Vintage Look- 1950's Lemon and Walnut Dress

You might remember when I showed you my  Kitschy Pink Dress . I told you that I found it at Junk Ranch, at Dela DeVille's Vintage booth ( she has an Etsy shop too). When moma said I'd been gone long enough to see the whole place, I pointed at a tent a couple of yards away and admitted I hadn't gotten any further than that. It was those bad ole vintage dresses that ensnared me so. And I wasn't able to break free until I bought two. This is the second one. Behold the green walnut, yellow lemon, and lavender olive dress! Indeed, Dear Reader, this one was too quirky to get away.

Here is how I wore this vintage 1950's dress to church. I had gotten the grey heels to wear for my middle son's wedding, but ended up in white patents. They were perfect with this dress, though.

Later, I was eyeing one of my little straw hats, an asymmetrical one with daisies that I had loved but never worn. All the sudden, I thought how great the yellow flowers would be with my lemons! (It's not every day you think that.) Just look at my expression above. I look like an ornery cat eyeing a dish of cream with a crafty look. Or me, eyeing a pie with whipped cream, which is very much the same.

The little hat is lovely in that it is made so well that it sits very securely on the head, with no feeling it's going to travel. And it has the sweetest netting at the back.

Here is a close-up of the fabric. From a distance it looks vaguely geometric. When near, you get to see all the funny little foods that make it up. It really is such an odd conglomeration that I just laugh. And maybe, just maybe, the little tan bits are rice? And I do love the paired sets of frosted glass buttons fastening the front. The 50's is not really my favorite time period, I am a 40's kinda gal. This has a lower waist-line and much fuller skirt than I am used to, which also makes one look much fuller at the bottom half! Is that the desired effect? Anyhoo, I adore it.

The shoes were off eBay for the wedding, the hat is vintage, the purse is woven raffia with paper flowers that I've had forever. The gorgeous green gloves were my Great-great-aunt Jessie's. I really need to do a post on her and the effect she, or rather the things she left behind, had on my growing up. Suffice to say that I have gallon Ziplock bags filled with her gloves- every length, fabric type, and color. Gold lame, black with jet beading, peach velour...I knew that if I dug deep enough there would be gloves of the exact green in my dress. Every girl should have a Jessie in her ancestry!

Don't you think we should bring back the gentility of hats and gloves? If we ladies banded together, we could bring glamor and elegance back to the world!

Remember Dearies~

And if you're looking to find some vintage of your very own...
Ms. Sam's Etsy Shop