Ten cold weather vintage wardrobe staples

Snow, it won't be long before we'll all be there with snow. Snow, I want to wash my hands, my face and hair with snow. Snow, I long to clear a path and lift a spade of snow. Snow, oh, to see a great big man entirely made of snow! 


So begins one of the most memorable songs from 1954's endlessly beloved classic White Christmas, and it was this tune that pranced merrily through my mind yesterday when I awoke up to another fresh blanket of snow.

We may still technically be a few days away from the start of the next season, but for most of us north of the equator, winter has already moseyed into town, ski gear in tow, and set up camp for what stands to be a lengthy haul.

Interestingly however, unlike summer, which in the Northern Hemisphere is universally warm for pretty much one and and all alike, winter is a bird of a different feather. Ranging anywhere from slightly nippy at most (say, for those in places such as Florida and Hawaii) to frostbite in flash, with temperatures dropping to a teeth chattering -40C or lower still!

Winter's behaviour is not the same across the world, but for most, it does entail significantly cooler temperatures, snow and ice aplenty. You might not have banks piled ten feet high on the side of the road, but chances there's at least the potential for enough of the white stuff to make a pint sized snowman with once during the season.

With the official start of the season so near, it seems only fitting take a gander at look at ten cold weather vintage wardrobe staples that are sure to appeal to all those who love old school fashions and want to stay as snug as a bug in a rug come the long, grey, icicle filled days of this winter.

For the purpose of this post, written by a red blooded Canadian who knows a thing or two about winter's unforgiving wrath, I'm going to assume that you live somewhere that sees something resembling a stereotypical winter each year. It may be a little warmer or a whole lot colder than most, but in short it will contain days that hit or drop below freezing, face snow and ice at least a few times, and doesn't start to feel like spring until March (if you're really lucky!).

This list is, in pretty much every way, the exact opposite of last June's Ten warm weather vintage wardrobe staples. Should you happen to live south of the aforementioned equator, and are heading into summer right about now, you may enjoy revisiting that post, but I hope you'll also have fun reading today's and tucking away this list for a few month's time, when your own environment is cloaked in frosty, wintry loveliness once more.

{Capes}

{At once dramatic and highly functional, capes (and hooded cloaks) are the sort of garment that are going to get your noticed. Even back in the day when they were far more commonly sported, capes demanded attention and got it, because they are so sweepingly, chicly sophisticated and beautiful, and have the rather wonderful added perk of doing a great deal to keep you warm, especially when they're made of cold weather loving fabrics such thick felt, sturdy wool, tweed, suede, fur or velvet.} 

{Circle skirts}

{Unless you live in especially mild climates, this isn't the time for thin cottons. No, we're talking heavy-duty 1950s, reproduction, or handmade circle skirts in thick, cold-air-blocking fabrics such as quilted satin (or just about any quilted material - they're so classic and evoke the same kind of elegance as Liz Taylor in the image above), corduroy, velvet, and denim. Likewise, the longer the hem length, the better, to help keep swirling winter winds away from your lovely gams (which are most likely going to be sporting stockings or tights for an extra layer of warmth).}

{Classic overcoats}

{This, in my opinion, should be a wardrobe staple of every man, woman and child the world over, no matter if they're vintage fashion fans of not. For those who are however, you're in luck, as a bevy of vintage winter coats are still with us to this day. Typically, you'll want to track down those that hit at the knee or longer, are lined, have full length (or at the very least, bracelet length) sleeves, a sturdy collar, and pockets to tuck cold fingers into. Wool, cashmere, fur, tweed, and Persian lamb's wool are all excellent choices for this bracing time of the year.}

{Crinolines}

{Though one might associate crinolines (aka, pettiskirts) with full skirted summer frocks, they actually work extremely well under cold weather skirts and dresses and provide an excellent layer of padding between you and the elements (something our petticoat loving foremothers knew well!). I've worn tights, a crinoline, a circle skirt, blouse or sweater, scarf, gloves, heavy coat, and boots in January and actually broken into a slightly sweat while outside a few times before, because I was so well protected from the chill.}

{Headkerchiefs}

{When stacked side-by-side, comparably fewer vintage coats had hoods than their modern counterparts, which means that most of us will be look for some other way to keep our ears from all but freezing off during the winter. Enter the humble headkerchief/head scarf. Once a wardrobe staple of many women, today this classic garment is rarely seen in the western world, however it strongly deserves to find itself a place in your closet come the first signs of the season. Not only will it help ensure your ears stay comfortable, but it's also a great way to help keep the wind, rain, and snow from causing havoc on your hairdo.} 

{Housecoats}

{Fashion isn't merely what you show the outside world, it's also what you don when inside the comfort of your own home, and let's face it, during the winter, that's where many of us spend a good deal of our time, so it stands to reason that we should look glamorous while relaxing around the house, too. Few garments can help you achieve that more quickly that a classic, sophisticated house coat - preferably something in a thick, quilted fabric that hits at least mid-calf and can be worn both for warmth and elegance alike on even the most bone shatteringly cold winter mornings.}

{Long sleeved dresses}

{For those of us who aren't massive fans of our upper arms (I'd shoot my hand up in the air there, but you know...upper arms and all ;)) and/or prefer to dress modestly, winter's call for long sleeved garments is a sartorial godsend. Whether you love or loath your arms, common sense dictates that this is the season for sleeves! Embrace those fabulous vintage wool crepes, thick cottons, rayon crepe, velvets, and knits that feature three-quarter of full length sleeves with reckless abandon - I promise you, your forearms will thank you the next time an icy arctic blast strikes.}

{Muffs}

{Muffs are, beyond a shadow of a doubt, one of my favourite vintage winter garments of all time. They can be small and sweet, over-sized and glamorously worldly, or anywhere in between, and all serve the save general purpose: to keep your hands wonderfully warm while ensuring you're most sharply dressed gal this side of the North Pole.}

{Vests (waistcoats)}

{This is one of the items that I need to stick a Post-It note up in my closet to remind myself to wear more often. I love the look of, and extra layer of warmth that, a classic fitted vest provides, but all too often forget to give them the attention they deserve. This winter, I vow to do just that and encourage you to do so as well, if you've been neglecting your vests in recent years.} 

{Winter boots}

{Believe me when I say that I wholeheartedly understand how finding genuine vintage winter boots in one's size and price range can be an uphill battle of epic proportions, but that doesn't mean you have to toss in the towel completely. Instead (or in addition to) try to hunt down vintage reproduction footwear sellers who offer winter styles, try classic black or brown lace up boots, or keep your eyes peeled for modern version with a classic look that can partner well with your awesome vintage style.}

{To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}

♥ ♥ ♥

Winter is a harsh season, but it has its good points as well, and I firmly believe that many of this seasons’ fashions fall squarely under that heading. There is something so soul comforting and fun about layering, snugly into the folds of a plush cape, sweater, or fur (real or faux, as you prefer) collar of a vintage coat, scarves and mitts never far from sight - or skin!

Throughout the year, I periodically receive questions regarding tips on how to wear vintage during the winter, and I hope that the ten garments listed here today will help one and all who may be curious about this topic. It's no harder to wear vintage during the winter than it is any other time of the year. Yes, some of your lightest weight, most summery pieces may have to go on hiatus for a little while, but don't feel that this means you're limited to just a couple of styles or looks.

When Old Man Winter comes a knocking, greet him at the door in nubby tweeds, glamorous velvets, plush knits, hearty denim, opaque hosiery, kitten-paw-soft corduroy, or even your favourite cashmere sweater - and don't skimp on the extras either!

Unlike summer, when a less is more approach tends to naturally rise to the surface, winter's muted outdoor palette practically begs to be livened up with everything from jaunty feather adorned hats to gold chains, glittery brooches, silver hoop earrings, scarves of all manner, cold blocking gloves, ornately patterned or woven tights, even adorable ear muffs. You needed look like a Christmas tree of course, but if you feel so inclined, this is the season to do it.

Banish cold weather doldrums with the colours that you use. Grey, black, white, navy, and brown are all fine of course, and make for great supporting players, but why not liven things up with hues so vibrant they look as though they've just been plucked from a greenhouse?

If bold colour isn't your bag, take a cue from winter's softer shades and inject hits of pastels, dusty hues, icy whites, and cool metallics into your ensembles? A grey skirt suit, for example, with a mint green blouse and silver jewelry, or a pair of high waisted blue jeans (extra bonus points if they're flannel lined!) worn with a cream hued angora sweater and pale pink or blue accessories.

Winter may demand a certain degree of practicality, but that doesn't mean for a split second that they have to be boring, repetitive or lacking in exuberance. Whether your wardrobe is massive or miniature, a few key pieces such as those listed above, partnered with a lovely array of accessories and winter appropriate legwear and shoes, should be enough to help you come up with fun, inventive, beautiful outfits from the first snowflake to the last.

Searching for snow clothes in the middle of summer

It might seem a touch ironic that I live in a country known the world over for being notoriously cold and snowy (a reputation which is by no means unfounded in many places) and yet have been searching for the past few years to find vintage snow clothes - specifically a pair of mid-century winter boots and a cute two piece snow or ski suit - and keep coming up empty handed.

To be fair, it's not that I haven't seen options online (there's been absolutely nothing forthcoming in person), it's just that almost every last one of them has either been the wrong size or well beyond my budget.

Unlike, say, sundresses, there doesn't seem to be anywhere near the abundance of vintage snow clothes that there is of most other types of seasonal clothing that’s still to be had. Of course some pieces exist and are still for sale, but because relatively few of them surface in the marketplace anymore these days, there's ample demand and little in the way of supply, meaning that those that do pop up frequently fetch princely sums.





{Sewing one's own is always an option, if you happen to be a seamstress that is, which alas, sadly, I'm really not - but gosh, do I adore getting styling inspiration from great 1940s sewing patterns like this. Image source.}


Even if one finds a good price however, there's nothing to say that the size will be right (especially when you wear a modern size 8/8.5 shoe like I do) or that you'll love the garment in question, both make-or-break points in most cases.

There have been a few times that I've found either a great pair of boots or ski suit on eBay and bid like crazy, but when the dust settled, someone with deeper pockets always ousted me, and I had to repeat a phrase familiar to most auction bidders the world over, it just wasn't meant to be.

Compounding these points is the fact that I'm allergic to wool. Really allergic. I nearly always burst out into a horrible case of hives that usually develops into contact dermatitis (lasting for days or even weeks afterwards) if wool (or even fabric that's a wool blend) touches my skin for more than a few minutes. Not good at all if you're in the market for a vintage ski or snow suit, as most of those from the 1930s, 40s and 50s were made of wool. However, some of them are lined and others can be worn with long underwear and/or other garments underneath to ensure that wouldn't come in direct contact with my skin, thus making them fairly safe (I've been doing this with my wool winter coats my whole life).




{The fact that I don't - or more accurately have been unable to for more than a decade now due to my health - ski doesn't phase me one bit, it's the ski bunny look that I'm after more than actually swishing down the slopes. For that, I'll happily thwart wool allergies with long johns, layers, and scarves if that's what it takes to give me the chic, charming yesteryear look (akin to that in the photograph above - especially if the hood is involved!) winter look and protection from the elements that I'm after.}


Some in the vintage community have had great success in finding original cold weather footwear from the 40s and 50s, and others have lucked out and been able to get their mitts on wonderful reproduction style winter boots, such as those from Miss L Fire (I love, for example, the Miss L Fire's that Laurence sported last winter).

While one has a decent range of vintage winter footwear styles to chose from (for examples of such shoes, I highly recommend these two posts that Charlotte wrote last year: one, two; as well as this terrific look at vintage winter shoes and some modern vintage appropriate styles that Gemma penned back in 2010) in terms of the style they’d ideally like to find, the type of boots that I'm after are those that have a distinct cold weather look and feel to them and are ideally fur (or faux fur) trimmed, redolent of the burgundy hued ones in the lovely 1940s ad below.

{Image via Marlene's wonderful blog post which is chocked full of inspiring vintage shoe and winter boot examples.}


I'm not ruling out other styles of course, but I wouldn't place things at a beggars can't be choosers kind of level either. I think that the key factor is that I really want them to look like they just stepped (footwear pun intended) out of the 40s or 50s, and should they happen to be fur trimmed (I just adore that look!), all the better.

It might seem a bit strange to be weighing one's options and discussing this topic in the middle of the summer, but now is in fact a great time to ramp up my hunt even further, because we still have a few months (baring a super early winter) until the snowy season returns once more.

Just as you can sometimes find better prices on swimwear, sundresses, and playsuits in January than in July, so too (one can at least hope) is there the possibility that you'll unearth both a wider selection and slightly better prices on vintage winter boots and ski suits during the summer, when there's considerably less use for them (in the Western hemisphere and outside of the Swiss Alps, that is).

My hunt for both of these items will continue diligently. Ideally I'd love to find each one before the first flake hits the ground in the late fall, but if it doesn't happen (again) this year, it's not the end of the universe. I'll just keep my eyes and ears peeled, and know that sooner or later they're both bound to show up (good vintage things, as I always like to say, come to those who wait).

1940s black and brass for a very cold winter's day at Skaha Lake

Outfit details

1940s black tilt hat: etsy seller JoBella's Emporium

Green molded plastic beaded necklace: Thrifted

1980s does 1940s/50s glen plaid dress: etsy seller Sepia Vintage

Edwardian inspired dangle brooch: eBay

Quadruple buckle "waist cinching" belt: Forever 21

1940s brass studded black gloves: eBay

Vintage Saks Fifth Avenue black patent purse: etsy seller MK Retro

Black tights: Arden

1940s style black shoes: Thrifted

Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Antonio Cangiano

{An especially cold gust of wind hit my face so I instinctually closed my eyes here.} 

 

 

♥ ♥ ♥

The Okanagan Valley is a land peppered generously with lakes of all sizes, of which our town is sandwiched between two of these many bodies of water. The photos above were taken at Skaha Lake (which you may recall me talking about in earlier posts, such as this one), however not on the side the touches Penticton, instead on the opposite end in Okanagan Falls.

The tiny, charming community of Ok Falls is only about fifteen minutes away from Skaha beach in Penticton, and while it might not offer up scads of excitement during the winter months (when the beaches are too cold to swim in, the lake isn't usually solid enough to fish on, and the beloved local ice cream shop is closed for the season), it's still fun to pop out there every now and then for a change of pace and scenery.

On a bitingly cold day a few weeks ago, Tony and I did just that one Sunday afternoon. This was, to date, the coldest day we've ever taken pictures outside on, and I'm not going to conceal the fact that I was shivering up a storm sans heavy winter coat. Knowing that the mercury was hiding that day, I opted to wear my heaviest winter dress (it’s a thick polyester that feels surprisingly like cotton), opaque tights, and of course gloves. I could have used a few more layers though, let me tell you!

Teeth chattering, we both got through this shoot though, and I'm so glad that we did, because I adore the photos that Tony took that day. The icy cold shoreline of Skaha Lake made for a marvelous backdrop against which to let the black, white, green, and brass tones of this winter outfit shine through.

I'm making a conscious effort to both buy and wear more green this year (I love it to pieces and have no idea why I haven't done more of both of those things in recent years), so on this day I opted for verdant accessories. The last time this lovely antique inspired brooch appeared here on the blog, the weather was a whole lot warmer and sunnier, and we were gearing up for a morning spent at the local Penticton farmer's market (which will reopen come May - yay!).

My here necklace is a string of molded beads that I picked up last year for around fifty cents while thrifting. I have several similar necklaces, which I really like and wear fairly often, because the ones I own are free of metal and thus completely safe for someone like me with a nasty nickel allergy.

This dress is a 1980s does 40s/50s L.L. Bean (the first, and to date only, L.L. Bean item I've ever owned) shirtwaist in a classic glen plaid print. The thick, sturdy fabric makes it the perfect frock for those especially nippy days the so often crop up during the second half of the winter, and thus I've been wearing it at least once a week lately.

You may have heard me say before that it can be challenging (due to medical reasons) for me to wear tight things around my midsection, and indeed that is very true, however this awesome quadruple buckle (stretch) belt is not as tight as it would appear. You see, when I bought it a few years ago from Forever 21 in Toronto, I made sure to get a size that would be a little loose even on the tightest notches, that way I could still wear it most days, even if I had to sport it on looser fitting notches. In fact, it's comfier to wear than most of my belts and I've had no trouble keeping it on for as long as 12 hours at a time before. Yippee! Because I absolutely, positively adore it, especially for wrangling in the waist on classic shirtwaist dresses like this one.

I adore these brass studded 1940s gloves (the studs don't go all the way though, so there's no risk of the metal, which could in theory contain nickel, touching my skin) and thought they'd be the perfect pair to accompany the brass on the belt and brooch. The swirling vine pattern is so elegantly pretty, and the longer length makes them ideal for icy winter days when its imperative that your wrists are fully covered.

If this lovely 1940s tilt hat looks familiar, it's because you last saw it just a few months ago as part of my Oktoberfest outfit. I love this hat. I mean, I really, really, really love it! I swear, I have to stop myself from partnering it with darn near every 40s outfit I put together (as I do like to let my other hats, all of which I'm crazy about too, see some action as well). I tend to wear more black during the winter than other times of the year, so for the time being, it really is cropping up more days than not, let me tell you.

As March barrels onward, it's good to know that this is the last true month of winter left. This month will likely still be fairly cold - and potentially somewhat snowy - but soon spring will be here and that means the return of dipping our toes in all these wonderful local lakes - Skaha very much included - once more. I can hardly wait!

Smiling in the snow at Skaha

Outfit details

1950s black and red hat: eBay
1980s does 1940s red and white floral print dress: etsy seller Superelder Vintage
Grey shrug: Fairweather
Vintage silver toned rose brooch: etsy seller Miss Farfalla
White skinny belt: eBay
Bangle bracelets: various sources
Red vintage purse: etsy seller I Love Vintage Stuff
Black vintage gloves: Gift from a dear vintage loving friend
Nude black seamed stockings: eBay
Black shoes: Thrifted (from Salvation Army)
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Antonio Cangiano

♥ ♥ ♥

There's a scene towards the end of the 1960 movie version of the classic story Swiss Family Robinson in which the family, marooned on the island for quite some time now, have to fend off a group of pirates that have come ashore and are up to no good.

In it the family continually fights off the villainous pirates, only to have them spring back to life as if they hadn't just had a boulder hurdled at them or some such. As children, my little brother and I found this scene to be incredibly funny, as it seemed no matter what the Robinsons did, the pirates just would not die. As a result of the enjoyment we got out of this scene, we came to use the term "like the pirates" throughout our youth when something lasted for a comically and/or otherwise unexpectedly long time before running out or dying.

To this day, when something continues to keep going strong far longer than it was excepted to, I crack a smile and think back to those resilient Disney pirates. Over the course of 2012, the battery (technically, batteries, as he uses a grip that houses two batteries) in Tony's Canon DSL did just that. Time and time again we'd whip it out for a shot and they'd still be going strong, despite often shooting a hundred or two image per outing time and time again. It was handy indeed, and while we of course had no qualms with charging the batteries again before they reached the end of their current charge, we were both more than a little curious to see how just how long they would last for.

The answer to that question was delivered last month on Boxing Day when stopped to take a few snaps at Skaha Beach on the south end of town. After just a couple of minutes, the batteries (which, to be fair, had been showing an ever-decreasing amount of charge for a couple of months now) finally gave up their last ounce of life for the day. We were just taking pictures for fun and as this wasn't a particularly important shoot, we didn't mind and had a good laugh over the fact that they'd finally been defeated - or at least in need of another charging.

To grab a couple more photos, Tony whipped out his iPhone, and so two of the photos today were shot with that, whereas the rest were with the Canon. The batteries were charged up again shortly after we got home and it will be fun to see just how many months they give us again this year before they need to be charged once more (neither of us can seem to remember just when they were charged last prior to this, but we estimate eight to twelve months ago).

Throughout 2012 I introduced you to Okanagan Lake (in posts such as this one about the S.S. Sicamous), the larger of the two lakes between which our town in sandwiched, and discussed the smaller one, Skaha Lake, in this post, but I haven't shown it to you before today. Skaha is the first thing that greets visitors as they drive (or fly) into Penticton from southern destinations in the province, and while it pales in size to Okanagan, it is still a very respectable lake in its own right.

During the warmer months, just as Okanagan Lake is, Skaha (which means dog in a local First Nations dialect - so hence the original name given to it by early French explorers of the area, Lac Du Chien) is a massive tourist attraction, as well as a familiar haunt for many locals. Then, as now, when I was growing up, my family tended to spend more time at Okanagan, as it was closer to our home, but I've certainly swam at many of the beaches around its perimeters over the years, too.

As with most beaches the world over, Skaha doesn't see too much action during the colder months, which is part of the reason I love spending time there during the fall, winter and early spring. Though the waters are too cold to dunk your toes into (unless you're keen on doing polar bear dips!), there is an unmistakable serenity to the watching the water lap at the toast hued sands, tall (often - as in these photos - snow covered) mountains surrounding you on either side, and few other visitors to interrupt moments of peaceful thought and contemplation.

On this day, there was light snow and an icy wind blowing all around us, and I was very, very careful to watch my footing as I carefully made my way out towards the end of the little boat dock down near the marina, lest I take a tumble and end actually end up doing an unintentional polar bear swim! Thankfully such was not the case, but the exposed skin on my forearms was still mighty chilly, let me tell you!

I'd already been suspecting as much, but once I saw these photos uploaded on the computer, I knew for sure (as I touched on in two posts earlier this month) that I needed to trim the bangs on this wig. For some reason - most likely the hat pushing the whole wig further down on my head - the bands just look comically long (and full) here, so later that night at home I ultra carefully gave them a trim, and now like them a million times more (thus in all future posts featuring this wig, the bangs will be a bit shorter and you can see my eyebrows properly again).

I've never been big on spending Boxing Day out shopping (especially since most stores now have Boxing Week sales, which means you've got ample time to bargain hunt, if you're so inclined), instead I prefer tranquil post-Christmas days like this, spent outdoors or perhaps inside hunkered down in front of a warm fire, holiday feast leftovers and hot cocoa at the ready.

While my arms, ok, all of me, was a bit cold, I was also very happy and content, and didn't mind at all when the camera battery died. It just meant the setting became even more serene without the sound of clicking to interrupt the peacefulness of this little slice of Okanagan winter heaven (with nary a pirate anywhere in sight).

Stay warm all winter with this beautiful 1950s quilted robe

✯ Day 330 of Vintage 365 ✯

The temperatures are plummeting, night now dips below freezing here in Toronto, though snow (in our particular neck of the woods) has not yet reappeared. It will soon though, this being Canada, there is absolutely no doubt of that.

Living in an apartment with centrally controlled heating (in other words, the managers of the building set the same temperature for all units, we do not have thermostats in our own apartment - which, let me tell you, never stops being strange!), things rarely get very toasty during the winter. An electric heater my sweet husband bought a couple of winters ago helps significantly (at least when you're in the same room as the heater!), yet for all but the naturally warmest souls amongst us, one needs to pile on layers these days.

As winter (or late autumn, as is the case now) rolls ever forward, this point will become even more important. Sweaters, cardigans, thick blouses atop camisoles, thick stockings under skirts and dresses, all become a must - just as they have for countless generations before us (especially those who didn't have the luxury of any kind of indoor heating - save the family fire - at all!).

One of my absolute favourite ways, when in the comfort of your own abode, to stay toasty has always been the humble robe. From the darling pink quilted full length number I had as a little girl to lined satin, terrycloth, flannel, and even chenille numbers I've sported as an adult, I'm never without at least one delightfully heavy-duty winter robe come wintertime.

Honestly, even if I lived in the most climate controlled, perfectly heated house in the world, I would still want to own a thick, winter-worthy robe or two, as I adore the feeling of swaddling yourself in comfortable, bedding soft fabric as a means of fighting off winter's bite.

Winter housecoats and robes, while certainly more substantial than their lighter silk, satin, and thin cotton summer dressing gown counterparts, do not have to be shapeless, uninteresting beings by any means. Take for example this immensely beautiful blue and white floral print 1950s robe from etsy seller Pumpkin Truck.

 

This sweeping, elegant, eye-catching 3/4 length sleeve robe is busting with feminine charm and oozing stylish appeal. I adore the cheerful garden of blooms printed on this great quilted dressing gown, which despite its slightly shorter sleeves, should help fend off the wrath of winter thanks to its generously long skirt and abundance of fabric.

As with nearly everything pertaining to vintage fashion, one finds yesteryear robes in a myriad of styles and prices (this particular vintage robe, which fits up to 38 inch bust/28 inch waist, is retailing for $125.00 US). Fortunately however, unlike many other vintage items (circle skirts, tropical floral print wiggle dresses, dead stock swinging shoes, Lucite purses in good condition, etc), there's a wide array of robes from the mid-twentieth century out there at relatively wallet-friendly prices.

In putting together this post, for example, I easily looked at fifty vintage fall and winter weight robes and housecoats (the major difference between the two, by the way, being that robes usually stay down up with a sash/tie around the waist and housecoats are zipped or buttoned up the front - though another school of thought says that robes are for wearing when you get out of the bath/shower or immediately in the morning, whereas housecoats are to be kept on throughout the day atop other clothing) and nary a one was above $150.00 - many, in fact, came in well $75.00, making them comparable to the price one would may for a new version in many shops these days.

New versions, of course, however rarely hold the tiniest of candles to the charm, history and appeal of slipping on a comfortable robe from the 30s, 40s, or 50s that you know sports the tailoring of days gone by and has also lived through decades worth of frosty winters.

Unless you really, really plan on wearing your vintage robe or housecoat day in and day out (which, of course, there's nothing wrong with), one or two such garments, like the gorgeous floral print number in this post, will likely be enough to help you stay perfectly comfy cozy all through bone chilling months of frost, snow and freezing temperatures that we're headed into as the year winds down.

This beautiful 1922 Simpsons catalog cover abounds with fall style inspiration

✯ Day 259 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

With just one week left to go until we hit the the fall equinox this year, my level of giddiness for the start of my very favourite season is increasing with each passing hour.

There is so, so very much to love about autumn, from the bounty of seasonal produce (apples, pears, grapes, pumpkins, zucchini, squash - the list goes deliciously on and on) to the return of fabrics such as tweed, gabardine, and corduroy, the crunchy jewel toned leaves to the brisk evening breezes, I could wax poetically until the cows came home about the many splendid points of this gorgeous time of the year.

Without a doubt fall fashions are amongst the elements that I adore most about this season. Interestingly though, my fall and winter vintage wardrobe pales in size when compared to my spring and summer one.

I know this is partially due to the fact that I'm allergic to wool (even very small percentages in fabric blends), so that rules a lot of old school (and modern, for that matter) skirts, suits, sweaters and coats, but beyond that, it's hard to say why such is the case.

You know something, as I sit here and type this right now, it hits me that my whole wardrobe (whether vintage or otherwise) is smaller in the fall and winter department, which makes all of zero sense considering how many months of the year are chilly to down right freezing cold here in Canada.

Determined to do something about this point - if only by a few garments - I went on the prowl for vintage images of fall clothing to help me figure out what kinds of yesteryear pieces I'd like to add to my cold weather wardrobe.

Without a doubt one of the absolute most beautiful images I encountered was the 1922 cover of the Simpsons catalog pictured below.

 

Though by no means as well known south of the 49th as Sears or even Eaton’s, Simpsons (which later, in the early 1950s, merged with Sears) was a popular Canadian chain of department stores that also offered mail order catalogues to their customers (Simpsons closed its last set of doors about two decades ago).

In this immensely lovely illustration from 1922 (which comes by way of Old Catalogs on Flickr) we see an elegantly attired young woman in a velvet dress and hat (complete with charming feather plume) sitting with her borzoi beneath a maple tree that's burst forth in classic fall shades crisp yellow, orange and red.

Unlike many of the more flapper-ish styles of the twenties (which simply do not get along with my petite hourglass figure), this is the sort of dress from that era that I could really see my (usually 40s and 50s oriented) self wearing.

I love the deeply rich hue of burgundy, the charming Greek inspired embroidery, and the figure flattering sashed waist. Regardless of if I ever add a dress like this to my fall wardrobe, I appreciate the inspiration it provides in terms of colour and fabric.

So as autumn nears closer (yay!), I shall keep hunting for images like this amazing 1920s catalog cover to help me, I sincerely hope, finally grow the size of my vintage fall wardrobe this year.

By all means, please feel free to share any of your favourite images with me in the comment section - the more we show each other what's inspiring us this season, the better!

Flickr Favourites: January 31, 2011

 
♥ ♥ ♥  
{Vintage winter in the city ~ Tobyotter}
 {January 24/365 ~ Lisa Jane Brown}   {Untitled (snowflake) ~ A bunch of beans}  
{Marie Doro ~ Captain Geoffrey Spaulding}  
{Vintage winter wedding ~ loretoidas}  
{Mickey with an icy beard ~ sarasocke}  
{deerinhere ~ danske}    {Mom at the window ~ sythia_c}  
{Vintage winter wedding (2) ~ loretoidas}  
{Winter rose (tribute) ~ Marti Coma}
♥ ♥ ♥
  

I strongly believe that vintage magazines are one of the most important links to the past that we have. They were generally created to perfectly capture the "here and now" of a given moment in time, highlighting the topics, fashions, foods, lifestyles, decor, technology and myriad other elements that made up life as as the world knew it right then and there.

 

Old magazines are definitely a passion of mine. I have a modest selection of (mostly women's lifestyle and fashion) titles from the late 30s through to the 50s, which I cherish and never tire of rereading. However, it's not always a walk in the park (nor easy on the wallet) to find vintage magazines, which makes have websites that are devoted to this fascinating subject all the more important.

 

{1. On campus - Maureen O'Sullivan, 2. L'Officiel-December 1950, 3. Vogue-September 1948, 4. Junoir Clique 1946. All image via the Retro/Vintage Magazines Flickr group.}

One great Flickr group devoted solely to the topic is Retro/Vintage Magazines. Don't let the word "retro" put you off. This group includes images spanning the forties through the seventies, and amidst the mod 60s and swinging 70s entries, there's a hefty dose of terrific images (scans) of 1940s and 50s magazine covers, pages and ads (such as the selection highlighted above).

 

Whether you join this Flickr group and start adding your own old school magazine photos or prefer just to browse its achieves (which presently have over 3,900 uploads), you're bound to find an array of magazine images that catch your eye and capture your vintage loving imagination.

♥ ♥ ♥

 

 

My word, can it really be that we've wrapped up an entire month of 2011 already? At once drearily long (for which the tediously grey, freezing cold weather is largely to fault) and yet also so very rapid, this January will not be one that goes down in the "most memorable month" hall of fame for me. It certainly wasn't awful - just ordinary. Grey as poplar bark and teaming with the commonplace going-ons of life.

 

The optimism for 2011 that I carried into this month back during its fledgling moments is still with me, still going strong. I want this year to be better than the last on so many levels and will hold onto the hope that it will be able to accomplish that for many months more still to come.

 

I hope that January has been as pleasant and beautiful each of you as possible, and that as we launch into February tomorrow, you'll be blessed with a month ahead that teams with happiness, excitement, and oodles of vintage inspiration around every corner!