Peggy Sue

Usually my posts focus on life-size fashion but today's edition is on a much smaller scale! My grandmother passed down her treasured childhood doll to me a few years ago and I decided that it was time to share this darling with you all. Here is her story, told in my grandmother's own words.

I think I was around 7 years old and we lived at 2535  Warren St. Covington, Ky.  She was a Christmas gift.  My parents and grandparents always opened their gifts on Christmas Eve when I was SUPPOSE TO BE sleeping but it was hard to sleep so often I crept down the stairs part way to take a peak. They were always around the dining room table opening gifts and the gifts under the tree were all mine as I was an only child for 10 years.They told me Santa brought them and I always left hot chocolate and cookies on the breakfast nook table for Santa. Of course he always ate them.

Well she was a treasured doll for me.  I may have gotten the doll bunk beds that year also. Anyway, she has her original dress and apron on. We had to replace the shoes and she had pig tails  but her hair got so bad over the years we had to get her a new wig.l  I always tried to take good  care of her.  I had the doll clothes wardrobe which  you or your mom must have. It came with only 3 wooden hangers built in and over time I had more clothes which I had made and some were bought, but no way to hang them  up.

My Grandpa Gordan Wesley Setty ran a bicycle store  (Wesley Supply Store) at 1730 E. 5th St. Dayton, Ohio and I often watched him put wire through the hole in long rubber tubing for tricycle, wagon and baby buggy tires.  He  cut  the ends and pressed  them together on a machine which he had invented and made up for that use. He kept big rolls of wire hanging in his shop so one day when I was visiting my grandparents I asked Grandpa if he could make me some clothes hangers for my doll clothes. He looked at a full size hanger and then at the wooden ones  and the clothes and came up with doll size clothes hangers for me.

Then Grandma said  "You know those might just sell in the store"  so he made up several more and painted a sign which said "Shirley Ann Doll  Clothes Hangers." It was red and blue.  I can't remember the price but it was something like 3 for 5 cents I think. He put them in the front window of his store and sure enough they went over very well. I still have the original sign at home in Ohio and copies of the hangers in my genealogy book.

   Grandpa was very inventive and made several tools like spoke tighteners (for bicycle wheels) and hand tools needed in his business.

I guess that is the story of Peggy.  I named her that because I just thought with her pig tails she looked like her name should be Peggy.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas weekend!

Sarah

Collaboration with Aerial Jay Photography

Several months ago a barista (who also happens to be a photographer) at my local Starbucks mentioned that he would love to capture my personal style on film. Anyone who knows me knows that I would never turn down an opportunity to get dressed up and immortalize my vintage dresses on film! We created a collaborative photo shoot and it was such a fun experience! Paul is not only a great photographer but also a very kind person with a passion for people and their stories. Special thanks to Hannah for helping me pose my best!

Here is a sneak preview but please go to Aerial Jay Photography to see the entire shoot!

Photographer: Paul Jacala Aerial Jay Photography

Posing: Hannah Lyn Roe

Film Noir Look

1940s Dress: Wayward Collection

1940s Hat: Ivy Mae Vintage

Vintage gloves: Kate DiNatale Vintage

Summer Citrus Look

1950s Catalina Dress: Simplicity is Bliss

1970s shoes: Capsule Vintage

1950s needlepoint box purse: thrifted

Folk Style

For today's post I'm wearing a German Trachten dress that I found at a thrift store a while ago. I don't think it's vintage but I fell in love with the 50s silhouette and detailing on this dress as well as the print. Trachten dresses are used traditionally for equestrian events and worn sometimes at Oktoberfest, probably with a blouse underneath but I love it as a sleeveless dress! This dress was made in Italy- I've found a few other modern made in Italy dresses in thrift stores too and I have to say that they are always very well made! 

In other news, we just adopted another puppy! She is a sweet black lab mix named Luna and we adopted her from our animal hospital. It's a little (ok a LOT) crazy having two dogs! Hopefully things will calm down soon. 

Let me know what you think of my German folk dress! I also finally found the perfect fringy bag(way to go Target!). 

Summer Solstice

Wheewh! It's been hot this weekend. Nevertheless Nate and I went to Sunrift Adventures and bought some bikes so we can do some trail riding! My sweetie was nice enough to snap some outfit pics of me while we were out. This dress was for sale in CarlaSue Vintage for several months but I thought it was such a shame that it was just sitting on a rack collecting dust all summer so I decided to keep it...ooooops. I mixed navy and black accessories (I love breaking fashion "rules") for this outfit. I have another black and navy outfit I'm dying to share! Hopefully soon. Hope everyone stays cool!

1950s Dress: CarlaSue Vintage

60s raffia clutch: Hey Roxanne Vintage

Hat and shoes from Target.

Photos by my sweet husband.

This dress is a fantastic number made by Loomtogs- something about it is so timeless and I love it! Loomtogs specialized in women's sportswear; this dress definitely has an easy quality about it. The fabric is glazed cotton- glazing was a popular technique in the 1950s-60s and makes the fabric wrinkle resistant (and yes, it really is practically wrinkle free!)

Biltmore Estate

I went up to the Biltmore Estate with my friend Emily of Great Glen Vintage today to see a period movie costume display! It was gorgeous. My favorite pieces were definitely the gowns Keira Knightley wore in The Duchess. We both wore pieces from Kate Dinatale Vintage that we bought last weekend at Native Clique, a new fun vintage festival in downtown Greenville.

Emily's outfit:

50s Swirl Dress: Kate Dinatale Vintage

80s Clutch: CarlaSue Vintage

Sarah's outfit:

60s Top: Kate Dinatale Vintage

Skirt: self-made

Box Purse: Kate Dinatale Vintage

A Match Made in Heaven

 It's such a beautiful day today! Perfect weather for debuting this outfit. I found this 50s teal knit sportswear top at the thrift store a few weeks ago and started searching for the perfect skirt to go with it. I couldn't believe it when I found this amazing 1950s skirt from Two Old Beans! It is the PERFECT match! Seriously, it was just too easy.

This outfit is pretty comfortable but still stylish. I've come up with a very simple recipe for summertime outfit success: take a cotton dress or skirt and top, add wedges or leather flats, finish off with a hat and bam! This is the perfect vintage modern balance for me in everyday life. Also THIS BAG goes with everything. A bit of a splurge(graduation gift from my parents years ago!) but worth every penny.

Top: vintage 50s

 50s Skirt: Two Old Beans

Bag: Kenneth Cole