Vintage Link Love for August 2015

Here we sit in the last hours of the last days of the last full month of summer. Before this week is up, my beloved husband will be from his summer of working in States. We are planning to spend an inordinate and entirely wonderful amount of time together in the days immediately following his return and so excited to be reunited once more.

This month, like its sun-kissed predecessors, absolutely flew by. Though I would say that over all I favoured July to August, this month was still primarily a positive one (with some great highpoints all its own), though our area was utterly and completed blanketed with forest fire smoke, the bulk of which strong winds brought our way from the plethora of fires in Washington state, for the past couple of weeks. Ask nearly any local - myself included - and they'll tell you its the worst wildfire smoke they've ever seen in Penticton.



{Wise advice indeed, but sometimes it's Mother Nature's hand at work when it comes to wildfire and such was certainly the case for many that have raged out of control in this part of world all throughout the summer. They're a common faucet of life where we live during the warmer months, but this year's crop was especially plentiful and smoky! Vintage fire safety poster source.}


One had only to venture out in it for a mere handful of seconds and upon returning inside, you would find that your clothes (and hair) smelled as though you had been sitting around a large bonfire for hours. Some of it still drapes itself over the sage hued hills around these parts and that wood smoke scent lingers in the air, but it is slowly, thankfully, dissipating somewhat.

This summer has been a brutal one in BC and Washington state for forest fires, with numerous people tragically losing their homes to them. That is, objectively, one of the few downsides to living in a land so rich in woodland - and hot, dry temperatures that make even the heartiest of trees go up like tinder when a spark or bolt of lightning hits them.

In the midst of listing up a storm in my Etsy shop, creating numerous new YouTube videos, spending lots of time with family, doing so organizing and minor DIY work around the house, starting to get ready for the return of my favourite season (fall), replying to countless emails, and whipping up lots of fun blog posts here this month, I had to to still visit oodles of blogs and sites to glean twelve exciting new vintage, blogging, and crafting related posts and stories for you guys. I hope that you enjoy reading the following selection as much as I did finding them.

 

♥ The original Mad Men were just as dapper, but not as drunk: Continuing to have Mad Men withdrawal symptoms? (Me too!) Then perhaps this cool photo filled post from Retronaut/Mashable with colour photos of some of the real leading mid-century ad industry employees of the days will help quell your longings for more Don, Peggy, Roger, Betty, and Joan.


♥ Seven Historical Costuming Blogs You Should Be Following: Whether you're a sewer or not, if you have a passion for historical costuming (and chances are, as a vintage fan, you do) than this great roundup of some of the best and most informative blogs on the subject that Bianca put together is must bookmark link if ever there was one!


♥ 23 Vintage Studio Portraits of Women from the Victorian Era: There is something so innately gripping about Victorian photography - not only were the pictures created in that era the first of all time, but they are the oldest we have of people that now seem so far removed from our world, yet lived a few short generations ago. This lovely post highlights 23 beautiful portraits of Victorian women that no doubt speak to you and deepen your appreciation for that chapter in history (and its elegant fashions) all the more.





♥ Hollywood Homefront Impressions: Earlier this summer Doris corralled a terrific selection of photos from the 1940s that show famous celebrities doing their part for the war effort. It is a stark reminder of how much that long, horrific war impacted every one, no matter what rung of society they lived on.


♥ DIY crochet snood: Clearly I'm not the only one with snoods on the brain this season, as our wonderful and very talented fellow vintage blogger Bonita demonstrates with her awesome tutorial on how to whip up a 1940s style crochet snood of your own.


♥ Find the Girls on the Negatives: Each month at least a few very thoughtful readers send me stories and/or vintage photos that they think I'll enjoy. This month none jumped out at me more this post about the mysterious origins of handful of beautiful images that were found in slide form recently in a thrift store. Dreamy, alluring, and skillfully composed, these shots offer few clues about their history. They ling with you long after you've left that page, as you ponder who these ladies were and where these images took place.





♥ Picture Happy Times: And speaking of great yesteryear images, I recently discovered this thoroughly lovely European blog that is chalked full of sweet, timeless vintage photos of real world people. This is a subject that has always been very near and dear to my own heart, so I simply had to share it with you. Plus the photos, and their accompanying write-ups, featured on it remind me a lot of the kind like to include in my ongoing Saturday Snapshots post series.


♥ Embracing the joys of "as is" vintage: As some who rarely has qualms with - and sometimes even intentionally seeks out (bargain lover that I am!) - yesteryear fashions that might be in slightly imperfect shape, this lovely post on the subject from vintage blogging newcomer Holly of Vintage Voluptuous really hit a relatable chord with me.


♥ 16 "spiffy" words college students used to say back in 1916: I have always been deeply fascinated by the English language, very much including the fact that it - like most languages - is constantly evolving and changing. Words that were as commonplace as bread and butter in one decade, may have all but gone the way of the dinosaur just a few years later. This enjoyable NPR piece takes a look at sixteen words/terms that were hot in the late Edwardian era. It's fascinating to see which ones are still used (at least in their 1910s context) nowadays and which have all but vanished from our current 21st century lexicon.




♥ My top twenty reproduction vintage shops: Stylish British vintage lifestyle blogger Catherine from Vintage Frills has gathered up and kindly shared twenty of her very favourite vintage reproduction shops with all of us. How many of her terrific selections make the cut for you, too?


♥ 5 things I would have told my younger blogger self: Yes to the whole concept behind this spot on post. We grow and change as people and bloggers alike and sometimes it's helpful to think about what we would have advised our earlier blogging selves to do if we could go back in time, as this recent Queen of Jetlags entry absolutely nails.


♥ DIY Lace Collar: One viewing of this wonderfully easy to follow how-to post from the blog Mr. Kate and you'll never look at a basic crochet or lace doily the same way again.

 

{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.}

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If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, chances are you know how madly, completely, giddily in love with autumn I am. It marries warm and chilly, light and dark, beginnings and ends. It gives us a magnificent bounty from the field, gorgeous harvest moons, a day of Thanks and feasting, the awesomeness that is Halloween, sweater weather, amazing golden light and countless other things that are intrinsically tied with this beautiful chapter of the year.

Though I will wholeheartedly miss summer - especially since this one was quite different for me and how it played out out in respect to Tony being away - I make no bones about my excitement to see autumn roll into town - a trail of crunchy amber, garnet and rust hued leaves in its wake - before the coming month wraps up.

As usual, you can bank on a slew of seasonal and holiday related posts and outfits here this autumn from September straight onto December. It's impossible for me to contain my passion for the third installment of the year and I wouldn't dream of doing so. No other season speaks to my soul so deeply - nor is so chalked full of fun for me.

{A huge yes to every last marvelous autumnal element of this stylish fashion filled photo from 1958. Vintage image source.}

Whether you're loath to wave buh-bye to summer or can't wait for pumpkin spice lattes, All Hallows' Eve decor, and thick tights to return again, I hope that these final weeks of our current season find you all doing well.

Should you also happen to also be counting down the days until fall returns, what, my dears, are you most looking forward to this time around?

Looking back at August 2013

 The last day of August, eh? My goodness, how did we get here so quickly? Was it truly quick? Am I asking too many questions? :) Perhaps, but that's okay, it's the end of summer and with the school year kicking off for many soon (if not already, depending on where you live), it's a rather good thing to have an inquisitive mind, if you ask me.

There were moments of this month, much like the past couple, that felt as though they'd drag on for eternity, but over all, I'd say that it felt speedier than June and July. One could sense the season winding down, much like way certain amusement park rides slow down before they come to a complete halt.

Living in the arid, sizzling hot corner of Canada that we do (I know, my dear foreign readers, "sizzling hot" and "Canada" are not two words that typically go hand in hand, but I assure, you there are parts of this country that give the Mediterranean, Australia, South America, and toastier areas of the USA a run for their money at times), summer isn't quite over yet. We've had temps up to 30C as recently as four days ago, and we'll likely continue to see the realm of the mid-20s for much of the coming month.

Despite July housing my birthday, I think I liked August better (even though there were a few really rocky days mid-month). It was a whisper cooler, saw me able to get out of the house at least three times that I can recall, and even included a wee bit of vintage shopping in Vernon (which, sadly, like most places in the Okanagan, doesn't have any dedicated mid-century vintage clothing stores, but it does have plenty of shops that carry vintage and antique collectibles, housewares, and to a lesser extent, jewelry), so it's always a joy to head up that way and check them out.

I didn't buy much though, because I was (and still am) really trying to save ever last penny for our super exciting upcoming road trip to Calgary, Alberta in less than two weeks time.

My goodness, I haven't found myself looking forward to something as much as I am this trip in many, many years. It's been so long since we last took a holiday, and even the three that we have been on in our nine years together (we didn't take a honeymoon), were all work trips for Tony (that I tagged along for), so this will be our first official, non-work trip ever together! Tony's every bit as eager for this to happen as I am, which just ups my own excitement level all the more.



{Three very big, very enthusiastic cheers! In less than half a month, we'll be zipping over the Rocky Mountains and on our way to Calgary, home of the world famous Calgary Stampede (held every July), where these lovely 1940s lasses hailed from. It's been a decade since I was there last and I am beyond champing at the bit to return again for a few days. Image source.}

 
There's still several days to go until we depart though, so before the suitcases come out of storage and the packing commences, let's take a little while and recap some of the wonderful going-ons that transpired here on the blog front this month.

Much as with July, August was jam packed with posts spanning a wide array of topics. I launched it off with my (still very much ongoing) search for winter snow and ski clothes, a hunt that I hope I'll have some good luck with while in Calgary, a town notorious for its chilly, snow filled winters.

We looked at a super easy trick for securing a pin back brooch in place; took a gander at some beautiful vintage B.C. beauty queens, and discussed a few of the more eyebrow raising comments about my vintage style that I've received over the years in a post called Strangers say the darndest things.

Four outfit posts sprang to life this month, including one in which I sported and reviewed a dress from online UK clothing seller, Brag Vintage. My favourite outfit post of the month definitely goes to day we spent at this year's Peach City Beach Cruise classic car show, in which I sported my most beloved 1950s frock for the first time online (an image from which appears above).

I also kept my passion for all things verdant going strong in last weekend's Sorry, Kermit, but sometimes it is easy being green, and I waxed poetically over the stunning local landscape in Enjoying Penticton in all its glorious summertime beauty, while sporting a palette of red and white.

In addition to these posts and the usual fare, such as Vintage Fashionista Friday, Flickr Favourites, and a tasty vintage recipe - this time for summertime heat beating 1940s watermelon salad, some other highlights of the month included a fascinating look at the history of tennis wear, a stellar online resource with more than 7,000 vintage images, and a fabulous giveaway this week for your chance to win any vintage hat you'd like from Blue Rose Vintage (it's still on, so be sure to enter today, if you haven't yet).

As well, I had the great pleasure of interviewing two of Chronically Vintage's newest blog sponsors: Rebekka from the awesome etsy shop Bloomers & Frocks, and Rochelle from the absolutely beautiful, inspiration filled vintage sewing blog, Lucky Lucille. We also shone the spotlight on a third (thoroughly terrific) blog sponsor in a post devoted to thriving etsy vintage jewelry, fashion and household goods shop, Maejean Vintage.

Elsewhere on the web, I was honoured as can be when Lolly, from the wonderful UK based vintage reproduction clothing site Lolly Doll asked if she could interview me for her company's blog in a post called Meet Jessica Cangiano of Chronically Vintage. She sent over some really great questions and did such a lovely job of capturing and summarizing what my blog and I are all about. This isn't the last you'll be hearing of Lolly Doll and Chronically Vintage joining forces either - keep your eyes peeled in the fall for our next (fashionable!) collaboration.

My lucky winning streak when it comes to blog giveaways continued into August, I'm super happy to say, when I won a lovely vintage scarf from etsy seller Moon Walk Vintage, that the fabulous blog Va Voom Vintage was very kindly offering readers the chance to call there own. The scarf hasn't arrived yet, but I'm sure that as soon as it does, I'll start wearing it and you'll likely see it here in one more future vintage outfit posts.

While my mind is very much on our upcoming road trip, that certainly doesn't mean it's the only thing in I have in the works for September. In the coming weeks, as summer and autumn exchange places, we'll delve into the history of the saddle shoe's extra clean cut cousin, white buck shoes; I'll review the book 1940s Fashion: The Definitive Sourcebook (as per the many Instagram and Facebook requests that poured in when I started sharing some images from it there), put together a vintage fashion themed alphabet in honour of the return of the school year, and start blogging about our trip to Calgary shortly after we return home, to name but a few of September’s posts.



{There is such a fabulous sense of a fresh start to September. I've long likened it to a second New Year's, and love the renewed vigor it brings with it - perfect for hitting the books once more, raking crunchy leaves, or just nestling in at home and starting work on all those projects you didn't quite get to while spending 24/7 outdoors this summer. Welcome September and welcome fall, I've missed you both something fierce! Image source.}

 
I'm looking forward to September for a multitude of reasons. Yes, certainly our fun little vacay is one of them, but there are scads of others as well, spanning everything from the new crop of local pears and apples to the return of a nippy breeze in the air, bringing cold weather sweaters back into rotation. There’s also starting to decorate for (Canadian) Thanksgiving and Halloween - and of course, one can never, ever forget the stunning autumn palette that nature starts decking herself out with as fall approaches and then barrels into full swing.

These in between the season days house a magic all there own, and while part of me will be a bit sad to wave farewell to summer in the coming weeks, I'm also massively eager to embrace every last, stellar element of September and autumn. First though, I've got an open road to hit, a beloved city to revisit, and some vintage and thrift shopping to do in good, ol' Calgary! :)

I truly hope that you each had a marvelous, enjoyable, and very happy summer. Here's to the start of September, the return of pumpkin spice everything, and a whole lot of fun this fall!

Vintage Fashionista Friday: August 30, 2013

Arlene

{Schooldays and hair bows go hand-in-hand like pencils and erasers, no matter if one is in kindergarten or part of the collegiate crowd. This charming green bow barrette is sure to see your locks through from September to June in timeless style. $8.25 from etsy seller Neon Love Designs.}




{Few things are more iconic than apples when it comes to the start of a new school year, so why not greet this one with a beautiful little pair on your ears with these marvelous vintage red enamel earrings? $24.00 from etsy seller Junquegrl Jewels.}



{Though the mercury might still be bubbling away, in matter of weeks (or even days, depending on where you live), chances are it will be time to bust out the knits again and settle in for a season of cozy vintage sweaters like this classic blue number from the 1950s. Fits up to a 40" bust/waist not specified. $42.00 from etsy seller BombshellShocked.}



{Get right back into the school spirit with as much enthusiasm as a whole team of vintage cheerleaders when you wear this fabulous 1940s football themed dangle brooch. $29.95 from etsy seller A Magnificent Mess.}
 


{I absolutely adore a good mid-century plaid skirt and this wool 1950s gem from Pendleton is no exception! Vintage size 18, fits up to a 33" waist. $50.00 from etsy seller Peach Tree Vintage.}



{This past April I chatted about Ten of My All-Time Favourite Scents, and should I ever do a second edition of that post, it's likely that the smell of freshly shaven pencils will make the list. I'd be hard pressed to sharpen this rainbow of1950s/60s beauties though, instead I'd use them as pretty decor pieces on my craft desk. $24.99 for ten pencils from etsy seller Pezzaz.}



{Start the school year off right by brushing up on your spelling with this lovely 1940s textbook entitled Refresher Speller. $4.75 from etsy seller Vintage Antique Lane.}




{Sharing the spotlight with penny loafer and bucks, saddle shoes - like this fantastic navy blue and white pair - are amongst the most well known and beloved vintage schooldays shoes of the mid-twentieth century. Grab a pair of your own with care of UK seller Rocket Originals who offers the pair seen here (as well as several other saddle colour combos) in modern ladies UK sizes 3-8 for £75.00.}

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As it has for so many the world over for ages now, the morning immediately following Labour Day always ushered the school year back in when I was a youngster. I can recall vividly always hoping each year that Labour Day would fall toward the end of the first week of September, instead of the beginning, as it ensured a few more days of cherished summer vacation.

I loved school and didn't dread returning, it's just that I was also exceedingly keen on spending my days at the beach, playing in the long, dry grass of our backyard, picking cherries from our neighbours trees, staying up late around the fire pit at night roasting marshmallows, jumping through the sprinkler, and myriad other things that made summer so incredibly awesome to us when we were knee high to a pair of water wings.

This year, much I'm sure, to the chagrin of a whole new generation of school kids, Labour Day falls on September 2nd, meaning that school will commence once more, bright and early, on the 3rd. As this the last Friday before that happens, it seemed like the perfect time to devote an edition of Vintage Friday Fashionista to a charming schooldays inspired look, which is sure to appeal to you whether you're hitting the books again yourself, sending your wee ones back to class, or simply recalling the excitement of schooldays long past.

{Image source}

No pattern evokes thoughts of vintage student garb more than plaid, and the pairing of a classic plaid skirt with a sweater (or cardigan and/or blouse) is a look that was hugely popular, in particular, from the 1940s on up to the early 60s (as seen in the great still from the 1943 movie Young Ideas pictured above).

It's a long I've always enjoyed it, too, going right back in time to when I was in high school and would sometimes skittle off on my lunch break to the thrift stores that were located down the same street (my high school was/is on Main Street), and pick up 1940s and 50s plaid skirts like this for a couple of bucks a pop. Sadly, those days are no more, but I still love this look just the same and enjoy recreating it as summer gradually slips into autumn and the weather dictates knits, wool, and tweed of all kinds once more.

Today's Vintage Fashionista is named Arlene, in honour of one of my all-time teachers, Mrs. Arlene Kuben, who taught me during forth grade. She was a sweet, kind-hearted, lovely lady, who very much struck me as embodiment of the classic, good natured, caring educator, fitting in just as easily in the early 1990s when I was in her class, as she would have at any other point in time.

As we sit here on the second to last morning of August, the world and weather still feel far more like they have their feet firmly grounded in summer. Young beach goers are frolicking in the lakes as I once did (day in and day out), the scrumptious scent of barbequed meat lingers in the air from weeks of dinnertime grilling, and one can still buy fresh peaches and cherries at the plethora of local fruit stands.

Soon though, with the same speed with which the morning after Labour Day used to arrive, autumn in all its golden hued glory will be here, and the ebb and flow of another school year will be second nature will be second nature once more. Much as I adore fall, I'm not rushing it out the door quite yet - at least not until I hear the first local school bell chiming in the distance come September 3rd.