It isn't every day that I wear cherries...

Outfit details

C. 1930s black plastic ball tipped hatpin: Unknown, had for many years
1930s/1940s wide brimmed green straw hat: Jardin Antiques
Glittery gold tone metal round shaped earrings: Claire's
Red cropped cardigan: Fairweather
Cherry print vintage style Hilda Dress (no longer in stock): c/o Voodoo Vixen
Green faux leather skinny belt: eBay
Green plastic bangle bracelet: Forever 21
Assorted vintage bangle bracelets: Most likely all thrifted from various sources
C. 1950s pink ruched gloves: Unknown, had for years
C. 1950s wicker, velvet and millinery cherry handbag: Lu Lou's Frou-Frou
Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay
Red patent faux leather pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red
Special Offer: Voodoo Vixen has very kindly extended a 20% off coupon code on all of their online merchandise to my readers. Use the coupon code Vintage20 at checkout between now and July 31st to save 20% on anything your heart desires from their wonderful website.


Photography by Tony Cangiano  

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But when I do, you better believe that I bring my crimson fruit filled A-game to the table! :D

I've never been the sort who follows trends or is drawn to overly common things - indeed, such is no small part of the reason why I opt to sport vintage fashion - and I will just about always cheer for the underdog. Thus, while I do very much adore cherries, given their immense commonality in the vintage/rockabilly/pinup girl/retro style world, I would say that I've somewhat sidestepped them, both consciously and subconsciously over the years.

That isn't to say that I haven't rocked cherries here before, because I have (e.g., in this fun 2013 outfit) - and I am very partial to cherry themed jewelry - but I don't reach for them everyday by any means. When I do, I like typically try to select pieces that have that little something to special to them, that helps to ensure they don't blend into a sea of basic red and black fruit prints.

This gorgeous and immensely feminine looking mid-century vintage style Hilda Dress from Voodoo Vixen nails that to an absolute tee for me.

Not only does its pattern go beyond the usual cherry print, but it includes the colour pink and the most adorable little jars of cherry jam on it (seriously, I can't even!).

I have very fond memories of picking and helping my mom to can, cook and bake with cherries when I was growing up (as detailed in this post from five years ago), so the moment I laid eyes on this beautiful dress, I knew that it had passed my cherry litmus test, so to speak.

I've had the pleasure of working with Voodoo Vixen here twice over the years (both times in 2014) and was really delighted when they recently contacted me about teaming up again this summer. They kindly sent me this enchanting Hilda dress, which - perhaps not surprisingly given how pretty it is - has already sold out, for review and I sincerely want to thank them for it.

On one of the very few sunny weekend days that we've had in the past couple of months, after a full and exciting day of vintage shopping, errand running, and MEC visiting (for Tony) in Kelowna, we returned home to Penticton and took a small trek on foot up part of the very first mile or so of the famous local KVR (Kettle Valley Railroad) Trail.

To my mind, the KVR Trail and the views that it offers are some of the most stunning sights to be seen and experienced around these parts, and I felt like they would suit my first vintage outfit post of the summer really nicely (likewise for this Voodoo Vixen dress itself).

It was early evening by the time we got there, but luckily the sun was still out and did a delightful job of bathing us in its golden warmth as the day wound down.

This dress, like the other two garments that I've received in the past from Voodoo Vixen, is well made from a medium weight fabric with a hint of stretch to it.

I should note that this dress came with a matching belt, however, even on the smallest hole, it was a good couple of inches too big for me and as it is a fabric belt, not a leather/faux leather one, I didn't want to damage it by piercing a tighter hole. Instead I'll wear it with garments like my denim capri pants that hit me lower down on my torso and thus not on the narrowest part of my waist.

Voodoo Vixen frocks aren't always super long, so before selecting this product, I spoke with my VV contact who confirmed that it would hit below my knees (for a sense of scale, I'm just barely 5'2" tall), which is a personal must for me with all dresses and skirts.

I wouldn't mind a few more inches of hem length here, but am equally okay with where it falls now and do very much appreciate a shorter hem length (by vintage standards at least) during the roasty-toasty summer months.

Having a fairly petite bone structure, garments are often too big for me in the shoulders. This dress has cap sleeves and is a little too big there, which while not tight, does make lifting my arms a bit tricky, as the cap sleeves become micro sleeves on my upper arms and restrict them a touch.

This is by no means a big issue at all (and I could always have them removed by a seamstress, if so desired) and I had no problem whatsoever comfortably wearing (and climbing a gentle hiking path in!) this dress for about ten hours straight on the day that these snaps were taken, so really, this is not an issue and I only mention it for the benefit of others who may be small shouldered as well.

This lovely vintage style frock is fun, sweet and just a blast to wear. I love the subtle keyhole detailing at the neckline, the functional pockets, the becoming a-line skirt, and of course the endlessly enjoyable red, white, pink and green cherry print that it is bedecked in from top to bottom. I'd recommend this dress to anyone and do so hope they bring it back into stock for those who may wish to add a "Hilda" to their own old school wardrobes, too.

A dress this vibrant and fully patterned doesn't need a ton of further embellishing, but naturally a few accessories were in order, including a wonderful c. 1950s wicker, velvet and millinery cherry purse that I've had for a few years now.

It's one of my favourite bags I've ever owned, however it is in rather delicate condition however, so I only bring it out once or twice a year, as a general rule. I couldn't think of a better dress to partner it with than this charming Voodoo Vixen one, so out it came to play in the warm June sunlight.

Vintage pink gloves, a quintet of bangle bracelets, one of my beloved 1950s Austrian glass fruit brooches, my equally adored green 1930s/40s wide brimmed straw hat, simple gold tone circle shaped earrings, and red pumps complete the look, which really does seem like such a fitting sartorial note to launch the summer - especially since local cherries are in season again right now.

It's true, I might not wear cherries all the time, but I love when I hit upon a piece that really stands out from the crowd for me and which I know I'll happily reach for many times over the years.

This whimsically sweet cherry print dress from Voodoo Vixen is just that and I look forward to spending many a happy summer in its company - this one very much included!

Brag Vintage online shop and product review

Outfit details

1940s/50s black straw hat with pink rose: eBay
Purple floral cameo earrings: Handmade by me
1980s floral print dress: Brag Vintage
1930s green beaded necklace: Jewelry seller in Okanagan Falls
1950s light purple gloves: eBay
Black vintage handbag: etsy seller A Vintage Revival
Black faux suede round toe pumps: Wal-Mart
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace


Photography by Antonio Cangiano

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Earlier this summer I received an introductory email from budding UK online vintage seller Brag Vintage, which quickly lead to a few fun back and forths, including the offer to select a piece from their stock to receive and wear here on my blog.

As with an ever larger number of vintage sellers (online and off), Brag's offerings tend to focus on pieces spanning the 1970s to 90s, years that I rarely dress in the styles of. However, I spotted a couple of items that I thought had the potential to be styled in a mid-century direction and decided to select the lovely black, green and purple floral print dress in today's outfit photos as my choice of item to receive from them.

Brag Vintage's website is well laid out and easy to navigate, with clothing being separated into women's and men's categories, and then further broken down by style type (such as jeans, t-shirts, skirts, jackets and coats, knitwear, etc). Their listings are updated frequently and each item features multiple, clearly shot photographs which quickly help you access a given piece in a flash (as well as a brief description of the piece and its condition).

Though a UK size number is provided in many instances, more specific measurements are not listed for most pieces. This point really stood out for me, because it is rare to encounter an online clothing seller that doesn't provide information on measurements such bust, waist, hips and garment length (if applicable). As UK sizing differs from North American, and because most of their pieces are anywhere from ten to thirty-five years old (when sizing was often different from today), I made sure to email and enquire as to the sizing on this dress before I selected it.

I was told it was 20" across the bust and had a 12" waist with stretch to it. Both points are true, and though I own a number of dresses with busts in the 40" range (my own bust is scarcely 35”), I found (once it arrived and I had it on) that this one was so generously cut in the area that it made the garment to big for me. There was also an excess amount of fabric (for my body size) in the hips, so in order to wear it in photos, I had to safety pin several inches of fabric in the back, so as to give the illusion that this dress fit me a bit better than it actually does.

The dress is, as stated on Brag’s site, in excellent condition, which I certainly appreciated. It arrived swiftly from the UK, was securely packaged, and free of any odours. I love the pattern (florals are always a huge hit with me) and suspect that if I was a skilled seamstress, I could revamp it this dress to fit me better, but as it stands now, it's just too large (especially in the bust). That said, I was thinking that I might wear it as a housedress under cardigans and sweaters during the winter, as it is very soft, comfortable and pretty and I wouldn’t want it to languish in my closet.

When I first saw its photo on Brag's website, I thought it would be a snap to style in a 40s direction, as I sometimes do with other dresses I own from the 1980s, however the excess fabric did make that a touch tricky in real life. That said, I plowed ahead and aimed for a sweet forties-esque look, complete with vintage rose adorned black straw hat, classic black handbag, cute lilac hued 1950s gloves, a 1930s necklace, and a pair of floral cameo earrings that I made last year, as well as my beloved bow adorned black faux suede pumps (which are amongst the most comfortable shoes I own).

I'm not going to lie to you, I felt awful from a health standpoint on the day that we took these photos. Like, I was almost passing out between shutter clicks, awful. It was really important to me that I get these pictures though, because (as always) I didn't know when I might have another day out again (they were very few and far between in July) and I'd promised the folks at Brag that I'd post about this dress come August.

In the weeks since I was first introduced to Brag Vintage, I've popped by their website a few times and though they don't appear to be stocking any mid-century offerings (yet?), they do have a wide range of pieces from the 1970s, 80s, 90s and into the 21st century, including (at the time of writing) a few other pretty 1980s dresses that could be styled in a 1940s or 50s direction.

I'm a big fan of such pieces, especially when they're reasonably priced (as Brag's are) and in good shape, so I wouldn't be opposed to ordering from Brag as a paying customer in the future. I do hope though that they start adding measurements to their listings, as I'm sure I'm not the first person to visit their site and wish that handy information was there.

So while this dress wasn't a smash hit from a size standpoint, I do genuinely like it (the pattern is gorgeous) and was completely pleased with the customer service I received from Brag Vintage. I appreciate that they sent this charming 1980s frock my way and have no qualms encouraging one and all to check out their site.

Though their offerings are more on the modern side of the vintage spectrum, with some pieces channeling a hipster vibe, there are also some items (such as this classic floral print tea dress) that are likely to appeal to many mid-century fashion fans the world over.


*Post update* The fine folks at Brag have told me that there is a small tab in the description box on their site that states the measurements for each garment, but for some utterly bizarre and unknown reason, I cannot see it on my computer. I'm using Chrome on Windows 8 with an ad blocker in place, so if you're doing the same or something similar, I'm not sure if you'll be able to see it either, however I just wanted to mention this as I touched on the point in my post and wouldn't want to be unintentionally inaccurate. 

*Second update* Between Brag Vintage changing some things on their web design end of things and me disabling my ad blocker for their site, I'm happy to report that I can now see the measurements tab on each listing. If it's not showing up for you, try disabling your ad blocker, too, and that should do the trick.

Vintage plaid and straw for a windswept day at Wharf Park

Outfit details

1940s/50s flower adorned straw hat: etsy seller Bettes Bargains
Brown plastic hair barrette: Goody
Gold toned twisted hoop earrings: Claire's
Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥
Coral cropped tie waist cardigan: Forever 21
Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore
Vintage plaid pencil skirt: etsy seller By The Way
Vintage woven handbag with bamboo handles: Yard sale find
White eyelet bow sling back flats: Payless
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace
Nail colour: Essie Muchi Muchi

Photography by Antonio Cangiano

{Love the cute photobombing duckies in the background here!}

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Before launching into today's post, I want to take a moment to extend my most heartfelt thanks to one and all who bestowed birthday wishes on me yesterday (and in the days leading up to the 10th). They brightened my day every bit as the candles on my yummy homemade GF cheesecake. I'm delighted to report that I had a stellar, low key, fun filled day - just as I generally prefer my birthday celebrations to be.

Originally I'd had a different outfit post planned for today, but the photos for it were just taken this past weekend, and between doctors appointments, my b-day, and a handful of other things earlier this week, I haven't even had a chance to upload said snaps yet, let alone put together a post featuring some of them - so they'll just have to wait until a little later in the month (I'm super excited to share them though, as they feature a brand new addition to my wardrobe that was my main birthday presents from my mom and step-dad this year).

The images in today's post were taken last month, on a day that was, to say the least a wee bit windy! I must admit, I couldn't help but wince a little when I saw these photos because, after the first couple we shot, unbeknownst to me, the mighty breeze had blown my cardigan a little to the side on my shoulder and in the process exposed one of my bra straps.

I could have removed this fact from all of these snaps with a little bit of Photoshop magic, but as I've said here before - and really am a firm believer in - sometimes it's important to document life just as it happened. That means the good, the bad, and the exposed flash of white brassiere strap – and so I left well enough alone. Life is far too short to sweat over tiny things like this when one is simply shooting for their own pleasure and blogging purposes.

Interestingly enough, the last time we did a shoot in this very same area (which you can see here), the wind was blowing every which way as well - coincidence? Perhaps, but I'll be sure to keep that point in mind if we plan to grab photos there again, as it was all I could do to keep my vintage straw hat from tumbling into the frothy waters below as we took pictured that day (talk about wishing you'd brought a sturdy hat pin!).

This cardigan is one of my very favourites - I adore the length (so often cardigans are miles too long on me, as I'm barely 5'2"), the warm, saturated coral hue, the sophisticated little faux pearl buttons, and the playful tie waist. It hasn't appeared on the blog for over a year (you may recall it from this June 2012 post), and as it complimented my fun vintage plaid pencil skirt and instantly evoked a summery feel, it seemed like the perfect thing to wear for a casual afternoon stroll on the Wharf Park pier in Naramata.

Though this cute skirt is making its online debut today (I'd wanted a summer weight vintage plaid pencil skirt for ages and was thrilled to find one for a song earlier this year on etsy), this is the second appearance for this charming vintage straw hat (previously spotted here). Part of me feels like this hat is from the 1950s, and another part feels like it's earlier - and the longer I own, and wear it, the more I'm compelled to think that it's from the 30s or 40s (due to the colour of the straw, the flowers used, the upturn of the brim). What are your thoughts? What decade jumps out at you the moment you see it?

One thing you may notice is that the last time I wore this hat, the flowers were in the front, and this time around they were in the back, with the veiling in the front (at the time, the wonderfully lovely Elizabeth of The Country Handmaiden asked to see a back view of it, and as I always try to remember such requests and post about them, it seemed like high time I showed her just that by wearing the back as the front here). Unlike many hats, this one works equally well no matter which side is facing front - thus essentially giving me two vintage chapeaus in one. I don't prefer one way over the other, it's a merely a matter of which works best for a given outfit.

My vintage woven handbag was picked up last summer at a yard sale for the princely sum of one dollar, and has, without a doubt become my most used purse so far throughout the summer of 2013. It looks small - and it certainly won't be subbing in for a suitcase anytime soon - but I'm able to get my wallet, cell phone, keys, compact, lipstick, a pen, handkerchief, and a couple of other small items in there without it bursting at the seams, unlike some of my other smaller pint sized vintage bags.

The glimmering sunshine, the clear, soul upliftingly lovely fresh blue skies, even the rambunctious wind were all perfect that fine June day. This is the kind of weather we Canadians quite literally dream about during the seemingly endless days of winter, and if I need to hold on tight to my hat or have a little bit of my bra strap show in some photos to enjoy such moments of perfect summertime weather, then so be it - if only prices that small could be paid on everything one enjoys in life.

Tortoise shell sunnies, a vintage straw hat, and Brooks Brothers atop Knox Mountain

Outfit details

Vintage straw hat: eBay

Faux pearl stud earrings: Claire's

Dark plastic tortoise shell sunglasses: DKNY

Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥

Black cardigan: Banana Republic

Vintage inspired silver tone bird brooch: eBay

Yellow button front shirt: c. 1980s Brooks Brothers via etsy seller Little Nettie's

Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore

Black vintage handbag: etsy seller A Vintage Revival

Denim capri pants: Nine West

Black faux leather belt: eBay

Black flats with skinny bows: Payless

Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Antonio Cangiano

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Our region of British Columbia isn't called the Okanagan Valley for no reason. Much as the heart of many of its towns and communities are situated on lower grounds, so too is the whole area flanked by a bevy of majestic hills and mountains, some of which are more accessible to the general public than others. Earlier this spring you may recall when Tony and I did our best impression of a big horned sheep to reach Shaka Bluffs, well recently we decided to take in the view from another stunning vantage point, this time in the neighbouring city of Kelowna.

Knox Mountain, named after Arthur Booth Knox, a rancher in the area during the city's early days (of the late Victorian era), overlooks Okanagan Lake and is - I'm very happy to report - easy to reach (it too involves a narrow, curvy road, but at least this one is designed to let two average sized cars drive past each other at the same time). Despite having lived in the Okanagan for much of my life and having gone past the base of the mountain many times before, I'd never ventured up its winding path, so I was delighted when Tony and I got a chance to do just that not too long ago.

Unless you're a brand new reader (if you are, a warm hello!), you've likely seen my beloved eyeglasses many times before, however you've not - before today, that is - seen my sunnies. Between being nearsighted and the fact that I find very few types of frames look good on me, at present I only own one pair of prescription sunglasses (I'd certainly love to expand my collection over time though), which I bought back in 2009, and these plastic tortoise shell babies are it.

They're DKNY, not vintage, but I think they do a pretty good job of looking the 1950s (and early 60s) part, and I'm really happy to have them as we head into another blazingly sunny summer here.

The Saturday on which we took these snaps started out quite a bit brighter, which is why both sunglasses and a wide brimmed vintage straw hat were in order. As the day progressed however, the skies turned grey, there was tons of wind (it was all I could do to keep my hat from tumbling down the mountain side!), and we even got rained on as we headed home later in the afternoon (that said though, the light was still quite harsh, which is why I'm squinting up a storm in the shoots where I don't have my sunglasses on).

Again though, when it kicked off, it was teaming with bright sunlight and decently warm, but not quite to the point where I was willing to forgo a cardigan. Much as I'm smitten with the colour green this year (as you may recall from posts such as this and this), as spring turns to summer, I'm finding myself pulled more and more towards yellow as well.

Yellow is a tricky colour for me to wear, in fact, I'd say it ties with orange as the trickiest, however (in both cases, actually) if I stick with the lightest and darkest ends of the spectrum, I tend to have better luck, and so I was thrilled when I found this classic (circa 1980s) Brooks Brothers pale yellow button front shirt on etsy recently (as an interesting side note, the seller recognized me by name from my blog and we've been chatting about vintage and various other topics there ever since - I love it when things like that happen!).

It's one of only a very small handful of yellow garments presently in my wardrobe, but I adore it so much that it's inspired me to keep looking for more soft and dark hued citrus inspired pieces to add to my closet as the year progresses (and beyond).

You may remember these denim capri pants from last summer (where they appeared in posts such as this), as they are really and truly one of my warm weather go-to pieces, and the perfect kind of thing to wear when trekking up a hill - or, in this case, driving to the gorgeous lookout point on one.

This hat is one of a matching pair that I bought on eBay towards the end of this past winter. It's mate looks identical, save for the fact that instead of having a black band of cotton fabric running the crown (which extends down further, in this case I wrapped it around a low bun on the back of my head), it has a dusty cream hued one. Between the two colours, I have a great mid-century straw hat to pair with nearly any casual or even semi-formal summer ensemble (and the two fill a gap in my warm weather hat wardrobe that I'd been trying to plug for ages!).

Last September, in a post called How Many Personalities Does Your Wardrobe Have? I talked about some of the many different styles that influence the way I dress, one of which has always been the classic preppy aesthetic. It's not a vibe you may detect in too many of my ensembles, but it's one I love and which I think shines through nicely in this particular outfit (the fact that shirt is Brooks Brothers certainly doesn't hurt in that regard!).

I so adore that there are numerous corners of the Okanagan Valley that I'd not explored before (and really hope I never run out of such locations entirely). Getting a chance to visit each one is a serious thrill for me, especially because traveling long distances (or even more than a couple of hours away) is rarely in the cards.

We get to enjoy new sights, learn more about local history, and often take outfit snaps - a trio that's as great as the view from Knox Mountain, if you ask me.