Navy blue 1940s feather adorned felt hat: Gift from Tony ♥
Pearl stud earrings: Claire's
Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥
1950s swirling dot pattern dress: Gift from a dear vintage friend
Navy blue knit shrug: Sears
White and gold coloured leaf wreath vintage brooch: eBay
White vintage gloves: Gift from a dear vintage friends
Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore
Nude on nude seemed stockings: eBay
Navy blue d'orsay peep-toe heels: Gift from a dear vintage friend
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red
Photography by Antonio Cangiano
Over the past few months in particular I have been the recipient of a rather tremendous amount of thoughtful kindness and generosity, so much so that it has routinely moved me to tears (happy ones, of course) and made my heart feel filled to the bursting point with gratitude and sense of just how blessed I am to have so many incredibly lovely people in my life.
It wasn't until I was sorting through the photos from the shoot pictured here today that it struck me that not one, not two, but three of the key elements of this vintage ensemble came from three different, completely dear friends, all of whom I'm met online through my blog. I didn't intentionally create my look with this fact in mind, it happened organically and perfectly illustrates just how amazingly sweet and thoughtful each of these people are.
The dress, gloves and shoes were each "just because" gifts, all of which I'm still floored by, and love dearly. This is the first vintage dress I've ever received from a friend, and it fits me so well you'd think it had been tailor made for my measurements. The gloves have become my go-to white pair and are worn so often, I now keep them in one of my bangle boxes on my dresser, instead of with the rest of my glove collection.
These timelessly elegant d'orsay peep-toe heels (which, while not vintage, look the part to a tee) fill a big gap in my shoe wardrobe - a navy blue pair, which is something I'd been trying to find for ages now (almost amazingly, these beauties fit my hard-to-fit feet perfectly, which is not a common occurrence at all, let me tell you!). I had no idea they were coming my way, as a the wonderful sender shipped me a box full of surprise items from her closet that she thought I might like, and these classy heels were amongst those stellar presents.
I'm not the sort of person who forgets thoughtfulness or generosity. If I live to be a hundred years old, I will always remember and hold dear not only these three gifts, but each of the many others not pictured here that I've received lately (and throughout my life) from some truly awesome people located all over the world. The mere words "thank you" almost seem to fail to adequately express just how much I appreciate the kindness that's been bestowed on me "just because", and want each of these precious friends to know how much I treasure and am grateful them.
To round out this outfit (which was sported a few days before I went in for my recent surgery), I added my trusty navy blue knit shrug (a Sears buy years ago that has been more than worth its weight in gold to me ever since), a great 1940s feathered hat (last seen in this outfit last fall) which was also a gift, this time hailing from my darling Tony; a thrifted vintage purse, and a charming white and gold hued leave wreath brooch (as well as my go-to pearl earrings, bracelets, and necklace, the latter being another gift - a few birthdays ago - from Tony).
We shot these snaps down at a stretch of beach on Okanagan Lake here in Penticton that's located just a few hundred feet to the left of where these outfit photos were taken on a considerably colder day last winter. Warmer though it certainly was that day, we’re still a little ways away from summer and the crowds of tourists and locals alike that will swamp the beach once more as soon as the water becomes even remotely toasty enough to stick your toes into (making spring the perfect time to take photos there without throngs of swimmers and sunbathers in background).
I adore all of the garments and accessories in my closet (they wouldn't be there if I didn't), but I reserve a special place in my heart for those that I received as gifts, and by extension the outfits - like this one - that I create with them.
Thank you again, my dear friends, for your incredible presents and for making a gal feel so gosh darned loved - this truly is the vintage outfit that friendship built.
