Vintage cars and fun aplenty at the 2013 Peach City Beach Cruise

Outfit details

Hair flowers: blue and white, Ardene; yellow orchid, eBay
White rose stud earrings: Claire's
Grey knit shrug: Fairweather
White cotton cami: Old Navy
1950s blue and white polka dot dress: etsy seller Forever Lovely Vintage
White crinoline: Pettiskirt Style
White skinny belt (which Annie has since eaten!): eBay
1940s/50s white ruched gloves: eBay
Vintage grey handbag: etsy seller Running Rabbit Studio
Nude and black seamed stockings: eBay
White pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Antonio Cangiano

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There are two striking parallels between last year's Peach City Beach Cruise and 2013's: grey skies with plenty of rain, and the fact that because of said wet weather, we opted to leave the DSLRs at home and shoot the photos for this year's event with Tony's iPhone again. Unlike 2012 however, the temperature was a bit warmer and I didn't need to use an umbrella constantly, as the rain fell in quick spurts for much the day.

For several years now, Penticton has hosted the Peach City Beach Cruise down on Lakeshore Drive in front of Okanagan Lake. It's a good sized classic car show (though modern cars can enter as well) that spans three days (Friday through Sunday), with a parade of parked vehicles all down the street and onto Rotary Park (at the end of the beach). Hundreds of participants from across the province, elsewhere in Canada, the US, and occasionally even abroad flock to Penticton for this annual event, which includes various judged competitions and plenty of fun for classic car owners and fans alike.

Last year was the first time I'd had a chance to attend and I truly enjoyed it. So much though, that I did something I very rarely do (because of the extremely unpredictable nature of my health, a point I discussed here last May) and actually quasi-planned to attend this year's well in advance. It was, no word of a lie, touch and go until just a couple of hours beforehand, but much to my great happiness, I was feeling well enough to attend (yay!) - a point you may already know if you follow me on Instaagram because I posted shots of a a few of my favourite vintage cars of the day there.

This is as close to a vintage related event as you're going to find in Penticton, which makes it an especially big deal to me and the kind of day that I wanted to dress to the nines for. That meant it was high time I debuted (on camera) one of my absolute most beloved 1950s dress. 

In fact, I adore this dress so much that at various times over the years when I've done interviews or been asked by people I meet if I have a favourite dress in my vintage collection, this classic blue and white beauty has often been my answer. It was an investment piece, but one that I've never regretted for a moment and which I truly cherish. This is the first time you're seeing it on the blog, but I highly doubt it will be the last.

Because the weather was cooler than the seasonal norm that day, a thin knit shrug was in order over top of my dress, with a crinoline (from fab website Pettiskirt Style) underneath - though I would have sported one regardless of the weather in order to help add volume to this relatively full skirted frock. White gloves, a vintage grey handbag, and a trio of hair flowers completed the ensemble.

Just as with last year as well, I was the only person there (that I saw) wearing vintage clothing and as you might imagine, this attracted a lot of attention at a classic car show. Several people had asked for my photograph the previous year, but this time I could scarcely walk two feet without having a stranger grab a snap - a few families even sent their kids over to pose with me, which I thought was incredibly sweet and touching (it made me feel a bit like a costumed character at Disneyland and is the first time I've ever experienced that before). 

One never knows where these photos end up or what people do with them (put them online, etc), but - shy as I am - I'm more than happy to smile for other peoples' cameras on days such as this. They bring the vintage cars, I bring the old school fashion!

We had a total blast looking at, posing with, and in the case of the 1962 Shasta trailer, even venturing inside, the fantastic array of antique, vintage and custom hotrod cars on that overcast late June Saturday. Though only time will tell if such is able to happen, I must admit, I'm already eagerly looking forward to attending the 2014 Peach City Peach Cruise if circumstances will permit. Vintage gloved fingers firmly crossed! :)

Looking back at June 2013

Reflecting upon the events of this month, I'm struck by how they often seemed to parallel the weather that we experienced. Some days were gloriously sunny, gushing with with warmth, light and the kind of happiness that it takes half a year to cultivate. Others were grey, unpredictable, heavy as a horizon full of thunder clouds.

A few fell in between, and one involved said thunder clouds quite literally, as a sudden downpour that hit our town this past Wednesday with febricity caused flooding in our basement (while thankfully it didn't ruin too many items, it did do a fair bit of property damage and will require us to put new flooring into one, or possibly, two rooms).



{It didn't take anywhere near this much water to cause some of the swift rainfall that pelted Penticton on Wednesday to end up partially flooding our basement, but I can I can certainly sympathize with those pictured here who needed a boat to get around town all of a sudden. Image source.}


This unexpected basement ordeal was an odd note to (almost) cap the month off on, as I'd really felt like it was gaining positive momentum towards the end - and perhaps it still did, in spite of said flooding.

Just a few days beforehand, on the 22nd, I was thrilled to be able to attend our town's annual classic car show - The Peach City Beach Cruise - again (you may remember this post from when I attended for the first time last year), which I'll be doing a vintage outfit post about in the near future, as well as to see a movie (This is the End) at the theater for the first time in over a year, and to attend Value Village’s latest 50% off sale all on the same weekend. For some people this might seem like a fairly run of the mill amount of activity, but for me, it's exceedingly rare that my health permits me such a productive weekend, and I thought it was an incredible note to kick the summer off on!

And what of the blogging front, you may ask, well, this month saw a flurry of activity here for sure. For starters, June welcomed Chronically Vintage's first official group of blog sponsors, three of which (The Glamorous Housewife, Vintage Dancer, and ChatterBlossom) were featured in sponsor spotlight posts. You'll be hearing more about the fourth of June's new sponsors, Blue Velvet Vintage (whose site and offerings I simply cannot get enough of), in the coming weeks, just as you will some of the other sponsors that have signed on for the summer months and beyond.

I truly appreciate and wholeheartedly welcome each of Chronically Vintage's new sponsors, as well as all those who have shown interest in this regard (if you happen to be interested in sponsoring as well, please don't hesitate to see my sponsor information page and/or to email me at any time).

Wardrobe wise it was a busy month, too. I debuted my fabulous Jitterbuggin' pinafore jumper dress here for the first time, and shared what I wore on a glorious sunny Easter Sunday back at the end of March (and was thrilled and honoured to have one of the photos from that same shoot appear in the latest edition of Hey Doll magazine, where you'll also find an article I wrote about all about vintage glove sizing, collecting and storing).





I sported sunglasses for the first time ever on my blog in a fun series of shots taken at Knox Mountain in Kelowna (one of which appears above), and last, but not least, I christened Mother Nature "Marie" in the spirit of my own middle name and a darling vintage wirework name pin that I donned along with a palette of earth tones recently.

Lists abounded here throughout June, including Ten Warm Weather Wardrobe Staples, 12 of my top vintage fashion wish list items, Ten classic menswear pieces that will never go out of style, and 7 steps to big 1950s eyes.

Celebrations of summer's return were also plentiful throughout June, with posts devoted both to going on a vintage picnic and tons of suggestions for what to serve at a vintage ice cream sundae party. This month's Vintage Fashionista Friday and Flickr Favourite's posts were both thoroughly in keeping with the spirit of the season as well.

You may notice that this month in review post is going live on the 29th, not the 30th, which is technically the last day of the month. The key reason for this is that here in Canada it's a holiday long weekend (as we celebrate Canada Day on July 1st), and between the festivities of said weekend and contending with the situation downstairs in our waterlogged basement, I wasn't sure how much I'd be online over the next couple of days (though I do have a post slatted for the 1st), and didn't want to miss out on recapping June before it had taken its last bow.

And speaking of floods, I want to take a moment to express my deepest sympathies to all those who have been affected by the flooding this month in Alberta and Ontario as well. Having lived in two of the hardest hit areas (Calgary and Toronto), and adoring them both, I was moved to tears multiple times over the past couple of weeks as the photos of the water damage there poured out across the internet and evening news broadcasts. I am truly sorry for what those in these areas have experienced and know that the what we dealt with firsthand pales in comparison. We need new floors, but many people - especially in Alberta - have lost their whole homes and all of their belongings, and that is something that no one on earth should ever have to endure for any reason.

There's always the hope of a brighter (and much drier) tomorrow though, and on that note, some of the positive, exciting things that are in the works for July here on the blog include a look at the life and work of Vancouver's most famous (mid-century) street photographer, a post devoted to none other than west coast legend (or is it? :) ), the sasquatch; the results of a fab (vintage related) phone call, and - in the spirit of my upcoming birthday on July 10th, a look back at some of my very favourite things from the decade that gave me life: the 1980s!



{I utterly adore everything about this 1950s gal's darling gingham summertime ensemble - which reminds me, come to think of it, a fair bit of what I wore last year for Canada Day. I'm not too sure what I'll be decked out in this coming Monday, but you can bet your bottom dollar than red and white - the colours of Canada's flag - will be involved again. Image source.}


July is, by it's very nature, often a terrifically fun filled month. Yes, it's hot enough to give Death Valley a run for its money at times, but it can also deliver sublimely beautiful mellow evening breezes, hour after hour of beach fun, thirty-one days solid of wearing sundresses (if you so desire), ice cream cones a plenty, and countless other things that help ensure the seventh month of the year is not one that's quickly forgotten.

June was a mixed bag - as so many throughout 2013 have also been - and though I'm not happy about what befell our basement, the situation could always have been a great deal worse, and hopefully we'll be able to get things cleaned up and looking tip-top again well before summer comes to a close. Instead of focusing on that, I much prefer to think ahead to the exciting times - beginning bright and early with Canada Day on the 1st - that this month holds in store, as well as what lies even further afield in the second half of the summer.

Here's to the hope that July brings nothing but sunshine, blue skies, dry streets (and basements!), and happiness your way, my dears! I can't wait to enjoy my birthday month with all of you once more, as well as to celebrate all of the amazing points that makes this coming month so endearingly wonderful.

Making a splash at the Peach City Beach Cruise

{I loved the license plate on this gem of a classic car, it said “Vintage British Columbia” on it. I want one to hang in my closet!}

{Me and my wonderful mom, who switched umbrellas right off the bat, because the cute pink Hello Kitty one that I’d brought proved to be too small to cover the my skirt, which was poofed out from the crinoline beneath, from the rain.}

Outfit details 1950s pink flower adorned hat: etsy seller Foxy Brit Vintage Prescription eyeglasses: (frames) Venus Eye Design V-12 Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from my husband ♥ Periwinkle blue cardigan: Sears 1980s does 50s tropical floral print summer dress: etsy seller Cereal Vintage Thrift Light blue pettiskirt/crinoline: Pettiskirt Style Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore White skinny belt: eBay 1950s pink ruched gloves: eBay 1950s corduroy bucket purse: etsy seller Rue 23 Vintage Clothing Nude seamed stockings: eBay White pumps: Payless Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Antonio Cangiano 
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Like many towns who depend heavily on the tourist industry to help keep their economy going strong, Penticton is no stranger to fun events and festivals that garner participants and attendees from near and far. Some of these events were around decades before I was born, whereas others have come about during my lifetime. One of the latter is the Peach City Beach Cruise, which began twelve years ago.

This annual event features scores of classic, collector, speciality, and hot rod cars and motorcycles, which assemble and are parked along a good sized section of Lakeview Drive, the street directly in front of Okanagan Lake. Lasting three days (Fri-Sun), the Beach Cruise's most popular event is on Saturday when much of the street is cordoned off to traffic and turned into a walking path for visitors and classic car owners alike to casually stroll along and admire the hundreds of jaw-droopingly fantastic vintage cars that have converged on this little corner of Penticton from all across North America.

Despite being in its twelfth year, due to where I've been living in the years since it started, I'd actually never had the opportunity to attend the Penticton’s (now famous) Beach Cruise. As you can imagine, I was giddy with excitement knowing that at long last I'd finally get the chance this year. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't in anywhere near as a good a mood as I was, and (in keeping with the spirit of this summer) decide to drop a mini monsoon on us as Tony, my parents, and I wandered merrily about admiring the stunning classic rides.

As my mom was quick to point out, cars weren't the only thing that people had their eye on that day. It turns out that my 1950s look was a big hit with the crowd (I was the only person I saw all day wearing a vintage outfit, which was a bit surprising giving the type of venue). I've become accustomed to having people stopping to comment on or compliment my vintage outfits when I'm out and about, but never in all my life have I received anywhere near the number of wonderfully nice comments that I did that particular rain soaked day.

Shy to fault, I always feel out of place when people say lovely things to me, so what I like to do is smile sweetly and say a very heartfelt thanks, of course answering any specific questions that are asked, too. Not only was I flattered and touched to receive dozens of lovely compliments, but a handful of people (including  several very friendly elderly gents) actually stopped to ask if they could take pictures of me. I'm sure many of you gorgeous vintage wearing lasses are no stranger to having this happen, but it was the first time in my life for me, and I was more than happy to oblige.

I must say, it was an amazing experience and by far the closest I've ever come to feeling even the tiniest bit like a celebrity (as they get snapped by strangers and stopped on the street all the time). Not that I am, by any stretch of the imagination, but it sure was fun to feel like one for a little while, especially since I found that as the day wore on, I began to feel less and less shy (an ego boosting outing  indeed!).

All the while though, my eyes were squarely fixed on the amazing cars, some of which (with his iPhone, as none of us wanted to subject our cameras to the crazy amount of rain that was tumbling down) Tony snapped photos of me with. I loved so many of these beautiful, wonderfully cared for classic cars, but I think that purply-pink and white hued 1950s number, seen in the last two photos, (that matched my dress to a tee) was perhaps my very favourite.

While it took me twelve years to finally make it to the Peach City Beach Cruise, I couldn't be more thrilled that I finally got a chance to attend. From the friendly crowd to the stellar rides, this by far the best vintage car show I've ever attended, and I really cannot wait until next year's Beach Cruise to arrive - fingers crossed, with better weather in tow!