Goodbye, Collectif

One of my favorite, possibly my most favorite, vintage brand has closed its doors forever.  Yes, my dear fellow vintage lovers, I am sad to share that Collectif has given up the ghost and while fashion heaven has gained an angel here on earth we are certainly feeling the loss.

There are a lot of reasons why businesses close.  It seems like Collectif truly tried to continue making beautiful clothes using mostly Cotton.  Have you noticed that everything is becoming fully to at least partially cheap synthetic fabric?  Ugh it's awful!  Which is why I really hate to see the loss of brands like this that carried so many beautiful pieces in natural fibers.

Yes, their clothes were pricey, but the quality matched and not only that, but Collectif would bring back their best styles and prints year after year, so I could get one pair of high waist jeans and wear them for a year or so and then go back and get another when I needed to instead of having to stock up on a certain style and spend a fortune all at once.

 And now, they're gone.  I'll admit to a few weeks of panic in which I was desperately scouring the internet for any new or resale pieces still out there, trying to hold on to them all.  It was a frenzied panic and I had to break myself out of it by reminding myself that if I loved it, I already owned it.  I pretty much found a way to get the things from Collectif that I really and truly wanted if at all possible or made my peace with letting them go when the store was still open.  I just needed to grieve and let go.

I'm so very grateful for all the years of wonderful styles that made me feel beautiful and I am sad so see Collectif go, but I am also excited to see who comes along next to try to fill those vintage shoes.  There are a few brands I'm keeping my eye on and I'll keep you posted, of course.  In the mean time I've also decided to go back to making my own dresses in vintage styles with whimsical novelty prints.  I've let my sewing machine rest for far too long.

So, for today's post, as we bid a fond farewell to Collectif, I thought I'd share some pics from last autumn in one of my favorite prints of theirs, and remember the good times.  Here's to you, Collectif.  You were truly one of a kind.

Outfit Info:  Collectif Pencil dress, Qupid heels

Prepping for the Weather and the Holidays

By now, all the gifts should be got, all the halls should be decked, and it's time to gather to celebrate this highest of holidays, Christmas.  Our Christmas is most definitely white this year, which hasn't happened around here since I was a very little girl.  We typically have snow for Valentine's Day, not Christmas, so in a way this is a real treat.  In another way, it brings a little foreboding because along with the snow usually comes the ice, broken water lines, and power outages.  That means before we can sit back and enjoy the snow, we have to prepare.

As I sit here watching the snow falling, I am reminded of how my mother used every snow day as an excuse for a full-on floor boards to ceiling scouring of our house.  We all had to help and I never understood why.  It seemed to me if we were going to be trapped indoors for days on end with nothing else to do, that was the perfect time to clean.  My mom was of the opinion that if all the chores were done, we could enjoy the snow in comfort or perhaps be freed up for other chores, like melting snow if the water lines busted or cooking hot dogs over an open fire in our rickety fort if the electricity went out.  Those sorts of things sound like fun, but took all day for very little pay off.  I always half-assumed that the possible impending doom was just an excuse to force us to do chores instead of playing in the snow, but as an adult, I find myself repeating those same words with just as much emphasis as mom said to us every time it snowed, "Let's hurry and clean up before it snows!"

This morning, I looked around and thought things looked good enough.  I sat down and tried to do some work, but by 8:00 a.m. as the snow began falling, I knew it was no good.  I had to get up and clean.  Whether I've just been trained or it's an instinct, I'll never know, but I had a burst of energy that I rarely experience in mid-life that allowed me to do a day's worth of chores in only a few hours.

I am writing this post from the comfort of my armchair next to the fire.  School has let out for the holiday break and work has been canceled for the storm.  I've spent the morning giving the house a thorough cleaning, mom would be proud, and have vegetable stew in the crockpot, a fresh loaf bread and chocolate chip cookies cooling next to the oven.  The animals' houses have all been loaded with extra bedding on the inside, and insulated on the outside to keep out this below freezing north wind.   We never know if these storms will pass quietly or if they will bring mayhem, but at least this one area of our lives is peaceful and orderly, and maybe that's what mom knew all those years ago.  It's easier to weather the chaos of the storms outside when  inside is tidy and calm.  So, where ever you are, in whatever weather, I wish you a peaceful and bright Christmas surrounded by as much love and joy as possible making memories that will warm your heart even on the coldest days.  

Shopping Info:  Pleated Bust Short Sleeve Pencil Dress-£35 from Voodoo Vixen

Re-Vamped

My love of vintage under garments logically led me to corsetry and I dearly hoped to have a corset of my own, even contacting the lovely people at What Katie Did to inquire about sizing, but all to no avail.  It seems that corsets are not made for my measurements.  Since I failed to find a corset that could accommodate my proportions, I've had to make do with buying a cheap Vamp corset and tailoring it myself.  

A Vamp corset if you're unfamiliar with the term is an extremely curvaceous fit, squeezing inches off the waist to create an hourglass shape.  The trouble is that if your measurements are not quite right, you'll end up with gaps around the hips or under the bust.  I chose a corset that extends from my shoulder blades all the way down over my hips and then proceeded to sew sections together where there were gaps around my hips and back.  What's the purpose of all this effort, you may ask?  Is it worth it or necessary?

Of course it's not necessary and it's worth it to me as a project, just to see if I can.  I love the way my shape can totally transform from pear to hourglass.  With just the pull of a couple of strings I suddenly fill out my wiggle dresses just like those vintage bombshells I admire so much.

While I'm not sure I would want to wear this corset daily or even weekly, fashion does involve a little experimentation, so why not try something and keep trying until you find something that works for you, even if that means getting out a needle and thread and painstakingly hand tailoring it yourself.

Shopping info:  Dress from Collectif, vamp corset from Poshmark

Kate Hepburn Meets Kate Middleton

Of all the dresses in my collaboration with Carlie Carson, this Vintage Camel dress is the best blend of Kate Middleton and Kate Hepburn vibes.

Like the previous dresses in this collab this dress has the perfect pencil skirt to it that hugs my curves without that awful puckering across the front when a company cuts corners.  Not so with Carlie Carson, which is why I love all their dresses! 

But, this dress also has this very interesting pleated bodice with a lovely rhinestone studded collar button and matching smaller cuff buttons.  Little details like that make all the difference.  In addition to the style and the cut, this dress is also comfortable, with a casual fit but a classic style and I adore this color.

All Dresses April has certainly started strong.  I have so loved all these dresses from CarlieCarson.  They've added such class and elegance to my wardrobe.  It's been a wonderful collaboration and the first of many I hope.  

Shopping Info:  A similar style to this Vintage  Camel dress is the Peach Delight Dress-$124 from CarlieCarson.com 

Spring Pink with Carlie Carson

If you love dresses and wish you had the excuse to wear them, All Dresses April is the time and the perfect excuse to don a dress and strut your femininity.  Spring has sprung and the world is once again full of colors, so I thought it best that I break out the colorful clothes as well.  This Subtle Touch dress from CarlieCarson seemed the best pick for this lovely spring day.

From the gorgeous sleeves to the vintage silhouette, this dress is gorgeous and it just so happens to be my favorite shade of pink and it fits like a dream.

All my pencil dress fears just melt away when I put this dress on.  It fits so well, especially in the skirt where a poorly cut dress with have puckering that leads to low self-esteem.  No thanks, I'd rather just have a pretty dress that makes me feel as good as I look.

I love the pink belt that comes with Subtle Touch, but I can easily see this outfit working with a black belt or even some pastels and polka dots.  I can't wait to try them all and post them here so you can see just how versatile this dress really is.

All Dresses April continues with more pretty dresses including a couple more beauties like this from CarlieCarson.  So join me to celebrate this most enjoyable of pseudo holidays.

Shopping Info:  The Subtle Touch Dress -$124 from CarlieCarson.com