Waltzing through the fashions of the past with Vintagedancer.com

Debbie Sessions is a woman after my own heart. A problem solver (when she couldn't find the sort of website she was looking for, she created one herself in 2011), entrepreneur, vintage lover, writer and expert on yesteryear fashions, Debbie helms the website Vintage Dancer, which she created to to aid others, who like herself, were on the hunt for vintage fashions and styling advice from a certain era, yet couldn't find them such things in one handy, concise spot.



{Debbie Sessions (pictured here with her husband, Oscar), founder of Vintage Dancer, a vintage fashion agitator site, as well as author of vintage fashion e-books, blogger, mother, and all-around highly knowledgeable woman when it comes to old school style and where to find it.}


Vintage Dancer is not an shop itself, instead - rather innovatively - it is an online aggregator which collects some of the best vintage and vintage reproduction fashions from around the web that are for sale in various locations and presents them grouped by decade and/or garment type.

Pulling from sites such as ModCloth, ChicStar, Unique Vintage, Shabby Apple, and AmeriMark one finds a well curated selection of everything from 1940s dresses to 1920s shoes, retro swimwear to vintage style maternity clothes and a good many things in between (including 1950s kids clothing).

You can quickly and easily search the the site by time period, with the Victorian era kicking things off, followed by the 1900s straight on up to to the 1960s, each listed as separate category at the top of the every page, then further subcategorized by type of garment or accessory.

All of the decades featured include a broad assortment of garments (and/or accessories), as well as categories such as plus size and menswear. Another element that I really like is how, for each decade, Debbie provides a brief paragraph highlighting some of the key sartorial elements of that era for each (for example of the 1930s, she says, "Women’s fashion in the 1930s featured long gowns, modest heeled shoes, and the new two piece suit. Butterfly sleeves, floral prints, and ruffles shaped 1930s dresses into beautiful and feminine silhouettes"). For a vintage newcomers, this kind of information can be extremely useful in forming a working picture of what sort of elements helped to define the look of a certain decade.

In each category, one clicks on an image from amongst several presented on the same page to learn more about it and is then taken to that listing's respective website. Again, Vintage Dancer does not sell the items they list, but instead helps point you towards the kind of vintage fashions you're on the hunt for.



{A screenshot showing a lovely selection of 1940s style shoes selected for display on Vintage Dancer.}


Though aggregator sites are not new in the fashion world as a whole, they're fairly uncommon in the vintage sphere and Debbie offers a service that is sure to be of help to both vintage newbies (or those looking for a period costume for a party, wedding, prom, or other special event) and seasoned veterans alike. On the hunt for something specific that you just can't seem to find anywhere? Shot Debbie a message and she'll even try to personally help you find that elusive vintage or reproduction piece.

In addition to running Vintage Dancer, Debbie is also the author of multiple e-books devoted to vintage fashion. Including the excellent (I've read it and cannot recommend it highly enough to all those with an interest in the forties) 1940s Style Guide, 1920s Fashion for Your Body Type (which Debbie offers up entirely for free), and most recently The Great Gatsby in Fashion.





The latter is a unique and thoroughly enjoyable take on F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic, in which Debbie guides readers through the (full) original text, injecting throughout the story, 33 insights into the exciting fashions (including styles from the summer of 1922 when this classic American novel was set) and captivating culture that made up this illustrious era, coupled with more than sixty illustrations of men's and women's clothing from that decade.

Vintage Dancer is one of Chronically Vintage's new sponsors this month, and I couldn't be happier to have Debbie and her wonderful vintage website and e-books as part of this blog.

A self professed "vintage history nerd", Debbie and I share a lot in common, including a passion for writing about the past, which really shines through in the blog, e-books, and the helpful snippets of informative knowledge she fills Vintage Dancer with.

As well as those spots, Vintage Dancer can also be found online on the following sites:

-Bloglovin'

-Facebook

-Google Plus

-Pinterest

-Twitter


If you haven't had a chance to do so before (or recently), take a moment and waltz on over Vintage Dancer to see more of the fabulously fun world of vintage fashion and history that Debbie has created with her innovative website, delightful blog, and fabulous e-books.

7 steps to big 1950s eyes

Eyeliner, and by extension eye make-up as a whole, and I have had a long standing love affair stretching back all the way to when I was 14 years old (and not technically allowed to wear make-up yet, but I'd put it on - and take it off before returning home - each day at school...such a rebel, I know!). Back in those days (the late 90s) I loved nothing more than to rim my lids, top and bottom, with thick, smoky black (or less commonly blue) liner and any number of different colours of shadows.
 

Like many teenagers, I played around a lot with make-up during those formative years as I tumbled ever closer towards adulthood, sometimes sporting vivid indigo hued mascara, vampy sage green and grey adorned eyes, violet shadow, sultry gold liner, and all number of different looks. It was fun, creative, and helpful in ultimately helping me to learn which eye-makeup colours (and products themselves) worked best on me – and which were best left back in the 90s!
 

These days, well over a decade since high school ended, I generally stick with the same small handful of beloved, highly tried-and-true eye cosmetics: black liquid liner, black mascara, and light coloured shadows (i.e., cream, mushroom, pale pink). Every now and then though, especially since I rather adore the dramatic, attention grabbing eye make-ups looks that were present throughout the 50s (particularly during the second half of the decade), I channel my inner 16 year old again and toss on a striking, heavily made-up eye.
 

I know that I'm not alone in this regard and that many of you greatly enjoy experimenting with various make-up looks as well. As such, I wanted to share this delightful pair of vintage magazine pages that I recently came across on Flickr, which guide you through seven easy steps to achieve big 1950s eyes.

{Both vintage images via Dovima is Divine II on Flickr. Please click on an image to be taken to its respective Flickr page, where you can also see an even larger version of each image.}


Aside from the fact that few of us still use cake mascara applied with a brush, these handy instructions really look as though they could have just as easily come out of a contemporary magazine. A few years ago beauty experts were recommending step number seven right, left and center, but having already seen it suggested in mid-century magazines (such as this), I knew that lining your inner lids with white pencil was a technique that had been around for decades.
 

By today's standards, the look these steps create isn't astronomically dramatic, but it's still bold and very beautiful. Though you might not adopt it as your day-to-day vintage eye make-up look, it has elegance and appeal aplenty, making it immensely well suited to fancy evening events in particular.
 

I hope that, as it has for me, this charming tutorial has put you in the mood to try a captivating vintage eye this coming summer. On your marks, get set, sharpen those eyeliner pencils, ladies! It's time for a big 1950s eye!

Vintage Fashionista Friday: June 7, 2013

{ Coral }

{Summer means sun, which in turn means the need for some seriously cute vintage inspired shades. Enter these fabulous bling adorned white sunglasses, which call to mind shells glistening on the golden sands of a Caribbean beach. $31.44 CND from Asos.}




{Hair flowers are a year round staple for many of us vintage ladies, but come summer - when all the world is abloom - one cannot help but reach for them even more often. This lovely peachy-salmon blossom would look smashing with everything from sundresses to swimsuit. $10.00 from etsy seller Chatter Blossom.}




{Coral in an incredible beautiful type of marine invertebrate - but many types are high endangered and harvesting the real deal can often have devastating effects on the surrounding ecosystem. Fear not! Faux coral and jewelry crated to look like this gorgeous ocean dweller abound, and few pieces are more classically sophisticated or apt to turn into a treasured heirloom than this wonderful Hidden Laguna Necklace. $29.99 from ModCloth.}




{A beloved favourite of yesteryear starlets, pin-ups and all-round fashionable ladies throughout the ages, this summery, alluring, crisp white cotton halter top is sure to become a staple in your vintage wardrobe. Available in assorted modern ladies sizes. £35.00 from Vivien of Holloway.}




{One can't help but wonder, upon looking at this chic, beautiful 1950s Mosell seashell bracelet, if they'd be able to hear the sound of waves lapping against the beach in the distance if they brought up to their ear. $105.00 from etsy seller Pipit Vintage.}




{A nautical look doesn't just have have to encompass white, red, and navy, as these jaunty, fabulously fun Bright Sailor Slacks - which come in three colours: Cobalt Blue, Tangerine Orange, and Californian Pink - amply prove. Available in ladies UK sizes 8-14. Currently on sale (at the time of writing) for £42.00 from Tara Starlet.}




{June always makes me think of white wicker, much like the timeless set in the of patio furniture in this material that my paternal grandparents had on their covered deck when I was a little girl. As such, I find myself drawn to classic accessories - like this great mid-century handbag - that involve white wicker in all its summery, stylish glory. White woven vintage purse, $65.00 from etsy seller Minxouri Vintage.}




{Every last thing about this splendidly scented Sweet Pea and Honeysuckle soap is so terrifically, timelessly pretty. 125g milled bar of soap on a porcelain tray, (currently on sale at the time of writing for) £5.00 from Heathcote & Ivory.}




{The return of sizzling hot day and long, toasty nights often means a lot more time spent on one's feet, and in turn the need for some very sensible shoes. Thankfully, as us vintage lasses know, sensible doesn't have to equate boring - not by a long shot, as these gorgeous, retro inspired floral print Stand in Ave heels more than prove. Available in modern ladies sizes 6-11 (including half sizes). $69.99 from ModCloth.}

♥ ♥ ♥

Last month saw the return of the Vintage Fashionista Friday series, which had been on unintentional hiatus for more than two years. I was thrilled by the wholeheartedly positive response that May's edition received, and am definitely going to be aiming for at least one new Vintage Friday Fashionista post a month from here on out.

As the weather shifts into high summer gear (yes, it's technically still spring, but here in our charming corner of the Okanagan, Mother Nature has slipped into her itty-bitty, teeny-weeny yellow polka dot bikini and is already hard at work on her tan!), I'm feeling pulled toward a sizzling palette of punchy hues that call to mind glorious sunrises and sets, warm tropical sands, fruit filled mixed drinks, vibrant flower gardens, and gorgeous pinky-tangerine hued coral glistening in the sea.

I'm still smitten with green (which, as you may recall from posts such as this and this, has really been my colour of the year so far), but in recent weeks I've been feeling a strong pull towards clear, energetic shades of yellow and lush, toasty pinks as well. Suddenly, I want to combine all three and do my impression of a honeysuckle bloom bending its elegant neck up towards the sun.

We had honeysuckle that grew - intertwined with wisteria (making for one of the most pleasing scent combinations you could ever dream of encountering) - along the backyard porch of my childhood house here in Penticton, and my siblings and I used to delight in plucking the occasional honeysuckle flower and sipping out its wee droplet of sugary, sublimely perfumed nectar.

To this day, I can't see honeysuckle and not instantly be transported back to those sunny, fun filled summer days of my youth. Though I've not engaged in any nectar drinking in recent years, I still love the sight and scent of this lovely little bloom, and the colours - white, nectarine, melon, yellow, and of course coral (the latter of which just happens to be the name of today's Vintage Fashionista) - that it comes in.

I leave the honeysuckle sipping to the youngsters these days and instead take a wardrobe inspiration cue from this flower's fresh, joyful palette.

As the final vestiges of our winter wardrobe get packed away for the next few months, I hope you'll join me in embracing whatever hues you adore most from summer's resplendent spectrum of colour, weaving them into your own sunny weather ensembles - because this season, much like honeysuckle itself - won't last forever, and one needs to squeeze every last drop of ambrosia out of it while the getting is good!