Sporting pink, blue and grey in Golden, BC

Outfit details

C. 1980s does 1940s/1950s blue and pink patterned scarf: Unknown, had for years (probably thrifted)
Vintage style creamy white plastic rose stud earrings: Claire's
Grey thin knit sweater: RW&Co.
C. 1950s/60s pink enamel leaf brooch: Thrifted (Value Village)
Vintage plastic bangle bracelets: Assorted sources (probably all thrifted over the years)
C. 1950s deadstock heather blue trousers: Used House of Vintage
Blue faux leather skinny belt: eBay
Pink "Kelly bag" style purse: Mexx
1940s style black oxfords: Thrifted (Salvation Army)
Lip colour: MAC Partyline
Nail colour: Essie Muchi, Muchi

Photography by Tony Cangiano  





























(IMO, this particular pose did wildly unflattering things to my left forearm and hand, but I otherwise really liked the snap, so opted to include it here.)




 

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The temperature was brisk, the wind was out in full force, and the light was that sort of early-in-the-day overcast-ness that makes one squint like the dickens. Sleep hadn't been abundant and I was feeling the physical impact of having prepped and packed for several days before hand (all while recovering from the small hospital procedure I had in mid-August), but my (our) spirits were as high the lofty, evergreen studded hills that surrounded us on that crisp early September morning in Golden, BC.

En route to our week and a half long trip to Edmonton, Tony (who was still very much in the throes of a bad head + chest cold at the time) and I opted to break up the roughly 12 hour long journey by overnighting in the charming little town of Golden.

Though we'd both been through it before, neither had spent the night there and we really enjoyed getting to savour several hours in this lovely mountain community. It's located in the Columbia Valley part of the province, which has a rich history pertaining to both the logging and railway industries (and Golden was also the birthplace of vintage actress Patricia Owens).

Comfort is the name of game when one is dressing for a good sized trip (be it by car - as we were travelling, plane, train, boat, or any other mode of transportation), but that doesn't mean that one need throw style to the wind in the slightest.

I often opt for trousers or jeans when we travel. Aside from the comfort element (and, frequently, the presence of pocket - always extra useful on a trip), there's a very practical factor involved as well. If, goodness forbid, an emergency situation should ever arise and I'm (we're) forced to either get out our vehicle and walk or stay in the car and try to keep warm, pants could be an invaluable garment choice in either unwanted scenario.

Thankfully, absolutely nothing of that nature arose for us on this trip, which was smooth sailing (err, driving) all the way both coming and going to Edmonton.

It was on the morning that we set off for Alberta's capital city that we quickly grabbed these (squinting filled, I know) snaps alongside the majestic Kicking Horse River (you've got to love that name and the vision of early settlers to the area that it invokes) in Golden.

Aiming, again, to be cozy and at ease in my outfit, I reached for one of an uber tiny number of genuine mid-century vintage pants that I own (most of my trousers and jeans - of which I really don't have many to begin with - are repro).

I bought these c. 1950s deadstock heather blue trousers last year while in Vancouver and just love them to bits! Yes, they're a tad roomy in the lower abdomen and crotch area, but that's okay, especially when travelling - who wants to wear uber constricting pants while sitting in the car with a seat belt on for hours?

I felt like a calm, sweet colour palette was in order to compliment the serene landscape, which teems with earthy shades of soft slate, deep green, aged brown, and dusty yellow.

As such, I partnered these elegant mid-century slacks with a vintage appropriate thin knit sweater, a 1980s does 40s/50s scarf, a blue faux leather skinny belt, a classic Hermès Kelly bag inspired pink handbag from Mexx, a pretty pink mid-century enamel leaf brooch (a node to the stunning nature that abounds in that area, as well as fall's impending return at the time), a wee bit of other jewelry, and a sensible pair of 1940s style black oxford shoes.

It was a fun (and definitely very comfortable) outfit and one that I sense I may wear again when travelling (as well as around town). The star of the show here, to my mind at least, really is the setting through, which had the most pristinely clean, beautiful mountain air one could ever hope to encounter.

We were both really happy that we decided to stay overnight in Golden and break up the drive between Penticton and Edmonton, and did so on the way back, too, opting then for Calgary (which is more like 1/4th of the way between the two destinations).

I adored getting to know this peaceful community better and will not soon forget posing in such an awe inspiring setting before zipping off to explore and enjoy Edmonton for several days.

If you ever get the chance to visit Golden, I definitely recommend it and hope to overnight there again in the future.

Another autumn older

Outfit details

C. 1950s red velvet hat with faux pearl hatpin (they came together): Green Dragon Lady
Black micro crystal studded heart earrings: Claire's or Payless
Vintage appropriate autumn leaf sweater with crystal embellishments: Thrifted (Value Village)
1950s dark teal gloves: Unknown, had for years (probably thrifted)
Clear plastic butterfly stretch bracelet: Unknown, had for soooo many years
Red bow stretch belt: (An Asian clothing store at) Pacific Mall in Toronto
Vintage black velvet pencil skirt: Lady Kitschener's Vintage Emporium
Mid-century black patent purse: Probably eBay or Etsy
Black seamed nude stockings: eBay
Red patent pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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Autumn, I have said before - and always felt - is my own personal new year. Of course I celebrate the changing of the calendar guards at the stroke of midnight on January 1st, like most folks, but in terms of what feels like the natural start of the year to me, it has been early fall for my entire life.

I believe in going with our inborn inclinations like this and joyfully welcome autumn as a time of renewal, bolstered energy, goal setting, decluttering, introspective thought and, yes, despite many things coming to a end around this time of the year, even a rebirth of sorts.

My birthday is in July, but I often think of the years of my life as beginning anew each time around in the fall. Today, as we kick off this most gorgeous of jewel toned seasons again, that is very much the case for me.

I also, in viewing these recently captured photos, notice that I look older. I don't say this as a complaint in the slightest (getting older always beats the alternative!), simply as an observation. I've been photographed heavily for a few years now and its fascinating to look back and see subtle signs of (further) age appear on the scene from one season - be it autumn or any of the other three - to the time it rolls around next.

Naturally, to greet this sparkling new autumn, a seasonally inspired outfit was in order. I reached for some familiar staples (the mid-century vintage skirt, bags, gloves, and hat - though I'm sure if this hat, which I've owned for a number of years, has appeared here before or not) and added this gorgeous, very vintage appropriate leaf sweater, which I thrifted several months ago and have been champing at the bit to sport it ever since (those who follow my YouTube channel may recognize it from this recent video featuring examples of vintage appropriate clothing from my own wardrobe).

I love the background and light colours in these images, which were taken at a beautiful woodland nature park in the nearby city of Kelowna (the Robert Frost worthy two paths diverging in the woods behind me in some of them only adds to it appeal to me). Though the leaves had not sprung into full on autumn splendor yet, there were subtle tinges of ripe pear yellow and coppery brown that let one know instantly that they would be doing so in a matter of days.

Connecting with, and spending time in, nature is incredibly important for me and I always love to greet the seasons by making sure to do so, so I couldn't be happier that my shoot for today’s vintage outfit post took place in a majestic forest setting like this.

Years roll on, the seasons pass like two ships in the night, one gradually morphing into the next, and we age. This is the natural cycle and pattern of life. Unchanged since time immemorial.

Am I older? You bet, and I don't mind at all. For each year brings with it new wisdom, new gifts, new lessons, new friends, new memories, and at the same time, the return of old favourites, like autumn itself and many beautiful joys that call this enchanting season home.

By request: The kind of vintage outfit I wear around the house

Outfit details

Pink knit headband: Forever 21
Small brass heart shaped stud earrings: (Probably) Claire's
1950s/60s white acrylic cardigan: Gift from a dear vintage loving friend ♥
1950s pink heart scatter pins: Unknown, had for years (probably eBay or thrifted)
1950s patchwork house dress: Pre Souled
Dark brown skinny belt: eBay
Coral plastic bangle bracelet: Ardene
Vintage plastic bangle bracelets: Assorted sources
1960s brown patent purse: Purchased from a fellow vintage seller
Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay
1940s style brown round toe pumps (which are almost completely hidden by the tall grass here): Walmart
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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Now that we're into the boiling hot days of mid-July, this knitwear filled outfit - which suited our especially damp May so well - seems akin to sporting a parka! :D Okay, I'm exaggerating a touch, as I do wear cardigans all year round, but unless the mercury took a temporary nose dive, I wouldn't likely sport such a heavy weight sweater this time of the year - and would definitely skip the knit headband!

Earlier still in the year, back in March to be specific, in the comment section of this vintage outfit post, my lovely friend Sanne from the delightful Etsy shop Sanne's Vintage Jools mentioned that she'd be interested in seeing the kind of look I'd throw on if I was going to be hanging around the house and not going out or not dressing up, if I was.

Honestly, minus the hat perhaps, the outfit I was wearing in that particular post was a pretty good representation of such, but this one may be even more so, and therefore I thought I'd use this set of photos to help grant Sanne's lovely request.

I have zero qualms with readily admitting that due to my health, I do not get dressed (beyond jammies or lounge wear) on a daily basis. I would love to - and miss doing so dearly - but, objectively, even factoring in all of my tips in this post, that isn't always possible in the slightest.

In fact, more often than not, if I'm getting dressed, I'm going out of the house, but of course there are exceptions there, such as if we're having people over, if I need to get the door because of a delivery, or I just feel well enough to be and want to wear something more exciting the my same five pairs of pajamas over and over again!

No dress is my closet is more fitting for a day spent at home than this recently acquired homemade 1950s patchwork housedress. I'd been on the prowl for a patchwork patterned mid-century dress for, oh gosh, easily a decade now and when I came across this gem in a colour palette I'm absolutely wild about, for a good deal a few months ago, I pounced on it at the speed of light.

Though it could fit a touch better in a couple of areas (you can so clearly tell that the original owner created it with her own measurements in mind), it's still very comfy and I've worn it numerous times since adding it to my closest. I suspect, too, given the rich browns and beautiful pinks in its pattern, that this will become a "must wear" dress for me every autumn.

While I might not sport bangle bracelets if I was at home typing up a blog post, photographing items to list in my Etsy shop, or doing housework, aside from that, this is 100% the kind of classic, casual, cozy ensemble I slip on when I'm dressed and at home.

The 1950s/60s cardigan was an awesome gift last year from one of my dearest friends in the world and I love it to absolute bits! So often chunkier knits are made from lamb’s wool, which I'm allergic to (a point that my thoughtful friend was aware of), but not this charmer. It's 100% acrylic and is fabulously warm, while also reminding me of a somewhat similar cardi that I was when I was six years old.

I love a snuggly knit like for around our abode. It's like a nice, gentle hug and can be slipped on or off throughout the day at a moment's notice. The dress itself, being a house frock, is as well suited to hanging around the ol' casa as can possibly be. It does up only with a couple of snaps (no zippers or buttons), so as to allow for ease of movement. Hence why I feel a belt is a must if wearing it out in public. I don't want to risk any potential wardrobe malfunctions, if I can avoid them! :D

The headband, an item I purchased at Forever 21 last year on our trip to Vancouver Island, is such a cute, fun, vintage-y looking piece. As I usually like to have my hair out of my face when I'm working at home, it's something I wear frequently for that purpose (as I do headbands and hair scarves in general).

These two darling little matching 1950s heart shaped scatter pins weigh next to nothing, yet add so much to this look. They're the kind of practical, not-apt-to-get-in-the-way accessory that I commonly turn to when working or relaxing at home. They go so well with this dress, too, that I'm all the more happy I waited until this particular photo shoot to debut them on camera.

Indeed, this recipe of vintage cotton dress (usually a genuine vintage frock or a 1980s does 1950s shirtwaist dress), a few small, un-cumbersome accessories, perhaps a cardigan or sweater, nylons or tights, and classic pumps is truly the kind of look I wear around the house. I can do anything from cook a Christmas turkey to change the bedding to pop up the street to the mailbox in it, and I love that about such looks - which are also ideal for running errands in or sporting when just dropping by informally to see friends or relatives.

It might come as no surprise that this outfit is quite akin in its general scope to many that I've worn here over the years. I don't dress up just for the sake of the camera all that often and what you see me wearing (in my posts) on a regular basis is akin to what I'm apt to wear (perhaps minus hat, gloves, and/or bangles) when I'm at home, which is where you'll find me far more days than not in a given month.

Thank you very much for this fun request, Sanne. I always love getting questions and requests from my readers, so by all means, if any of you happen to have one of your own, please lay it on me. Who knows, your comment might just spark an outfit post all its own!

The last outfit photos we took before Tony left, starring my gorgeous new Classic Dames halter dress from Blue Velvet Vintage

Outfit details

19450s sterling silver and rhinestone necklace + screw back earrings set: Gift from a dear friend ♥
Dark grey thin knit shrug: Fairweather
1950s dark teal gloves: Unknown, had for years (probably thrifted)
1950s Style Navy Blue Halter Dress with Silver Brocade Trim: c/o Blue Velvet Vintage
Champagne coloured bow clutch: Bentley Leather
Sparkly champagne heels: The Bay
Lip colour: MAC Party Line


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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The eve of my beloved husband leaving to work in the US for nearly three months is not something that I'd usually put on my finest threads and celebrate. However, with Tony's departure so eminent and a desire to showcase this breathtaking 1950s halter dress from Blue Velvet Vintage's Classic Dames line before he left a powerful driving force, I couldn't help but get decked out for the camera one last time before he left.

Indeed, in the midst of a wildly busy and exhausting week (which I can so see the effects of on my face here!), less than 36 hours before Tony headed off on his work trip to sunny California, as the last of the early evening sunlight was rapidly fading, I quickly got dressed and we hightailed it down to the historic ruins of the 1912 Hotel in the neighbouring community of Kaleden (which you may recall from this previous 2013 shoot that took place there as well).

There aren't a lot of spots - let alone outdoor ones - around these parts that (to put it mildly!) seem to accommodate particularly fancy vintage attire well, but to my mind, even with their graffiti tags, the crumbling remains of what was one a thriving Edwardian hotel, always strike me as being appropriate in that regard. It’s as if, were one to close their eyes and imagine, they could picture the elegantly attired ladies of the 1910s, 20s and 30s walking through its floors and halls, looking as though they'd just stepped out of a fashion magazine, when such elements of this structure still existed.

My love for the wonderfully popular online vintage + repro shop Blue Velvet Vintage, a longtime sponsor of this blog, knows no limits. Their offerings, be they genuine vintage or 21st century lines and products that channel an old school spirit are always beautiful, honestly described, well photographed, and seriously appealing.

Blue Velvet Vintage very kindly sent me the beguilingly gorgeous 1950s Style Navy Blue Sateen Halter Swing Dress with Silver Brocade Trim that I'm wearing here in these photos (thank you so much for it!), and it is now the second garment that I own from their marvelous in house vintage reproduction line, Classic Dames.

Aside from its captivating beauty - which exists in generous spades - this dress is a gem in a lot of other ways. It's very well constructed and fits, in my opinion, true to size (I'm wearing the size small here and it couldn't possibly fit me better, especially through the bust and torso, which is not common with me and halter styles, as I find that they're usually too big in that area).

The material is thick, but not restrictively so. The brocade is breathtaking, it features a sweetheart neckline (my favourite type of neckline ever!), the halter neck does up not in the usual tie neck fashion, but with two good sized metal hook and eyes, which means that there's no pesky halter tie knot pressing into your neck, and the hem line couldn't be more perfect in terms of its length on me (this is always a seriously big point with me and clothing, so when I find a dress that gets that mid calf length right, I'm one very happy vintage fashionista!).

As well, this dress is deeply comfortable. I could easily picture myself wearing it for many hours, no problem. Its fabric has a wee bit of stretch, which both ups the comfy-ness factor and helps to create an especially flattering fit. This dress retails for $155.00 USD and I would honestly have no problem splurging and paying that for the quality, design, and elegance that this great 1950s style halter delivers.

Ooooh, and let's not forget about the fabulous matching brocade belt, which is totally detachable. I debated actually wearing it as a skinny hair scarf and am sure I will in the future on some occasions when I sport this dress, but for this first wearing, I opted to keep it around my waist. It is generous in length and strikingly pretty, adding just the right amount of twinkle and glamour to your midsection.

A dress this dazzling doesn't need a lot of bells and whistles, and indeed, I was keen to keep it in the spotlight. Pulling on the gorgeous hues in the brocade, I opted for a champagne coloured clutch and sparkly heels, both of which feature bows and created a nice sense of cohesiveness between them. For jewelry I turned to this tremendously lovely 1950s sterling silver and rhinestone necklace + screw back earrings set, which was an awesome gift a while back from one of my dearest vintage loving friends in the whole wide world.

I played around with a lot of glove colours, but none of them seemed right until I slipped on this understatedly sophisticated dark teal pair. Its shade, though similar to that of the dress itself, is lighter and the subtle contrast strikes me as being especially evening wear appropriate. A dark grey thin knit shrug, which has appeared here numerous times over the years (and that, again, drew inspiration from the brocade) was the final touch to this party worthy ensemble.

As immensely busy as we were that weekend, I'm really glad that we got in this shoot before Tony left. Though (as mentioned here), we did manage to create a reserve of outfit photos to help see me though the summer until his return in September, I will greatly miss our usual photo shoots, especially given that we're in the best season of the year for them. I like that I'll always have the memory - and photos - of this last one before he departed to help capture a slice of our life - and this enchantingly beautiful halter dress from Blue Velvet Vintage - before he headed off.

Summer is already whizzing past and I'm sure that, to borrow a great vintage term, in two shakes of a lamb's tail, he'll be back and we'll be launching into as many autumn photo shoots as we can before another powerfully long, tremendously chilly Canada winter kicks in. Speaking of which though, I can't help but think, this dress would be amazing for Christmas or New Year's Eve. Right now though, it's going to be my summer go-to anytime I need, or simply want, to dress to the 1950s style nines!


*PS* I should clarify that while this was technically the last shoot that we did before Tony left, there were a handful of others that proceeded it which I haven't posted about yet. They will continual to appear here at regular intervals throughout the summer.