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Flashback Summer: 1940s red sweater dress set

Wow, so much has happened since I told you guys I'd be going to military training just a little over two months ago. I successfully completed training and commissioned as an officer, moved across America to my new assignment, found a house and moved into it, and started my new job. It's quite an adjustment, of course, so I've given myself grace to put some things on the back burner and to ease into this new life.

Flashback Summer: 1940s red sweater dress set

But obviously I have a ridiculous amount of sewing, knitting, fashion, etc. ideas after not doing any of them for so long! Pretty soon after moving into our new area, I decided to scope out the antiquing situation.  Although there isn't a whole lot as far as antique malls go, there are a couple good ones in which I found some great items.  I may have also antiqued along the entire travel route (Alabama to Idaho).... So that helped, too!

Flashback Summer: 1940s red sweater dress set

I was especially pleased to find a couple knit sets, one of which was this bright red number. I found the skirt in a clothing-filled mall basement booth and lamented the fact that it didn't have its matching top because I've been looking for a red knit set for ages. After digging through almost everything, I saw a peek of bright red on a back rack and pulled out a red, 1940s sweater.  It looked like a similar color to the skirt, and when I ran back over to the other rack to compare... WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER, they were a match!

Flashback Summer: 1940s red sweater dress set

Flashback Summer: 1940s red sweater dress set

For this red set, the skirt was a great fit, but the top was just slightly too big. I soaked it in hot water and dried it in the dryer for a few minutes on high heat and it shrunk down to just the right size.  I also supplemented the flattened shoulder pads to restore the 1940s shoulder, and the silhouette looked much better.

Flashback Summer: 1940s red sweater dress set

I made the black hat from a vintage pattern (details and a free pattern coming soon!), and the FANTASTIC black and white pumps were another local antique mall find. I wondered if they were new, they are in such great condition. But then I saw the "Tweedies" label and some other clues that definitely point to the 40s. SO excited to find them!


Outfit Details

sweater set: antique mall
belt: local craft fair
shoes: Antique World Mall
earrings: Reverie Folie
hat: me-made, vintage pattern
lipstick: Kat Von D lip stain, "Outlaw"
brooch: gifted

5 comments

  1. Congrats on everything!!!

    And this outfit is spectacular! That hat is so unique!

    xoxo
    -Janey

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    Replies
    1. Aw, thank you so much Janey! And I actually just posted about the hat and I have the pattern as a free download, wooo!

      You can find it here if you ever start feeling hat-crafty: http://www.flashbacksummer.com/2018/06/free-1940s-crochet-hat-pattern.html

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  2. Congrats! I hope you are enjoying your new home.

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  3. Looks great. Last day of a trip to WY from CA. Our 1st day was to ID & Antique World was our 1st stop. Drooled over the 50s polka dot shoes! You look great.

    ReplyDelete