Vintage Swimsuit Saving
The other day found me downtown meeting a friend for lunch. I was a little early and thought I’d pop into the Buffalo Exchange that was just a block from the restaurant. And I found a glorious 1950s swimsuit. I nearly fell over. This sort of thing just doesn’t happen. As I was carrying it about the store, I had an employee approach me, “Oh, another employee tried that on, I guess it didn’t work out for her. I don’t know why though. Like you could cut if off here,” she motioned to the waist, “and make it a top!” I cringed on the inside, but just said “It’ll be nice to have fun with.” I quickly walked away before I clobbered the girl. But then I got to thinking, I could wear it as a top, but not at all in the manner she was thinking! By simply putting a skirt over the swimsuit, it instantly becomes a stellar summer top!
I think I’ll be doing this a little more often now with my other vintage swimsuits now that summer is finally here (or at least I think it’s here…you never know in Oregon).
In other news, I’ve been working on what I’ve dubbed “the hearse dress” that has a long story behind it and I hope to have done by next weekend and share with you! So back to sewing!
Outfit
1950s Swimsuit and Renoir Copper Belt: Buffalo Exchange, Portland
Patio: Red Light, Portland
Shoes: Siesta by Miss L Fire, Imelda’s Shoes, Portland
Purse: Birthday Gift from My Dad!
Bangles: Various
Necklace: Match-Maker by Luxulite on Etsy
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luvin the necklace!
i could go green with bathing suit envy! it looks so fabulous worn as a top. love the white squaw skirt as well.
Darling…great idea! Dang you have some long beautiful nails…I bet they look ravishing painted a cherry red.
What a great idea! I HATE it when people suggest things like that. It makes me want to hit them.
cool…great idea 🙂
What a great idea! This outfit is so lovely and your waist looks so tiny in it!!
Oh my gosh! I’m so glad you were the one that took the suit home. I hate to think of it being needlessly hacked to pieces. And it looks gorgeous on you to boot!
Like you would butcher that! :O Looks fab as a top – what a gorgeous colour 😀
http://www.mancunianvintage.com
What a great find! You rescued it just in time from the sounds of it. xx
It does make a really nice top, though why you would want to cut it up to wear it as a top is beyond me.
Um, genius! I have found so much vintage goodness at B.E. that it’s ridiculous! Sadly, there aren’t any in Tennessee … so I go absolutely NUTZ when we hit California forcing my hubs to take me to each and every BE. Love the suit as top idea…I’ve got a great one that I NEVER wear because I don’t go swimming…so now I’ll have to try this idea. Thanks for the inspiration!
What a great idea, I have a few vintage swimsuits and I’m definitely going to team them up with circle skirts.
What an amazing swimsuit! Thank goodness you were able to rescue it! I also adore your skirt (gold. rickrack.)
I found a vintage bathingsuit at a bufflo exchange too! I wear it with shorts kind of play suit style.
Great idea. And I’m in love with that belt. It’s really super!
Such a great find and idea about how to wear it. You look fabulous!
Oh my gosh that’s funny! I just thought that today myself! I was invited over to a friends house to swim in their community pool. I decided to run to the store, ended up having to buy a vintage repro swimsuit but its absolutely adorable! A coral pink with a 1940’s cut, all I could think of was how cute it would be with a white skirt and heels. Your outfit is so cute! Love all of your posts.
Jessie Lou
What a great find. And it looks great as a top, how can someone even think of cutting it.
But I had a similar encounter yesterday: Bought a book with 50ies patterns and the seller thought it was so funny and ridiculous and made jokes that no-one wants to sew stuff like this anymore. Well, I kept quiet and went away 🙂
That’s a great suit! And it makes such a cute outfit, I don’t think I’d ever have thought to wear a swimsuit underneath. Now I’m wondering if I had a full enough skirt (to hide the shorts), if I could try that with a couple of playsuits that rarely get worn…. hmmm!
That color is perfect with your hair, and your necklace is hot, hot, hot! I love it.
What a brilliant idea – and way to extract something very positive from (what to us vintage loving – and preserving – gals is) a negative comment. This outfit sings of summer and look so very terrific on you!
♥ Jessica
You really look lovely!
What. Is. That. Necklace?!?! Are those matchsticks?? Ahhhh.
Indeed they are!
What a lovely summer outfit. I like the pops of colour but the swim suit looks beautiful!