Between September and December, I bought vintage-inspired stuff, authentic vintage pieces (from the 1950s-1960s) and other nice things. (*≧▽≦*)
I'll start with the clothing, then the accessories.
White Petticoat (Malco Modes on Amazon)
I was never a fan of petticoats. I began to like them by seeing them in pictures over and over again. I had started to favourite some retro and vintage petticoats on Etsy, but knowing nothing about the garment and what I was looking for, I wasn't moved to buy anything at that moment.
A few weeks later, I resumed my search, but first, I decided to look for advice on choosing a petticoat. I found this article by Mode de Lis and appreciated the try-on pictures of the petticoats reviewed. Although reading it helped me define which petticoats I didn't want to buy, I wasn't sure what was best for me. The vintage crinoline appeared to be the author's best purchase, but finding one as good seemed a tough task. I then read an article by Jessica Out of the Closet and found her tips at the end to be really helpful. However, being extremely indecisive, I still didn't know which petticoat I should get.
I looked for videos on YouTube and found Gertie's Intro to Foundation Garments which comprised a part about petticoats. I was happy when Gertie straight up said that she had a preference for petticoats from Malco Modes. Seeing someone who wears petticoats on a regular basis recommend a brand that was more accessible gave me hope. The first petticoat to be presented was the Zooey which gives you a little volume, but nothing too extreme. Not only I had no idea that petticoats came in different volumes, but the description of the Zooey corresponded exactly to what I was looking for: something not too fancy that I can wear to work and to run my everyday errands.
Gertie also gave valuable tips on choosing the right size for the petticoat. I swear I changed my mind 10 times while picking mine (it doesn't help that my dresses are of various lengths...) but I finally chose the size large in knee-length in the colour white.
I was worried that the petticoat would be on the verge of being too large (even with the adjustable strap at the tightest), but it seems that I can go much tighter than what is indicated on the listing.
I haven't worn the petticoat for a long period of time yet, but I tried it with all of my (purchased) dresses and it definitely makes them look more classier (and formal, maybe?) With no surprise, the petticoat looks best with very full skirts. It really showcases them.
I tried the petticoat with the blue dress that I made, and unfortunately, it doesn't look good. However, the skirt of this dress is clearly not a full one because I didn't follow the skirt pattern (and didn't consider at all the possibility of wearing a petticoat with it). I've seen some vintage patterns mentioning a petticoat at the end of the instructions, so I'm pretty sure that lots of patterns design their skirt to be suitable with one.
Betty Barclay Pink Dress With Embroidery (river-gems on eBay)
I saw this dress while browsing vintage dresses on eBay and immediately fell in love with it.
The shipping was almost as much as the price of the dress which brought the total to an expensive amount. Moreover, I wasn't sure if the bodice would fit me since the bust was 36". (I try to pick my sewing patterns with a 30" bust and always thought that 32" is the biggest I'd go with.) Because the dress was costly and I wasn't even sure if it'd fit me, I tried to forget about it.
Three days later, I was still thinking about the dress. I decided to make a bid since I really, really liked it. The 36" bust was the only rub (the waist measured 24"), so I figured I could always go to a seamstress to alter the bodice only...
I thought that there would be more people bidding on the dress, but I ended up being the sole bidder. 🎉
When I got the dress, I noticed right away three differences from the seller's pictures:
- The colour looked more like a "flash" pink than the nice light pink in the pictures.
- The bust looked SO large. I knew it was 36", but I didn't expect it to look this large. I don't mean that people who wear 36"+ busts are "overweight"; I was questioning how the bust area would fit my body and my fears to "float" in the dress went up like 📈
- There was yellowing at the back of the neckline, under the armpits and some yellow spots here and there on the skirt. It wasn't as bad as my white dress, but it was still visible from the outside, except for the little yellow spots (I had to examine the dress meticulously to notice them).
Overall, I was a bit depressed and felt I had thrown all my money in the fire.
My mom washed the dress two times (after having sprayed Spray 'n Wash on the yellow spots) which made me hopeful. Once the dress dried following its first wash, I tried it on and was amazed by the fit. I expected it to fit so bad because of the bust, but my assumptions proved to be false. Granted, the dress doesn't fit like a 32" bust, but I don't float in it at all. Also, the yellowing and the stains had disappeared and the ones still holding on had become hardly noticeable.
This dress is exactly like the pretty pastel ones I see in vintage catalogues. 💖 It's just an incredible dress, probably one of the prettiest I'll ever own in all of my vintage pieces. I'm so happy I got it despite my insecurities about the bust.
Strangely, the colour of the dress varies depending on the lighting (so the eBay pictures were "real"). Under natural lighting, the dress is more of vibrant pink, and with the lights on, it's a very light fainted pink. When the dress is on, both colours look nice.
Although knee-length is my preferred length, I initially didn't mind leaving the hem as such, but when I tried the dress with my new petticoat, it didn't look great. Thus I took the dress to a seamstress to switch back to the original hem. (In no way I was gonna apply my poor skills in making an invisible hem on this dress. The seamstress ended up using an invisible thread though [I didn't even know that existed].)
I briefly mentioned it before, but when I received the dress, I was disappointed and concerned. Don't know if I'm the only one, but I have this vision of the dress from the seller's pictures and it always looks gorgeous. It boosts my excitement and I can't wait to hold the dress in my hands. But when I see the dress in person for the first time, all I see is a frail-looking piece of clothing that looks nothing like the majestuous dress in the pictures. I know I shouldn't be surprised by the difference (the dress usually displays a petticoat in the pics and is captured under perfect lighting), but it's such a stark contrast that I can hardly help it. And I'm like, how the heck is this dress gonna look minimally nice on me? I'm pretty sure that my brain will get used to this cognitive dissonance with time.
Here's a pic of a pretty pink donut to go with the pink embroidery dress:
My mom bought it for me back in October at Tim Hortons. It didn't have any special flavour, but it was good. The middle had rich icing or whipped cream? I was a bit confused as to why they put that there. I went to check on the internet and apparently, there's supposed to be a typa cupcake swirl in the middle of the donut. That explains the mysterious icing in the middle of my donut hole, though it didn't have the swirl. I don't know why.
Wm.G Princess Seam Jacket/Light Coat (AstrantiaVintage on Etsy)
I'm not sure how to call this piece. The seller described it as a "mini dress", but I rebaptized it since I think I'll wear it more as a jacket than as a dress.
This jacket was an impulse purchase. The seller had just listed it a few hours before when I saw it. I loved the princess seams and the fit and flare look. It reminded me of a Liz Lisa cardigan dress and I've always found them pretty. It was probably the first time I was seeing something so close to Liz Lisa's style. It was also free shipping and I always get a little bit ecstatic when I see free shipping.
I didn't find any info on this brand, but the seller dated the piece from the 1970s.
The main colour of the jacket is ivory/light pink with speckles in different shades of pink. It's really hard to capture the colours well on camera... Sometimes the jacket looks very pink (see picture below), other times it looks more whiteish. For info, all of the pics were taken in natural daylight.
The jacket fits well. It's a little tight at the bust and some buttonholes are a bit loose, but I had already planned to not wear it as a dress on its own, but more like an unbuttoned jacket. I think it'll look nice with a short skirt and a bow accent blouse, preppy style (similar to Bobon21's snaps?). I'll feel more comfortable too since I don't find bright pinks to look good when it's the only colour on me.
Black & White Dress (vvvintagethis on Etsy)
If I had to describe in one piece of clothing the style I strive for, it would be this black & white dress. I don't remember how I came to find it on Etsy, I think it was in the "You may also like section".
This dress incorporates all in one the preppy, vintage and cute styles, my absolute favourites. Preppy by the peter pan collar assorted with the white cuffs; vintage (and preppy) through the pleats and the checked pattern on the skirt; cute with the adorable matching bow at the collar.
The seller had mentioned three little defects that could be fixed by sewing: part of the zipper unstitched, part of a shoulder seam unstitched and the eye of the hook missing at the back. My mom kindly repaired all three.
I also like the skirt fabric which is thicker than sole cotton. I'm not a fan of the fabric used for the bodice though. It feels like thin cotton-wool.
As for the fit... I was disappointed by it. 😭 This is the piece that I love the most out of all my purchases, yet it's the one that fits me the least nice...
First, the bodice is a bit too short on my body and I'd say it's noticeable when I have the dress on. Plus it's a bit of an awkward feeling. I have hope that a belt may solve this issue. Then, the sleeves are too big for my arms. It's very loose.
Despite my deception over the fit, I don't regret getting this dress at all (all thanks to it being everything I look for in a dress). It's not like it isn't wearable, I can wear it; only, it doesn't fit me as well. I do plan on fixing the issues, I think it's possible—except maybe the sleeves though...
If my alterations aren't enough, I intend on bringing the dress to a seamstress who can turn the skirt into an "independent" one with a zipper (a possible challenge would be to keep the pleats intact), while I'd make myself a similar top to wear with the skirt (the matching bow is detachable). This would become a two-piece set.
Another idea would be to attach the new bodice (made by me) to the skirt I would've unsewed beforehand. I'm not sure of anything yet, though. These are simply thoughts that have been brewing in my mind.
I searched "Capwell's" but Google kept correcting it for Campbell's lol. I eventually managed to find the same logo on my tag with the keywords "capwells young junior", which gave me other relevant keywords to better my research. Apparently, Capwell's used to be a popular department store with branches located across California (source). I read some comments on the page left by former employees or shoppers and their fond memories make me want to see more pictures of the store at the time. It seemed like a really fun place to go shopping to. An article gives more info about the company's history.
While I was on IG's Explore page, I saw this post and I was shocked: My dress in a Simplicity vintage pattern!
It's pretty much the same design, except that my sleeves are 3/4 and there are little diamond patterns on my check skirt. This discovery got me quite animated, questions started to pop into my head. I'm aware that vintage patterns reflect the fashion trends of the era, but I didn't know that the designs could be so similar. Who was inspired by who? Were there a lot of industry-made pieces that could be self-made with a sewing pattern?
Also, I was glad to see this pattern because when I had received the dress, my mom had pointed out that it had belt loops, but the original belt was missing. She had suggested me to wear the dress with a faux patent leather belt in black, and the girl on the pattern cover has this exact same belt with her dress! What a coincidence, but my mom also has good taste.
Betty Lane White Dress With Lace (eserino82 on eBay)
The price of this dress was very affordable imo, at least, compared to my other dresses. I wasn't struck by its beauty at first sight, but I like its simple look and it was right in my size. The cotton fabric also made it a light dress to wear in the summer.
I was really impressed with the quality and the condition of the dress. I expected to see armpits stains and lots of yellowing at the collar, but there weren't any.
The dress fits nice. I don't have a lot to say about it. I'm surprinsingly more pleased than I thought with this purchase.
Gingham Blue & White Dress (BulletBraBoutique on Etsy)
So... a few hours after purchasing the above dress on eBay, this one magically popped on my Etsy home page. I was like ᕙ(è_é")ᕗ !! For weeks there was nothing I liked and then boom, right in my size.
Besides looking gorgeous, this dress had lots of details: gingham piping at the neckline, sleeves and waist, two rickrack trims on the front bodice and one trim all around the skirt's lower part. And the skirt looks full and voluminous. The narrow pleats make it look amazing with a petticoat underneath.
I told myself that I'd probably be able to make a similar dress (not without a lot of suffering, though) to convince me that it wasn't worth buying it. I knew I was lying to myself and a couple of minutes later I bought it anyway.
This dress fits like a glove. I think it's the first vintage dress that fits me so nicely. As mentioned, the dress looks even more stunning with a petticoat. I don't know if the seller is the one who replaced it, but the zipper at the back is a brand new one and works really well.
*sigh* I don't know why I tend to notice the stains on the secondhand clothes I buy only much later after receiving them... yup, I spotted the following stains quite easily once I took pictures of the dress in natural sunlight.
Not the end of the world, but bleh, anyway.
The seller gave me this (brand new) pink measuring tape with my purchase and I love it. Mine didn't work well anymore.
I like that one side shows both the centimetres and the inches, it makes conversions so much easier and faster. However, I would've preferred to have the centimetres on top instead of the inches, since the inches are already taking up the other side. But this measurement tape was a freebie, so I'm very happy.
Black Handbag (TZ on YesStyle)
I have been acquiring nice vintage and retro pieces for some time now. However, I still didn't have a proper handbag that looked great with them and completed the look. In October, I decided to go on a rampage across online stores, looking for a vintage or a vintage-inspired black handbag with a snap closure. Oh, God... I searched so bad for one. I couldn't sleep well for a couple of days because the online shopping experience was frustrating and overall stressed me out.
I won't go into details of my whole search process because it was mentally exhausting. I kept changing my criteria since I could never find what I wanted, so I had to revisit the websites, again and again, each time I'd update my list of criteria. If you CTRL + F the word "vintage" in this blog post, I wrote down the online shops I visited (in the picture with the purple paper).
I finally found this black handbag on YesStyle.
I hadn't ordered from YesStyle in six years and never thought I'd find my handbag there. The name of the website showed up in my mind and I decided to try my luck there.
It may seem like I bought this handbag just to put an end to my agonizing search, but I actually liked it. I found the shape squarer than I originally wanted, but it didn't take anything away from the elegant look of it. My father agreed to cut the strap shorter so I can wear it over my arm.
\(^o^)/
Since I purchased the handbag in October, I haven't seen another one, whether vintage or retro, that I would've preferred (it's usually the opposite that happens...). Furthermore, I've found my black handbag prettier day by day.
I definitely would like to find the *perfect* black vintage handbag one day, but in the meanwhile, this one is perfect.
Beige Handbag (ElekonChicBoutique on Etsy)
Like my jacket, this was also an impulse purchase. As a fan of scallop, I fell in love with this handbag right away. I bought it only a few days after getting my black one, but I didn't mind since both are different colours.
The seller had named it "Authentic vintage real leather 1950s handbag, shoulder bag, Kelly bag, Made in England, leather purse". Therefore, I thought that the material was real leather. When I received the bag, I sensed it wasn't real leather and my father confirmed it was most probably vinyl.
I felt disappointed at that moment; not because I had bought the handbag based on the assumption that it was real leather (I bought it first and foremost because of its scallop frame), but because I may have paid more than I should have had. (>_<)" I checked back on the listing and the word "vinyl" is completely absent from the description. It's even written twice "Material: real leather".
I know this haul is already abundant by now, but there were still some things missing. Shit, I always need stuff. ;_;
Because I'm used to big handbags/bags, I never had problems shoving plenty of stuff in them. However, when I bought my first smaller bag (Chairoikoguma purse), I realized that I'd need to find a solution. I carried my essential cards and coins in an ugly little pouch for a while, since there were none I liked in stores. One day, my mom surprised me with this cute vintage-looking coin purse from Walmart:
I also bought a water bottle from the company memobottle. I was looking for a small, compact water bottle and I found their company online.
There were extras you could add to your order, such as other coloured bottle caps, a protective case for the bottle, etc., but I only got the bottle.
The bottle looks cheaper than I expected. I kinda regret not getting a protective case because the plastic will definitely get scratched in the handbag. I guess I hadn't thought about that when placing my order...
On the bright side, the bottle fits perfectly in my beige and black handbags. Phew.
I still want to make a little zipped pouch for my bottle to protect it in my handbag, or I'll look for DIYs. I'm pretty sure I can find something on the internet.
Even though I find the bottle to look a bit low-quality, I'm really satisfied with my purchase since it fits in my two new handbags and that's exactly why I bought it.
- - -
We've come to the end of my haul, just in time before the New Year. I didn't think I'd be able to, I procrastinated on writing this blog post these past days. I kinda rushed finishing it towards the end...
To tell the truth, I haven't worn most of these pieces for extended periods of time. With work, school and the pandemic (= work from home and staying at my parent's house), I haven't been to a lot of places this fall. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to wearing all of these lovely pieces and pair them with the nice stuff I already have. ♡
I'm becoming very well furnished now, in terms of clothing and accessories... I'd be happy to find cute hats like a beret or a cute pillbox hat, but I'm not looking for them actively.
Happy New Year!
