Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

Flashback Summer: Sunshine on a Cloudy Day - 1930s 1940s Autumn fashion

The 1940s was brilliant in its accessorizing.  Due to World War II and the necessity of "make do and mend," women came up with countless ways to accessorize plain dresses for new looks.  I took a page out of their book for this outfit and re-styled a black dress I've already blogged about.  I wanted to make it look dramatically different, and I think I succeeded!


Flashback Summer: Sunshine on a Cloudy Day - 1930s 1940s Autumn fashion

Flashback Summer: Sunshine on a Cloudy Day - 1930s 1940s Autumn fashion

Flashback Summer: Sunshine on a Cloudy Day - 1930s 1940s Autumn fashion

I have a 1930s pattern with a feature along the neckline that allows you to button on a separate triangle of cloth on the bodice and tie the ends around the back to make the dress more versatile.  I decided to try something similar on this dress and used a large square scarf folded in half.  I safety pinned it along the neckline and tied the ends behind my back.  While having a definite boob-flattening effect, it made the dress look totally different!  Then, to keep the scarf from looking like a random addition, I put a detachable collar over it.  


Flashback Summer: Sunshine on a Cloudy Day - 1930s 1940s Autumn fashion

Flashback Summer: Sunshine on a Cloudy Day - 1930s 1940s Autumn fashion

Flashback Summer: Sunshine on a Cloudy Day - 1930s 1940s Autumn fashion

I also recently traded some of my clothing in to a vintage shop, and while I'm not particularly fond of the later 60s-90s vintage it tends to carry, I was fond of this hat I discovered!  The black velvet is great for winter, but the yellow flower-ish trim makes it cheerful for gloomy days.


Flashback Summer: Sunshine on a Cloudy Day - 1930s 1940s Autumn fashion

Flashback Summer: Sunshine on a Cloudy Day - 1930s 1940s Autumn fashion

The scarf and the hat, along with the yellow jewelry I'm wearing… is nearly all the yellow I own. I have a summer suit with yellow stripes on it, but besides that… this is it!  I like yellow, but not in huge amounts.  I reserve it for accessorizing, like in this outfit.

Outfit details
dress & stockings: FB swapping page
shoes: bought from a friend
jewelry & collar: gifted
scarf: thrifted
hat: Decades Boutique (Springfield, MO)

20 comments

  1. I love this! What a great way (and simple too!) to refashion a dress. Lovely pictures too. All our leaves are gone and things are looking brown and dreary. Yep, must be November!
    -Emily

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    1. It's just now starting to feel sort of chilly here, which is crazy! I'm hoping it'll stay cold so the leaves will look better!

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  2. This is awesome! I love this look and how you made a simple dress into a totally new look! I'm definitely going to try that scarf trick! And the collar totally pulls everything together! Bravo!! Love this post!
    xoxo Kelsey
    Rear Window Vintage

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    1. I'm glad you like it! If you try it, I'd love to see a picture!

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  3. Really creative, terrific idea! On a very pragmatic level, I love that using a scarf like that could be just the thing to hide a stained garment that might otherwise be put out of commission. Thank you for this great idea - and may I just add, your hat is show-stoppingly stunning!

    ♥ Jessica

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    1. That is so true! And even cutting a triangle piece of fabric and sewing it onto such a garment would be an easy, permanent fix. Great idea!

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  4. What a wonderfully unique way to change up the look of a dress. I love the combination of the yellow and black. It looks so cheerful!

    Blessings,

    Brigid
    the Middle Sister and Singer

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  5. This is so awesome! I remember reading in one of the 1930s-1940s Sears Catalog books there was an advertisement for add ons. The catalog models were showing the different ways to ware a scarf and one of the options was just like your outfit, without the collar. The collar is a great touch and absolutely makes the scarf look like it was made onto the dress.

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    1. Oooo, that's awesome! I thought I had seen it somewhere other than my 1930s pattern, but I couldn't remember where... so it's good to know I'm not crazy!

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  6. Oh how adorable do you look?! And how funny with the using your scarf to modify your dress. I have a post on various ways to use a scarf in the pipeline, and that was one of the ways : D

    I love love loveeee that hat, it's super pretty!

    Carla, Tiny Angry Crafts

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  7. Perfect splash of colour. Love the hat!

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  8. What a lovely outfit! I love the pops of yellow that so liven up the outfit!

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  9. Such a great idea! The lovely scarf really does make a pretty top and scarves are so easy to come by, you could make so many variations on this outfit. I have a 1940's knitting pattern which uses a similar idea, you knit a separate feature panel to button on to a plain jumper.

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  10. So creative! I love all the cheery yellow xx

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  11. Love this, the black and yellow co!ntrast so nicely. Will have to give this a go, but need a LBD and more scarves!

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  12. Oh what fun is this outfit and I am literally drooling over your hat! It is magnificent!! The yellow accents are perfection! I LOVE yellow and black together...Your addition of the scarf to your black dress is genius! Those ladies back then sure knew what they were doing!! So very well done!
    Blessings!
    Gina

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  13. Clever! A great way to dress up a plain dress.

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  14. That is a very clever idea! And I'm still very convinced that the hat trim is meant to be wattle blossom. The leaves are even the right shape. It's a common plant around here and I've used some artificial wattle on hats before for a local look :)

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  15. What a fantastic make do and mend refashion! You look so stunning in this outfit and your hat! I am dying! I adore the wide brim and shallow crown combination. It's heavenly! I must say, I don't have much yellow in my wardrobe either; it's not really my color so I keep it for accents only. :) ❤

    xox,
    bonita of Lavender & Twill

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  16. You are so creative!! I feel like I need to pick up a book on make do and mend now! They had a great WWII fashion exhibition that I went to but I failed to get the accompanying book - kicking myself now!! I love the idea of adding a scarf to make your outfit pop - how brilliant! I also love that hat - you know I love hats!! I am massively jealous of your find - it is truly stunning!

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