Vintage peaches and cream and blueberries

Outfit details

Circa 1940s straw hat with flowers: an Etsy seller who has since closed their shop
Plastic peach rose earrings: Handmade by me
Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥
Royal blue cardigan: Garage Clothing Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore

Vintage peach and blue plaid dress: Lovebirds Vintage

Mid-century vintage woven purse with bamboo handles: Yard sale find

1950s/1960s peach gloves: Probably either eBay or thrifted (had for years) 

Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay 

White pumps: Payless 

Lip colour: Made With Love from MAC

Photography by Tony Cangiano

 

♥ ♥ ♥

While the title of today's new vintage outfit post might sound like the beginning of a very delectable summer recipe (perhaps a cobbler, buckle, or shortcake – yum!), it in fact refers, as you may have guessed, to the colours in my outfit.

Peach is one of those hues that I love. A lot. But which does not always look the best on me, especially if it has yellow undertones. I need a true peach or one with pink/red undertones usually (which tends to push it into coral or salmon territory), unless the quantity of the colour being worn is modest and it's not not right beside my face in large doses.

This timelessly pretty vintage dress, which I recently purchased from fellow vintage blogger and Etsy shop owner Helen Mae Green's Etsy shop,Lovebirds Vintage, delivers just the right about of peach and is so, so, soooo darling for these fun days of mid-spring.

Another hue that I'm wild about, but don't necessarily wear as often as I'd like, even though it's kinder to me than peach, is royal blue. As such I loved that this outfit - sported at the gorgeous little creek right across the street from our house prior to running errands recently - combined both in hearty doses.

Now that we're finally done with winter, I'm all about spring's palette, straw accessories (like the vintage hat and purse here), light layers, the return of white shoes, and dresses like this that let you pull from their colour scheme while accessorizing, which given that I was in a peachy mood, I did here with my gloves, earrings, and pearl jewelry.

I love this dress! It's likely from the 1970s or 80s, but goodness does it look the mid-century part. Where it not for the presence of serged/overlocked stitching inside, it could pass for the real deal no problem. It's comfy as the day is long, well made, cheerful, and very cute, to boot. Helen had owned and worn it herself for a while, but felt that it didn't work quite as she would have liked for her, so she added it to her Etsy shop and I'm so very glad that she did, because I snapped it up in a heartbeat!

Plaid is perennial favourite of mine, no matter the season, and it's been a while since I last added a frock in this classic pattern to my closet, so I was excited about this lovely vintage offering all the more. I've worn it at least three times now since it arrived and know that it will see plenty of play throughout the these roasty-toasty months. It's so comfortable actually, that were I hopping on a plane or train somewhere, I'd have no qualms wearing it for a lengthy journey (no such plans at present, but it's great to have garments like this in your wardrobe that you can turn to if the need arises).

As you can see here, the sun is out again and I'm one seriously happy camper about that. In fact, knock wood, May has been going a lot better than April in many respects and I have a good feeling about the rest of the spring and summer. If it's as upbeat as the colours at work in this outfit, it stands to be a memorable and highly enjoyable one for sure. Fingers crossed! :)

Gingham, polka dots, lots of peach, and my favourite kitty necklace

‘

Outfit details
Prescription eyeglasses: (frames) Venus Eye Design V-12 Gingham headscarf: eBay Peach pearl earrings: Claire's Adorable sterling silver and Swarovski crystal kitty necklace: gift from Tony ♥ Grey shrug: Fairweather Peachy-pink peasant style top: Thrifted Black bangle bracelets: Claire's Peach rose bangle: Forever 21 (I think) Grey bangle: etsy seller RecycleBuyVintage Vintage black velour pencil skirt: etsy seller Lady Kitschener's Vintage Emporium Polka dot purse: Payless Nude and black seamed stockings: eBay Black pumps: Payless Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Antonio Cangiano                                         ♥ ♥ ♥

Last month I showed you a part of my parent's lush, gorgeous garden, and today you get to see the deck that overlooks said verdant backyard oasis. Much like the garden itself, my parents built their home themselves (my parents run a reno business) from the ground up a few years ago. It had been a longstanding dream of theirs to do so, and they did a terrific job of creating a cozy home that's just perfect for the two of them (with room for the many friends and relatives who love to come and visit).

Though our condo is two floors, we don't have a deck (as is quite common with condos), so I just love spending time on my parent's. The view looks down over part of Penticton, as well as a neighbouring tree covered hill - and of course down on their lovely garden, which was especially green when these photos were taken earlier in the season.

Interestingly, it occurs to me as I'm writing this that I was wearing my beloved Swarovski crystal kitty necklace in the last set of photos taken at their house, too. This wasn't intentional, but it's not surprising either, as I simply adore that necklace (a gift from Tony) and slip it on almost as often as my equally cherished strand of pearls.

Perhaps it's the influence of my 80s childhood (when this colour combo was quite popular), but I've always loved black and pink together, or in this case black and sweet peach with a touch of charcoal grey thrown in for good measure. It can be elegant or fun, youthful or deeply chic, just depending on the pieces and how you style your overall look, and is a combination I reach for often.

I like mixing patterns in the same outfit, but usually try to ensure that they match or are similar in some capacity. In this case my polka dot purse and gingham headscarf share the same two classic colours, so they work harmoniously together (and, I think, add a fun dose of cuteness to this look).

Way back at the start of the year in January I talked a bit about some of the issues I have with my hair. Though I did get it cut shortly there after (and have maintained, more or less, that length ever since), the other concerns remain, chief amongst which is the ongoing (it started when I was 14) thinning issue I have. The problem is getting worse and at times it's getting trickier to hide or mask the problem (especially since I have more thinning happening on the top of my head than on the bottom areas).

Not that I really mind (loving these pieces as I do), but I've been wearing more headbands, headscarves, kerchiefs, and hats this year to try and hid some of the thinnest areas, while still trying to maintain some semblance of volume on the bottom (which isn’t very thick thick these days either).

It's a losing battle, I fully know - a point I've made about as much peace with as I can. A wig (or wigs - why stop at just one?) is in my future for sure, but for the time being I'll just keep making the best of what remains on my head (and hope you'll forgive the sparse patches that appear in some photos of my hair).

On a more upbeat note, let's chat about this black vintage pencil skirt. It's a definite cornerstone piece in my wardrobe and one that I reach for all the time. Given it's hue and shape, it's about as versatile as a skirt can be, especially since it also hits at a great below-the-knee length that I just adore (if it looks familiar, that's likely because you're remembering it from posts such as this and this one).

In my opinion, so long as you enjoy wearing skirts, a skirt like this is one that every gal needs in her wardrobe (trust me you'll get a massive amount of mileage out of it).

Though these photos were snapped a few weeks ago, with autumn on the horizon, it won't be long before all that greenery in the background at my parent’s house starts to take on a gorgeous rust, gold, and scarlet tinge once more. As a result I'll soon have a whole new colour palette to (hopefully) model against in the coming weeks. How exciting!

 

Five for Friday: January 15, 2010

...Yesterday afternoon, following a week ravished by arctic winds and murky grey skies, the temperatures actually rose a tad, climbing ever so slightly above zero (Celsius). With this sudden “warm snap” came early daydreams of spring. I know it’s far too soon for the gentlest season to arrive, but there’s no reason why I can’t let my thoughts stray to beautiful things like blossoming trees, first harvest vegetables and the scent of sunshine once again toasting the air. Granted there’s still snow and ice on the horizon, but in the meantime I’ll be busy starting to plan all the lovely ways I’ll celebrate when April does eventually whirl into town...

♥ ♥ ♥


{To fill your bath with the delicate scent of orchard fruits}


{Hued like a bowl of just churned orange sherbet, this generously sized (12.5 oz) bar of Luxo Banho soap comes packaged in an immensely lovely Art Deco inspired box, and smells delightfully of fresh apricots and peaches. Available for $12.00 (US) per bar of soap from All-Pop.com.}


{The kind of timelessly pretty, wear-it-anyplace sweater that will remain a staple in your closet for years}


{If like me, you’re a giant fan of light weight, classically styled sweaters, this darling number is just the ticket! Made of soft organic cotton and featuring a charming knit bow, this wonderful turquoise top would look equally stunning in the winter with a long wool skirt or paired with sailor inspired shorts come the dog days of summer. Turquoise bow knit sweater in assorted modern ladies sizes, £52.50 (UK) from Lunacy Boutique.}


{To invigorate your mood on even the bleakest of mid-winter mornings}


{From Japan-cool brand Tokyo Milk comes “Paper and Cotton”, a crisp, airy scent embedded with notes of white sage, birch, moss and coriander, all housed in a bottle bedecked with vintage fashion images. Each 1 oz bottle of perfume in a clear glass bottle (with spritzer) is $29.00 (US) from Plasticland.}


{An endearing reminder of days both past and more recently spent at local fun fairs and carnivals}


Available in six alluring designs, these laser cut wooden brooches boast playful vintage images and are shaped to look just like ticket stubs. Pin one (or more) to your favourite coat, purse, hat, scarf or anywhere else you please and pretend you’re on your way to a carnival. Vintage style wooden fun fair ticket brooches, £6.00 (UK) per pin from The Oriental Magpie.}


{A woman can never have too many bags, especially when they’re handmade, vintage inspired ones!}


{On those days when it’s far to grim to venture outside one moment more than is strictly necessary, spend some time indoors delving into a DIY book such as Making Vintage Bags by Emma Brennan ($12.21 [US] from amazon.com). This helpful (176 page) title provides detailed instructions on how to make twenty original designs (five each from the 1920s, 30s, 40s and 50s), amongst which nearly any handbag enthusiast is sure to find a purse they’d love to make for themselves.}


I want to take a moment and extend massive thanks to all those who provided me with their impute earlier in the week regarding my hunt for a good source of crinolines (some of your leads look really promising!). I will be certain to do a follow up post later in the year to report how the status of my budding crinoline collection is coming along.

Many thanks as well to all those who have left comments on other Chronically Vintage posts lately, too. Over the course of the weekend, amidst such pleasant activities as writing snail mail letters and hand washing a gorgeous vintage skirt that arrived in Thursday post, I will do my best to catch up on at least a portion of your wonderful comments and visit each of your gorgeous blogs.

Recently a dear visitor commented that she found the smaller font size that I often use directly under images to be a bit hard to read. I’d wondered before if that font was too tiny and upon knowing that some find it to be, I’m happy to report that from here on out instead of reducing the front size (below photos, graphics, etc) to differentiate it from the rest of the text in my posts, I’ll italicize it. I always welcome your feedback on any element of this blog and appreciate the person who mentioned this doing so (I hope you find the font easier to read now, sweetie).

Wishing one and all a sublime weekend filled with warmth (be it derived from hot cocoa or the weather itself), serenity and many lovely memories.