Wednesday, June 16, 2021

The Heat Was Hot

 

Summer arrived just a bit early, and Omaha has been in the 90s all week (and will be flirting with 103 by Thursday). The humidity hasn't been bad though, making it strangely bearable save for the  hottest hours of afternoon. The slow-cooker has been put to use as there's no way I am going to heat the oven in these temperatures. Still, after such a cool spring it is nice to properly warm up. The garden is happy. 

It IS however, far too hot for ironing, so the dress was worn creased from storage. By mid-morning, the wrinkles fell out in the heat having effectively steamed the garment going about my day. Works for me! I bought this vintage dress years ago, but haven't worn it much. There's a built-in-bra, but I went ahead and wore a strapless beneath it anyway. I require underwire. It is becoming difficult to find a strapless bra that isn't a massively padded push-up style, which I clearly DO NOT require. I called in to Dillards and purchased two band-style bras that I hope will see me through summer. They were the least expensive ones in stock, and as my body keeps changing it can get expensive replacing undergarments. I own a longline strapless but post-surgery, that would be massively uncomfortable. I'm still in much more pain than I would have expected. 
Still require a cardigan indoors though-this one felt like a good match. 

Speaking of a good match-this Margaret Smith vintage bag is the perfect purse to wear with a sundress. 
Looking through the blog archives I found some photos from the last time the dress was worn, back in 2014! Same cardigan.
That gardenia is long dead. No gloves today.
It was too hot to even consider a hat and necklace. Still, always nice to reunite with old clothes. 

This 80s Pendleton skirt is another old favourite. Unlike most Pendleton skirts, it is made of cotton rather than wool. I didn't bother ironing this one either! The self-steaming outdoors seemed to work here as well. The basket was probably never intended to be used as a handbag, but I wouldn't let that stop me. 
Berry basket earrings and cherry brooch having their annual wears. 
A few weeks ago there was a conversation happening at Shifty Thrifting that ended with, "Look, I have a migraine and no context for this." I asked if they could make that a shirt for me to wear to my eye specialist treatments and they indulged me. It is now up in their shop because apparently there's a lot of migraine sufferers out there lacking context! Anyway, go grab one through their shop if you'd like-you'll be helping to support great people. The shirts run small and shrink in the wash, so order up a size-this was a large. 
I was excited to bring this dress home for a dollar from Hand Me Ups. It had been on the rail since December (tags are marked with a date) and was curiously unsold. I couldn't spot anything wrong with it, and it still had the original tags, so I took a gamble and brought it home. I love the vintage style, and the orange/rust colour will serve my wardrobe well into autumn. Hopefully by then the swelling in my belly will go away and I can wear a belt with it, but for the moment it permits me to feel nicely dressed without wearing anything constricting. 
I brought out the Grosse coral brooch to dress it up a bit. I'm rather protective of this piece and don't wear it often, but I kept checking on it through the day to be certain it remained in place. As costume pieces go, Henkel Grosse items that weren't made for Dior are hard to find, and I was completely shocked to buy it for pocket change in a Goodwill years ago. That's what I love about thrifting though. 
You've seen the basket bag before. Oh, how I missed using my straw bags last summer. This poor bag was so dusty when I brought it down from the shelf.
Crazy pose so I could photograph the back of my head! It isn't every day I have a hair flower that's an exact match for my dress. 

Another dress in a similar lace material and colour scheme. This dress will also benefit from a belt when it is possible. I have a vintage copper one that will be perfect with it. 
Making due for now with a large copper bracelet. What is it about copper that's so appealing, besides the obvious quality of working when you can't decide between silver or gold? 
Vintage straw bag with celluloid handle I rescued from a bin filled with shopping totes and luggage at New Life Thrift. It was a bit crushed, but stuffing it with tissues and trimming the fraying straw revived it. It will never look pristine, but I don't mind vintage that's lived a life. It certainly didn't deserve to die beneath a load of cheap wheelie luggage. 
Vintage shoes. I wore these to a medical appointment, and the doctor went wild for them telling me they looked like the shoes her grandmother wore. I didn't point out they well might have been her grandmother's shoes! A few years ago I had step savers put on the soles, but now it seems they are ready to be replaced. I have so many pairs to take to the cobbler, but it is worth it. If these shoes have already survived some 70 years it would be wrong to deny them further life. The uppers are still in great shape. 
1980s fashions get an unfair reputation. There were some very wearable items that were neither heavily embellished nor exaggerated with triple thickness shoulder pads. I picked this dress up, and put it back several times before finally purchasing it. There's something about a dark floral print that I find utterly irresistible. I'm glad I went ahead and purchased it because it will also be wearable in the colder months with a blazer or cardigan. It is made from a washable rayon crepe-another 80s innovation I can definitely support. Earlier rayon is so hard to care for, and heaven forbid you get caught outside in a downpour! You might just barely make it home before the dress shrinks embarrassingly short. No such issues with the 80s rayon.
It looks like a painting.
Please pardon the not great photo, and appreciate instead my horse brooches. The chain was broken when I bought them, but it was a simple fix sliding the end of the chain through the pin of the bottom horse. They're wood that's been lacquered. They look better in person. I love how the horses are rolling their eyes at each other. 
There's a better look at the "straw" (plastic) bag. 

I wore this dress Sunday, but the belt was only for photos-I couldn't stand having it on for more than a few minutes. 
Another straw bag from my collection. This one has a Hong Kong label. It could use some cleaning and conditioning of the leather, and the lining should be replaced. That will probably be a job for the cobbler as well since he does such a beautiful job restoring handbags. 
I showed these perfume buttons on Instagram when I bought them, but think I neglected to talk about them here. They're Victorian buttons with fabric inserts that would have been saturated with fragrance to save and protect the fabric of clothing. They're quite tiny, and my plan is to have them either made into rings or a brooch, though they would make nice earrings or even a fancy hair clip. There's no shortage of these on eBay, but for the best bargains search for old buttons, not Perfume Buttons because then obviously the seller will be asking a premium for them. 
Alright, I guess that's all. Hope you're having a good week. 
























 


11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very interesting about the Victorian perfume buttons. The Victorians seem to have an item to solve every problem.
I think copper jewelry is beautiful. I have passed it up so often for collecting that I am ( sort of ) ashamed of my self. I especially like the hand crafted pieces with midcentury modern design.

Stay cool and comfortable.

Gail from Pa.

Emily said...

That bronze dress is beautiful on you, and such a steal at $1!

I haven't thought about it in ages, but you're right, polyester crepe was briefly very popular in the '80s, and it was really comfortable and easy to care for. I remember there was one back-to-school shopping season where practically everything was made of that material. My mother and I must have come from the mall with about 10 different pieces of clothing on that August shopping trip, all made of the same material. I still remember how the fabric felt (sooooo soft!) and how the colors were always vivid jewel tones, just like your beautiful purple leafy dress.

In the year 2020 and now in 2021, does anyone really require a context for a migraine? It feels like what we've been through, collectively, is enough reason for all of us to have a headache. : )

Stay cool in the heatwave. I hope you heal from the surgery soon.

Vix said...

Fab outfits, as always! Loving that blue dress on you, such a lovely fresh print and a great shape. The mustard lace number looks very classy and I bet that printed sundress looks equally good without a belt.
Victorian perfumed buttons? Who knew! What a great idea to save woollen garments from the dreaded moth!
That teeshirt is brilliant! xxx

Beth Waltz said...

The orange/rust dress is exquisite in both color and texture-- and worthy of the Grosse coral pin and the matching! floral hair ornament. Neither 'orange' nor 'rust' sounds right. Could we call it 'copper', instead?

We're also having a week of temps nudging 100o. Time to bring out my straw bags and coordinating straw hats. I've used an antique furniture treatment called Finish Feeder to revive the darker fibres, but aside from a steaming on the patio after a hard rain, the paler straws are left to age as-is. Have you any hints for basket/hat maintenance?

bahnwärterin said...

i guess, that the lovely ON YOU rusty colour was a no-no for much others..... the second lace dress in the same colourway proofs that - its a stunner on you too.
you created very chic hot weather outfits - even your handbags are the most summery ever.
i too love me some 80s stuff - they made great classics in high quality back then - esp. if i can find something "made in germany".....
i think i need such a t-shirt to wear at the breakfast table......
;-D
we have our first heatwave of the year too - i follow the shade over the day with my chores and projects.
xxxx

Polyester Princess said...

We're in the middle of a heatwave here, but it's very humid and it's actually too hot to do anything much. Anticipating the need of all my cotton stuff, I had an ironing session before the temperatures soared towards 30°C. But yay for wrinkles falling out in the heat, I might try and be patient next time! I am hearing you on requiring underwire, and the lack of decent strapless bras.
Favourite outfits include the one with the 80s Pendleton skirt, the orange/rust dress, the lacy zig-zag one, and the one with the dark floral print. As usual, I am admiring your wonderful accessories, the straw bags in particular. You've got such an amazing collection of them! xxx

Vronni's Style Meanderings said...

Beautiful, beautiful dresses, bags, jewellery and shoes! Hope your tenderness around the middle goes soon...
xxx

Bibi Maizoon said...

What lovely outfits! I had never heard of perfume buttons, thanks for sharing them.
You look very chipper despite your recent surgery, Bravo!
There were some very wearable fashions in the 80s, that magenta in your gorgeous dark floral dress was my favorite popular color from that era.
The Monsoon came early here in Nepal, continuous clouds are coming from the Bay of Bengal bringing constant drizzle. Unfortunately the landslides and rain have hampered rescue efforts for Covid patients in the high mountains. The recent lockdown seems to be successful as cases and deaths have declined, but so has testing?
Stay safe,
Xox

JanF said...

I love the blue Malia dress. You have motivated me to look out the identical one I own. Stress has caused me to lose weight and I may be able to fit in it again! I have had it since new, early 80's!
I hope you will soon feel perfectly well again and can enjoy all the lovely things you usually do in Summer.

Mim said...

That dollar dress looks gorgeous - you're so stylish, even when feeling poorly.

I follow Shifty Thrifting on IG thanks to you - had a chuckle when it was Peet Root's anniversary recently.

Goody said...

@Gail
Copper always looks so 40s/50s to me and works so well with vintage styles. I'm still looking for band shaped copper belt from the 50s. Someday I'll find one.

@Emily
I hated back to school shopping, but I'm sure that was 90% being with my mother and 10% being in a large department store.
I hope you are holding up in the Great Portland Heatwave. I've been thinking of you and hope you've been able to keep cool.

@Vix
There's so many Victorian inventions to deal with how unpleasant people smelled. I'm thinking of tussy mussies and the like. I'm sure most clothing didn't get much more than an airing.

@Beth
I know hats can be re-blocked, but I have no idea how to restore straw that's damaged. The handbag was a bit crushed but the overall integrity of the bag was OK. I've never heard of finish feeder-but I will definitely look into it. Thanks for the tip.

@Beate
I am lucky that I can wear brown/rust etc. At one point I had so many brown dresses I had to stop buying them.
I hope your heatwave passes quickly.

@Ann
I wonder if we'd be better off just buying a bikini top to use as a bra? They seem to be better made.
It is hard to refuse a straw bag, and they're usually bargains.
Take care in the heat.

@Vronni
Thank you. I look like I'm about to deliver, but that's just part of abdominal surgery I guess.

@Bibi
Mudslides sound absolutely terrifying. Hopefully the cases are just down, with or without testing. What a nightmare scenario. I hope vaccines get to you soon. Take care.

@Jan
Thank you for sharing those photos of yourself in the dress. It is great knowing when the dress is from-I honestly couldn't tell by looking. I would have guessed 60s.

@Mim
I just love the Shifty people-it is such a fantastic community to be part of.
I've been cutting back on getting dressed recently as hardly anything fits now. It it is large enough to go over my stomach it is too big everywhere else. Maybe I'll just fashion a toga from a bedsheet and call it a day ;)