February 28, 2014

Vintage Link Love: February 2014

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64 Superb Vintage Pictures Of The Winter Olympics: For the first time in many years, I didn't watch a lot of events during this year's Winter Olympics, but that's only because Tony and I got rid of our cable service a couple of months ago. I still enjoyed catching a few, as well as some of the highlights of the 2014 Games online this year though, and certainly delighted in all of the yesteryear sporting event related stories I came across online like this fab photo roundup from BuzzFeed.


Faces of the men who won America's independence: Amazing early photos of heroes of the Revolutionary War in their old age: Influenced by the history lover, family genealogist, and photographer in me alike, I've always been immensely fascinated by the fact that, in the earliest days of its existence, cameras were able to capture images of people who had been born in the 18th century (decades before functional cameras themselves were developed).

This article from UK paper The Daily Mail takes a look at a selection of photos of some such folks, all of whom were involved with America's Revolutionary War in (1775–1783). If you think that these images stretch far back in time (which they certainly do), stop to ponder the fact that it's entirely possible that the gentlemen pictured here could very well have, in their earliest days, know some elderly people who had been born towards the end of 1600s. Talk about a powerful link to the past.


Air Canada Uniforms from 1938 to 2012: By way of Toronto Life, comes this flip through photo gallery of an Air Canada fashion show that featured models wearing a selection of uniforms that flight attendants, pilots and other employees sported over the course of the years spanning 1938 to 2012.




How the blogging world has changed: It's rare that I read a blog post that resonates as deeply with me as this one did. I first started noticing a drastic change in how people were blogging (with a strong shift towards favouring using social media to post and create a following over, or in addition to, traditional blogging), commenting, the number of folks still maintaining their blog, and several other related points last year. I talked about such things at length on multiple occasions with Tony, but it didn't seem like anyone else I knew or was following was discussing this point publicly.

Much to my relief, it turns out that I wasn't the only one who had spotted some pretty dramatic shifts, changes, and new approaches to blogging. Design Sponge recently wrote about this topic and how such things had been said in hushed whispers in the blogosphere for some time now before the first brave souls decided to start posting about it, as Grace Bonney did in this truly must-read post for absolutely everyone who blogs.


Thoughts on historical accuracy: In a post that a great many of us who wear vintage will be able to relate to, and no doubt have our own opinions on, Stephanie Lynn from The Girl with the Star Spangled Heart shares some of her thoughts on the what it means to dress in a historical accurate manner when it comes to our daily vintage wardrobe (in her post, Stephanie links to another on the same topic by Jennifer Rosbrugh from Historical Sewing called Why You Can't Be 100% Historically Accurate which is definitely worth reading as well).


The Canadian "Rosie the Riveter" - Veronica Foster: Liz of The Vintage Inn has shines the spotlight on one of Canada's most interesting and beautiful war workers, Veronica Foster (pictured below), who was known during the forties as the Bren Gun Girl, and quickly became an inspiring, patriotic war effort icon for Canadians from coast to coast in a similar manner to America's famous Rosie the Riveter.




Selling Your Vintage: More so than any other year that I've been active in the vintage blogging world, I've noticed a wide array of folks in our circle who are looking to give their wardrobes a thorough purging this year and try to earn some cash for the pieces they no longer want to hang onto. That's always a great idea if it's been a while since your last closet clean out or you simply have more than you need/will ever wear. If you're on the same determined war path this year and are looking for a handy list of ways through which you can potentially make cash for your unwanted vintage items, be sure to take a peak at this lovely post on the topic that Janey from Atomic Redhead recently wrote.


Couple met in Nazi death camp, reunited in Toronto: I bookmarked this deeply heartwarming CBC news story last year the moment I saw it and this month, the most famous of the whole year for love, seems like the perfect time to share it.


Style History of 1950s Tops and Blouses: With spring (hopefully) on the cusp of returning, it's all I can do not to pack away my winter coats, gloves, scarves, hats and boots right this very moment and frolic around outdoors in cute vintage blouses and skirts. For inspiration when that fabulous, and no doubt sunny, day does return, I'll be revisiting this lovely, image filled post on the style history of 1950s tops and blouses from The Vintage Dancer.




Is that really an authentic vintage dress you're buying?: By way of one of the web's leading genuine vintage, vintage reproduction, and vintage inspired fashion sellers, Blue Velvet Vintage, comes a wonderful post about how companies looking to cash in on the trend for old school fashions in recent years has lead to an increase in clothing and accessories being called "1950s" (or whatever decade) or "vintage", when in fact they are modern pieces that simply look the part (aka, may be vintage appropriate), and the side effects that this has on sellers who deal in, and buyers who wear, real vintage items.


On a Heart Pin to Make for Valentine’s Day: In last month's edition of Vintage Link Love, I shared a great tutorial for a vintage style fruit brooch that was posted over at Technicolor Cutie's site, and this month, on the homemade jewelry front, I'm delighted to bring you another splendidly simple project that even a novice crafter can tackle: a super cute felt and pipe cleaner heart brooch tutorial from Inky of On Shoes and Ships and Sealing Wax (that's perfect for Feb. 14th, but could easily be sported the whole year 'round, too).


Lamé and lurex: A few months ago, completely out of the blue, I got the strongest longing I've ever had to own a vintage gold lame or lurex garment. I've adding doing so to my shopping ongoing fashion shopping list, and am spurred on all the more to find just the right piece for my wardrobe thanks to this fantastic image filled post on both shimmery fabrics from Joanna Öst.




  On the home blogging front in the last few weeks, I've had the great pleasure of being interviewed by UK app developer Wallpop in a post on their site called Chronically Vintage: a 100% vintage blog!, and had the wonderfully touching distinction and honour of being named one of Lindsay Lane's Favourite Female Vintage Bloggers

Thank you very much to both of these great sites for making Chronically Vintage a part of your online world this winter. I wholeheartedly appreciate it.


{All images throughout the list of links above come by way of the post that they are displayed directly beneath the write up of here. Please follow the links provided to learn more about these images.}


♥ ♥ ♥


Last month's inaugural edition of Vintage Link Love was meet with much enthusiasm, which is awesome, because it's quickly become, even in the very short time it's been in existence, one of my favourite post series to write. In fact, I was all but champing at the bit for this month to wrap up, just so I could compose February's edition.


No doubt that fact that I'm keen to wave buh-bye to winter in general helped spur on my desire to see the shortest month of the year come to end as well. Usually, you know, I flat out love most elements of winter and don't mind how long it wants to drag on and on (and on...), but this year, I grew tired of it early and have been immensely excited for spring's return ever since January.


I was thinking about this a couple of week ago and it struck me that one factor adding to those feeling is that I haven't yet gotten a chance to wear most of the vintage garments, as many are best suited to spring and summer, that I purchased during our awesome trip to Calgary last September. Well, not at least outdoors without a heavy winter coat and scarf covering them up, and I'm keen to weave them into my daily warm weather wear (and no doubt share some in vintage outfit posts here and on Instragram).


That's not the only factor though by a long shot and another biggie, which I know many of my fellow fashion bloggers can relate to well, is that as much as it can be fun to do the occasional shoot in the snow (such as this one last month), I strongly miss being able to take pictures without feeling like my fingers, toes and ears are going to turn into icicles in a matter of minutes, as well as not having to worry nearly as much about what kind of temperamental mood the weather is in.


I'm ready for spring's fresh produce, dying Easter eggs, the first blooms of the season, taking walks on the beach, falling asleep outside in the sun, packing picnics to enjoy in the wilderness, splashing in puddles, the local farmer's market reopening, bringing out my beloved vintage sundresses, and countless other things that usually become distant memories during the snow covered half of the year.


We're not quite there yet, but with a bit of luck, by the time I sit down to pen March's edition of Vintage Link Love, at least a few of those things will have happened and the prospect of the rest will be mere days, or weeks at most, away.

No doubt, in true Canadian fashion, during the sweltering dog days of summer, I'll be pining for snowmen, stockings hung by the chimney with care, hot cocoa, warm woolen mittens, and scores of characteristically wintry things, but for now, spring and its beautiful successor, summer, can't get here quickly enough for me. How about for you?

31 comments:

  1. What a great collection of links! I'm so honored to be included. :)

    I cannot wait for spring and summer. I get cold very easily and personally find it easier to dress to stay cool in the summer rather than warm in the winter. (Which is odd considering that both sides of my family are from the New England area of the US).

    I too love gold lame but don't own any. I did spy some absolutely divine gold lame fabric at Mood in LA last year and I so wanted to take some home but at $99/yd that didn't happen. :/

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    1. You're welcome, my dear, thank you for posting about that very important vintage fashion topic. Wow, no kidding, when fabric is worth nearly as much as metal whose colour it sports, it's usually best to pass! :D If I do add some lame to my wardrobe, I'll be sure to do an outfit post featuring it.

      ♥ Jessica

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  2. Wow! Surely there are enough wonderful reads here to get me through the next frigid weeks of winter! The story of the couple is amazing and so poignant. Thank you for that. I got a good chuckle from your desire for gold lame--having experienced the same feeling in 1965. My mom made me a great mini dress, very go-go:-) I still have the gold shoes, gloves and clutch she loaned me to wear on that special night. The event was a James Brown concert. Now you can have the chuckle!

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  3. It was such a good idea of you to start this series of posts, I absolutely love it and will be looking forward to it from now on!

    I can't wait for spring to start either, my hands are itching to sew up some lovely cheerful blouses.

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  4. Wow, amazing stuff! Is always nice to come here and check your site and find so many great vintage topics with a lots of info and tips. Thank you for sharing!

    Have a nice weekend! xxx

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  5. I found some great posts that are new to me through this, thanks!

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  6. Thanks so much for sharing my article Jessica! I'm glad you enjoyed it enough to spread the love. Thanks so much! On another note...I was AT the Air Canada Fashion show :) My husband works for Air Canada and we were invited to attend. It was a lot of fun and totally my thing. I have been wanting to do a "vintage air canada" blog post for awhile now from some of the vintage photos that were at that event and once my husband has been able to secure me. I should get on that!

    Once again thanks again Jessica for sharing my post :)

    Liz

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    1. Hi sweet Liz, you're very welcome. I thoroughly adored that post, just as I do everything you share on your awesome blog. It's so wonderful that you frequently shine the spotlight on Canadian related vintage topics. I admire and adore that about your site so much.

      Too cool! I love that you were able to attend that show and can't wait to see the post you write about it (I would have loved have been there in person myself, too).

      Big hugs & tons of happy weekend wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  7. LOVEEEEEEEEE the links! You know I love info so I in bliss! Thank you! Off to go read them all hehe xox

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  8. Thank you so much for including me among all those marvelous links, it's a nice little bright spot on the wet and rainy day we're having where I am! :D Hooray for spring being less than a month away!

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    1. You're wholeheartedly welcome, sweet dear. I adore DIY projects like this have a distinctly vintage feel to them and are a cinch to whip up. Thank you again for posting your terrific brooch howto.

      Oodles of hugs & happy weekend wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  9. I love all the links, but thank you so much for sharing article about the Holocaust survivors. That is such a wonderful story.

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    1. It's my sincere pleasure, Arika. Though I tend to keep the topics discussed here on Chronically Vintage on a fairly light and upbeat note, and thus not discuss such very often, I've actually been a passionate, devoted WW2 and Holocaust researcher since I was a little girl and have read dozens, if not hundreds at this point, of books and watchesd many movies and TV shows on the subject as well. It is a endlessly horrifying element of our recent collective past and one that I believe should be kept in the public eye for the rest of time, so every now and then I cannot help but share a story here that pertains to it (especially if it's one with a positive ending like this).

      Thank you very much for your comment & have a terrific weekend,
      ♥ Jessica

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  10. I didn't get round to commenting on your first links post but I really did enjoy it. It took me almost all month to read all the lovely things you'd chosen. So thank you very much for taking the time to put these together. As for winter, I don't think ours has been a very cold winter this year and we've had some bright days (although quite a lot of rain, too) but it's looking like Spring could be very cold again. We have all the spring flowers, such as crocus, snowdrops and daffodils out already so I really hope we don't get a cold snap! I hope your snows go soon and your signs of Spring start peeking through xx

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    1. My pleasure, dear Philippa, I'm delighted to know that you enjoyed the first edition so much. This series has quickly turned into one of my very favourite to write. It's hard to contain myself to posting just one a month, but I think they stay more special that way if I do, so for now, one at the end of every month it will be.

      Oooh, I hope so too!!! Spring really cannot come quickly enough for me this year!

      Big hugs & blissful start of March wishes!
      ♥ Jessica

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  11. jessica - you gave me i nice evening read while waiting for hubby :-)
    is´n this lamé stuff gorgeous?! wish i had a occasion to wear something like this....
    the article about blogging i had already noticed and it was all new land for me - i just started in 2013. hm. you know you got me with the winter olympic pictures!!! especially the black&white ones!
    congrats to the interview!!!!!!
    hugs & snowdrops from b.

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  12. What an interesting batch of posts and articles! I can't wait to go through and read them all, though I'll admit, I took a peek at one or two already. The Revolutionary War vet photos are astounding. You normally only see paintings and etchings from that war. To actually see men who fought in it makes it very real and very human. I sent the link to my sister who adores 18th and 19th century history and she just loved it. Thank you for sharing that.

    Cheers!
    Jenny

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    1. I'm delighted to know that that story about the Revolutionary War vet photos was of interest to both you and your sister. It really struck a chord with me as well. It's just so amazing to think that we have actual photographs of people who were born in the 1700s.

      Thank you very much for your lovely comment, honey. Have a marvelous weekend!

      ♥ Jessica

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  13. Is there anything more elegant than a woman wearing an air uniform? That is probably the reason why I loved the TV serie Pan Am..
    I do like your links!

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  14. First I want you to know I love your blog!!!!...Second I unfortunately don't have as much time as I use to ........to really keep up with it .....but please know that your blog is an amazing read and is grately appreciated!!!

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    1. Hi Laura, what a cheerfully lovely comment, thank you very much. It's totally okay, please don't worry for a moment. I'm delighted to have you as a reader point blank, no matter how often (or not) you're able to make it over for a visit. Thank you for your ongoing support of my site.

      Big hugs & tons of happy weekend wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  15. So many lovely links! I hardly know what to comment on, but the news story about the reunited couple was so heart-warming that it wins out as my favourite link.

    I hope a lovely spring is headed your way. We have just said goodbye to summer, and the weather has decided to celebrate with a week of rain and fog!

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  16. Thanks for sharing the links!
    http://balearaitzart.blogspot.com.au/

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  17. This is a fantastic list! I enjoyed so many of the articles, especially the ones about how blogging has changed. Thanks for a great compliation, and I look forward to the next one!

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  18. Every time I read a story on one of Rosie-girls, my heart skips a beat. I've missed this one out, so Thank You or showing me the way to it.
    ..and: every single one of the blouses on the image, I'd like to wear - once the Spring finally decides to settle in. Until it does, I'm braving the late winter here and there.. you can say I'm "pushing Spring forward" - you see, I believe that, if I start with the digging and garden-planning the Spring will hear my desperate call and come sooner.

    Nifty, no?

    Hugs!
    Marija

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  19. Another great round up of links! Will settle down for some reading time!

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  20. Ohmygoodness, how tremendously amazing that the couple was able to be reunited!!!!! I made sure to share it with my sister. She may even blog about it, if so I'll be sure to share it with you. But wow, in such tragedy it is wonderful to have such heartwarming tales that come from it.

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  21. I am also in a springy mood. Last Saturday I took down all my winter decorations, and it helped when all my lovely snowflakes were gone. But already Sunday, it was bitterly cold again, ough. :( I take in snowdrops twice a week and have a few spring decorations. And thank you SO much for another fabulous link love post. You steel my time, lady! ;) I really think we are sisters at heart, since I love almost all your links and find them so interesting that I have to visit them. :) Today is my first Wednesday off, I'm working part time now, and am so extremely happy that I'm literally dancing around. I will go hunting for a vintage coffee set and then relax with tea and your links later on today. Have a lovely day, dear. :)

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    1. I hear you loud and clear, sweet Sanne. Though there were slight signs that perhaps spring was rounding the bend again last month (for example, my mom's pussy willow trees sprouted some buds), they were quickly quashed by the snow that started falling heavily mid-month and has scarcely stopped yet. Oh well! That's Canadian winter weather for you - nothing to do but sit back, sip a hot cocoa and ride it out until spring really and truly does return.

      Aww, I think we're kindred vintage loving spirits as well, dear Sanne. Thank you!

      Enjoy your day off - they are precious indeed!

      ♥ Jessica

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  22. All wonderful links—'tis a good thing there's tea steeping beside me, but I should probably run out and bring the laundry in (it's 55 today, I had to bring the sunshine in via towels and dresses and sheets dried in the fresh air!) first. Thank you for collecting these!

    One thing I could not resist looking at right away, however, was the collection of Revolutionary War veterans' photos. One of them men, Rev. Levi Hayes, settled in Granville—a town just up the road! Perhaps I'll visit the old cemetery there and see if he can be found. Photographing cemeteries as I do so often, I often find myself 'meeting' veterans of our wars, but finding those from the Revolution and the War of 1812 always seem to send a chill up my spine. It is my favourite period in America's history, of course, but there's something more than that "getting" me. Quite amazing.

    There are many Revolutionary War veterans—male and female!—buried here in central Ohio, reminding us that this was pure frontier not long ago. Looking up their stories to share along with the photos is always a fascinating past time; oh, the people I have 'met' this way. We come from pretty good stock on this continent, don't we?

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    1. Hello dear Jen, thank you very much for your terrific comment. I love knowing that the Revolutionary War veteran story spoke to you deeply as well. I highly suspect that if I lived your area, I would be "meeting" plenty of new historical friends as well. It's marvelous how rich a history you have where you live. Around these parts, finding anything (or anyone, photo wise) older than a hundred years is mighty impressive. In some areas on the east coast of Canada where Europeans settled first, we have older buildings, homes and plenty of stories to go along with them though, but out here in the "wild west" of B.C., where few places were settled prior to the mid-Victorian era, you wouldn't find anything akin to (European inhabited) graveyards from that same era. I would love to travel through the States, especially the founding states, one day and soak up some of the history that helped define our whole continent, as you said, firsthand myself.

      Wishing you a marvelous Saturday,
      ♥ Jessica

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