I'd Buy it in a Heartbeat

 My heart is in the 80's. See what I did there?

 I see you rolling your eyes, by the way-just so you know.

I bought this 1980's Bonnie and Bill applique sweater for my collection as I think it is a very good example of the style. I decided to give it a wear before packing it away (in acid-free paper). To those of us that lived through the era, these are not the sort of thing we'd imagine anyone wanting to study thirty years from now-but I never imagined anyone would want the old paper dresses from the 60's, or jumpsuits from the 70's. I've learned my lesson, and I've started putting away 80's pieces. As a collector, I like to include not just the outrageous, or designer pieces, but the sort of thing people wore day-to-day. I collect vintage not for the future dollar value (though it is sometimes a consideration when making a purchase) but to have a representative collection.  I doubt this sweater will ever be a sought-after item, but it is the sort of thing I was wearing in the 80's (and well into the 90's).

 There's a good chance that I would have worn a top like this with a button-front skirt in the 80's. I had one in green, the other in blue, and one in a light denim. I wore them practically to death. The blue one finally had the elastic crumble last year, and I'm planning to replace it (the rest of the skirt is fine). Talbot's, Jantzen, and Land's End really knew how to make a good button-front skirt that would remain closed when you sat. They're worth grabbing if you see them in the thrifts as they're virtually indestructible (though you might need to replace the elastic). This one even came with extra buttons sewn to the inside seam. Am I nostalgic about 80's clothes? Sure. I might not miss the shoulder-pads, but I pine for the quality of those garments.

The perfect 80's outfit needs era-appropriate shoes. These could use a good brushing, and I'm not wearing them out in the rain today, but were the weather more cooperative, this is the footwear I'd select. My dad would only buy shoes at one place in Chicago (to be fair, they carried a wide range of sizes and he had gigantic feet). He went through work shoes quickly, so I'd tag along because I knew I'd get a couple pair of shoes, and lunch out of the trip to the West side. Chernin's had the craziest selection of women's shoes on the planet. My mum said it was where all the prostitutes bought their footwear- there was always a good deal of what we'd call, "fetish wear" today. If you needed over-the-knee boots in the 70's, there weren't that many places you could shop. Remember life before the internet? Work boots/gym shoes/hooker heels-Chernin's had it all, and I loved the place.

Outfit Particulars:

1980's Bonnie and Bill applique Sweater-New Life Thrift

Jantzen button-front 80's skirt-Goodwill

Heart Earrings-K Mart

Heart necklace-Shop Ko

1970's makeup case-Hand-Me-Ups

1980's suede shoes-Chernin's

Satin Neimann Marcus (needless markup) jacket-Thrift World

Fragrance-Paco Rabanne Eau de Metal (I'm sorry to say I had to scrub it. Even Cabotine sprayed over it couldn't clear the stench, and Cabotine is like an antiseptic cleaner)

Lippy-Loreal British Red

I probably won't last five minutes in a quilted, satin jacket before shedding it outside, but I hear my mum in my head saying, "Where's your coat?!" I suppose it is good to carry a jacket in case the sun burns out or something. 

Speaking of mum, I wore this "waterfall" ring she bought me shortly before she died. It is so huge, and raised-up that I rarely wear it for fear of ripping off a finger if it gets caught on anything. Still, it fit with the 80's vibe of the outfit, and it feels very Valentine's Day-ish to me. Somewhere I have a ruby and diamond heart pendant that would have matched perfectly, but I think it is in a safe-deposit box at the bank. I rarely wear anything but costume.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought I'd re-post this recipe so you can bake yourself something nice. Sure, you can bake them for someone else...but why would you? I bought Mr. ETB a selection of IPA's in one of those mix-and-match beers specials, and a pound of expensive cheese only he likes- biscuits are for me!

The recipe for these rosewater beauties may be found HERE

Really, you won't want to share these, much less give them away as a gift. Better bake a double batch.