Verity Vintage Studio

Mini Makeover: Decorating a Thrifted Blouse 1950s Style

Today's post is the last one of the photos I took while on vacation in Oregon in August. It's hardly worth calling a makeover, but I decided to go ahead and share the process even though it's a simple one, in case you need some easy inspiration for how to make a modern wardrobe more authentic.

 

It started with this striped cotton blouse that I found at the thrift store. It's a nice fabric and perfect for everyday. Also it had some cute details! But it looked too shirt-like for me, so I decided to dress it up.

 

It had a classic collar and yoke, both common elements in vintage styles, and while most vintage blouses are darted or tucked to be more fitted at the waist, the tuck-in style does exist. Also the cuffs were already cute!

 

So I took advantage of the double top stitching lines and made them more noticeable with some hand work. Just 2 colors of embroidery floss - running stitch around cuffs and collar edge, and some little bound bows on each pocket and sleeve. 

 

To make the bows, I just stitched long straight stitches back and forth, then bound it around the center with a contrast color. 

 

Just for fun, I reversed the colors for one bow only. This was inspired by all the quirky random novelty sweaters I saw on Pinterest.  But of course you could make them all match, or go with another style of embroidery entirely. There were so many possible options!

 

I also did a running stitch on the back yoke, to make the yoke more noticeable. 

 

I wore it the morning we did our train ride, and the train made such a lovely backdrop! I wish I had an old train car like this close by for photo shoots, but we can't have everything. :-) 

It's a nice casual 1940s or 1950s style that can easily cross back to modern if desired. Here I paired it with a skirt I made a while ago from a 1940s pattern, and of course my favorite white casual shoes from Rocket Originals. 

 

It's amazing how much more feminine the blouse is now with just the simple addition of some easy freehand embroidery. Someday I'd like to do something more elaborate, but for now this works just fine.

Though I remember now I had also intended to swap out the buttons for something nicer and totally forgot! But that's another great way to change a garment's style or make it more feminine, as well. 

 

So if you are looking for a cost-effective way to add more vintage to your closet, keep an eye out for classic styles at the thrift store - and add some little touches yourself. It's a great way to build your vintage wardrobe, make it entirely unique, and budget friendly too!

Why I Love Thrift Stores - Dramatic Sweater Coat

The countryside where I live is greening up and filled with birdsong. But just an hour or so up in the mountains, there is still several feet of snow on the ground. It made a good backdrop for an outerwear photo shoot, so I have one last wintery post for the year.

 

Last fall I was on a thrift store run to the city a few hours away, and was just about to check out with a few things for the children when I spotted this sweater. It was dramatic and unusual - but it also reminded me very much of fashion ads from the 1930s. 

 

If it were worn with jeans, boots, and a modern shirt, you probably wouldn't notice the vintage style possibilities. But with a different outfit and accessories, it has a totally different feel. I paired it here with a late 1930s rayon dress I made.

 

The disappearing geometric lines and two-color play were both very popular in the 1930s. Just a quick look at black and white ads for 1930s coats and swagger coats show similar styles.

(It may have been called my "piano key" sweater by one person... :-) 

 

The sun on the snow made for less than perfect pictures, but hopefully you can see there are possibilities of keeping your eye out for vintage elements in modern garments. Sometimes it's something so classic that it hasn't changed much in style in all those years, like my brown wool jacket. Other times, you might be able to do a bit of alterations or add some details to take a piece from modern to vintage appropriate, like my swagger coat redo. 

Dramatic vintage gauntlets are just the thing to pair with a dramatic sweater like this.

 

Or it might be something more flamboyant and unusual, like this one. If you familiarize yourself with style lines and fashion ads from the eras you like, you'll find your eye trained to spot similar things when you are shopping. It's a great way to add to your vintage style closet without the expense and extra care of true vintage clothes.

 

 

Why I Love Thrift Stores - Bubblegum Coat

This past month I haven't had much to share, since my projects were all quilt tops (still in progress) or mending/alterations (like repairing this wool coat). I am now back to sewing garments, and next week I plan to show you my Valentine's dress! But today I wanted to show you another example of how you can buy something modern that still fits with a vintage style.

 

This hot pink coat that I thrifted years ago for $1 or $2 is not a color I normally wear, but it's stayed in my closet for several reasons. One is all those cute details!

 

The other is, it's a perfect in-between weight for weather that's too warm for a heavy wool coat, and too cold for just a sweater. Early spring here in Idaho is exactly that, just now.

 

This is not a vintage coat, but it has a classic style that fits many decades. Its color and the fun lining give it a bit of a mod 1960s feel, which went well with this dress I made last winter (1950s pattern but 1960s fabric - now with properly fitting darts!)

 

There was a hole on one pocket, so I kept with the lighthearted theme and covered it with a little crocheted bow. 

 

I love the giant pockets, decorative belt, unusual seaming, back yoke, and the waffle weave of the cotton fabric. It's very springish and transitional, just like the weather.

 

Anyway, this just goes to show you I am not always period correct. Some days it's fun to just aim at a general theme (one reason why it's nice to have a fairly consistent style overall) and not worry if you're mixing 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s with a dash of modern thrown in.

 

DIY Vintage Fashion - Thrifted Sweater Made 1950s

I beaded this sweater more than a year ago, and only now finally got around to taking photos of it! But I was more than happy with the way it turned out. 

 

What do you do when true vintage is too expensive, too hard to find in your size, or too fragile? Why, buy a modern piece and make it vintage appropriate! A few months ago I showed you how I took a modern sweater coat with some interesting elements and gave it more of a 1930s swagger coat makeover. This one is much less involved and even more period accurate, since sweaters in classic shapes really never go out of style and are still easy to find.

When I found this cardigan at a thrift store, I loved the color, and the lightweight 3/4 sleeve style is one I wear a lot in the winter. But it was very plain. So I decided it would be a perfect canvas to try a bit of beading and embroidery on. It languished for a while before I got the impetus to go ahead, but once I did, it went quite rapidly.

 

I looked up ideas on Pinterest first, of vintage 1950s sweaters or sweater ads. Once I found one I liked, I based my sweater beading on it, though I did end up doing some things differently - but it gave me a starting place. Honestly, with something like this, it's hard to go wrong - so many options would look great on it, and you can settle for a little bit of trim, or a lot. 

 

I chose to just decorate the neckline, but lots of cardigans were also decorated down each side of the front opening as well, or an all-over front embroidery, or a fancy deep hem embroidery. Like I said, the possibilities are endless.

 

I used some beads from my stash...3mm glass pearls because they are so classic and add a touch of contrast, and some deep purple iridescent seed beads, as well as using embroidery floss for the flowers on the front. I used a beading needle that would easily go through the hole in those tiny beads. I did not draw out the pattern, but you easily could if you want a more perfect pattern than just estimating by eye gives.

It's a bit different to embroider on a stretchy knit, but you just have to handle it carefully and try not to either pull threads too tightly or stretch it out as you bead. 

 

I was in a bit of a hurry to finish it, so I only made the deeper decoration on the front instead of extending it all around the neckline, but it still looks fine, though of course it would make more of a statement if the yoke decoration were wider. I can easily see how another repeat of the pattern as well would be quite stunning.

 

Sweaters were worn both for casual and dress in the 1950s, just like today. They could be worn belted or not - belts are quite handy to make a slightly too big sweater fit you at the waist, as well as a fashion statement. Often they were sold as matching sweater sets, but not always. They were also often worn with a turtleneck underneath, which is how I styled it here for a more casual look. 

 

I left the sweater buttons in place, but I could replace them with something else (pearl ones for instance) if I wanted to dress it up even more with a minimum of effort.

 

If you want to give this a try, find a simple, unadorned, classic cardigan with a thinner yarn rather than a chunky knit, preferably hip length and fitted at the waist (or you can wear a belt). Look up ideas, and go for it! Paired with a pencil skirt or a circle skirt and the right accessories, it can look completely suitable and accurate.

 

It makes a plain cardigan instantly classy, personalized, and feminine, and takes it from boring to special. It takes very little money (if you thrift, or use one you already have), and only a little time. All the charm of the vintage, with the easy care and fit of the modern.

And there are so many ideas of decorative combinations to try! I think more of these are in my future... 

Project Journal: Thrifted Sweater Coat Made 1930s

Something a little different this week! As the weather has turned chilly again, I've rediscovered how much I like sweater coats. They are less formal than jackets, longer and more versatile than regular sweaters, and especially nice for long car rides since they provide warmth for going in and out of the car, without the excessive heat and bulk of a long wool coat during the ride. 

I already own one and was happy to pick up two new ones recently. One was this lovely cream colored one, with quite a bit of cute detail. I especially liked the thin cotton yarn used (not a fan of acrylic if I can get cotton!) and the nubby texture, while the neutral color will go with anything!

 

I definitely saw possibilities in it, but it had some modern elements I didn't like so much - especially those huge, decorative shiny plastic buttons, and a random modern buckle on the neck.

 

I did some research, looking at 1930s swagger coats for inspiration of ways I could make this more me - more suitable for a vintage style wardrobe. After deciding on the route I wanted to take, I got started.

 

First off, those shiny plastic buttons and the buckle were removed.

 

Under each one was a small hole, probably put there by the factory to mark the button placement. I could have covered it by replacing with a vintage button, but I had a different idea. So each hole got a quick darn to close it. Thanks to the nubby texture of the knit, it camouflaged the darn pretty well.

 

Next, I tightened the back belt by folding a pinch of it and inserting through a vintage belt buckle. A common 1930s fashion element was a buckle in the back - and besides, it was a great way to tighten the belt without having to take out the side seams and cut the belt shorter. Instead of sewing it in place, I did use a safety pin to allow for versatility. This way I can swap out buckles when I want to. 

 

The sleeves got a quick hem since they had been too long when I tried it on. Just an inch turn-up made the fit much better.

 

I just love the slanted lines on the front - another perfect fit for the 1930s look I'm going for.

 

I had put some thought into the neck. Because the 1930s were big on collars and sleeves, often swagger coats had some sort of fancy element there. Since I was working with an existing sweater, I tried to think of a way to dress up the neck/shoulder area. I got inspiration from a photo, and purchased a Pashmina scarf for a few dollars online.

It was supposed to be ivory, but it is still much whiter than the sweater. Oh well, that way it will just coordinate with more colors. It's still all neutral.

 

I cut the scarf in half across the center of the width, and pleated it closely together, fastening the cut end of each half on the shoulder where it would be covered with the decorative tab already there.

 

The last step was to replace a button back on each tab - only a pretty vintage one this time!

 

While the finished sweater coat may not look completely 1930s, it's much closer than the more modern one it was originally. Therefore much more my style, and goes with my wardrobe better.

 

The scarf coming from each shoulder creates some versatility with ways to wear it, too. 

 

 

I paired it with a 1930s dress I made a long time ago that has issues, but is still a favorite, especially of my early projects. Also true vintage accessories in chocolate brown and burgundy.

 

(I hope these lovely autumn leaves last long enough for me to get a few more outfit photo shoots done! I love this time of year, yet I think we will get an early winter this year...so fall is not lasting very long, sadly.)

 

It only took a half hour to make this into a version I like - so much faster than making a new one! Just another reason to keep your eye open when thrifting for those classic styles (or vintage style elements) that give you something to work with. Think creatively, and it opens a lot of possibilities.

 

After all...you can't beat a 99 cent, half-hour swagger coat added to your fall wardrobe!

Why I Like Thrift Stores - the Red Scottie Sweater

I have a few end-of-summer sewing projects that still need photographed before I can show them to you. Meanwhile, here's a fun early-autumn themed casual 1940s sweater outfit that I put together thanks to finding this adorable sweater at a thrift store a while ago. I had to wait until the weather cooled down before I could wear it, but right now is perfect short sleeved sweater weather.

 

I don't think it's actually vintage, but certainly works and could be a reproduction if it isn't. A nice cherry red cotton yarn, with an all-over lace knit pattern that has a solid yoke where the cutest little scotties line up in a row all the way around, sleeves and all! 

 

The scotties are even done in black chenille yarn so they are raised a bit and a little fuzzier than the rest of the sweater. They have black bead eyes, and there is only one not in black, sporting a little plaid bow tie. The whole thing reminded me instantly of novelty sweaters from the 1930s-1950s, and I had to bring it home.

Of course, the fact that it was only 99 cents didn't hurt. :-)

 

It's a relaxed fit so it can be worn as a looser sweater style, or belted as I did here. You will see both options throughout the 3 decades I mentioned earlier.

 

It kinda looks like it could be a holiday sweater, and paired with a green skirt it would be perfect for Christmas, but since it's not specifically a holiday garment, I decided to make it fall-ish, and paired it with an autumn-hued plaid 1940s skirt, and a few simple accessories to bring together the high-school-or-college-age look that I felt went with the sweater style.

I also got a badly needed haircut recently. The past month or so I've been using hair nets almost every day because most brush-outs were unmanageable. Now I have to re-learn how to shampoo and style a shorter, more layered cut - so I'm still experimenting to find the perfect combo.

I'm sure this sweater will get a lot of wear in both fall and winter, and it will be fun to dress it up Christmassy during the holidays, but these scotties are too cute to save for just December!

Working Wear

This week's fashion post is a little different. Several of you readers have expressed interest in the past about what I actually wear for everyday, with its demands of comfort for working and range of motion.

While I do wear my house dresses for everyday (this one is still a favorite, and this one and this one were in constant rotation when they still fit me),  I often resort to skirts and blouses for everyday and save the more elaborate vintage outfits for Sundays and dressier occasions. I have a few favorite comfortable me-made cotton blouses that I wear, but especially for chilly weather, I prefer to layer thrifted knit pieces. 3/4 sleeves sweaters are a favorite.

 

Here's an example of a real life everyday outfit that is perfectly comfortable and practical. I didn't make a single thing I'm wearing and all of it is modern - but it still works well with my vintage aesthetic.

The sweater is sailor style and a classic shape that works well for 1940s, which is the overall look of the outfit. 

 

The just-past-the-knee pleated plaid skirt is another classic. Of course it's a poly knit so it's not costume accurate, but it fits well with my general style and can take a lot of wear and tear. For everyday I don't usually try to look picture-perfect from any particular decade, but I might have a general theme.

 

I picked up the nautical theme by accenting with blue and red vintage button jewelry from Timeless Trinkets. Scarves also work well with a sweater and sleeveless top like this and add a bit more warmth if needed.

 

I rarely wear shoes in the house, but if I do, my Remix 1940s repro wedges are perfect for everyday wear, being comfortable and yet display that fabulous vintage detail that makes my heart happy.

 

In this outfit I am perfectly comfortable to do my normal daily routine, plus it's easy to nurse in and I don't have to worry about especially being careful with it. Yet at the same time, it's nice enough to wear out of the house if necessary, and remains true to my style.

After all, one reason I love vintage fashion is because it's practical and feminine and versatile all at the same time. Busy moms can dress nicely in real life now as well as then. :-)

Why I Love Thrift Stores - the Brown 1930s Style Jacket

This jacket has long been a favorite of mine for fall and winter. I picked it up years ago at a thrift store for a few dollars, but honestly, I've had it so long I've forgotten where I got it. But this year when I pulled it out, I took a closer look and realized it's actually so close to 1930s styling!

 

The material is a brown tweed with tiny blue and red flecks in it. It has a vent pleat at the back, top stitched, notched collar and pockets in the front, and marcasite lookalike buttons. All perfect 1930s elements!

 

It hits just past the hips with rounded lapels - again, the right length for the decade. 

 

I paired it with my favorite rayon 1930s skirt (which gets a ton of wear since it fits me again!), brown and white spectator Peggy pumps, and vintage 1930s hat. I wasn't sure how to fill the neckline since I didn't have an undershirt of the right style, so I borrowed an idea from the vintage styling of the period and used a crossed scarf.

 

So while this jacket is modern, the tweed fabric, styling, and buttons all combine to make it an ideal addition to my 1930s wardrobe. I wonder if the designer was inspired by 1930s fashion, or if it was a lucky accident?

Either way, it's a great reminder that if you like vintage fashion, you can find modern-made items that are just the right style, if you look at them with new eyes while shopping - or as in my case, after years in your closet! :-)

Red 1940s Style Sweater Refashion

Last winter I kept wishing I had a nice red sweater to wear - it would have coordinated with so many outfits. This summer I picked one up at an online thrift store. I chose it because it was cotton, hip length, and had such classic styling. The all-over cabling, high waist and cuff ribbing, and general shape were 1940s style to my eyes.

There was only one problem - the giant plastic faux-shell buttons!

 

The buttons were way too modern. So I went on a hunt through my button stash and found these vintage jacket buttons I'd picked up at an antique store ages ago. Just the right size and just exactly enough!

 

Swapping buttons is perhaps the easiest refashion ever. Yet it really does make a big difference, despite how easy and basic it is.

 

And within a half hour, with very little expense and effort, I have a much more period correct sweater! 

(It goes really well with my plaid 1940s skirt!)

 

It's super thick and warm, which is ok by me since mountain winters in a house with one wood stove for heat can make for chilly days during the coldest times.

 

I like it a lot better now and am much more likely to wear it. A classic sweater in cherry red is extremely wearable, and a staple in a vintage wardrobe. Plus I get to air these fabulous vintage buttons and do a bit of stash-busting at the same time!

 

Funny that something as simple as buttons can make such a big difference. And it's so little effort - I just had to take the time to sit down and do it. Makes me wonder how many other such modern-made pieces in my wardrobe could be improved!

What do you think? Does it look accurate?

Why I Like Thrift Stores - 1950s Style Jacket

I've had this jacket for a while, and it always gets worn especially in the fall. It had been too big, but now fits me again so I was happy to pull it out and make use of it this autumn. 

 

It looks very 1950s with the front vents, fitted darts, notched collar, and button tabs - all vintage elements common to jackets.

It's also a lovely deep red with darker lines, which I find matches a lot of things in my closet - another bonus.

 

However this time I was making it a little more late '40s by pairing it with my Mexican style tiered skirt (also a thrift store find). 2 piece outfits are often matching, but I looked on pattern illustrations from the era and found that a lot of them showed a coordinating jacket and skirt look, so I didn't hesitate. I think it's interesting how the skirt is dressed up when paired with a jacket instead of peasant blouse.

 

I kept with the late '40s theme also with a low-in-front hairstyle and a high-in-front hat, and some Miss L Fire shoes I found on eBay. They are called classic 1940s, but I find more in common with the post-war years when I compare them with vintage shoe ads. The colors and style go with the skirt very well.

 

So nothing except the hat and gloves are true vintage, with this outfit, and nothing is homemade - unusual for me! But it goes to show how that certain modern pieces can look period correct when they are paired and accessorized correctly.

 

Also the brooch is vintage, which adds a bit of sparkle and ties the black together.

 

I find an outfit like this nice to throw together when traveling because it is comfortable, doesn't wrinkle with a little crushing or require a lot of accessories, like a belt, which if you forget to pack can ruin your outfit. Plus it's versatile. I need more versatile in my wardrobe!

 

So there's a modern-goes-vintage autumn look to keep me happy until I get back to sewing some of the more exciting things on my list!