This story is the story of a dress.
A special dress. A sparkling dress. A surprise dress….
It was 2010. I was beginning to tumble headlong into my lasting love affair with vintage fashion. It had all started with an idle link click, and suddenly I was plunged into a flurry of fabulous style that I had been sadly unaware of. It started with browsing on online shops, yearning after dresses I couldn’t have, and then ~ there was a link to a blog. I knew about blogs. I’d even set one up in my university days, and wrote on it sporadically when the urge struck.
What I didn’t know is that blogs where a thing you could read, could follow, could fall into a hole on, devouring post after post after post! But there it was. A dainty, feminine, vintage clad gal tripping across my screen and I knew I wanted to look like that before I even knew what the look was! {It was Fleur from Diary of a Vintage Girl in a floral 1940s frock incidentally.}
That was when the interest exploded into obsession, and I went on the prowl, combing through eBay and Etsy listings for the perfect dress with which to start my very own vintage wardrobe. There were gorgeous frocks abounding when one stopped me dead in my tracks ~ it was a stunning 1950’s tea length evening gown.
It had a sheer chiffon overlay printed with a velour floral and lace pattern, sprinkled with silver glitter. A pink cotton candy underlining, an attached dove grey tulle crinoline, and a wee belt that buckles at the back. This dress was amazing. It was perfect! I had to have it!
But at $180.00 + p&p it seemed pricey to my inexperienced eyes. I waffled. I vacillated. I closed the window in my browser, determined to forget about it, only to find myself opening it over and over again.
I even asked my Mister ~ a true sign of desperation, because he doesn’t “get” clothing ~ but received a very non-committal answer. A couple of days later I decided I was going to make the big commitment and purchase it only to find…
SOLD! SOLD!!! Some one else had bought my perfect dress!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Well, all the self recrimination in the world wouldn’t bring it back, so I nursed a near-broken heart (- ‿ •), and got on with life.
I really did think that was the end of it, but one day at lunch my Mister walks out with a brightly wrapped, very early Christmas present.
Oh, you guessed it! It was the dress!
When I unwrapped it I squee’d, and danced, and generally was the happiest girl on the planet. ✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ:* \(◕▽◕✿)/ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
So that’s the story of how the perfect 1950’s evening gown found it’s home with me. My very first piece of ‘really truly’ vintage, my first 1950’s dress, and the first gift of vintage from my sweet Mister! A lot of firsts, and this dress will always have it’s ‘first’ spot in my heart because of that.
I wrote this story down for the Story of an Item project on Tumblr, and I am so glad I’ve had a chance to participate in this world-wide collection of vintage tales. Each post is a chance to capture a special event, and I’m so thrilled to write about this amazing dress.
Do you remember your first piece of vintage? Was it a dress, or something else? How did you start your vintage collection? I’d love to hear your special stories!
xox,
bonita
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Glitter & Lace 1950’s Evening Gown | Revolving Styles Vintage
Vintage Pearl String Necklace | Gift from my Mother
Vintage Pearl Cluster Hair Comb | Etsy
Pearl Drops | Gift from the Mister
Seeded Pearl Gloves | Thrifted
Peach Puff Crinoline | Doris Designs Adult 26" Petticoat in Peach
Wedding Star Kitten Heels | Old {yes, I did wear these for my wedding!}
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