My main concerns with choosing pieces for the dress category were easy care, comfortable and cotton. Definitely thinking of summer weather! The first three are vintage- blue shirt waist, red and black sleeveless dress, orange and green shirtwaist dress. The last dress with red roses is a new make that I just finished.
Blouses are so key to a versatile wardrobe! I actually have quite a few but really only the blue one do I see working really well in my wardrobe. The blush colored one is vintage and lovely but not a good shade for my preferred neutrals of black and navy. The white sweater is nice but I'm not a huge fan of high necklines. The two printed blouses are fun but a bit loud for me. The yellow blouse is part of my patio set and I love it but it's made of some synthetic fabric and not good for super warm weather. So I have lots, but not a lot that I think will really work.
Two cardigans and two skirts. I love the teal skirt and I'll probably keep it in the mix. The kaki skirt is also nice but I have trouble deciding what colors to wear with it. It seems like all of the colors that would look good are not ones I like to wear too much. So I may make up this pattern again in a different color.
I also have two pair of capris-one vintage and one Freddies of Pinewood. I definitely want to keep the red pair in mind when adding blouses to my wardrobe.
And some possibilities for hats and gloves. These include some of my favorite hats. I threw in the yellow hat and gloves because I'm planning on adding a yellow dress or blouse/skirt combo to the mix. I have another white pair of gloves that I'm thinking of for pair number 4 but they are rather dingy and I'm trying to brighten them up. If that doesn't work, I'm thinking of dying them red. I've always wanted a pair of red gloves!
You have several beautiful pieces. I'm tackling my "closet problem" this weekend. So much to sort through and so much to purge :( I'm debating putting some online for sale either on eBay and or Etsy but I know there is a lot of work involved in doing that and not sure that I have enough hours in a day to do that on top of everything else I already have on my plate.
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to be bleaching white gloves, don't forget about blueing! I think it can be hard to find, but laundry blue helps keep whites looking crisply white.
ReplyDeleteAlso, take advantage of that sun! Perhaps rinse in a water/lemon juice mix and let dry in the sun. Natural bleaching at it's finest.
Also, according to Marion Harland's Complete Cook Book (c) 1906, to clean white LACE (so if they're lace gloves):
"Wash in flour. Rub the flour in as you would soap; let the lace lie for some time and then shake it out. If it be not quite clean, repeat the process, which will make it look like new."
And, to dry-clean a lace curtain (no idea why this is different):
"Pin a sheet snugly to the carpet, and pin the curtain smoothly to the sheet. Go all over it with flour you have dried in the oven, rubbing it into the lace with what is known as a "complexion brush" until the whole surface is coated and the curtain will hold no more. Throw a sheet over all and leave for 24 hours. At the end of this time, unpin the curtain, lift carefully, shake out the flour and hang in the outer air and sunshine (the day must be dry) to let the flour blow out of it. Lastly, lay it upon the ironing table, wrong side up, cover with clean cheesecloth or a thin muslin slightly dampened, and press firmly with a warm, not hot, iron. Powdered starch may be used instead of flour. Curtains treated carefully in this way will look almost as fresh as when new."
So a couple of non-bleach options. :-P
Tegan
Really pretty, classic, elegant choices. I love the instant sense of harmony that you've created between these items and how many outfit possibilities I can see jump off the page, so to speak, just looking at them. Wonderful job on honing and fine tuning your current 50s wardrobe. It's beautiful!
ReplyDelete♥ Jessica
I've been tacking the closet for months now. Seems like a neverending process of trying things on to see if they still or or fit i general to what to keep around or what to store for the time being. You have some wonderful pieces!! xox
ReplyDeleteLove the new shirtwaist. I have that fabric myself, and thinking a shirtwaist would be the best option for it
ReplyDelete