TRASH fash!

I'm starting a new trend that I'm sure it'll catch on ... TRASH FASHION!

Yes, thank you very much, I will wear that amazing blue dress from the 50s that fits if you set it out by the road when we are drive-by junking (see here). Oh, and that other one? Yes, please! 

I never complain about free. You can see (on the left) that this dress is shorter than my petticoat. It doesn't look terrible, but I'm not sure if I love the show-your-petticoat look. So I'm contemplating either cutting the petticoat or lengthening the hem of the dress - it's been hemmed by hand a good 3-4". But I'm afraid that the hemmed crease may be permanent and look funny once I take it out. What do you think??

It also looks fine without the petticoat (see below), although it is quite thin! Does anyone even own a slip anymore? Moreover, does anyone even know what they are for??

The other dress may be early 60s (see this juniors' pattern I have HERE) but either way, it's fun and unlike any dress I have.

Oh, and did I mention they were FREE!? Would you wear something you dug out of a trashpile?

*more* thrifted vintage dresses (winter)

And for the cooler season dresses I found...

A $2 petticoat I couldn't pass up. I just resized it Sunday night. Can't wait to show it off under one of my dresses this fall/winter!

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I've been on the hunt for a plaid skirt and this one was too beautiful to pass up at a recent estate sale. I also can't wait to wear this one! It's been tempting me from my closet...

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This dress has me a little stumped (also from the estate sale). Do you think it's 50s? Later? Earlier? I'm just not quite sure, but I'm sort of in love.

It has a small spot on the bodice that I didn't notice until I got it home, but here's to hoping my miracle spot remover will take care of it in a flash.

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And finally, my 50s housewife dress. It may be a wool blend (it's warm!) and pretty conservative, but I want to dress it up with some fun accessories and maybe the above petticoat!

Thanks for sharing in my fashion joy!!

P.S. I've also decided against the boots for now, and I've splurged on a pair of vintage inspired Chelsea Crew oxfords for my fall and winter dresses. Here's a stock photo of them.

photo source

*more* thrifted vintage dresses (summer)

I went to a garage sale in Kansas City (pretty much all the good stuff is in the city!!) and came away with several fun pieces ... no one piece was more than $10 ... I was there.

If you are on a budget and want to stock your vintage wardrobe you don't go to Donna Dress Shop, you garage sale!

Here's a knee-length polyester, patchwork dress for every day.

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Another casual outfit that initially looks like a dress...

But is actually a red, white and blue jumpsuit!

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A fun, 50s knee-length floral. It's a juniors dress, so the waist cuts in a little weird, but it is super fun to wear.

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And a short romper!

Just need some white spandex to go under to to avoid any unlovely sights. Any idea where to find some (I've checked W-mart and T-rget...??

a few vintage dresses for me - part 3

This mustardy gold dress may not be the best color for my skin tone, but it's my first thrifted dress find that dates pre-70s! (Most of the time it's gross 90s dresses at the thrift store with lots of fabric, big shoulder pads and bad prints. If you are lucky there may be a 70s gem in the bunch, but not very often...)

The zipper is metal and chunky like my 50s dresses but I'd guess by the style that this dress is 60s. Upside: the fabric is stretchy and is very comfortable, downside: the neck is so tight it almost chokes! I have to have good posture wearing this dress - or maybe I just have a big neck? :-)

I paired this thrifted dress with a bright red Harold's cape coat - Lawrence Antique Mall (Lawrence, KS), gold scarf - from my sister's stash, brown woven belt - Target, patterned brown tights - Target and Tsubo ankle boots like these. 

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And finally, my "fancy" dress. (I just need somewhere to wear this to... someone, quick, get married!)

Isn't the waistline gorgeous?! I'm guessing 60s because of the fitted skirt although I just ran across a bunch of mid-50s dresses with a very similar bodice. What do you think?

dress: Wild Man Vintage, vintage cream/gold scarf: sister hand-me-down, beaded vintage Belgian clutch: gift, bronze strappy heels (not shown): Germany

 Isn't the clutch gorgeous?! Look at all that beading! And to think it came from a garage sale... (thanks S)!


That wraps up my vintage dress posts this week - thanks for following along! I had fun.

See vintage dress intro, part 1, part 2.

a few vintage dresses for me - part 2

This black and white dress is made from a material that is hard to describe (polyester? swishy? rayon? viscose?) ... and even harder to iron. I thought I might've ruined it after I washed it, but I did end up ironing the wrinkles out (and I won't be washing it again anytime soon!).

My book club had a Night Circus discussion in January and Jeremy snapped a few pictures of my outfit before I left. I went all out (black, grey or white with a touch of red for the rêveurs - followers of the Night Circus) and finally found a use for my crazy feather clip.

Super fun.  

dress: Wild Man Vintage clearance, sweater and belt: LOFT, scarf: scarlet knit scrap, red tights, and boots: Nine West.

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And you've seen this dress before. Probably my favorite of the bunch - it's super comfortable, fits well and can go dressy or casual.

After seeing construct of my grandma's veggie dress (exact same side zipper), I think this one falls into the same 5-10 years, so I'm calling it my 50s housewife dress. And it looks handmade. And I love it.

Stay tuned for 2 more dresses tomorrow!

See vintage dress intro, part 1.

a few vintage dresses for me - part 1

This first one is special - it came from my grandmother's closet. This was a dress she wore in the 1950s when she was a junior in high school! It's snug in the top, but I decided if it fit I was keeping it.

So I did.

(Someone always manages to sneak into the photos ...)

It is actually a vegetable print with tones of cream, yellow, green and purple. The skirt is amazing and I think I need a petticoat. It still has its belt (many, many vintage dresses do not) and it's double rope-like belt that I just tied around my sweater.

I wore this one to church one day and got several compliments. On a vegetable dress, I know!

dress: Grandma, sweater: thrifted, cream tights: Target, brown shoes (not shown): JCP.

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This one is a handmade, crazy pink, 70s print polyester maxi dress that seems to have seen better hippietastic days. I thrifted this one and decided I'd try a dress re-do (you can't get good at sewing if you never try!) - so I snapped a few "before" pictures and then cut it up.

The skirt was a crazy wide bell and the sleeves had elastic cuffs (yuck) so I...

... cut off the skirt length
... narrowed the skirt bell
... narrowed the waist (then took it out again and gave myself a little more wiggle room)
... cut off the sleeves in favor of a cap sleeve
... then shortened the neckline ties.

Probably my least favorite of all of my vintage dresses (first time's a charm!?) - mostly because of the crazy print and because it doesn't flatter my figure at all ... I look straight all the way down! But I still am proud of my first attempt.

dress: thrifted and altered, necklace: my MIL's 80s closet, belt: LOFT, white lace leggings: Khol's clearance, clutch: Korea, black peeptoes: my closet.