Kicking off summer with my awesome new 1950s Egyptian novelty print patio set

Outfit details

Assorted hair flowers: Ardene
Pearl stud earrings: eBay or Claire's
1980s does 1950s green plastic necklace: Purchased from a fellow vintage seller
Grey cropped cardigan: Fairweather
1950s Egyptian Novelty print patio set c/o: The Best Vintage Clothing
Red lace trimmed crinoline: Petticoat Style
Green 1950s style stretch belt: Hell Bunny purchased from Retro Glam
Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore
Mid-century vintage red purse: I Love Vintage Stuff
Black cork wedge sandals: Walmart
Lip Colour: MAC Russian Red
Nail polish colour on fingers: Sally Hansen Emerald City
Nail polish colour on toes: Essie Wicked


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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Okay, first and foremost, I fully realize that it isn't quite summer yet, but we have reached the month that houses its beginning and that's as good as the same thing for me! :)

Secondly, and I really need to mention this off the bat for my own piece of mind, things look strangely bunchy around my waist here because I had a crinoline over a skirt with both a shirt and a cropped cardigan topped into said skirt, all further topped off with a stretch belt. That point was probably visually obvious, but I wanted to bring it up all the same.

Now on with the show!

This amazing 1950s Egyptian novelty print patio set. Oh...my...vintage fashion loving word!!! It is the be all to end all, and I have my wonderful longtime blog sponsor The Best Vintage Clothing, to thank for it.

Their offerings are always incredibly appealing and very stylish, so when Laura, the lovely woman in charge of that online vintage selling empire, offered me the chance to pick one of their beautiful garments to receive as a review gift, I felt like a kid in a candy store to say the least.

Originally I had planned to save debuting this fabulous vintage patio set - my first ever actually (I have a 1950s Southwestern style patio dress, but not a two piece play set/patio set like this novelty print stunner) - for my birthday in July, however there is a chance that Tony may be going to the US for work this summer. As such, given that he’s my usual photographer, that might mean that a shoot on the big day wouldn't happen and there was no way on earth I was going to let the season slip by without sharing this sensational set with you guys!

Boasting a short sleeve, button front blouse and matching full (though not quite circle width) skirt, this dark turquoise, red, pine green, grey and white is beyond awesome!

Made of high quality cotton (that is somewhat redolent of a texture percale), in good shape (there are a few small, faint stains here and there, which I was aware of from the get go and which you really can't see unless you're up close and looking for them), and very charming, this set is such a good representation of the kind of highly desire vintage and antique fashions that The Best Vintage Clothing houses on their standalone website, as well as their eBay store, and their ever-expanding Etsy shop.

Interestingly, these photos were taken fairly early (around 9 am) in the morning, not in the afternoon. This is noteworthy (to me at least :)) because it's the first morning shot I've ever done for my blog.

Though I can see now that I was squinting a bit more than I'd felt like I was at the time and there were some shadows at play in the location (the grassy side embankment of the running track at a school down the street from our house), I flat out loved shooting in the morning and said to Tony that we should definitely aim to do so more often, especially in the late spring, summer, and early fall, when the weather is conducive to it.

This is a bold fifties patio set, both in terms of the colour and the off-the-charts cool Egyptian themed novelty print (which is, itself, another first for me, as I didn't previously own anything with an Egyptian revival design/pattern to it), so I stuck with colours pulled from it for my accessories, which include a super fun 1980s does 1950s green plastic necklace, some classic pearls on my wrists, my beloved red vintage handbag, four hair flowers, emerald green nail polish on my fingers, a green stretch belt from Hell Bunny, a red crinoline underneath the skirt, and black vintage-y style wedge sandals (plus a thin knit grey cropped cardi up top).

I won't even beat around the bush, this is not only one of my favourite outfits of the year so far, but one of my favourites I've blogged about. I love the colours, the fullness of the skirt, the terrific Egyptian novelty print, the silhouette (save for the little bit of "bulk" above the belt), the delightful - and surprisingly handy - lower pockets on the skirt (they're great for tucking your hands into while sitting, which is often tricky with waist or hip height pockets), every last little thing, and I truly want to thank The Best Vintage Clothing for the wonderful gift of this 1950s set, which really does feel like an early birthday present and then some!

Whether I sport both pieces together or separately, you can bet that you'll most likely spot them again here as time goes on and I'm eager to see how many fun outfits I can come up with for both halves of this stellar patio set (I'm envisioning the top working well with jeans and the skirt with everything from sweaters to my black boat neck top).

While nothing is set in stone yet, if Tony does end up traveling for work this summer (he'll be gone for over two months solid, if does), I will be sure to post here and let you guys know. For now though, he's still home and we're both loving the return of (nearly) summer weather, grabbing photo shoots when we can, and celebrating all that is great about this time of the year - very much including that it's the season for charming vintage patio sets (which I'm more in love with now than ever, thanks to the fact that I finally have one of my own!).

My new Rosadior floral hair piece is a breath of happiness in the midst of a challenging month

Outfit details

Vintage style floral hair piece: Rosadior
White plastic rose earrings: Claire's
Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥
1980s does 1940s/50s pink and white leaf print dress: eBay
Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore
Pink beaded stretch bracelet: Forever 21
1950s blue gloves: (probably) eBay
1950s/1960s pink handbag: Unknown (had for quite some time)
Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay
White pumps: Payless
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace

Photography by Tony Cangiano

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Going into it (as touched on here), I knew that this April was going to be mind-blowingly busy, but I wasn't fully aware then that certain stressful situations would turn out to be as harried/worrisome as they have been.

One of the biggest things in my life right now is the fact that a very close elderly relative was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and will be having extensive surgery for it this week. She has never had cancer before and it's actually quite rare on that side of the family tree, so it came as a big shock to everyone, most of all to her, that she was hit with it in her eighties. She's a true fighter and resilient soul to her core, so I know that if anyone has a chance in the face of this vicious disease it's definitely her.

Before I delve any further into today's post, I would like to take a moment to extend my very deepest of heartfelt thanks to everyone who has comment on my last three posts, including Thursday's one which was all about my blog turning six years old. With everything going on lately, it hasn't been possible to thank and/or return comments on all of your posts, as I generally try my very hardest to, but I wanted to let you all know right here and now how much I appreciate and treasure your comments and happy blogging birthday wishes!

Though this will be a very, very hectic week (and rest of the month), too, I am trying to slip into more of my usual routine again for the time being. Thus, today I'm pleased as punch to bring you a new vintage outfit post featuring a beguilingly gorgeous, vintage appropriate floral hair piece that I received as a complimentary review gift from the UK based brand Rosadior.

I was contacted earlier this year by a rep from the brand and asked if I'd like to give one of their handmade, old school inspired creations a spin. Naturally, I was game and after some back and forth about my favourite colours, flowers, and styles, the stunning creation that you see me sporting in these photos was the end result.

This lovely piece is made of fabric and plastic faux blooms that are attached to a felt piece and held onto one's head (or hat brim, belt, purses strap - wherever you'd like to place it) by a good sized, sturdy metal alligator clip. The whole thing, while very substantial looking, is light as a feather. I don't find that I'm conscious of the fact that I'm sporting it when I wear it, which I've been doing frequently all month long, from April right on up until this past Sunday, which is when these snaps were taken on a small dock in the charming little nearby community of Peachland (in the midst of another jam-packed day).

Like many of Rosadior designer Sam Freeman's creations, this particular hair accessory was a one-off, but on the company's site, you can find oodles of similar floral pieces and flower crowns that work splendidly for all kinds of different looks (from boho to vintage to rockabilly) and events (think weddings, festivals, garden parties, holidays, photo shoots, look book styling, birthdays, baby showers, the list goes on and on!).

They've very well made and absolutely gorgeous! On Sunday alone, I got no less than ten compliments (I was keeping track just out of curiosity) on it, including one that was a first: on Main Street here in Penticton a lady driving a car in the lane beside us motioned to get my attention and then mouthed a very nice compliment about my floral hair piece to me and luckily I was able to say "thank you" in the same way before the light changed and we both drove off in different directions.

I have no doubt that every single piece from Rosadior's frequently updated line will garner similar kind words and quickly become one of your favourite go-to accessories, just as this stunning, endlessly springtime perfect floral topper has from me. I sincerely appreciate that Rosadior sent this gift my way and encourage you to check out their wonderful offerings. If you're in the market for such a hair accessory, but don't see what you're looking for, shot Sam a line and she may be able to create a custom piece for you, as that is a very handy service that Rosadior offers its customers.

Life is full of ups and downs, storms we whether ourselves and others we watch those we treasure struggle with, while trying to help them through the bleakness in every way that we possibly can. In the midst of darker moments, flowers have been a symbol of hope, positive health, and happiness for thousands of years and these elegant, fashionable blooms perched atop my head have been just that for me this month, as I'm certain they will continue to for a very long time to come.

Sourpuss Clothing multi-item review - and just one more day until my top secret plans are revealed!

Outfit details

Hair flowers, anchor earrings, anchor cardigan, white top, handbag, black bangle bracelet, and octopus scarf all from Sourpuss Clothing (see post below for links to each product)
White plastic bangle: (I think) Forever 21
Teal plastic bangle: Ardene
Vintage black velvet pencil skirt: Lady Kitschener's Vintage Emporium
Grey tights: (New stock from) Value Village
Black faux suede 1940s-esque pumps: Walmart
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red
Nail colour: Sally Hansen Haunted

Photography by Tony Cangiano
 

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The past several weeks, and in particular this last month, have been amongst the busiest, most exciting, and highly activity packed of my adult life. Each day, whether for an hour or, no joke, in some cases, all twenty-four - or anywhere in between those two numbers - I have been pouring myself into my top secret vintage plans, which, I'm thrilled to say, I will be revealing here tomorrow morning.
 
Long hours and exciting days do not stop once I've unveiled all (not by any stretch of the imagination), but I will at least be able to exhale a bit and learn to weave the activities of this new part of my life, with my usual going on, be they online or off.

In the midst of an action packed weekend, Tony and I took a brief sojourn of sorts up to Kelowna on this past Saturday and visited a gorgeous, expansive local woodland park (part of which, a ways off from where we were on Saturday, includes the area where we shot 2012's Canada Day vintage outfit post) to simply unwind and fill our lungs with a bevy of fresh air, between bursts of chilly rain showers, before heading home for a quick supper and some very much needed sleep.
 
Due to how busy I've been lately, I've had to scale back on the number of outfit posts I've been doing, as well as the amount of new sponsors I've been partnering with in a product review blog post capacity. A few though, that were just too marvelous not to share with all of you asap have made the cut though, and one that I'm especially thrilled to share with you about here today is Sourpuss Clothing.
 
Founded in 2001, Sourpuss Clothing has grown into one of the world's best known and most adored sources for rockabilly, pin-up style, and vintage inspired fashions. Their offerings, for both men and women (as well as kids and houseware items), are diverse, vibrant, well made, and seriously fun. I was thrilled when Sourpuss Clothing got in touch and wanted to know if we could collaborate. My personal style typically falls more in line with traditional vintage, but sometimes - interestingly, more frequently as I get older - I feel pulled towards the rockabilly side of things, so I was more than happy to receive and test drive some of Sourpuss Clothing's awesome items.
 
Sourpuss Clothing's products (which include garments, handbags, jewelry, accessories and houseware items) can be found in bricks and mortar retailers and online shops the world over, including - but certainly not limited to - in the USA, where the brand hails from. For those who don't live nearby to a shop that carries their offerings and/or prefer to shop online from the comfort of your own home, Sourpuss has a rocking website that is chock-a-block full of their seriously cool products that speak instantly to fans of rockabilly, pin-up, old punk kitschy, tiki, retro monsters, and vintage styles.
 
In addition to carrying a wide selection of their own house line of products, Sourpuss Clothing's website features items from many other brands with similar aesthetics, such as Hell Bunny, Lux De Ville, Kreepsville 666, Iron Fist, and King Kerosin, Lucky 13, Fred Perry, and Lonsdale, amongst others, so one is spoiled for choice (I dare you to visit their site and not feel compelled to create mile long wishlist, a feature that I'm happy to say is built in, should you feel the urge to do just that) and can easily see how Sourpuss has grown into the wonderful alternative clothing powerhouse that they are today.

When discussing partnering together, I suggested the idea of me putting together a colour coordinated outfit to the lovely folks at Sourpuss Clothing and they were on board with that idea, very kindly letting me handpick a selection of pieces that I felt would all work together splendidly in the same look. The photos you see here today feature all of the beautiful pieces that I received from Sourpuss Clothing.

My items were shipped quickly, arrived in a flash from the other side of the world, and were loving packaged, with each piece being individually wrapped in secure plastic, and the whole kit and caboodle being swaddled in tissue paper printed with Sourpuss Clothing's eye-catching skull and crossbones logo. As such, they reached me here on the Pacific coast of Canada in as pristine condition as had I purchased them in person. Each fit true to size and is very well made. I was struck, in particular, but the quality and sense of durability of both the Anchored Cardigan and Pinstripe Backseat Baby Purse.

I'd been jonesing for a more rockabilly style purse for a few years now and this black, teal and silver stunner delivered there big time! Ditto for the cardigan, which toes the line between rockabilly and more traditional vintage perfectly. I could just as easily picture styling it as I've done here today as with everything from a classic 1950s shirtwaist dress or circle skirt to a pair of curving hug capri pants or even my beloved Freddies of Pinewood jeans. It is a soft (72% viscose, 28% nylon), comfortable, quality made nautical themed cardigan that I absolutely, completely adore.

Tucked under by Anchored Cardigan is a Sourpuss Vixen Vintage White Top, which is such a fabulous layering or stand alone piece. It features ruching across the bust (and a little on the torso), delicate ruffled trim, a sweetheart neckline, capped sleeve, and stretchy (95% rayon, 5% spandex) fabric. Comfortable and alluring alike as the day is long, I know that this endlessly versatile white top will see a ton of play in my wardrobe, especially during the sizzlingly hot late spring and summer months we're entering into now.

On my wrist, the black bangle also comes from Sourpuss and is their wonderfully fun Black Tiki Bracelet. I fell for this vintage inspired piece of jewelry the moment I saw it because it reminded me of many a classic carved Bakelite bangle at a massive fraction of the price of what those usually fetch. In fact, this simultaneously cute and chic bangle is currently on sale for just $4.00 (US). Much like the Vixen Vintage Top, I’m certain that this is another piece I'll turn to often because of just how very many outfits it will work splendidly with.

Typically when I come across metal earrings, online or off, I know that - no matter how fabulous looking they may be - for sake for my nickel allergy, I have to avoid them something fierce. You can imagine my genuine delight then when I saw that some of Sourpuss Clothing's earring offerings were listed as being nickel-free. To coordinate with the Anchored Cardigan, I opted for a pair of dainty little gun metal coloured anchor earrings, which I'm pleased as punch to say are indeed nickel-free (I would have gotten an allergic reaction within an hour or two at the most had they contained nickel, which I did not in this case).

I love the versatility of these sweet little anchor earrings. One can dress them up or down, use them as the sole nautical (or old school tattoo inspired) element of their look or as the finishing touch on an ensemble, such as mine here, that is heavily influenced by the vintage sea. They're also light as a feather, which is perfect for those who aren't wild about heavy earrings.

Tied to the handle of my Pinstripe Backset Baby Purse one finds Sourpuss Clothing's Octopus Rosie Square Scarf, a whimsical, nautical inspired piece featuring a sea of black and white octopuses on a beautiful aqua background that is all kinds of adorable!

This 21 inch x 21 inch square scarf is made from 100% polyester and is both soft and study. I've worn it in my hair a few times since it arrived, but for the day of our shoot, opted to jauntily tie it around the handle of my handbag instead, as I had two gorgeous hair flowers, also both from Sourpuss in my hair. The Aqua Rose Hair Clip and Teal Rose Hair Clip both go marvelously with the Anchored Cardigan and teal hued purse, and are the perfect finishing touches on this vintage meets rockabilly nautical inspired outfit.

To round off the ensemble, I turned to my trusty 1950s black velvet pencil skirt, a pair of grey tights (it was fairly chilly that day), two more plastic bangle bracelets (one white, one teal), and my often worn faux suede 40s style black heels with their classic bows on the vamps. Each piece that I very kindly received from Sourpuss Clothing was a joy to style and as I was doing so, I was already thinking of other items in my closet that they would would smashing with, so it's a safe bet to say you'll be seeing each of these pieces again in future outfit posts.

I really want to thank Sourpuss Clothing for their generosity and desire to team up with me for this fabulous multi-item product review and outfit post. I had a wonderful, hassle-free time corresponding with them and feel that their customer service is on par with the best I've yet to encounter online. I genuinely love and objectively have nothing but positive things to say about all of the Sourpuss Clothing I received. Their pieces are reasonably priced, comfortable, good quality, and such a smile-inducing blast to wear.

Should you be hankering for some stellar Sourpuss Clothing offerings of your own, head on over to their website, where you can currently save 10% off all orders of any size when you use coupon code CHRONIC at checkout between May 5th and August 5, 2014. (Note, this coupon code is not valid on gift certificates and cannot be combined with other offers.)

It's hard to believe that by this time tomorrow, by ultra secret plans will be revealed at long last. I'm so looking forward to it and can't wait to let all of you know what I've been so very busy with lately. Join me in watching the ticker on the right hand sidebar here as it counts down these final hours and minutes until that happens, and in my excitement about my big news, which is beyond worth all of the time and energy I've been pouring into it.

As I foresee another 24+ hour day on the horizon today, I'll wrap up here for now, but not before sincerely thanking all of you for your support, encouragement and understanding (including about the fact that I haven't been online as much as usual lately) as I've been plugging away so diligently at my secret plans these days. It means more to me than I can put into words and has truly helped make these past few weeks a lot more enjoyable and easier to get through for me.

Until tomorrow, my darlings! :)

This summer, Mother's Nature's name is Marie (and I'm borrowing her colour palette!)

  Outfit details

Orchid hair flower: eBay
Gold toned hope earrings: Claire's
Green and white polka dot tee: Thrifted (Salvation Army)
Green crochet cardigan: Second Tyme Around consignment store
1940s gold toned name pin: eBay
Vintage beige button front skirt: etsy seller Have Mercy Vintage
Brown bow stretch belt: (An Asian clothing store at) Pacific Mall in Toronto
Bangle bracelets: Assorted sources
1950s corduroy bucket purse: etsy seller Rue 23 Vintage Clothing
Brown leather wedge sandals: Yard sale find
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red


Photography by Antonio Cangiano

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Though I didn't set out to match my out to the landscape of our - suddenly verdant again – front yard, the moment I started uploading these snaps, I saw right away that I had and I rather loved it.

Though early May was unseasonably toasty here (much like Easter Sunday back in March), as a whole, spring was a bit late in returning - the sole tree (pictured here) on lawn didn't blossom until well into May, and it wasn't until early June that I started to feel like the last vestiges of winter were gone once and for all.

That they are now though for sure, and that means scads of sunny, gloriously lovely Okanagan summer days once more. Hurray! I don't have a ton of summer shoes, so it was with no small amount of glee that I found the pair I'm wearing here the very day before (these pics were taken) at a yard sale on the outskirts of the town.

They're real leather, were in perfect (I'd venture to say, never worn) condition, and had a five dollar price tag on them. I offered three and the seller said "for sure" without even batting an eye (which made me wish I'd offered two instead, but I'm not complaining three bucks is a total bargain for these classically styled beauties). They're super comfy, and I just know they're going to become one of my main warm weather footwear staples.

To help pick up the tawny brown of the shoes, I opted for a darling bow adorned belt, my beloved 1950s corduroy bucket bag, and some wood (veneer) bracelets mixed into my bangle stack.

Green continues to be my colour of the year, and as neither of these two garments have appeared here before, it felt like high time they both saw the business end of a camera lens. A timelessly pretty white and green orchid hair flower helped inject a further hit of earthy colour into this casual ensemble.

I love vintage wirework name pins. I've searched high and low for one featuring my first name, but alas Jessica was no where near as popular back in the 40s-50s as it became from the 1980s onward, and to date none have been forthcoming. Luckily however, I have two middle names, both of which are classic, popular girls names, and so far I've found a vintage name brooch for one of them: Marie.

It's probably been at least a couple of years since I bought this pin on eBay, but this is its first debut on my blog. I really like the name Marie (which I was given in honour of two of my great-grandmothers) and was thrilled when I found it (for a song to boot!). The classic cursive font and bright gold hue are eye-catchingly lovely, and help ensure it compliments everything from carefree polka dot tees to chic vintage suits.

One hears tell of Mother Nature - that fabled spirit who calls the great outdoors her own and who seems to have a serious hand in the shifting of the seasons, but have you ever stopped to wonder if she had a first name? I've pondered this occasionally over the years, and each time a different possible name comes to mind, depending on the season, my mood, or simply what girls name I'm smitten with at the moment.

This year however, as we kick off the start of another sublime summer, I cannot help but feel that she needs a timeless, sweet yet powerful name to match the plethora of warmth, beauty and strength she's bestowed upon the earth once more.

Thus, I'm (unofficially) dubbing her Marie - and she's welcome to borrow my vintage name pin anytime she wants (just as long as she promise to keep a gentle breeze blowing each night this season in return!).