A Venetian in Vancouver

Outfit details

Grey felt beret: eBay
Black circular shaped rhinestone earrings: Either Payless or Claire's
C. 1930s/1940s dark cream faux pearl multi-strand necklace: Thrifted (Value Village - similar necklaces currently available in my Etsy shop)
Vintage style black rosette trimmed knit top: Thrifted
C. 1950s white gloves: Unknown, had for years (possibly a gift or from eBay)
C. 1980s does 1950s caramel brown wide belt: Thrifted (Value Village)
Vintage bangle bracelets: Assorted sources
1950s Venetian novelty print skirt: Awesome gift from a dear friend
C. 1950s grey kiss lock handbag: Running Rabbits Studio
Opaque black tights: Ardene
White faux leather pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Tony Cangiano

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A 1950s Venetian novelty print skirt, that is. :)

Throughout the course of my life I have lived in places with populations as large as a multiple millions and as tiny as just a few hundred. Most, not surprisingly, have fallen in between. Fittingly, then one might say, I have always felt like I was both a city girl and a country lass. I can make my home almost equally happy in either place, but when I'm away from one for a while, I do start to miss it strongly and pounce at the chance to return, if only for a few days.

As many of you know, Tony and I had a chance to do just that on a business trip to Vancouver at the end of this past fall. Most days Tony was one busy chap, putting in 10 - 12+ hour workdays, which left little time to explore together and, given the time of the year, no daylight during those wonderful times we did have.

On two days however, we were able to get in a decent amount of bopping about the city together during daylight hours and this is the second of the two (see the first here) outfit shoots that we were able to do while in The Big Smoke, as this stunning oceanfront city is sometimes called.

One thing that has struck me in the years since I first became a fashion blogger is just what an incredible wealth of phosholos (aka, photo shoot locations) there is to be had in large cities. I know that might sound glaring obvious, and it in many respects it is, but when you live in a relatively small town in an area with only a couple locations in the whole region of 100,000 or more people, you almost forget just what a staggering wealth of possible photo shot spots a larger city dishes up day in and day out.

As I - and some days, we - explored Vancouver's bustling, vibrant streets and myriad diverse neighborhoods, I was struck by how I could live in that city for a hundred lifetimes, vintage fashion blogging through all of them (natch! :)), and likely never exhaust all the possible places to take photos in. The same, no doubt, is true of most large cities the world over, especially if, as many in Canada are, they're mere moments away from breathtaking natural landscapes as well.

Tony is a huge fan of urban fashion photography, however the types of mid-century ensembles I typically wear rarely lend themselves particularly well to such, especially if the buildings and other sights in the background are glaringly modern.

So, when a chance to shot in such a setting arises, understandably, he pounces on the opportunity - and if we can find a location that meets his desire for gritty, energetic city backdrops and mine for ones that still look at least vaguely old school, we both come out as very happy campers.

We hit upon just that in the cement clad back alley behind our hotel one nippy, but delightfully sunny, afternoon. There was nothing exceptional about this back alley, save for the fact that it was situated in the heart of downtown Vancouver, which in and of itself, made it quite exciting for folks like us who presently reside in an Okanagan town of about 30,000 people and far fewer such urban backdrops.

The temperature was right around freezing that day (though the sunlight helped it to feel a touch toastier), so warm clothes were a must.

I opted for this truly fantastic 1950s Venetian novelty print skirt, which a treasured vintage loving friend gave me a while back (as she knows I'm always on the hunt for Italian themed vintage clothing to sport in a fashionable nod to Tony's homeland), as it is made from a thick, almost flannel like material that suits fall and winter superbly (not to mention the fact that it depicts one of the most famous cities in the world and thus seems especially fitting to sport while shooting in another stunning metropolis).

With it I paired a vintage style scoop neck black knit top with delight fabric rosettes around the neckline, as well as one of my favourite c. 1980s does 1950s belts, black opaque tights (for warmth), a classic grey beret, white vintage gloves, my sweet little grey 50s handbag, white pumps (court shoes), and jewelry (a blend of old and vintage appropriate modern) that pulled from the colours in my novelty print skirt.

On top of being nice and cozy, this outfit was wonderfully comfortable for a day of sightseeing, shopping, and general inner city exploring.

The lighting in these photos - despite looking as though it could easily have been created with a Photoshop action or two - is completely natural. It was soft and hazy and still had the faintest feeling of autumn to it (back home in Penticton, nearly five hours north of Vancouver, we had already parted ways with such gentle, warm light by that point in the year).

A back alley might not seem like the most exciting place to shoot in, but with the symphony of urban sounds tickling our ears from every direction and this sublime sunlight radiating down as we stood surrounded by towering city buildings, it was precisely that and we both agreed that shoot was one of our favourites in a long time.

I’m not sure when I'll get back to Vancouver - or any major city, for that matter - again, but I truly love knowing that whenever it happens, there will a million and one wonderful photo shoot locations just waiting for Tony and I to point our lens at them.

Snowy days, Science World, and we got a new car!

Outfit details
C. 1940s/1950s tawny brown felt hat with orange and green feather: Christmas gift from my parents
Gold tone metal & clear rhinestone bow shaped earrings: Good question...possibly Claire's
Navy blue blazer: Suzy Shier
C. 1950s/60s gold tone flower brooch: Unknown, had for years (possibly thrifted)
Pumpkin coloured thin cable knit sweater: Eddie Baurer
Navy blue 1940s style swing skirt: Steady Clothing via Blame Betty
C. 1950s green gloves: Had for years, either thrifted or a nearby antique shop in OK Falls
Dark brown faux leather purse: eBay
Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay
1940s style tawny brown leather shoes: Local flea market find
Lip colour: MAC Party Line


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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For my final outfit post of 2015, I had sincerely hopped and planned to bring you a sneak preview of the gorgeous 1950s style dress from Unique Vintage that I will be sporting this year for New Year's Eve.

Alas though we've been getting pummeled with snow day in and day out for over a week now and unfortunately that does not make for very safe (particularly for the camera and lens themselves) shooting conditions. Thus, for the time being, we just have to wait for a dry day to capture that outfit on and then I'll post my final festive ensemble of the holiday season asap (so excited!).

Aside from hampering our shooting abilities, I do enjoy the snow, which is soothingly peaceful to watch tumble to the ground during the brief hours of daylight one experiences in early winter. It has been a relaxing counterpoint to the breakneck hecticness of this whole entire month.

As mentioned in this post back on the 11th, one of things that had been filling our days a great deal as of late was the search for new (to us) vehicle. I'm happy to report that after about three weeks of super intense research, scouting and plenty of test driving, we finally found "the one".

Our beautiful new set of wheels (which I'll try to get some photos to share on social media and/or here as well once the snow lets up!) is a silvery grey hued 2012 Buick Enclave with only 55,000 kilometers on it that it is in like new shape.

We got a very reasonable (financed) priced on it that include a trade in with our old car. This vehicle is everything and more that we've both been dreaming of for years and we are so elated with our choice and the abundance of room that we finally have.

The first couple of times we grocery and Christmas shopped in it almost felt surreal after so many years with a teeny, tiny amount of cargo space. We hope to be able to keep this vehicle for several years at least and can hardly wait to continue experiencing the many, many ways it will help and enrich our lives - very much including when we take road trips like last month's jaunt to Vancouver.

We did not have our new car yet then (in fact, that trip was the final straw, so to speak, in leading us to decide that the time had finally come to invest in a new set of wheels with a much larger cargo capacity) and it was, as always, a legitimate challenge to get two suitcases and a small array of other needed items into our car. Those days are now a thing of the past though and I'm so excited for the next time we get to travel - it will probably feel like we have a small moving van by comparison.

The photos in today's post were one of  a couple of shoots that we were able to take this time around in Vancouver. As mentioned here before (don't want to veer into broken record territory :)), this was a work trip for Tony and he put in very long hours on it most days, which meant that the brief time we had together was usually long after the sun had set. On two days however, we managed to squeeze in some time to not only take pictures, but also do so sightseeing, visiting, shopping, and exploring together.

On this particular afternoon, we made a beeline for Science World, a longstanding pillar of scientific education and fun in this province. I hadn't been since I was about 14 years old and Tony had never been to this particular science center, so given that we're both massive science fans, it seemed like an ideal outing. We had a blast, saw all of the exhibits, and even grabbed a few snaps outside before heading indoors (when we arrived), as the light was fading fast already and we knew it would be as good as gone when we existed.

This is a cozy, classic outfit of the type I usually wear when traveling, especially if a lot of walking is going to be involved. Don't let the red wall behind me in most of these snaps fool you, my sweater is in fact a very pumpkin-y shade of orange, not crimson, but aside from that, things are true to life in terms of how the rest of the ensemble appeared that day. Normally we wouldn't shoot against such a similar hued background, but it was just about our only option in that immediate area, so when in Rome - or Vancouver... :)

My dears, it is genuinely hard to believe that we have very nearly come to the end of another year. In less than two days time we'll be finishing our dates with a number 16 and celebrating all the possibilities, joys, and promises that the new year always holds in store for us.

With all my heart, I want to thank each and every one for your for your awesome support of my blog, Etsy shop, and social media accounts throughout the year. In ways big and small, you motivate, encourage, inspire, and delight me day after day, week after week, month after and month, and ultimately, year and year and I could not do what I do to the same degree without you.

Whatever the future holds in store for us next year, we'll face and celebrate it together. We'll laugh, we'll cry, we'll share and we will continue to grow as individuals and as a community alike.

I don't know what 2016 will deliver, but I do know that I'm champing at the bit to experience it and can hardly wait to share much of what transpires in my life here with all of you.

To the new year, may it be a brilliant one for each of us.

7 important things that travel teaches us

As November came to an end, Tony and I spent nine lovely days in Vancouver this year. He was there for work and I was fortunate to be able to tag along, thus getting to enjoy my only trip so far (and most likely, for all of) this year. I'd long made peace with the idea that I wouldn't be traveling at all in 2015, so the sudden surprise of this getaway and the ensuing days spent in Vancouver was really and truly one of the best (early) Christmas presents I could have possibly asked for.

Like most enjoyable trips, this one felt like it flew by about as quickly as it takes to zip up a suitcase. Yet over the course of those nine days, I had a chance to do a lot of deep thinking - something, a blessing really, that travel almost always affords me and which is actually one of my favourite elements of getting away from home for a while - and also to be presented with various reminders of why it's so incredibly important to venture forth from our usual locations and daily lives alike at least every once in a while.

While most of us might, objectively, already be aware of the following points, it can be humbling and poignant alike to be reminded of them when we travel. Each of the following seven life lessons arose from me and/or both of us on our recent trip to Vancouver and while they're still all bracingly fresh in my mind, I wanted to share them here with you.


1. The journey can be as important as the final destination: This is so, so true. Case in point in a rather literal sense of the meaning: en route to Vancouver our GPS got a bit confused in the small town of Hope (as it has in the past) and ended up suggesting we take the back route (well, more like the non-highway route as opposed to an actual off-the-beaten path road).

At first we worried this would slow down our arrival time, but in the end it did no such thing and was an exciting way to go through several small and medium sized towns that I hadn't seen since I was a youngster and which Tony had never even so much as driven through so far. Each one brought back its own fun memories from many (many!) years ago and made me realize just how much time had elapsed since I was last in the neck of the (urban) woods.


So don't fear if you get a little lost, side tracked or turned around. It's all good and chances are, it will all work out in the end. Enjoy, savour, and relish the journey, for it is often every bit as amazing (and memorable!) as the destination itself.


2. The more you travel, the more you grow as a person: Seriously, you do. You learn things about yourself, you think outside of the box (or suitcase!), you make compromises, you try new things, you put some of your fears on the back burner, you challenge your own perceptions, you are confronted by personal demons and angels alike, and often you come home wiser (and more sure of your future) than when you left.


3. There's no time like the present: When in Rome is scarcely more apt than on a trip - be it to Italy or elsewhere. Seize the moment, give that funky looking restaurant a try, go parasailing with the friends you just made two days ago, splurge on that vintage hat/record/mountain bike/etc that you know you'll likely never find the same one of you in town (or perhaps even anywhere!), take a million photos (and Instagram them all!), go night swimming - just have a blast, live in the moment, and really get to know the soul of your destination. Chances are, it will stay with your own for ages to come.


4. You can easily - and happily - get by for a long time (if not forever) with a substantially reduced number of possessions and/or a small living space: I've never lived in a particularly large house, however all but a couple of my homes have been a fair bigger than your average budget friendly hotel room, yet I'm often struck when in one (a hotel room, that is) how easily and happily I can manage with the basic creature comforts (bed, powder room, hopefully a kitchenette, a desk or table and chairs, etc) and not yearn for more. Ditto for whatever I packed in my suitcase(s).

It might not have seemed like a ton back home, but in the sun or man-made light streaming through a hotel window, it often seems like an abundance and I delight in the creative styling challenges that such a small (temporary) capsule wardrobe provides. Each time I travel, I feel the need for less and less back home and am ever more content with what I already have.


5. We all need to step away from our computers/phones/tablets more often: The irony of saying this on a blog is not lost on me, I promise you. The longer that society as a whole becomes ever more immersed in the digital world, the more I feel, incredibly strongly, that we truly need to take more time out of most days to ensure that we connect with the real world, too. Get out there. Smell the salt air, let the wind whip your scarf around, read in the park, walk the joyfully noisy streets of a big city, fall asleep under the stars.

By all means, we can certainly use and benefit from the web, but we also need the original spider webs tangled in Mother Nature garden, real smiles not just emoticons, hugs from people in person, not merely trivial likes on a glowing electronic screen.


6. You may very well hate and also love a great deal about yourself and your current life while you travel: Without fail, I experience this to some degree whenever I travel. It's become almost like a ritual of sorts for me, but just like an intense sauna session, I know that from it, I'll sweat out some proverbial toxins and emerge with a clearer head and a renewed glow about me, so I roll with the punches and let them help to - see point #2 above - become a happier/wiser/hopefully better person.

In the same vein, I find it's important to remember that the person you are when you're away from your home environment - be it hiking the Alps, shopping in NYC, or touring a castle in Scotland - is not necessarily the same individual that you may be when you're at your usual house, living your daily life, working your usual job, and dealing with the all of the pressures big and small of home. So just because you may experience such a roller coaster of thoughts and emotions, it doesn't mean that you're doing a complete 180 for good - though sometimes it does and that can be incredible unto itself.


7. Traveling can help you be bolder and or more confident and/or outgoing: Hard as it may be for those who have never known me in person to believe, I am quite often ridiculously shy, I'm the poster child for introverts everywhere, and I am not exactly world famous for being the most outgoing of people. I don't see these as negatives per se (especially not being an introvert, I adore that I am the way that I am on that front), but sometimes I'm the first to admit that it would be great to be less shy/timid and interestingly, I am often more fearless and apt to "put myself out there" when I travel.

I think the excitement, happiness and adrenaline of traveling all play a huge roll there, but it could also be the fact that I know, I may never get a chance to seize said moment (aka, point #4) again and don't want to miss it just because I have a swarm of butterflies in my stomach.

No matter where you usually fall on shy to turbo outgoing scale, travel gives us the chance to push the boulders that are our comfort zones and discover new sides of ourselves in the process, which can definitely better our lives once we're home (sweet home) again.





{Travel can be awash with important lessons of all sizes. These are but seven of them, each of which I was recently reminded of. What are some of the things you've learned and/or been reminded of thanks to taking trips? Stylish vintage lady traveler/adventurer image source.}

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I don't think that I've ever travelled, even just for a long weekend, away from my usual corner of the world and not had thoughts that went on to alter my future, be it on a small or a grand scale. When I travel, I often feel like I could let go of almost everything (save for our pets and my closest relationships) at home and be completely, 100% happy - and who knows, maybe I could be, but that isn't realistic and it certainly isn't apt to happen anytime soon (if ever).

For me, that desire goes back to points number 4 and 6 above in particular. I firmly believe that we're not always the same people when we travel and while a few days, weeks, or even months away from our usual existence can be a true godsend/very helpful/healing/cathartic experience, after a while, most of us would still want to return to at least some elements of the world, career and set of goals that we've worked so hard to create up until this point.

Instead of parting ways entirely with our lives, often the far smarter and more rational approach is to keep thinking about those important thoughts that we had while we were away and use them to build, better, change, and improve our worlds once we've returned home, unpacked the last item from our toiletries bag, and uploaded our travel snaps to our computers. So often we - very understandably - forget that we have the power to just that - to alter our lives in ways big and small - and that we can, and should, do just that on a very regular basis.

Some things are set in stone or unable to really be altered, but others often can be. Doing so might be scary, risky, expensive, or unknown, but those are not reasons to let our desire to grow and to be happier beings hold us back for one red second.

On the drive home, snow covered mountains flanking each side of the steep mountain roads we were traversing, Tony and I talked about this very point and decided that the actions we'll take from here on out - some presently known, others to be discovered as time goes on - in the pursuit of such will be called our Happiness Project.

We'll be looking for ways to concretely make our days even happier and to focus, realistically, on more of what we truly - in our heart of hearts - want out of life. For the greatest journey any of us will ever take is life itself and on that trip, there is always more to learn and see and do, which hopefully will include plenty more actual travelling to destinations near and far alike – lessons aplenty no doubt served up along the way.

A much needed impromptu getaway!

Tony has been traveling up a storm this month for work, in fact, by the time November is over, he will have taken four separate business trips, including one (back to) San Francisco. Talk a busy month for my uber hardworking chap!

The last jaunt of the month is closer to home. In fact, it's to that most gorgeous of Pacific Coast cities, Vancouver. It’s a drivable journey of just 4.5 hours and as such Tony asked if I'd like to tag along with him. Umm, super-duper yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



{Vancouver always hums with excitement, energy and culture, points all captured in this wonderful nighttime shot from 1951 of Granville's theater district at the time, and I can hardly wait to get back and experience that sense of vitality again. Vintage image via Museum of Vancouver.}


We just made plans to travel together a few days ago (and it is fully a business trip for him) and will be leaving early tomorrow morning, so unlike usual I didn't have time to save up my pennies in advance like I usually do when we take trips. That means I won't be doing scads of buying, be it for myself or my Etsy shop, but it being Vancouver, there's no way I'll come home empty handed. There are too many cool shops, be they vintage or otherwise, in that thriving city not to pick up a few must-have goodies. :)

As Tony will be working most of the time that we're there - which is until November 30th December 1st (the final date of our stay was changed during the trip itself) - I'll be taking my laptop along and getting some work and usual blogging related activities in, too (including posting this month's new vintage blogger interview and 2015's Vintage Holiday Shopping Guide). Though I also hope to make/have time to sightsee, do a little of that aforementioned shopping, perhaps visit a museum and/or gallery, and perhaps most importantly, simply unwind and relax as well.

While this isn't a full on vacation for either of us, it is as close as I'll come to one this year and I need it something fierce. I haven't done any traveling since our trip to Vancouver Island at the start of fall 2014, and as someone with a perpetual sense of wanderlust, this is such an awesome way for me to (very nearly) wrap up a year of incredibly hard work and no (prior) getaways.

So my sweet dears, this very morning (originally we'd thought we'd be leaving on Tuesday, but another work event arose for Tony tomorrow, so we're leaving today on the 22nd instead), I'm off to one of my favourite cities on the face of the earth for a week of fun, productivity, moments of tranquility, and hopefully a great vintage treasure or two as well!

If you want to tag along with us on this trip, be sure to follow me on Instagram, where I'll be posting lots of delightful snaps from our travels to good, ol' Van!

Five awesome highlights from our trip to Vancouver

Though I'm still very much in the throes of recovering from our awesome jaunt to Vancouver (traveling always does a total number on my health - but it's well worth it!), while the memories are still fresh as the first daisies of summer in my mind, I wanted to share a selection of happenings that really jump out at me from our week spent in British Columbia's largest city (which, interestingly enough, despite its size, is not the province's capital, that honour goes to the elegant city of Victoria on Vancouver Island).

We left town bright and early on the morning of the 4th and were guided from the very first to the very last minute of our drive with picturesque sunshine and ideal road conditions. Upon arriving in Vancouver, we made a beeline for our hotel, the immensely posh Fairmount Hotel, aka the Hotel Vancouver, on West Georgia Street (which stayed at thanks to Tony's company). This majestic building nestled smack dab in the heart of downtown Vancouver was built in 1939 and is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.

Elements of late art deco and other types of mid-century design can be seen all throughout the hotel, from the grand lobby to the suites to the halls - and even the onsite mailbox itself (which, being the most gloriously pretty Canada Post mailbox I'd ever seen in person, I couldn't help but take a photograph of the moment I first laid eyes on it). Naturally, I was in my vintage loving element in our swanky digs.

In the days that would follow, I didn't get much in the way of the "rest" in R&R that I'd hoped for before we left, but even at its most hectic of moments, there was a certain sense of relaxation to my own time in Vancouver because my days were spent doing things that I truly loved and which were frequently well outside of my usual routine when I'm home in Penticton.

The following is a selection of five that will linger in my mind for a very long time to come, each different but united by longtime loves and the same magnificent city.


1. The Vancouver Aquarium: As one might imagine, aquatic life abounds at the famous Vancouver Aquarium, which is renowned not only for its diverse, beautiful creatures of all sizes, but for the important scientific research, as well as its rescue and release program, that take place within its gates. A true favourite destination of mine for as far back as I have memories of Vancouver, a trip to the city just isn't the same for me without a visit to the Aquarium, very much including saying a hello to the ultra adorable otters (otters being one of my all-time favourite animals). Though it was raining on the day we were there (Murphy's Law, I say, as it was raining the last time we were there all the way back in early 2007), we still had a blast and took in three great outdoor shows on top of seeing all of the exhibits indoors.




2. Vancouver Flea Market: An absolute institution in the city that is known province wide (and no doubt beyond!), the Vancouver Flea Market, in operation since 1983, is an indoor event that takes place nearly every Saturday and Sunday of the year. Housed in a large red barn, this large flea market plays host to more than 250 vendors selling an array of antique, vintage, and modern items, including absolutely no shortage of beautiful vintage jewelry in a wide range price points (vintage clothing was almost nonexistent there though, save primarily for a few fur coats). Admission is just $1.00 and you can get your hand stamped, which will allow you to come back for free again later the same day, if so desired.

I got up early on Saturday morning specifically to make the flea market my first stop. I was there for over four hours and highly suspect I still missed at least a few stalls, simply because there was so much to see and so many delightful sellers to chat with. Though I did find some of the vendor's prices to be on the steep side (something that is, objectively, true of most things with price tags on them all throughout the city), a bit of sleuthing and bartering landed me a few good deals on some really lovely antique and vintage pieces, nearly all of which will be headed straight to my Etsy shop in the coming summer weeks.


3. Mintage: While I had the great pleasure of visiting a number of vintage and thrift stores in Vancouver during my lovely week there, none stand out in my mind quite like Mintage on Commercial Drive. Though it has been in business for nine years now, this was my first visit to Mintage and to say that it was love at first sight would be understatement. Unlike many of the vintage (and thrift) stores that I visited, Mintage's prices were fair and well within the means of my personal shopping budget and as a result, I came home with two good sized brown paper bags loaded with vintage skirts, dresses, scarves, handbags and my second ever Mexican Tourist jacket. Whereas most of the other vintage items I bought in Vancouver are destined for the shop, these particular beauties now reside in my own closet and are some of the first vintage pieces I've bought for myself this year, as I've been devoting as much of my funds as I can to sourcing for the shop, not myself.

In addition to having good prices, Mintage is chock-a-block with early, mid-century, and more recent vintage finds for gals and gents alike, all of which are well currated, intuitively laid out, and watched over by some of the absolutely friendliest staff you could ever hope to encounter. In fact, I was having such a ball selecting, trying items on and talking with the two employees (Alex and Mitchell, both pictured below in an photo I took of them that day) that I spent more than two fabulous hours at Mintage and will making it one of my very first stops from here on out whenever I'm in Vancouver.





4. Giving an impromptu presentation at New World Designs: A shopping trip to New World Designs, a wonderful Vancouver vintage reproduction and rockabilly clothing shop resulted in one of the coolest vintage related experiences I've ever had: giving a 100% unplanned, on the fly presentation on vintage hairstyles, makeup, clothing, and blogging to a group of about a dozen terrific ladies who had initially planned for an evening with a professional hairdresser who was going to show them some vintage hairstyles. It turned out that that lady ran into some issues (I don't know all the details) with her flight back to Vancouver and was delayed, so as a result the shop's owner was thinking she might have to cancel or alter the evening she had planned.

By sheer coincidence, I was in store as this was unfolding and after chatting with the owner for a little while, giving her my card and explaining who I was and what I do, she asked if I'd be interested in filling in for the MIA hairdresser. I explained that I was neither a pro at hair or makeup, and that fashion, history and blogging were my specialties, but that I'd be happy to do my best at demonstrating vintage looks (on a model from the audience) and discussing those topics in general. Mere minutes later I was in front of a crowd doing precisely that for the better part of the next two hours (which happily, I pretty much had free anyways, so the timing couldn't have been better).

It was an exhilarating, fantastic experience and I loved receiving and answering a slew of diverse, intelligent, downright cool questions from all of the lovely ladies who had shown up for the evening's previously planned presentation. I've never spoken to a live audience in person before about vintage (kind of hard to believe at this point in my life, I know), and despite my epic shyness, I've never had a problem with public speaking (in fact, I often prefer it to one-on-one or super small group discussions with strangers), so I was able to wing it and based on the feedback from the shop's owner and some of the audience members at the end of the night, things seemed to have gone great (phew! :)).

In fact, two of the gals (close friends) in the audience invited me out to a pub down the street afterwards and though I don't drink, I was happy to sip ice water while the three of us kept chatting about vintage, blogging, Vancouver, and many other great subjects well into the night. I had no idea when I first stepped foot in New World Designs late on Monday afternoon that not only would I soon be presenting on vintage to crowd, but also that before the evening was up, I would have two new friends from Vancouver. It was an almost surreal chain of events and one that has me seriously thinking that I should - with actual planning involved - give similar presentations on vintage here in the Okanagan, if I can determine that there would be enough interest from the public in them.


5. Just being in the city again: Some people are squarely a city or country person, I however fall into the camp of those who find they adore both and can only go so long in one without greatly missing the other. As awesome and genuinely important as small town living and outdoors serenity both are (a point I delved into earlier this year in this post), I still need a solid hit of city living every now and then few places in Canada can deliver that with the gusto, passion, and beauty as Vancouver. I felt especially alive, recharged and joyful while there and know that it will help set the mood and pace for me throughout the coming summer months, as I power straight ahead with my blogging, Etsy shop running, and day-to-day life.





{All photos in this post were taken by me with my iPhone and can be seen in my Instragram stream - where you can view lots more fun and exciting photos from Vancouver, including some of the vintage outfits I wore while there.}

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Though it had been nearly 7.5 years since my last journey to Vancouver, I can say with great conviction and hope that I don't believe it will anywhere near as long before the next - in fact, I hope to make it back there again at least one more time, if circumstances will permit, before the year is out.
 
I'm wild about Vancouver. I was born a stone's throw away from this vivacious city and truly felt like a powerful love for it was rekindled in a new and exciting way during our recent week there. Though I have a long way to go before I know it like the back of my hand (the ways I do, say, Calgary, where I lived in my late teen years), as we were driving out of town on our way home, passing streets such as Robson, Main, Terminal, and Cordova, I couldn't help but smile gleefully to myself over the fact that I now have a much better an idea of where they are and what they house. I know also that each subsequent trip to Vancouver will help me further piece together and get to know this lively, action filled city on the sea.

Though my bags are unpacked and my purchases tucked away, a bigger part of my heart than ever still remains in Vancouver and it will be all I can do not to start crossing off the days until we just happen to find ourselves saying hello to the otters, hitting up the flea market, and shopping at some of the city's coolest vintage stores again. Oh, how I can scarcely wait!!!

JBR Clothing product review and coupon code - plus just two more days until Vancouver!!!

Outfit details

Vintage sky blue nylon scarf: Gift from a dear vintage loving friend ♥
Faux pearl stud earrings: Claire's
Frugal Frocks in Armstrong, B.C. (who I profiled in this post last year)
Navy blue thin knit shrug: Sears
Hell Bunny Constance vintage style dress: JBR Clothing
Dark blue faux leather belt: Unknown, had for years (possibly Joe Fresh)
Vintage white lace gloves: eBay
Lux de Ville Bon Voyage Black & White Sparkle Kiss Lock Purse: JBR Clothing
Black seamed nude stockings: eBay
Dark blue faux patent leather pumps: Payless
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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This past weekend was an uber busy one (during which I slipped in a few moments to take the photos seen here today on a lovely spring blossom adorned pathway in downtown Penticton), as I scuttled about the nearby city of Kelowna sourcing some seriously awesome items for my Etsy shop. These include – but are not limited to - a black Victorian mourning caplet embellished with sequins and seed beads, multiple pairs of vintage leather gloves, several Victorian to 1950s brooches (and pairs of earrings), a WW2 sweetheart ring, and two early twentieth century necklaces, all of which I'll be photographing this month and adding to the shop over the summer.

This was one of my most success weekend of sourcing for the shop here locally to date and I'm hoping that the same kind of luck will continue when we're in Vancouver soon. How soon? We'll we'll be hosting anchor (okay, turning over the engine - but "hoisting the anchor" sounds so much more exotic and exciting, don't you think?) bright and early this Friday and will be gone for a week. Just as when we were in Calgary last year, my mom will be house sitting and tending to our cat, Stella, while Annie - our now 1.5 year old (crazy, I know!) dog will be residing at a local boarding kennel that she just loves (she's uber social and adores that she gets to have a holiday, too, and hang out with several fellow canine companions for a few days).

While Tony is immensely hard at work at tech event there for most of that time, so long as my health cooperates, I'll be dividing my days between hunting for vintage treasures, visiting local sites, and hopefully getting some much needed R&R in a city I love passionately, but haven't been to in nearly seven and a half years now. While I'm away, I've lined up some seriously exciting guest posts from some of my favourite vintage and fashion bloggers in the whole wide world for you to enjoy in lieu of my own posts for a few days. (There will be another new post from me here on the morning of the June 6th, the day we leave for Vancouver, and then I plan to start blogging again myself on the 14th or 15th, once we're home from our travels.)

Believe it or not, this will be the first time in Chronically Vintage's more than five years of life that I've ever had guest bloggers before. I'm super excited about it and really want to thank all those who have supplied me with posts to keep the blog buzzing in my week-long absence.

Though I certainly lucked out on the vintage finding front last weekend, none of those items are headed for my own closet, they're all land in the shop in the coming weeks. My wardrobe was bolstered recently however by the wonderful addition of my first two pieces from the online US powerhouse of vintage reproduction and rockabilly fashion that is JBR Clothing.

I've been chatting with some of the lovely folks there about a collaboration for a while now and it was decided that a product review, plus an exclusive coupon code for my readers, would be an ideal way to go. I was kindly permitted to select from a number of JBR's offerings, and happily settled upon the gorgeous - and unexpectedly, subtly, and rather fabulously goth (look closely at the toil pattern, there are skulls and owls interspersed between the other design elements) Constance Dress from Hell Bunny and the uber cool Lux de Ville Bon Voyage Black & White Sparkle Kiss Lock Purse.

Neither of these products are currently in stock at JBR, but don't let that put you off them of their awesome offerings for the tiniest of moments. With a roster of brands in their inventory such as Stop Staring!, Hell Bunny, H&R London, B.A.I.T Footwear, Bettie Page, Folter, Lucky 13, Sourpuss Clothing, Unique Vintage, Voodoo Vixen, and Besame Cosmetics amongst scores of others, there is no short of swoon-worthily amazing vintage inspired, vintage repro, pinup girl, rockabilly, and psychobilly offerings to pique the interest of vintage and alt fans the world over.

This is my second Hell Bunny dress (and first from JBR) and I was/am thoroughly impressed with it. Made of a soft, but certainly not flimsy cotton, it is comfortable, breathable, and beautiful. The fit is true, the length ideal (for me at least), the colours vivid, and the cut of the garment is strikingly mid-century (it has cute little cap sleeves which you can't really see in my photos because of my blue shrug). I've worn this dress twice already and am sure I will sport it often, as it has that highly desirable quality of being able to be dressed up or dressed down to your heart's content.

The other item that I received from JBR Clothing is a gorgeous black and silver sparkle imbued kiss lick Bon Voyage handbag. This purse is extremely well made, durable, roomy, and eye-catchingly attractive. I couldn't stop gazing down at it on the weekend as the sparkles twinkled in the sunlight. Though a fairly heavy, by my personal standards, purse even when empty, the fact that the handles are long enough to allow you to wear it either over your shoulder, on your forearm, or carried by hand helps give you the ability to find the most comfortable option possible and I did find that after a while of wearing it, I didn't notice the weight as much (which is saying a lot, as some of my health problems leave me with very little upper body strength and an inability to carry heavy things for long).

I love both of these great vintage inspired pieces from JBR Clothing and want to sincerely thank the company for sending them my way, as well as for offering my readers the following fantastic coupon code.

If you'd like to add some of JBR Clothing’s reasonably priced items to your own closet - they ship worldwide (with free shipping on any size domestic order and free shipping on international orders over $100) - you can save yourself some dough by using the coupon code CV15.

Each person who takes advantage of it can use this coupon code once on an order of any size they'd like. It is valid between now and July 13, 2014.

As these last couple of days before Vancouver approach, I'm up to my eyeballs in packing and prep (traveling always takes a good dose of both, but even more so when you're chronically ill), which is keeping me on my toes. I'm also bursting with excitement and making sure that I don't push myself so hard that I become too unwell to travel. That's always a risk in such settings for me, but one that I'm determined not to have happen. My bags are half packed, my house thoroughly cleaned (I never like to leave for a trip without doing a top-to-bottom house cleaning first so that when I return I can just recouped, work through the inevitable flare-ups that traveling causes me, and not worry about dusting, sweeping, folding laundry or anything of that domestic nature for a while), and I've even got my road trip outfit picked out and freshly pressed.

It's so exciting to be headed out on the open highway again and I very much look forward to sharing all about our grand adventures in Vancouver with you here once we're home again - with a bit of luck, accompanied by oodles of cool new vintage finds for my Etsy shop and perhaps one or two special items for myself as well! :)

We're going to see the sea!

{Soft pink and vibrant turquoise has to be one of the most appealing colour combinations of all time! A single glance and it's a cinch to see why these shades were so popular during the 1950s. It's from that decade that this beautiful velvet and satin hat with its almost origami like folds of fabric hails, and it is as stunning today as when it was minted nearly sixty years ago. $14.00 from Glitter Death Boutique.}




{Cast using a real dried starfish as the mold, these sweet, immensely pretty gold plated brass starfish earrings sing with the spirit of the sea, yet are not so overtly nautical inspired as to not be a (warm ocean) breeze to wear with all manner of of outfits. $40.00 from Maria Studio.}




{Though I have yet to try their offerings myself, for quite some time now I've been hearing rave reviews about the brand Lip Crime's colour rich lipsticks from many a vintage and non-vintage fashionista alike. My interest is thoroughly piqued and if I was going to add some to my cart today, a bold, but still very wearable, summertime gorgeous pink like this shade, called Geradium would be one of my first choices. $18.00 from Lime Crime.}




{Oh how I love (underline that a hundred times at least!) this curve hugging, classically beautiful, cheerfully hued 1950s linen blend wiggle dress. Not only is cute - and stylish - as a button, but it will help keep you cool on even the most parching of summer days. Fits up to a 35" bust/28" waist. $115.00 from Blue Velvet Vintage.}




{This enchantingly lovely 1950s barkcloth purse stole my breath clean away the moment I laid eyes on it. Both beautiful and generously sized, it features an elegant Asian Garden design complete with strategically placed mother-of-pearl embellishments and a classic cream coloured opaque handle. This is an instantly captivating vintage handbag if ever there was! $36.00 from Vintage Wise.}




{The colours and design of this timelessly gorgeous 1950s/1960s Emmons gold toned and aqua moonglow brooch instantly make me think of marine vegetation swaying in the ocean current and would smashing on a summer suit, blouse or dress. This chicly pretty vintage pin is $25.00 and comes by way of Chronically Vintage on Etsy.}




{I have such a thing for single note and simple blend perfumes, colognes and scented oils like this wonderfully lovely sounding blend of carnation, lily and white grapefruit, dubbed Sea Breeze, all of which sound so enchantingly perfect for summer. $10.00 for an 8ml roller ball container from Symbolic Imports.}




{There is just something about the start of the truly warm segment of the year that makes me gaga about the colour gold! I paint it on my toes and tips alike, turn to it for jewelry, and even like nesting gold toned brooches in my hair sometimes. This year I'm wishing something fierce for a gold hued pair of strappy sandals and these metallic leather stunners - Persia from from Miss L Fire - would fit that bill rather fabulously. $175.00 from Miss L Fire.}

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As you may have guessed by the title and theme of this month's Vintage Fashionista Friday post (as mentioned in last month's edition, from now I'm going to be using more interesting titles instead of just calling them VFF and their respective post date), a wee spot of travel may soon be in the cards.

In early June Tony will be presenting at a work related tech event in Vancouver (BC - not Vancouver, Washington, though I'd love to see that city one day!) and if my health will permit, I'm going to be tagging along with him.

Though not epically far away from us, at about a 4.5 hour drive, Vancouver is still a hefty trip for me and is one I've not yet taken even so much as once since we moved back to BC in early 2012. In fact, I haven't been there since January 2007, and last I was in that beguiling beautiful and endlessly bustling city, it was the dead of an icy winter and I had a horrible head and chest cold, so it wasn't exactly a dream holiday.

As Tony will be working for a lot of it, this isn't going to be a vacation (for him at least), but it will be a getaway nevertheless and while he's hard at work shining like the tech star that he is, I'll be alternating between trying to recharge my batteries and doing some serious sourcing, if all goes well, for the shop.

Having not been to Vancouver in so long, I'm not overly familiar with the vintage and thrift shopping scene there any more, but I do keep a running list of stores in the area and look forward to getting to know as many of them as time and circumstance will permit. This will be my first ever buying trip for the shop that takes me beyond the borders of the Okanagan, so I'm bursting with excitement at the prospect.

I'm also flat out giddy to see Vancouver again. I was born and stone's throw from Rain City, as Van is sometimes called (due as the name implies, to the large amount of precipitation it receives annually), and lived in the Lower Mainland (the southernmost portion of British Columbia of which Vancouver is a key player) until shortly before my 9th birthday, so its a part of the world I'm well acquainted with and which I've always held a particularly special spot in my heart for.

Vancouver is famous - and in some cases, infamous - for a lot of things, from Stanley Park and its towering totem poles to scrumptious eats at Granville Island Market, a bevy of marine life at the Vancouver Aquarium to the sublimely stunning Pacific Ocean, where some of those marine critters at the aquarium (or at least their ancestors) originally hailed from.

I've missed the sea. Not a little, but a rather massive amount. Yes, the Okanagan is teaming with gorgeous lakes and beaches, all of which are fabulous and not something that I take for granted in the slightest, but ultimately, fresh water bodies of water that they are, these lakes big and small like, are not the ocean.

They don't have that telltale, tickle the inside of your nostrils scent of salt. One does not look out at them and see huge red and black and brown cargo ships transporting untold numbers of goods into this country from foreign ports. They don't have tiny terracotta hued crabs scuttling across their sands, five thousand seagulls always ready to converge on a single dropped French fry, or the kind of sunsets - breathtaking as the Symphony of Fire - that only the atmospheric conditions of the damp Pacific coast can produce.

A longing for the sea has clung to my soul like steadfast barnacles since the moment my family moved north to the Okanagan all the way back in 1993 and I will, without giving it a second thought, pounce - like one of those aforementioned gulls - at the chance to visit again any time I can. I'm crossing every finger and toe that I'll be well enough on the health front to accompany Tony next month and if I do, I'll be packing much along the lines of the late spring ensemble featured in this month's edition of Vintage Fashionista Friday.

One other change that you may have noticed here is that I've also decided to drop the practice of using a woman's name to lead off the post series with. As the titles themselves are now more dynamic, I didn't feel that the two went hand-in-hand very well any more. Aside from those changes, this post is, and will remain the same in terms of the type of content featured and that fact that a new one should appear here every month or so.

Keep your fingers crossed with me, my dears - I'll be sure to let you know as we get closer to June if I will indeed be headed to vivacious, marvelous Vancouver this season. Oh, how I hope so!!!