Lavender & Twill : June 2015

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

༺ Gold Creek ༻

Talking about behind the scenes…. I was so cold during this outfit shoot my nose is red in all of these pictures! °(◕ o ◕)°

Winter is truly upon us. Besides battling the chilly air, I was loosing light as fast as I could take the photos. The cold wintery frost has really snuck up on me!

I keep thinking that it must be warmer than it really is outside ~ I’m not sure why, because autumn got cold pretty quickly this year, and was over by the first month. Maybe the weather has sustained that cooler autumn temperature for longer? Who knows…

What I do know is that I really wish I had more thermal stockings to wear with all my dresses and skirts!

I have a few pairs of thicker tights that are simply worn to death because they just aren’t that popular in Australia, and naturally, they are hard to find.

However, I was glad to pull out these particular navy stockings because they kept my legs warm enough, as well as matching my dress so perfectly!

This new-to-me vintage 1950’s dress is actually the one that I bought from Stephanie of The Girl with the Star Spangled Heart during her wardrobe blog sale, along with the Freddie’s jeans that I posted about before.

It has a darling sailor collar {which I forgot to get a shot of from behind! D’oh…}, a stunning pleated skirt that is very full, and I believe the fabric is a really nice sateen cotton. It certainly feels good when you touch it, all smooth and soft, but with a really nice, quality weight to it. It makes me want to try sewing my own dress out of sateen cotton; I could just pick this dress up and pet it like a kitten! (~￣▽￣)~

On top of all that, the navy print is a toile scene ~ harvesting the fruit trees in an orchard. It’s so pretty, particularly against the taupe background. So, yes, new favourite winter dress for sure.

Argh, and I just realised that I totally forgot about the felt navy hat that’s been sitting in my wardrobe waiting for the right outfit to wear it with! (> o <)’ Double D’oh!! Oh well, another outfit, another day right?!

Do you like toile prints? I have a dress and a light bed throw made out of toile fabric, but I’m always thinking I could collect more. A chair perhaps, or maybe some wallpaper? : P

And to all my vintage friends from the colder countries ~ what are your suggestions for finding some thicker tights? Can I get some shipped down under? I know it’s not winter right now for you all in the northern hemisphere, but any tips or tricks you have for keeping warm while wearing dresses in winter, I’d love to hear them!

xox,

bonita

༺ ♡ ༻

Find me:

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

༺ Mother & Daughter: Lilac Sprinkle ༻

It must come as no surprise, but every time I see this photo of Charlotte’s beaming smile it makes me giggle! Of course, when I realised we were wearing matching outfits, I did what any good blogger does and was all “Eeep! Outfit photo time!”. My baby girl is so beautiful, and is growing bigger and bigger every time I blink, so I am glad I took a moment to get these pictures. ❤

Time flies by so fast, but somehow I’m managing to finish up a few projects here and there ~ my studio website is ready to go live after many months {years? I really can’t remember!} of work and waiting, so I’m excited for that.

Another project that I just wrapped this week after hours of woe and frustration, not to mention refilming{!} ~ is a introduction video for my YouTube channel. I have been meaning to get one up for ages, and finally did it! w00t! (ง •̀_•́)ง ☆

As you can see, this wonderful lilac 1950’s reproduction dress sure has been busy sashaying about. In the last month I’ve worn it to two dedications, church, and for both the videos I filmed {one of which was no good due to lighting issues, but oh well}.

It was a Christmas present from my parents in 2013, and I really do enjoy wearing it. It was custom made for me, and tailored so professionally. It was the Selena dress that I ordered, and while I desperately wanted it in the original fabric, a delicious golden beige color, unfortunately it was out of stock, so I settled for the lilac instead.

I’ve been really pleased with it, and every time I wear it, someone compliments me on how pretty it is. The fit is really spot on, and the sewing is neatly done.

Also, I asked for pockets in the skirt and working buttons on the bodice, and they did that for me with no extra charge, which I thought was very generous. At some point I think I would like to order another bespoke dress from the maker ~ Top Runway. They are actually on eBay and you might have already come across them if you were looking for vintage reproduction on eBay at all.

I can highly recommend working with them. I found that they really did everything they could to make sure your dress is the way you order it, plus their prices are extremely reasonable for a custom made dress. My dress was $120.00 AUD, which is roughly $90.00 USD, and came with free shipping to boot!

Have you ever ordered a bespoke dress? What would be your dream dress to create? I know I’d love to have a ruby or violet velvet 1940’s evening gown someday and if I can’t find a vintage one, I might just have it made for me! ヽ(*⌒∇⌒*)ﾉ

xox,

bonita

Discloser | I am not affiliated with Top Runway in any way; I was given this product as a gift and chose to do a review because I like it.

Friday, June 12, 2015

༺ Currently: Bibliophile ༻

‘Currently’ posts are a little snapshot of the events that are occurring in my day-to-day life. These episodes feature photos from my Instagram, do come and say “Hi!” if you are around. Also, if you would like to participate in this feature yourself, please feel free! I’d love to read your posts, so don’t forget to leave a link. ♡

READING:

ALL THE BOOKS! No, seriously! I’ve been to the library three times over the last two months, and I’ve been reading so many books I haven’t been able to keep up with my extensive blog roll! Whoopies…

Recently I read “The Trader’s Dream” and the “The Trader’s Reward” by Anna Jacobs. These are two book from a series in the historical romance genre about immigration to Australia. I found both books enjoyable, and I’m keeping an eye out for the others.

WONDERING:

If I’m going to be able to keep up with sewing challenge I’ve set myself. I’m definitely running out of steam…... (￣。￣;)

FEELING THANKFUL:

That I can go to exercise classes and work at getting my body strong, fit, and healthy again.

EATING:

Quinoa with cinnamon and almond milk for breakfast. As much as I adore my peanut butter toast {three months, every day for breakfast and still going strong!}, it’s not helping in my quest to shed some post-baby pounds.

WATCHING:

Still on Agents of Shield, Season 2. Only two more episodes to go though!

WORKING ON:

What am I not working on would be the better question, but here goes: Sewing projects ~ I’m in the middle of my first foray into knits. A launch page for my first ebook. Finishing off my second novel. Designing a website for my studio which should just about cover all the projects I have running, and how to find them. Videos for my YouTube channel. Videos for A & B Novels’ YouTube channel!

LOVING:

Online shopping ~ eBay forevah! Pilates. Coke Zero. My new Elna Overlocker ‘Ella’. Thick, warm stockings. Hanging out with new friends. Trips to the library. Vintage style t-shirts. A nice glass of red wine. Bareback rides on Copper. Taking photographs of my family. Watching Charlotte get chubbier and cuter everyday!

ATTEMPTING:

To keep up with all the things I want to do, as well as the things I should do. Like housework. Which so boring compared to everything else, but alas, so necessary.

WANTING:

To get more sleep…. (✖. ✖) …More sleep. Oh, and to trim down.

DOING:

Enough stuff to keep me running around like a chicken with my head chopped off ~ but I’m having fun. I’m writing a lot. I have done enough writing at this point over the entirety of my life to finally realise I am a writer. It’s taken me 29 years, but I’m finally calling it what it is: I am a writer.

(‘Currently’ post inspired by Danielle of Sometimes Sweet and Kaelah of The Clueless Girl's Guide!)

xox,

bonita

༺ ♡ ༻

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Sunday, June 7, 2015

༺ Story of a Dress ༻

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

༺ ♡ ༻

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!}

Pages

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

༺ Gold Creek ༻

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

༺ Mother & Daughter: Lilac Sprinkle ༻

Friday, June 12, 2015

༺ Currently: Bibliophile ༻

Sunday, June 7, 2015

༺ Story of a Dress ༻