MAAM World War II Weekend

Flashback Summer: MAAM World War II Weekend 2017

I just had one of the most fun weekends ever!  As my husband is away for a couple months at military training, I decided to treat myself to a trip to meet Emily Stringham (of Emily's Vintage Visions) and her husband at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum World War II Weekend.  Emily and I have been internet friends for a while (I think we started blogging around the same time), so it was very exciting to meet her in person!


Flashback Summer: MAAM World War II Weekend 2017

She and her husband are reenacting pros and generously offered to let me camp with the crew for the weekend.  This was the first time I've ever been to a reenactment or 1940s event, and it was THE BEST!


Flashback Summer: MAAM World War II Weekend 2017

Flashback Summer: MAAM World War II Weekend 2017
Loved meeting Elizabeth (@archivecollection) in person.  She looked SOOO cute too!
Emily and I spent our days exploring the different campsites that were split into European theater, Pacific theater, German, Chinese, and homefront sections.  There was also a French village and vendor area.  Everyone put so much thought and detail into their setups, and it really felt like I was living in the 1940s with only the good parts!


Flashback Summer: MAAM World War II Weekend 2017
#goals
Flashback Summer: MAAM World War II Weekend 2017
I also got to meet Jessica and Beth (@onesweetthread)!  Love them both, super fun ladies.
One of my favorite parts was the hangar dances in the evenings.  There was a live band and everyone spent the evening chatting and swing dancing.  Emily was kind enough to lend me a Navy WAVES uniform to wear one evening, and it is the most beautiful suit I've ever worn!  It feels amazingly structured, flattering, and well-made.  These Mainbocher-designed uniforms are, as far as I know, the only American military uniforms ever designed specifically for women, instead of tweaking designs for males.  And, boy, does it show!  They're fabulous!


Flashback Summer: MAAM World War II Weekend 2017

Flashback Summer: MAAM World War II Weekend 2017

I was sold on the reenactment experience and may have gotten Emily's help in picking out a couple WAVES uniforms for myself from the vendor area... I hope to go to another event in August and I look forward to meeting more people and learning more about the hobby!

Flashback Summer: MAAM World War II Weekend 2017

Flashback Summer: MAAM World War II Weekend 2017

Some quick things I learned at my first reenactment:
- I need to up my wardrobe game for next time.  Everyone really looked fantastic!!
- I need to brush up on my swing dancing because people actually do it at these events, unlike anywhere in my regular life!
- Just because you are in your tent changing with the flap closed does not mean tourists will not try to peek inside.  BE ALERT.
- I need to put more sunscreen on my forehead.
- If you wear a red scarf on your head, all the following Rosie the Riveter comments you get all day are inevitable.  I brought it on myself, really.


Flashback Summer: MAAM World War II Weekend 2017

4 comments

  1. SO MUCH FUN!!! Can't wait for the next with you. I'll be posting about the weekend on my blog tomorrow and will be linking to your post. I'm breaking it up into two posts so I can share more of the pictures I took around the camp.
    -Emily

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  2. This looks like so much fun! I have yet to go to a reenactment event like this, even though there are so many in the southern California area!

    xoxo
    -Janey

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  3. Wow- this looks like so much fun! You all looked lovely.
    I love swing dancing, but no one does it where I live- I bet that swing dancing at a reenactment would be super fun!

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  4. It looks like so much fun! Everyone is dressed so well!

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