Coining a very handy new term: vintage appropriate

For weeks now, as we've gone about packing and now unpacking our worldly goods, I've been thinking about how much I've wanted to write this specific post and am delighted that I have the time now to do so on this fine, fresh spring morning.

As lovers of the past, we're all well versed with words such as "antique", "vintage", "retro", and "reproduction", and know when and where to use such descriptions appropriately.

There are times however when one comes across an item (be it a chair, skirt, piece or art, bolt of fabric, or what have you) that while not intentionally designed to mimic the look and/or style of something from the past, does in fact do just that.

One example that often springs to mind for me of such a situation is when I'm shopping for cardigan. Basic, button front, classically tailored cardigans can easily be found at scads of stores (and online retailers) that while made very recently, have the appearance of a garment that could very, very easily have been purchased sixty or more years ago.

Yet, in many cases, the manufactures of these cardigans did not set out to make "vintage inspired" or "reproduction" pieces. The fact that their garments do suit the styles and tastes of decades gone by is merely a happy coincidence for those like you and I who delight in filling our homes and wardrobes with the look of yesteryear.

And so, one day a while back, a term for this situation popped into my mind: vintage appropriate.

 

As the description above explains, a vintage appropriate piece is one that unintentionally looks old (or timeless), yet was made recently.

It's an item that you could travel back in time to, say, the 1940s or 50s and buy an extremely similar (if not downright nearly indistinguishable) version of, however the one that you're holding today could likewise be brought back to those decades past and no one would raise an eyebrow (because the piece really mimics the designs of the time).

I find that I use the term vintage appropriate most often when dealing with clothing, though I've also applied it to everything from make-up to home furnishings, sewing notions to Christmas wrapping paper.

To my mind, "vintage appropriate" fills a void in the lexicon of those who embrace the styles and history of the early to mid-twentieth century, as it allows us to easily describe a piece that, while not actually old, looks convincingly as though it could be (even if that wasn't the manufacturer's intent).

The description above is an image that I made, and by all means, if you feel like you can relate to this term and would like to help spread its usage, please feel free to copy, save, or Pin it to your own blog, Flickr stream, Pinterest boards, or anywhere else that you desire (I just ask that you please link back to Chronically Vintage when doing so).

I'd love to hear about some of your favourite vintage appropriate pieces and look forward to sharing some of mine with you in future posts.

Wishing you all a marvelously lovely first weekend of spring, darling friends!

On the hunt for summer plaid

Plaid is iconic, ageless and beautiful. It can run the gambit from formal to incredibly playful, with most plaid items falling squarely in between. Plaid has an element of androgyny to it as it can be worn very well by both men and woman. From lumberjacks to the grunge rockers of the early 90s, plaid has played both a practical and trend-setting role in fashion.

I’ve always thought plaid was a wonderful pattern. While it may not instantly convey femininity the way that say a floral or polka dot print does, plaid fabric can be whipped into anything from an undergarments to dresses, and somehow its grid of lines seems to work well in accentuating the curves of a woman’s body.

While plaid can certainly make for some terrific winterwear pieces (think classic plaid jackets from the 1950s, for example), its association with balmy weather through everything from shorts to skirts, camp hats to tops is what has me thinking about this bold pattern lately.

Over the past few weeks I’ve had the joy of searching for pieces to add to my summer wardrobe. I set out with a razor thin budget, but I didn’t let that deter me. Along the way there were a number of items I was searching for (some I found, others are still on the lam), one of which was definitely a vintage inspired (as opposed to 80s or 90s style, which have been all the rage for the past few seasons) plaid shirt.

It seemed for quite a while though that luck wasn’t on my side. Every button front short or long sleeved plaid shirt I tried on seemed to drown me in its pattern. I’m petite (5”2) and do not have a very long torso, and didn’t want to end up looking like I was wearing a plaid mini dress.

With my summerwear budget nearly tapped out, I headed to Forever 21. While that may hardly seem newsworthy to many (especially my lovely American readers), it was the first time I’d ever been there before (which is sort of hard to believe given that there’s a location at the mall closest to my house - still better late than never!).

I was surprised by how big the shop was (though I noticed that they didn’t stock some pieces I’d been eyeing on the US Forever 21 website) and while certainly catering to the trends of the moment, how pretty some of their pieces were. I loaded up a mountainous armful of assorted items – including almost every plaid top in the store – and headed to the dressing room.

I’d struck out four times on the plaid front, when much to my surprise a light blue number hit the jackpot! I put it on and instantly felt like I’d popped out of a vintage summer camp post card or calendar page.

I probably stood there for three minutes examining my reflection, adjusting my side parted, freshly curled that morning hair, and loving how the shirt looked with the pretty-much-trouser-cut jeans and black oxford style shoes I was wearing. While none of the other plaid shirts that day panned out, I did also swing an awesome coral-meets-dusty rose hued cropped cardigan that fits like a glove, so I really felt like I’d had a successful shopping trip. The fact that the plaid shirt only cost $17 certainly helped sweeten the day too!


{I’m almost certain this is the same plaid shirt I bought. I found this image of the store’s US website and would be 100% sure if I could zoom in on the fabric, as my shirt has thin lines of red interwoven with the blue. The same and style is definitely identical; on the US site it’s is called the Marla Plaid Shirt and retails for $14.80US (up here in Canada I paid a few cents under $17 for mine). Either way, it’s a good deal for a lovely lightweight, all-cotton summer shirt.}

I’m delighted to have found a plaid shirt and am sure it will get a ton of rotation in my wardrobe this summer! I’m still keeping my eyes peeled though in case I come across any other plaid gems, and using these wonderful photos I’ve spied lately on Flickr as huge sources of vintage plaid hunting inspiration for whenever I find myself near a clothing store.


{Timeless Plaid Beauty}


1. 40's Plaid Dress, 2. Innocent World British bear jumper skirt (details; red) 2, 3. Plaid picnic tins, 4. Blue and brown plaid vintage circle skirt, 5. new boots!, 6. Vintage 70's Multi-Colored Box Plaid Button Down, 7. Red plaid cuff, 8. Plaid School Girl Skirt, 9. DSC06423aaa, 10. plaid is rad and makes me glad, 11. Large plaid fabric flower brooch, 12. Red Plaid Vintage Aladdin Thermos, 13. 2 of my favorite vintage shoes{Click on a link to see a larger version of a particular image and/or for photographer information}

I think that plaid is a pattern that ultimately, with a little sleuthing around for the right piece, anyone can pull off and look fantastic in. It’s a lovely print that for all its historical roots, doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously, preferring to be a chipper, lively pattern instead.

Are you mad for plaid? Have you discovered any marvelous summer pieces in this classic pattern? I’d love to hear about your finds if you have – one plaid shirt is awesome, but finding a second might be even sweeter! :)

Crushing big time on Liz Clairborne

The other night I got an email from Issac Mizrahi (ok, not a personal note, but rather an email on behalf of the Liz Clairborne clothing empire signed with Mr. Mizrahi’s name) informing me about the latest pieces in their New York line had been released.

Though I’ve only owned two Liz Clairborne pieces over the years (a stripped long sleeve sweater several years ago and more recently – a now too big for me – pair of jeans), I greatly enjoyed them both. I was impressed with their quality and durability, but moreover with the feminine sense of tailoring they possessed (at 5”2, I also greatly appreciate that Clairborne pieces are often produced in petite sizes).

Like Ann Taylor and Laura Ashley, Liz Clairborne is a label I admire because of its ability to produce relatively affordable, beautiful pieces – many of which have a wonderfully innate sense of classic timelessness to them that instantly appeals to my taste in clothing (trendista, I am not!), and which lends itself quite well to achieving vintage inspired looks (think items such as sweet cardigans, girly frocks and fuller cut skirts).

I recently mentioned a pair of dark blue denim Liz Clairborne heels that I was swooning over, and after checking out the latest offering from the New York Line, I can safely say that several other items have now been jotted down on my Clairborne wish list.

Below is a selection of items that I especially like from the current pieces being offered up by the New York line. Please forgive the tiny photos, the Liz Cliarborne site uses flash to display its larger sized pics, so I had to utilize the smaller preview photos to create this mosaic.



{Starting from the top left hand top corner and working right the items are as follows: 1.) Belted Seersucker Dress 2.)Floral Stud Earring 3.)Elsie Patent Logo Tote 4.) Stretch Pleated Poplin Shirt 5.) Danielle Denim Pumps 6.) Dot Jacquard Pleated Waist Dress 7.) Pearl Cluster Earring 8.) Stretch Poplin Candy-Stripe Sundress 9.) Bow Flex-Link Bracelet 10.) Linen Bubble-Print Godet Skirt 11.) Marisa Stretch Gingham Shirt 12.) Striped Scoopneck Tee with Drawstring 13.) Jackie Stretch Seersucker Wide Leg Pant 14.) East West Leather Tote 15.) Eyelet Shawl-Collar Dress 16.) Petite Linen Godet Skirt}

The dresses - and of course those sweetly chic denim heels! - really caught my fancy, but I could easily see myself wearing any of these charming summery pieces, perhaps with a freshly picked flower tucked behind my ear.

Are any of my readers also Liz Clairborne fans?