December Vintage Style

Just a quick post today! I'm joining Flashback Summer's Vintage December Style challenge. Lots of us have been sharing our outfits on Instagram this month. If you want to join in or just follow along, be sure to check out the tag #decembervintagestyle.

#vintagedecemberstyle with Flashback Summer

I haven't done much sewing this year, so all but one of these outfits are from last year. Still, I'm hoping to go through the closet and see what I can come up with for some new festive attire.

First up is the 1920s silk velvet dress that I wore earlier this month for the GBVS Winter Formal. Ivory and gold makes a nice combination for the Christmas season. You can read more about this outfit in my last blog post.

This 1940s evening dress is one I made back in 2013 for the very first GBVS Winter Formal. It's made from a most obnoxious shade of mustard crepe using Simplicity 1469. The dress is trimmed with modern sequins and jet beaded trim from the Victorian era.

Read more about making this dress

Here is what I wore last year when I was trimming our Christmas tree. I love the versatility of pinafores! This particular pinafore also works great for a Memorial Day or Fourth of July outfit!

And last but not least, a little 1950s for you! I don't often wear 50s but once in awhile I come across a piece that I really love. This coat is one of those pieces. The princess cut is flattering and super fun to wear over fuller skirts and dresses. More photos of this outfit in this post.

1920s White Velvet and Gold Lace

Finally, a finished sewing project to share with you! I haven't done much sewing the fall, it's been hard to find the motivation but I am slowing getting back into things. The GBVS's Winter Formal at the Lyman Estate earlier in December was just the thing I needed and a great excuse to make a new 1920s dress.

I think I've mentioned before my love/hate relationship with the 1920s. Some of the styles are so gorgeous, particularly the evening dresses. I mean, what's not to love about those colors, bead work and beautiful fabrics? But, the fit of 1920s dresses can be so boxy looking and down right frumpy that I tend to lean more to other decades. Then I found THIS!

"Vionnet model in white velvet gown entirely untrimmed except for fine gold stitching at hips. At the back if falls in wing-like drapery. Drawing by Benito." The Art of Vogue. Covers 1909 - 1940 by William Packer

And THIS!! Both sketches are by Eduardo Garcia Benito, a fashion illustrator and painter who was well-known for his beautiful cover designs for Vogue Magazine during the 1920s and 1930s.

Fashion Illustrated A Review of Women's Dress 1920 1950 by Deborah Torrens

Ahhhh, a version of those sketches has been on my 1920s sewing wish list for such a long time. And I happened to have just the right fabric waiting in the stash. So yeah, sometimes things are meant to be.

However, I knew from the beginning that the back of the dress was going to be the most difficult part to create. I was having a hard time visualizing what shape the pieces for the back drape needed to be. Add this to the fact that my velvet fabric was left over from another project. I had just enough to cut the panels for the skirt and bodice front. The back pieces were constructed using some odd shapes of fabric. Not ideal, but the finished dress has the look and feel of the original Benito sketches so I'm pretty happy with it.

I don't really have construction photos but here is the run down. The lining for the top was made using McCall 5632 (see the full version of that dress here) with the neckline altered slightly and the sleeves left off. The skirt is three panels of velvet (two for the back, cause left over fabric) and has 9 rows of gathering stitches, known as shirring, to pull the fabric in at the hips. The skirt lining was two smaller panels of silk slightly larger than my hip measurement.

The gold lace, which I believe is from the 1920s or early 1930s, is tacked to the silk lining. Creating the back drapes, though super fiddly, were actually quite fun to create. I got to apply some historical draping and fitting techniques that I don't normally get to do unless I'm making an 18th century gown. The bodice front was constructed first with the velvet mounted on top of the silk lining. I then pinned the shoulders and side seams to the bodice back lining.

With the bodice on my dress form, I basted the velvet fabric for the back drapes at the side seams of the lining and around the arms. Next I played around with the velvet trying different ways of pleating at the shoulders and waist, pinning and re-pinning, until I was happy with the look. As much as I loved the low open back of the Benito sketch, I knew that I would be more comfortable with a slight higher back. Plus I really wanted to work my vintage lace into this project. It was such a small piece but I really enjoy being able to incorporate vintage and antique notions into my sewing projects. (You may remember my 1940s evening dress trimmed with Victorian jet beading.)

And of course, not project is complete without kitty "help."

Cori wore his vintage tux. The jacket is actually dated December 1909! Doesn't he look dapper? His shirt, collar and matching peaked waistcoat and bow tie are all vintage as well.

About the Outfit

Dress: Made by me

Accessories: Pearls belonged to my grandmother, Art Deco pin and comb antique store finds

Stockings: WKD

Shoes: Royal Vintage Shoes

Summary of the Project
Fabrics: Off white silk velvet from Delectable Mountain cloth, vintage silk for the lining and vintage gold lace
Pattern: The top portion of the dress is roughly based on McCall 5632 with the back draped. The skirt was just a large rectangle that was shirred at the sides to hip my hip measurement.
Year: 1920s
Notions: Thread and vintage gold lace.
How historically accurate it it? Pretty accurate. Material sare accurate for the time, pretty sure the lace is 1920s or early 1930s.
Any tricky parts to the pattern? Well.... Draping the back would have been waaaaay easier if I had more fabric to work with as mentioned above. Also, silk velvet is fussy to work with.
Did you change anything? I modified the neckline of the original pattern slightly for the bodice.
Time to complete? I don't know how many hours but I worked on this off and on for about a week and a half.
First worn: December 3rd, 2017 at the Greater Boston Vintage Society Winter Formal.
Total cost: The silk lining and lace trim are from the stash. The velvet was left over from another project. I think it was around $20 or $30 a yard and was 54" wide but it's been sitting in the stash for a could years and I can't really remember. I would guess around $60 to $75.
Notes: The fit is a bit wonky which isn't helped but the weight of the velvet. I think if I were to make this again I would take the shoulders up a bit more and maybe add a sash or side drape.

Holiday Decor - Vintage Tree Bling

Tired of using the the same Christmas ornaments year after year? Looking for something different and unique for your holiday decor? How about tree ornaments made from vintage jewelry! This is something I've wanted to do for a while and this year I finally did it! I used my collection of sparkly vintage odds and ends to decorate a table top tree. You can do the same!

Here is what you will need. It's handy to keep a list of the items you hang on the tree, specially if you are using small items like earrings. That way you wont loose anything.

• Christmas tree (I should note that I use a small fake tree for this so there was no fear of pine pitch. No vintage was harmed!) 
• Christmas Lights
• Scissors
• Ribbon
• Assortment of vintage jewelry and sparkly bits

Start by wrapping your tree in lights. Necklaces, and some bracelets, can easily be looped or draped across the branches. Because earring are small I tend to keep them together or at least place them close to one another on the tree. Vintage dress clips and clip on earrings are great because you and clip them right to the branches. Thread a loop of ribbon through your favorite bangle and voila! Instant ornament! You can do the same with any pin or large brooch.

Most of the items shown here came in one large box lot from and antique shop several years ago. Many of the pieces I've picked up over the years are missing stones or are damaged in some way so I got a really good deal on them. But that's OK because you don't notice the flaws once they are on the tree. :) Keep your eyes open at yard sales, flea markets, etc. and you will find some good deals. One thing I sometimes see at antique shops are mason jars full of beaded necklaces and other odds and ends of mis-matched jewelry. That would be perfect for a project like this. I've found some nice non-vintage pieces at thrift stores too like the cat pin seen in this post. My favorite victory pin (the large V with rhinestones) is even hanging on the tree!

Here is what you do.

• After selecting your vintage pin, cut a piece of ribbon 5-6 inches in length (longer if desired)
• Thread the ribbon through the back of the pin. Even out the ends of the ribbon and tie a knot leaving a small tail.
• Use your scissors to curl the ends of your ribbon OR tie the ends in a pretty little bow 
• Place your ornament on your tree and you're done! 

I've been collecting 1950s/60s rhinestone necklaces for a long time and these look especially pretty draped across the branches. I find them everywhere and have to stop myself from buying them all lol! Prices vary but on average I never pay more then $10 or $12 for a necklace. Often they are less then that. Occasionally I will splurge on a nicer piece like the one I wore for my wedding. Or blue and white one seen below that came with matching earrings. 

The rhinestone necklaces like those at the upper right are commonly found at antique shops. The necklace and bracelet at the bottom right I wore for my wedding.

Dress clips, shoe clips, and earrings can be clipped to the branches.  Tip! With a fake tree you can bend the ends of the branches so these little pieces sit just right.

Vintage Dress Clip Tree Ornaments

Vintage earrings make lovely ornaments too! The pink pair are from the Etsy shop of Chronically Vintage.
Thank you Jessica!

Have fun with this and don't be afraid to mix in some modern pieces as well. My little tree looks so pretty at night. Sadly my camera doesn't take very good pictures in low light but it's so sparkly! :)

Stay tuned for another post this week about vintage holiday decor! I can't wait to share with everyone how I decorated my fireplace mantel.