Some of my favorite hat wearing, vintage loving bloggers

I love looking to other bloggers for style inspiration, and accessorizing is one place where I need a lot of it. Although I'm sure I'd still own some hats if I didn't see them in the blogosphere, the aplomb with which these ladies wear their varied and stylish chapeaux has definitely inspired me to step up my game.
Oh, and I don't own any of these photos, they are the sole property of their creators. Just FYI.
Solanah, Vixen Vintage
Come on, what list would be complete without her? She's gorgeous, she's got a killer hat collection (or at least, she did; I know she's moved away from vintage blogging a little bit), and her outfits are so varied and expressive of her personal style that she can't be imitated. Vixen Vintage is one of the first vintage blogs I ever read, and she pretty much tops my inspirational style list.




Tanith, Tanith Rowan
This Aussie milliner's blog is amazing. She not only creates amazing modern and vintage style hats, she's a great educational resource, and has done a whole series of posts on hat trends of the past. I really like to go back and reference them when I pick up a kind of random new hat that I'm not sure how to wear, since the vintage photos are a great reference for accompanying hairstyles and accessories as well. She's also hugely, adorably pregnant, so help put her baby through college and go buy one of her hats.




Jessica, Chronically Vintage
You guys all know Jessica, so I'm sure it comes as no surprise that she's a mad hatter after my own heart. And she's got an awesome name, so there's that. One of the things that I admire most about her style is her knack for accessorizing, and her amazing Etsy shop is beautifully curated and reasonably priced. I seriously want half the stuff in there.




Laura, Paper Mothball Vintage
Laura's got a little bit of a leg up in the "wearing things and making them look awesome" race, since she's actually a professional model. However, she's also an excellent writer, an even better photographer, and a seriously talented designer, so you'd be mistaken if you thought she was just another pretty face.




Just Another Wardrobe Experience
I think what I love most about this German blogger is how naturally she wears everything. She can be dressed head to toe in 40s gear, but she never looks like she's wearing a costume. The casual elegance with which she incorporates her hats into her wardrobe definitely inspire me to pop one on myself.




This, obviously, is not a complete list of all of the vintage bloggers who wear hats, or all of the vintage bloggers who wear hats that I like. It's really just a few of the ladies out there who consistently make me stop and say wow every time I check out their blogs. If you know of any other hat-crazy bloggers out there that I didn't mention, please give them a shout out in the comments. I could be that I haven't heard of them, and it would be awesome to find a new favorite.

A Short and Sweet Outfit Post

Happy Saturday! I wasn't feeling well yesterday, so I didn't get a post put together, but I've been loving the beautiful weather we've been having here in Chicago. Honestly, it feels more like San Diego - 70s, sunny, and breezy, with just a hint of humidity that makes it feel like the ocean is just over the horizon. I'm trying to make the most of it while it's still around, although I will have some fall fashion inspiration posts up in the next few weeks, so stay tuned.

I guess looking up and to my right is my thing these days? Although I am trying to switch up shooting locations; I'm getting a little boring just leaning against the fence in my back yard. Alleys are really where it's at.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a lovely weekend! I'm planning on spending this evening playing the Old Style game with my boyfriend. No, it's nothing dirty - just hop on your bike, ride around until you find a bar with an Old Style shingle outside, and get a drink. Repeat as necessary. Should be fun!

Sisterwife Syndrome

One of the things that I struggle with when wearing vintage is what I can only call the frump factor. Maybe you've encountered it yourself - you buy a dress (or skirt or blouse or whatever) that is really cute, great fabric, fits well, but there's just something about it that takes you from modern women who likes the vintage aesthetic to bit player in your community theater production of Oklahoma. Or, as the title might suggest, like you, your husband, his three other wives, and the 12 kids you have between you just got an offer from Lifetime for a reality tv show.

Pose. The hills are alive, bitches. Alive!

And here's what it looks like straight on, no cute posing or anything. This is also what my bitchy resting face looks like straight on.

I got this dress at a clothing swap a couple of months ago, so it was free. There were some issues with it that I just got around to addressing, namely the fact that the bodice was separating from the skirt in several places, and there were some good sized stains that needed to be soaked out. However, it fits really nicely, and it's made of a soft, lightweight cotton, so when it was hot out a couple of days ago I decided it was time to bust it out.

"Are we gonna lose the farm, Pa?" "I just don't know, Sally. I just don't know."

Also, my neighbor is awesome for making this cool wooden sculpture thingy, because now I have something to pose with.

Also, filters are fun. 

I can't decide if this gets into sisterwife territory or just skirts the border a little bit. It's not very fitted through the waist, and the pointed seam at the front of the bodice and the puffed sleeves with the eyelet, um, fins(?) take it in that direction. On the other hand, I grew up in rural Colorado, and I can't say that I mind looking a bit like a Dust Bowl era cowboy's sweetheart.

I've been trying to think of some fixes, but I don't really want to take the sleeves off of another dress, and since this guy has waist ties, not to mention the interesting seaming, I can't really wear a belt with it to define the waist more either. I'm not sure if it's going to stay in my wardrobe, or if I'd like to do a few more repairs and then pass it along to someone who would be really enthusiastic about it. If I had a sewing machine, I might be tempted to just lose the top half and just make it into a high-waisted skirt, but I don't, so...

Any thoughts? What do you usually do with a piece that you like but aren't sure has a place in your wardrobe?

So I've got The Reverend Horton Heat concert tonight, and then I'm going to spend the weekend helping my boyfriend and his brother sell their handmade furniture at the Randolph Street Market, so if you're in Chicago come visit me!

Primary Colors

I purchased this sailor dress a while back, but I hadn't had a chance to wear it since I took my "look at this awesome new dress I have!" photos. I actually hadn't planned on wearing it to the wedding that I went to this weekend either, but the great thing about having a boyfriend with a quirky and vintage sense of style is that when he decides he wants to go full on 1920s (suspenders, boater, bow tie), he's fully capable of packing me a matching outfit.
Yes, I know we're disgustingly cutesy. No, I don't really care.

My friend Diana, who actually has a really awesome collection of pinup dresses. 
The cardigan wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing to wear in 80 degree heat, but I never got around to finishing sleeves where I had cut them off, and I also popped a seam where the bodice met the skirt before I even go there. I decided that I actually really liked the yellow with the red and navy, though, so I could see myself recycling this outfit when the weather starts to cool.

Our friend Gary decided he wanted to be in the photo. 
I keep trying to get my boyfriend, Brian, to write about vintage fashion for men. He's got a really awesome sense of style, and he's utterly fearless. Not to brag, but everyone said we were the best dressed couple, and that's entirely down the the outfits that he picked out for us.

The adorable Bertie looks better in Brian's hat than he does.
I don't have very many good photos of the wedding because I was too busy sobbing about how beautiful it was to hold a camera steady. It's kind of a shame, though, because the bride, Sara, did an amazing job planning and executing the wedding. Pinterest-worthy decorations, amazing food and drinks, and a ceremony that was sweet and uniquely them. We could not have had a better time.
If you'd like to see more photos from the wedding (and I recommend it highly!), check out the Instagram hashtag #SandAHathaway.   

Dress: Lady Jane Vintage via eBay
Cardigan: Vintage Underground

White Hot Summer

It's a good thing weather in Chicago is so crazy. I mean, seriously, what do people in southern California make small talk about? "Well, another really nice day out." "Yep, perfect yet again." "*crickets*"
We've got all kinds of weather to complain about here - how cold it gets in the winter, how much snow is on the ground, that time when there was a snow storm with thunder, how rainy the spring can be, how dry the spring can be, how hot and humid it is in the summer, how annoying it is that it's June and it's still only 50 degrees out. I feel like a hush falls over the city when it's 70 degrees and sunny, with a cool breeze so you don't get all sweaty; it's like we're all holding our breath, waiting for the weather to break so that we have something to bitch about again.
The first day of summer is Sunday, and it seems like it could be a pretty hot one. This year I'm actually looking forward to heading out to the beach. It's funny, because I've never really been much of a beach person - sunburns and sand up my ass crack, what a treat - but for some reason I've found myself thinking a lot about dozing in the sand or going for a swim in the chilly waters of Lake Michigan.








Can you tell that what I really want is a white swimsuit? I've already got my leopard print bikini from H&M, but I might have to track down a cute, white one piece so that I can mix things up.

Altering your vintage clothing

Say you find a vintage dress. It's 60+ years old, beautifully preserved, and a style that you've been wanting to get for a while. Vintage is expensive these days, so you do most of your shopping online, where you have more to choose from and can find better deals. The only problem with that is that sometimes, there's a measurement you didn't think to check, and that amazing dress (or skirt, or pair of pants, or whatever) just doesn't fit.
So what the hell do you do? You bought it off of Etsy or eBay or whatever, and the item is as described, so unless you want to sell it, you're stuck with it. Unless, of course, you decide to grab a pair of scissors and start hacking until you end up with something you like.
Ok, I'm exaggerating slightly, but that's pretty much what happened to me with the last dress that I purchased.
When I moved about six weeks ago, the box containing one of my favorite dresses was lost in transit.

RIP, dear friend. You made me feel like the coolest waitress, and I hope someone finds you and loves you.
The only thing that could assuage my grief, terrible though it was, was finding a replacement. Navy blue, preferably with some sort of neck tie. I love the shirt dress style, but I'd been thinking about nautical inspired gear for a while, and when one of my favorite eBayers and Instagramers, Lady Jane Vintage, posted this gem, I placed a bid and crossed my fingers.

And I won! I practically squealed with excitement when I ripped open the package, because this dress is seriously freaking cute. I went to put it on, and... oof. So tight. So very, very tight. The waist was fine, a little high; the chest seemed really small until I realized that maybe I didn't need my Boobs McGee turbo-powered padded bra and switched to something without padding. I'm broad shouldered, though, with pretty muscular arms, and the sleeves were so tight that when I went to take it off, I spent a good five minutes with the dress inside out over my head, stuck. 
I don't usually like to seriously alter my vintage, particularly pieces like this one that are in really good shape. However, it just wasn't wearable for me the way that it was, and I really wanted to wear the damn thing. With a little bit of trepidation, I grabbed a pair of scissors and snipped off the sleeves.

I'm going to have to go to a tailor to get it fixed up nicely, but I'm actually pretty happy about what I did. I felt kind of anxious about cutting the sleeves off, since it's irreversible and would probably put a significant dent in the value of the dress if I ever want to sell it. Still, it's a relief to come to the realization that while vintage is precious, they're also clothes, and they're meant to be worn. If I hadn't done this, it would have probably been left to languish in my closet.
So, who thinks I'm a philistine for chopping up a nice piece of vintage? And who's wondering what I'm making such a fuss about ("come on, lady, you took off the sleeves. It's not like you hacked it up to make dish rags.")? I have to admit, this has kind of changed my attitude towards vintage a little bit. It's still special, and I'm still probably going to treat my vintage pieces more nicely than the rest of my wardrobe, but it's freeing to realize that I can really do whatever I need to do to it to make it my own.

 

Links to love

1. Kudos To This Portrait Series For Not Erasing LGBTQ Identities While Proving They’re Just Like You
The Self Evident Truths Project is a massive photography project that aims to capture the portraits of 10,000 individuals on the LGBTQ spectrum. The photos manage to capture a little something of their queer identities while also making them human and relatable. There's also a stories section on their website, some of which are uplifting, some of which are heartbreaking. 


2. Why you should fight your judgemental side eye during shorts season
I stumbled across this article shortly after I wrote my post from yesterday, and I cannot agree with it more. Maybe you don't want to rock a pair of "janties," but demeaning other women who do serves no purpose other than to police and shame them. 


3. A tropical breeze dress
I am loving this homemade dress on my fellow vintage blogger Tasha from By Gum, By Golly. I've been dying over tropical prints lately (anyone want to buy me something pretty by Alfred Shaheen?), and this makes me want to learn how to sew my own clothes.


4. Oscar in the utility belt: 9 actors who won Academy Awards after playing comic-book characters
For a long time it felt like there was a bit of a genre ghetto in Hollywood. You could be a serious actor who did "real" movies, or you could be a B-level actor who did action/sci-fi/fantasy. With the explosion of comic book movies in the late 90s, the names started to get bigger. Bigger budget genre flicks = bigger names = bigger profits (usually). Right now, it seems like comic book movies, particularly in the Marvel Universe, are the best place to spot talented actors.


5. The Ryno prepares to charge
I think I want one.

Vintage dressing for transitional weather

I don't know if I'm alone in this, but I find it much easier to wear vintage when it's slightly cooler out than in the heat of summer. Vintage sundresses are comfortable and lovely, but they're not that practical on a bike (the longer skirts get caught up in my wheels and get all gunked up), and I don't really want to get a nice vintage piece all soaked in sweat.
The weather here in Chicago has been doing its thing lately, going from hot to pouring rain to downright chilly, all in the course of a single day. It's hard to dress for that, but there are a few things that help.

1. Layering.
Layers. I know, revolutionary, right? But seriously, a cardigan and a scarf or a lightweight trench coat can make the difference between being miserable and shivering when the weather takes a turn for the cooler, and being comfortable. I am, frankly, nuts about cardigans.

This isn't even all of them. My favorite are my vintage cashmere cardigans, which are super soft and versatile, but JCrew is one of my go-to stores for classic cardigans, and I also really like Forever21 for fun, printed styles.

2. Long sleeved tops with shorts.
I know it probably sounds counterintuitive, but when it's really hot out, I almost always wear long or 3/4 length sleeves. It's actually a little cooler than letting the sun beat down on your bare skin (which isn't very good for you anyway), but it's also warmer if the clouds start to roll in.

It's kind of hard to see my shorts here, but combination of a Breton striped top and high-waisted, printed shorts has a fun, French, pinup kind of feel, and looks great on a lot of different body types.

3. An elastic waistband is your friend.
It can be hard to find authentic vintage pieces with elastic waists, but they're worth keeping an eye out for. You'll see it on some pieces from the 60s and later, and they're fairly common on patio dresses and skirts (you'll sometimes see them labeled as "squaw" dresses) and items meant for square dancing. Wearing a very tight waistband in the heat of summer can be really uncomfortable, especially when sweat starts to collect in it, so something with a bit more give and flexibility can be a lifesaver. I don't always love the look of an elastic waist, so weather permitting I might belt it.

The elastic panels on this 60s sundress make it one of the most comfortable pieces that I own.

I adore the embroidery on this 70s era dress. It also has an elastic waist, although as you can see here, I belted it for a slightly more polished look.

During the cooler months I shoot for a classic, ladylike kind of look, but this summer I'm looking forward to playing around a bit with some pinup style looks. I've spent some time browsing through rompers and playsuits, something I never really thought I'd get into.

I really love this adorable two piece playsuit from VintageRagsAndDigs. The size and fabric are customizable, and I believe it's made using a vintage pattern.


Isn't this 80s does 40s romper to die for? It's on sale from TaraMiSioux on Etsy. I love the classic color and shape, and it looks like it would be really comfortable for biking.

Links to love

1. I was Shailene: I used to say I wasn't a feminist
I found this article from The Cut really interesting, since I had read the article in Jezebel that it refers to and largely accepted what it said. The Cut is, I think, being a little more generous with Shailene than I would be - the assumption that feminists want to bring men down is one of the more unfortunate stereotypes about feminists around, and I really dislike that she parroted it - but they have a point. She's a young woman in the spotlight, and no matter what she says, she'll be critiqued. A lot of women who proudly call themselves feminists today wouldn't have done so yesterday, including myself. Shailene's a little kooky, which is great (who many other young actresses are telling people to sunbathe their vaginas?), and she is, from what I've heard, a talented young actress who picks interesting and challenging roles that present women in a positive light. It'd be awesome if she was also an avowed feminist, but I guess I can't have everything.


2. The new Star Wars cast has only one woman who's not Princess Leia
I'm not going to try to burnish my geek cred by claiming to be a huge Star Wars fan, because I'm not. I've seen the first three movies a couple of times through, and they're pretty good, but I'm not one of the people who's been utterly blown away by them. That said, they are a huge franchise, one of the most popular and beloved pieces of science fiction in the world among both men and women. It seems like such a massive oversight to populate their universe almost entirely with males. It's an issue that comes up over and over again with genre entertainment - it's considered a boys club, even though there are demonstrably as many female fans as male ones. The assumption that geek culture is a male thing and should cater to male tastes is something that permeates it at almost every level, and has been called out repeatedly. It would be really nice if someone actually got the message, but until then, I guess we'll just have to keep yelling. Say it with me - "Where's my fucking Wonder Woman movie?"


3. Hot Doug's is closing its doors
Sad news for the city of Chicago - Hot Doug's is closing. My Facebook feed is swimming with "whyyyyyyyy?!?!?!" and "noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!" I don't live to far from there, and I think I'm going to have to get a couple of good visits in before the doors close for good. Rattlesnake hot dogs, anyone?

4. Chronically Vintage opens an Etsy shop
I know I've mentioned Chronically Vintage here once already, but I can't help but be excited about her new and utterly divine new shop on Etsy. I love how well curated her jewelry selection is, and also how reasonable her prices are. I've already got my eye on a couple of pieces; I think I'll have to indulge when payday rolls around.

So, anyone want to buy me this guy? $60 - 15% with GRANDOPENING coupon