Category Archives: Clothing

Everything from stockings and garters to pill box hats.

Western Adventure

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One vintage thing I don’t really “do” are scarves.  We’ve just never much got along.  Sure, I’ll tie a classic nylon scarf around a ponytail, but that’s pretty much were it ends.  However recently I came across this fantastic wagon train themed scarf, and at $5.00, I couldn’t pass it up, despite not know what I was going to do with it! But then, I remembered an outfit I’ve wanted for ages… Judy’s green ensemble from Vertigo, in which she has a small scarf or handkerchief, that matches her collar and cuffs, tied around her belt. So I took that idea and ran with it.

I’m really looking forward to digging out the small collection of scarves I have and putting them into action.  I think the same effect can be achieved with handkerchiefs too, and I have a few of those as well.  It’s a fab way to add some pop to an outfit, and integrate a lot of different colors into an ensemble.

Outfit
Jumper & Oregon Charm Bracelet: Antique Alley, Portland
Shirt & Belt: Thrifted
Covered Wagon Earrings: Expo
Covered Wagon Brooch: Antique Alley Flea Market
Tooled Leather Purse: Twilight Rummage Sale
Scarf: Red Light, Portland
Stockings: What Katie Did
Shoes: Buffalo Exchange, Portland

15 Vintage Essentials

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Awhile ago I was contacted by a reader who recently noticed a fashion trend, 15 essentials for your wardrobe.  She liked this idea, but felt that the contemporary trends didn’t help her in building up her vintage wardrobe, so she suggested the idea to me!

Just remember, not every piece has to be vintage! Several pieces I have included in this list are on the hard to find side, so repro is a perfectly acceptable solution!  For the most part, I am focusing on the 1940s, 50s and 60s and attempted to cover a wide range so you can have all of your bases covered.  So here we go!

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Best Dress and Shoes Ever!

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AGES ago I received a text message from my friend Lyndsie, of Retro Rejuvenation, which contained a picture of a dress. I nearly fell off my chair when I saw it.  It was that amazing. And thank goodness it was for sale.  Instagram is becoming a hot tool for shop owners.  I have, on more than one occasion, gone from seeing an item on Instagram to going to a shop and buying (whether it’s a brick-and-mortar in town, or an Etsy shop).  This was one of those cases.  However, here Lyndsie was following the shop, and sent me the Instagram picture.  But if this happened “AGES” ago, then why haven’t you seen it, you ask? Well, it’s this damned Oregon weather.  Remember a few posts back when we had that wonderful 80-degree period, but I mentioned I was suspicious? Well, I was right.  While most of you were out BBQ’ing in the sun Memorial Day weekend, ours was spent inside, because it was raining. But now the sun has decided to show its face again here, and it gives me a moment to wear this glorious, glorious dress…Oh, and not to mention the most fabulous shoes on the face of the earth I just scored…

The dress is 70s, if you can believe it.  I think the length gives it away. If it was any longer, it would scream late 40s, early 50s.  But I’m contented never the less. I just adore its loud and bright blanket print.  So, what shop did this beauty come from? Mill Street Vintage on Etsy.  You can like them on Facebook and if you’re on Instagram, find them under “millstreetvintage”.

Oh, and the shoes? They’re by Re-Mix, and currently still available, but pricey. $278 to be exact. Ouch. I’d been dying for a pair of tooled leather pumps for years, but couldn’t part with the cash for a pair by Re-Mix, and couldn’t bring myself to wear a vintage pair.  So I began haunting Ebay. And one day I stumbled upon a pair! And in my size!  While the opening bid was incredibly low, I didn’t want to risk missing out on them, so opted for the Buy-It-Now price which was less than half of the retail price.

Outfit
Mexican Blanket Print Dress: Mill Street Vintage, Etsy
Earrings: Hattie’s Vintage, Portland
Mexican Man Brooch: Antique Alley, Portland
Bangles: Various, including Retro Rejuvenation, Coburg
Tooled Leather Purse:  Gift from my dad
Tooled Leather Shoes: Re-Mix by way of Ebay

Jitterbuggin’

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Yesterday many of us PDX ladies had the absolute pleasure of going to the home of the owner of Jitterbuggin’, Kim.  She hosted a lovely open house, complete with treats, so we could try on her beautifully crafted creations.

Kim’s home is so cute, adorned with fun vintage prints, records and linens.  Her work space is a seamstress’ dream too.  The gaggle of us oo’ed and aww’ed over her wonderfully hand-crafted garments, before plowing into the bathroom to try them on.

I was in desperate need of pants and purchased a pair of Kim’s best-sellers, the Ankeny, wide leg, high-waist, suspender slacks.

For those of you contemplating buying a pair, it is recommended that you order two inches above your waistline.  The three of us who purchased a pair all did that.  The reason being the higher waist midriff, which covers your ribcage.  I ended up purchasing a pair that was three inches bigger (yay for having an odd number waistline!) so these are a little roomy, but I was purchasing these for comfort and practicality, so having room fills both of those requirements.  Additionally, if you buy a pair, and you find the legs pooling around your feet, that’s natural.  Kim makes her trousers on the long side to accommodate taller gals.  You can either hem them or turn them up, like I did here, yourself.  I also found the need to adjust the suspenders.  The slacks feature a left side zipper, and a right side pocket.

Kim is an absolute doll, and has been sewing since she was a teenager.  You can tell she has an extreme passion for the era and for the garments she produces.  And her quality can’t be beat.  Her garments are hardy feeling and have top-notch construction.  So, go on! Get shopping!

Outfit
Snood: Etsy – April’s Bag
Hair Flower: Made by me!
1940s Blouse: Solanah’s space at Old Glory Antiques, Vancouver
Slacks: Ankeny by Jitterbuggin’
Saddle Shoes: Willits by way of Buffalo Exchange

Bakelite & Bowties

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This morning a group of us vintage gals, and guys too, got together for brunch at one of Portland’s swankest restaurants, Gracie’s.  As always, we had a theme…today’s theme? Bakelite and Bowties.  I’m loving that we’re coming up with more co-ed friend;y events.  It’s so nice to see men all dapper…even if we only had three.

We enjoyed brunch while basking in the glow of crystal dripping chandeliers as we chatted while our bangles clicked against each other.  It’s so delightful getting together with people who “get” things such as Bakelite.  Like Solanah of Vixen Vintage toted a gorgeous very wide carved piece that she paid only $60 for! How amazing is that!? And all of us oo’ed and aww’ed over such a steal, while the average person would say “You paid $60 for a hunk of plastic!?” So, needless to say, I adore my vintage crowd. Thanks for being in Portland, ladies!

Outfit
Dress: Bombshell Vintage, Portland
Sweater: From a Toby Berman sweater set, Buffalo Exchange
Hat: Don’t recall…
Purse: Flea market
Bakelite Oranges Necklace: Birthday gift
Bangles: Various
Bakelite Ring: Hattie’s, Portland
Vintage Stockings: Expo…I think…
Shoes: Gosh, I think Payless, like six years ago…

Patrick’s Outfit
Cal-Anita Expressing for Miller’s Jacket: Thrifted by my dad!
(New) Dress Shirt: Nordstorm
Bowtie: Flea market
Cufflinks: Expo
Pants: Who knows…
Shoes: Allen Edmonds by way of Living Thread’s Vintage

Simply Vintage

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Just a few weeks ago, Portland was blessed with a new vintage store, Simply Vintage Boutique.  The gal slinging out the vintage? Some of you may already know her! She’s Sarah of the Etsy shop Stutterin’ Mama!

Sarah’s shop is a vintage lover’s dream come true.  Lush and elegant vintage garments hang from plush satin hangers on buttery yellow walls and nearly every piece in her shop could be the prized dress in any retrophile’s closet.  Sarah has carefully hand selected each and every item in her shop.  There are many beautiful dresses as well as a wonderful range of separates.   Another thing that is wonderful about Sarah’s inventory? A lot of really wearable sizes.  People often complain about vintage being tiny, but at Simply Vintage, that’s not the case.  I found plenty of gorgeous items that were too large for me, which, while a bummer on my part, I knew some other gals were going to be thrilled because finding “plus size” vintage is always a little tougher.

Sarah also stocks menswear too! So there’s something for your man as well.  Simply Vintage is strictly for the hard-core vintage lover or even collector – Sarah has some stellar, very high-end items.  Lovers of the 1940s and 1950s will be in pure heaven here, because true vintage is all she stocks. Her inventory extends only into the 1960s, which is like a giant sigh of relief.  It does get tiresome to go to a “vintage” shop, only to have to sift through rack of 80s.

You can visit Simply Vintage at 3640 SE Belmont St. Mondays and Wednesdays through Sunday, 11 am to 7 pm.  “Like” her page on Facebook or learn more on Yelp.

The Great Gatsby

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Last night I did something I’d never done before…I wore a 20s dress.  Why? Because I had one, and I was going to The Great Gatsby.  More on that later…right now, let’s just focus on my amazing thrifted 20s silk velvet gown.

I don’t do the 20s for a several reasons… one being that it’s far too scarce and thus expensive.  The other being I simply do not find the cuts and styles flattering on me.  Even this dress, as elegant as it is, I don’t care for all that much.  I simply dislike the lack of shape that the 1920s produced.  However, even with that being said, I am by no means going to get rid of this beauty.

And now maybe the topic a lot of you have been waiting for…the film itself.  Director Baz Luhrmann has been under a lot of fire lately from the vintage community regarding the film.  People are up in arms over the costumes and the music.  Calling the costumes horrifically inaccurate and the music (which features artists such as Jay-Z and Jack White) disrespectful.  I don’t care, and nor should you.  Why?  Because it’s Baz Luhrmann.  Luhrmann has only five, count ‘em, five major motion pictures under his belt and they are all the same. And by that I mean they are all in the same vein of each other, which is a hyper-stylized depiction of the time and events taking place.  Luhrmann’s films are like paintings, works of art.  Each one shows his influence, his brush strokes, his style. They are flashy, garish, yet beautiful and completely over-the-top on nearly every level.  He produces pure escapism and entertainment with doses of historical bits and pieces (such as the Bohemian movement in Moulin Rouge! and the Stolen Generation in Australia).  The two films that he directed which took place in the time that they were filmed, Strictly Ballroom (1992) and Romeo + Juliet (1996), hardly reflect the time in an accurate manner.  They both suspend reality, and make the ordinary extraordinary!  It is because of Luhrmann’s resume that I am able to overlook the extreme exaggerations of the roaring twenties and the music.  And I feel that this is how every person going to go see this film should view it as well.

And I loved the film. I loved every second of it.  I love the insane headdresses, over the top dancing, huge champagne bottles and inflatable zebra pool floaties (need to get me some of them).  The cast was top notch too.  Leonardo DiCaprio is Gatsby.  He portrays the role with such kindness and emotion that you can’t help but feel for Gatsby and his pain and longing.  I can’t wait to see it again.

Outfit
Dress & Shoes: Thrifted
Brooch: Belonged to my grandmother
String of Pearls: Belonged to my mother
Bracelet & Earrings: Don’t remember…
“Headband” (Actually a choker, I know, I’m brilliant) & Dress Clip: Gifts
Pearl Clutch: Antique Alley, Portland