Stockings and shoes

It's been ages since I've posted anything I've bought, hasen't it? I have been shopping, but mostly practical and slightly boring stuff (dance sneakers might be good investment, but it's not a very fun one). But now I ditched my responsible shopping overboard and treated myself to these lovelies:

Look what I've found! What Katie Did's CC09-stockings from Tradera (Ebay). These are sadly out of sale, I don't know why WKD stopped carrying these (anyone who knows?) but they are great. 40 den and very authentic for the 40s. A terrific way to stay warm in style during fall!

I've seen countless times in movies and photos how girls would wear their stockings rolled down to under their knees, and the stockings stayed there on their own, even while the girls were dancing. How has been a complete mystery to me, but now I know: they used stockings like these! =)

These Clarks got me the moment I took a step in them. Sure, they're quite regular to look at, cute, but a standard modern classic. It's what's underneth that I fell in love with...

The crepe soles makes these unbelivebly kind to the feet, it softens the step so much that it's almost like walking on clouds. My feet are superpicky on shoes, but these are actually ok. I won't take long walks in them, but for work or getting around the town they're perfect.

Here with red nylons from Lindex, a recent purchase

Shoes and stockings for fall, can a girl ask for more in early September? =)

Love, Erika

Outrunners for winter

The air is beginning to taste of winter. Don't get me wrong, it's still (Thank heavens!) very much fall, leaves are yellow and the grass is still green. However, some trees stands bare and naked against the cold and today there has been three sure signs that winter is on the way:

1. Frost! =) Everything has been covered with frost in the mornings, so pretty.

2. I've put away all my cottonskirts and now the favorite wool skirt is back on, all fresh from the dry cleaners.

There's still a small, small dot on it, but I sincerely doubt anyone sees it.

3. I've bought new winter boots, as the old ones were falling apart...

All warm and fuzzy!

While I'm happy with all these things, I'm hoping winter doesn't hurry too much. Fall is so beautiful the way it is now!

Just ouside work, the red brick building is the office.

And with this bite in the air we've been having, I'm ready to put on my new winter coat.

 In the afternoon. Having a bit of a cold spell...

100% humidity and around zero celsius. The cold creeps in to the marrow!




Oh, the coat? Yes, there will indeed soon be pictures! I just need to find someone to take them... Using the timer on my compact camera, in a dark living room, will just not do the coat full justice... =)

Talk to you soon!
/Love, Erika

A love story

The search is over! They've been on the top of my shoe-wishlist for years: They had to be from the 40s, have a distinct but not too high heel (6-7 cm), lace up, be suitable for colder weather. Unless I wanted to spend a fortune on taxes and custom for shoes I didn't even know would fit, by buying from etsy or ebay, they seemed be impossible to find. But now they're standing next to me looking lovely =)

The short version of how I got them: Umeå may be a small town but we have an amazing shoemaker, Mr Löfström. He adores vintage shoes, came by these by chance and sold them to me. Read on for a longer version of the story, or just enjoy the pictures =)

I heard through the grapevine (yes, Facebook) that shoemaker Löfström was selling a lot of vintage shoes from an old lady. Off I went in search of pretty shoes, but discovered upon my arrival that they were all too new for me, mostly 70s and 80s. He showed me some of them, and I agreed they were in great condition and very cute, but explained they just were not my style.

Pointing at the shoes I was wearing I explained that I needed my everyday shoes to be orthopaedic, and for dressing up I preferred that style, pointing instead to his beautiful collection of unused, mint-condition 30s and 40s shoes (Which I already knew was not for sale, regardless of the price offered, they are for show only. A true shoe-lover!). He showed me a pair left by another client for a new sole and heel, explaining how vintage shoes needed to be treated to that unless the sole would be ruined when worn outside (old leather fall apart eventualy. Trust me, I've done that to a pair of 60s shoes...)

He then hesitated a bit, judged my reaction, weighed how I was dressed, and said slowly... "I do have a remarkable pair of 40s shoes in the storage. A lady came in to have the soles done for outside-wear, I offered to buy them to have for my show-collection, but she'd rather wear them. So I gave them a new sole and heel, she picked them up. A few days later she came back: the shoes were a tad too small. Did I still want to buy them? They were too beautiful for me to pass over, so I bought them. But they're no longer original, and can't go in my collection... Do you want me to take them here for you to try on?". Did I?!!!

Yesterday, I tried them on and they were perfect. Perfect! Not tight, not loose, beautiful and oh so comfortable to walk in! So I of course asked how much he wanted, and he hesitated, starting to almost talk himself into not selling them (I swear it wasn't a salestrick - you could tell the notion of letting them go was almost painful to him) so before he succeded in doing that I told him of my love for vintage and vintage craftmanship. When I told him of the coat I'm tailoring from a 1951 pattern, he changed his mind and gave me a price. He said that he hoped to one day see them worn, so I promised to swing by in full vintage gear =)

And now they're all mine! Two amazing features on them, besides the fabulous collar and the leafs on the ties, is the shape of the heel. Look at any true 30s and 40s shoes, and you'll notice they flat out at the heel, the angle different depending on the height of the heel. Modern shoes just aren't shaped that way, which is a pity. Wonder why they stopped... Another nice touch is the flannel lining, making them nice and warm, perfect for our not too hot northern weather.


Looking at them, I still can't believe they're real, or that they're really mine =)

Books, shoes and tights

Today is national shopping day, also known as payday =) I of course felt I had to do my part (it's all about keeping the economy rolling, you see...) and here's what's new in the house:

Sewing books! These were mailorder, of course, but I timed it so I'd get them and the invoice this week =) The Fabric sewing guide is one of the best sewing books I've read. I originally checked it out at the local library, but soon realised this was a keeper. And now I have my very own! It's a great reference book, although I'm not sure I'd recommend it for beginners. It might be good if this is not the first sewing book you see the inside of. However, if you're an intermediate sewist looking for books to take you to next level, any of Claire Shaeffers books are worth looking into.

The Trouser sewing book is perfect! It shows all the tricky techniques, provides pictures of sample trouser's (loooved the vintage custom ones from 1932), and it even comes with a dvd where the author demonstrates the techniques. I will definatley buy the shirtmaking book by the same author.

I haven't had the need to consult the serger guide yet, but from browsing through it I'd say it looks promising. We'll see how it holds up when trouble arises with my overlock =)

Shoes! And no, they're not pretty. They are not supposed to be pretty, it's not their mission in life. They are however supposed to protect my feet from water and the pavement, and with gore-tex and super-cushioning they're just the right pair for getting the job done. No more sore feet! No more wet socks! You see, my old walking shoes were working on overtime... =) From Gå och löp-kliniken.

Just stacking up on knitted goods for fall/winter. A new cardigan is always nice, and I loved this colour. Then I went a bit crazy on the thights (didn't even know one could do that)... There was an offer, "3 for 2", which I took as a sign that it really was time to throw away the old tights that has to be worn with ancle socks to cover the holes in the heels (my old winter boots ate heels).
I cleaned out the underwear drawer not so long ago, thinking I'd sew new. That hasn't happened, so I've been washing a lot lately =) 3 pairs of knickers for 100 SEK (approx 11 euro), made of organic cotton, seemed like a great solution. If they fit, maybe I'll get a couple more boxes...
All this was from Lindex.

The weekend is about to start, and I'm off to a medieval dance event. I'll be teaching some, I'm hoping to learn a new dance as well, and I'm giving a lecture on SCA and how to behave during court and banquet. Oh dear, maybe I should actually prepare that lecture? Promise to take lots of pictures! If any of them are good, I'll post them next week ; )

Have a great weekend!
Love, Erika

Fancy Frock Friday

This week we had our first Fancy Frock Friday! An event inspired by this lady and her project Posh Frock Friday. We dressed up in pretty dresses, did our hair, donned the high heels, and then dedicated an evening to tea, cakes and sparkling drinks. A great evening!

First out: tea with pretty cupcakes, a yummy almond cake, swedish raspberryjam-cookies and gingerbreads.

I wore my sailordress with two newcomers in my wardrobe: white, seamed stockings (used to be my late grandmothers) and blue heels (gift from Kattis).

The tea party was at Kattis place, here you get a glimt of her pretty pink dress and lace stockings. Also note the gorgeous teak coffeetable from her grandparents house, and the china from the same house.

Later we switched to drinks with a bit more bite and the cheese to go with it. I set my mind on the blue cheese and accordingly had portwine in the glass.

 

Coming home I started trying on hats. Weird? A bit =) But isn't it the perfect time to see what hat goes with a certain hairdo? Just making my hair to test the hair-hat combo seems like a lot of work. And testing before leaving the house doesn't seem smart, as it messes up the hair. The favorite turned out to be the fur headband with white veil (not very surprising). I just adore this hat!

 

After this kick-off for the weekend, I was all set for two creative days. Baking and sewing it is! =)

Love, Erika

The holidays - a short goodbye to the past year

The Holidays swished by so fast, yet I feel quite rested and refreshed. It sometimes amazes me how much seeing my family gives me new energy - even though I this time held a grueling tempo in Stockholm over Christmas.

Christmas eve (the big celebration day in Sweden) I was at mom's place. For the first time in three years we had a Christmas tree! I know, two years without a tree isn't the end of the world, but I really, really love it... Christmas just isn't a proper Christmas without a tree to decorate. I have to admit though, I'm not the most artsy tree-decorater, I tend to just throw things over the tree and adjust it a bit so everything is a bit spread out =)

I couldn't resist this photo of Elsa, just look at that cute little fluff-ball! =) Her fur is a bit long for the moment, it's been so cold that mom wanted Elsa to have a bit of extra warmth. I'm sure it works, but she does end up looking like... a lamb? a walking fur muff? a toy-animal? a fluff-ball.

Christmas-fika at my grandmother's, with amazing coffeebread!

I brought home some amazing things from Stockholm, both presents and results of my own shopping. It's a rare and wonderful feeling when everything you get it's something you either had wished for or something you didn't even know you wanted, but that just fits. I am so grateful and happy that my family knows me so well, even though I live far away from them!

These loafers I bought as a gift to myself, and to my feet =) To me, they're just beautiful! With perfect cushioning in the entire sole, and made to be worn with orthopaedic insoles. I'm so looking forward to spring! Wearing these instead of the ortho-sneakers I've been stuck with the past year... Yay!

Christmas gifts in my family leans towards "the more the merrier" (while the total value remains the same). I think it's cozy with a mountin of presents beneth the tree, and like for it to take a while with opening the presents. It doesn't have to be expensive stuff, it's more along the line of "if I give someone two identical pairs of socks I'll still make two presents out of them!". Ripping paper is fun... Here's some of the things my wonderful family got for me:

Sewing supplies; bobbins, a storage-box for bobbins and needles for lace-making.

For entertainment; Season 3 of Mad Men and a novel by my favorite urban fantasy-writer. If you're at all into that genre, I very much recommend reading something by Patricia Briggs. Her stories are gripping, her characters have depth and her handling of the fantastic elements is remarkable.

Being away is great, but there's no place like home, right? So I'll end this goodbye to 2010 with a picture from a winterwhite Umeå. Happy New Year!

Love, Erika

Easter, Family and New Shoes

Easter came and went by all too quickly, but what great days it was! My mother, my younger brother and mom's dog Elsa came to visit me and my sister. They arrived Thursday before easter and left Wednesday after. A very long weekend =)

We took things easy, just hanging out together. Ate a lot of food. Drank a lot of tea. My brother very sweetley fixed my computer, so now it runs a lot better. Mom helped me fit a basic toille/muslin (more about that later, hopefully). We played cards. Took long and shorts walks with Elsa. A very nice weekend! I love having my family visit, and am always so sad to see them leave. Everytime I wonder a bit as to why I've chosen to live so far away from them, but I really love my new hometown. It's just so far away. *Sigh* Why can't a girl have everything? At once? =)

I was a little lazy with the camera during the weekend, but here's a very tired little dog sleeping on my kitchen floor while we were playing games:

That's all from Easter. Now, I don't know about you guys, but here spring is coming and it's coming fast. I just love this time of the year! I've been on the lookout for a new pair of shoes and the week before Easter I won the auction for these on Tradera/Ebay:

They look completly unused, there wasn't even a mark in the leather in the bend over the toes! And the small cushions in the heels looks like no weight has ever been placed on them:

I'm so eager for a day at town, wearing my new shoes and a hat. It's finally warm enough for hats! Spring really is my favorite time of the year!

Last but not least: my new evening entertainment!

I've been saving the last episode of Foyle's war, because I just couldn't stand for the show to be over, and take my small forrays into England during WWII with it. I looked a bit at the cover of this show before Christmas, but it didn't seem like a good time to spend money on myself. Then Cathla called during Easter, saying it was on sale, my wonderful brother and my darling sister overheard and bought it as a surprise gift! Thank you so much, guys! You are the sweetest!

Hope you had a lovely Easter, and that your skies are as blue as our is today!

Love, Erika

En dag på stan

Igår hade jag och Kattis bestämt oss för att gå på stan i full mundering vintage. Vädret samarbetade perfekt, sol och 15 grader i slutet av september är vi inte bortskämda med!
Jag hittade några fina saker, lite smink och te. Jag tror dock jag börjar bli gammal, jag orkar inte gå på stan i mer två timmar innan jag tycker det är dags för fika =) Just denna lördag blev det fika på Schmäck.

Detta var dagens utstyrsel. Kom på att alla mina assesoirer var köpta second hand, kjolarna var arvegods, strumpor och gördel från What Katie Did, och allt på överkroppen nyproducerade saker. Skorna och hatten var en del i en sändning med saker jag köpt från Tradera senaste veckan. Mer bilder kommer så småningom...

Dagens assesoirer. En trevlig överraskning när skorna kom var ett de matchade handväskan! Lite otippat, de såg gråa ut på fotona på Tradera. Älskar när saker matchar!


Kattis var fin i blommig klänning med sötaste prickiga tyllkjolen under. (här ärhon dock lite trött...)

Och hennes skor! Så otroligt vackra! (ursäkta den suddiga bilden)

Min syster Kajsa var även hon på stan, och tog en fikapaus med oss. Älskar färgkombinationen!

Dagens fynd: ett par vintage mamelucker i vit bomull med rader av rynkad spets. Så söta, så praktiska, så perfekta! Går från midjan ner till övre delen av strumporna, perfekt för att hålla en varm när det blåser lite =)

Det var allt från dagen på stan!
Kram / Erika

Yesterday, me and a friend had decided to spend the day at town, shopping and having a cup of tea. In full vintage-style outfits. Amazingly, the weather cooperated and it was 15 degrees and sunny, not something we're used to at this time of the year. I found some nice things while shopping, some make-up and tea. I do belive I'm getting old though, after two hours of shopping I'm so ready for my tea =)
First image is of my outfit for the day. I realized while wearing it that all my assesoirs were second hand, the skirts heirlooms, stockings and girdle from What Katie Did, and the rest new stuff.
Second image, the secong hand things. I got the shoes and the hat along with some other things from Tradera (Swedish Ebay) this past week. Was it not an amazing stroke of luck that the shoes matched the handbag? They actually looked gray at Tradera! Love it when things matches.
Third and fouth image, Kattis in a flowery dress with an adorable dotted tuille slip. And just look at the gorgeous shoes!
Fifth image is of my sister Kajsa, who joined us for tea. I just love her colour-matching!
Last but in no way least, the find of the day: a pair of vintage bloomers, unused, in white cotton with rows upon rows of lace. So cute, so practical. They go up to the waist and down to the stockings, perfect for warmth when the wind is up! I fell in love at first sight, and they just begged me to come home with me. How can a girl refuse that? =)
That's all from my day at town!
Love, Erika