On Pretty Patterned Dresses and Coming of Age

By Lynn, on April 12th, 2012%

I just think girls love clothes. From the time they are old enough to realize what clothes are! Does it mean that they will automatically be prissy girlie-girls? Why, no. I remember when my own little Michaela was about 2, she would only wear cowboy boots on her feet, with whatever she was wearing otherwise. Even to bed.  And she LOVED wearing her brothers’ clothing!  I think the cowboy boots and their clothes made her feel a certain way, and she was too little to even voice it but boy could she show it!  Clothes appeal to us in so many ways!  The fabric — whether its for comfort or show.  There’s even something to be said for longing to just get into your gray sweats and extra large T-shirt.  It’s how clothes make us feel!

I am completely aware that obsessions with clothing can turn into a vanity that we would not want to be consumed with, but aren’t clothes fun! I told you one time that I would share a little history about my clothing “past,” and it really explains more about why I am so fascinated with clothing now! I have always loved clothes. Whenever I say that, it reminds me of my mother telling me a story of myself when I was very young. She was carrying a basket of clean clothes through the house. When she dropped a piece unawares, I said, “Mommy, you dropped a clo.” I think it’s at least sort of cool that I had picked up on grammar enough to realize that if “clothes” was plural, then there must be a singular. To this day, though, I struggle with what that is! Maybe I should pull the dictionary out and settle it once and for all! ;)

So to make a long story short, I was an assistant manager in two different clothing stores in two different malls (in succession — not at the same time) while I paid my way through Peace College.  Yes, I worked a full time schedule and attended college full time.  It was so much fun for my college mates to pop in and shop while I was working!  It was loads of fun to open and check in crates of new merchandise!  Can you just imagine?!  It was fun putting up displays.  It was something I would have done on and on, except that I got married and was soon expecting and I knew a schedule in retail would not be the best for a new family.  Those days were long ago!  But I still love clothes!

As you may already know, I have a collection of old photographs from all over the place.  While the people in these photos are not my biological family, I can hardly bear to walk past certain photos in thrift and antique stores without adopting the people in them!  I mean, where is this once-little-girl’s family?  Why was this donated?  She needs a home!  I adopted her for 25 cents.   Just look at her dress and her shoes.  What I would love to know is what makes up the pattern on her dress.  When I zoom in, the pattern becomes distorted.  Anyone recognize this old fabric or know what that is on the dress?

I won’t bore you with more words today, and I must run out the door soon this morning.  Here are a couple more sweet folks I adopted into my photo family yesterday.

Doesn’t she look happy?

Again, wish I could zoom in and make it crispy-clear, but I don’t have that knowledge or capability at this point.  Wouldn’t you love to know the colors of her clothing?

And this, ahhh this one!  I love it!  She looks radiant!  So excited!  On the back of this picture is written:  senior reception June 1952.  I wish her name had been put on there too.

Now, I promise to share a few more pictures of my mother’s beautiful yard soon, but I don’t have any more ready for uploading at this point.  And today is full of the hope of fun plans and errands, so I must run!  I will leave you with a few pictures of another Leslie Fay vintage, some comfy-cute shoes, and Annie Fatso Beagle of the Universe who loves to find inviting scents in the grass and then roll in them.

Dress, vintage Leslie Fay, thrifted
Knee socks, Rue 21, new
Shoes, X-appeal “Tina”, thrifted

Enjoy this day!

6 comments   Clothing, Fashion, Leslie Fay, rue 21, Thrift and Antique Store Shopping, Vintage Dress Collection

Red Dress on the Balla Rolla!

By Lynn, on April 10th, 2012%

Good morning!  Would you pull up a chair and let’s talk?  I would love that!  I also cherish each comment and every bit of feedback from you all!  And if you do leave a comment or question, be sure and check back — some of the best convos take place right here in the comment section!  ;)


A couple of vintage chairs in my mom’s garden.

Exercisers!  Players!  Kids, young and old!  Continuing on with the theme of what children did as, well, children!  And have girls really changed that much?  I introduce to you the Balla Rolla!  A vintage toy that I picked up on a thrift store outing years ago.  I knew the children (and I) would love it, and so we do!

An exercise and balance toy from the 1950s and 1960s.

The board goes on top of the roller (shown standing on end).

Just step aboard and balance!  And what you end up with is a recipe for fun and toned-up thighs, or disaster, depending on your balancing tendencies!

Dare I step on?

Yep.  I think I will.

Actually we have never had anyone get hurt on it, and I found after practicing that I am really rather good at it!  It is very sturdy and will only rock so far in either direction, so I have found that it is pretty hard to actually fall, though I have lost my balance and sort of jumped off before!  I do very much feel the pull on the muscles in my thighs when balancing, so I try to spend a few minutes on it every day.

The children love it!  Even children who come over for a visit find that they have to try it out.  Michaela and one of her friends had fun dressing up in my dresses and trying to balance on the Balla Rolla.

After purchasing the Balla Rolla, I wondered about its history.  I do see on the label that it was made by Carrom Industries, a company which apparently has been around for a long, long time.   I am not sure exactly when this Balla Rolla was made, or if there were knock-offs, but I did find a picture from my July 1954 Good Housekeeping showing a little girl on a Balla Rolla or something similar.


Picture source:  July 1954 Good Housekeeping

I guess, once again, our children have not really changed so much. They want and need attention and good, clean fun!

Red shirt, thrifted, Style & Co
Polka dot skirt, thrifted, Confessions (okay — a favorite)
Red leather belt, thrifted
Gray over-the-knee socks, new, Rue 21
Red leather shoes, thrifted, Banana Republic
Rosy brooch, made by yours truly

Before I go, I have a little treat that we want to mail to someone!  We want to do the old-fashioned pull-a-name-from-a-hat!

If you are interested in receiving free, 9 vintage-y gift tags decorated in images from old Sears Roebuck images, be sure and leave your name in a comment!  We will draw a name out on Saturday, 4/14/2012.

Remember to enjoy this day!

12 comments   Fashion, Playing and games, rue 21, Thrift and Antique Store Shopping

At The Risk of Not Acting My Age — A Champagne Colored Dress

By Lynn, on March 9th, 2012%

Oh my dear readers, it is Friday again!  Doesn’t it seem like just yesterday that I was talking about Friday being such a happy day for most because it ushers in the weekend?  And how for me it only marked 8 hours of work on Friday and 8 on Saturday?  Well, friends, that was a whole week ago!  My oh my how time is flying away from us!  Or as one of my on-line friends said on her blog, how time is dancing away from us!

At the risk of not following my own fashion rules (rule #1 — have fun but act your age), yesterday I wore such a fun-fun-come-on-springtime dress!  It’s a dress that I recently bought on sale at Rue 21.

But my oh my, it seemed so much longer in the store’s dressing room.

Friends, this would be as short as a dress would ever get and still be hanging in my closet.  And now that I have had the opportunity to wear this one outside on a North Carolina windy March day, I am thinking it might need to not ever come out of the closet again.  Did it get compliments?  Yes.  Did it feel very feminine?  Yes.  But did I worry all day that it was too short?  Well, yeah.  Now, in my own self-defense, I did tone it down modesty-wise by pairing it with non-sheer tights and a sturdy 100% cotton slip underneath that kept my thighs modestly covered if the wind blew the dress up a bit.  I also had a sweater with me all day to cover my arms.  But still.

What say ye?  Only for the young?  Only for dinner out with a dear husband?  Hmmmmm.  At any rate, this was a dress I purchased recently off the clearance rack at Rue 21 for, if I am remembering correctly, 8 dollars.  (Please be gentle with your criticisms and remember that in the picture above the wind is blowing the dress, making it look a bit shorter than it really is when I am inside.)

A nearly-springtime North Carolina dandelion.  Vitality in a little yellow package.

Maybe if I show you the detailing of the dress, you will understand why I love it so.  Very soft pleats.  Ribbon at the waist.  Lace bodice.  And not just lace, but lace with a wispy little edging to it that just feels very dainty and ladylike.

New growth emerges from a rose in The Little Wild Garden.  (Don’t you think there’s a difference between a Wild little garden and a little Wild garden?  I do.

‘splainin’ myself over and over why I bought this dress:  Maybe the softly falling pleats and the gracefulness of the skirt will help you see why I was blinded to the length shortness of the dress and captivated by every other cute little thing about it!  Oh my.

I will close with this little violet for you.  Yes, the violets are waking up in The Little Wild Garden.  This time last year I was awaiting them, watching them, wondering.  Now I am visiting them on occasion and saying my forever goodbyes.

ENJOY THIS DAY!

Shop for champagne colored dresses from Sears:

JBS Women’s Ruffled Georgette Dress

8 comments   Aging Beautifully, Fashion, rue 21, Shopping, Wildflowers

Baumwolle Blue Dress — Made In Austria

By Lynn, on March 5th, 2012%

Happy Monday, dear readers!  It is windy here today!  Yes!  But it is March, after all, and that is just par for the course.  Spring is on the way!

I wanted to share with you an absolutely GORGEOUS dress I found at G.W. Boutique last week.  (That’s Goodwill, for those of you just joining us!  And welcome!!)  ;)

Oh, it is indeed lovely!  And Baumwolle?  Is that German for cotton?  I looked it up, and it does mean cotton, though I have not had time to fully research the word.  All I know is that the dress feels amazing!  The weight is good.  The sewing excellent!  Every little stitch is so pretty!  I wonder if it was not worn as some sort of tour costume here.  Or maybe someone from another country is here and donated it?  But it is the first sort of dress like this I have come across ’round here.

The sweet and coincidental thing is that just this past week I was also gifted with the prettiest little tin box that has such a Dutch look to its colors and pattern!  It is from a sweet friend — something that belonged to her very sweet mother.  I am just loving this little box and wondering what I will put in it!

I know that whatever I put in it, it will be perfect.  It’s the memory of its owner, after all, that makes it so very dear.

As blue as the sky, this dress couldn’t help but cheer a girl up!  And once again, the details on this dress just sold me!  The heavy, silvery buttons.  The tucks on the sleeves and the pleats around the waist.  The fit.  Love it!

Annie loves the dress too!  Mostly because we were able to go out and take pictures, and she could once again delight herself in all the strange scents carried about on the wind!

I did also want to show you the great deal I got at Rue 21.  I know I mentioned it, but nothing like a visual!

Yeah.  Fifteen pairs for 22 dollars.  That’s what I’m talkin about.

Comfortable.  Easy.  Cute (even when you are nearly 49!).  I highly recommend them!

Must run off to type now!  Got 8 hours ahead of me, but it’s gonna be all right!  I have more than any girl in this world could ask for!

EnJOY this day!

I leave you with a couple of treats from one of my 1954 Good Housekeeping magazines!

And this lady has the style goin on!  Neat.  Sweet!  In control!  As I get older, I want to not mourn a lost youth, for my youth is wrapped up in who I am today!  I want to, instead, embrace my place as an aging woman, not a gossip, fun but not silly, seeking wisdom, being a good example.  Anyway…  Life is a gift, every single day!

That’s what I’m talkin about!  ;)

shop for Over the Knee Socks at Sears: Over The Knee Socks

7 comments   Fashion, Long Hair, Pets, rue 21, Shopping, Thrift and Antique Store Shopping

A Little Brown Dress

By Lynn, on March 4th, 2012%

My Dear Readers,

Here it is, late Sunday evening — almost Monday actually, and I am just now doing a weekend post!  What a busy but fun weekend it has been.  I actually worked nearly 9 hours yesterday, but had a productive day and enjoyed my work so much more after moving my “office” into a corner of my bedroom.  It takes me out of the living room bustle (you know, John and Michaela goofing off and talking, etc.) and puts me in a quiet place where I can close the door.

Somehow over the weekend I did manage to carve out the time to run to Tanger Outlet Malls where I bought 15 pairs of over the knee socks for just 22 dollars!  Yeah.  They were totally on clearance!  I had planned to go buy a couple more pairs at regular price.   I love over the knee socks.  They are cute, comfortable, and just easy!  I had bought a few pairs earlier in the season and really liked them, so was thrilled when I found such a deal.  If you are wondering which store, it was (again) Rue 21.

In shopping news, I wanted to share with you a little brown dress that I picked up for 4 dollars last week at G.W. Boutique.  I don’t usually wear a lot of brown, but just like the green, I am drawn more and more to it lately and have incorporated some brown into my wardrobe.

What drew me to the dress was the cut of it — mainly the perfect length and very fitted waist.

And then I noticed the tie belt and just knew: this will be really pretty on.

But what really sold me was the buttons on the sleeves.  It’s all in the details.

dress, APNY, thrifted, 4$
over the knee socks, new, Rue 21, 1.5$
brooch made by yours truly

Isn’t it funny how light changes the colors of things!

ENJOY WHAT’S LEFT OF THE DAY!  Will see you tomorrow.  Good night.

4 comments   Fashion, rue 21, Shopping, Thrift and Antique Store Shopping

Happy Valentine’s Day ~ 2012

By Lynn, on February 14th, 2012%

It’s that LOVERLY pink day!  Yes it is!  And I am so happy to share with you some pictures of the VALENTINE TREE as well as some beautiful clothing finds in the last week or so.

The VALENTINE’S DAY TREE is spectacular!  It is actually a pretty day here today; so much so that I have the windows open and a fan running (to help dry the carpet after a run-over with the carpet cleaner) and you should just see how the tree shimmers!  The garland covered in red shiny hearts has little hearts blowing every which way, catching the light!  The Alice tags and the Valentine’s Day cards turn gently to and fro.  It is LOVELY.

In honor of VALENTINE’S DAY dinner and in preparation for dinner tonight, I did a test run yesterday of a heart-shaped gluten free pizza!  It was so good!  Once again, the recipe for that crust is here!

I can say to you as a first-hand taster, this pizza is worth the effort if you are a gluten free devotee and still crave pizza!

More VALENTINES on the tree, and a touch of red in the clothing today to make the day fun!  Even if it is a yucky ol’ work day.

A pretty, full skirt in olive, brown, cream and light blue-green.  White tights and red shoes.  Two sweaters, one white and one dark red.

I feel like ALICE herself standing in front of the house that she barely got out of, since she ate something that made her BIG BIG BIG!!

red sweater, apt 9, thrifted, 4 dollars
white sweater, Ann Taylor Loft, thrifted, 4 dollars
white tights, new, Rue 21, 5.99
red leather shoes, Banana Republic, thrifted, 4 dollars

LOVE these shoes for daytime.  They are so comfortable, and who?, I say who?? can resist red leather Mary Jane style shoes?  Not I.

More tree…

and more and more tree.

Finally, I want to ask you something.  What’s a girl to wear on VALENTINE’S EVENING?

Some recent thrifted and Rue 21 dress finds.  All just waiting to be dressed up and worn out!

Enjoy this VALENTINE’S DAY!!

8 comments   Cooking and Food, Fashion, Holidays, rue 21, Shopping, The Alice Tree, Thrift and Antique Store Shopping

Pink Polka Dots and Flowers

By Lynn, on February 13th, 2012%

Happy Monday Morning!  Oh dearie me is it ever cold here in central North Carolina!  It is currently about 27 degrees, and that, my friends, is cold here.  So far we have had an extremely mild winter!  But today, winter is here for sure.

Lynn’s Little Rose Cottage is snuggly warm though, and it was great fun to dress this morning in nearly all pink!  We must get geared up for Valentine’s Day!  In fact, on my to-do list today is this:

  • make a trip to Dollar Tree to get things for THE VALENTINE TREE

After all, tomorrow is the all-romantic, pinkest day of the year, and I do intend to celebrate.

 

PINK PINK PINK.  Did I ever tell you how much I love girlie-girl clothes?  Why, I do!!  Yes, I do!  And over the weekend I found some of the prettiest, frilliest, most reasonably priced things I have come across in a long time.  There has been lots of talk about the great deals to be found at Tanger Outlets in Mebane, a place I had not had the chance to visit until just this weekend.   I decided to make a trip to Tanger Outlets and just see what all the fuss was about.

This shirt — ahh pink, lacy, covered in rosettes.  Makes my heart sing!

While at Tanger Outlets, I really only had the chance to visit one store and do a thorough job of seeing what they had. Have you ever hit a place like an outlet mall and worn yourself out trying to go into every store, but then realized you just should have focused on one or two stores?  I did not want that to be the case!  So I went in Rue 21 and stayed there the whole time.

I did not have Michaela with me, but came home excitedly with three large bags and a total bill of about $106 dollars (wow), explaining to Michaela that we are going back together, and soon.  Admittedly, there were lots of things in the store that were more suitable for her than for me (mommy = older lady, leading by example, stiving to be modest and have fun all at the same time; daughter = young, fun-loving, being taught modesty, modern).  I hope that makes sense.  ;)

white sweater-shirt under layer, Ann Taylor, thrifted 4 dollars
pink lacy shirt, rue 21, 8 dollars
pink polka-dot skirt, thrifted, Moda International, 4 dollars
tights, rue 21, 5.99
brown boots, rue 21, 10 dollars

 

Will show you THE VALENTINE TREE tomorrow!  Enjoy the girlier, romantic, PINK things in life today!

 

OH — PS – PS !!  When I decorate the PINK TREE, would you suggest loading the tree with RED VALENTINE DELIGHTS onto the already bombarded with Alice Tree, making it doubly loaded with pretty things?  (Alice seems Valentine to me) or would you take all the Alice Things down and make the tree strictly VALENTINE’S?  WHAT SAY YE?

 

4 comments   Fashion, rue 21, Shopping