Vintage Look- Burgandy Vintage Hat and Sweater Dress

I have had this wonderful 1940's tilt hat for a while, but I hadn't found the right thing to wear it with. It needed to be the right color, and also plain enough to let the hat shine.

I discovered this dress at Goodwill and it struck me how the styling was very like a 40's sweater dress. When I got it home I found that the hat and the dress matched! Burgundy can vary from brick red to purple-ish, so it was amazing that these two seemed made for each other. In the picture below you can see where I attempted a vintage hairstyle that I saw on the vintage actress Veronica Lake. It was just curly hair pulled to the side and pinned and it looked so lovely on her. It just made my head look lopsided. No, more than usual...

So I pinned up the other side as well, tucking the ends under my hat, and voila! A faux bob! I was really tickled with this look. I have a secret confession to make- I've always wanted a short, super curly bob. I've torn them out of magazines for years and admired them on actresses. The new Harry Potter movie, Fantastic Beasts, has a character named Queenie that I just adore. She wears the most amazing 1920's clothing,  and has the perkiest little bob of curls...

I don't know that I would ever be brave enough to take the plunge. Even when my hair has accidentally been cut just below my shoulders I felt completely nude. My hair is my security blanket, my real blanket in the winter, my oft-times nemesis, my sometimes pal. To cut it all off? Wow. Of course, it's happened before. I used to howl with such ferocity when my hair was combed that moma threatened to chop it off. To her surprise, I happily agreed. 

But, I digress. Here is my lovely wool felt hat, and my Great-grandmother Zola's watch that I had on, and then took off when I went to redo my hair. My pop gave it to me as a Christmas present, in the original box, which still has the tag from when Zola received it for Christmas in 1900. I love it so much and hope to pass it on to a future grandbaby that will cherish it for her lifetime.

*One last thing- here is another tip for buying thrift, one I even had to instruct my moma on. Pick items you love and that look like they might fit you, do NOT go by sizes. This dress is 6 sizes larger than what I am supposed to wear, according to US standardized sizing. I can go to Goodwill and find clothing that fits me ranging from a 2 to a 12! So keep an open mind and try different sizes on. You never know what might fit that you wouldn't have taken a chance on! 

Looking for a vintage item to plump up your wardrobe? Visit my Etsy shop at MsSamWearsDresses !