Edwardian Jewelry

Edwardian diamond engagement ring in platinum, circa 1920

For many of us, we dabble here and there in Edwardian styles, though many of us probably don't don a corset and walking skirt for our everyday wear.  Edwardian styles, it seems to me, are some of those that are gorgeous to drool over in pictures, but it's a bit fussy to work into everyday life.

However, Edwardian jewelry is an easy way to add the beautiful delicacy of that era into a modern-vintage wardrobe!  The beautiful pieces from this period are timelessly beautiful, so they fit with any era you may be particularly fond of.  For this post I'm using examples of jewelry from vintagediamondring.com, so if there's anything you REALLY love... it's not a museum piece; it's actually possible to add to your wardrobe!

The Edwardian era is named for King Edward of Britain.  His reign began in 1901, and this is considered the beginning of the Edwardian period, with dates ranging from 1914-1920 being considered the end of the period.

Edwardian sapphire and diamond ring set in platinum, circa 1920s

During this time, the aesthetics and morals of the Victorian era were beginning to encounter the progress and change brought about in the early 20th century.  New inventions were changing the world, and there was hope in the air.  Victorian femininity and decorum were still important, and this was reflected in the jewelry.  Many jewelry pieces retained this Victorian sophistication and mixed it with classic motifs from Roman, Greek, French Baroque, and Napoleonic influences that were popular at the time.

Antique filigree diamond brooch, circa 1920s

Classiness and sophistication were the order of the day, so you'll find a lot of Edwardian pieces that feature diamonds and pearls, prized for their beautiful simplicity.  Platinum was also introduced into jewelry at this time.  Being lightweight but strong, jewelers were able to make low-profile, minimal settings that allowed the gems themselves to shine.  White on white or monochromatic combinations were popular.

Scrolls, wreaths, ribbons, and flower garlands in flowing arrangements are common in Edwardian jewelry, too.  Oftentimes there's an overall dainty feeling in Edwardian pieces, sometimes achieved through filigree or other delicate work.

Edwardian pearl and diamond ring in platinum

Do you own any Edwardian jewelry?  What do you think of it?  Do you like the delicate details, or does it seem a bit fussy for your liking?

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1940s-Arabesque: Advance 4676

I don't particularly like making muslins of patterns, as is probably the case with most sewists.  If I have a pretty good feeling about a pattern, I'll make a wearable muslin instead.  I make it out of fabric that is nice enough to be a finished garment if it works out, but not so nice that I'll be upset if I kill it. This blouse is one of those wearable muslins!

Below is the pattern I used, Advance 4676 from the 1940s.  I fell in love with the gorgeous 3/4 length sleeves, but I don't particularly like the skirt (pleats are too much work to re-iron).  I decided to turn the bodice into a blouse by extending it and making it longer on the bottom, and for the fabric I used leftovers from my husband's robe I made him.  One can never have too many solid colored blouses!

I had some issues in cutting it out, and somehow the fabric slipped and the grain is weird on the back... one shoulder ended up slightly longer than the other... I dunno.... sometimes strange things happen, especially with slickery fabrics like this flannel-backed satin.  I decided to roll with it and fix it along the way.  You know, it's a muslin, haha!  I didn't have extra fabric, so I thought I'd see if I could make it work.  Luckily, it turned out at the end!  

I think next time I'll shorten the sleeves by one or two inches, but besides that, it worked out just fine.  This pattern will graduate on to real fabric soon!

I paired the top with my favorite baggy pants from Zanzibar and a giant waist belt from F21.  The pants can't help but look a bit Middle Eastern because if the similar shape to harem pants, so I rolled with it and made a vaguely Middle Eastern ensemble to go with it.  I used a sheer black scarf to make a 40s style turban and topped it with a brooch.  I love it!  I felt very comfortable in the looser fitting clothing, and adding heels and pops of gold made it feel glamorous at the same time.

Outfit Details

blouse: me-made, Advance 4676 with flannel-back satin fabric

belt: F21

pants: gifted, from Zanzibar

bracelets & brooch: gifted

turban scarf: um.... Egypt?

lip stain: Kat Von D "Outlaw"

shoes: no idea.  Won't even lie.

purse: gifted, from Kenya

Clap for That Wrap: Giant Bow Tutorial

MY, what difficulty I had with this video!  I'm having major troubles with my video editing program, so while this tutorial video is not my best work, it will explain how to tie this awesome bow head wrap!

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below and I'll do my best to answer them.

Would you guys ever try this style?  If you have or you do in the future, I'd love to see it!

And don't forget to use the hashtag #FSwrapclap!  I repost several tagged pictures every Wednesday to share the vintage community's head wrap creativity!

1930s Gray Suit

Oh, this suit.

This &$*!(% suit.

This suit is one of those projects that frustrates to no end before being completed.  It was in time out several times, but now I'm going to leave it as it is and be alright with it!

This suit is a combination of a couple original 1930s patterns.  The blazer is Simplicity 2395 on the right in the picture below, and the skirt is Simplicity 1739 on the left.

I also planned for this suit to be extremely versatile for my wardrobe, so it matches a pair of trousers I made.  Now I can have a skirt suit or a pant suit! 

The frustration with this suit, however, lies mainly in the blazer.  I watched a Craftsy tailoring techniques class and applied what I learned on the blazer.  It feels fantastically structured.  It is lined, underlined, and reinforced by pad stitching and horsehair canvas inside.  However... It just has strange wrinkles everywhere.  I sized down on the pattern, yet it still has a strange fit.  I can't decide if it's a mistake on my part or just how the pattern itself fits.  Early-to-mid 30s suits weren't the nipped-waist fit we have come to expect in a more modern suit fit, so I'm not sure if it's my modern expectations or what.  If you have a theory, I'd love to hear it!

Although the fit is strange, I must take a moment to brag on my button-making victory.  I made matching buttons for the front and decorative ones for the sleeves.  They're self-covered buttons made of O-rings from the hardware store and various mismatched but same-sized old buttons.  I followed this tutorial, and it worked brilliantly!  I love the high-end touch it adds.

I also tried desperately to properly finger wave my hair, but only one side turned out very successfully.  My hair is still just a bit too short and layered to work very well.  However, I shall try again in time, for I do love them!

I paired it with a 1960s (or 70s?) does 30s hat, a 1930s jadeite-colored sweater (my favorite color!), a beaded black purse, and the Dance it Up Heels in dove from Modcloth.  I just got these heels for Christmas, and I rather like them.  The detailing is nice, and they have a generically vintage look that works for my usual 30s-40s looks.   They are spot on in size and fit my size 5 feet well.  I wish they were narrower, but that's a common wish with my unusually narrow feet!

Outfit Details

suit: handmade by me

shoes: Dance it Up Heels in dove

sweater: the 30s and 40s Clothing Exchange (?)

hat: market in St. Louis

purse: gift

Have you any experience with early 1930s suits? I'm not exactly sure on the age of the patterns I used, but I was guessing mid-30s.  What do you guys think?

The Rogers Home: Our Living Room

It's been a while since I posted pictures of my living room, and since that last post, we've moved!  While some pieces of our living room have stayed (like the curtains and my Sudanese sword), we have also updated some things.  We saved up for a new couch, and over the past several months I was gifted a record player and family rocking chair from my mother-in-law.

While you look at these photos, sure, not everything is Pinterest-perfect, but... well, you're lucky you're even seeing it clean, haha!  This is a real, lived-in house!

My house is not a perfect time capsule of vintage home decor, and there are a few reasons for that.  The top one is our young-couple-small-budget, but I like to think that in our small budget world we're capturing the make-do-and-mend spirit of the 30s and 40s.

We live in a rental, so the walls were already painted gray and white when we got there.  We've made use of those colors in our other pieces and worked with the numerous and somewhat randomly placed nails and screws left in our janky house by the previous residents, hence the strangely placed sword.

Although it's not a vintage replica house, there are still lots of vintage touches.  The travel posters on the wall are reproductions of ones from the 1960s. The photo albums are of my grandfather's war experiences in World War 2 and Korea and of our wedding day.

The two military hats are also special.  The olive one is an Army hat from the 1940s, and the navy blue one is the enlisted Air Force hat my husband wore when we got married. To me it signifies the heritage of military life we are going into and to learn from generations past.

There are lots of tidbits here and there from my time in Egypt and Sudan, too.  Obviously, the sword is from Sudan.

Several of the pillows are from Egypt, and the one on the rocking chair is Arabic calligraphy in the shape of a whirling dervish.

Are there any objects you see that you'd especially like to know about?  How have you worked around budget or rental constraints in your own home while still staying true to your individual style?

9 Ways to Style a Kaftan

Today Regina of Australian online boutique Camilla is sharing a post about styling one of my favorite garments: the kaftan/caftan!  The kaftan originates in the Middle East, but its popularity has spread to other cultures and now similar garments are worn all over the world.  They were especially popular in the West in the 10s, 20s and 70s, and here are some tips for working them into your own wardrobe!

There is no other garment on this earth that is as versatile as a kaftan. From early morning errands to a day at the beach; date night, a formal event or a relaxing night at home, the kaftan is there for any occasion. With so many events where the kaftan can be worn, we thought we would come up with a list of different ways you can style a kaftan so your fashion sense can be as versatile as this garment!

Beverly Johnson in Harper's Bazaar, 1975 (source)

1. The effortless morning look
For a day of errands, turn into a street style queen by wearing a long kaftan with a bold print. You can keep the accessories to a minimum here and let the pattern talk. Pair the kaftan with a sandal and look effortless throughout the day.

Moyra Swan in 1969 Vogue UK, Photo by David Bailey (source)

2. Tie it with a belt
When you want to accentuate your waist while wearing a Kaftan, go for a thin belt or a ribbon and highlight the tiniest part of your body. Play around with the belt or ribbon – tie the belt at the back or make a bow at the front with your ribbon for a whimsy touch.

1960, photo by John French (source)

3. Short & casual
Pair a short caftan or tunic with cigarette pants and kitten heels for a modern-gal-on-the-go look.  Wear a turtleneck underneath to winterize it. 

Missoni in Vogue August 1977 (source)

4. Go for the romantic
There is something very romantic about knitwear when it is paired with flowy garments. Next time you want to channel your inner romantic, pair your long flowy kaftan with an Aran jumper or a soft cashmere sweater and cozy up on those chilly summer nights.

Fortuny stenciled silk gauze wrap, c. 1920 (source)

5. Layer it up 

Layer a sheer kaftan over a more fitted piece for an elegant look, especially if you're worried about opaque kaftans adding too much bulk. You can accessorize it for daywear or evening wear just by switching out accessories and shoes! 

Vogue 1978 (source) 

6. Beach day style
The kaftan is perfect for the beach. Pair a short kaftan with short shorts and flats, with a hold-all bag on your shoulder and bold sunglasses you will be armed for a long day at the beach.

Elizabeth Taylor (source)

7. Take it to the ball
Next time you have a formal event, take out your best pair of heels and that shimmering clutch bag; put on your statement necklace and turn your kaftan into a stunning evening gown.  Elizabeth Taylor did it, so it's gotta be a good style choice.

1970s McCall's 2377 (source)

8. Unbuttoned but not undone 
If it is a buttoned up kaftan you are rocking, then leave it unbuttoned and pair it up with shorts, a crop top and espadrilles for a classic beach or summer look. Bonus points for a tassled hood.

Regina Mode, August 1967 (source)

9. Be bold
If you are as bold as a fashion editor when it comes to style, then don't be afraid of glamorous metallics and embellishments.  The kaftan has never been a subtle garment, so feel free to let loose when choosing one!

Author Bio: A fashion afficianado, Regina empowers women through her writing and fashion tips. If she’s not walking her dog, you can catch her surfing the web for what’s new at Camilla. 

Have you ever worn a kaftan?  How would you style one for your own life?

This is a sponsored post.  For more information about my sponsorship practices, check out my policies page.