vintage inspired

One Last Look at #MyVintageCover 2017!

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One Last Look at #myvintagecover 2017, the artyologist

And just like that August is over, and with it the #myvintagecover 2017 too! But no challenge would be complete without a round up of participants, right? So today, I share with you the covers recreated by our lovely challenge participants. I was completely blown away by the creativity and attention to detail these ladies put into their cover reproductions. We had 11 participants, and I truly enjoyed seeing each of their reproductions. . . so I will quit rambling here, and let you see their covers!

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First up is Tanith, my co-host, and the mastermind of this entire challenge- without her, there wouldn’t have even been a challenge! She did three covers this month, and I truly enjoyed seeing each one. The first cover she did, with this yellow polka-dot turban (which she made especially to wear for this challenge) completely blew me away. I thought it was the original cover at first, when I saw it on her Instagram!

tanithrowan polka-dots, #myvintagecover 2017

tanithrowan illustration, #myvintagecover 2017

tanithrowan-red-beret, #myvintagecover 2017

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Next up are two ladies who made vintage garments like the pattern envelopes. I thought that this was a fun way to take part, and still end up with something for your closet at the end!

Liza of @liza_made sewed a 1919 dress and turned it into a top. She has perfectly executed that original pattern illustration pose!

liza_made, #myvintagecover 2017

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Carmen of @vintagedreamblog and Vintage Dream Blog reproduced a 1940’s pattern, complete with a red rick-rack bow! You don’t often see someone sew a garment exactly like the pattern cover, so that is quite fun.

vintage dream blog, #myvintagecover 2017

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Next is a cover that must have taken a lot of time to recreate. Robin of @auntieestablishment chose one of my favourite Vogue covers. I was hoping that someone would do this cover, but didn’t think anyone actually would. Her attention to detail with the pose, the makeup and even the ring, is quite amazing!

auntie establishment, #myvintagecover 2017

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One of the first covers to be tagged in the challenge is this lovely summery one from Margaret of @denisebrain_vintage (and Denise Brain Vintage Fashion). So many vintage magazine covers involve hats swathed in flowers, and I was really hoping that someone would do one! Her version, with that perfect winged liner, entirely lives up to the original!

denisebrain_vintage, #myvintagecover 2017

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I love seeing reproductions of illustrations, because they can sometimes be very unrealistic and it can be difficult to achieve the same “look”. This vintage Cosmopolitan cover by @the_fondant_fancy (of Nought of Fifties Blog) is such a good recreation of an illustration. I don’t know how she did it, but it is so very similar to the original- she’s even got the expression down pat!

the_fondant_fancy, #myvintagecover 2017

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Becca of @tobeadorned used one of her own lovely handmade flower crowns to recreate a Vogue wedding themed cover from 1956. I love that she did such a great job of imitating the original, right down to the pink lipstick and pearl earring. It’s the details that make the covers so fun to do!

to be adorned, #myvintagecover 2017

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Another cover with a custom made piece of clothing is this one by @ruanne77. Back in July, she asked on Instagram which cover she should recreate, and shared two different covers she was choosing between. I was excited to see that she decided to do this fabulous colour block 1960’s dress; and she even shared a behind-the-scenes photo of the dress, which she did a wonderful job making. I was waiting with bated breath to see the final reveal, and we were not disappointed with it!

ruanne77, #myvintagecover 2017

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This wonderful cover was created by Casey of @noirgirl39 (and Casey Koester blog). She chose this dramatic Harpers Bazaar cover, and at first glance, you would think it was the original cover! She’s got the pose, the makeup and hair, the scarf- and those killer sunglasses!

noirgirl39, #myvintagecover 2017

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This cover was done by my sister Sarah, of @therougedgirl. Since she loves makeup, (her Instagram is dedicated to it!) she decided to choose a cover with a distinctive makeup look to recreate. This 1970’s cover was a very good choice. Not only did she do an excellent job on the makeup- even getting the shimmer and shine in the same place- but her curly hair worked out perfectly too!

the rouged girl, #myvintagecover 2017

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And the last cover, but certainly not the least, is this one by Kelly of @seamracer (and Seam Racer blog). It is rather perfect that it was Kelly who recreated this one, because it is a 1955 McCall’s pattern book featuring none other than Grace Kelly! She shared in her post, that the dress in this image is the one Grace wore when she met Prince Rainier. The outfit is definitely princess worthy, and not only does she now have a gorgeous new dress; she also was able to recreate a cover at the same time!

seam racer, #myvintagecover 2017

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Edited to add Kate’s (of @thelonghairedflapper) cover recreation! For some reason this cover, which she did early in the month, is not showing up under the tag on Instagram, and so it got missed when I published this post. But it is too great to be missed, and so I am adding it now. As for the recreation, I love her idea of dressing up her cat. And, strangely enough this lady in this cover actually looks like a cat! 🙂

the long haired flapper, my vintage cover 2017

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Well, this was certainly a very fun month! I truly enjoyed seeing all of these cover recreations. Back in July, when Tanith and I announced the challenge, I didn’t know if anyone would join in with us, and I am so glad we had so many wonderful participants! Not only did I get to see their magazine covers; I also got to discover some new lovely vintage ladies to follow 🙂

So what do you think; should My Vintage Cover become an annual thing now?

Photo Shoots with Friends

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photo shoots with friends, chantelle-and-i, the artyologist

This post is coming to you pre-scheduled as I am on a holiday this week with friends, one of whom is my dear friend Chantelle, who is pictured in these photos today. I decided it would be a perfect time to share these photos, which I got back in June when I visited her, as they are too special to not post at all despite the lateness of them!

It is a bit of a tradition that when my friend Chantelle and I get together, we do a photo shoot- we did this even in my pre-blogging days. (Maybe sometime I will share some of those old pictures. . .) Sometimes our photo shoots are themed, and usually the theme is some kind of vintage style, because that is what I have for “costumes”. As in, it is a costume for her, and regular clothing for me 😉 We’ve done “model”, “wedding dresses”, “1940’s” and last year we did “1950’s“. This time, we didn’t have any theme planned- and as I was traveling, I didn’t bring extras in my suitcase. However, while I was visiting, I found this great straw hat at the thrift shop and Chantelle was able to borrow this lovely blue topper, so we figured that was good enough.

photo shoots with friends, the artyologist, chantelle-hat-detail

The photos of both of us were taken with self timer and, as I didn’t have my tripod with me, we precariously balanced a pile of wood on top of a kitchen stool and placed the camera on top! It was a bit dangerous for the camera, and we had no way of knowing where we were in the frame, so the results were a bit interesting. Somehow we still managed to end up with these lovely shots though- and even with me running back and forth, I managed to not look too disheveled!

photo shoots with friends, the artyologist, chantelle-and-i-standing

I’ve shown both this skirt and shirt together before, but why mess with a good thing, right? I am not above repeating an outfit if it worked out well the first time. And, I wasn’t kidding last week when I said I have worn this skirt too many times to count. I even brought it on my trip this week, so I might be wearing it as we speak 🙂 However it is nice to share my new hat, especially since I have worn it a few times now. Sometimes, like in the case of this hat, thrifting can be very rewarding. I saw a hat very similar to this one, with an asymmetrical brim, and green ribbon and accent, for sale online, but it was quite expensive. It was a justifiable price, for a handcrafted piece of millinery, but I am so glad I found this secondhand one instead!

photo shoots with friends, the artyologist, hat-detail-nicole

photo shoots with friends, the artyologist, chantelle-adjusting-hat

photo shoots with friends, the artyologist, nicole-spinning-skirt

photo shoots with friends, the artyologist, chantelle-portrait-1

photo shoots with friends, the artyologist, wildflowers-and-nicole

photo shoots with friends, the artyologist, chantelle

She looks like she should be going to a Royal Wedding. 🙂

nicole straw hat, photo shoots with friends, the artyologist

And because you can’t have any photoshoot without silly ones. . .

photo shoots with friends, the artyologist, chantelle-and-i-being-creepy

I didn’t realize I was so far away from Chantelle in this picture, and instead of hugging her, I am just creepily/awkwardly putting my hand on her shoulder! It doesn’t help that I have that strange expression either. . .

photo shoots with friends, the artyologist, chantelle-and-i-snobby

These expressions, above, are just too funny. . .

photo shoots with friends, the artyologist, chantelle-and-i-laughing

Do you enjoy doing photo shoots together when you meet up with friends? Have you ever been looking for something in a shop or online, only to find something similar in a thrift shop?

Crossing Over to the “Solid Separates” Side

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Crossing Over to the Solid Separates Side, the artyologist, blog feature image

For the longest time I have had a “fear” of solid coloured garments. OK, I don’t actually run screaming when I see them, but I am always afraid that they will be too boring. Prints, no doubt about it, are fun and come in everything imaginable- from novelty prints featuring pineapples, to more classic stripes or dots. I have an abundance of patterns and colours in my wardrobe (and a weakness for a good floral pattern). For dresses, which are basically an entire outfit in one, it doesn’t matter much. But when you start trying to pair separates together, this can cause some problems when you look into your closet and see clashing stripes, florals, polkadots and geometrics staring back at you.

Crossing Over to the Solid Separates Side, the artyologist, tree at sunset, cream coloured cotton skirt

So, here are three reasons why solid separates are great additions to your wardrobe; and are anything but boring if, like me, you are afraid of them!

1. They go with everything. I can’t tell you how many times I have worn my solid black t-shirts or my tan “Roman Holiday” skirt. They coordinate with patterns and they coordinate with other solids, as pictured here. A good neutral basic, such as beige, black or navy, will go with almost every colour. The options for mix and matching are endless. And solids don’t automatically mean they have to be neutral colours either- you can have just as much versatility with bright colours.

2. They are classic and “vintage”. Of course people have worn prints all through history- as soon as they discovered ways to dye, paint, embroider and weave patterns into fabric. However, looking through vintage images shows a lot of solid coloured garments. I think this is because of the simple fact that they are so versatile. Clothing cost more in the past, and good quality clothing costs more today, so investing in a solid coloured skirt is often a better investment than a print, which will only coordinate with a few other pieces in your wardrobe. Solid coloured garments also recede and allow your accessories and patterns to shine. Vintage style is made of accessories- whether it’s hats, gloves, purses or shoes- so it’s nice to let them take centre stage every once in a while.

Crossing Over to the Solid Separates Side, the artyologist, cream coloured skirt and penny loafers

3. Solids don’t “date” as quickly and you don’t get as tired of them as quickly as prints. Although vintage/ vintage-inspired patterns and prints could be considered already “dated”, when you have pull out your hummingbird printed dress for the umpteenth time, it gets a bit boring. As much as I love my patterned garments, I do get a bit tired of them, if I wear them too often. Because they are more bold, I remember them more, and I feel like “I just wore that”, even if it has been a while. And although probably no one else notices, I do hate wearing the exact same thing too many times in a row. With solid coloured separates, you can wear them over and over, and each time change your garment pairing and accessories for a completely new look.

Crossing Over to the Solid Separates Side, the artyologist, necklace-detail

I’m working on creating a more cohesive wardrobe palette, and this cream skirt I picked up a few weeks ago at the thrift store is a perfect example of versatile solid separates. It goes with nearly every colour I own, except a clashing colour of cream. I paired the skirt here with a solid black t-shirt, a belt, and simple jewellery for an “everyday” dressed down look, but the next time I wear it, I will style it with one of my patterned tops for a different look.

I think that slowly I am crossing over to the “dark side” of solid separates. . . how about you? Are you a prints and patterns person, or are you drawn to solids? And, how do you mix and match your clothing to keep it feeling fresh?

Crossing Over to the Solid Separates Side, the artyologist, portrait-and-tree-at-sunset

Crossing Over to the Solid Separates Side, the artyologist, everyday vintage blogger photo

This is my “oh I just happen to be nicely posed and you have a 50 mm lens pointed at me” blogger photo.

Crossing Over to the Solid Separates Side, the artyologist, tree-silhouette

Crossing Over to the Solid Separates Side, the artyologist, belt-detail

Crossing Over to the Solid Separates Side, the artyologist, shadows-on-bushes

My sister and I at sunset

Crossing Over to the Solid Separates Side, the artyologist, orange-hair

Now I know what I would look like with orange-red hair! 🙂

Crossing Over to the Solid Separates Side, the artyologist, everyday outfit walking away

Crossing Over to the Solid Separates Side, the artyologist, field

Love is Forever. Winter is Not.

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Love is Forever. Winter is Not. The Artyologist

I know that as soon as I type these words a huge winter storm is going to blow in, and we are going to be covered in snow for the next two months, and everyone will blame me for bringing it upon us with my false hopes, but I just can’t help it: it’s starting to feel like Spring! My head knows that this is ridiculous, because we have a long ways to go here in Canada, before we can even start to think about Spring, but nevertheless- my heart wants to believe that Winter is drawing to an end at long last. This past Valentine’s Day, it was so warm, that we were able to go out and get pictures of my Valentine’s Day outfit, without even wearing coats. OK, I was chilled by the time I went back inside, but nevertheless, it was wonderful! The sun was shining, the snow was melting quickly, the birds were out singing, and we even found some lovely green moss that had been hiding under the snow waiting to peek out at us.

Love is Forever. Winter is Not. The Artyologist, moss and Valentine's outfit

In light of this beautiful warm weather, florals were not out of place for a Valentine’s Day outfit either. Not that I dress strictly for “the season”, but it can be hard to wear summer clothes in winter, when you have to add 100 layers in order to make it warm enough. It was a very nice change to be able to wear pink, and flowers and bare legs and arms, and not look completely out of place (or freeze to death!) I chose to wear this outfit for Valentine’s Day, because as it is one of my favourite holidays, I couldn’t miss the chance for a themed outfit. However, I don’t have much in the way of pink and red clothing; I have a few separate pieces, but not ones that coordinate very nicely. This was the best I could come up with for a Valentine’s Day outfit: a black floral skirt, and a pink flower in my hair. Apparently this skirt is becoming a bit of a tradition too- because I wore it last February 14th as well! I wear this skirt all the time, so I was hoping to wear something different, but oh well. I guess now you know what you can find me in 90% of the time on weekdays!

For accessories with this outfit, I chose to wear my locket since my post on Tuesday was all about their sentimental history and I thought it would be appropriate. Also, this is the first time I have curled my hair since I started growing it into a bob! I am so excited that it is getting long enough to style, so I added the pink hair flower, to make the outfit a bit more put together. I did this hairstyle with a curling iron, but I am hoping to try pin curls again soon. It’s been over two years since I’ve done pin curls, so maybe I’ll wait for a day where I’m not going anywhere to attempt them 😉

Anyways, I had a lovely Valentine’s day spent with my family. My sister gave me a sweet Valentine card, my mom surprised me with a bouquet of tulips, I baked heart shaped scones for breakfast and my mom baked a chocolate cake for dessert. It can’t get much better than that!

How was your Valentine’s day? Did you dress up in a special Valentine’s Day outfit, or celebrate in any other way? Do you wear themed outfits for holidays, or just wear whatever you want regardless of which “holiday” it is?

Outfit Details:

Shirt: owned for many years

Skirt: Made by me

Shoes: Earthies

Belt: thrifted

Hair flower: made by me

Jewellery: gifted

Love is Forever. Winter is Not. The Artyologist, hair flower and Valentine's Day Outfit

Love is Forever. Winter is Not. The Artyologist, Valentine's Day Outfit, portrait

Love is Forever. Winter is Not. The Artyologist, moss

Love is Forever. Winter is Not. The Artyologist, locket and Valentine's Day outfit

Love is Forever. Winter is Not. The Artyologist, locket and Valentine's Day outfit skirt

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