Have I mentioned that I love vintage, well, everything? Once or twice maybe? It doesn’t stop at old suitcases and all the vintage storage I can find (though, I have an abundance of both of those and yes I liked mid century modern before it was vogue). My all things old obsession doesn’t stop at fashion. I don’t normally buy genuine vintage clothes (it’s out of my price range and we don’t have a lot of good vintage shops here, well not the fashion kind). What I do instead is look for vintage inspired pieces that I can mix with my thrifted accessories (you may have noticed my collection of vintage bags).
This trend may be a personal favorite but I’m seeing a lot of throw backs this season (what goes around comes around, eh?): the swing dress a la ’20s flappers, the shift dress of the ’60s, and the big floral prints of the ’50s. Not to mention the Audrey Hepburn cat eye and Jackie ‘O sunnies trends which will never go out of style. Are you seeing the mid century trend there too? I don’t think it’s a coincidence that mid century fashion is making a comeback amid a huge surge in the decor.
Today, I’m going to give you a peek at how I’m mixing two of my favorite fashion elements: floral and midcentury vintage.
50s Housewife with a Twist:
Nothing says vintage like a rosebud pattern reminiscent of your grandma’s signature dress. I’m loving this one because it reminds me of tea time and Jane Cleaver (minus the strict gender roles, I’m not putting on that dress to spend my days elbow deep in dishes and diapers but I may don it with a full apron to prepare dinner for a houseful). I paired this with a vintage metal purse (who knew that was a thing???) and added a modern kick with my red peep toes. I finished it off with a headband, hair flip, and those gorgeous Kate Spade glasses a la Audrey Hepburn.
Flirty Feminine Flare:
This green dress features a smaller floral pattern amidst larger blooms, which is not as common this season. However, I like the soft paisley mixed with the sweet flutter of this dress. And, check out the drape of the back with the elegant tie back.
I’ll be honest, the first time I put this dress on I thought the tie went in the front, I almost marked it as return to sender (no wonder, of course I didn’t like it I was wearing it backwards). Once I rectified that mistake, it was love. I paired it with these beige sandal Mary Janes and finished it off with a glittery headband.
How to stay on trend vintage style this season: choose flowy dresses with soft blooms scattered across the fabric. Bold florals are in but you can also make a statement with your grandmother’s rosebud print or a little bit of tastefully sprinkled floral. Vintage is all about the waistline (dropped), sleeves (the ones on this white and pink rose dress hit the mark slightly above elbow length), and full skirts that give a good twirl. Tea length dresses are reminiscent of 50s tea parties and nightly cocktail hour at the Jones’s.
However you do it, vintage is always in style and the cool thing about it, is that the definition is always changing…does that mean someday yoga pants and a Graphic Tee will be vintage chic? A girl can dream.
White Rosebud Dress: c/o Gozon
Red Sandals: Earth
Sunnies: Kate Spade
Bag: vintage find
Green Floral Dress: the Loft (unavailable)
Beige Mary Janes: Dansko
