Reproduction Dress

I found this reproduction 50's dress at Thrift World for .98 cents some time last year. I'm glad I didn't pay the $150. it lists for online because it is barely worth the .98 cents.

\I could forgive the too-wide arm holes, the bodice that hangs funny at the skirt, even the lack of a button or snap to hold the wrap top closed...but nothing gets me fuming more than dresses held together with loose overlocking. This isn't made of jersey, you could make proper hems and seams and finish them in a manner worthy of the price these dresses sell for. 

Yes, the print is nice, and gets compliments from strangers. That's not enough.  The fabric is a weird stretchy cotton sateen-ish material that instead of being comfortable feels like something that will stretch out and look like a rag after a few wears. It wrinkles horribly just sitting, and the fabric does not breathe. Perhaps that's why they put in such enormous armholes.

"Whoo wee, I'll just stand here in the breeze with my giant armholes and air out my pits. Don't mind me."

"That's better, fresh as a damn daisy."

I have arms like a dockworker, so if they were big on me, I don't really know who the target audience is.

I wish I could find something nice to say about this dress, but I can't. Because it is the only item I have tried from this company, I'm not offering this as a review- it is possible the item was bought in the sale, or it was advertised as, "Factory oops." I don't know, and I can only hope it isn't representative of the rest of their clothing line. I do understand why it ended up donated to the thrift store. Life's too short to spend it taking apart repro-clothing to make it fit somewhat okay. I rarely bother that much with true vintage. Anyway, I'm glad I didn't splash out big money on this dress. If I can muster the energy I might cut it down to a skirt.

For those of you that worried over the fate of the lamb cake's head. After the photo was snapped I marched the head to the table ceremoniously before the boys finished it off. I never did get around to using the bunny shaped tin. Oh well, next year.

Outfit Particulars:

1950's repro dress-Thrift World

Vintage wool cardiagn-New Life Thrift

Belt-Shop Ko

Shoes-K Mart

Vintage handbag-Salvation Army

Pink Bangle-Goodwill

Vintage beads-Hand-Me-Ups

Vintage clip earrings-Hand-Me-Ups

Flower-Tiff and Tam

Celtic brooch-Can't remember

Fragrance-None (sad face) it was allergy jab day (I don't like to subject the allergic to perfume)

We stopped by Hand-Me-Ups on the way home to donate some of Danny's outgrown clothes, and they had just put out a load of vintage patterns at ten cents each. I spent $4.50. For my money I came home with designer Vogue patterns (YSL, DVF, etc.) and a tonne of 50's and 60's Butterick and Simplicity. Most of them by some miracle were in my size (because grading a pattern is more work than I'm up to most days). The few smaller sized patterns that were too good to leave will be off to new homes shortly. I really did get a bit of an endorphin rush going through the patterns. A kind woman seeing how happy I was pointed out a few more boxes of patterns in the corner. I nearly fainted from excitement. It was that good. 

Danny seemed confused about how patterns work (he's never been interested enough to watch me cut one) so we're going to do a 1950's Western shirt I found today that's roughly his size (with some adjustments). I don't enjoy sewing men's shirts, but I think it will be a good project for us (mostly me) to do.  As great as the patterns were, the jewelry was even better. Here's a peek at some of what I found:

 Who remembers their Greek Mythology?

 Beautifully Carved screw-back earrings

A China brooch to match my earrings. That was lucky. 

Another brooch because I obviously don't have enough. You'd have bought that for .50 cents too. How could I say no?

As I was walking home this evening from the park, two gigantic vultures began circling low overhead. They followed me some distance. I tried screaming, "I'm not dead yet!" but they seemed rather intent on following me home. Vultures are such assholes.