Tulle-bi-telli Time-jump

Ah, remember when the tree was up and frost glittered the landscape? Ok...so it was nine months ago, and I haven't posted since late last year, but I've had some time off work and finally am getting round to posting again. My excuse? It's been a busy year: new flat; dreamy new job; kicking poor mental health in the butt; saying goodbye to my childhood home of 25+ years as my parents moved out and relocated to an actual different country (the trauma is real). So here is Christmas 2017, when I took the opportunity to wear my 1920s assuit tunic for the first time (I toyed with wearing it to a friends wedding but felt it a little dark, and perhaps a touch too dramatic). I believe the figural pattern indicates a Coptic rather than Muslim design? Any experts please chime in.  

As it is a tunic with mostly open sides, you can really play around with how you wear it. I belted the front section and left the back loose to create a cape effect. I also wore it pulled up higher at the front so the v-neck didn't interfere with the neckline of my top underneath, thus creating a deep V at the back as well as a longer length. Festive red tights to contrast the tulle, and black lace-up sandals finished the look off. It was a dream to wear, though I was perpetually frightened I'd rip it! 

1920s assuit tunic, ASOS shoes

Peachy PJ's

Pretty standard summer uniform for me of skinny black trousers, strappy sandals, and a standout blouse. This dreamy silk blouse is an original 20s/30s piece -most probably worn as an item of loungewear- displaying a typically Oriental touch in its style. I was pretty excited to find it fitted me, as I believe it to be a child's...hurrah for my small shoulders (although wild arm movements are out of the question). The colour is a soft coppery-apricot, with deep blue trims and an applique of lilac and green, and there is a teeny tiny functional pocket to the bottom. The buttoned, asymmetrical high-neck and applique preclude the wearing of a necklace, which is weird for me as a devoted wearer of necklaces; some fancy earrings were therefore required, and these self-made copper tassels did just nicely. A large copper tote and matchy lilac nails completed the look. Can anyone date it more accurately for me? 

Vintage blouse, Topshop sandals, Ted Baker bag, ASOS trousers., self-made earrings, vintage jewels.

Blue-lined Beauty

I bought this 1920s jacket two summers ago and I remember waiting impatiently for some cooler weather to start wearing it. Despite the fur cuffs, it is incredibly light-weight and no good for actual winter weather, but I have a few windows of opportunity to wear it during the transitional months and cooler summer days (we get a lot of those during an English summer). It is a little on the large side, so I tend to belt it- though worn loose the beautiful blue silk lining and swing cut are better appreciated. There are so many reasons I adore this piece; Mandarin collar and fur-cuffs aside, the print is an incredible mix of all my favourite colours- royal blue, burnt orange, and burgundy. It was sold to me as a 1920s adaptation of a Victorian shawl, something quite common at the time. The jacket certainly bears all the hallmarks of being a handmade, re-purposed shawl, but the pattern looks printed, not woven, and seems unusual in design/colour to be genuinely Victorian. Not sure what to think, but I love it regardless. Perhaps someone more familiar with Victorian shawls could enlighten me?

Vintage jacket and bag, ASOS shoes and trousers, H&M blouse, antique/vintage jewellery

Matching blue nails, and blue glass brooch, were a must.

Book Chain Beauties

Research for my dissertation required me to look through a lot (I'm talking 1000's) of CDVs and daguerreotypes containing Victorian women. My focus was on their waist/hip area as I was searching for chatelaines, but I couldn't help but be enamoured by what was happening north of the waist. Many women displayed an impressive system of chains, fobs, brooches, pendants and collar necklaces. Bodices acted as a canvas for women to display tokens of sentimentality in arrangements that were as individual as the women who wore them. Naturally, viewing so much Victorian jewellery really gave me a taste for some, an aesthetic I used to enjoy but moved away from years ago in favour of more Edwardian and Art Deco designs. In the limited quality of Victorian photography, book chain (or book link) necklaces stand out, their ornate, weighty presence really appealing to me. Essentially the book chain contains of flat, folded links that interlock in a manner reminiscent of book-binding; the flat links lend themselves well to intricate detailing, as you're about to see.     

Header & above - c.1880 book chain collar, available at ThreeGracesToo on Etsy

Book chain locket necklace with rose and yellow gold detail,
on eBay (auction ended)

c.1880 book chain collar, available on eBay

1880 book chain locket necklace, from Orange Tree Collectables
at Ruby Lane (sold) 

1882 book chain locket necklace, on eBay (auction ended)

Silver book chain locket necklace, on eBay (auction ended)

c.1880 book chain collar necklace, available at A. Brant + Son

I've put together a Pinterest board featuring many more book chain designs and evidence of women wearing them. Swooning over extant examples of book chain is fun, but seeing real Victorian women wearing them is equally fascinating.

London lady - CDV on eBay

Nottingham lady - CDV on eBay

Worcester lady - CDV on eBay

Not quite as illustrious (nor £££) as an original, I recently bought a 1940s Victorian-Revival book chain necklace, with matching bracelet. I've never been into lockets so the lack of a locket pendant doesn't bother me. The short, collar style of the necklace is similar to quite a few of my recent jewellery purchases- I'm very pleased with it! 

  

Swedish Specs

Recently acquired some new spectacles, after years of wearing contacts. It's fun to look intelligent again, although reading in the bath is an annoyingly steamy affair. Super simple outfit here, and probably my last outing with a warm coat for the next few months. The pendant necklace is Swedish apparently, though I've tried to research the emblem and have come up short. Maybe someone recognises it?   

Vintage Astrakhan jacket, H&M blouse. antique bag, Kurt Geiger loafers, ? scarf, vintage jewellery.

Matching Mustard

I guess there's no hiding the fact that these pictures are rather old... what can I say, I've been a busy girl! Anyway, I've always loved mustard with dark hair and red lips. This blouse was picked up in a charity shop. It's so big and drapey I like to tie it and play around with volume, here exposing the vest beneath. Paired with my absolute favourite coat, a 1920's Astrakhan with blonde mink collar, and mustard gloves my friend bought me for Christmas.

Coat- vintage, shoes- Zara, vest- Religion, blouse- vintage, trousers- ASOS, bag- vintage, most jewellery- vintage

Love the label; apparently Brown Muff & Co was bought by House of Fraser in 1977, having begun business in 1814.

Buttoned Blues

I bought this skirt last winter wanting to try a new silhouette. I loved the slight Chinoiserie of the cobalt/gold fabric but was unsure about the deep ruffled hem/drop-waist. The ruffle is of varying depths, being deeper and more flamboyant at the front, giving you two ways to wear the skirt. I think I prefer the bigger ruffle at the back, giving a bustle effect and leaving a daintier frill to the front.

Here I styled the skirt with an antique blue velvet bodice for a party look last Christmas (not Christmas last week, but Christmas a year and a week ago...I've been busy, oops. I was obviously going through a bit of a blue velvet phase at the time). Not sure on it's exact age, but it has lovely brass buttons all the way down the back and I love seeing the construction of garments like this from the inside. 

Antique bodice, skirt (ASOS), shoes (French Connection), vintage jewellery. 

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And I wore the skirt in a more casual context for a birthday meal; breaking up the black with a 1920's cream celluloid necklace. Still not 100% sold on the skirt. The perfectionist in me wishes it were higher waisted and a better fit, but it's nice to try something new every so often.