Vintage for everyday

Last week I was going through all my outfit posts in an attempt to find the perfect dress for the work-party on Saturday, and I realised that I've mostley posted about "the special" outfits. Inspired by the discussion on Gertie's blog about what vintage style one applies for everyday wear (http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/02/im-done-done-i-tell-you.html), here come's some photos of my favorite vintage-inspired outfit and hair.


The hair is teased at the front and sides, and then folded in, pinned in place and harisprayed. The hair in the back is twisted into a knot at one side of the neck, and secured with a whole lot of hairpins. This was for dancing, so a bit more pins and spray were needed than for a day at town. It was all done in 20 minutes, without any preparation at all.



The skirt is a simple dirndl-skirt, just square pieces folded against a waistband, all made by me =) The shirt is from H&M, the shoes are my beloved dance shoes, and the belt is true vintage (my grandmother wore it in the 50s/60s). Sorry about the slightly rumpled look, I always remember after a couple of hours of dancing that I'd brought along my camera...


I know for some people this isn't really vintage, but for an everyday wear it's the perfect combination for me; something homesewn, something vintage, something modern =)


For me, wearing vintage means different things different days. If I save the full vintage garb (suspender belt, stockings, elaborate hairdo's, no modern RTW etc) for the special occasions, then those special occasions will feel more special becuase of my outfit. So that way I can chose to make an ordinary shopping day special by upping the outfit. I still feel pretty in my everyday wear, but then I can feel extra pretty when I chose to =)
Somehow I believe that while my oufit may not be period all the time, the intent of saving the extra effort and the best clothes for special occasions, is period.
What do you say? Do you wear period vintage (down to the underwear) everyday, or even at all? If you like to dress more vintage inspired, what pieces do you prefer to keep "genuine" vintage? (For me, it's definitley the accessories)
If you like to add vintage pieces to a more modern outfit, check out the guest post on Gerties blog by Sal from Already Pretty http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/02/guest-post-vintage-for-everyday-wear.html for some great tips on styling.
I'd love to hear your views and personal experiences on vintage for everyday wear!
Love, Erika

Introducing the sailor dress

Igår var det lindy hop live till Lars Enmarks publika styrka, en enastående liten grupp som då och då ärar oss med sin härliga jazz. Kvällen till ära invigde jag sjömansklänningen jag hittade på Beyond retro i somras. Den är självklart nånstans runt 70-tal, och var lite varm att dansa i, men det gjorde inget =) Dessutom så lade min syster pincurls på mig kvällen innan. Hennes första försök till pincurls, visst har hon klar talang?!

Yesterday there was Lindy hop Live to a local jazz band. Due to the fine occasion I introduced the sailor dress I found at Beyond Retro this summer. I think it's from the 70s, although it has a nice 40s touch, so unfortunatley it was a bit warm to dance in, but it didn't matter. I had a great time anyway! =) Also, my sister did a pincurl set on me before the dance. It was her very first attempt, she has quite a talent for it, doesn't she?!


Det var en härlig kväll, massa trevligt folk, bra dans och svänging musik. Dessutom så var jag faktiskt ledig! Jag jobbar ju nästan jämnt på något sätt under våra danskvällar, med salen, köket eller så har jag bakat till kvällen. Men nu har vi gjort ett schema så att man är ensam helt ansvarig för fikat vissa gånger, och vissa gånger helt ledig. Tror inte jag varit "gäst" på en swingkväll på 2,5 år, så var en konstig känsla... Men klart bra! =)
Lämnar er med en av mina favoritlåtar, som Lars Enmarks snällt nog spelade för oss igår.
Kram! / Erika

It was a lovely evening, lots of nice people, great dancing and swingin' music. Atop of that I was actually free for the evening! Usually I work in some capacity during our social nights, with tending the room, the kitchen and baking. But now we've made a scheduale so that one person is completley resoponsible for the kitchen (and everything that comes with it) at the time, and the rest are free. Last night was my first free night, and it was almost a bit strange. I haven't been a "guest" at a dance here in Umeå for 2,5 years. Strange to be free, but absoloutley nice! =)
I'll leave you with one of my favorite songs, that the band was kind enough to play for us last night.
Love, Erika

A hat, an alomst-dress, and dreams

Den här lilla saken är det senaste tillskottet till min lilla men växande hattsamling. Själva hatten är i sammet, med små fina veck mot nacken. Jag gissar på 50-tal, några andra gissningar?

This little thing is the latest addition to my small but growing hat collection. The hat itself is in velvet, with small creases towards the neck. I'm guessing 50s, any other ideas?


Bara för att visa att jag faktiskt gör något vid symaskinen, även om det går långsamt. Är klart osäker på hur pass bra den här blir, men har tänkt sy ihop den, och passar den inte så säljer/ger jag den till någon som den passar på =) Men är lite skeptisk, tyget är lite för styvt tycker jag. Kan mjukna med användning, men... hmm... Mer bilder, samt mönster och förebilder, kommer när den är färdig!
Just to show that I'm actually doing something on the sewing machine, even if it's a pretty slow process. I'm very unsure about how this one's gonna turn out, the fabric has a little bit too much body for my taste (but that could change with wear) and I'm not sure about the fit. Ah well, I'm going to finish it anyway, and if it doesn't fit, I'll find someone it does fit! =) More pictures later, when it's ready.

Jag gick till den lokala tygaffären för att köpa lite mer duktyg till swingkvällarna, och var hittade jag? 70% rea! Inte på allt såklart, men på de fantastiska, tunna ylletygerna jag längtasfullt kikat på hela vintern. Det var helt fel månad för tyginköp, framför allt av tyger som är mest aktuella till i höst, men jag kunde inte låta bli. Färgerna, vikten, fallet... jag är kär!
Ha en härlig helg! /Erika
So, I went to the local fabric shop to get some more material for the table cloths for social nights at the Lindy hop, and what did I find? 70% sale! Not on everything of course, but on the wonderful, thin, soft woolfabrics I've been eyeing all winter. Totally wrong month for fabricpurchases (esp as these are more for fall than spring) but I couldn't resist. The colours, the weight, the drape... I'm in love!
Have a lovely weekend! /Erika

Cozy Monday

Det är måndag, men en rätt bra sådan. Vädret har varit hemskt, men jobbet riktigt trevligt. Det var bra med folk till första måndagsdansen med medeltidsföreningen (japp, jag undervisar i dans där med =) ), och på vägen hem från medeltidslokalen fick jag en sådan enorm lust till att baka scones. Så dagen avslutades med scones och te framför ett avsnitt av "Foyle's war", en bra engelsk deckare som kan ses både för handlingen och för de fina 40-tals kläderna och frisyrerna.

Trevlig vecka gott folk!
Kram / Erika

It's Monday, bur a fairly good one. The weather has been awful, but work was actually nice. A fair crowd turned up for the first Monday-dance with the Medieval society (yep, I teach dance there as well =) ), and on the way home I was overcome with the urge for baking scones. So the day ended with scones and tea infront of an episode of "Foyle's war", a great Brittish detective story that can be enjoyed both for the plot and for the 40s outfits and hairdo's.

Have a great week!
Love, Erika

Back in town

Warning for long post! =)

Me and Marita at New Years Eve.

Finally back from my long Christmas-break! I've been to my old hometown Stockholm, celebrating Christmas and New Year's with friends and family. I love living up north, but I have to say that I really don't like seeing my nearest and dearest so seldom (a few times a year). That's why it was so great to have almost two weeks in Stockholm. Plus the annual swing dance camp "Snowball" runs from 26th dec to 1st jan, and although I didn't feel I had time to attend classes (it wouldn't have given me any time for the family) I did dance socially every night, most of them until 5 in the morning! I had a truly splendid time =) All the dancing and the wonderful people made me a bit wistful and almost got me thinking about maybe moving back south, but then I came home and the wonderful calm that runs through life up here went right into me and no, I will not move back. I am however eagerly awating the opening of the new railway (in August), which will hopefully make it a whole lot easier to visit the southern lands.

Me and my mom at my cousin's wedding.

The lately very slow updating of this blog is partly due to that I lost my camera during New Year's Eve. I'm currentley making a last and probebly futile attempt to retrive it, but if I don't find it I will have to admit that there are some very dishonest people out there. I mean, my camera is an ancient and not so well functioning compact camera! Why on earth would anyone want to steal it? It's not even worth the expense of buying a new charger, which they would have to do as it uses custom batteries. *sigh*

So, I lost my camera, but I did get a lot of very nice Christmas gifts, most of them relating to vintage or sewing =) Here are a few of them:


Some cookery. The pot and the big one in the back I already had, I just let them sit in the picture so you could see the whole ensamble.


Linen napkins, handwoven by my great-grandmother (the same remarkeble woman who I inherited my lace-pillow from). A bedsheet that comes with a story; my grandmother got a set of these when she was married 50 years ago. This one was never used, so now she has put my initial on it, and given it to me. She says she's been sleeping on hers for 50 years, and it's still in good shape =)

Mad Men season one AND two! (My brother and sister must really love me, that feels nice =) ) And the classic "How to marry a millionaire" from dad.

There were more, both heirlooms and great new and old finds, but they will have to wait a while.

Have a great weekend!
Love, Erika

P.S. Thanks Kajsa and Marita, for lending me the use of your cameras!