March 12, 2014

Sporting a New Look silhouette in the sunshine at City Park




Outfit details

Black 1940s/50s platter hat: eBay

Metal and enamel flower earrings: Save On Foods

Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥

Black vintage handbag: etsy seller A Vintage Revival

Fitted black velvet blazer: Smart Set

Brown stretch cotton fitted top: Sirens

Metal cheetah brooch: eBay

c. 1950s brown cotton gloves: Unknown (likely eBay)

1950s reproduction leopard print circle skirt: Big Beautiful Barbara Brown

Black seamed nude stockings: eBay

Black pumps: Payless

Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Tony Cangiano
 
 















































In all the history of all the fashions in the world there is, unquestionably, no other silhouette that I adore more than that present in Christian Dior's now phenomenally iconic New Look.

Incredibly feminine, sophisticated, and in stark contrast to most of the styles and cuts that had dominated the fashion world during the challenging, austerity filled days of WW2, the New Look, which was typified by a fitted blazer or dress bodice, full skirt, corseted (or otherwise very nipped) waist, hemline below the knees, and at times, even padding around the hips and backside to help further enhance the slenderness of the waist, was a culture shock at a time when most had grown incredibly accustomed to making the most out of the lest amount of fabric possible.

The ensemble that most people picture first when they think of the New Look is Dior's gorgeous Bar Suit (pictured below), which was, and still is, one of the most dashing and sublimely well tailored examples of women's clothing to emerge in the twentieth century. The Bar Suit, was just one of several designs that comprised Dior's February 1947 line, yet it has stood out over the past nearly seventy years as the most evocative and memorable from both that particular show and that immensely transitional period in fashion history.


 photo Dior1947BarSuit_zpsc8e6b433.jpg






It was famed Harper's Bazaar editor Carmel Snow actually who is responsible for giving the world the term "New Look" to describe the silhouette and pieces that Dior had reintroduced into fashion (though fuller, more curvy fashions were reappearing in any kind of serious way for the first time since the Edwardian era during the the late 1930s, the war years quickly put an end to designers' ability to produce garments with such generous amounts of fabric). Upon seeing his now legendary 1947 Corolle line (corolee is the French word a corolla, aka, a circlet of flower petals), Snow was compelled to remark, "It's quite a revolution, dear Christian. Your dresses have such a new look!".

This comment was overheard by a correspondent for Reuters and the rest, as they say, is history. Though not all of the fashion loving public warmed to Dior's generous, voluptuous and very figure defining looks right off the bat, they set the stage for many of the silhouettes, designs, and trends that would dominate fashion until the mid-1950s in particular, with elements (such as especially full skirts) continuing to hold court until well into the early 1960s.

Aside from the opulence, glamour and beauty of the Bar Suit (which my immensely dear friend Joanna from Dividing Vintage Moments has both written about extensively and replicated with great skill herself) and the other styles that defined the New Look, I have long been drawn to them because they usually work exceptionally well for those like myself who happen to have had an hourglass figure bestowed on them by Mother Nature.

The ensemble here today is not intended to reproduce a Bar Suit or any of the exact looks from Dior's Corolee line to a tee. Not by a long shot. It takes some styling cues from the Bar Suit, while also calling into play a pattern that we often associate with the following decade (the 50s) in particular: leopard print. It is, as objectively everything we wear should ideally be, me through and through.

The full skirt, the fitted blazer, the nipped in waist, the marvelous pancake/platter hat, the classic palette of neutral hues and black, the way each piece harmonizes which each other - it all adds up to the kind of look that I could, unquestionably and very happily, wear every single day of my life.

On this particular afternoon, we were over at City Park (aka, Waterfront Park; though the two are technically slightly different sections of the same general area along Okanagan Lake) in Kelowna, taking snaps in pale sunlight and unwinding after a long week. Though there were plenty of fellow park goers in the vicinity, by moving around to various spots, we were able to get in plenty of photos with unencumbered backgrounds and highlight this outfit in a tunnel, on a walking bath, on the sand, and against a large tree trunk.

Most of us who adore vintage fashion are constantly looking at images of yesteryear styles, be they in book, magazines, movies, on social media (especially Pinterest, Tumblr, Facebook, and Instagram), old photographs, museum exhibits, or anywhere else we happen across them, and sometimes its great to intentionally either take a styling cue, as I've done here, or to flat out try to replicate some of the looks that speak to you most powerfully.

By paying homage to the styles of the past that we love the most, we're able to keep their memory alive and well all the more majestically. Something that, I can't help but think Monsieur Dior would have approved of, having done so himself, too, when he brought fuller, deeply feminine, and more sumptuous garments back into mainstream fashion again after the harrowing war years, where they've continued to resurface (especially in the 1980s) ever since - today's vintage outfit photos very much included.

74 comments:

  1. 1938-1940 is a really interesting time in fashion history. I've seen some high fashion late 30s photos that I'd swear up and down were 1950s if I didn't know any better! It's my favorite era after 1947-1955.

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  2. Amaazing! I really like your leopard look, fantastic :))

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  3. I usually dislike the New Look but you carry it off so beautifully I'm starting to reconsider.

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  4. Wow! Kudos to you for assembling an amazing outfit and kudos to Tony for extraordinary photos. This is professional-quality work. And the style is immensely appealing.

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  5. A terrific look on you! Lucky! *lol* Not usually my favourite time period, but I do admit that it was a terrific innovation in style that was carried on after the "interruption" of the War Years (such a blasee way of putting it, "interruption"...sheesh!). Such advances in cutting and designing and sewing can't be ignored.

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    1. Thank you very much, dear lady! It's interesting, you know, I've long noticed that people either to this day tend to madly adore the New Look (as I do) or almost feel a repulsion to it, prefer either the earlier 40s looks or the more playful (or alternatively streamlined and chic) silhouette of the mid to late 50s. I'm glad your raised the point about how, one way or another, it certainly can't be ignored though. I completely agree and think that it was one of the most pivotal and important things to happen to fashion in the past hundred years.

      ♥ Jessica

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  6. I adore the New Look silhouette! It's so sleek and stylish. Your homage is really wonderful, what a gorgeous photo of you in particular, third down, with the light coming through on your one side. I do like how you've made it more playful with the animal print skirt - fashion's supposed to be fun, after all! P x

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  7. This silhouette--and this style of hat in particular--look made for you. Looking terrific and wonderfully put-together, as always. xo

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  8. You look so elegant Jessica, this is a beautiful look xx

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet Melanie! I love that this skirt, which I've had for three winters now, finally gets to make its blog debut as this year's icy season finally (fingers crossed) wraps up.

      ♥ Jessica

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  9. You are everything I want to be when it comes to vintage fashion and knowledge of the topic. I love your blog. This blazer is impeccable and the silhouette, stunning. I always toggle between which eras I like more-pre or post New Look. I simply can't decide.
    You look flawless!

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  10. I like it! You take care about every details :) You have well-tailored jacket and beauty skirt,

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  11. So pretty, I love the New Look. I'm especially loving your earrings and jacket!
    And sunshine!!! I cycled to work in mist this morning...Autumn is truly (down) here! XXX

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  12. This outfit and these pics are fantastic! I love the way Tony utilized the light behind you to create a kind of halo. So beautiful.

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  13. I agree, this is what i think of when i hear Dior.
    Great pictures! I love the lighting and scenery.
    I understand what it's like to work around people and cars and things like that in public places. As a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants photographer, i encounter this a lot. Meaning, i'm walking to work in someone is driving and i see something i HAVE to capture somehow in a moving vehicle or on a sidewalk.
    You guys did it well.
    Don't despair, warmth is coming!

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  14. You look great in the New Look style!

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  15. Gorgeous! The New Look silhouette is definitely one that works well on you. Oh… and I love your little cheetah brooch. xo

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet Teresa. Yay! I love that you noticed my little cheetah brooch. I didn't have a leopard one, so this was the closest spotted big cat I could find in my wardrobe. It's a surprisingly versatile pin actually, and one, I wear fairly often, though I believe this is its first time up on the ol' blog.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  16. This is an utterly gorgeous look. I do agree this silhoutte is fantastic on you. I love the jacket, but don't usually like leopard print, yet here it doesn't look vampy or trashy at all. Well done Jessica, you've pulled it off again!!

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    1. What a wonderfully lovely compliment, sweet Philippa, thank you very much. I adore leopard print, but am always keenly aware of that risk and try very hard to avoid it (especially since Tony has strong views on leopard print, which he says usually only ladies of a certain nighttime occupation sport in Italy, and I'm not keen to have my photographer disliking my ensemble! ;)). Truly classic pieces like this circle skirt, scarves, elegant handbags and cardigans in natural (aka, not neon or such) leopard colours can often do the trick there and keep on on the classy side of the big cat pattern spectrum.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  17. Beautiful outfit, and I particularly love that hat. How you manage to find such lovely vintage items on eBay I'll never know.
    I also adore the New Look, it was actually after studying this look in fashion class at school that I really started getting into vintage style!

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  18. I love your ability to find accessories in unlikely places, and see how they can work with an overall look. The earrings are a great example of something sitting right there, that I would walk by without thinking, "hey these could work". You've really taught me to see the potential in things.

    The sleeves on that jacket are beautiful. I know it is just an extra button, but having four really draws the eye to the cuffs.

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    1. That is an incredibly touching, fantastic compliment, thank you so much, dear lady. It moves me to my core to know that I've helped you see the potential in a wider array of items. Any piece, no matter how small, can be the jumping off point for an outfit and I love letting my accessories speak to me and let me know how to shape the rest of my look sometimes.

      Thank you again so very much - tons of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  19. That skirt is so much fun—it is a little unexpected (to most—to me, that's a neutral, but I am slightly loopy) and it really speaks so much to your personality if someone is paying attention! Great look—and am I misunderstanding, or did you get those earrings at a supermarket?!

    Also: Do your gloves have scalloped, eylet-ed edging facing the fingertips? If so, I may have the very same pair. :)

    This is possibly one of my favourite outfits you've worn—it is classic with a little "Jessica" flair, which makes it completely yours!

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    1. Yes, ma'am, those earrings are from a supermarket called Save On Foods (which carries a line that very, very occasionally puts out some nickel free styles and when they do, I pounce at once, as most pairs are reasonably priced in the $9.99 - $19.99 price range). These gloves don't have scalloped facing at the fingertips though, that would be a marvelous touch if they did. It's cool that we each have a pair that look so similar though.

      Thank you very much for the terrific comment and compliments, honey! I especially loved how you described my style has having "Jessica flair". That brought me a massive amount of happiness.

      Tons of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  20. Thank you very much, Gina!

    ♥ Jessica

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  21. I just love the photographs by the beach, I hope you are able to visit this site again in the future. Such a wonderful homage to the New Look and Dior. I love how you incorporated a bit of history into this post and thank you so very much for thinking of me in this post, I'm truly honored! Thank you! Your velvet jacket fits you to a tee! So wonderfully put together and you know, with the right hat it's like getting the sprinkles on your ice cream. I think of this because my daughter was just raving about having sprinkles added to her chocolate ice cream. Sometimes it's the simple things in life that can bring the most special moments. Can I also say that I love the time of day that you took these photographs? Love, love, love the lighting. Thank you dear Jessica for taking us with you on your "New Look" journey. Beautiful!

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    1. You are wholeheartedly welcome, my very dear Joanna. I admire your passion for Dior's New Look and the marvelous job you did on putting together your own spin on this timeless silhouette so very much. I didn't set out when getting dressed that day to create a new look inspired outfit per se, it just happened to turn into such. One day, much as you did, I'd like to intentionally put together a look that purposely aims to emulate his resplendent New Look fashions (like, perhaps, a Bar Suit look of my own cobbled together from assorted pieces).

      That is a touching and fabulously sweet compliment, thank you! Please tell your DD that sprinkles have always been one of my favourite ice cream (and cupcake) toppings, too. :)

      I love (!) the lighting in these shoots, too. I really hope to capture similar lighting again as spring progresses. It's soft, but powerfully warm, golden but not glaringly so and something that one usually only encounters in early fall and early to mid-spring (at least around these parts). So you have to try and take advantage of it while you can.

      Huge thanks & countless hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  22. I've been lusting after a black velvet coat for quite a while, yours is gorgeous and I love the historical detail explaining things like 'new look'. Learning AND looking at beautiful images?! YAY!

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  23. Wow. You have 50's elegance all over you in this ensemble. I quite like the photo with your steely gaze, somehow it adds some severe 50's attitude to the look. Perfection.

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    1. *Blush!* thank you very much, darling gal. I often try for a similar straight faced gaze and end up coming across looking angry, mad, sad or some other negative emotion that I certainly wasn't feeling at the time or aiming for. I think my lack of pronounced cheekbones is to blame (at least in part) there. So on the very rare times when I luck out and just look serious, not tiffed, I make a point of posting such shots (and thus really appreciate that the photo like that here stood out for you).

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  24. Great...eevry photo is as beautiful as a painting and your look is a work of Art:very Feminine,Elegant with a superior Style,Iconic....what a charisma!

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    1. Grazie mille, Aure! What a splendidly nice compliment.

      ♥ Jessica

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  25. I love the leopard print with the velvet! and I especially like the info about "new look" :) I have this book called 'The golden age of couture: paris and london 1947-1957' the pictures are divine!

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  26. I totally adore this look. I definitely have to try on hats ! It's so gorgeous on you though.
    I have the same little brooch adaptated into a hare, but the original panther is great on your black jacket. I loved this inspiration picture so it could only be lovely on you.
    Xxx
    Lorna
    Http://lornasharp.blogspot.com

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  27. What beautiful colours, patterns and textures. That black velvet jacket looks so wonderful with your ivory complexion and the pale pink gloves are such a nice contrast to the black and prints you are wearing. I never knew where the term "new look" exactly originated-so thank you for sharing that! xx Shauna

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    1. You're so very welcome, lovely Shauna! It's a delightful story isn't - and proof positive that one never knows just what an offhand remark may develop into.

      Many sweet thanks in return for your splendidly nice comment and compliments. I could pretty much live in this fitted black jacket 24/7, as there is very little it doesn't go well with (plus I love what it does for my figure! :)).

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  28. Beautiful pictures Jessica, you look so elegant!

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  29. Its a lovely outfit and you look so beautiful in all the pictures. I love your technique of paying tribute to the new look rather hten copying it directly.
    retro rover

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  30. I love the New Look, and you wear it perfectly! I really like how you combined the leopard print skirt with the cat pin.That's such a nice way to pull them both together. And that jacket is just fabulous! I saw a similar one the other day and couldn't bring myself to drop $70 on it (for now), but it's just lovely on you. :)

    Cheers,
    Jenny

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet dear! I certainly understand where you're coming from. I actually thrifted this Smart Set (a Canadian fashion chain) blazer several years ago from a Value Village location in Toronto. If memory serves me right, it was marked as $8.00, but I was there during a half price sale day, so I got it for $4.00. It's been worn dozens of times in the years since and is happily still holding up great. If it bit the dust though, I'd be willing to invest $70.00 or more in a similar one, if I couldn't find a thrift store replacement, because it truly would pay for itself many times over in terms of the amount of use I get out of it. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that a similar, more budget friendly option comes your way soon, honey.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  31. Gorgeous! Your blazer and gloves are my favorite aspect, but thanks for the education, too! I'd heard this term "New Look" before, but never really knew what it was in reference to!

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  32. Hello dear Jessica,

    Oh yes...I have always loved the New Look, too! Such class! This is altogether a great post.

    I just love that top photo of you in front of the lit-up tunnel. And the fourth photo down, a close up with the sun behind, you look so lovely...just as if you stepped out of a 1940's photo shoot.

    Well, I guess I am back blogging, at least maybe once a week.

    Hugs!
    ♥Hope

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  33. Looking gorgeous as usual my dear! I daresay Tony is getting increasingly brilliant at photography too. I think the cutting is one of the things that makes it so iconic and I love how you have mixed a bit of leopard print into it! hope you are having a fabulous start to the weekend!
    May x
    www.walkinginmay.com

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  34. bravo!!!!
    lovely from head to toe!
    and this gorgeous sunny photo shoot - you and tony really captured the charm of the new look!
    big fat hugs :-)

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  35. Dear Jessica, you look gorgeous and so elegant with this beautiful outfit. It's incredible how you have such a good eye for detail and how you combine everything with great skill. I find that so very impressive! I wish I had such skill. I love each piece that you chosen here, you are wearing little beautiful treasures and the biggest one... is your heart :-)

    Many hugs from Portugal,
    Miss Beta xx

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    1. Thank you very much, my wonderfully dear friend. You are as kind as roses are beautiful to me and have made my whole day better and brighter with your terrific compliments.

      Huge hugs coming right back at you from Canada,
      ♥ Jessica

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  36. I've always loved the "New Look" because early on it blended femininity with a tailored simplicity. Later on it got a little froo-froo, which I like but in a different way.

    You look beautiful, Jessica! Love the flower earrings too.

    Sarah

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  37. Such a perfect look to welcome the onset of spring. Your velvet blazer is beautiful, you put together an absolutely splendid New Look outfit and, as always, look stunning! ♥

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    1. Thank you very much, honey! I love this blazer! If I could clone it in a dozen other colours (such as mustard, burgundy, dark green, eggplant, cocoa, and navy blue), I would in a New York minute. It's my favourite non-vintage blazer that I currently own.

      Oodles of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  38. wow that hat is a dream and it suits you so perfectly! and i love your blazer and that brooch, so beautiful! and like everyone with a fascination for fashion in forties and fifties i adore the new look silhouette.
    wish you a wonderful weekend!

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  39. Loving the (new) look, and your homage rather than aping of this classic style - something I'm very fond of doing too. That velvet jacket is a perfect wardrobe staple - sophisticated, lovely shape, goes-with-anything-for-instant-chic feel... an excellent score.

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  40. A lovely take on the New Look! And beautiful photos, as always. I finally joined my local library (it only took the...7 years since I moved back here) and the first thing I borrowed was a book on Dior. I was just reading about the Bar Suit last night!

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  41. This is such a pretty outfit! And the light you captured in the photos that evening is just sublime - you look incredible Jessica! :)

    Lisa.

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  42. Replies
    1. Thank you very much, Becky! I really appreciate that Brag Vintage is keen on this look. It's terrific to hear from you lovely folks in the comment section here.

      Have a stellar weekend!
      ♥ Jessica

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  43. Lovely! I do adore the New Look styling, and you've played quite a fetching homage to it. I particularly love your perched hat and the leopard print skirt, which is quite a lot of leopard while not looking overwhelming in the slightest.

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  44. What a lovely and classy outfit! Gotta love the touch of animal print :)

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  45. You look stunning!! The colors are gorgeous, and that silhouette looks lovely on you!

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    1. That's wonderfully lovely of you to say, dear Laura Mae, thank you very much. This silhouette really and truly is my all-time favourite for my own figure.

      ♥ Jessica

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  46. Of course Dior is one of the giants of fashion, but let me say that you are wearing the style of th 40's in a personal and very special way too! I always like to carefully observe the way you combine clothes and add just the right accessories! The gloves, earrings and the bag are so perfect with your beautiful skirt and jacket!

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet Dan. That is a beautiful and very touching compliment. I'm huge on accessorizing and colour coordinating. They're fundamental elements of the art of style for me, so it really means a lot when someone compliments me in a way that relates back to these points.

      Big hugs & happy weekend wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  47. I love your take on the New Look! Fabulous! I do like that period of fashion history, I am glad you included some of it in your post. It must have been so exciting to have been at that particular Dior show and to have seen the change in silhouette first hand. I have a modern knitting pattern which is a version of the Dior Bar jacket which I can't wait to make!

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  48. adorable outfit! the velvet blazer is a beauty ...
    on thrusday i spent 5 hours in the city shopping with my poor mum. i was looking for a blazer that works with wide flared 50s skirts ... i'm a office bee again ... so i needsome more blazers ... in the end i found one ... but i'm still not totally happy with its fit, ....your blazer is something i'm really looking for. maybe i will be lucky thrifting this week.
    :)

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    1. Good fitted blazers, let alone ones that look vintage appropriate, can be seriously tricky to find (at least that's been my personal experience). So many blazers nowadays are oversized, tuxedo inspired, colour blocked, neon, or otherwise not likely to work well into a vintage look. I'm sorry that the one you found isn't quite perfect, honey. If I come across one like this black on online (I've had it for several yeas, so unfortunately I can't just send you a link to if on the brand's site as I likely could if it was new), I'll be sure to let you know right away.

      Have a wonderful Sunday,
      ♥ Jessica

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  49. Perfect mix of brown/black neutrals. I have a hard time mixing them without looking odd, but this outfit pattern {which is so super cute with the homage paid to Dior's new look} is wonderful. I really need to take more risks with my looks.

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  50. u're beautiful. Congratulations blog

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  51. Gosh, Jessica.. you look so stunning here.
    Leopard suits you. It's a fiftties-darling blooming from your appearance.

    Many, many hugs.
    Marija

    P.S.
    Just a couple more days before spring - and I'm more than happy to welcome it with my hand wide open.

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  52. I've always loved the Bar Suit. Thought you might be interested in this additional information regarding it. And also that the most famous image of it isn't actually from the forties: http://kickshawproductions.com/blog/?p=3524

    Dee

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    1. Hi Dee, thank you very much for your comment and for sharing that link to Jonathan's informative post (his excellent books and contributions to the vintage fashion community are invaluable).

      Have a terrific weekend,
      ♥ Jessica

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  53. It doesn't get better than New Look. My absolute favourite - and so are you. :)

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  54. Oh animal print .. though are timeless.
    I like the backdrop with that huge tree and i like that sentiment about paying homage to vintage designers.

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  55. Wow I love that skirt! Nice outfit!

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