Learning the construction of 18th century garments helped me understand how to sew what I loved for everyday clothes: a touch of vintage style.
vintage = of old, recognized, and enduring interest, importance, or quality: classic -Webster Dictionary
While I sometimes wear a 1950s dress while out and about, I sometimes incorporate elements from historical styles that I love, like ruffles, eyelets, embroidery, damask, lace, voile, scallops, circle skirts, and classic lines, which I call Vintage Flair.
To learn more about how I came to this, after years of not enjoying sewing, read this blog post, which basically introduces this page…to allow more room for photos, here.
1950s DIOR – CLASSICALLY TIMELESS
Wearing vintage flair has often brought comments, but to my surprise, my 1957 dresses have brought the most compliments from people of every age, in a variety of places.
When French fashion designer Christian Dior created the New Look in 1947, that famously elevated through the 1950s, they created a look that is timeless.
That is what I love about this…Classically Timeless.
{{{stay tuned for a blog post link here}}}
Meanwhile, enjoy this blog post about a book about couture for the home seamstress.
MY PHOTO JOURNAL TOPICS
My vintage flair for daily wear photos are categorized in three sections, below:
I – Vintage Flair outfits I’ve sewn
II – Garments that I’ve purchased, then transformed into Vintage Flair
III – Vintage Flair outfits I’ve purchased off the rack (details on why, at the link, above)
Within each section, I posted the garments first which have received the most compliments.
After that, I ranked based on my favorites and/or best photography.
MORE PHOTOS COMING BELOW…WORK IN PROGRESS
VINTAGE FLAIR THAT I’VE SEWN
My most popular 1957 Horrockses style dress, which I sewed with vintage styled fabric.
Nearly every time I wear this in public, I receive verbal compliments or I notice people taking pictures of me.
Walking into Gadsby’s Tavern on Valentines weekend, on the night I was enaged, some members of the staff complimented my 1957 changeable red/black silk satin dress.
My pink roses on cream 1957 Horrockses style dress, is also sewn with vintage styled fabric that I greatly enjoy wearing while out and about.
When my daughter couldn’t find exactly what she wanted for her wedding dress, she showed me a picture which reminded me of a 1960 pattern, reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn’s Givenchy Funny Face gown.
For my elopement, Jen Fariello, wonderful photographer from Charlottesville, took some gorgeous photos of me at Prospect Hill Inn, while my new hubby stepped away to grab an additional proper for our elopement photos. (tons more photos here on my Flickr set) (elopement blog post here)
For Christmas one year, I posed with my 1952 Christmas dress.
At the US Capitol, I wore my embroidered bodice with floral circle skirt dress…
One year for Memorial Day, I wore my 1960s embroidered gingham dress.
Posing in my yellow and white sundress among the roses in Purcellville…
At the US Capitol gardens I modeled my embroidered yellow gingham dress.
While at the Purcellville train station on the W&OD Trail, I modeled the straw hat that I had trimmed in sage green ribbon with pink roses and this ruffled red striped dress that I had sewn.
In Gloucester, I posed with my new pink embroidered on white linen blouse I had sewn, with the hat I had trimmed.
My 1960s burgundy floral corduroy jumper on our first autumnal day, while at Smokin’ Willies restaurant in Purcellville.
Another angle for my ruffled pink purse from Steinmart.
In Gloucester, I posed with my embroidered pink on white linen blouse with the blue and white hat I had trimmed in fuscia and pastel pink.
The Gloria Vanderbilt pink embroidered capri pants were purchased off the rack at TJ Maxx…my all time favorite capris.
For my future daughter-in-law’s Hawaiian themed bridal shower, I paired a 1940s bolero with my 1950s sundress, both in matching fabric.
When I came home, my hubby took a picture of me on our back deck.
I finally sewed a robe I truly enjoy wearing: embroidered floral yellow gingham with eyelet trim.
OFF THE RACK TRANSFORMED INTO VINTAGE FLAIR
Sometimes I redesign something I find in the store, which I call Refashion Remake.
This skirt was originally an off the rack maxi skirt that was very plain, costing $5.
Taking it home, I refashioned it to be shorter with ruffles, reminiscent of 1820s gowns that I love.
I also love this blue jean blouse that was off the rack, such a classic style that goes with anything.
Although not storebought, but still transformed, are my first blue jeans I’ve ever sewn, paired with the peach blouse I sewed long ago…
…years later transformed into capri pants.
For details about these and other Vintage Flair outfits, check this link.
VINTAGE FLAIR THAT I’VE PURCHASED
While on vacation in Colorado several years ago, I purchased this fleece lined pink suede jacket with rhinestone buttons at the Flying W Ranch in Colorado Springs.
On that very warm summer day, night time descended for a Cowboy dinner and music show with temps dropping to quite chilly, as is typical in the Rockies.
When I wore this souvenir on this chilly day in Yorktown, Virginia, I received a compliment from someone, though my husband had to tell me about it, because the sweet lady had spoken in my left ear that doesn’t hear so well from head surgery years ago.
It was so kind of her to notice and compliment me, and I feel badly that I didn’t realize so I could thank her.
With Mount Vernon as a backdrop, I modeled one of my favorite off the rack blouses, embroidered with lots of ruffles!
And…a floral purse I’ve loved, again from Steinmart..my most complimented accessory!
For our engagement photos, I purchased this cute polka dot dress with lots of ruffly flounces, reminiscent of a 1920s dress!
At the White House, I modeled this fitted eyelet blouse with 18th century styled sleeve flounces.
Love this damask jacket with ruffles, that I often wear out and about.
This lacy outfit that I purchased off the rack in Gruene, Texas was perfect against Dave Stott’s jeep from Drive thru History at the Museum of the Bible.
Loved that ruffled pink purse, purchased at Steinmart, which sadly wore out.
Again, my ruffle skirt and blue jean blouse, this time paired with a black jacket with leopard print lining…fun yet perfect for me, so subtle for my quiet personality.
On a chilly day for my daughter’s grad school graduation, I wore my subtle leopard jacket is paired with a vintage flair dress I had purchased…
…and here’s my swirly fun polka dot dress that I purchased off the rack.
Modeling my favorite ruffly blouse at Tuckahoe Plantation, recreating a scene from the 1863/1998 time travel Hallmark Hall of Fame Movie, The Love Letter.
And another view of my pink ruffled purse from Steinmart.
While at the Hyatt Hill Country Regency, near our future Texas house, we couldn’t resist taking these fun photos.
I loved this fun sundress, which I purchased at a yardsale on base at officer’s housing.
Great quality and cute, with brightly colored bows in the back to secure the bodice.
Each bow was a different color, magenta, yellow, and blue, to match the splash of colors throughout the dress.
Poolside at the Hyatt Hill Country Regency, I’m modeling my all time favorite bathig suit that I purchased off the rack, which reminded me of a figure skater’s dress.
Later, while watching I Love Lucy, I noted she had a lovely black dress with a sweetheart neckline much like this, so that made this more fun to wear.
A massive bluebonnet field in Thornberry, Texas, near the Oklahoma border, when we lived at nearby Sheppard AFB, became a yearly spot for season bluebonnet photos.
Loved this comfortable cotton blouse with flounces that I purchased at the base thrift store.
At the Dallas Arboretum for my daughter’s birthday, I wore this floral blouse which I also bought at a base yard sale, along with another floral shirt that I never got a picture of.
I wore them all the time, so that they became threadbare.
I miss them so much but I need only find a good vintage flair blouse pattern and get some great floral fabric to sew some up.
And oh, those ruffles on my daughter’s blouse, which I also found at a base yard sale.
For more of my Vintage Flair journey, check my Flickr set.
More blog posts about Vintage Flair sewing, check this link.
