Vintage Revived

This is no April Fool's joke, y'all!

On a recent jaunt to Goodwill, looking to expand my professional wardrobe, I found this dress.  It's handmade, y'all, with the tiniest of stitches.  It fits like it was made for me, but to look at it I would place it somewhere in the 1940s.  The button plackets are reminiscent of sailors, and the side closure is made with snaps instead of a zipper.  If I can manage to get the small makeup stain off the collar, this will be the best bargain I've gotten to date at a whopping $6, and in constant rotation until I can't wear it anymore.

It'll take some stain removing prowess of the gentlest kind and the making of a lovely slip to make this the summer gem it deserves to be.  Since the whole dress is off-white, and cut on the bias, and vintage, I think a slip really is a necessary, and I've wanted to figure out how to make one so I am taking the plunge.

The dress is floor length as it is right now, and I would love to wear it more, so I am taking it up to knee length, but that leaves enough fabric and an intact hem for a whole second skirt on the bias!  When I buy fabric to make a slip, I plan to get enough to line the skirt too.  It's all making me VERY happy!

Palette Challenge/Spring 6PAC

Palette Challenge/Spring 6PAC by anachronismsarah 

Y'all.

No kidding, this is the second challenge I have stumbled across that works for what I want to do for Spring.  A grey skirt.  A white woven top.  A white knit top.  A touch of lavender in another knit top.  Reclaiming my mom's beautiful eyelet dress from the 70s.  The lovely grey top I'm putting finishing touches on this afternoon.  A simple white "jacket".  And... 2 pieces I purchased from Target.  Judge if you must, but I couldn't pass up these lovely, quick dresses... Both were on sale, and I've already worn one.  

I hope to have at least the top done this weekend, and I have a boatload of baby blankets to stitch up too... It certainly is Spring.  Babies and pregnant bellies all over the place.  Have a great weekend, friends!

Indulgences

This is our last full week in Turkey, and we've been going-going-going... We have a future event planner working with our group to take us awesome places and has it ever been an adventure! It's also meant I have been dead tired upon walking in my door every night, and havn't really looked at my computer.

But I promised you some fashion. And some shopping. Wardrobe Refashioners will want to look away now because I went to...gasp...Old Navy before I left and...gasp... a mall last week.

Old Navy wasn't too remarkable, I got some awesome tops and a sweet spring-and-fall weight trench that saved me while travelling and didn't pay full price for anything.

Shopping here was an experience. I was looking for some things to wear out to nightclubs and

was surprised at how...trendy everything is. The stores take trends we find in the states, put them a size smaller, and throw them out there. It could be because I am in a big city, but I also saw lots of American stores like the Gap and Bananna Republic and Guess and most of the big designer names. We steered clear of these, and I now have a pretty cute outfit I wore out last weekend that has things in it I know I will definately wear again. I can speak for the girls in the photo for sure and say we are all wearing Turkish clothes. The black dress is pretty cute, and you can't see the strapless, distorted paisley dress my other friend is wearing but it speaks to the trends here. I got the vest and top at the mall, and the skirt at a store I would compare to Target. There are lots more dresses and the level of formality is a little higher, and I'd honestly say people just dress better than those my age in the states for some things, but better may not be the right word. But more later. I have to get my face from out in front of this computer and enjoy the few days we have left here!

I am sure I will have another post or 2 here and a week or 3 of catch-up/nostalgic posts upon returning home.

I caved...

...and bought 2 knit dresses for Istanbul. But we were at Target, and they were on sale, and SOOO comfy. Like really. It's ridiculous how much like pajamas these things feel Pajamas I will happily wear to work and be cute in. And wear around Istanbul... They are pretty modestly cut for RTW... I was attracted to the sleeves on the grey one for just such a reason.
I originally was going to kick all black in my wardrobe to the curb for the summer, but I picked this dress up and it. felt. like. buddah. Smooth, smooth, smooth... And when I think about other black already in my wardrobe that could work, it's worth taking an extra pair of shoes after all...
And I know I could have done it, probably as good or better for less money, but shopping with the girls is shopping with the girls, and some basics are just nice to buy. Ready made. And you know what? I will more than likely put them on my dressform and figure out how to make replicas because they are SOOO perfect.

On another note entirely, I want your thoughts. I thought about doing a travel blog, or just updating this one. I really have no idea who reads, or if I've asked this before,but do y'all want to hear about Istanbul? Or should I set up a blog for it? Like really, I have no idea. But you should tell me what you think. There is a poll on the sidebar for just that.