So, there is still a ton of stuff in boxes left over from when we moved here from Montreal nearly three years ago. I cannot believe it has been that long. But when we moved here, the Little Dude has just turned one, and in less than a month he will be turning four. Crazy.
Anyhow, we're trying to reorganize, and clean up and clear out and get our stuff in order in hopes of having a garage sale. Its a never ending task for two pack rats like us. The other day I grabbed a couple of boxes out of storage (aka, my Dad's garage) and brought them home to be dealt with. After all, they were labeld "Vintage Dresses" and "Vintage Cardigans". Those are definitely boxes I am interested in.
As I was dragging one of them into the house, I was somewhat disconcerted to find that a few kernels of corn had fallen out of the cracks of it. "You better open that one soon", said Hubs wisely "there might be mice in there." So with fingers crossed I opened it to find..... two handfuls of corn and, much to my relief NO mice. Phew. Not even an empty nest. Not even signs of chewing. Zero mice poop. It felt like a gift from God. I'm serious, I was really, really happy.
The only thing wrong with the clothes was a bit of dust and a lot of wrinkling. So I put them all on hangers and put them outside to air out. 
These are not great pictures as the clothes are not at their best (wrinkles!) and there is zero styling going on, but still, such lovely colours...
...and textures. I love dresses like these. The layers of black tulle and net and under slips and crinolines. That one on the right has a special place in my heart because it was the first vintage party dress I ever bought. It is so cute on. Though sadly, what fit me as a 17 year old, can no longer get zipped up over my rib cage. Sigh. I like to pretend that its because my boobs got bigger, but that's probably not really it. Anyhow, after I've managed to hang/steam the wrinkles out of these I'm going to get somebody slimmer than I to model them so I can take some photos of them and show you what they actually look like. And maybe sell them if I can figure out a way to let them go, you know, emotionally.
And look at the sweet details on this gorgeous grey sheath dress. Sigh. I used to wear these clothes all the time, when I had an office job. But now, I don't get much call to wear them anymore. My day to day uniform is old patched jeans and t-shirts that I don't mind getting dirty. Don't get me wrong, its not too grim, but I just don't do the dressing up I used to. Less time, is of course every mother's problem, and I don't want my precious vintage items to get the spatter of kid grime and wear and tear that a usual day with my boys provides. Part of prolonging the life of a vintage garment, I've learned, is judicious and minimal laundering. You can't just chuck a 1940's crepe day dress into the washing machine one a week and expect it to last.
But I have been resolving lately to enjoy the creative act of dressing up a bit more often. Its always been something I've loved and I miss it in the day to day of my current routine. So on Sundays, when I have the chance to go to church, I like to make a bit of an effort. 
Here's what I put together to wear today.
I was really, really pleased to find this little grey cardigan on one of those boxes. Its cashmere, and the label in it says: "Made in Scotland Exclusively for Holt, Renfrew in Canada. by Ballantyne 100% Pure Cashmere". And yes, there is a comma between Holt and Renfrew. I bet that'd help me date it if I need to. But I'm fairly certain its from the 50's. I just love the shape of it, and how the buttons go all the way up the side of the neckline. And its super soft and light yet warm. That's the best thing about cashmere. I don't think I've ever bought a new item made of cashemere, but I buy every second hand cashmere item I ever find. Anyhow, I paired it with a plain black t-shirt and a black pencil skirt I got on sale at the Gap last year. The shoes are from Nine West, purchased on sale for the occasion of the Baby's baptism last year. Interestingly enough, this is the second time I've ever worn them. As I said before, I don't get much of a chance to dress up, and a surprising side-benefit of church attendance is that its a good time to wear what I like to call "my sittin' down shoes".
For jewelry, I'm wearing my favourite vintage brooch, bought ages ago, from who-knows-where. My friend and reader Lisa commented correctly in the tutorial I wrote about making a framed brooch display, that this is a Sarah Coventry brooch. You can probably find them fairly easily on etsy, (in fact here is a listing for the brooch and matching earrings!) and if you are into vintage accessories, its a great buy, as it goes with so much. It is easily my most worn vintage brooch.
So this little cardigan is going to go into my regular wardrobe rotation. Its nice to find some pieces that can be part of my daily style and reconnect with these 'old friends' from my pre-children days closet. I'm going to do more of this dress-up-and-take-pictures, I swear. I'll probably never get quite to this level, but it's always fun, no matter how often I get to do it.
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