Choosing and Using Free Vintage Hat Patterns

For today's guest post (while Tony and I continue our exciting holiday to Edmonton), I'm sincerely honoured to have none other than my good friend Tanith Rowan - whose incredible millinery work you may remember from such CV posts as this & this - sharing some of her vast, inspiring knowledge on how to select and use free vintage hat patterns with all of you.

Even if you're not a sewer, if - like me - you go weak in the knees for old school chapeaus, chances are this delightful guest post (which I want to sincerely thank Tanith - be sure to swing by her beautiful Etsy shop - for writing) will be right up your alley.

 
Vintage magazines and newspapers are one of my favourite places to find inspiration and information, and I love researching hats this way. While doing so, I was stumbling on the occasional free hat pattern, and I was keen to try them out.

After my first attempt went quite well, I wanted to do more, and started a project to make and review the free patterns I found on Trove, the online database of the National Library of Australia. So far I have completed six hats and am working on my seventh right now. It hasn't been easy, (in fact, it has been extremely frustrating at times!) but I'm getting better at working through the maze of brief and vague instructions, pattern drafting and mysterious terminology.

So what have I learned about using free vintage hat patterns? Below are some tips for working through each stage of the process, but overall I've found that the most important things are to be willing to experiment and to trust your common sense and experience.

(1939 Doll's Hat )

 

Finding and selecting your pattern

I have been specifically searching one online archive database but there are many other places to look. Using a search engine may turn up some good results but it can sometimes be hard to narrow the search to what you want. Searching on Pinterest is often good, because it is a place where people often share free pattern resources, and you may find people have boards specifically for free vintage patterns or even free hat patterns.

The best terms to search for will depend on where you are searching. If you are using Pinterest, for example, the pinner will often have used descriptive terms for the pin or the board, so searching for “free vintage hat pattern” will get you somewhere, and modern terms like “DIY” and “tutorial” will yield results too.

When searching a database, the terms that come up will be those from the original article, so although “pattern” is still good, also consider “instructions” “directions” “how to” “make at home” “make this hat” and so on. Once I started to find patterns, I looked at what expressions they were using in the title and text, and added those to my list of search terms.

If you already know what era you are looking for, use this information to guide your search. You can include the decade when using a search engine or Pinterest (although keep in mind not everyone knows what they are talking about), and a database may have an advanced search option to narrow down the results to a specific date range.

With a style in mind, try searching for that too, and try multiple options if the style has a few names it might be known by.

(1949 Pixie Hat)

When choosing a pattern to try, keep in mind where and how you will wear the hat, and with what (unless, like me, you are making hats for the fun of it and as a learning experience). Some of the hats you will find are distinctly dressy, others more casual, some very wearable with modern clothes, other distinctly “vintage”.

The reality is, that I wouldn't wear many of these hats myself, and maybe that is true for you too, so be critical and sensible about your style and wardrobe needs. I adored the 1949 pixie hat, but I honestly wouldn't wear it as is. I'm still working on tweaks for that pattern, but one thing I did was scale it down – it makes an adorable toddler hat!

Also look at the images critically. How accurate is that illustration likely to be? How much of the appeal of the photo is in the styling and how much is the hat itself? How will it look with your hair and make-up (or not) and outfits? The 1954 scarf hat really has nothing going for it without the whole look being in place, and the illustration for the 1934 “Vagabond Beret” had an illustration that led a lot of people to think it would look completely different!

(1949 Pixie Hat for a toddler)

Drafting Patterns

One of the more frustrating parts! Many will be on a grid for you to enlarge, which is slow but at least allows accuracy. If you don't care to draw up a 1-inch grid, you can find and download 1-inch grid paper online and print it out. Just make sure they print at the true size. I usually start drawing with the key points and straight lines, then draw in the curves.

They are often hand drawn in the original diagram and rarely symmetrical, even if they probably should be! You can choose to fix these things up if it matters to you. It bothered me a lot when I started and now I'm embracing asymmetry a bit more.

Without a grid, you may need to use a bit of mathematics. If that isn't your strong suit – just ask for help! A bit of knowledge about the measurements of circles will go a long way. Hopefully all the necessary measurements are given, but you may sometimes not have every detail and just have to do your best to make it look like the original! As I said, it's frustrating.

(1954 Scarf Hat)

You may need to adjust the size. For the 1954 scarf hat, I ended up making three versions because it was so small, and then I just assumed my changes would be enough. It would have been worth doing a bit more checking on the pattern before continuing.

One way to do this, which I tried with the 1934 “Vagabond Beret” to save myself heartache, is to draw the stitching lines on to your pattern, I.e. measure the seam allowance in from each edge (and now is a good time to mention that they rarely tell you what seam allowance, if any, is included).

Measure the head-size part of the stitching line and compare it to your head measurement, remembering to include some ease (approximately 1 cm should be sufficient) and to measure your head where the hat will actually sit.

(1934 Vagabond Beret)

Modern vs Vintage Materials

Luckily a lot of the hat patterns available will be for sewn fabric hats, and although they might use unusual fabrics, you can usually look them up online and find out what type of modern fabric is equivalent.

One thing that often comes up is sparterie or esparterie, which is a stiff foundation material traditionally made from willow. There are modern versions of sparterie being made, but I haven't personally used them, and I generally substitute millinery buckram instead. If you aren't sure what to use, try something and see!

The earlier the pattern, the more likely it is to use materials that are unusual and unknown to most of us now. Earlier patterns also seem to be the least detailed and make the most assumptions about your skills and knowledge of millinery and sewing in general. I generally find that patterns from the 1940s onwards make a lot of sense to me, but sometimes I can't make head or tail of earlier ones.

(The 1953 Scarf Hat almost beat me)

Construction

Be ready to use some trial-and-error!
 
Vintage patterns, especially those squeezing into a small space in a magazine, are not going to give you a lot of detail. If, like me, you are used to working with modern patterns that spell everything out, an instruction that simply says “join brim to crown”, might be intimidating. This is common, and even more so for attaching trims. The instructions often finish with fabulous sentences like “Trim with veil and a feather.”

But you know what? It's because it doesn't really matter how you do it. I'm definitely someone who wants to know the “right way”, but the right way is the one that you like, that works, and that is neat enough to meet your own standards.

(1953 Scarf Hat)

Read everything through before you start. Firstly, it will prepare you for those vague instructions and secondly it will help you make a good fabric choice. In the 1949 pixie hat pattern, for example, the fabric for the brim had to have some stretch or give, because the construction process involved stretching it over the buckram brim to fit. I had to start again on that one because I didn't check that detail and my fabric wasn't able to stretch.

Be prepared to make a first test version, especially if you want to use an expensive fabric. The size of a hat doesn't have to be far off before fit is a problem, and with vague instructions, it is all too easy to make a mistake.

Remember to trust your common sense and your own judgement. When in doubt about what you are supposed to be doing, keep the end goal in mind, keep looking at the pictures and nudge things in that direction when necessary!

Have patience, and if needs be, throw it across the room and leave it there for a week.

(1954 Butterfly Cap)

I hope I haven't made it sound like a dreadful task that no one should attempt.

Despite the difficulties, there are some great patterns out there and working them out is an adventure with big rewards.

♥ Tanith

15 photos of real world vintage ladies wearing beautiful hats

Spring is well underway around these parts and I couldn't be happier about that fact. Even though, objectively, this winter was a fairly mild one (especially from early February onward), it felt like it went on for decades and I was quite excited to wave buh-bye to to the coldest chapter of the year.

The temps hadn't even hit double digits yet before my sundresses were rotated to the front of my closet and I was giving all of my summer hats and bags a once over to make sure that they didn't need any repairs before kicking off their time to shine once more.

As most of you know, I'm one of those folks who can never get enough of vintage hats. They're the one of my favourite items of clothing to wear and collect alike. Though I don't find too many around these parts any more, whether close to home, when I travel, or (occasionally, given the steep shipping costs on such) online, I'm always on the prowl for my next exciting old school topper and rarely go more than a few months without adding at least one new hat to my closet.

Hats are fantastic accessories. They can be expressive, bold, subtle, small, huge, lightweight, hefty, decorative, understated, one-of-a-kind, perpetual favourites (berets, for example), charming, chic, beautiful, exciting and at least a million other exciting things.

I've had a passion for them my whole life and have worn vintage examples frequently since my teen years (indeed, they were some of the first mid-century items I ever thrifted, back when finding them at thrift stores wasn't rarer than stumbling upon a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow).

These days my collection now numbers over 50 hats and shows no signs of slowing down (though I do keep reminding myself that I should prune through them at some point and sell or giveaway a tiny number that I don't wear very often; most however do see a lot of wardrobe action, so they're definitely staying put!).

Women (and men) the world over used to delight in the act of buying a new hat and doing so was frequently referenced in popular culture up until (at least) the 1960s. I will forever feel like we lost something great and gorgeous alike when most folks stopped wearing hats on a frequent basis, and love that many of us in the vintage/rockabilly/pinup world still keep this time honoured art alive.

With spring out in full force and my lighter, more seasonally appropriate hats (very much including all of my straw ones) making an appearance again, I thought it would be a lot of fun to kick off this week by sharing some wonderful photos that I've come across online lately of real world women from the mid-twentieth century wearing stunning vintage chapeaus.

While not all of these fifteen examples are strictly spring/summer related, they are each spectacular and can provide so much styling (and shopping/wishlist!) inspiring when it comes to how to successfully sport old school toppers in the scope of today's vintage looks that I felt it was a-okay to include them here, too.

Scroll on to soak up the vintage hat awesomeness, after which, I'm sure that like me, you'll be wishing for a time machine and a charge account at a mid-century milliner's shop even more than ever before! :)

15 photos of real world 

vintage ladies 

wearing beautiful hats

1. Lofty turban ruching over a hat form with long tendrils of millinery greenery jutting out of the back? Yes, pretty, pretty please! Here lace collar is really charming, too!




2. Though somewhat casual on the chapeau front of the day, each of these hats adds so much to their lovely wearer's ensembles, which would, at the time, have seemed at least a bit out of place without them. Plus extra styling points for the nearly identical belts.




3. Whimsical hats turn my knees to jelly and this double bow "antenna" style is doing just that big time! (While also reminding me of a similar vintage bow hat that I have and wear often.) Her companion's classic turban is pretty terrific, too - and can we take a moment to lose our heads over all of those fab bags!!!




4. A trio of gorgeous springtime perfect hats adorn the heads of these lovely ladies as they enjoy a Woman's Club Tea event while decked out in equally attractive printed daydresses.




5. Generously sized curving feathers that encircle the (front) brim of a hat are one of my favourite styles (see this example from my wardrobe, for example) and when they're partnered with a classic skirt suit like this you'd be hard pressed to find a more elegant 1940s daytime look (plus, how much do you love that she kept her gloves on even while touching up her lipstick - such a classy move!).




6. Let's all take a moment to appreciate the sharp styling of this well accessorized 1940s outfit and hat alike. This look would be great with almost any vintage hat of the era, but with this mile high topper it becomes a thing of Vogue magazine worthy brilliance.




7. Captured at a day out to Knott's Berry Farm, this charming 1940s group photo highlights a slew of beautiful hat, hairstyles and dresses alike.




8. Tipples, chic outfits (love the polka dots!), and good sized hats make for an extra fun night for these two stylish Australian gals.




9. Two beautiful ladies (seriously, they look like they could have just left a Hollywood movie set!) rock lush flower adorned hats on what appears like it could have easily been a sunny spring day, given that they've opted to remove their coats as they beam for the camera.




10. I feel like I need every awesome element of her plaid + brown hued ensemble in my life (and closet) right now, most definitely including that fantastic feather and netting bedecked felt hat.




11. Fab floral print dress? Check! Matching scarf/snood worn over one's head? Check! A killer handbag and pair of shoes? Check! Top it all off with a jaunty little nautical-esaue tilt hat? Check. It's outfits like this that make me love vintage fashion to the immeasurable degree that do.




12. A beautiful young woman posses with a girl that, I can only assume given how similar they look, is her sister, on the little girl's Communion Day, while rocking an awesome ruffled hat. I'd love to find something with a similar wreath of ruffles for my own hat collection.




13. I think that we can collectively agree that her ensemble - that mile-high hat very much included - is off-the-charts incredible! (It was worn for a fashion show in 1946.)




14. Stitched brimmed hats are the bee's knees - as are both of their fantastic dresses. I really like the look of a wide brimmed hat and a fitted, classic 40s frock like the example shown here.




15. This beautiful 1930s photo should be placed alongside definition of the word "elegance" in dictionaries the world over.

{To learn more about a specific image used in this post, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}

♥ ♥ ♥

Over the years I've found, based on comments and emails that I've received on such topics, that the two areas of vintage fashion that the largest number of people seem to be leery of experimenting with are gloves and hats.

I get that big time on both counts. These accessories, especially outside of a utilitarian setting (baseball hat, snow mitts, etc), are not ones that most people sport anymore and they instantly stick out to all who see you as very distinct signs that you've consciously opted to dress differently than the mainstream twenty-first century norm (which, BTW, I commend you for!).

However, ultimately, hats are just like any other garment or accessory. The ability to wear them lies in your own confidence and how they make you feel when they're on your head. In all the years I've been capping off my looks (see what I did there?) with vintage hats, I honestly cannot remember ever once having received a negative comment about my choice of headgear and even if I had (or one day do), it won't phase me at all.

I feel sorry for those who don't know the joy first hand of wearing (let alone shopping for) a fabulous hat and how doing so seems to instill more confidence in you the moment you slip a killer chapeau on.

I hope that you'll follow both my lead, as well as that of all of these super chic yesteryear fashionistas, this spring and summer by giving your toppers plenty of outfit exposure, whether you're new to the world of vintage hats or have been delighting in them for ages now.

Here's to a joyful sunny season topped off, quite literally, with one fabulous vintage hat after another!

GIVEAWAY: Win a copy of the wonderful book Decades of Hats from Schiffer Publishing

If you've been following this blog for even a small amount of time, you'll likely know how incredibly wild I am about vintage hats. Big, small, fancy, understated, glam, utilitarian, it doesn't matter, if the words "vintage" and "hat" are in the same sentence, and we're talking about pre-1960s offerings in particular, I'm not just game, chances are, I'm asking about prices! :)

My own hat collection, which seems to grow as if by magic with each passing season, houses over forty family members, most of which get worn at least once a year, with many being frequent players throughout any given month. I've chatted here and elsewhere on the web fairly extensively about my passion for old school chapeaus (such as in this 2012 interview) and am sure it's a something I'll shine the spotlight on again many more times in the future.

Today however, the focus is less on my own hats and thoughts on the subject at large, and more on a seriously charming book all about antique and vintage hats called, rather fittingly, Decades of Hats: 1900s to the 1970s by Sue Nightingale, which was released in 2014 from Schiffer Publishing.





Without a doubt, one of the most frequently asked questions that comes my way - especially from strangers that I encounter when out and about - is some variation of "where does one go to find information on putting together and authentically styling vintage looks". There are many sources from which to learn and be inspired on this front, from the more obvious (movies, photos, museums, etc) to others that might not spring to mind right away, but which are well worth checking out.

Unquestionably one of the finest sources is books: vintage, modern, somewhere in between, so long as they pertain to yesteryear fashions and are historically accurate (or very nearly so), books are unquestionably an amazing source of help and inspiration on this front. They're not just for the vintage newbie alone either by any means. Every time I purchase or receive a new-to-me book that even slightly pertains to the past and contains images relating to fashion, I study them like I'm prepping for the SATs.

That's why I couldn't say yes quickly enough when a friendly rep from Schiffer Publishing offered to send me a copy of Decades of Hats for myself to keep and discuss on my blog, as well to provide a giveaway copy for one lucky Chronically Vintage reader.

This book, though it does include a wonderful introduction and some small notes peppered throughout from author Sue Nightingale, is not a heavy, academic read. In fact, it's very light on text - save for that which appeared in the original catalog pages that it is chock-a-block full of. Housed in this 144 page book you will find over 300 images, culled from authentic vintage sources, all of which focus on the beautiful hats in them.

For those who are familiar with Schiffer's popular "Fashionable Clothes from the ---" series of books, which feature scores of mid-century clothing looks from the pages of the Sears catalog, Decades of Hat follows in much the same vein.

The emphasis through and through here is on genuine early to mid-century images of antique and vintage hats. It is laid out chronologically from oldest to newest, with a small, helpful bit of author impute and plenty to inspire, delight and inform anyone who has the pleasure of flipping through its pages.

Whether you wear vintage hats often or not, if you're a fan of old school fashion - and chances are that if you're reading this blog, that's a heading you fall under - than you will definitely want to enter for your chance to win a copy of Decades of Hats. It's a fun, easy to read, wildly enjoyably book that you find yourself returning to time and time again, for both styling inspiration and the unfettered joy that looking at yesteryear styles themselves never fails to deliver in spades.


How to Enter

There are eight ways to enter this giveaway. You are welcome to do however many of these seven things as you like. Please leave a separate comment for each method of entry that you do so as to increase your odds of winning. Single comments that list multiple forms of entry can only be counted as one entry, so again, please leave a different comment for each method that you enter with (thank you!).


1. Leave a comment below letting me know what your favourite decade or era for vintage hats is.

2. Follow Schiffer Books on Twitter.

3. Tweet about this giveaway, linking to Schiffer Books’ Twitter account and using the hashtag #DecadeofHats in your tweet.

4. Like Schiffer Books on Facebook.

5. Post about this giveaway on Facebook.

6. Sign up for Schiffer Publishing's mailing list.

7. Post about this giveaway on your own blog, linking to both Schiffer Books and this post when you do.

8. Follow (or be an existing follower) of Chronically Vintage on Instagram.


Giveaway Details:

This giveaway is open to participants worldwide. It will run from today's date (May 12, 2015) until Tuesday May 19, 2015 at 11:59 PST. The winner will receive one copy of the book Decades of Hats: 1900s to the 1970s, which will be mailed to them directly from Schiffer Publishing.

I will draw the winning comment using a random number generator and announce the winner on Facebook and/or Twitter shortly after the giveaway has wrapped up. If such information is readily available on, the winner will also be contacted directly via email or Facebook private message. If you have any questions about this giveaway, please don't hesitate to email me.

♥ ♥ ♥

Decades of Hats is a lovely, fun read that will make you yearn for a time machine and bulging pocket book. I actually purchased a new vintage hat within days of reading it for the first time, because one of the styles it included spoke to me so much that I knew that I needed to enrich my hat wardrobe with one that looks quite similar asap!

This book is a fabulous resource for vintage fashionistas, hat collectors, milliners, costumers, and anyone who enjoys hats (and/or vintage catalog pages/ads) in general.

I want to sincerely thank Schiffer Publishing for teaming up with my blog for this great giveaway. As a lifelong bookworm who always has numerous titles on the go, there are few things I enjoy offering my readers as a giveaway prize more than a fabulous vintage related book like this hat image filled gem.

Many thanks, and best of luck, as well, to all those who take part in this fun giveaway (I can't wait to read more about your favourite decade for hats!).

Vintage Link Love: May 2014

One cannot help but look at the calendar with a certain sense of disbelief this week. Really, you ask yourself, shaking your head from side-to-side, really, have we made our way through an entire half of 2014? Can that be? Surely, it's still January and this is all but a dream? Alas, for better on worse depending on your personal take on things, it is not a dream, and we truly have made it through six full months (well, as of tomorrow, if we want to get uber technical) of the year. Amazing!!!

What an exciting, fun filled, sometimes stressful, never dull, and so often memorable ride it's been thus far. I usually save my recaps of how my life has been playing out lately until late December and this year is no exception, especially since I've already talked a fair bit here lately about what's been transpiring in my world at moment and in the very near future (such as going to Vancouver!).

As May draws its last few breaths for another year, it's once again time to take a gander at several diverse, engaging, entertaining and downright enjoyable blog posts and stories that have been catching my eye lately. Grab an ice cold drink (or conversely, a piping hot one should you happen to live south of the equator), kick up your heels (this is Saturday after all!), and have a blast clicking through this month's fabulous vintage related links.

♥ 8 reasons why collecting things is good for your brain: The title, and the ensuring body, of this post from Rewire Me made the perpetual collector in me smile with delight and a certain charming degree of satisfaction. The fact that I then "collected" think link to save for today's post bolstered my cheerful grin all the more.


♥ How to take great photos of vintage clothing: Whether on yourself, a mannequin, model, or even a hanger, this concise selection of how-to tips for photographing vintage fashions is a great read (and post to bookmark) for all those in our circle who do so, or work with someone (such as your significant other, if they're your personal photographer) who does.


♥ Millinery fashions at the start of the 1950s: I've said it before, and I'll say it again, as much as I adore all of the 1940s and 50s from a fashion standpoint, the ten years span covering 1947 to 1957, are my favourite of all time when it comes to clothing and accessories, hats being no exception, so it was with great joy that I lapped up every word and classic image (like the very pretty one pictured below) in talented milliner Tanith Rowan's recent post on hat styles of the early 1950s.




♥ Playsuit Patterns and Where to Find Them: By way of the always lovely Stephanie of Girl With The Star-Spangled Heart comes great roundup of several warm weather perfect vintage playsuit patterns that are to appeal to sewers far and wide as we head into the sweltering, gorgeous heat of summer once more.


♥Trusting my costuming instinct: Though a fairly short post, the message at the heart of this piece written by historical seamstress Aubry, is something that many of us who have been wearing vintage fashions for years, or even decades, now can wholeheartedly relate it and is a powerful reminder to "go with your gut" when it comes to making yesteryear related fashion choices.


♥ Popular dog breeds in America during the 1930s: Being a both a dog lover and owner myself, as well as a die hard vintage gal, I was especially taken with Kate's recent wonderful look at some of the most common and much adored breeds in America during the challenging years of the decade that housed the Great Depression.





♥ Seven tips for buying vintage eyeglass frames: Whether you're a fellow bespectacled lady or simply shopping for some new sunnies, all of the helpful points that Sarah has shared in this post are well worth reading before embarking on your next eyewear purchase.


♥ 1900 - 1910: The reign of the lingerie dress: Recently while doing some background research on a jewelry piece I was listing in my Etsy shop, I came across this terrific article from 2012 on the history of the Edwardian lingerie dress, a wardrobe staple that is as tied to the era in my mind as the cloche hat is to the 1920s or the circle skirt to 50s.


♥ Early Victorian family portraits and the disappearing mother: If you're a fan and/or scholar of Victorian imagery, chances are you've encountered not one, but many photographs from the era in which a child or multiple children are seated with a woman who herself is covered in a cloth, blanket or similar large swatch of fabric, thus rendering her identity a mystery.

To twenty-first century eyes, such photos can seem anywhere from curious to downright chilling at times, but they were once a rather commonplace occurrence and a select number of folks today now study and seek them out intentionally. This thought provoking article from UK newspaper The Telegraph delves into some of the proposed reasons as to why women went to such great lengths to hide themselves in these kinds of studio portraits and is a truly fascinating read for anyone with an interest in photography (of any era).




♥ Top 10 tips for finding the perfect vintage wedding outfit: Wedding season is full swing and much as I've been chatting about various topics pertaining to tying the knot here lately (such as the tradition of going away dress), so too has Queens of Vintage had all things bridal on the brain as of late, very much including the ten handy tips in this helpful post for soon-to-be-brides everywhere.


♥ 16 brilliant artists and their animal muses: Also on the cute critter front this month, I was captivated by BuzzFeed's roundup of sixteen world renowned and endlessly talented artists, including many vintage names, and their inspiring and immensely darling pets.


♥ What to wear Lindy Hopping - 1930s/1940s Real-Life Vintage Images: Throughout this month Liz has been shining the spotlight on the fabulous style of dance, and the eye-catching fashions associated with it, that is Lindy Hopping and this post in particular is a must read for anyone looking to emulate the swinging styles of the day themselves when cutting a rug nowadays.

{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.}

♥ ♥ ♥

As we savour these final weeks of spring, it's natural to look ahead to summer and all that the second chapter of the year holds in store. Just what exactly it will deliver, only time will tell, but I have a deeply rooted and very positive feeling about it, and like to believe it may be better still than these last six months have been (not that I'm saying, in our case at least, that they were bad at all - they had their moments for sure, but overall 2014 has been, thankfully, a good year so far). Fingers crossed!!!


I hope that each of you has a fantastic, fun (and sunshine) filled June ahead and look forward to embarking on another summer here on the vintage blogging front together. Right now though, I'm off to start giving some serious thought to my outfits for our upcoming jaunt to Vancouver, hopefully hit a few yard sales today, and savour each and every last, sublimely lovely, minute of late spring while it's still here.

A beloved 1950s dress, two stellar Alice Hannah accessories, and wintertime serenity as far as the eye can see

Outfit details

Black satin 1950s hat: eBay
Silver tone and glass stone earrings: Save-On Foods
Grey wool blend wrap lace shawl: Alice Hannah
Silver tone and crystal feather brooch: eBay
1950s red dress: etsy seller Gogo Vintage
Faux leather black skinny belt: eBay
Black leather gloves with red heart detail: Alice Hannah
Opaque black tights: Arden
1940s style black shoes: Thrifted (Salvation Army)
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red


Photography by Tony Cangiano    

♥ ♥ ♥

If you're a fellow blogger who posts photos of some of your outfits, you can likely relate when I say that this dress is one of those pieces that, while worn often, somehow always manages to elude landing on (digital) film. On days big and small alike, in the case of the former including the incredible June day in 2012 when Tony became a Canadian citizen at a ceremony in Kelowna, this classic dark red 1950s frock eluded being photographed. So much so, that it almost became a running joke that when I put it on, it was a given that a photo shoot wouldn't actually happen in the end.

I'm pleased to say that a little earlier this winter, on an icy cold, intensely grey afternoon that streak of going undocumented on camera was finally broken thanks to a shoot held at Veteran's Park in Osoyoos. This tranquil, lovely little parcel of land, complete with a tiny wooden foot bridge, is situated immediately beside Osoyoos Lake and is a touching tribute to all those in the area who have fought in the wars of 20th century.

Though the temperature was well below freezing, the wind was relatively mild and the there was a break in the downpour of snow we'd been getting at the time. Still, to help ward off a bit of the fierce Canadian winter chill, I slipped on two absolutely beautiful pieces that were recently sent to me for review care of UK fashion accessories brand Alice Hannah.

Based out of London, England, Alice Hannah, which was founded in 2007, offers a range of exclusive, high quality fashions, which, while modern, often embody a timeless, fetchingly pretty yesteryear feel. Their offerings are available in stores ranging from Asos to Top Shop, ModCloth to Fenwick, as well as in the company's online shop.

Both the darling red heart adorned black leather gloves and the timelessly elegant grey wool blend shawl with coordinating dark grey lace appliqué hail from Alice Hannah and were the perfect accouterments to the strikingly wintry landscape. They arrived from the UK in a jiffy by courier and were, I kid you not, amongst the best wrapped and presented items I've ever received from an online retailer. Sturdy, beautiful boxes, coordinating ribbon and a tulle bag, complete with a complimentary product catalog and an a personalized note, accompanied these two products and made opening them a highly memorable event.

At first when I was contacted in regards to if I might want to receive products from this brand, I must admit, I wasn't a touch leery, simply because I'm allergic to wool and nearly all of Alice Hannah's products are made from wool. Where there's a stylish will there's a stylish way though, and after going through all of the offerings in their shop at the time, I discovered that I could safely wear the cute leather gloves (which are wool-free) and the cozy, beautiful wrap, which, while a wool blend, doesn't have to come in direct contact with my skin (when layered over another garment, as I've done here) the way that a pair of gloves, a scarf, headband, or a hat would have had to.

Given that I'm allergic to it, I own and wear very little lamb's wool, so when I do actually sport a piece like this shawl, I'm always pleasantly surprised by just how warm it is, which proved immensely helpful on a day such as this one. Both the gloves and the shawl are excellently well made. The gloves are not lined, so they’re best suited to warmer climates or milder days than this particular one, but aside from that, I cannot sing their praises highly enough. They're fun, whimsical and eye-catchingly sweet - not to mention a great way to, quite literally, wear your heart on your sleeve (or at least your gloves!).

There is an instantaneously noticeable level of high end quality to Alice Hannah's offerings that pushes them into the realm of feeling down right luxurious. The shawl, as just mentioned, is warm, as well as excellently constructed and generously sized. It did shed fibers quite heavily all over my dress and black tights that day, but otherwise, it was an absolute dream to wear and (with mini lint brush stashed in my bag) I know it will be a frequent cold weather wardrobe player for me from here on out.

Quality and luxury in this case however, do not equate to bank breaking price tags, especially if you happen to live the UK. Even for those outside of the good, ol' Blighty, the brand's offerings will still be affordable to most, especially if you're looking to invest in the kind of woolen cold weather gear that will see you through many a fall and winter to come.

While I can recall every photo shoot Tony and I have ever done, there are some that really stand out in my mind, often because of some especially memorable component of the location, weather, or outfit, and in certain cases, all three. Such was the case for me this day.

At long last this dress, which I truly love and don frequently the whole year round, appeared on camera. I had the honour of wearing two marvelous new accessories from really lovely brand (thank you very much, Alice Hannah team, I adore them both!) to help keep a bit of the near arctic temperatures at bay, and we shoot in a park that that means a great deal to the local community in Osoyoos, all against the backdrop of placid lake waters, majestic mountains, and a thick blanket of snow as far as the eye could see.

When it comes to outdoor winter photo shoots, one really couldn't ask for a better or more enjoyable day than this - nor for more delightful accessories to sport while smiling and making memories in subzero temperatures.

I want 2014 to be a lot like this outfit and photo shoot location

Outfit details

1940s/1950s navy blue hat with whimsical bow: Jardin Antiques in Okanagan Falls
Gold toned hoop earrings: Claire's
1940s navy blue crepe dress: eBay
Vintage wishbone brooch: eBay
Gold skinny belt: eBay
1940s/50 Ruched cranberry/burgundy gloves: etsy seller A Better Time
Vintage grey handbag: etsy seller Running Rabbit Studio
Cranberry tights: (New in pack from) Value Village
Black faux suede round toe pumps: Wal-Mart
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace
 

Photography by

Antonio Cangiano

 

♥ ♥ ♥

Lest anyone think that Penticton got hit with either the mother of all mind winters or sudden chinooks, let me begin today's post by stressing that these photographs were taken several weeks ago, back during the fall when green grass and sunshine could still be had in wonderful abundance. These days, as for most folks the northerly portions of the Western Hemisphere, we are up to our earmuffs in slushy snow, black ice on the roads, and temps so cold a polar bear would be tempted to go shopping for an electric blanket.

Originally I'd planned these photos to correspond with America’s Thanksgiving at the end of November (Canada's falling in early October), but a fabulous review gift related post came up instead, and so as last month's holiday season got under way, these photos unintentionally got put on the backburner a little. Today I’m delighted to remedy that and to kick of 2014's first vintage outfit post on such a marvelously sun-kissed note.

No one can predict the future, but I have a good feeling about 2014 - or at least a better one than I did about last year. My head and daily life alike are swimming with more exciting ideas, goals and plans than I’ve had in ages. There is goodness and positive change afoot already (a lot of which took root during our awesome trip to Calgary last September), and I like to think that both will only continue to blossom as the year unfolds.

As the title of this post says, I (really!) want 2014 to be a lot like this outfit and photo shoot location (which just happens to be our town's resplendently pretty little rose garden, plus a small grounded vintage tug boat, both located to the left of the docked S.S. Sicamous paddle wheeler boat at Okanagan Lake; this was the first time we'd ever shoot there for the blog and the weather couldn't have been more accommodating for us that day). Lovely, bright, classic (yet also new), creative, bursting with my favourite things, and teaming with beauty and adventure.

As with most things in life, a little luck - represented in this outfit by the golden hued wishbone brooch - certainly wouldn't hurt either, but one cannot rely on luck or leave their fate up to chance entirely.

Life requires planning, direction, and initiative to blossom and become what you long for it to be, and I'm going to be focusing heavily on three of those things throughout the coming year. I'm so excited about 2014 in fact, that I find it hard to sleep some nights just thinking about all the awesome potential, terrific prospects and scores fun I sincerely hope it holds in store!