Today I thought I would share a different type of treasure with you….a little slice of Lady Heaven in the form of vintage shopping.
In my day to day life, along with gifting, I shop, source, and make clothing for other people. So it was truly a treat to spend some time shopping for myself, all by myself. I have a very special garden wedding to attend, and I’ve been in search of the perfect dress that feels lovely enough to mark the occasion. So I took a little trip to Shareen Vintage…
Tucked away in a wharehouse in downtown LA, Shareen houses rack after rack of dresses to bring your heart – a – flutter. Everything is organized by period and occasion, and I spent hours combing through the frocks. I wasn’t sure what I wanted exactly, but knew I would know when I saw it. This of course makes for the perfect excuse to linger at each and every section. Vintage wedding gowns? Hello. I of course steered clear for this occasion…but note taken, they are lovely.
I kept stopping at fabric and embellishment details rather than silhouettes – a sure fire sign that I hadn’t found my dress yet. What I had found was inspiration everywhere…check out that rich cornflower blue embroidery on the natural, loosely woven linen below. Perfect for a summer getaway….no?
I was immediately drawn to this tie-dye print below. You can’t quite tell in the picture, but the base fabric is a jacquard, so it has it’s own beautiful two-tone grey textural pattern as well as the tie dye over it. The garment itself had a peasant dress vibe, which began to feel a little heavy handed when mixed with tie dye. But that color scheme and handiwork was worth snapping a pic for your viewing pleasure.
This beauty made me swoon. I’m a sucker for all combos pink and orange, and add in some pops of green to that and I’m a happy girl. The mix of ultra feminine colors and the plaid was the first thing that started working for me. Add to it the silk embroidery – inspiration overload. As lovely as this piece was, it still was not my dress…!
So hear me out on the piece below. If you’re anything like me, there was a time in life when there was no better way to spend a summer day than in a shirred rayon skirt at a summertime festival by a river somewhere. I’ll blame it on the Northern California girl in me. We’ve all seen these Balinese imported rayon pieces for sure. This one attracted me in a different way though – the color palette was pretty sophisticated – inky purples mixed with cranberry and dark hunter green. Big, soft, taupe colored roses and the geometric lines added a little something different to the mix. A fine balance of many elements, but I still hadn’t found my dress….
Until I found this beauty below. Yes, it stopped me in my tracks and I knew it was for me the second I layed eyes upon those silky bright garden roses. Powdery silk and sweeping cabbage rose print, you are mine! My treasure hunt was fruitful, and that beauty is in the hands of my tailor as we speak. Ths 1950′s treasure will be a touch updated and refined in no time. I’m in love….what do you think??
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