New spectacles

No, it's not vacation photos yet. Soon, I promise!

Now you may recall sometime in May, I mentioned that I got new eyeglasses. A few astute readers noticed I was wearing them in my last post. And if you follow me on Instagram, they're not new to you at all, as I've been sporting them in photos for awhile. But this is the first time I'm introducing them on the blog.

Meet my new specs!

I've been wearing vintage eyewear from the 1950s for years, much longer than I've been a daily vintage clothing wearer. So I was looking for a pair of glasses for when I wanted something other than my 50s specs. And while my wardrobe often leans more 40s, I think 50s glasses will always be my main love. They are just. so. awesome.

But! I wanted a more 40s-looking pair as a change of pace. So I went with modern glasses that have a pretty 40s feel, with the round lenses and keyhole bridge. I ordered them online from Classic Specs (this pair here), and I'm quite pleased. I have a strong prescription so I need high index lenses, and these were hundreds of dollars cheaper than I've sometimes had to pay for eyeglasses (even bringing in my own vintage frames), including anti-reflective coating. I was very pleased with the quality of the frames and lenses. It's a gamble ordering glasses online, but if you find a place with a good return policy, you're not out anything if you're unhappy with the results!

Today, I'm wearing them with a dress I made this time last year. I was kind of meh about actually wearing it last summer as I felt it was a little too cutesy and young for me, but I'm not currently minding it. Age is just a number, right?

Lately, I've been sporting this Rita Hayworth-inspired updo a lot, though mine is never nearly as glamorous as hers or other vintage gals, as my patience for hairstyles is admittedly quite small. In fact I noticed uncurled sections on the back of my head in these photos, counteracting the lovely wave I achieved in my bangs. So just look at the front of my head, deal?

Regardless, I'm planning to wear this style a lot to beat the upcoming heat this summer. And what a great way to show off hair flowers! I'm going bananas for hair flowers right now, so expect to see them adorning my noggin a lot in the upcoming months.

I'm wearing my new Lime Crime lipstick in Retrofuturist, too. To me it has a slight pink undertone when worn without a lip liner, though I usually opt for orange-reds or blue-based reds. But with a liner (how I'm wearing it here) it's more the true red they say it is. I'm pretty pleased with the wearability and creaminess, so it's already gone into my regular rotation of reds.

It's hard to get used to seeing such a change in eyewear style on my face, and especially odd to me that they aren't vintage specs for the first time in so long, but I'm enjoying them!

outfit details:

eyeglasses: Classic Specs

1940s dress: made by me

hair flowers: here and there

Bakelite earrings: Etsy

Bakelite & fakelite bangles: here and there

shoes: Lotta From Stockholm
lipstick: Retrofuturist by Lime Crime 

Last weekend's vintage finds

Hello everyone! I'm glad you enjoyed my tutorial on how to make a feedsack hair bow. It's such a quick and easy project, you better let me know if you make one!

Last Sunday was our one year wedding anniversary. Our plan initially was going to involve a walk around the nature preserve where we got married, but come the day of, we just weren't in the mood. Isn't that terrible? lol We keep missing the vintage fairs this spring and summer due to conflicting plans, so we've been a bit starved in that department. So instead, we drove out to the suburbs, had a lovely lunch and went to an antique mall. Julia from the Volo Antique Mall... if you're out there reading, we're coming to you next! :)

I am crazy about this rhinestone-studded nut charm bracelet!

The purse is hard to photograph because yes, it's actually covered in plastic.

Outfit details: me-made New York leaf dress and matching hair bow, vintage belt from Etsy, 50s confetti earrings from Auntdelta (though you can't really see them), bangles from here and there, nut charm bracelet from eBay, Lotta from Stockholm clogs, can't remember where the purse is from.

What do you think about these shoes? I love clogs. I have worn my red or yellow mary jane-style Sven clogs with many vintage outfits (like here). They are just so darn comfy and cute and great for casual summer outfits, even if they make my outfit a little funky or folksy. (What the heck, I've always been a little funky and folksy!) Last summer I saw a brand that had a style of peep toe clogs. Clogs that have a 1940s feel, yes please! I saved a pair to my bookmark list and of course promptly forgot about them. When I looked this spring, it seemed like the brand didn't exist any longer. So I found Lotta from Stockholm, which had peep toe clogs in a medium and low heel. Of course since then I've discovered Sven has peep toe clogs now (with way more colors) as well as Swedish Hasbeens, though the Lottas are quite a bit less expensive.

I'm still deciding if I like the look of this heel style on me. It's the same as the Hasbeens high heel... their super high looks more 40s but 3.5" is just too tall for me. But I'm in love with the rest of the shoe. And I know I'm not the only one who likes this style, I've spied peep toe clogs on Katie from The Little Red Squirrel and Jenny from Yesterday Girl, too!

Anyway, enough shoe rambling, onto the vintage finds. Not a huge haul, but we picked up some nice things. From the last time we visited this place I remembered there was a booth with oodles of inexpensive scarves and buttons, so of course I had to take a few of each home.

We got two Richter Artcraft wall plaques for the living room that are amazing. Molded gold plastic! Since we're keeping the gold-flecked mirrors on one wall, these will go between. We may decide to paint the frames to make them a little more dramatic, and because there's a bit much brown in that room. I've watched Hepcat Restorations do this many a time with amazing results.

(And wow, I actually found a room in the house that I can take natural daylight photos in, at least for a small window of opportunity in the morning.)

I love seeing things like this on the back. :)

And the find that takes the cake. For our anniversary, Mel bought me this amazing lamp for my bedroom (AKA the guest bedroom, where my closet and vanity are, and where I'll be decorating and painting).

Isn't she stunning? She's not in perfect condition... the shade has some issues, and what looks like the matching finial is actually clearly not from this lamp (hint: it's a fish) but is a good match. She's not a Reglor, but definitely in that style.

I saw her the last time we were at this place and kind of regretted not taking her home, but she was still waiting patiently for me this weekend. I love her! I can't wait to design the rest of the room with this piece in mind. She's just what the bedside table (early Heywood Wakefield) needed.