Choosing and Using Free Vintage Hat Patterns

For today's guest post (while Tony and I continue our exciting holiday to Edmonton), I'm sincerely honoured to have none other than my good friend Tanith Rowan - whose incredible millinery work you may remember from such CV posts as this & this - sharing some of her vast, inspiring knowledge on how to select and use free vintage hat patterns with all of you.

Even if you're not a sewer, if - like me - you go weak in the knees for old school chapeaus, chances are this delightful guest post (which I want to sincerely thank Tanith - be sure to swing by her beautiful Etsy shop - for writing) will be right up your alley.

 
Vintage magazines and newspapers are one of my favourite places to find inspiration and information, and I love researching hats this way. While doing so, I was stumbling on the occasional free hat pattern, and I was keen to try them out.

After my first attempt went quite well, I wanted to do more, and started a project to make and review the free patterns I found on Trove, the online database of the National Library of Australia. So far I have completed six hats and am working on my seventh right now. It hasn't been easy, (in fact, it has been extremely frustrating at times!) but I'm getting better at working through the maze of brief and vague instructions, pattern drafting and mysterious terminology.

So what have I learned about using free vintage hat patterns? Below are some tips for working through each stage of the process, but overall I've found that the most important things are to be willing to experiment and to trust your common sense and experience.

(1939 Doll's Hat )

 

Finding and selecting your pattern

I have been specifically searching one online archive database but there are many other places to look. Using a search engine may turn up some good results but it can sometimes be hard to narrow the search to what you want. Searching on Pinterest is often good, because it is a place where people often share free pattern resources, and you may find people have boards specifically for free vintage patterns or even free hat patterns.

The best terms to search for will depend on where you are searching. If you are using Pinterest, for example, the pinner will often have used descriptive terms for the pin or the board, so searching for “free vintage hat pattern” will get you somewhere, and modern terms like “DIY” and “tutorial” will yield results too.

When searching a database, the terms that come up will be those from the original article, so although “pattern” is still good, also consider “instructions” “directions” “how to” “make at home” “make this hat” and so on. Once I started to find patterns, I looked at what expressions they were using in the title and text, and added those to my list of search terms.

If you already know what era you are looking for, use this information to guide your search. You can include the decade when using a search engine or Pinterest (although keep in mind not everyone knows what they are talking about), and a database may have an advanced search option to narrow down the results to a specific date range.

With a style in mind, try searching for that too, and try multiple options if the style has a few names it might be known by.

(1949 Pixie Hat)

When choosing a pattern to try, keep in mind where and how you will wear the hat, and with what (unless, like me, you are making hats for the fun of it and as a learning experience). Some of the hats you will find are distinctly dressy, others more casual, some very wearable with modern clothes, other distinctly “vintage”.

The reality is, that I wouldn't wear many of these hats myself, and maybe that is true for you too, so be critical and sensible about your style and wardrobe needs. I adored the 1949 pixie hat, but I honestly wouldn't wear it as is. I'm still working on tweaks for that pattern, but one thing I did was scale it down – it makes an adorable toddler hat!

Also look at the images critically. How accurate is that illustration likely to be? How much of the appeal of the photo is in the styling and how much is the hat itself? How will it look with your hair and make-up (or not) and outfits? The 1954 scarf hat really has nothing going for it without the whole look being in place, and the illustration for the 1934 “Vagabond Beret” had an illustration that led a lot of people to think it would look completely different!

(1949 Pixie Hat for a toddler)

Drafting Patterns

One of the more frustrating parts! Many will be on a grid for you to enlarge, which is slow but at least allows accuracy. If you don't care to draw up a 1-inch grid, you can find and download 1-inch grid paper online and print it out. Just make sure they print at the true size. I usually start drawing with the key points and straight lines, then draw in the curves.

They are often hand drawn in the original diagram and rarely symmetrical, even if they probably should be! You can choose to fix these things up if it matters to you. It bothered me a lot when I started and now I'm embracing asymmetry a bit more.

Without a grid, you may need to use a bit of mathematics. If that isn't your strong suit – just ask for help! A bit of knowledge about the measurements of circles will go a long way. Hopefully all the necessary measurements are given, but you may sometimes not have every detail and just have to do your best to make it look like the original! As I said, it's frustrating.

(1954 Scarf Hat)

You may need to adjust the size. For the 1954 scarf hat, I ended up making three versions because it was so small, and then I just assumed my changes would be enough. It would have been worth doing a bit more checking on the pattern before continuing.

One way to do this, which I tried with the 1934 “Vagabond Beret” to save myself heartache, is to draw the stitching lines on to your pattern, I.e. measure the seam allowance in from each edge (and now is a good time to mention that they rarely tell you what seam allowance, if any, is included).

Measure the head-size part of the stitching line and compare it to your head measurement, remembering to include some ease (approximately 1 cm should be sufficient) and to measure your head where the hat will actually sit.

(1934 Vagabond Beret)

Modern vs Vintage Materials

Luckily a lot of the hat patterns available will be for sewn fabric hats, and although they might use unusual fabrics, you can usually look them up online and find out what type of modern fabric is equivalent.

One thing that often comes up is sparterie or esparterie, which is a stiff foundation material traditionally made from willow. There are modern versions of sparterie being made, but I haven't personally used them, and I generally substitute millinery buckram instead. If you aren't sure what to use, try something and see!

The earlier the pattern, the more likely it is to use materials that are unusual and unknown to most of us now. Earlier patterns also seem to be the least detailed and make the most assumptions about your skills and knowledge of millinery and sewing in general. I generally find that patterns from the 1940s onwards make a lot of sense to me, but sometimes I can't make head or tail of earlier ones.

(The 1953 Scarf Hat almost beat me)

Construction

Be ready to use some trial-and-error!
 
Vintage patterns, especially those squeezing into a small space in a magazine, are not going to give you a lot of detail. If, like me, you are used to working with modern patterns that spell everything out, an instruction that simply says “join brim to crown”, might be intimidating. This is common, and even more so for attaching trims. The instructions often finish with fabulous sentences like “Trim with veil and a feather.”

But you know what? It's because it doesn't really matter how you do it. I'm definitely someone who wants to know the “right way”, but the right way is the one that you like, that works, and that is neat enough to meet your own standards.

(1953 Scarf Hat)

Read everything through before you start. Firstly, it will prepare you for those vague instructions and secondly it will help you make a good fabric choice. In the 1949 pixie hat pattern, for example, the fabric for the brim had to have some stretch or give, because the construction process involved stretching it over the buckram brim to fit. I had to start again on that one because I didn't check that detail and my fabric wasn't able to stretch.

Be prepared to make a first test version, especially if you want to use an expensive fabric. The size of a hat doesn't have to be far off before fit is a problem, and with vague instructions, it is all too easy to make a mistake.

Remember to trust your common sense and your own judgement. When in doubt about what you are supposed to be doing, keep the end goal in mind, keep looking at the pictures and nudge things in that direction when necessary!

Have patience, and if needs be, throw it across the room and leave it there for a week.

(1954 Butterfly Cap)

I hope I haven't made it sound like a dreadful task that no one should attempt.

Despite the difficulties, there are some great patterns out there and working them out is an adventure with big rewards.

♥ Tanith

Embellishing a Hat to Suit Your Style

Hi everyone! My name is Nicole and I run The Artyologist, a blog about vintage, sewing, fashion, lifestyle, and art. I've been following Chronically Vintage for a few years now, so I was thrilled when Jessica asked me to write a guest post for her while she is on holidays (to Edmonton)!

I love vintage style, and have worn it for about five years now. However, I have a confession: I don't own many real vintage garments! I mostly rely on what I can alter or make myself, adding in accessories to get a vintage-style look.

Many of my "vintage" garments are actually ones that I have sewn myself, or are thrift store finds that I have changed up in some way in order to look vintage, whether that means adding embellishments, changing buttons, hemming to a better length or altering to fit.

The sad, but true, reality of vintage is that there is a finite amount of it left in the world. Does this mean that those who can't afford or find true vintage have to miss out on this wonderful fashion style, though?

No way! Just as with any other trend or style, as in centuries past, women have made for themselves what they couldn't afford or find, and in my wardrobe, I live by this principle today too, "vintageifying" things so they fit my style.

Hats are great accessories for really pulling an outfit together, but sometimes it can be hard to find good hats that are not in disrepair (shattered veils, in-washable stains, moth holes...) and putting together a hat collection, when a hat that is in good shape costs a lot, is just not feasible for many of us vintage lovers.

This is why, in recent months, I have turned to refashioning hats: so I can get that vintage look, without spending a lot. (And it is also why I am seriously regretting getting rid of those hats I didn't like, instead of altering them! Save yourself- don't do that!)

I picked up this little black hat for a song, earlier this spring, from an antique store, along with a couple other hats that really needed some help. I remember seeing this hat a few years ago in West Edmonton Mall (I recognized the label) so I know that this hat is not actually vintage.

When I saw it new, a few years ago, I thought the embellishment on it was soooo boring, that I passed on it, thinking that, although it would be a good starting point for a refashioned hat, the price wasn't worth it.

However, when I saw it for sale second hand, in good condition and at a much better price point than it was new, I picked it up thinking, like Lydia from Pride and Prejudice, "Look here, I have bought this bonnet. I do not think it is very pretty; but I thought I might as well buy it as not. I shall pull it to pieces as soon as I get home, and see if I can make it up any better."

Soon after buying this hat, I came across this image from Philip Treacy's Autumn/Winter 2015 collection, and fell in love with it. (In case you are wondering who Philip Treacy is, he is a UK milliner who designs hats for the Royal Family.)

Go and look at his hats- they are jaw droppingly gorgeous!  ) I absolutely love this hat: it is so outrageous and over the top, and really what's not to love about mint?

As soon as I saw it, I started thinking about how I could make something similar, and I decided that a large flower on my black hat would be just the thing. So, here is how I created the flower, and how I styled the finished hat for a 1940's look.

I decided to make the flower out of chiffon, as we happened to have scads of it left over from a past project. You could use stiffer organza too- which would give you a rounder pompom shape, or tulle or netting, which would be softer. I cut out a ton of circles, 5 inches in diameter.

You will need 30-50 circles depending on the material and stiffness, and how full you want the flower to be. Don't worry about being too precise, as the edges will be melted and the pieces will be gathered for the final flower. And definitely do cut your circles through several layers at once, to save yourself time!

I didn't want the fabric to fray to pieces, so I decide to finish the edges by singeing them. Singe the fabric by CAREFULLY holding the material over a candle until the edges start to melt and curl. Be very careful with this! You are literally holding a meltable material over top of a flame!

You will need to hold the fabric about 6 inches away from the flame and slowly dip in and out and across so the heat starts to curl it. You don't need to bring the fabric too close, otherwise the heat will start melting the whole circle, rather than just the edge. (Voice of experience. . . )

Once you have singed the fabric, you will be left with curled lily pad shaped petals. Take a circle and fold it into quarters. Stitch through the corner of the folded piece, catching all 4 layers, and loop to tie a knot so it won't pull through the fabric.

Continue to string together the folded circles using the same method, until the flower is at your desired fullness. Once you get a fuller shape, you can gather some of the centre petals so they are fuller, as the soft fabric likes to "flop".

If your fabric is stiffer you can continue stringing until you get a pompom shape. For mine, with the soft chiffon, I gathered the entire flower together in my hand and stitched through the entire bottom of the flower to give it some shape. Really just play around with the fabric and arrange it into a nice shape.- there isn't really a hard and fast method.

Sew a button, a bead, a stuffed piece of fabric, or really anything in the centre. I did this, because my chiffon was too soft to form a pompom. However, like I said before, if your fabric is stiffer, just keep adding to it and you will get a lovely round shape and won't need a button at all. Also, I ended up switching out to a black button in the end, instead of the silver one pictured.


Sew a little round felt disk to the bottom, to keep the flower in shape. If possible, do not glue the flower onto your hat! I have other hats which have been hot glued, and it is just nasty to try and fix later on. Sew it onto the hat with cotton, or other natural fibre, thread.

Don't use a polyester blend thread, as over time polyester can cut natural fibres, and you will be left with a hat full of holes. You could also add a brooch pin to the flower, instead of sewing it directly to the hat, so it is removable.

And that is it!

This hat was so completely and utterly boring to start with. They really had a good thing going with the veil and the leaves. . . and then it's like they ran out of ideas, so they just plunked a little brooch on top. (At least it was removable so now, not only do I have a hat, I also have a brooch!)

I don't even have a before picture of this hat on my head, because it was severely unflattering. However, the giant pompom like flower in Philip Treacy's hat, is really what this hat was missing.

Mine turned out a lot smaller than I was planning, and less poufy, but I think it totally works for the style of the hat, and I really like it. By simply adding some embellishment, this hat is now completely revitalized and it will be a great addition to my winter wardrobe.

I've paired it here with an 80s does 40s dress, and some retro accessories, which makes it look quite vintage. If I hadn't told you, I bet you wouldn't have known. :)

Well, that's all, and I hope this has inspired you to look at the garments and accessories you have, with an eye towards how to make them work for you.

Maybe it will inspire you to pick up that ugly hat or dress you would usually pass up in the thrift store, and refashion it to become your new favourite piece. Maybe all it needs, like this hat, is a large and obnoxious flower!

♥ Nicole

On Being Married to a Time Traveller

Today, on our 11th wedding anniversary, I have a special treat for you: a deeply beautiful - and incredibly touching - guest post written by my beloved husband, Tony, who wanted to share some of his poetically eloquent thoughts on what it's like to be married to a vintage lover with the blogging world.



I met my wife on the first day of spring over a decade ago. It’s the only day of the year in which day and night are equal in length. Just as she, I would later come to find out, lives equally in the present and in the past.

Before meeting in person (we met online) Jessica described her hourglass figure as akin to that of a lady of other times. A ‘Renaissance painting’, I believe, was the term that she used. Though she was referring to her curvaceous body, her description betrayed a certain nostalgia. A wistful affection for the past that I'm no stranger to myself.

Her brand of nostalgia is a special kind however. Her longing is not just for happy times lived a decade or two ago when everything was a possibility and the world a wondrous place in the eyes of our younger selves.  No. Her nostalgia is for times never lived firsthand and long gone. Times forgotten by most. But not by my wife.

The past was after all the present for so many now forgotten souls. Their hopes and dreams, their fears, their daily struggles and joys, their accomplishments and failures, their style and mannerisms, their recipes. All overlooked by most of society as quaint or even unimportant details these days. We have to live our own present and focus on the future. No time to look back; there are bills to pay, apps to run on glowing screens.

Time is a gentle wind, but it never rests. And we are all but leaves carried away, flying in the air, stumbling, touching the ground, hitting a tree or two, and then soaring, before falling again. Merely passengers sharing the same sky, occasionally flying into each other. "Avec le temps, va, tout s’en va."

Those forgotten, expired leaves in the wind deeply matter to Jessica. She takes stock of their passing like she would do for friend who left too soon, without a chance to exchange a few more tender words.

My wife is not normal. Not even close. Everything about her is shaped by her passion for the past. Her taste in movies and music, her vocabulary, her clothing, her class, and her graceful elegance. Each aspect of her reminds you of a lady living in another time.

{Image from Tony's Instagram account}

"Are you an actress in a play?", we often hear from inquiring minds. Her reply, "No, I just really love, and therefore choose to wear, vintage style all the time", surprises people. Some can hardly contain their suspicion for a person who has violated the social norm by simply showing up and being herself. A different self from what is expected. Others root for her, clearly wishing they had the same courage. Because courage is what it takes to break rank so conspicuously.

To those who think she is weird I say that they are right. She is weird to the minds of those who never allowed themselves to color outside the lines. To the rest of us, she is wonderful, imaginative, unique, herself, original, colorful. She's a 1940s feather hat in a hat-less world; a poodle skirt in a crowd of leggings. Seeing her amongst 21st century society is like a sudden rain shower in August that penetrates your clothes, to refresh and surprise you as it kisses your skin.

Being married to a time traveller is an adventure at the edge of multiple ages. Every new place that we visit is examined through the lens of the past that led to its current state. I tag along as I see her approaching this past with the respect of someone who is happily willing to listen without interrupting.

To some she is embodies a unique style no longer in vogue. Other see her as an eccentric. Less understanding eyes might go as far as considering her an attention seeker. That's not what Jess is about in the slightest. The moon doesn’t put on a show each night to be seen and admired. She does so because that’s who she is.

Make no mistake. Much like fictional time travellers, Jess cannot stay in the past indefinitely and has no desire to actually live indefinitely - where such possible - in the decades she hold so dear. Her chronic medical conditions alone wouldn’t have allowed her to survive even a few short decades ago. Her trips to days long gone then must be brief.

With each one she brings the most worthwhile elements of the past into the present. Elements worth preserving and celebrating. Never to be forgotten again. Not if she can help it at least.

So she goes on, preserving the past, surviving the present, taking romantic dates in nostalgic lands and times.

Tony's Jord Watch Review and Giveaway

Today, as I continue to slog my way through the flu and could wholeheartedly use a guest post to keep things hopping on the blogging front, I'm elated to bring you a Chronically Vintage first in the form of an awesome product review written and photographed by my darling husband, Tony. Most of you know of Tony through what I’ve said about him in my posts and the stunning images he takes of me for my vintage outfit posts here, but until now, you hadn't gotten a chance to experience his own style of blog writing firsthand.

Earlier this year I was contacted by popular wooden watch company Jord in regards to the possibility of doing a product review. As almost all wristwatches in general include metal, which often houses nickel, I knew that properly wearing and in turn reviewing one of these myself wouldn't be a possibility (don't let the words "stainless steel" fool you into thinking something metal, such as a watch back, is nickel-free; many steels, stainless and otherwise, contain some nickel). 

My mind, however, instantly turned to Tony, who has an excellent eye for men's accessories and is a keen watch wearer, so I proposed the idea to the company of having Tony pen just such a post and they were totally on board with that plan. 

Below you’ll find Tony's engaging, informative Jord watch review, followed by giveaway details so that you can enter to win a Jord wooden watch for yourself – or, if you prefer, to give a wonderful gift to a special chap in your own life.



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Apple has recently announced their hugely anticipated smartwatch. They are not alone in this field however. It seems as though all of a sudden, the whole gadget industry is reevaluating their stance on wristwear. For almost two decades mobile phones (and more recently smartphones) have engaged in an unintentional war against wristwatches. After all who needs a watch when you can just take a quick glance at your phone?

Perhaps it's the desire to have a computer on our wrist (an idea first implemented decades ago, to the delight of many geeks, by Casio). Or maybe we've come to the realization that looking at one’s wrist is a much quicker process than trying to fish increasingly larger devices from our pockets (or purses for most ladies). The fact is, the watch is back.

Fear not, I'm won’t keep on talking about smartwatches on a blog committed to celebrating the past. Even though I own one (namely a Pebble) and like it well enough. Instead I’ll discuss the type of watch that doesn’t require daily (or weekly) recharges. The kind of watch that will not notify you of text messages and emails, interrupting your dinner or conversation. No, I’m here to chat about a good old fashioned, traditional wristwatch, worn as for the sake of appearance and function, and for the simple purpose of telling time.

In this post, I'm going to be reviewing a Jord Sully watch in Cherry wood, which I received for free from the company so that I could give you my honest opinion, and by extension comment on their whole series of wood watches. I’ll start with a negative comment, the only one I managed to muster, so as to get it out our way. Wood, however stabilized, it's not the type of material that you take swimming. Jord watches are splash proof, but you shouldn’t submerge them. That's a limitation, but one I can personally live with.





Now, for the abundant amount of positives, let's start with its looks and price point. The watch I selected sells for an affordable $139 US, and their range currently goes from $129 to $295 US, depending on which model you choose. In the world of modern wristwatches, these are very reasonable prices.




When I first received the watch and opened the elegant box (pictured below), I was surprised by how visually stunning it was compared to the online pictures. There is something about the appearance of wood that can’t quite be aptly captured with a still picture. The nature of the material also guarantees that each watch is unique. No two watches are going to be exactly the same, much like human DNA or fingerprints.




Wood items can be heavy at at times, but not these stylish Jord timepieces. I was genuinely surprised by the appealingly lightweight nature of this watch, as I had somehow expected a much heavier watch. Yet, despite the fairly large case width (i.e., 49mm which is almost two inches) the watch only weighs 59 grams (a couple of ounces for the imperially inclined). This makes it very comfortable to wear, so much so that I forgot at times I had it on. Compared to most of the other watches I have, it’s noticeably lighter. For example, my (metal) Guess watch with a significantly smaller case width sits at 133 grams, more than double the Jord weight.







The case "glass" is scratch resistant, the clasp is secure and easy to operate, and the more than respectable movement (i.e., a Citizen Miyota Quartz) ensures that it will keep time as expected.

Being made with a selection of natural, sustainable woods from all over the world, Jord watches are eco-friendly and can be seen as a fashion statement along the same lines (the US-based company is aptly named, given that in Norse mythology, Jord is Thor’s mother and the personification of the Earth).




In short, it's an eco-friendly, reliable, beautiful timepiece, with a classic, old school charm to it. Its unusual, and very attractive, looks will definitely grab people's attention wherever you go.





If my review has piqued your interest in wooden watches, the great news is that Jord is offering a giveaway for a $139.00 store credit plus free shipping to one lucky Chronically Vintage reader. I'll let Jess explain the particulars of how to participate below. In addition, you can also save on the Jord’s regular prices by using the coupon code 6503901 (valid for the first 25 uses before December 21, 2014), which will get you 5% off on any purchase.

I invite you to join the giveaway and take advantage of the discount, as a Jord watch would definitely make for a great gift for the men in your life, and with the recently launched ladies series, also an excellent and very stylish jewelry piece for yourself (my apologies to male readers, but the big assumption here is that most CV readers are beautiful vintage wearing ladies).

All photography in this post by Tony Cangiano

♥ ♥ ♥

Giveaway details:


Jord has very kindly teamed up with Chronically Vintage to offer one lucky giveaway participant the chance to win a Jord watch of their choice by way of a store credit of $139.00 US plus free shipping on the watch that they select.

This contest is open to readers world wide and will run until 11:59 PST on Tuesday October 28, 2014. The winner will be selected using a random number generator and announced on Facebook and/or Twitter, and contacted by email or Facebook private message, if such contact information is publicly available.

There are five ways to enter this Jord store credit giveaway, and you're welcome to take part in as many of them as you would like. Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry method that you do, so as to increase your odds of winning.


1. Leave a comment on this post letting us know what your favourite Jord wooden watch is and how you might either style it yourself or who you'd give it to as a gift.

2. Follow Jord on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway, including a link to Jord's Twitter account and this Chronically Vintage post.

3. Like Jord on Facebook and post about this giveaway on your own account, with a link to this post.

4. Follow, or be an existing follower of Chronically Vintage on Bloglovin’.

5. Follow, or be an existing follower of Chronically Vintage on Instagram.

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A huge thanks to Jord for partnering with Tony and I for this fun product review and wood watch store credit giveaway, as well as to my endlessly sweet husband for his inaugural Chronically Vintage post. If you'd like to see future guest posts from Tony on various subjects, please don't hesitate to let us know in your comments below.

Best of luck to everyone who enters the giveaway - be sure to stay turned next week on Facebook and Twitter to see who won!

♥ Tony & Jessica

On Having a Love for Vintage Books

A world without books is unfathomable to me (an avid lifelong bookworm), just as I know it is for my very dear friend and fellow vintage blogger, Inky, who shone the spotlight on her deeply rooted passion for vintage books in her wonderful guest post today.

For many who are both bibliophiles and vintage fans, combining these two passions is as natural as drawing breath, and such is definitely the case for the endlessly lovely, Inky, who frequent posts about the books (old school and contemporary alike) that she reads on her site. As someone who is never without at least a couple of books on the go and an ever expanding collection of vintage titles on my shelves, this post is that's entirely after my own heart and I sincerely want to thank Inky for penning it for Chronically Vintage while Tony and I are enjoying the tail end of our splendid trip to Vancouver Island.

♥  ♥  ♥

Hi everyone, I'm Inky from On Shoes and Ships and Sealing-Wax! First of all, I want to thank lovely Jessica for having me do a guest post today, I feel so honored to have been invited! When Jessica asked me to do this one of the first things that came to mind, knowing that we both enjoy reading, was the topic of vintage and antique books.




While I love vintage in general, for me there’s something special about vintage books and, unlike dresses or jewelry, I feel like we get to know just a little bit more about the former owner. In many cases, names grace the inside covers written in perfect cursive or a childish scribble. Some come with things tucked inside them. Letters, receipts, newspaper clippings, each telling us something about the person and the time they were from.




Often you find a new friend in these books. They may have been long abandoned by publishers in exchange for newer more popular titles, but someone treasured them enough to keep them over time. Several such books I’ve picked up have become favorites, such as a Soap Behind the Ears by Cornelia Otis Skinner and Rich Girl, Poor Girl by Ruth Dewey Groves both which delighted me to no end.




Some of my books are for more practical purposes, while others I’ve bought on a whim having taken a fancy to the lovely illustrations or an amusing first line. Others still, have made their way into my collection just because I loved the book to begin with and was thrilled to find an older copy, such as with many a fairy tale book.




I adore how you can learn so much about the time period in which they were written whether it be through the style of the writing, the details in the book itself, or, if it’s non-fiction, the way the information is presented. Each offering a great way for us to take a peek into the past and a look at the way they perceived what was going on in the world around them.







From an early age I’ve had a love for these books starting with a handful from my parents’ childhood and with the Nancy Drew and Judy Bolton books that belonged to my grandmother and great-aunts. In no way has this love lessened over the years and I’m sure it will only continue to grow.




Thanks again for having me, Jessica, and thank you Chronically Vintage readers for reading what I have to say about vintage books!

♥ Inky

A knitted timeline of vintage hats

For our first post in October (my favourite month of the year, bar none), I'm nothing short of elated to bring you an excellent, engaging, photo filled look at the history of knitted hats, with scores of handmade examples, as presented by my dear friend, and fellow vintage blogger, Kate-Em, who is one seriously talented knitter! Kate-Em and I become fast friends online and share much in common, though she's the sole knitter in the relationship, which is all the more reason why I adore and appreciate that you opted to write on this wonderful topic. Thank you very much for doing so, sweet Kate-Em, and for sharing some of your (and your mom's) marvelous, super cozy looking vintage knitting projects with us while I'm on holiday.

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Hello! I am Kate-Em from the blog What Kate-Em Did Next and I am super excited to be guest posting on Chronically Vintage today. When Jessica asked me if I would like to do a guest post, my first thoughts were ‘yes’ followed by ‘it must be on hats’. This came to mind as I know how much Jessica loves hats and I always admire her vintage chapeau collection.

I love the way she tends to accessorize each outfit with one and is passionate about the way that a hat can really make an outfit. I also knew that I wanted to write about knitting as that is one of my major loves, especially knitting from vintage patterns to recreate vintage garments and accessories. I also love discovering pieces of fashion history in this way and like feeling a connection to knitters of the past, which may have previously used that pattern to create something beautiful too. So, as luck would have it, I found that I could combine knitting and hats by creating this knitted timeline.




We are starting in the 1930’s with The Sunday Pictorial Beret from Susan Crawford’s book A Stitch in Time Volume Two. I am sure that we can wear it on other days of the week than Sunday! I love the ribbon detail at the back; it makes it that bit special, whilst still being a practical daytime hat. It is possible to style the beret in a number of different ways depending on where you position it on your head and how much you poof it up. I think I needed more poof, I actually find berets quite difficult to wear which is a shame as I like them a lot. Berets replaced the cloche hats of the 1920’s but were not the only styles that were worn in the 1930’s. Tilt hats, pill boxes and wide sunhats were also popular.




This cute and cozy early 1940’s cap is featured on a pattern that also has a lacy knit headscarf and a tilt cap with a tassel in honeycomb stitch. This interests me as it is a little snapshot of the huge variety of hats that were worn throughout the 1940’s. If you look carefully you can see that the pompoms are multi-coloured and are tied around the top of the hat by a braid made from the three colours used in the pompoms. The original hat was knitted in a mid-grey with scarlet, white and grey pompoms. When I made mine I was stash busting so I used different colours. I imagine that if I was knitting one in the 1940’s I would have made it in complimentary colours to my coat.




I am pretty certain that this turban comes from a wartime pattern as the pattern is very small, consistent with paper rationing. This turban is knitted in moss stitch which gives a lovely texture. It has a cap that fits over the head and an attached long band which the wearer twists and pulls over the cap to achieve the knot at the front. With practise, different shaped knots can be made. Turbans were popular as they were a practical hat for women who went out to work, especially in factories. They were also a good way to hide hair that had not seen a hairdresser as regularly as it used to! The woman on the pattern is wearing it with a very smart checked suit.




Firstly, a big thank you to my mum as she knitted this fabulous hat. We saw it in a Stitchcraft magazine from 1945 and she fancied having a go at it. These are as near to the original colours as we could find, it is so colourful and cheerful. It would brighten up your utility suit and your day no end. It has a wired brim so it can be slightly shaped and on me is best worn at what might be termed a jaunty angle! The model wears it more like a top hat. I think the pompoms are such a fun decoration and it is interesting to note that they were present on lots of knitted items in the 1940s.




This snood and the cap to follow are particularly fitting for this post as they come from a ‘bags, hats and accessories’ book published by a Canadian company. It would have cost fifteen cents to buy! Again, my mum takes credit for these two as they are crocheted and my crochet skills are in no way up to this. Plain snoods, as in coloured but not decorated except maybe by ribbon, are often seen in old photographs etc. but you don’t find beaded ones as often. This snood has little pearl beads scattered over the headband and across one row of the netting. I think it adds interest to have the headband, then a gap and then the bag of the snood. It feels very glamorous to wear; perhaps it is an evening snood! It was originally knitted in Hunter’s Green according to the pattern.




This crocheted cap has these amazing circular earflaps. The cap sits quite far back on your head so from the front you can barely see that you have a cap on and then from the side you get the drama of the earflaps. This is made in as close to the original colours as possible, ecru, black and Hunter’s Green. Both my mum and I are not quite sure about that combination but it is accurate and therefore interesting. It looks really sweet on and I can see that it would work for both day and evening wear. Other popular styles of hat in the 1940’s were pixie caps, trilby types, a fez, toques and skull caps.




I made this purely because the pattern made me giggle and I wanted to know what it would turn out like. I have made it again since and made each petal slightly smaller which gives a neater and better fit. It is like the cap that a pixie or a flower fairy would wear which I think is what helps make it fun and appealing. It is definitely whimsical which was common for hats in the 1950’s. A smart woman of the time would always wear a hat and gloves and many styles of hat were popular including pill boxes, picture hats, Juliet caps, berets, headbands, saddle caps, bucket hats and lampshade styles.




This hat is definitely for your outdoors man and woman as it is a no nonsense pull on designed for practicality and warmth rather than glamour and appeal. That said it does have a pretty design on it which adds interest. I can vouch for its warmth as I wore it last winter and I made my husband one too so that we could have his n hers hats (in a tongue in cheek way) as the pattern suggests. The pattern also features matching socks but I haven’t made them for us. Yet! I wanted to include this hat as it or something similar must have been a daily feature in people’s winter wardrobes yet it won’t be seen in many magazines as it is not the height of fashion.





This is named the Lady's Snuggle Hood and is modeled on the pattern by a woman with a fabulous blunt cut fringe and checked geometric dress which sadly you can only see the shoulders of. When I started knitting it at my knitting group everyone laughed at it and several told me it would look silly on.

Well, maybe it does but I can tell you that it lives up to its name and is gorgeous and snuggly and cozy. If it is cold this winter you will find me wearing it. I also rather like the fact that it makes me feel like a knight going on a crusade, though I suspect I am meant to feel more like a spaceman given the obsession with and interest in space in the 1960’s. Space inspired helmets were popular after the moon landing. Also popular in the 1960’s were berets, pill boxes, baker boy caps, wide brimmed hats and headscarves.

Hooray for hats then. They can make an outfit, make a statement, anchor your outfit in the correct period, provide a distraction, become a talking point, cheer you up and keep you warm. What an amazing amount of variation is encompassed by that little word!

I am always on the look-out for hat patterns. On my needles I currently have a 1940’s cap which has more pompoms as decoration. I have a 1930’s cap pattern lined up and a 1950’s Alice band bonnet to finish which needs a crochet edging and some elastic sewing in. I hope you enjoyed this woolly tour through time and found a vintage knitted hat that would suit your style.

♥ Kate-Em

Five timelessly beautiful vintage fall looks

Every now and then, in the vast expanse of the web, one encounters a friend not only with whom you share common interests, but also mutual battles. Such is the case with the wonderfully dear Lottie Ryan, a fellow vintage lover and longtime chronic illness fighter. Lottie is also a passionate, inspiring writer over at her excellent website Who's That Lady, where she, in her own words, "supports women with chronic illness to achieve it all despite it all, with a touch of magic, a lot of glamour and some wise old notions".

I have the deepest respect and admiration for Lottie and was thrilled when she eagerly agreed to guest post for me while we're away on our fun holiday to Vancouver Island.

As with everyone that I invite to post for Chronically Vintage in my absence, I encouraged Lottie to write on any vintage related topic her heart desired and I had my socks proverbially knocked clean off when the post she sent me was a beautiful look at vintage fall fashion created entirely with items that are for sale in my Etsy shop. Lottie came up with this idea herself and completely surprised me with it (in fact, I was touched to the point of tears by her thoughtfulness and originality). She did a top-notch job of putting together five awesome vintage fall ensembles, which, like Lottie herself, are as sweet and stylish as the day is long.

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While our usual host, the lovely Jessica, is off enjoying a well deserved vacation she’s kindly let me hop on to Chronically Vintage to play with you for the day.
 
What does every vintage gal love to do when she hops into another vintage gal’s world? Head straight for her closet and play dress up of course. Though I can’t literally do that (more’s the pity) as we live in different countries, there is now a Chronically Vintage Etsy store and it's the perfect place to play with its myriad vintage beauties.

I popped along to the store, and with the aid of Polyvore (my new favorite hang out - I'm lottieloves1 there, if you want to connect), I played dress up, and created beautiful vintage ensembles to see us through fall and into the party season.

I had such fun! I can’t promise that all items will still be available, as frankly my closet is crying out for these gems, but to be fair, I’m going to hold off nabbing them until you’ve had a chance to umm and ahh over what tumbled into my virtual closet dreams.

Come on, let’s go play and imagine beautiful days together...




The peachy hues of this ensemble cried out for some autumn love, so I paired it with this autumnal hat and added the most perfect acorn brooch. Just imagine afternoon tea, then a stroll in the park, where leaves crunch under foot and your best friend’s giggle is echoing by your side.




Here I’m vamping it up a little with this green floral wiggle dress and some contrasting blue and gold accessories, including this stunning metal clutch. With this outfit you’re off for a lunch date with your beau, highlighting your delectable curves but leaving it all to the imagination. He won’t be able to take his eyes off you.




Blue, the color of crisp autumnal skies and slow flowing rivers. This ensemble is for the hostess with the mostess to combine with a charming smile and delightful conversation, whilst delicately sipping champagne.




Isn’t this just the most fabulous dress? This ensemble takes you to a cocktail evening, in a beautiful resort, next to white sandy beaches and the cooling, early evening sunshine. A fabulous cocktail and dream boat lover are musts.





Who needs a a little black dress when you can be elegantly divine in this luscious black velvet number? I wouldn’t wear the necklace around my neck but weave it into my hair which swept into soft curls. This calls for an evening of jazz with friends, swaying to the music that has your feet tapping and your heart softly beating with joyous contentment. This ensemble has 'festive party elegance' written all over it don’t you think?

Oh, I’m now lost in a delightful world of afternoon teas, balmy nights and lovers kisses. What a fabulous way to spend my short time here. This Chronically Vintage world is quite something. Do let me know what you think in the comments below, meanwhile thank you for having me over.

Lottie -x-

Vintage Purses with a History by Leah Loverich

This morning's guest post comes by way of one of those ravishingly lovely ladies for whom the word ethereal was invented. From the moment I first discovered Leah's beguilingly beautiful blog and enchanting vintage fashion sense, I was royally smitten. Leah has a great passion for Victorian, early and mid-twentieth century fashions, accessories, jewelry, shoes, ephemera, photographs and other related treasures and an artist's touch when it comes to display and photographing some of her collection for her splendid blog.

Sweet, dreamy, instantly inspiring site that it is, I've been hooked on her blog since that aforementioned first encounter and was thrilled when Leah kindly took me up on my offer to guest post while we're off on our fabulous Vancouver Island holiday (many sincere thanks for doing so, dear gal).

Today she has put together a terrific guest post that shines the well deserved spot onto two sublimely pretty vintage purses, and some of the fascinating history behind them, from her own personal collection. Whether this is your first introduction to Leah or you're a long standing fan as well, I think you'll agree me that there truly is an ethereal quality that runs though every last thing that she shares, writes and creates.

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Hello lovely followers of Chronically Vintage, my name is Leah and I can most often be found blogging over at leahloverich.blogspot.co.uk or sharing the occasional photo over at instagram.com/leahloverich, however today I am absolutely delighted be posting to this wonderful blog of Jessica's, it is an absolute honour and I do hope you all enjoy what I have to share!

THE HISTORY: A VISIT TO A LONDON THEATRE IN 1935

I like to use my blog as a place to document my vintage and antique collecting, and so I often make posts dedicated to sharing photographs of an item, along with sharing details of what I know about the items past, how I have come to own the item, and how I use it, and today I will be doing just that within this post with two of my favourite little sparkly purses...




 







 


 
 


I purchased the dainty purse above at the very beginning of this year along with a few other beaded purses within a box, this one was the very last one I cared to take a look at after having purchased as it was least favourite, though that soon changed when I discovered the little pieces of history within it; two Theatre tickets for the Lyceum in London on the 27th of December 1935! I think this may be the first time/only time so far that I have come by an item of vintage with a piece of evidence attached which proved exactly when the item was used. It does make me wonder though if that was the last time this sweet little purse was ever used before I became the owner...


THE LUCEUM THEATRE FACTS:


- The Lyceum Theatre is a 2,100-seat West End theatre located in the City of Westminster, London.

- There has been a theatre with this name in the locality since 1765.

- The first London exhibition of waxworks displayed by Madame Tussaud was displayed in the Lyceum.

- After a fire, the house was rebuilt and reopened on 14 July 1834 to a design by Samuel Beazley.

- In 1904 the theatre was almost completely rebuilt and richly ornamented in Rococo style by Bertie Crewe, but it retained Beazley's façade and grand portico.

- It played mostly melodrama over the ensuing decades. The building closed in 1939 and was set to be demolished, but it was saved and converted into a Mecca Ballroom in 1951, styled the Lyceum Ballroom, where many well-known bands played.

- The Lyceum was closed in 1986 but restored to theatrical use in 1996 by Holohan Architects. Since 1999, the theatre has hosted The Lion King.

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THE HISTORY: THE BRIDE'S PURSE ON HER 1930s WEDDING DAY

The above copper sequin purse joined my collection a couple of years ago when I purchased a 1930s wedding dress, at the time I hadn't realized that a glitzy little bag and matching wax flower hair crown was included but it certainly did make a lovely surprise! I love the idea of a 1930s bride adding some copper sparkle to her attire in the form of a purse, and well I just adore the idea of this bag having attended a 1930s wedding in general!

It does have some wear, especially to the handle but I always feel that sort of wear can add charm to a vintage item, it shows that the item has been enjoyed enough to eventually cause wear, it must have indeed been loved. I added some history to this purse too when I took it along on a visit to the Ritz London for Afternoon Tea a little over a year ago ...Now that is something I recommend all vintage loving lovelies (and even those who are not so fond of vintage) to place on their "to visit" list.

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Have you ever found a little pieces of history like a ticket or receipt before in an item of vintage?

Thank you for viewing / reading! xx Leah Loverich

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