I met Margaret Wilds of the shop DeniseBrain Vintage on Instagram a few years ago. I believe it was through the #myvintagecover challenge that Tanith Rowan and I hosted in 2017 and 2018, and I have been following her blog ever since. (I have linked to her posts in the past here and here) In 2019 Margaret asked me whether she could use one of my photos in a book she was writing. I was, of course, honoured and said yes! I finally was able to buy her book, Wear Vintage Now: Choose It, Care For It, Style It Your Way, just over a month ago, so I thought I’d share a review of it here.
Note: I purchased this book myself, and was not asked to give a review or receive compensation- I just wanted to share it with you all.
Firstly, in terms of the book itself, it came beautifully wrapped in bright pink tissue paper… and I was so excited that I ripped it off before I took a picture- oops! But at least I was able to get a picture of the sticker afterwards. Also, Margaret signed the book for me, which was such a nice touch; I love buying things from small businesses, since it feels like you’re opening a gift.
It is a softcover book, 150 pages, and she did such a sweet cover design (the cover is laminated with a soft touch, velvet finish too). The only critique I have of the book is that I wish the pictures were larger! But I know that would have changed the price of printing…and so I completely understand why they were on the smaller side. I just wish I could have seen even more details!
As for the content, I really liked her premise for the book, “Who can wear vintage? I can’t think of one single person who can’t!” She focuses on several topics: how to find your vintage “look” or “style”, how to shop for vintage online and how to care for your vintage pieces.
In the first section, she shares tips for styling vintage, whether you want to be what she calls a “time traveler” or a “modern/vintage mixer” (which is the category my picture is in!) She then moves on to talking about which pieces to select if you’re new to wearing vintage, and easy pieces to add to your wardrobe first if you’re not quite ready to dive in headfirst. This section is definitely aimed at those who are new to wearing vintage, and I wish I’d had this book 10 years ago when I first got interested in wearing vintage clothing.
In the next section she shares tips on how to measure, figure out what will suit you and make wise purchases avoiding pieces that are going to be more of a headache than a joy. With over 20 years of experience in collecting, repairing and selling vintage clothing, she has a wealth of knowledge about buying vintage online. I don’t buy very much clothing online, but armed with her tips, I actually might start doing so.
Since I’ve been following vintage blogs for years, I honestly wasn’t sure whether there would be much “new” information in this book for me, but I really liked her final chapters on “Taking Care of Your Vintage Finery”. She shares a lot of information on fibre content, laundering and stain removal, damage prevention and storage. I learned more than a few new cleaning tricks that I will definitely be using in the future.
And then in the final section she gives some information about vintage reproduction and alternatives to authentic vintage, in case you’re interested in a vintage look, but true vintage is not an option.
Margaret’s love and passion for vintage clothing shines through her entire book, but especially in her last part titled “Wear Vintage and Make the World Brighter” where she says “Vintage fashion is the creative, high quality, thoughtful and beautiful answer to fast fashion. Go forth and wear it well!”
I honestly couldn’t have said it better myself; those are my exact feelings about vintage clothing as well.
If you have any interest in wearing vintage clothing, then this is the book for you. I’m glad that I finally bought Wear Vintage Now because it will be a great reference to have on my bookshelf.
The book is available either through her Etsy shop, or via her website. (I purchased through her website, since the shipping on Etsy was cost prohibitive to Canada).
After I wrote my post about minimalism last week, I began thinking about the pieces in my wardrobe that make it through each round of decluttering and realized that some of these pieces have been with me for over 10 years now! Fashion can be a trial and error process of discovering what your personal style is, and what sorts of things you like to wear. In the early years of wearing Vintage, I bought a lot of secondhand pieces that, over time, I discovered didn’t really suit me. I don’t regret those purchases, because they did help me to hone my own style. However, there are some pieces that became instant signature pieces for me…and I am still wearing and loving them years later.
While of course many items I loved have been decluttered from my closet simply because they wore out from daily use (I loved them too much!) I am sharing today 10 of my favourite lightly worn pieces, such as accessories, that I can actually see lasting me for many more years. These are all pieces that have been repeated in outfits on the blog so often you’re probably tired of seeing them, but I just can’t imagine ever getting rid of any of them. They are either staples in my wardrobe or unique vintage finds that make me happy when I see them in my closet, and I love to use them in outfits. While it’s fun to search for new pieces to add to your wardrobe, it’s also nice to have those beloved pieces that suit you so well and have been with you for the long haul. Here are 10 of my favourite signature pieces that I hope to still have and love in 10 years.
Vintage Cashmere Coat
There is a picture of me wearing this coat in 2014, but I think I got it a year or two before that. I found it at Goodwill for $12 and it originally had a tie belt , which I removed because it gave a very housecoat-ish look. It has such a classic shape that reminds me of a swing coat, even though it’s actually 1980’s, and it has been an absolute staple in my wardrobe. I have waxed eloquent about it before, but when you live in the North, you really do need a warm winter coat. This coat is so warm that I sometimes don’t wear it, because it’s not cold enough outside! I love that it’s a good neutral colour and also coordinates well with the rest of my wardrobe.
When I bought it, slim and fitted coats were more popular and I remember a young coworker asking me why my coat was so baggy. She always dressed in the trends of the day, so she’s probably now wearing an oversized coat herself. Other than replacing the lining a few years ago, it still looks and feels great and I hope to get a lot more years out of it!
Vintage 1960’s Faux Astrakhan Coat
While on the topic of coats, here is another favourite thrift store find from around the same time…also for $12! The best thing about this faux astrakhan coat is that after I bought it, I found an advertisement for it in a Woman and Home magazine from 1967. Also, because it’s actually faux Persian lamb, it has lasted longer than a real astrakhan fur would have (in this climate, at least).
I did find a real Persian lamb fur at a thrift store, but it ripped after I wore it a couple of times whereas this one is still in one piece. My camel coat is a practical classic piece, but this coat is my fun statement piece. I don’t wear it very often, it is 55 years old after all, but it works well for either classic or modern pairings.
Vintage Tulle Pillbox Hat
I found this vintage 60’s tulle hat for $2 at a Goodwill. It was completely squashed out of shape, and was being buffeted around in a basket with a bunch of wallets. I was able to rescue it and steam it back into shape…and it’s still one of my favourites! I call it my “C’mon Daddy” hat, which is very weird, yes, but it reminds me of a hat that the character Helen would wear in the movie Secondhand Lions, and that was one of her lines. It’s such a ridiculous, fluffy cupcake of a hat…and that’s why I love it!
Pearl Earrings & Necklace
I received a pair of pearl earrings and a matching necklace for my 18th birthday, and I have worn them an incalculable number of times since then. If I was to choose a signature piece of jewelry, it would have to be these. They are classic and dainty and they go with absolutely everything. While I do have other classic pieces of jewelry, the pearls are the ones I always reach for, and they’ve been in a lot of outfits on this blog too. I don’t wear the necklace as much, but it is also one of those pieces that goes with everything, and will never not be a classic.
Satchel Style Purse
This purse is a newer addition to my wardrobe, but it replaced a similar crossbody style of purse that I had before. I love a classic leather satchel style bag, and this one is a unique and slightly different shape. I searched for a long time online before I found this one on Etsy and I love that it has brass hardware and a real buckle instead of a clasp. That was something that always bothered me about my everyday purse from before- it had silver hardware. I was also able to customize the colour of leather for this purse to be the most perfect cognac brown shade; this is my favourite colour of leather! If this purse ever wears out from daily use, I will definitely be replacing it with another exactly the same.
Vintage Fur Collar
I took this fur collar off of a ripped patchwork fur coat I found at a flea market in 2013. I wore the coat once, just for fun, but it wasn’t in good enough condition to repair so I salvaged the collar. While it’s kind of strange to have a lapel style collar unattached to a coat, I do wear it a lot because it’s such a nice fluffy fur, and it layers nicely over other coats and sweaters.
The colour is also a good one for my colour palette. The coat was probably close to 50 years old, so it’s nice I was able to give the collar a second life. (Ps. That picture was taken when I went to see “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” in theatres with friends. I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea to wear a fur- it was so hot! But definitely worth it for style points.)
Leopard Printed Beret
I received this beret for a birthday present in 2013, and it has also been featured on this blog a lot. It’s such a great hat since it’s neutral, but because of the leopard pattern it’s not boring. Somehow leopard is a neutral; I don’t know why, but it is, just like jeans. This one is by Parkhurst and is angora so it’s also nice and warm for winter. I wear this hat more than any of my other berets because it’s so easy to wear and still coordinates perfectly with my wardrobe- even after 9 years of changes!
Ten Thousand Villages Silk Scarf
You just can’t go wrong with a classic silk scarf. This one was from Ten Thousand Villages and was made in India. Navy and blue is a classic colour for me and I like the monochromatic scheme of this one.
I have several nylon scarves, but silk ones are much nicer since they have “grip” so you can tie them in different ways, or use them as turbans and they stay without slipping. It’s a dressy scarf, but can also work well for more casual outfits.
Niquea.d Straw Hat
I don’t know if I could decide on a favourite straw hat, but I’ll share this one since it was one of my first and it is a unique one with a black and natural brim, straw hat band and gathered silhouette. It’s the perfect hat for shading from the sun. I bought it just before we went on a holiday in 2013, (in a stationery shop of all places; I guess they figured that the same people who liked stationery would also like hats…and they were correct) but the hat had to stay in the car at the airport while we were gone. I was afraid someone would steal our vehicle while we were away…but I wasn’t concerned about the van, just the hat!
Black Mary Jane High Heels
I was really trying to decide between my Mary Jane’s and my Oxfords, since both are staples in my wardrobe, but I eventually decided that the Mary Jane heels are more of a signature piece for me. I’ve had this pair for 7 years and they replaced a pair of patent faux leather heels from before. I had that pair since I was 17 or 18 and I loved them so much I even sketched a picture of them. They were my first real pair of high heels and they were so classic; they went with everything! The thing I love about the Mary Jane style is that the strap makes even a modern heel style look more vintage. These shoes work well for all seasons and are very versatile. Even though I can’t wear high heels as much as I used to, I will be keeping this pair for special occasions. I’m also glad that this pair is leather, because they will hopefully last me many more years!
Well, there are ten of my favourite wardrobe items that I’ve had for close to ten years and hope to still have in ten years time. Some of them are vintage, some of them aren’t, but all of them are definitely tried and true pieces!
What signature pieces have you had in your closet for a long time? Or are you still looking for tried and true pieces like this to add to your wardrobe?
Along with the warm weather, comes the time to wear summer hats, starting with the Easter bonnet, of course. While I did wear a hat for Easter this year, it’s been featured on the blog before, so I didn’t post it again. Instead, how about we take a look at some of the hats and hair accessories I have saved in my fashion scrapbook? Many of these are from wedding magazines, but could be easily worn for other occasions. I was so inspired when looking through these: now I want to go and make some flower hats! In the past I have made flowers and headbands, but they’ve always been a bit smaller…I really think it’s time to make some large statement flowers!
Above- one of my favourite hats featured in a UK wedding magazine, wouldn’t this be so perfect for an outdoor wedding?
Speaking of oversized flowers, here are two lovely ones. I think these would be fairly straightforward to make. I should try…
These pink hats, below, were probably the first pictures to start me on my vintage fashion journey. I think they were by Lilliput Hats from about 15 years ago. I’ve always been so in love with the colour and shape of them. So perfect for Spring!
I love these polka dots flowers; these images were from about 12 years ago. That shape of hat was super popular back then, wasn’t it? I think one of the first hats I ever bought was a tan wool hat very similar to this.
Here are a few wedding hats and accessories, that could definitely be worn elsewhere. Again, with the oversized flowers, the left one above is so fun! And on the right, I love the exaggerated tilt shape.
I really like the tilt on this one, above right, too.
Here is a fabulous hair accessory/hat/fascinator worn by Oprah in Vogue 1998, featuring flowers and feathers for an amazing theatrical look!
And finally, no round up of hats is complete without the classic, but nevertheless fabulous, oversized straw hat.
What kinds of hats do you like to wear in the Spring and Summer? Which one of these is your favourite? Are you inspired to try creating some large flowers to dress up some hats and headbands?
I know that many people don’t like the cold and dark of winter, but I can’t bring myself to hate the season. As much as I sometimes find the cold and snow to be too much, I also can’t imagine living without four distinct seasons. Though perhaps I could do with a bit more daylight…
Each season has it’s own unique fashion needs, and winter is the one where all of the lovely outerwear can shine! Here’s a peak at some of favourite magazine tear sheets that I have saved in my fashion scrapbook, all featuring some gorgeous winter appropriate pieces!
Both of these images above are from a Vogue magazine- I think they are both from the same 90’s one. I love the detail of the garments and the elegance of the photography.
There’s no better time to wear fur than in the winter!
This is one of my favourite fashion ads, found in another Vogue magazine, for all the elegant yet still fun fur coats! I’m not sure I would call new furs a “responsible choice” as the ad claims, unless I knew for sure where they were coming from, but I definitely love the wearing of vintage furs. The leopard printed one below is gorgeous. I would love to find a good 1960’s leopard print fur coat someday….
Wool is another fibre perfect for cold weather and these pieces below are so interesting. That dress with an integrated cape is gorgeous!
Finally, some dramatic silhouettes for the winter months! I do love the look of black opaque tights paired with a simple skirt and blouse.
Well, that’s all for today. Which is your favourite? Do you like to collect magazine tearsheets?
I am back today with a Part Two in this series of my favourite film fashion inspiration: this time with the costumes of Jane Eyre (2011)! You can find Part One about Miss Potter, here.
One of my favourite books of all time is Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. I first read it in Grade Nine, for a book study, and fell in love with the heroine of the book’s title, Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre was published in 1847, although the time period in which the story itself takes place is a bit unclear. Most film adaptations place the story either in the same decade the book was published, the 1840’s, or slightly farther back in the 1830’s. The only film version of Jane Eyre that I have watched is the 2011 one directed by Cary Fukunaga starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender. The costume designer for this film was Michael O’Connor and I absolutely love what he designed for this film: the attention to detail in each character’s wardrobe means you never run out of interesting elements to look at.
The director and costume designer chose to go with an 1840’s time period for this film, because they liked the styles from that decade more than those of the 1830’s, and I am inclined to agree with them. I am not enamoured with the large sleeves and shorter hems of the 30’s, so I’m happy they gave Jane the much more elegant looks of the 40’s.
I am not an authority on early Victorian fashion by any means, but I appreciate the, seemingly, quite historically accurate costumes of this film. Some historical dramas try to modernize the characters’ dress, which can sometimes be jarring, as well as becoming easy to spot as time goes on. (For example, the animated Snow White and Cinderella by Disney are easily recognizable as being from the 1930’s and 1950’s respectively.) In this version of Jane Eyre, they chose to keep the garments and even hairstyles accurate to the time period the story was set in, even if some of those fashions are decidedly unpopular today. Why do historical films always skip the bonnets, right? While most of us won’t be sporting 1840’s dresses for daywear anytime soon, there is still so much inspiration to be found in the costumes of Jane Eyre.
One key feature of Jane’s wardrobe is her subdued and dark colour palette. She wears several shades of grey, black, brown, deep plum, and dark blue. She also later wears an earthy tan/pink. While these dark colours are specifically used to create a moody feel for the film, I think they also reflect an aspect of Jane’s character: her practicality. Dark colours are a sensible choice for clothing, since they don’t require as much washing or stain removal in the same way light colours do.
Queen Victoria was married in 1840 and was the first to bring popularity to the idea of a white wedding dress: the light colour of the dress made her easier to see, and was a dress fit for royalty (or at least someone who had an army of laundresses at their disposal). While Victoria’s dress caused a stir in the fashion world (that remains to this day), for most people, dark coloured clothes were a much wiser choice. Even today, many work clothes and outerwear are made of darker coloured cloth. While grey and black might not be good colours for everyone, I still take inspiration from Jane’s costumes in choosing more practicable colours for items of clothing that aren’t easily laundered. For example, instead of choosing a cream coloured dry-clean-only, wool winter coat, perhaps navy would be a smarter choice.
I also appreciate that Jane has a sort of “capsule” wardrobe; which is really what a standard wardrobe for any time period, before the modern era of fast fashion, would have been. She is consistently seen repeating the same small selection of dresses throughout the film. One nice thing about wearing dresses, is that they are such a quick and easy outfit. You don’t have to worry about finding a matching blouse or skirt, because a dress is a one step outfit, all ready to go!
Another very clever idea from the past that Jane utilizes in her outfits, is wearing separate collars and cuffs. Having one dress, but several separate collar and cuff sets to pair with that dress results in many different looks. While it might not be a dramatic change, it still adds variety to your wardrobe. Accessories really are the best tools for stretching your “capsule” wardrobe. And, on the topic of laundry again, cuffs and collars tend to get dirty before the rest of the garment, so this makes them easy to clean. Also, if the cuffs wear out, it’s easy to make new ones without having to make an entirely new dress!
Jane’s costumes are all very pared back versions of the 1840’s fashions. When you compare her black evening dress to Blanche Ingram’s, you can see how subdued Jane’s dress is. While her dresses are not as frilly and fancy as the wealthy women’s dresses, her clothing choices are still far from boring and there are so many subtle details in her clothes.
For example, the patterns in Jane’s dresses are classic prints such as plaids and dots which have been pieced to form interesting designs. In her plaid gowns, the diagonal piecing on the bodice is gorgeous. There are also lots of visually interesting bows, ruched sections and elegant V shaped bodices. There’s so much inspiration for future sewing projects!
I personally prefer Jane’s understated elegance over the frilly fashions of the early Victorian period. My favourite styles from the past are ones that are more classic than trendy- which it is still true for my wardrobe today.
I also like how Jane’s character and style stays consistent throughout. Even when she buys new dresses and bonnets and spends more on her clothing, she doesn’t slavishly follow the trends. Her more expensive clothing doesn’t clash with what we know of Jane from before.
Her wedding dress is a good look at the consistency of her style. Despite Rochester’s wish to lavish her with jewels and rich fabrics, this dress is still rather restrained compared to wedding dresses of the time. Queen Victoria’s aforementioned wedding dress is much more opulent than Jane’s, and we can’t imagine Jane feeling comfortable in something like that. Even this wedding dress is a little too fine for Jane’s taste.
Throughout the film, Jane remains true to her personal style, and wears garments that are flattering to her particular body type and style, which is a great reminder for us all to choose to wear what we like and what we look good in, despite what the trends may be at the time.
Another iconic element of Jane’s look is her signature hairstyle. I’m not a big fan of hairstyles from the 1840’s: they were really into the centre part (which is apparently coming back in?).
While lots of upper class women wore their hair in ringlets (see Blanche Ingram again), Jane wears hers in an easier to keep style- a low bun with loops over her ears. She wears variations on this look- sometimes more elaborate like for her wedding, and sometimes simpler, like when she is living in the cottage. I like that Jane has a signature look, and one that she can easily maintain and execute herself. This is a lesson that I have learned over time: find a hairstyle that works for you! This is why I usually wear my hair in a chin length bob with bangs- it just works for me. I don’t have to fight with it, or set it every night (only to find that the curls fall out by midday) etc. While it’s sometimes fun to change it up, find your signature hairstyle and run with it!
One final element of Jane’s wardrobe that I absolutely love are her capes and shawls. While capes have been mostly replaced by coats nowadays, there is just something so elegant and dramatic about a cape, isn’t there? (Especially if it has a hood!) They are perfect to wear over dresses if you have a full skirt and your coat isn’t wide enough to accommodate it. Oh, and they are cosy too. A shawl is also the perfect thing to wear on a chilly day (even indoors); they are easy to put on and take off as needed, and are nicer to wear than trying to bundle up on the sofa in a blanket!
Well, this isn’t an exhaustive list of all of the costumes of Jane Eyre, but these are some of my favourites from this film. Have you seen this version or Jane Eyre and what did you think of it? What parts of her wardrobe do you like? And which version of Jane Eyre is your favourite?
