Special St. Patrick's Day 2014 edition of Vintage Fashionista Friday

{Undeniably and endlessly perfect for March 17th Day of course, what I love even more about this gorgeous vintage screw back shamrock earrings is that they're not so glaringly St. Patrick's Day so as to not work the whole year through as well. $20.00 from etsy seller Atomic Renovation.}




{Winter weather and dry indoor heating systems can parch one's skin out something fierce! Rejuvenate your epidermis and get it ready for the return of sundress season with the help of this fantastic made-in-Ireland bottle of Irish Field hand cream. £11.95 for a 230ml pump bottle from Bog Standard.}




{Keep the luck of the Irish near your heart or on your hat, scarf, sash or anywhere else you please with this timelessly elegant vintage gold toned and faux pearl shamrock Coro brooch. $9.00 from etsy seller Pythagoras Place.}




{You'll have no trouble catching a leprechaun when you're sporting this beguiling 1930s two-piece silk velvet skirt suit, as he'll be too busy admiring your stellar fashion sense to remember to stay out of sight! :) Jacket fits up to 32" bust, skirt fits up to a 25" waist. $186.00 from etsy seller Klad.}




{Forget the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, I want to find a treasure chest full of vintage Bakelite like these three lovely stacking bangles instead (or in addition to said gold - one can never have too much of either! :D). $65.00 for the set of three from etsy seller My 3 Chicks.}




{Charming as a field of springtime clover, this delightful c. 1940s woven green handbag features charming little gold flowers with "pearl" bead centers and classic amber lucite handles, and would make for a fabulous spring and summer purse for many a year to come. $45.00 from etsy seller Canal Street Vintage.}




{Still in its original packaging, completely with lovely little handwritten note, this beautiful vintage Irish linen handkerchief features crocheted edging and would a marvelous piece to tuck in your handbag, for myriad potential uses, before heading out for a night of festive fun. $10.00 from etsy seller Ardythe's Orphans.}




{Whether you chalk it up to River Dance or the classic Irish jig, it's hard for me to not want to cut a rug come St. Patrick's Day. These timelessly beautiful Aris Allen Brown Velvet 1940s 3-buckle dance shoes (which are exact copy of an actual 1940s shoe design) would let me, or you, do just that in mid-century fashion worthy style. Available in modern ladies sizes 5 to 11. $69.95 from dancestore.com.}

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It is more than a little fitting that green is so closely associated with St. Patrick's Day, not only for the rich cultural and historical ties to the Emerald Isle itself, but because, if we've got a wee bit of that famous Irish luck on our side, the world is slowly starting to transform from snow white (or pallid brown) to the colour of fresh grass once more these days.

I've celebrated many a St. Paddy's Day in the snow over the years, don't get this Canuck lass wrong, but regardless of the weather, one always knows that winter's end is near. Spring itself, so the calendar says, kicks off in just three days time and that worth celebrating regardless of if you've got a drop of Celtic blood in your veins or note. Soon life will burst forth with near startling speed once more, blossoms and full on blooms shooting forth around every corner, the return of single layer dressing, and double digit temperatures.

Before we kick Old Man Winter to the curb entirely though, there's merriment to be had on March 17th. Whether you're a fan of guzzling back pints of green ale and partying like there's no tomorrow or prefer a more relaxed celebration at home, perhaps with some delicious Irish Soda Bread at the ready and a classic Hollywood movie feasting one or more of your favourite yesteryear stars of Irish decent on the telly, this is a day worth having a blast on.

If she's anything like me, and I can't help but think that she is, that's precisely what this week's stylish Vintage Fashionista, Deirdre (named for the what legend tells us was the most beauty woman in ancient Ireland) is going to be up to come St. Patrick Day. Decked out in green, whipping up soda bread, colcannon and corned beef before settling in for an evening of celebration, merriment and a good Maureen O'Hara, Gene Kelly, or James Cagney flick.

Albeit three days early, let me wish each and every one of you a splendid, fun, history, and green garb filled St. Patrick’s Day!  May the wind rise up to meet you always, my dear friends!

These beautiful 1940s reproduction velvet Mary Janes are perfect for fall

✯ Day 239 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

Soon autumn will be upon us - that season of Midas-worthy golden sunshine, endlessly crisp breezes and nippier temperatures. Given that fall is my favourite season, I'm tickled pink (errr, pumpkin orange?) about this, but know that one of the things I'll miss about summer is the light, playful, carefree footwear it brings.

I'm definitely not a flip-flop gal (outside of the beach), instead I love to spend the summer in wedges and cute vintage inspired sandals. I don't have a large summer footwear wardrobe, but those pairs I do own are well-loved and most have been with me for several years now.

Autumn in Canada can whiz past so fast that if one blinks, they stand the very real chance of missing it entirely. While it's here however, I'll definitely be enjoying the fact that you can still get away with wearing shoes (outdoors) that aren't the heavy-duty, snow-proof boots or other similarly sturdy footwear that winter demands.

Much like the clothing of fall, shoes for this time of year strike a pleasant - and very beautiful - balance between the lightness of summer and the utilitarian nature of winter. You can usually get away with peep-toes and ankle straps still, yet by the same token, you can easily reach for richer, sturdier fabrics, too.

The more I stop and think about it, the more I realize I love autumn footwear. It's dependable and practical, but in no way devoid of elegance or beauty (that's right snow boots, I'm talking about you!).

One of the most delightful pairs of autumn appropriate vintage inspired shoes I've chanced upon lately are these stellar brown velvet Mary Janes from renowned dance show brand Aris Allen.

At a modest - but in no way matronly - 2.25 inches high, the heel on these charming pair - which are an exact copy of 1940s dress shoe - is wonderfully wearable, and stands to be quite comfortable if you need to be on your feet for long spells.

Featuring a bit of mesh for added breathability and style, these lovely brown velvety Mary Janes would look amazing with so many colours in fall's wardrobe palette. Can't you just imagine pairing them with taupe, camel, deep red, navy blue, mustard, rust, paprika, ivory, dusty rose, denim, and teal - to name but a few, I certainly can.

In fact, in my experience brown shoes can be virtually as versatile as black ones, with the added benefit of standing out a smidge in the crowd of onyx heels.

I'd love to slip into these velvet heels (which are available in ladies whole and half sizes, ranging from 6 to 9, for $59.95 from dancestore.com) and a tweed skirt suit or cream hued dress. They could take on a causal spin with high waisted vintage jeans or become instantly date night appropriate with a jersey dress.

So while parting with summer won't be the easiest thing to do, gorgeous vintage reproduction shoes like this brown velvet gems definitely help make embracing autumn's arrival worlds more fun - and fashionable!

These beautiful 1940s inspired shoes were made for dancing

✯ Day 206 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

It's interesting, you know, there's something about summertime that sets my soul in the mood for dancing. Perhaps the inherent sensuality of a hot night, the sweet caress of a satin breeze, the fact that you're already perspiring, so why not work up even more of a sweat.

Maybe it's the airy dresses, breezy vintage skirts, hair pulled up and off your face to keep it from being plastered to your neck. It could even be the fact that come summertime, it's often hard to stay still - your body seems to be itching to make the very most of every warm moment of this marvelous season.

If your toes have a hard time staying still this time of year, then chances are you're a fan of good old-fashioned swing and jive dancing. While I don't profess to be overly skilled in this arena myself, I have cut a few rugs in my time - and definitely know what kind of attire to sport for a night spent dancing until the sun rises.

They may not be suede, but these splendidly pretty blue, t-strap shoes are more than worthy of a song of their own - and are precisely the kind of beautiful, yet functional, footwear swing dancers of days gone by and this era alike alike are bound to find themselves drawn to.

 

Styled after classic 1940s footwear, these elegant teal hued pumps feature a walkable (and danceable!) 3.25" heel (including the 1/2" inch platform sole), Maryjane style T-straps, lovely cut-out details, and a sling back that will go a long way towards keeping your tootsies from overheating during this sweltering time of year.

Available from Plasticland.com (for $59.00), these sweet and sassy vintage inspired swing dance shoes (which come in modern ladies sizes 5-10) are equal parts girl-next-door and pin-up vixen.  Their pretty colour is eye-catching, but far from glaring and would work (nearly as well as a neutral) with a wide range of colours in your wardrobe (think black, brown, grey, blue, burgundy, eggplant, cream, and white to name but a few).

Perhaps, for the sake of my wallet, it's a good thing that I'm not feeling well enough to hit the dance floor this summer, because if I was, I'd be mighty tempted to slip on a pair of these fabulous old school style dance shoes and jitterbug with the best of them!