Well folks, I thought I was back when I last posted a few weeks ago. Turns out, my brother wasn’t quite out of the woods like we’d hoped and my family and I made the long trek back to Kansas to visit him for the Christmas holiday. Needless to say, this doesn’t lend itself well to blogging!
We drove back the day after Christmas in a terrible snowstorm. This was very interesting as I’d only ever driven on icy roads once before, and my husband, never. We learned that slow and steady wins the race and thankfully made it home safe and sound, though a little shaken by the experience. We got the much wished for snow, and here is what the house looks like now:
My first time shoveling snow!
Picturesque, no? In this picture I’m wearing my 1940s jeans and the cool red field jacket I thrifted recently. Does anyone else struggle with dressing vintage in the winter? I think coming from Florida spoiled me; most of my vintage items are for fair weather and I’m looking more and more towards sewing warm separates in the coming year.
With weather like this, I think I’d love to make a cool vintage ski/snowsuit like the one recently featured on the Unsung Sewing Patterns blog.
Fashionable AND warm?! Sign me up please! Unfortunately there’s a dearth of children’s ski suit sewing patterns from this era available but the women’s ones seem harder to find. I think this would look great in a hunter green wool like the image on the right. I also think it would be nice in a chocolate brown colorway.
Fellow vintage gals, how do YOU dress for cold weather? Or do you, like me, sort of slack in the vintage department when the weather is chilly?
Until next time, whenever that may be,
Eileen
I love that pattern! I wish I was a better sewer (or rather, that sewing didn’t frustrate me so much that I get hives thinking about it). As for cold weather vintage, I’ve been layering a lot under my separates–wool skirts, long sleeve lightweight sweater-shirts with a cardigan plus a layer underneath everything (I find camisoles/tank tops to be particularly useful), heavy cotton tights, wellies, wool socks over the cotton tights with the wellies, etc. My big challenge this winter is that I’m pregnant (this is my first pregnancy since I started dressing vintage) and I’m struggling to keep my style while keeping warm. Most of my fitted/cropped items don’t look right at the moment, and my maternity wear from previous pregnancies is a little tough to vintage-ify (is that a word??) I’ve also been freezing this pregnancy and don’t have enough heavy-weight cardigans, and almost nothing heavy-weight in vintage cut. I just bought some yarn on sale to start knitting again!
They do say that the key to warmth is layers! I think I’ll declare 2013 my year of separates as I have the bad habit of making cute dresses and not enough practical wear. Sounds like you have a double whammy though, what with expecting a child. How exciting and congrats to you!
I love knitting and I’m so glad that you’ll be able to make some items to help you out. I seem to be very cold lately but then again, we’re living in a drafty 1929 bungalow with fuel oil for heat!
You house is simply adorable!!
And that pattern is fantastic! I would love to see it made!
xoxo
-Janey
Thank you! It’s definitely our dream house. I’m planning to post soon on how we’ve decorated it since the pictures I originally posted were those of the sellers! It’s a great little abode. I can hardly believe it’s ours sometimes!
I love the pattern too, I wish I could find it so that I could make it! I think it would be pretty easy to tweak a forties blouse and pant to get this look though.
In the summer I dream about wearing cute knee or thigh high stockings with lovely wool skirts. But then the first freezing rain/snow storm of the winter blows in and I throw those delusions right out the window and pile on as many layers of long sleeve t-shirts and hoodie sweat shirts as I can manage. And not much looks cute with the footwear of the winter covered north. In fact, I am happy to trudge around looking like the abominable snow man as long as I am warm!
Hi Eileen…i can check at garage sales for patterns this summer…what size are you…there are almost always vintage patterns at these yard sales…and yes, winter patterns too…just let me know
That would be amazing! Thank you so much! I’ll be doing the same. I’m not picky about sizes either, I know how to size a pattern up or down but my ideal range is in between 32-38 bust size.