Sunday, December 13, 2009

Vintage View #8

She's Pulling Out all the Props

a vintage dress calls for a vintage suitcase of course

-Don't you guys walk around your house carrying luggage too??
(yeah, didn't think so!)
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Ok, ok...onward w/this post:
If only there was some way to get rid of the horrible "scratch" factor that ensues when wearing that horrible polyester of yesteryear.   When going this route, I always try to layer up as much as possible so my skin is not irritated by the texture of the garment at hand.
-I went about doing just that with some thick wool tights and a slip.  Yea, no case of the itchies!

So, why am I knocking the dress, but still choosing to wear it, right?

Well, let's see...
-I like the mix of print and color-blocking
-I like the silhouette, especially the A-line skirt
-I LOVE that Black, Brown, and Ivory are combined into one
(sometimes I think I'm the only one that digs black and brown together)
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If one thing this old polyester is good for, it's good for some warmth.  I was out last evening doing holiday shopping in the bitter chill of the Northeast...yet I stayed pretty warm and I have to admit it's because of this dress and my thick tights.

And the whole reason I have this suitcase out, well it's where I store my tights/stockings.  And obviously I'm wearing tights, so it had to come out of it's little holding spot. 
It's a nice item to have on display, while multi-tasking as a clever hiding spot for my hosiery.
Side Note: this suitcase belonged to my grandma.  When my grandpa died a few years after her, we went about sorting his belongings.  As I came across this trunk, I instantly claimed it because there was something about it that could easily transport your imagination into a different time.  I filled it with a few more keepsakes from his house, and that was all I needed to take back in order to keep their memory with me.  I decided to take the suitcase as my carry-on when coming back to NYC from the funeral...clutching it in the airport made me feel like a glamourous traveler on holiday, with her little trunk of essentials.  And something about it, holding it in my hands walking through the airport felt vaguely familiar.  So....is it wierd, pure coincidence, or meant-for-me to own, when my mom told me as a little girl I'd always pull it out of the front corner of grandma's bedroom closet and pretend that I was going on vacation, far away.  Supposedly, I'd walk up and down the wood-floor hallway, swinging it to-and-fro; after hearing that, I'd like to believe it was meant for me all along--but regardless it means way more to me than just being a vintage suitcase, it was my grandmother's. (maybe it's silly, maybe it's just an old piece of luggage, maybe it's of no monitary value...but it's priceless to me)
And quite honestly, the size is soooo small I'm not sure how she could've managed to pack anything in it that would get her by on an overnight...I can safely say if she did use it for travel, I definitely did not inherit her genes for practical packing.

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Wearing:
*Plaid vintage dress-Love Saves The Day (NYC location, now closed)
*Nude patent-leather belt-NY&Co.
*Gray wool tights-H&M
*Brown wedge boots (very beat-up and ready for the trash)-Old Navy
*Vintage suitcase-Grandma's

8 comments:

Kristin said...

I lOVE the story behind you suitcase....it is beautiful! We have a large vintage trunk that belonged to my husband's grandmother in our living . It is my absolute favorite thing....we put all of our sentimentals and keepsakes in it.

That dress looks amazing on you! You're right though...polyester can be a bitch to wear!

alya said...

I also dig brown and black together. Whatever anyone else says.

C said...

Yeah, I love black and brown together too. And I LOVE everything about this outfit. From the perfect vintage heirloom suitcase to the fabulous dress to those awesome boots. So perfect!

Isquisofrenia said...

this outfit is so vintage!!! loves it
i want it. those boots make this outfit so 70ish.

xx!

jane st. clair said...

i love the pattern on the skirt-portion of that dress!

that is a lovely store about your suitcase and your grandparents. i have my grandpa's pocketknife, and it means the world to me.

also, on a lighter note, i also really like brown and black together. i never used to think they worked, but my dear girlfriend opened my eyes to the wonderfulness of the combo, and i haven't looked back.

Second Skin said...

First things first, I LOVE brown and black together and vintage so you really stole my heart with this one (you know that right!) and secondly, I am a fiend for vintage suitcases ESPECIALLY if they belonged to someone you loved!! I have my Grandmas that she had as a girl as well and actually she gave it to my dad when he was a small boy (and he wrote his very first phone number on it!!) so he could use it as he was growing up, then he gave it to me and I took it with me to England after I graduated from high school! and I Am now storing all my photos from my youth in it! We have so much in Common! It freaks me out!

THE DIVINITUS said...

super dress-skirt!

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