Taking part in the Sisterhood of the Travelling Vintage Dress

Outfit details

1950s cream lace platter hat: eBay
Mauve hued pearl stud earrings: Claire's
Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥
Vintage gold tone metal fountain pen shaped brooch: Unknown, had for years (probably thrifted or from eBay)
Mid-century leaf print dress: The Sisterhood of the Travelling Dress launched by Joanna from Dividing Vintage Moments
Gold tone faux leather skinny belt: eBay
Brown fitted cotton blazer: Thrifted (Value Village)
Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore
C. 1940s yellow-green hued gloves: Unknown, had for years
C. 1950s/1960s woven straw clutch handbag: Unknown, had for years (likely Value Village)
Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay
1940s style round toe brown faux leather pumps: Walmart
Lipstick: Clinique Raspberry Glace


Photography by Tony Cangiano

♥ ♥ ♥

Several months ago now, when 2016 was a young, fresh faced new year, I had the great pleasure of taking part in Australian milliner + vintage blogger Tanith Rowan's exciting Travelling Hat project. More recently, I've equally enjoyed getting to spend some time with The Travelling Dress.

For those who may not have heard about the Sisterhood of the Travelling Dress yet, this was a similar project that my dear online friend Joanna from the blog Dividing Vintage Moments launched back in 2014.

The premise being that a genuine mid-century vintage dress would hop around the world from one vintage blogger/social media user to another before, ultimately, being part of a raffle giveaway that Joanna plans to hold for it in the near future.

It is my understanding that I'm the last participant to spend time with the dress and I must say, I feel really touched about that fact. This dress traversed the globe, visiting wearers in numerous countries on at least three continents.

Each woman put her own unique, wonderful sartorial spin on the garment, with looks spanning the more casual to the deeply sophisticated. Some ensembles suited daytime and others were ready for even the most swanky of cocktail parties.

Every one of the looks, I believe, reflected the woman beneath the dress and was a beautiful way to witness not only the participants' sense of style, but the also their personalities as well.

Just as I did with the Travelling Hat, I bonded with the Travelling Dress big time. When it reached my doorstep, it was in need of some freshening up, so (after getting Joanna's okay to do so) I gave it a gentle hand washing and air drying.

I thought long and hard about the outfit that I wanted to sculpt around it, ultimately letting both the dress itself and the current season dictate the stylistic direction that I took it in.

The photos that you see here were captured very shortly before our recent trip to Edmonton (and, indeed, were the most recent outfit snaps we grabbed before heading off on holiday). They were taken at one of just a teeny, tiny handful of publicly accessible historical houses/buildings in the Southern Okanagan: The Leir House, which is located just a stone's throw away from our home here in Penticton.

In late August, when we did this shoot, the seasons were just starting to change hands. The days were growing a little cooler (though, after the uber rainy summer that we experienced this time around, such wasn't quite as stark a change as usual) and the ability to layer clothing without melting faster than a Popsicle dropped on a hot sidewalk in July was immerging once again.

A true vintage frock like this - with its eye-catchingly pretty leaf/fan print - felt as though it needed an equally classic ensemble to go with it, so for my time with the Travelling Dress, I chose to take things in a direction that would have been nicely at home throughout much of both of the 1940s and 1950s.

Out came a mid-century stiffened lace platter hat, a vintage appropriate fitted brown blazer, a vintage straw clutch, a great pair of c. 1940s greeny-yellow hued gloves, a small assortment of jewelry, and a pair of 1940s style contemporary brown faux leather pumps.

The dress, as well as the setting itself, were the stars of the show this time around and I didn't want other elements of my look competing with them. Instead, much like the natural process of summer melding into autumn, I wanted things to be harmonious and appealing.

Pined to the collar of both the dress and the blazer, you'll notice a gold tone metal vintage brooch in the shape of a classic fountain pen. I gave particular thought to the brooch that I wanted to team with this dream, and ultimately selected this one because I felt that it was a very apt representation for the fact that I, like all those who have spent time with this dress, have had the joy of writing a chapter in the history of this garment's life.

Projects like the Travelling Hat and Joanna's beautiful Sisterhood of the Travelling Dress not only connect fellow vintage fashionistas with one another, but tie us all to the life of a given accessory or garment. We share a mutual love of style, but put our own unique stamp on an item before it moves on to keep seeing the world and adding chapters to its story along the way.

As a nostalgic soul who adores preserving the past, I can think of few things more worthwhile or important on the fashion front for anyone to be a part of.

I want to wholeheartedly thank Joanna for creating this project, enriching the lives of many vintage fans the world over in the process, and for letting the dress wrap up its jet setting tour in Penticton, before moving on to its next home.

Though I will most definitely miss this elegant vintage frock, thankfully, I too have new memories (of it) now and photos to match, and I will carry both with me in my heart for the rest of time.

A brief history of Lilli Ann

Today, while still having a fabulous time on our travels to the Pacific coast joy that is Vancouver, I am profoundly delighted to bring you a special guest post from of my dearest and most treasured online friends, Joanna, who many of you will know from her stellar, informative, elegant and always engagingly beautiful blog, Dividing Vintage Moments.

Joanna is, bar none, the most knowledgeable expert on the once hugely popular mid-century American fashion line Lilli Ann that I have ever encountered. From her vast collection of ads to her wonderful wardrobe peppered with incredibly lovely Lilli Ann garments that she has collected over the years, Joanna's passion for this brand is incredible and inspiring.

My own love of the company and their chic designs has increased exponentially since discovering Joanna's marvelous blog, and this morning I'm thrilled to bring you an introductory post on Lilli Ann written by Joanna herself. I'm honoured and thrilled about this and hope that you'll fall even more in love with Lilli Ann after you read this terrific guest post.

Thank you so much for sharing your passion for, and expertise on, Lilli Ann, with us dear Joanna You're awesome! ♥



When Jessica asked if I might do a guest post, I was very honored and I had to think a bit about what I might write about. I thought about the art and the history of vintage and what it is about vintage that appeals to me. Then, I thought about some of my most memorable posts from my blog and thought that Lilli Ann would be a great topic to discuss.

I thought I might share a bit of the history of the company, vintage advertisements, and of course wonderful suits and coats in my collection. I've also included some Lilli Ann advertisements that you may not have seen before. There are quite a few bloggers who have blogged about the history of Lilli Ann, so I'll keep it brief and image heavy instead.

The main focus of the Lilli Ann Company was in women’s suits and coats. Lilli Ann advertised in many vintage fashion magazines like Glamour, Bazaar, and Vogue in the late 40s to the early 50s. The height of Lilli Ann style was in the mid-1950s. There is something very timeless, chic, and classic about the Lilli Ann silhouette from the mid-50s.


Brief History of Lilli Ann

The Lilli Ann Company began in San Francisco in 1934. Adolph Schuman started the company and named it after his wife Lillian. According to Vintage Fashion Guild, Schuman went to Paris after WWII and started adding "Paris" to the label. He bought many textiles from French companies after the war and helped saved many from closing. He helped to show European weavers how to modernize their systems. Schuman died in 1985 and the company closed by 2000.

Some Lilli Ann suits also contain the name "Adolph Schuman", this occurs more in the later period of the Company’s history. Schuman, through his Paris connection, gained contacts with such fashion masters as Channel and Balenciaga. It is said that Balenciaga anonymously contributed design ideas for the Lilli Ann line as a personal favor to Schuman. Lilli Ann clothing was made from the best textiles imported from France and Italy. A great link if you'd like to learn more on the history of Lilli Ann can be found in this Ruby Lane post.

One of the earliest advertisements I've been able to find is from 1947, as seen below from this Vogue magazine below. The first original labels had black backgrounds and focused on the "California edge" for marketing.

This image is earlier still and comes from California Stylist Magazine from 1944. This is a very rare look into Lilli Ann fashion in 1944. This image is one of the earliest forms of photography based advertisements that I have seen from Lilli Ann. Lilli Ann was a California based company in its founding years and capitalized on this philosophy. The California Stylist magazine marketed to the California lifestyle and offered subscribers a look into the California fashion industry. It was almost like a trade magazine.

Here are some additional Lilli Ann advertisements from various fashion magazines:

{Vogue 1949}

1950s ad, don't think the dog is all too happy :):

I scanned these images specifically for you to see dear CV readers. You may not have seen these before:

Glamour Magazine January 1954, how interesting to see Dorian Leigh with blonde hair! When you see the label Lilli Annette, it was catered to the petite lady or very glamorous teenager.

{Harper's Bazaar}

{Harper's Bazaar}

There are a plethora of Lilli Images on Pinterest and MyVintageVogue also has some great examples.

Here are also a few images of some of the Lilli Ann outfits I own and adore:

You honestly can't go wrong with a Lilli Ann princess coat!

A vintage ad for the very Lilli Ann coat from 1949 that I'm wearing here:

Hope you enjoyed this small journey into the look of Lilli Ann. If you'd like to pay a visit to my blog, I am at DividingMoments.Blogspot.com.

Thank you, Jessica, for allowing me to be a guest blogger! And thank you CV readers! I hope you know add Lilli Ann into your wardrobe.