Style an LRD 3 Ways for 4 Seasons

The Little Red Dress is the sassy sister of the LBD.  It's still versatile and classic, but it's got a little more fire to it!

The Little Red Dress works for so many occasions, and Evelyn of Evelyn Wood Vintage Fashion House is here to demonstrate using a fantastic LRD from her shop.  It's a 1950s style coat-dress, which makes it even more practical!  The key to choosing an LRD that is still versatile is to keep it simple.  Solid color, classic cut, and subtle details keep the dress fairly neutral and leave the color and fabric as the "statement piece" of the outfit.  This allows the dress to be accessorized in lots of ways without looking "busy."

Fall/Spring
Fall and Spring are both "in between" seasons in many parts of the world.  The temperatures are not quite to full winter coat levels, but they're a bit chillier than summer.  A great way to use the Little Red Coat Dress is to wear it over another dress as a top layer with flair!
Pair it with: practical shoes (in case it rains!) - gloves - hat (and secure it with hat pins, should it be windy!) - stockings (to keep your legs warm!)

Winter
This is the season for chilliness, holidays, and hot chocolate!  The Little Red Coat dress is a great frock for cold weather.  Layer stockings and a petticoat underneath for extra warmth and a fur-trimmed cape and gloves to ward off the winter chill.  In the dreary days of winter, red is a welcome pop of color!
Pair it with: more practical shoes (now it might SNOW) - warm hat (or with a hairstyle that can cover the ears) - purse (to keep your hot chocolate money in!)

Summer
For the fun, dog days of summer, an LRD is perfect for going out and about.  Its easy classiness and simplicity are perfect for summer shopping trips, barbecues, and hangouts.
Pair it with: FUN shoes! - flowers, lots  of flower accessories - light gloves (lace, crochet ones are great) - bare legs (because you can!)


And if you aren't as into the coat-dress idea, this is another fantastic LRD from her shop that is now available!  It's just as versatile and great for layering with sweaters in the cooler months while showing off some skin in the summer!


1930s Inspired



The 1930s is one of my favorite eras, especially for pants.  Pants had really just become barely acceptable for women to wear (especially off the beach) in the U.S., and many designers were still modeling pants after skirts, not menswear.  This gave the trousers a loose fit and (by today's standards) a ridiculous long rise.

Lauren over at Wearing History has a fantastic post on an overview of pants history to explain all these things!

Some designers made menswear-inspired trousers for women, but many women just wore men's trousers instead, like the fabulous Marlene Dietrich!


What I love about these 1930s trousers is that they aren't skin tight, they aren't even fitted at all in some cases.  But they're still so dang fabulous.  It's like the 30s were saying, "I don't have to show off every curve I've got to be attractive.  In fact, I'll hide a bunch of them and wear it with so much sass and glamour that it will only make the mystery that much more appealing."  Of course, it doesn't hurt if it's worn with a backless shirt!


So, I decided to take a 1940s trouser pattern I have a tweak it a bit for a looser 1930s style.  The only change I made was to sew the pleats to end right at the waistband instead of lower down like the pattern intended, and I rather like the effect!

I used a 100% cotton, flannel-like fabric, so it feels like pajamas... That I can wear to work!

Sure, pleats at the waist aren't the most ideal thing for accentuating one's shape, but sometimes there's a classic-cool appeal that just can't be denied.  I like these trousers and that's all there is to it!




Outfit details
shirt: F21
necklace: gifted
1930s hat: flea market
sweater: JC Penney?
pants: Simplicity 4362

Also, I am working on another blog anniversary giveaway like the one I did last year!  I'm planning to start it in mid-October.  If you'd like to partner with me to promote your shop/blog/services to my readers, just let me know!  I'd love to work with you!

Cider Days 2014


Flashback Summer: Cider Days 2014, Springfield Missouri, 1940s outfit

Flashback Summer: Cider Days 2014, Springfield Missouri, 1940s outfit

The past weekend Jacob, Dietrich and I stopped by Cider Days, the annual fall festival here in Springfield.  It's always a good time!  There are performers, vendors, artists, and anybody who's anybody at the two-day festival.  We decided to bring our dog, Dietrich, to see how he'd do on the outing with so many other people and dogs, and he did well!  That means he'll get to go on other adventures with us!

(Also, random fact: this is the first vintage dress I ever bought!)

Flashback Summer: Cider Days 2014, Springfield Missouri, 1940s outfit

Flashback Summer: Cider Days 2014, Springfield Missouri

Flashback Summer: Cider Days 2014, Springfield Missouri, vizsla dachshund dog

Flashback Summer: Cider Days 2014, Springfield Missouri, 1940s outfit, vizsla-dachshund

Also, in case you're bummed you didn't get to go to Cider Days, here is a list of all the fall festivals in the Springfield area, with some of my favorites bolded!

September
  • Stockton Black Walnut Festival, September 24-27, 2014
  • Fair Grove Heritage Reunion Festival, September 27-28, 2014
  • Norwood Farmers Day, September 27, 2014
  • Ozarks Model Railroad Association Fest (Springfield), September 27, 2014
  • Hawks Family Corn Maze (Lockwood), September 27-Nov 1, 2014
  • Exeter Cornmaze Craft Fair and Grand Opening, September 27, 2014
  • Pioneer Day (Mountain View, Mo), September 27, 2014
  • Frontier Day (Cassville Area), September 27, 2014
  • Autumn Fest in Mountain Grove, September 27, 2014

October
  • Republic Pumpkin Daze, October 4, 2014
  • Halfway PTA Fall Festival, October 4, 2014
  • Jenkins Fire Department Fish Fry, October 4, 2014
  • Whispering Oaks Vineyard Grape Stomp & Harvest Fest (Seymour), October 4, 2014
  • Southern Stone County Fire District Chili Cook-off (Reeds Spring High School), October 5, 2014
  • Ozark Arts and Craft show In Ozark, October 3-5, 2014
  • Ozark Farm Fest at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, October 3-5, 2014
  • Apple Butter Makin' Days (Mt. Vernon), October 10-12, 2014
  • Hollister Grape and Fall Festival, October 11, 2014
  • Haunting in The Hills (Eminence, Mo), October 11, 2014
  • Urbana Rural Fire Dept Harvest Festival, October 11, 2014
  • Yellville Turkey Trot, October 11-12, 2014
  • Pets and Pumpkins on C-Street (Springfield), October 18, 2014
  • Backroads to Main Street Heritage Festival (Ash Grove), October 18, 2014
  • Warsaw Heritage Days, October 18-19, 2014
  • War Eagle Mill Fall Arts and Craft Show, October 16-19, 2014
  • Mansfield Woods October Colors Festival, October 24-25, 2014
  • Cassville Chili Cook-off, October 25th, 2014 

November
  • Holiday Shoping Expo (Lebanon), November 1, 2014
  • PTA Craft Bazaar at Kickapoo High School (Springfield), November 1, 2014
  • Asbury Methodist Church Fall Festival (Springfield), November 8, 2014
  • Ozark Craft Festival (inside the OC in Ozark) November 21-22, 2014
  • Marshfield's Annual Shop Local Bazaar November 29, 2014

Flashback Summer: Cider Days 2014, Springfield Missouri, 1940s outfit

Flashback Summer: Cider Days 2014, Springfield Missouri, 1940s outfit, vizsla-dachshund

Flashback Summer: Cider Days 2014, Springfield Missouri, Walnut Street Victorian house
Flashback Summer: Cider Days 2014, Springfield Missouri, 1940s vintage outfit



Outfit Details
dress: flea market/boutique
shoes: Target kids
belt and headscarf: flea market
bakelite and earrings: gifted

1940s Trouser Pattern and Midvale Cottage Shop Review

Flashback Summer: 1940s Trouser Pants Pattern, Simplicity 4362

Flashback Summer: 1940s Trouser Pants Pattern, Simplicity 4362
Trousers seem to be the pieces in a vintage wardrobe that constantly elude us vintage wearers.  They're hard to come by (in comparison to, say, dresses), pants are more difficult to fit correctly, and they are expensive in the repro world.  

BUT. I. NEED. PANTS.

I walk to work.  I run up and down the stairs of my office building.  Sometimes my legs are cold.  Sometimes I haven't shaved.  Sometimes I just don't want to wear a skirt.  I need trousers!

Finally, after realize that I have no office-appropriate pants (aka, my two pairs of jeans aren't allowed, except on Fridays), I decided that I had to do something about it.  Repro, like I said, gets expensive (and the sizes don't usually fit me because I'm so short), so I went the me-made route.

I went to a pattern shop on Etsy that I frequent: Midvale Cottage.  I've bought things from the owner, Kathleen, before, and she is great to work with.  (I bought this Vogue robe pattern from her as well!)  Her patterns always arrive in perfectly fitting plastic sleeves which I keep the patterns in while I store them to keep them safe.  Her shop is also beautifully curated with almost 350 patterns in just the 10s-40s and 50s sections right now.  Personally, I'm a sucker for the unique older patterns, and that's just what she's got!

Flashback Summer: Midvale Cottage Etsy Shop

So, I decided on Simplicity 4362 and a couple neutral, yet comfy and wrinkle-resistant fabrics to work with.  (This post will feature the brown fabric; another color will be featured soon.)  Look!  The pattern even has BICYCLE STRAPS!




I love the trousers in this pattern!  They're relatively easy to make up, even with the pocket.  (I had never put in pockets like this, and I got it right!  The instructions were actually clear enough!)  While I did have to struggle a bit on getting the pattern to fit me, that's not the pattern's fault.  Nearly all pants patterns, I'm finding, have to be adjusted to get proportions right.  (There are more pattern details at the bottom, as usual!)

The way the pleats drop below the waist is nice, in my opinion, and helps me not look so bulky around the waist.  (This is my 1940s catalogue pose.)


Flashback Summer: 1940s Trouser Pants Pattern, Simplicity 4362

Flashback Summer: 1940s Trouser Pants Pattern, Simplicity 4362

Flashback Summer: 1940s Trouser Pants Pattern, Simplicity 4362

Here is a summary of the pattern details and things I changed:
Fabric: Cotton with a twinge of polyester, I think.
Pattern: Simplicity 4362
Year: early 1940s
Notions: zipper
How historically accurate is it? Pretty accurate!  I didn't use a metal zipper, and I think the scrap cloth I made the pocket out of may be synthetic.  The shape of the garment itself, though, is totally accurate!
Any tricky parts to the pattern?  Just general fitting, but most pants patterns need that.
Did you change anything?  Yes, I had to shorten the pattern (shocking? No.), and I widened the hips and decreased the rise to have a longer inseam.  It helps me not look as short!
Time to complete: A week (fit issues, mostly.  DEFINITELY make a muslin first.)
First worn: August 28, 2014
Total cost: $14 pattern + $2 shipping + $12 fabric = $28
Notes: Seriously, make a muslin.  Figure out the fit you want first!

Midvale Cottage Etsy Shop is a sponsor of Flashback Summer for the month of September 2014.  I was compensated for this post through the purchase of a sidebar ad, but all thoughts and opinions are my own!

My Vintage-Maldives Fusion Dress, McCall's 5517

Flashback Summer: My Vintage-Maldives Fusion Dress, McCall's 5517

This past summer, my sister got a chance to go to the Maldives, and while she was there, she got me this fabulous fabric!  It's actually a men's garment that is tied around the waist, but, hey, I don't mind.  It won't look mannish when I'm done with it!

It used to look like what the men in this picture are wearing:
Flashback Summer: Maldives Fabric


The only issue, as you can see below, is that the design is not quite straight.  Which was something I had to work around.  And it was tricky.  You can also see that there are many stripes.  Which needed to be lined up.  On crooked printed fabric.  Very tricky, which is why you should more fully appreciate the fact that...
Flashback Summer: My Vintage-Maldives Fusion Dress, McCall's 5517

























... I lined up the stripes on the final garment!
Flashback Summer: My Vintage-Maldives Fusion Dress, McCall's 5517

Flashback Summer: My Vintage-Maldives Fusion Dress, McCall's 5517

(Being "hippy" for my size, I took a risk in putting giant horizontal stripes across the widest part of my bum.  But my thought is: balance out the hips with the shoulders, and the wider the hips look, the smaller the waist looks!  Woo!)

Flashback Summer: My Vintage-Maldives Fusion Dress, McCall's 5517

























It was a lot of mental work to figure it out, but I totally love this dress!  I used a pattern I have tried before, McCall's 5517, but that time I had no idea how to really alter things and it turned out much too small.  (There's no way I could get it over my hips now!)  So this time I took alterations into consideration and also tweaked the design a bit to include an overlapped skirt (I couldn't give up the fringe!) and short sleeves.  I managed to get all the pieces except the back out of the Maldivian fabric, so I just used black cotton on the back.  I also lined it with a satiny black material I had in my stash to make it extra lush and easier to wear day to day, and I added shoulder pads for a bit more shoulder definition that could transition from a 60s to a 40s look more easily, which is how I will style it.

I really love this dress, and I feel like it's a great reflection of who I am!  It's definitely vintage and tailored, but it ties in my love for travel and other cultures by using a foreign, traditional fabric.  

Flashback Summer: My Vintage-Maldives Fusion Dress, McCall's 5517

Flashback Summer: My Vintage-Maldives Fusion Dress, McCall's 5517























Here is a summary of the pattern details and things I changed:
Fabric: I'm not sure.  Maybe some sort of cotton-synthetic blend?
Pattern: McCall's 5517
Year: 1960s
Notions: 2 zippers, shoulder pads
How historically accurate is it? Eh, not so much. I "franken-patterned" (to use Frances' word) everything together and blended decades to get the look I wanted: va-voom, intercultural, 40s!
Any tricky parts to the pattern?  This is a very fitted pattern, so it requires good tailoring skills, especially on the top.  I'm still not quite sure about the fit of the top....
Did you change anything?  Yep, sleeve length, and made a wrap skirt instead of a normal pencil
Time to complete: 4 days (give or take. Cutting and arranging pieces took a LONG time)
First worn: 15 September 2014
Total cost: Everything was from my stash!
Notes: I would recommend staying true to the body measurements recommended on the pattern and assuming you will need to wear a girdle or foundation garment to make the proportions work (or altering the pattern for less "va-voom" proportions); the sleeve shape also doesn't let your arms lift more than halfway, so don't wear it where you'd need to move a lot!

Flashback Summer: My Vintage-Maldives Fusion Dress, Bakelite

Flashback Summer: My Vintage-Maldives Fusion Dress, 1920s art deco purse

And here's a map in case you didn't know, like me, where the Maldives is:   (It's so tiny you can't even see it when zoomed out!)
Flashback Summer: My Vintage-Maldives Fusion Dress, McCall's 5517

Outfit Details:
Dress: handmade by me, McCall's 5517
1930s-40s hat: flea market
shoes: Kmart?
bakelite bangles and earrings: gifted
1920s leather purse: swapped

Photo credit to my sister, Aria, for her awesomeness!

9 Vintage Fit Tips for Petite Ladies

Flashback Summer: 9 Vintage Fit Tips for Petite Ladies




























While I know that this post won't apply to everyone, I do know that there will be some readers that will be spared much anguish by this information!  This post is about a few ways that petite ladies can create vintage looks that fit them well.  (I do know that there aren't just petite ladies, though, so I've included some links to other tricky-to-fit body types at the bottom!)

First, let me talk about what petite means, because it seems that there are a lot of misconceptions.

petite - (noun) a category of clothing sized for women or girls of less than average height and with average or diminutive figures, or women who wear this clothing

So petite is not simply a nicer French word for "short" or "tiny waist."  It actually includes a difference in proportion.  Petite ladies are not only shorter than average, but they tend to have shorter torsos and narrower shoulders as well.  The height isn't just shorter, the proportions are smaller.  This makes finding clothing difficult.

You may be petite if:
- You try on clothing and the bust darts are always too low.
- The shoulder seams on clothing where the sleeves start generally hit below your shoulder, on your arm, or sag.
- The length of garments from your shoulder to your waist are usually too long.
- The widest part of a dress around the hips is at your mid-thigh, not your hips.
- When you try to move bust darts or shorten a dress at the torso, the arm holes mess up your plans.
- Sleeves are often too long for your arms.

As you can see, there are some fit issues encountered by petite ladies that aren't usually considered by others who just tell petite women to "get dresses hemmed" to fit.  Well, it takes more than hemming to get an average sized garment to fit a petite lady!

Here are a few ways to help you petite ladies out there find clothing that fits, or how to make clothing fit!

1.  When buying vintage clothing, always ask for the length of the garment and the shoulder-to-waist length.
The shoulder-to-waist length can help determine how long the bodice is and if it will fit your torso.  If it's too long, the waist of the dress won't hit at your waist and the bust darts will probably be too low.  This will also likely mean the hip of the dress won't hit at the widest point of your hips but rather below.
(Keep in mind, though, that many vintage dresses have a bloused effect, so another good measurement to ask for, if you think this is the case, is the shoulder-to-bust-apex.  Compare it to your measurement there, and this will show if the darts will hit in the right place.)

2. Use vintage patterns with a petite option.
Vintage patterns often have different proportions available in one pattern packet (such as this 1960s pants pattern that came in petite, normal, and tall).  Using petite proportioned patterns can help you get a better fit.

3. Use vintage patterns in general!
Older patterns with smaller bust sizes also tended to become more petite.  Although you may still have to shorten a torso here and there, the shoulders, from my experience, tend to be narrower and have a better fit than modern patterns with the same bust measurement.

4. Find staple pieces in modern stores that have petite sections.
Petite sections are not so common, but there are a few stores that have them, so utilize them for your basics like button downs and pencil skirts.  These trends are classic and still available.  I very highly recommend the petite button down shirts at Banana Republic.  I have two of them (one is styled in this post), and I LOVE THEM.  The shirt fit me perfectly in every way, and they're even made of anti-wrinkle fabric!

5. Buy knits.
Knits are amazing for petite ladies!  Due to the stretchy nature of knits, most are made without darts, so you don't have to worry about them hitting at the wrong place!  Not to mention, vintage knits are often made with negative ease, which makes them smaller than other pieces made of fabric.  This can make them just wearable for a petite lady!

6. Carefully shrink things.
Sometimes all it would take to make a garment fit is a general slight shrinking, much like dragging the corner of an image inward on the computer to make all of it proportionally smaller.  Shrinking can do this!
Many fabrics will shrink if put in hot water or in a warm dryer.  I have done this on a couple sweaters, and also a 1940s sweater dress whose shoulders were a little big for me.  If you want to do this, I would recommend shrinking by keeping it in hot water (or the dryer) for only a few minutes, then taking it out and checking it.  Repeat this process until it is finally down to the size you want.  (But seriously, be careful with this!)  I've also benefitted greatly from others' shrinking disasters!  When they proclaim that they are now selling the dress cheap because it is "child-sized" I jump in there and check it out!

7. Look for eras when your size was average.
For me, this is apparently the late 1800s to 1910s.  I find a LOT of antique clothing that fits me perfectly, and I like to incorporate the pieces when I can (although sometimes it requires certain undergarments to make it work).  I won't lie, it kind of gives me an extra little happiness that after all the frustration of trying to shop in a bigger world, at least these antique fancies that many people want to wear but can't actually fit me for once!

8. Let your favorite shops and vintage sellers know your measurements and that you're willing to buy tiny things.
I've heard from a couple sellers that they're surprised I want a smaller piece.  They've said that they tend to skip over petite pieces they find because they don't think there's a market for it.  Let them know you're here and ready to buy!

9. Don't give up heart!
A lot of people don't understand how truly difficult it can be to find petite-proportioned vintage clothing and not understand "the strugs."  It's okay.  Maybe they'll come around and ask about your journey so they can understand more.  Until then, keep looking for all those "china doll-sized" pieces that you can rock!  (Anyone else hear that all the time?  "You just look like a little doll!!!  You look like a tiny china doll!")

Resources for other tricky-to-fit body types:
General
eShakti Size Offerings (custom available)
Plus Size
Pear Shaped
Large-Busted
Tall