The Sunday Snag – Kimono's Day Out

Can I just tell you once again how terribly in love I am with this kimono? Last week, I showed you a peek into my home and a peek at me in my underpinnings (see here), part of which was this beautiful mid-century kimono robe. Note: Today is the last day that the The Slipperie, where I purchased my kimono, is offering my readers 15% off with the code BLOSSOM15! Get on over there and snag something sexy for yourself!

It was, quite literally, a rather cheeky outfit post for me to share with you last week, but it gives me the chance to show the versatility of that piece today. There are many examples of classic "lingerie" being used as parts of outfits meant for the public now. We see fancy bra straps and lace accenting dresses, bras themselves through sheer tops (I've done that here), slips worn as dresses, and bustiers and corsets worn as tops. Some of these are more risqué than others, but I'm the sort that doesn't mind a bit. Especially when these garments are worn in an elegant and subtly sexy manner. If you've wanted to take the plunge, but are a bit shy, a vintage kimono can be a great transitional piece of classic lingerie that can easily be worn out in the open. It will actually provide more coverage, not less!

My vintage little black dress longed for a companion and found it with this kimono. They go together so well! The kimono, with its beautiful floral woven silk, provides a relaxed and exotic elegance to the sophisticated and clean cut of my 1950s linen/silk dress. That dress! My brain just says "POW" when I take off the kimono to reveal that dress! This is the first in person vintage anything I ever bought (I had only bought one dress online before (see here)). I thought it was these shorts (see here) that were my first, but I had forgotten I had bought this just a couple weeks before them.

Me and a few of my swing dancing friends had stopped into a vintage shop in Richmond, VA called Bygones Vintage Clothing last year during a dance event. I remember the place was packed with pretty things, but I had never bought vintage before, so I can't quite remember much in the way of specifics (I really need to go back now!). I just remember thumbing through the black dress rack and this unassuming little dress was hanging there. I saw the shape and the tailoring (I've worked in bridal stores for years and know excellent tailoring when I see it) and knew this was special. No frills, no flash, just a fantastically shaped silhouette. I snuck into a dressing room, slipped this on, zipped up, walked out and...Whoa. Yowzas. I remember the one male dancing friend that had bravely come into that store with us walked by the dressing room and just said, "Wow". I was sold. I had to call my hubs though because the dress was more expensive that any usual purchases I might make. I made the call while in the dress and explained that there was no way I could take that baby off and leave it all alone in that shop. I gave all the usual justifications: it's beautiful, it's black so it will go with everything, it fits perfectly, etc. He, without a second's hesitation, said yes because he is the best. As luck would have it, when I got to the front register, the clerk said that my dress was on sale for 20% off! Saweeeet!!

By the way, they don't call them wiggle dresses for nothin' folks!! I can't even step up into a higher elevated automobile. We went out with my sister and her husband over New Year's and they drive a small SUV. My husband literally had to pick me up and put me in the car!! Hahaha Worth it!

Now, with the kimono, I just have one more way of styling a classic piece of beautiful vintage. I brought along my hair scarf (seen here in this tutorial) to use as a belt and I slipped on the only pair of 1950s pumps I own. These are cute black suede like pumps with tiny leaf accents at the top from Blue Butterfly Vintage (they were my first vintage shoe purchase too!).

I have a few very pretty accessories on too! First, my brooch! I was beyond thrilled to snag this up on Ebay. It is a Victorian swallow brooch, circa 1900, in a beautiful purple pink tint. This is perfect for the incredibly romantic (me!) because swallows mate for life and always return home to nest. I love it! These brooches can be incredibly expensive so I was thrilled to find one at such a ridiculous price ($5). Speaking of an amazing find, my earrings are a modern handmade leaded glass creation that I found at a church rummage sale for...50 cents! My hair accessory is just sprigs of vintage velvet millinery flowers and the ring, "Eyes Like Moonlight", is soon to be in my shop. It is a beautiful vintage button with a tiny owl perched upon a crescent moon.

Outfit Details

Kimono: 1960s/1970s silk from The Slipperie

Dress: 1950s silk/linen wiggle dress from Bygones Vintage

Shoes: 1950s pumps from Blue Butterfly Vintage

Belt: red silk head scarf 

Brooch: 1900s Victorian Swallow from Ebay

Hair Flowers: Vintage velvet millinery sprigs

Earrings: Modern handmade leaded glass from church rummage sale

Ring: "Eyes Like Moonlight" (coming soon) from my shop ChatterBlossom

Last Week's Sunday Snag:

Let Me Slip Into Something More Comfortable