Sunday, November 10, 2013

The Sunday Snag – Sharp Dressed Woman

Sharply Dress In Vintage #1940s #fashion #vintage #style #suit

Well! I bet you didn't even think I owned a suit! What with my gazillion cutesy dresses for summer. It's fall now though, which means it's time to break out some heavier garments to keep this gal warm! Come, let me introduce you to my first vintage suit purchase!

Amazing Detail Work on Vintage Suit #vintage #suit #1940s #fashion

I actually own two vintage suits now and the other one is in a relatively similar color to this one, but it has a different cut. I'm sure you'll see it in the future. As for this one, don't you love the detailing?! Those buttons, am I right?! I purchased this suit from The Paraders during their epic 50% off sale in August. It is an oatmeal colored wool from the 1940s, made by Victor's of Chicago, with amazing tailoring and one of the coolest button details I've seen. The buttons themselves are domed with rhinestones and around each button hole is a raised swirl! For a known crazy button hoarder, this purchase was a no brainer. There is a matching skirt as well, but it needs alterations before I can wear it. The jacket is a smidgeon too big too, but I can wear it regardless and maybe someday I'll get a professional to tailor it for me. 

To be completely honest, I don't usually like to wear suits. I love the look of them and very much admire their design and impeccable tailoring, but I often feel too boxed in by a fitted jacket. Plus, I think I naturally gravitate toward the more loosely fit (danceable) garments. But I knew come cooler weather that I would appreciate having such a classic piece that I could throw on and feel immediately chic and sophisticated. Plus, you don't have to keep the jacket on the whole time! You can wear all number of feminine blouses and flounces underneath to be seen when the jacket comes off!

My First Vintage Suit! #vintage #style #1940s #fashion #suit

1950s Wool Hat Detail #vintage #hat #1950s #style #fashion

1940s Jacket Detail #1940s #fashion #40s #style #suit

The blouse I paired my suit with is an old Forever 21 jersey dress that I hacked off the skirt and made it into a top (you can see it here in a rare post with my hair straight sans makeup!). The skirt you've seen a beige version of here. It is a modern pencil skirt from Express a few years back and has such a terrifically fun leopard print lining! Pencil skirts are a workhorse in my wardrobe and I would greatly recommend a few in different colors to fill out your closet too. 

My accessories are also more demure this round. My hat is low key but classic and adorable. I picked this cutey up at Beggars & Choosers (a local joint I did a write up on here). It is a 1950s ivory wool (used to be white, but has aged to a creamy color) with a tiny bow and a single feather jauntily adding a bit of sass to the look. I loved the label inside too! "Snowdrop White" with a little illustration of the flower!

Mixing Modern & Vintage in Suit Wear #vintage #fashion #modern #style #1940s

My shoes are modern gladiators in a grayish nude color that I picked up a few years ago at a Calvin Klein outlet store. Those puppies are incredibly comfortable! I had a lovely follower recently ask what size of shoe I wear. I wear a 6 1/2 to 7 usually, which is why I think I've been getting lucky in some of my recent Ebay shoe purchases. I think most ladies have a size 8? So I must be flying just under the radar of most of the bidders. By the way, please feel free and welcome to ask questions!! I love hearing from you and would love to help answer questions and just chat in general with you!

Three pieces of jewelry joined me in this outing. One, the brooch, looks to be a 1960s ish silver piece with a black center that was a gift with purchase from the lovely Lisa at Honey Talk Vintage. She very sweetly snuck that pretty bauble into my package when I bought some amazing shoes from her (see them here). Isn't that nice?! The ring is coming soon to my shop and is a pretty vintage black glass button ring with a silver luster design that I thought worked well with the tailoring of my jacket. The tiny darling hat pin (seen in the last photo) is a 50s/60s gold tone and faux opal from Revival House.

1950s Hat Detail #1950s #hat #50s #accessory #vintage

Photoshoot Notes: This was so weird and funny! The hubs and I were just in a neighboring community snapping photos on the sidewalk for this shoot and we had no less than three separate people stop their cars, roll down their windows, and ask "Are you doing a 1940s photoshoot?". What the what?! They literally asked that exact question! Blew me away that 1: Three people stopped to ask at all 2: That they actually nailed the era! Well done local neighbors! And two of the three were men! I asked one what made him think that and he said I looked just like his mother did in the 40s! Haha! That tickles me to no end! 

1950s Sassy Styling #stockings #heels #50s #style #lingerie

Vintage Styling with Modern Pieces #womens #heels #vintage #styleAdding a Touch of Modern to My Vintage Wardrobe #heels #shoes #vintage

Vintage Sophistication #vintage #style #1940s #fashion #50s

Outfit Details
Suit Jacket: 1940s oatmeal wool from The Paraders
Skirt: modern pencil style from Express
Blouse: modern jersey from Forever 21
Hat: 1950s wool from Beggars & Choosers
Shoes: modern gladiators from Calvin Klein
Brooch: gift with purchase from Honey Talk Vintage
Hat Pin: 1960s? from Revival House
Ring: vintage black glass, coming soon to my shop ChatterBlossom

1950s Hat Detail #50s #hat #1950s #fashion #accessories


Last Week's Sunday Snag:

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I'm holding my very first fashion linkup! Come share your favorite plaid with me!
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50 comments:

  1. Lovely vintage look :)

    Ne Post Up: http://beauty-fulll.blogspot.com/2013/11/ootd-plaid-dress-from-oasap.html

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  2. The buttons on that jacket....Holy Moses! What fantastic detail! That's too funny that people stopped to ask questions...it's even greater that its men remembering their moms....how sweet!
    -Kait

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  3. I love vintage suits! I only have two - a 40s and a 60s but I think they are very very special! Maybe because I'm not corporate so I never wear suits ahahhaha :p The button details are AH-MA-ZING!

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  4. Fabulous outfit! I'm so in love with the detail around the buttons on the jacket and of course the hat is just perfect.

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  5. I like that detail in the button area !
    great pics, als always!

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  6. This is an amazing outfit you look like you stepped out of a classic movie

    kate the old fashioned way

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  7. What a beautiful thing your jacket is! In addition to the show stopping buttonhole detail, there are a number of other wonderful features: the front princess seam plus vertical dart, the very high and small spread collar, the cuffs, the welt detail at the lower edge. So lovely!

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    1. Well my goodness, you know a thing or two about good tailoring!! Lovely that you stopped by because I learned some new terminology from you!

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  8. That is an awesome outfit! I love the jacket. Hope you have a great day!

    Heidi’s Wanderings

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  9. i love your jacket..gorgeous...so elegant honey..fantastic ;)))
    have a nice sunday ;)
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  10. You look so sophisticated and brilliantly chic, great posh outfit!

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  11. I don't even know where to start... I love absolutely everything about this!!! I'm also loving that lipstick shade on you, it was meant to be!
    xo
    styleontheside.com

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  12. Jamie this is just so lovely! I loved that you got some friendly comments about your photography session. I get a bit nervous having my picture taken in public. It's kind of like I don't want to draw attention to myself but at the same time I very much love the vintage look. I'd just love to step back in time and wear a lovely tailored suit and a hat and just fit in the mix. I think I might quite like to go to a vintage department store and just see the "new" stock and how they used to shop. What grand button detail on your jacket! A great find for sure! I love that you have a fondness for buttons. I'm going to have to keep my eye out for vintage button ads. I see them here and there but haven't scanned any. Next time I see some, I'll scan them:)

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    1. Oh I missed this somehow! And I would love to see a button ad if you come across one! That would be so cool!!

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  13. Oh I wanted to ask. Did your hat pin work? This is something I need to explore the use of hat pins.

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    1. Yes it did! However, I'm still trying to get the knack of them. I feel like they would work better being a bit longer and sharper, but many of them that I see are this shorter length and dull from age or if sharp, have lost their cap, so it feels a bit dangerous to keep stuck near your head. Let me know how you come with them and if something works better for you than others. Oh! And if you didn't see, I put my shoe size in this post for you too! :-)

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    2. You are quite lucky as I see so many wonderful shoes in your size! I'll keep my eyes posted for cheap 40s gems for you.

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    3. That would be amazing!!! Thank you!! :-)

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  14. You look fabulous as usual. I love you in a suit but I can understand your reluctance of wearing them. Especially when you are normally dressed up for dancing. They are so tailored it is hard to imagine moving much in them. I do like the idea of having it and then removing the jacket.

    The hat is gorgeous. Also the hat pin. I was tempted to buy one but then wondered if it would work and also I was scared to put holes in my lovely 1940's hat.

    I need some of those hose you are wearing. They really make the outfit. Are they hot to dance in?

    bisous
    Suzanne

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    1. They're actually not hot at all for me. My feet feel a little better too!

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  15. The button hole detail on this jacket is awesome! And you look 1940s-50s beautiful!

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  16. Looking very sharp in your suit. I love the button detail.

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  17. Haha its nice to know that some men also know vintage fashion and that they actually got the era right :) Once I was shooting some outfit pics and a bunch of kids came up to me for autographs thinking I was someone famous! It was so funny! :)
    xx
    www.JuneWantsItAll.com

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  18. You look fabulous! The detailing on the button holes is beautiful and the hat is endlessly classy!

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  19. Gorgeous. I'm not a fan of modern suits but the earlier ones, especially from the 1940's and '50's, were beautiful. Fitted and feminine. Which look great on you.

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  20. So gorgeous, I love the hat :) I don't usually wear suits either, but this one is stunning!! Perfect on you xx

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  21. Oh-la-la! You're a vision of chic, fashionable loveliness, dear Jamie - very, very mid-century Paris to my mind.

    ♥ Jessica

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  22. I have that skirt from express! The leopard print lining is what gives it away. That jacket is beautiful, love the buttons and the detail around them!

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    Replies
    1. Don't you love the skirt?! I wear it alllllll the time!

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  23. Looking very elegant in your suit. Love the whole ensemble!

    Happy Monday, Jamie!

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  24. Oh so lovely! That hat! Those tights!

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  25. I really love those shoes! I also wear 6 1/2-7. I love your outfit, Jamie!:)

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  26. Wow I am so impressed by this gorgeous look. It's so classy and I adore the vintage element. Perfect on you, so beautiful.

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  27. Gorgeous outfit. I love those stockings with the seem down the back. My grandmother used to talk about the shortage of stockings in World War II. She told she all the ladies used to draw a line down the back of their legs to replicate the look, when they didn't have any stockings to wear:)

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    1. There are some fun photos of that on pinterest! You should take a look!

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  28. Oh my goodness. I adore this! It makes me think of being a typist or His Girl Friday!

    The stockings are amazing and the shoes. Oh pffft, all of it!

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  29. Beautiful suit—and I love your hair!

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  30. Oh my this is a beautiful suit! The closures on this jacket are amazing. So lovely with the hat and shoes. I think you are doing something unique here that is so much fun to witness!

    blue hue wonderland

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    1. Thank you so much Ann! That is a wonderful thing to hear and gives me such confidence to keep trying what I like! :-)

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  31. Lovely hat and such an elegant jacket, love the design of the button hole!

    http://beautyfollower.blogspot.gr/2013/11/hearing-birds-fly.html

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  32. Your suit is to live for. It's so perfect with your gorgeous makeup job and gloves. I love old suits- they seemed so perfectly designed to emphasize a feminine figure. Just starting to explore high-waisted skirts. I'll definitely be looking to you for inspiration.

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    1. You'll love them! They give the body such a pretty contour!

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  33. I love how you have inserted yourself in the blog more! You are a true beauty Jamie!! And that suit is to die for! I want!!!

    ¤´¨)
    ¸.•*´
    (¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
    http://raising-reagan.com

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  34. Oh my. this is impeccable. Those buttons. that hat! The lines in the tights. Lovely.

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  35. Thank you SO MUCH for showing so much detail in your photos. Especially that fabulous buttonhole swirl thing. Being a sewer, I know that wouldn't be hard to do, but man, does it look great! I have quite a few vintage pieces too, but I have to give the pencil skirt look a miss. It isn't flattering when you look like a snake that ate an egg. I need a bit of flare, a bit of width!

    Just discovered your blog today, so I will be visiting again. Fabulous clothes!

    Much love from England,
    Rosemary from www.foreveronthecatwalkoflife.blogspot.com

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    1. So glad you visited! Not being a sewer, that button swirl thing looks like the hardest thing on the planet to try and make, so it is neat that maybe you could replicate it!

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