ♥ Jessica

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  26. Oh my! You look absolutely stunning! I think green should be your colour for every year.

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    1. Why, thank you so very much, dear Teresa! It's definitely a colour I've developed a whole new appreciation for this year, and which I'll be wearing a lot lot more from here on out. It struck me a few days ago, that I own almost nothing in khaki green, so that's what I'm going to be keep my eyes peeled for next on the green front. :)

      ♥ Jessica

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  27. Your hat is gorgeous. Is it after the WWII style?
    http://balearaitzart.blogspot.com.au/

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    1. Thank you very much, dear Lorena. Great question! I would venture to say that it was made closer to the 50s, but I've seen floral hats akin to this earlier in the 40s too (especially on magazine covers around Easter time), so it could be from during the war years, too.

      ♥ Jessica

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  28. Oh gosh you are a summer perfection! I love green on you and that dress is such a darling piece (and it looks super comfy!). That hat? Oh my... let me say that if we lived closer I would be borrowing that hat all the time!

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  29. Oh Jessica you look so lovely, love love your hat and green does suit you to :) have a great week :)

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  30. I love green but it seems hard to find. Green looks lovely on you as it really highlights your pretty skin and goes so well with your hair color.

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    1. Thank you very much, dear Chrissy. Green can be tricky to find at times, especially in the modern fashion sphere, I agree. I've had a lot of luck unearthing green pieces both online and off this year though. Thrift stores, eBay and etsy, and now this wonderful gift from Blue Rose Vintage have been my secret weapons in the hunt for green garments.

      ♥ Jessica

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  31. And, you look so great in it! i absolutely adore that hat too! :)

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  32. woooow that´s gorgeous in green,that´s really a color that looks amazing with your hair! that coat-dress is a dream and gosh i really adore the hat too!
    love and kiss,mary
    http://www.maryloucinnamon.com/

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  33. Such a pretty outfit, I really love that hat! :)

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  34. Beautiful Jessica, that colour looks wonderful on you! You always look so 'together' as though things like sleeping through the alarm, getting a run in your stockings or missing the bus don't happen to you. Poise. That's what you've got. P x x

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    1. That is such a seriously lovely, touching compliment, dear Porcelina, thank you very much. I love the act of getting dressed and putting a well rounded look together, so it means all the more to me that you see me as having poise. I will be smiling for many a day to come because of your beautiful words.

      ♥ Jessica

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  35. Adorable! I love green, it's my absolute favourite colour! And it suits you very well!

    XO,

    Simona

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  36. I am agreeing with everyone, you look absolutely radiant in green!! Such a gorgeous hat to go with a classic dress. Definitely a winning outfit :)

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  37. green looks great on you ... the hat is absolutely adorable! this is the best summer hat i've a seen this season!

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    1. Thank you very much, darling! That is a fabulously lovely compliment!

      ♥ Jessica

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  38. Really loving this shade of green on you. It compliments your skin tone and hair color beautifully!

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  39. oh, my! you look simply stunning! the green palette fits you really, really well!
    tons of love!

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  40. That is one amazing hat! I'm not sure I've ever seen such a little garden on one hat before - it just needs a little frog to go with it! Green really does suit your colouring and I really like the brown accents in your shoes and handbag. Green (and red) clothes are always great because it means you've got your Christmas wardrobe sorted out too! (not that I'm thinking about Christmas yet... much...)

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    1. Thank you very much, darling gal! You're spot on, it really is a little garden unto itself and I completely agree, it needs a wee frog to keep it company. I will have to keep my eyes peeled for a cute froggy brooch.

      It's not too soon to think about X-Mas or what to wear for the holiday season, I've been doing both to some degree since at least July (in part because of my current hunt for vintage winter snow/ski clothes). Hard as it is to believe, we're a day under four months away from Christmas now - wow!!!

      Thank you again - big hugs!
      ♥ Jessica

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  41. AH that hat!! You must have been extra bubbly that day! I don't think I could contain myself with that topper on my noggin. I would be smiling from ear to ear.
    -Jamie
    ChatterBlossom

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  42. As you know, green is my favorite color, so this is such a color loving post of mine. That dress does look too splendid on you to sell it. What about having the seams taken in to decrease the excess of material? I really wish I could find more dresses like this with the excess material in the bust. I always hate how much gaping I get from my well endowed department. LOL!

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    1. I'm delighted to know you enjoyed the wealth of green going on here. It's definitely one of the more monochromatic ensembles I've sported here before. I may take it to a seamstress one day - it is so lovely, part of me still wants to hold onto. One great source of dresses that often have a fair bit (if not) tons of room in the bust is 1980s does 50s shirtwaist dresses. I have several with busts in the 38"-40" range (and have seen far bigger for sale) and elastic waists, so they could easily fit a multitude of different sized ladies. My bust is 34"-35", but I can usually wrangle in two-five extra inches of fabric there or let it billow, if it looks nice that way, no problem if the dress has a fitted waist and/or I wear a belt. Another perk to such dresses is that they're not hard to come by and can still be had for fairly decent prices sometimes (especially in thrift stores).

      ♥ Jessica

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  43. Such elegance... I love the different shades of green together, topped of by your beautiful red hair <3

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  44. I love this shade of green with your hair - you look radiant.
    I think this garment is worth altering and keeping. DO you do any sewing ?
    Oh and I have a Kermit puppet sitting in my living room, he'd be proud.

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    1. Hello dear Lorena, thank you very much! I've done a fair bit of mending by hand over the years, and know the very basics of sewing (from home ec class years ago), but I'm not skilled in that area at all. I may take it to seamstress one day, we'll see. I do occasionally sell some of my vintage items, especially those that don't fit fabulously, so I just thought I put the offer out there in case any of my lovely readers with fuller chests were interested. No one has expressed such yet, so perhaps the universe is trying to get me to hang onto this lovely frock.

      Too cute! I've always loved the Muppets. I had a plush Muppets Baby Miss Piggy as a little girl that I completely adored. Give your sweet "Kermie" a hug for me. :)

      ♥ Jessica

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  45. What a glorious hat! It must improve any day to be sporting that one. Lovely outfit, the brown croc shoes just finish it off.

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    1. Thank you very much, dear Kate! I really think it does have that kind of mood lifting power, you're spot on there. I find so many vintage hats do - perhaps that's part of the reason I'm so drawn to them. I love to be happy and embrace those things in my life that bring me joy (or in this case, place them squarely on my head! :)).

      ♥ Jessica

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  46. you look so fantastic! green really is your colour. i only have a very small amount of green clothing, it's never really been my thing but you're encouraging me to look out for it more, it look so nice with your brown accessories too. and that hat is just perfect for you, how lovely for them to have sent it to you. :)

    little henry lee

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  47. I love the colour of your hair with green... looks lovely! :D

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  48. Well now,
    I'm partial to this post, and this will be completely subjective and personal (since green is my favorite color). :)
    Adorable! Adorable! LEt me write it again: Adorable!
    Your hat is absolute beauty, adorned with various green hue fabric rosettes and rose buds. The lovely addition to is is the light-green velvet ribbon tied into a bow.

    I must say - you look dashing, dear.

    Marija

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  49. My jaw just hit the floor. I love EVERYTHING about this outfit. EVERY. THING.

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    1. You are all kinds of awesomely nice, thank you very much, my dear. Keep it up, and I'll be a shoe in for a Christmas tree, because you'll have me blushing bright red to match the bounty of green here. :)

      ♥ Jessica

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  50. Oh you look beautiful! There's nothing better than green on a redhead, amiright? So glad you are embracing the shade;)
    xo Sara

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    1. You are indeed, my dear, you are indeed. Teal, turquoise, clear navy blues and some dark, rich purples can be really killer on redheads, too.

      ♥ Jessica

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  51. You look gorgeous in green, it most certainly is your color! The hat looks truly delightful on you, too!

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  52. How nice in this green dress, dear! I find this colour really suits you. And what to say about your floral hat? Simply wonderful!

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  53. That hat is glorious! I am a green lover, too - I definitely think this should be the year of green!

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    1. Thank you very much, dear Jenny! Though I am starting to feel a pull towards some other colours, too, as the year begins winding down, green will keep going strong until the end of 2013, and I'm certain, play a more prominent role in my wardrobe from here on out (now that I know how well, humbly, it works for me).

      ♥ Jessica

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  54. Oh, green. My new favourite colour too. I think I started loving green (clothes, that is. I've always loved green in nature) about three years ago or so. Before that I've always loved pink, still do. And red is my favourite winter colour, and some purple, especially the plummy tones. Keep the lovely green dress, it becomes you so much. You look lovely, as always. Have a lovely weekend, dear. :)

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  55. How pretty! I don't own much of anything in green, though I have been hankering after some fabric which is pale minty green strewn with pink roses for the best part of this year.

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  56. I love green, and this outfit suits you just perfectly! It's lovely with your hair. Needless to say that I'm jealous about your hat. :-)

    Just a question: where exactly did you get the dress from? It seems the link provided doesn't work, and my Etsy search couldn't provide me any matching result... Thanks for your help. Doris

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  57. Thus is one of my all time favourite outfits on you! The colours, the fabric and that hat! SIGH!!! You make green look easy...and I'm green with envy. xx Shauna

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