Vintage pastels aplenty? Yes, pretty please!

{In the mood for a marvelous new vintage springtime chapeau? Look no further than this charmingly elegant 1950s Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue ladies cream straw hat with pink velvet ribbon, coordinating pink flowers, and clear rhinestones. It's jaunty, lightweight, and extremely well suited to the warmer half of the year. $34.00 Chronically Vintage on Etsy.}




{Wave goodbye to snowflakes and hello to sun-kissed blooms when you slip on this pair of delightfully lovely 1950s/1960s light blue and green enamel coated metal flower clip-on earrings. $15.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.}




{Sweet-as-candy light pink thermoset plastic combines with shiny silver tone metal in this 1950s demi-parure to create a fabulous mid-century jewelry set that is every bit as chic as it is lovely - not to mention very springtime appropriate. $32.00 (for the set) from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.}




{I swooned long and hard the moment I first laid eyes on this wonderfully pretty, very vintage appropriate Heart Cardi in Haze Blue created by the brand Louie et Lucie. Not only is it a timelessly classic layering piece in a gorgeous colour, but it features a sweet little heart motif that feels so fresh and springtime perfect all at once. Available in modern ladies sizes Small and Medium only at the time of writing. $119.01 (New Zealand dollars) from Vintage Heaven.}




{And speaking of hearts, why not wear yours on your sleeve, your label, your purse, your hat, your scarf - anywhere you please - when you pin this immensely pretty, and very romantic, vintage light blue guilloche enamel heart brooch to your outfit. $20.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.}




{Oh peach, how I love you (and so, coincidentally, does my husband). Though I usually need to stick with shades that have pink, rather then yellow, undertones, this is a classic colour that I'm crazy about and which I eagerly look forward to slipping into again bright and early spring (and I continue to sport it clear on through to at least September). This mid-century inspire short sleeve peach Martha blouse is just the thing if you're looking to add more of this great fruit inspired hue to your wardrobe this year. Available in modern UK ladies sizes 8 to 18 (some sizes sold out at the time of writing). £40.00 from Heyday.}




{I can clearly remember the moment I found this enchantingly pretty 1950s mint green Swiss dot and white lace trimmed skirt late one afternoon while shopping in Vancouver last year. It was too small for me and in years past, it would have simply remained where it hung, but thanks to the fact that I have an Etsy store now, it was able to come home with me and, much more recently, get listed in my said shop. It's a delightful, very classic piece that could be styled up or down, taken in a vintage direction or sported with modern outfits, too. Plus, every time I see it, it puts me in the mood for mint candy, which is never a bad thing! :) Fits up to a 24" waist/free hips. $34.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.}




{Lilacs, undoubtedly one of spring's most iconic and magnificently scented flowers amongst those smells, I've long found, that people absolutely love or can't stand. Interestingly, it has usually been chaps, in my experience, who weren't keen on it (Tony amongst them, though he says their odour gives him a headache, so it makes sense that he wouldn't love them then). I however fall into the camp of adoring lilacs and could bath in nothing but their scent all spring long. Thankfully thanks to this gorgeous lilac roll on scented oil you and I can do just that, if so desired. $8.00 for 10 ml from Etiquettes.}




{You would be hard pressed to find a more beautiful beaded mid-century vintage purse to carry for spring than this breathtaking white and pastel stunner featuring a gorgeous floral design in shades of soft pink, green, blue, purple and yellow. $59.99 from Savato Collection.}




{Hurrah!! At long last (or very nearly so) thick winter glove and mitten season is over and that means we can go back to sporting gloves simply for the fabulous fashion statement that they make, not expressly for keeping frostbite at bay. If, like me, you go gaga for mint green, then this elegant ruched 1940s/1950s pair, which suits spring and summer excellently, is just what your wardrobe needs. Best suited for those who wear a size 6.5 vintage glove. $18.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.}




{It's never too early in the warm weather season to start thinking about your next vintage bathing suit, especially when it's a show-stoppingly stunner like this rare Tina Leser pink and white 1950s one-piece featuring dimensional pussy willow chenille embellishments. Fits up to a 32 - 34 bust/26" waist. $259.00 from The Best Vintage Clothing.}




{Give your brown, black, grey, and navy blue shoes a much needed rest this spring and slip into a pair of these alluringly stylish cream coloured Retro Mary Jane Heels instead. They'll go with just as many outfits, but suit spring's soft, elegant palette even better than dark hues in most settings (plus, they would make for gorgeous shoes for a bride on her wedding day). Available in modern ladies sizes 7 through 9 (at the time of writing). $54.95 from Blue Velvet Vintage.}

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Can you say the title of today's edition of Vintage Fashionista three times fast with tripping up? Jokes (and tongue twisters) aside, March really is a month that suits pastels incredibly well (ditto for April). These fledgling days of spring - or near spring, as is currently the case - are mellow and sweet, assuming winter's wrath is finally hightailing it out of your neck of the woods.

Winter's palette, dark, alluring, vampish even at times, was fabulous December, but it feels heavy now - like trying to eat a rich five course feast on a sweltering July day, when a light salad and lemon ice are all that want to put in your mouth. Pastels are the sweet confections and frozen treats of the colour world. Though they can be a touch twee (not that that's a bad thing), they also have the ability to be sophisticated and very chic, say in vintage skirt suit or 1940s tilt hat form.

I adore pastels - even if a few of them, such as orangey-peach and lilac - are not amongst my most flattering colours and thus must be avoided in large doses and worn near my face - and intentionally sport them primarily during the spring and summer months (though I have warmed up to them a bit for winter, as I chatted about in this post last year, they'll never feel like autumn to me, so I rarely wear them then).

While one certainly can, you don't have to sport head-to-toe pastels in the slightest. A small hit of baby blue, cotton candy pink, or newborn chick yellow against darker neutrals or complimentary shades of the same colour can look immensely beautiful and perhaps, some might go so far as to say, become a grownup up take on pastels. I wouldn't agree with that entirely, as again, a pastel suit, cocktail dress, evening gown, or pair of gloves, for example, can all be wildly sophisticated and appropriate for fashionable folks of all ages.

We often think of just a few shades when pastels spring to mind, but really they're a fairly vast category that can, and does, encompass everything from the hues already mentioned in the paragraphs above to  light grey, pale aqua, soft plum, sweet apricot, the gentlest shades of brown, cream and ivory, nude and buff, whisper faint metallics, lavender, and toned down citrus shades, amongst others.

Though I will sometimes go full on pastel, I usually like to use these soft, but very sartorially powerful hues, as accent notes in my wardrobe, such in the form of a pair of earrings, hair flower, snood, shoes, handbag, or (in a somewhat larger dose) a skirt or cardigan. They're fun and markedly cheerful, and signal to all who see you that you've embraced spring's return with open - and very stylish - arms.

Whether you feel the siren's call of periwinkle, soft blush, sage green, or starlight yellow, why not make like our well dressed Vintage Fashionista and deck yourself out in some sugary sweet, absolutely beautiful pastels this spring?

Saying good bye to Vancouver Island all over again

Outfit details

1940s/1950s black hat with red fabric rosettes: Etsy (the shop that I got it from is no longer in business)
Red plastic rose earrings: Claire's
Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥
Fitted black cotton blazer: Banana Republic
Fitted red top: Urban Planet (I think - bought it years ago)
Black cotton cami: Real Canadian Superstore
c. 1940s plastic novelty binoculars brooch: eBay
1950s seashell novelty print skirt: eBay
Black cinch belt: Hip Hop 50s Style
Faux pearl stretch bracelets: Real Canadian Superstore
Vintage bangle bracelets: Assorted sources
Black crocheted purse: Thrifted (Value Village)
Black seamed nude stockings: eBay
Black pumps: Payless Shoes
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red
Photography by Tony Cangiano  

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By complete and total coincidence, today marks exactly five months since these photos were taken on the very last day of our awesome two week long trip to Vancouver Island. It's genuinely hard to believe that so much time has passed since then. It feels like mere moments ago that I was standing out there on the deck of the ferry, wee rain drops dancing around us as icy winds blew over the Pacific and rippled my skin with goose bumps.

As with most final days of vacations that you've adored, this one had a note of bitter sweetness to it. Tony and I both enjoyed our time on the Island immensely and I personally found a certain kinship with it that I've almost rarely discovered elsewhere in my travels. Yet, we were starting to miss our comfortable bed at home, having more than one bathroom, and most of all, our darling pets. Thus, with misty eyes we said goodbye with love in our hearts for this stunning part of Canada, vowing to return again as soon as possible.

The weather wasn't in any kind of mood to cooperate, so we didn't get a lot of photos that day (and it was impossible for me not to squint up a storm in those that we did due to the wind), but thankfully we have a few to remember it by.

I'd purchased this darling 1950s novelty skirt on eBay a few months prior, once it was locked down for certain that our 2014 holiday destination was going to be Vancouver Island, which floats merrily in the Pacific. I didn't get a chance to wear it earlier in the trip, so I made sure to sport it on the last day - not knowing when I'd be anywhere in the vicinity of an honest-to-goodness ocean again next.

Its smile-inducingly sweet pattern of shells, seaweed and triangles is super fun and stands amongst one of my favourite novelty prints in my whole wardrobe. It will definitely be coming with me on future trips to the sea (and the beaches here in the Okanagan).




I've said it before and I'll say it here again today, we had an amazing, action packed time on Vancouver Island. From the charming little private mid-century house (pictured above) that we rented on Airbnb to stay in, to the many fabulous experiences (several of which, such as going whale watching and feeding a little herd of seals, were complete firsts for both of us), to simply getting away from the daily grind for a while, this vacation stands as one of the most memorable and enjoyable of my life.

Though I was knackered to the nth degree by the end (I can so see it in my face here), I was also deeply happy and filled with that certain nameless sense of deeply rooted contentment that comes from getting to experience a truly fantastic - and much needed - holiday for a few days.

As things stand now, Tony and I don't have any set plans in place for a trip in 2015. Given our shared passion for traveling though, it's highly likely that we will be hitting the highway (or high seas!) again, if only for a weekend or two here and there as this year progresses, the weather improves, and our wanderlust reaches a tipping point.

I truly loved sharing about our trip both during the fact (on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter) and here on my blog in the weeks and now months since we’ve returned home. Wherever we venture next, you can rest assured that we'll have a camera in hand and that there will be lots more fun travel related posts to follow. I can hardly wait!

How to wear navy blue

Recently while bopping around on Flickr (gathering images for the latest edition of Flickr Favourites), I came across this absolutely wonderful late 1940s magazine page that instantly caught my eye. It did so not only for the sophisticated and very pretty suits that it showcased, but because the headline and accompanying text struck me as still be very relevant for today's vintage loving fashionista (or any style conscious dresser, for that matter).

Navy blue is an interesting colour. As one might suspect based on its name, because this elegantly dark shade of blue (which was originally called marine blue) was adopted by the British Royal Navy for use on their uniforms in 1748, it quickly became associated with this branch of the military and took on an eponymous moniker (as well as being adopted by many other such groups in the decades and centuries to come).

Though we do tend to traditionally associate it with men in uniform, including both members of the navy and the police departments, it has long been put to work on women's uniforms in the same capacities as well, in addition to being a popular shade for both men's and women's suits over the decades. In fact, it has been seen in all kinds of garments and accessories for both genders in a fairly even handed distribution for a few generations now.

So tied to authority figures is navy blue, that some people (whether consciously or subconsciously) shy away (or conversely, are especially attracted to) navy blue for this very reason. In general, these days, most of us wear less navy than we do black, and sometimes also brown and/or grey. Yet its beauty and serene lovely is timeless, and its hue frequently tends to flatter people (especially those with fair colouring) more so than black (that definitely rings true for me, which is why I'm much more apt to wear a navy garment near by face than a stark black one), so it's a colour that deserves a second look for sure!

This 1940s magazine page (click here for a larger, easier to read version) offers up numerous helpful hints for wearing navy blue that are excellent points for vintage and contemporary fashion fans alike to keep in mind. For example, it suggests partnering navy blue with hot orange, kelly green, and dogwood white, all excellent pairings for navy's bold, I-can-take-anything-you-throw-at-me hue.

{This elegantly lovely page of fashion advice first appeared in the February 1948 edition of Calling All Girls magazine. It's colour suggestions still ring true an helpful to this day. Vintage image source.}

If you haven't worn too much navy in your life, or haven't sported in in ages, I'd suggest starting with a solid navy garment such as a shirtwaist dress, pair of trousers, or sweater and seeing how you like it. Navy pairs brilliantly with a wide range of colours thanks to the fact that its dark shade make it a neutral tone. Here are twelve (further) fabulous vintage images that show examples of colours (and styles) that navy plays very well with.



{Navy and red always look sensational together (in part because they're both primary colours). The pairing has a nautical vibe to it, whether intended or not, but can also remind one of the 4th of July and all things patriotic (to Americans, Brits, Aussie, the French, and other countries whose nations colours include blue and red). Whatever you think of when you see or wear them together, they're no denying that they're a match made in colour combo heaven!}




{The mingling of sophisticated navy blue with silver or grey is always radiantly beautiful - it instantly reminds me of the sky on a warm summer's night, as millions of stars pulsate and smile with a twinkle down on the earth. As this stunning 1950s example illustrates, the two make for a magnificent evening wear pairing, especially if you're in the mood for a LND for a fun change of pace.}




{Orange and blue sit across from one another on the colour wheel and are therefore complementary (aka, opposite) colour pairs that naturally go very well together. Here rust hued gloves are partnered with a strikingly chic navy blue day dress for a 1940s look that is nothing short of traffic stopping.}




{A navy blue winter coat can be a marvelous alternative to black or grey, especially if you find blues work better with your personal colouring. Here a deeply lovely navy princess coat is partnered with a matching beige-grey scarf and gloves for a look that is serene, refined, and perpetually lovely.}




{When selecting accessories, don't forget about navy blue. Whether to coordinate with a navy outfit or as a stand alone colour unto itself as part of your ensemble, navy is always a great choice for hats, belts, gloves, scarves, umbrellas, shoes, purse, and - as shown here - most definitely snoods, as well.}




{On top of the perpetually becoming partnership of navy and white, this lovely 1950s fashion page shows pink and navy getting along swimmingly too. Chalk it up to my 80s childhood if you like, but this combination has always been one of my very favourites ever.}




{Here we see navy at work with its two primary colour siblings, red and yellow, and looking fresh, youthful and very pretty in the process. I've long enjoyed yellow and navy together. The pairing is somewhat unexpected nowadays in particular and can work, I find, especially well for mid-spring straight on until September.}




{Aside from being massive adorable, this fantastic 1950s poodle novelty print sees navy blue put to work as a canvass for green, red and grey, a quartet that really hits its off, especially in the context of such a feminine style (where the same pattern in say, sky blue, pink, mint and white might risk looking to twee).}




{We're all heard before that navy and black shouldn't mix, but that notion hold little weight in reality, especially if you keep the portions of the two on a big-small scale, with one dominating and the other playing backup in the form or accessories, shoes, or trims/buttons on a garment. Introduce another colour or two, as this chic ensemble does with white, and chances are folks won't even bat an eye if they see wearing blue and navy in the same outfit.}




{Don't just limit navy to mixing with other solids, it can be a great friend to prints as well, very much including leopard and similar animal patterns, as this fun c. 1950s look does a great job of demonstrating.}




{Purple and navy are such a charming pair, yet we don't see them out and about nearly often enough. Remedy that and take a style cue from the beautiful ensemble on the bottom left and try giving them a day (or night) out more often!}




{Sometimes, especially in the warmer months, you not be in the mood for head-to-toe (or nearly so) navy blue, but you don't want to part ways with it entirely. Used sparingly and/or accessories, it can be a great shot of bold colour in the midst of a light or bright outfit, as in this terrific 1950s skirt suit.}

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

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Interestingly, while today we tend to associate navy blue with the chilly months of fall and winter, this 1948 magazine page suggests starting your Easter outfit with it, meaning that navy would be squarely on the agenda for spring. As navy teams up gorgeously with many pastels (such as peach, mint green, lilac, baby blue, and buttercup yellow), this can actually be a terrific move and one that can see you on into summer, making navy an excellent all-weather and all season choice (for a real sartorial thrill, as touched on above, partner it with leopard, the two jive together surprisingly well).

Come the dog days of summer, I especially like to pair navy blue with turquoise, red, pale grey, kelly green, and salmon/coral. In the fall, I marry it with pumpkin, cinnamon/fawn, pine green, plum, royal purple, medium grey, cream, red, camel and olive. When winter rolls around, it's time to combine navy with red, burgundy, dark grey, chocolate brown (I utterly adore that pairing!), silver, gold, ivory, black, dark pink, pale yellows, tangerine, oatmeal, and copper (in fact, if you happen to have any copper jewelry, trying wearing it with navy the next time you're in the mood for either and you'll be thrilled by how pleasingly they join stylish forces).

Navy was a common colour in fashion throughout the 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and to a lesser degree, even the 1960s (more so the first half of the decade). It came back in full force during the power suit days of the 80s and while it has certainly never vanished from store shelves entirely, I would say that was the last decade it really enjoyed a long run in the spotlight.

As vintage wearers however, such things never phase us because we generally base our wardrobes around mid-century decades - a time when navy blue was considerably more commonplace - anyhow. Thankfully, because of navy blue's widespread use and popularity during the early and mid-twentieth century, there's no shortage of vintage pieces on the market in this classic colour and they're well worth stocking up on, if and when you can.

I have a navy blue pencil skirt, a couple of navy dresses, two or three navy cardigans, multiple navy blue hats and pairs of gloves, a plaid shirt with navy its core, scarves with navy in their patterns, a pair of navy blue shoes (they go with nearly everything that black or brown shoes do and give your outfit an unexpected kick of colour when folks see your feet), navy plastic bangle bracelets, and a (small - I really want a larger one, too) navy blue vintage handbag.

One of the things that I love about navy is how crisp and confident it is. You can wear it alone or with numerous other colours and it always stands tall and remains an elegant backdrop or centerpiece alike. If someone asked me right now to list ten of the colours that I most associate with pre-1960s garments, navy would definitely be one of them and I can scarcely imagine my old school wardrobe without it.

If you're been sidestepping or feeling shy around navy, why not use these last few icy cold weeks of winter to give it a test drive. It's classic, becoming, versatile, readily available, and so fabulously vintage appropriate, be it in small does like a pair of earrings, a full length winter coat, or everything in between!