Which dress to wear? -2-

 

Here is the second option I was telling you about in my previous post. 

This is a modern dress that is very much 1920's inspired, beautiful quality and rather fancy, which is why it hasn't yet been worn in the year or so since it has made it into my wardrobe.

 The pics are particularly bad this time - my camera hates all reds and goes crazy on them. This dress is a deep coral shade, but nowhere as loud as my camera makes it out to be.

Pros:

- good colour on me;
- light and airy (it will be hot where I go);

- easy to move and dance in;

- ties in with my 20's mood of late;

- very much on trend at the moment, if that can be a pro...

- ...??...

Cons:

- not that suitable for the church ceremony I think, will have to wear something else at the church, perhaps this dress , (a shorter version of my option 1) - not a real con if you like clothes like I do, but 2 dresses require more room in the suitcase;

- I look terribly skinny in this dress which is corresponding to reality but not a very good look at all...

- haven't worn such a short dress in quite a while now so I am not sure how confident I'll be or indeed whether I should be showing my knees at all; moreover, the thought of leg makeup to cover up some broken capillaries behind my knee is a bit off putting...

- more care needed in transit compared to option 1, and not quite sure what to do if things get really crumpled, although I have a feeling this won't necessarily be the case (it's been doing very well packed flat with tissue in a box).

- hair will be extremely challenging - great if I manage it, terrible if I don't; it is not easy to get 1920's looking hair with my long locks (see lame result above) and, if I go for this option of dress, it will be the hardest hair style to achieve out of the three.  

You've seen option 2, now tell me what you think!

Which dress to wear? - 1-

My oldest friend - since second grade - is getting married.
Little more than a week before I'm due to fly over, I am still to make my mind as to what to wear. I'll have no function whatsoever at the ceremony, thus no special importance as a guest, but in homage to a friendship that has lasted two decades now, I would like to make an effort.

Having said that, I will mention that the environment will hold zero interest  for vintage and my choice of dress will be probably regarded as old fashioned at the very best. Which is ok :)

I need to choose 1 out of 3 possibilities, and shall be asking for your opinions in the process (will do separate entries on the blog for the other two outfit choices). My mum and sister need plenty of visuals to assess the matter, and this is one way of doing it.

Here is my first choice, and the dress I've had in mind for quite a while. I'll admit this is the easy, fuss free option. 

It consists of a beige lace overlay on top of a pale pink slip, with puffy sleeves and a nice detail of twenty or so, transparent, cut glass buttons. Sweet and feminine, a typical mid to late 1930's dress that screams garden party while the lace makes it quite wedding minded.

Pros:

- suitable style for a wedding, would take me from church to the afternoon and early evening reception without problem;

- great shape for me ( thinks me);

- easy to wear, I won't be at all self conscious, this dress feels natural to me, I'll forget pretty soon  that I have it on;

- easy to walk and dance in;

- very easy to pack, takes little room in the suitcase and it's also very easy to care for once at destination, no stress involved;

- fairly easy to style hair to go with the dress/period (pic below is NOT an example of this), although sometimes it can look stupid, and yes, matronly.

(you can see the lace detail better here, also the colour is more accurate)

Cons:

- is there a danger this may be considered a bit too "bridal"? 

- a little bit of TLC is  needed in the midriff  section, as the dress is missing the belt and one button;

- husband says  it makes me look older...

- the colour really is shitty on me (I should consider dyeing this if possible, but that's an option for the future, not this event); I've tried to break the colour in with green accessories, but the shoes were a bit heavy and the purse terrible - failing this I had little choice but to return to accessories that fit in with the style of the dress but unfortunately blend in colour wise, so it's all a sea of beige...oh dear, this may well be a deal breaker.

I shall be awaiting your wise words.

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Pink

Here is what I wore today - not only a knitted dress, but also a shawl to protect against the elements of a mid June day - the situation really is that sad. 

Having said that, not so good weather meant I got to wear and show you my "sports" knit dress meant for spring and loosely based on the pattern below.

I had initially planned to have it short sleeved, but the boucle yarn proved difficult to handle on its own, and in the end it was knitted with the aid of an extra bit of fine Shetland blended in. The pockets and belt are made solely in that yarn. But the knit had become heavier by now so I thought I'd have to settle for long sleeve instead, until I discovered that I could have my cake and eat it! A combination of long sleeve with a short cape sleeve detail is not unusual to 30's patterns, and I declare myself perfectly content to be greedy yet look authentic at the same time...

I think it's rather cute if I may say it myself, for a project that seemed doomed when the knit was first cast. But mother did it again! If anything adding the extra yarn improved the colour, it would have been a lot paler otherwise. There's also plenty of yarn left for a jacket, and I can never resist to a 2 or a 3 piece when the occasion presents itself. Haven't yet decided it what design to go for - perhaps you have some suggestions?

For the blue accents I used Czech glass buttons to the sides of the boat neckline and on the pockets. 

I have another blue glass buckle, slightly larger and more interestingly shaped, but this one seemed in the end better suited. I thought I could perhaps use the other buckle on the jacket - should I go for a belted style...Yet looking at the pics the whole look is rather simple, and more straight up and down than I felt looking in the mirror - perhaps I should keep the jacket in line with that... What do you think?

Sports tie

I've never in my life been on a horse, but equestrian outfits and generally sports related outfits, whether active or just spectator wear, score at the very high on my coveting list.
Here are a few variations of one my absolute favourite looks, all incorporating a tie -  that has to be just the cherry on the cake!

 

 Margaret Morris, via valentinovamp tumblr

 

 Gertrude Olmstead, via valentinovamp tumblr

 

 Marion Davies, via  missclarabow tumblr

 

 

 Lady's Journal

 Anna May Wong, via vintagegal tumblr

via adeline's attic tumblr

Helen Twelvetrees, 1936 via valentino vamp tumblr

 Cassie's Tale Vintage, etsy

 

 etsy photograph, now sold

 

etsy photograph, now sold

via omgthatdress tomblr

...And me, sporting a cute little number last November. A Ralph Lauren ski themed tie, this is one of 2 modern ties that I posses, alongside the blackbird one shown here. 

I have since acquired a sweet original 1920's tie which  I'lll be sure to blog about sooner or later...

The bohemian scarf look

I bet you that, through the crystal ball of the last entry, you could see exactly what's coming: a look that has been firing not only my imagination, but that of many others and, since the beginnings of film, with Hollywood itself as a main contributor to creating a fad for exotic temptresses and their sultry ways...

A compound was born, out of mixed ethnic influences not only of gypsy background but coming also from various and exotic travel destinations such as Middle East, North Africa or Mexico (let alone the wonderful land of imagination), melted down to an inch of their life and whipped up in the most exciting hybrid: pure show. 

In spite of or perhaps due to its obvious artifice, this look, referred to as exotic, bohemian or sometimes gypsy (with or without cue from reality), responds to my theatrical taste. Not only that, but it is built around a much loved accessory: the good old scarf.

Jean White, via Doctor Macro

Theda Bara, the epitome of  the dark vamp, via ibitemyownteeth tumblr

Myrna Darby, via Doctor Macro

Carmel Myers, via Doctor Macro, the very pastiche of gypsy as created by Hollywood

 Lupe Velez and Dolores Del Rio, July 1928

 via legrandcirque tumblr

Clara Bow photographed by Alfred Cheney Johnston, via adeline's attic tumblr

Mary Brian, via Dotor Macro

 

Pola Negri via Valentino vamp tumblr

more Pola Negri, via gypsyeyesblog tumblr 

 

actress and opera singer Grace Moore, via valentino vamp tumblr

A lovely lady modelling a stunning scarf on etsy

Joan Blondell, via Doctor Macro

Bohemian scarf look on the catwalk (a previous collection of Galliano's, I think)

My own trials and tribulations...also seen here.