February 14, 2014

Special Valentine's Day 2014 edition of Vintage Fashionista Friday


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{Absolutely perfect for Valentine's Day, but not so glaringly Feb. 14th-ish that can't be worn at other times of the year, too (for example, on your anniversary), these cute-enough-too eat conversation heart earrings are inspired by the classic candy and are as sweet a way to jazz up your lobes as you could ever hope to find. $12.00 from etsy seller Dailee Dose.}





{Keep your lips kissably  smooth, or bestow this delightful set upon a loved one for an extra sweet Valentine's Day gift, either way, it's sure to be a festive hit. Four-piece Cupcakes & Cartwheels Sweet Shop Cupcake Lip Gloss set, $12.00 from Amazon.}




{Let a flock of sweet little lovebirds call your neck home care of this fabulous vintage inspired Swallow Charm Necklace that featuring laser cut swallows and an extender chain in the back so as to allow you set the length you'd like. £12.50 from Collectif.}




{When I get dressed for St. Valentine's Day, I usually feel pulled either towards fabulously alluring, glamorous looks or ones that are so sweet, they teeter on the cusp of cloying. This charming 1950s Bea Young pink and purple plaid dress is closer to the latter, and has an unendingly charming feel of youth to it, but would work for ladies of all ages, thanks to its classic cute, longer hemline and flatter neckline. Fits up to 38" bust/31" waist, $75.00 from etsy seller Garb-Oh Vintage.}




{Pretty as the frosting on a Valentine's cake, these soft pink c. 1950s gloves with ruched wrists would make for a fabulous edition to any girly-girl vintage loving lady's wardrobe. (Size not listed) $12.00 from etsy seller Duryea Place Designs.}



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{Boasting raglan sleeves, a full satin lining, and a single button closure, this fitted, immensely lovely 1950s purple velvet dress coat has romance and style abounding from its every seam. Fits up to a 34" bust/28" waist, on sale at the time of writing for $123.20 from etsy seller Mustang Annee's.}




{Unequivocally one of my top five favourite perfumes of all-time (I could happily wear nothing but it as my signature scent for the rest of time), best seller Romance from Ralph Loren is a grownup, gorgeous, intricate, immensely appealing blend of fresh rose, oakmoss, musk, ginger, marigold and violet that more than lives up to its Valentine's Day perfect moniker. $68.95 (for a 3.4 ounce bottle) from Amazon.}




{Covetable as the day is long, these super fun Vivienne Westwood for Melissa Lady Dragon Lips Shoes are so marvelous, you might just be tempted to kiss them when they arrive! Available in UK modern ladies shoes 3-8 (European sizes 36 to 41), £127.00 from Dollydagger.}





It struck me, rather powerfully, recently while I was standing in my wee little bedroom closet of all places, just how very much I love and care about some of my online friends. Some of those folk that I know from the vintage community have in my life from five years now, others are more recent newcomers, and many came into my world somewhere in between. Save for one person, I've never met any of these people in real life. I've never even heard most of their voices, and yet I've shared my life with them and they in turn have let me into theirs.

We've swapped emails, Facebook messages, Instagram comments, Pinterest pins, and in some cases, even good old-fashioned snail mail. Five years is not a small amount of time. We could have all gotten masters degrees in that same time frame. A child born on the day we met would be kindergarten age at this point. As thoughts pertaining to the wonderfulness of online friends - of whom I have far more than local acquaintances - washed over me, I began to think of how very fitting a day, indeed perhaps the most fitting of the entire year, Valentine's is to celebrate this special kind of love.

Whether I've known a kindred online spirit for a few months, a couple of years, or that whole half a decade, my closest friends are all loved, all cherished, sincerely appreciated and seen as a blessing in my eyes. I learn from, am inspired by, laugh with, smile over, and treasure each of these people. I know that some will fade from life over time, as is the nature of friendships in general, be they online or off, but I suspect that many with be with me for oodles more years to come.

This point brings me immense happiness, and in the spirit of Valentine's Day and the feelings I have for my friends, I named today's Vintage Fashionista "Aimee", an Old French name meaning, fitting, beloved. Not all love is romantic of course, and even those who turn up their noses or want nothing to do with the mushy, gushy, sweetie pie, sugar bunny side of today, can surely appreciate that it gives us all an opportunity to reflect on those we love, our friends very much included.

To all my friends and blog readers the world over, thank you for the relationships we share the whole year through. I love and wish you an immensely happy, candy filled Valentine's Day!

47 comments:

  1. the Vivienne Westood shoes are so marvelous, faery shoes !!! I don't like purple but the coat is amazing, I sewed one last year, no the same, sure but I tried to have velvet one!!!

    http://belliswinter.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=2143&action=edit

    I wish you a beautiful Valentine's day

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  2. Great!! I love it ♥
    Happy Valentine's Day for you and Happy weekend!
    XoXo ღ

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  3. -hug- My darling friend, you are one of the sweetest, most encouraging people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Your blog posts and comments always bring a smile to my face. A most happy Valentine's Day to you!

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  4. Touching, deeply emotional post, darling!
    Our world has grown in time. When I was a kid there was no way for me to even dream of having friends from across the ocean. I couldn't even imagine reading a e-book or leaving a comment to a fellow blogger (darn, I couldn't, in my wildest sci-fi dream, think of the existence of digital world).
    Having friends, with similar interest brings me so much joy - and getting such an adorable Valentine's wishes from one of them (yes, you) is instantly scaring the clouds away and make me shine.

    So, thank you for shining over the Atlantic, dear Jessica.
    ..and a Happy Valentine's day!

    Marija

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  5. What a well written lovely heart-felt comment. You really do have a wonderful way of expressing yourself.

    Happy Valentine's Day Jessica! From a newbie that loves your attention to detail.

    bisous
    Suzanne

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    1. That sincerely means a lot to me, dear Suzanne, thank you very much.

      Tons of hugs & happy Valentine's Day wishes coming your way!
      ♥ Jessica

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  6. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 Happy Valentine's Day to you !

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet Brandy!

      Have a joyfully fantastic February 14th!
      ♥ Jessica

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  7. I appreciate you very much, too. Happy Valentines Day! have a great one.
    P.S. the swallow tail necklace is divine!

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  8. Thank you in turn for all e wonderful sweetness your blog brings my way! Happy Valentines, Jessica!

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  9. Nooooo not the candy! My waistline can't take it! In saving those candy-calories though, I will however accept a scoop of black raspberry chip french pot ice cream, which I coincidentally have a very tiny container of in the freezer. ;) Wishing you all the best and a very Happy Valentine's, Jessica! <3

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    1. Oooh, can you send one my way, too, pretty please? Raspberries are my all-time favourite fruit and I just adore when they're partnered with chocolate. That sounds like a sublime Valentine's Day treat in my books, too.

      Big hugs & the very happiest of February 14th wishes, lovely lady!
      ♥ Jessica

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  10. I have fallen in love with that fabulous purple coat, ahhhhhhhhhhhhh
    Happy Saint Valentine´s day EVERY DAY.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  11. Oh dear Jessica, i hope you have a marvellous Valentine's day - and hope you count me in the far away friend list. Hugs.

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  12. I just bought my first pair of VW shoes and I have NO idea how I want to style them. I got them used on eBay of course because the pricetag.... oh lord haha.

    And this was seriously such a sweet post, it made me tear up a little bit! Sometimes I literally forget the fact that I've never met some of my friends I'm super close to. This was the perfect description of those relationships!

    Amanda
    http://junebugsandgeorgiapeaches.blogspot.com/

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    1. You're not alone, sweet Amanda, I was fighting back the waterworks as I wrote it, too. I care so very much about my online friends and cherish the relationships we share as much as I do those with my real world ones.

      Oooh, you lucky lady!!! If I'm to ever have a pair of my own, I suspect eBay will be the route I take as well. I think they call for fun, youthful dresses usually, especially ones in vibrant colours that pull on the hue(s) in the shoes. Keep the rest of your accessories fairly understated and partner the whole look with a fabulous, perhaps voluminous hairstyle and I think you'll be on the easy street to having styled them superbly.

      Oodles of hugs & super happy February 14th wishes, honey!
      ♥ Jessica

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  13. What a lovely selection of eye candy! I have personally coveted a pair of Vivienne W shoes for some time (in that colour too).
    On a more serious note I would like to say that I cherish the chance, like you, to met and chat and swap stories with you and other bloggers. These 'conversations' enrich and round out my life and fill a special corner in my heart.
    Thankyou!
    xx Shauna

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    1. They truly do - if I go more than a few days, for whatever reason (in the hospital, internet outage, on holiday, etc) without connecting with some of my dear online friends, I genuinely feel like a part of my world is askew. It's so beautiful that technology allows us to touch and enrich one another's lives day in and day out like this.

      Tons of hugs & the very happiest of Valentine's Day wishes, dear Shauna,
      ♥ Jessica

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  14. I love the lovebirds necklace (of course!) and the Vivien Westwoods.

    Happy Valentine's Day and thank you for writing such a wonderful blog xx

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  15. Oh man, I need those gloves.

    Happy Valentines Day, Jessica! That was a very heartfelt ending to your post, and I feel the same about my online friends. They all make me so happy in ways I can't really describe, and I'm so grateful for them all!

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    1. Thank you very much, dear Carla. I know precisely what you mean - there's a special sort of hard to nail down joy that comes from online friendships which differs from those in the offline world.

      Sending lots of hugs & joyful February 14th wishes your way,
      ♥ Jessica

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  16. That is such a sweet post, happy Valentine's day to you too Jessica. Those lip glosses are so cute!

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  17. What a gorgeous sentiment for Valentine's Day. Thank you for your encouragement and sweet words in the short time since we met online. You have been one of the people giving me courage to keep moving forward, and your sweet and generous spirit glows through each one of your posts.

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  18. Happy Valentine's day and... Congratulations for a such beautiful blog!

    XoXo

    Inajara

    http://mygoldenuniverse.blogspot.com.br/

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  19. Love all of those adorable Valentine's Day lovelies! Now if I only had a couple hundred dollars to spare... ;)

    I was thinking the same thing about dear friends I have met online. Some of my greatest friends have never actually heard my voice, nor I theirs. It's a strange world, this online community, but one so worth being a part of.

    Happy Valentine's Day! <3

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  20. What a lovely post! So far I have had the chance to connect with some amazing people via blogging/social media, some of whom have lived in my city, right under my nose this entire time! If it wasn't for blogging I never would have known they existed, not to mention how absolutely fantastic they are!

    Though we've really only just "met", I have to say you are by far one of the loveliest people I have come across on the web :) Reading your blog posts and your lovely comments (even when they aren't directed at me) always makes me smile! xx

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  21. A very happy Valentine's day to you, dear Jessica! The purple dress coat is a dream!

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet Inky! I hope you had a sweet-as-chocolate-covered-strawberries Valentine's Day celebration.

      Agreed, I would rock that amazing purple coat in a heartbeat. Swoon!!! :)

      Big hugs & joyful weekend wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  22. Oh, sweet Jessica... what a beautiful and heart warming message on this so well written post. This is what I get from you, someone that genuinely cares for others and values each person around you. And it´s wonderful to celebrate this friendship love that enriches indeed our life each day. Thank you to be a brave and lovely lady! And I feel so blessed to meet you even if online.

    Love from me!
    Beta

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    1. My very sweet friend, thank you deeply for your touching comment - it all but had me in tears. I feel sincerely blessed to have meet and become close with you as well. Thank you for the beautiful gifts of your friendship and support of my blog. Both mean an immeasurable amount to me.

      Scores of hugs always,
      ♥ Jessica

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  23. oh gosh one item is cuter than the other, i love those lipgloss cupcakes, how adorable!!! and that dress!! i´m swooning!
    hope you had a lovely valentine!!!
    kiss,mary

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  24. Such perfect finds—and I suppose we could all use wearable birds of happiness wherever we go!

    Happy Valentine's Day (belated though this is!) to you, Jessica! You are just one of the sweetest and most genuine people I've 'met' online. Thank you for bringing so much light to so many people! xoxo

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    1. Wonderfully dear Jen, thank you deeply for your heartwarmingly lovely comment. It will lift my spirits whenever I reflect on it for a long time to come.

      Big hugs & tons of happy Valentine's Day weekend wishes to you as well,
      ♥ Jessica

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  25. You are such a beautiful person Jessica and this post has just proven your loving nature. Hope you had a fantastic Valentines Day full of yummy goodies and LOVE! XXX

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  26. Your comments on this post touched my heart. I get a bit choked up sometimes thinking about the incredible people I've met online, many of whom I've never talked with face-to-face. Some of the most special people in my life fall into this category, and I don't know what I'd do without them. I hope you had an incredible Valentines Day!

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  27. I hope you had a very happy Valentines Day. I am very glad that I found your blog and have started to get to know you. This is a lovely post, with lovely sentiments. I think that velvet coat would be a great way to increase the amount of purple in your wardrobe!

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    1. That's beautiful, sweet Kate, thank you. I'm delighted that our paths crossed online as well and sincerely want to thank you for each and every lovely comment and back and forth conversation we've shared on each others' blogs since the day that happened.

      Tons of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  28. I feel the exact same way, Jess! I feel like I know you so well and neither of us has ever called or met in person {due to the long distance between the BC and Indiana )-: }. I would love to meet you as well as many others I know through my blog in the future. Thankfully I live fairly close to Va-Voom Vintage {only 2 1/2 hours away} so we'll have to get a blogger meet up.

    Anyway, I think snail mail is just about the best form of communication and I wish I had more friends who loved it as well. Email and texts are nice {now that I know how to text} but there is something special about receiving a handwritten letter from a friend. Gives you that warm fuzzy feeling. :-)

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    1. How awesome that you're only 2.5 hours away from Brittany! She is such a fabulously nice person (just as you are!). I really hope you two lovely ladies are able to meet up in one day.

      I love to, and still frequently, write old-fashioned letters as well (mostly to various relatives and some of my friends friends that I've meet online). If you'd ever like to be snail mail pen pals, feel free to let me know, my dear!

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  29. This is lovely! I hope you truly had a wonderful valentine's!

    XO,

    Simona

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  30. You are a very sweet person, Jessica! And your Valentine post is delightful! I consider you a dear friend for your sensitiveness...and I am always very happy to learn more about vintage...I do hope you had a nice Valentine's day!
    p.s. blogging is fantastic if makes it possible to meet adorable girls like you!! :-)

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  31. Thanks so much for including our pink gloves here! I'm thrilled to have found your site... SO many great vintage finds!! Thanks again!

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    1. You're sincerely welcome, Jennie. Many thanks for listing the perfect pair to include in this Valentine's Day outfit post. Your shop and the items you offer are a lovely delight.

      ♥ Jessica

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  32. What a beautiful post Dear Jessica. You always make me smile and fill my heart with warmth. Gentle hugs my friend, Beverly

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  33. So many cute things - I want them all! Especially the Vivienne Westwood shoes... :)

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