chalk full of goodness!

Oh me; prepare yourselves fabulous readers and visitors: this will be a long post, but oh so worth it!! First, let's talk about the good stuff, eh? My newest acquisitions:

This adorable and comfortable cherry print dress from Pin-up Girl Clothing is my new favorite thing! It's polyester, so it's light and doesn't wrinkle for anything (that's our new kitchen--I cropped as best I could to keep the moving-in mess out the picture)! The shoes aren't vintage, but right now they are the only things I have that match.

Here's a shot of my hair and make-up from yesterday as well.

I originally purchased these vintage D'Orsay inspired pumps, only to have them get here and they were too big. My heart was broken only for a second as I realized that I didn't have anything in my closet to match these shoes. Could I buy one? Sure. But after a thread on the Fedora Lounge (we'll get to that in a bit) I realized I need to start buying things that are easier to mix and match with.

So, I bought these instead! They have little tiny cherries on them, so I can wear them with a red outfit, a green outfit, or a cute pair of Capri's and a white cardi or button down. Much more versatile! (I just adore that thick heel!)

Also, after yesterday's fiasco with my bedhead, I promptly bought myself a simple white cotton head scarf and plan to start using it the minute it gets here (but sadly, it's not actually vintage). And fueled by my curiosity what Jitterbug reads everyday on her blog, Destination 1940, I went out a purchased a 1941 copy of "America's Housekeeping Book." I love Amazon.

Now, as I mentioned above, I started a thread on the Fedora Lounge about trying to pack a (vintage) suitcase when you're traveling. I have a horrible time doing this as I take too many clothes, but never seem to have anything to wear. Plus, let's be honest--vintage suitcases leave a lot to be desired in the space department! Miss 1929 had one of the best responses on how to get the most out of your vintage packing:

Daytime casual-

-Slacks, jacket, skirt (best if the jacket, skirt and slacks are all the same fabric, say black gabardine)

-A warm coat (I would do a fur--as it would go with everything--but if not, a plain solid color coat, preferably the same background color as all these other background pieces)

-A cardigan preferably in a nice solid contrasting color

-A couple of fun blouses in prints that have the cardigan and background colors in them

-A fabulous vintage scarf (or better, two) that can be worn around the neck or on the head

-A couple of pieces of daytime jewelry (novelty pin, Bakelite bangle, that sort of thing)

-Walking shoes

-A substantial but not too wacky purse, as it does double duty with the next outfit

Daytime dressy-

-The skirt and jacket and blouses and sweater from above

-A hat (make it a plain one and bring a pin and a flower to add 2 personalities to it)

-Or wrap the scarf like a turban, or wear it as a neck scarf

-Dressier but not too crippling shoes

-That nice tailored purse

-Slightly more serious jewelry, like metal (pearls are great because they can do double duty with your night time look)

Dinner or cocktail (but not formal)-

-A dress in a solid color, or a print with the SAME colors as your cardigan, jacket and coat, so they can all work together

-The same dressier shoes from above or fancy shoes from below, and wear a bit more jewelry (jewelry takes up very little packing room)

-You will want a girlier purse here, a nice fabric one that goes with the better shoes, and with the ones below

-The hat can be worn with a fancier pin, or a flower, or no hat, then the flower can be worn in your hair

-We like the pearls, we also like a nice rhinestone set of jewels

Formal-

-A long black lace dress is a godsend, it packs into a little nothing; even better if its slip is a heavy satin, and then you have another evening gown

-A fancier pair of evening sandals that will work with both of these pieces, and also with the cocktail above

-The pearls, rhinestones, flower all get another chance here

-The smaller purse works here too

Underthings-

-Bring two sets at least as you will be washing them out nightly in the wash basin and they might not be dry in time

-Bring extra stockings

-A couple of negligees, and a robe that is decent enough if you have to bolt out in a fire, some little flat slippers

So let's count it up:

1 coat

1 jacket

1 pair pants

1 skirt

1 cardigan

2 blouses

1 dress for cocktail/dinner

1 lace evening gown

1 slip from lace gown that doubles as evening gown #2

1 pair walking shoes

1 pair heeled shoes, closed

1 pair evening sandals

1 daytime purse

1 nighttime purse (can be tiny)

2 scarves

2 pairs gloves

Day jewelry (Bakelite bangles, novelty pins, etc.)

Night time jewelry (metal, rhinestones, pearls)

2 flowers

1 hat (good idea to have a crushable one)

2 nighties

1 robe

Slippers

2 sets undies

4 or more pairs stockings

This is approximately how I packed for 10 days in China and I actually didn't even get to use it all.

Pretty amazing, don't you think? So as I'm buying new things, I'm trying to keep this concept in mind of mixing and matching to get the most potential out of my clothes. And since I gravitate towards the red family, my little cherry print heels are a much better choice that the aqua blue D'Orsays.

Hubbs and I are off to Palm Springs this weekend! Maybe I can acquire some more goodies while we're there! I think I'm going to try and drag him to Elvis and Priscilla's honeymoon hideaway while we're there...