Tuesday, March 25, 2014

~ R.E.D. from 1940s ~


Walk around town with high heels on | Lavender & Twill 
Pinstrip and polka dot detail | Lavender & Twill

Heeled oxfords are a classic that never go out of style  | Lavender & Twill

Sweet vintage tapestry and embroidered beading | Lavender & Twill

Roll your fringe in a victory roll for a great vintage look | Lavender & Twill

I have been out and about ~ dashing hither and thither on family getaway weekends, and as a result, my schedule is all out of wack! So I’ll kick up my heels with a little down time and enjoy the crisp autumn air.

Indeed, I’m fairly certain fall is my favorite season of all, though you will have to excuse me if I change my mind later. I think it’s simply that the change is nice ~ I find the change in weather, style and colors quite refreshing.

Oh, and aren’t these oak leaf paper graffiti prints fab?  ლ(╹◡╹ლ)  I am so intrigued by public art when it is executed well. Spotting the wonderful pieces of local artists is quite fun. There is a bit of a movement around my city to have artists come and deliberately paint works on things like electrical boxes, and I think it’s marvelous to add a bit of interest to what often is a boring, utilitarian space, or box, as the case may be!

Though I’m fairly certain these pictures weren’t commissioned, I can’t help liking them anyway… I’m such a rebel right?   (≧ ∀ ≦ ) 

xox,

bonita

~   ♡  ~

Apple and Pearl Beaded Collar Necklace | Handmade by Bonita
Pearl Bead Cardigan | SES, Old
1940’s Shirtwaist Dress | Gifted
Heeled Oxfords | Old, UK
Vintage Beaded Tapestry Purse | Nikki B’s, Milton

~ ♡ ~

Find me:

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Ravelry | BJVear
Twitter | bjvear
Youtube | Bonita Vear

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

~ Ruby Red Slippers ~


A breezy A-line skirt has a lovely femminine, 1940s feel | Lavender & Twill

A skirt and a soft tee make for a comfortable, yet stylish 'round about outfit | Lavender & Twill

Last days of summer sun | Lavender & Twill

Ruby red wedges add a brilliant pop of color to a monochrome palette | Lavender & Twill


Okay, so I totally got sun burnt taking these outfit shots. Obviously summer is not quite ready go ~ it wants to have one last hurrah.

Despite the warmth and bright sun, I am still finding myself drawn over to the dark side of my wardrobe {bwhahaahaahaaaha~ *hack-coff* ~ Yeahhhh. (¬_¬)… }. All the black, grey, and otherwise monotone clothing that is still hanging around from my pre-Vintage style, pre-Pastel-ALL-the-things THING I have going on at the moment, suddenly gets a chance to see the light of day come the change in season.

This is good, I still like a little bit of black, however I find I cannot go back to the monochrome look I used to rock ~ I have been converted to color and I can’t live without it!

Red lips and ruby red slippers covered my thirst for a splash of fun with this casual style outfit, and I have resigned myself to the fact that retro-china-doll-girly is pretty much my M.O. now.  (⁎^ᴗ^⁎) ❤

xox,

bonita

~   ♡  ~

Lacy Mesh Collared T-Shirt | Primark, Old
40’s Secretary Spot Skirt | Modcloth, Old
Anklet Socks | Hot Dollar
Wine Red Wedges | Rivers, 2013

~  ♡  ~

Find me:

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Pinterest | bjvear
Ravelry | BJVear
Twitter | bjvear
Youtube | Bonita Vear

Thursday, March 13, 2014

~ Why I Wear Vintage ~


Quite some time ago I had read Charlotte of Tuppence Ha’penny’s post on “Why I Wear Vintage”. She said that she was “Inspired by a recent post on Already Pretty in which three guest contributors answered a few questions about their chosen wardrobe aesthetic, I decided to pose myself the same questions.”

So after our discussion on “Wearing Vintage ~ Real world vs Blog land" previously, I thought this series of questions would be a great way to explain why I choose to dress with a vintage style even if I do stand out a bit…

A fall color palette in red, navy and white | Lavender & Twill

What made you decide to dedicate your wardrobe to a single, defined aesthetic?

I guess I’ve been searching for the ‘right’ style for me for a long time.  I never really liked to dress like everyone else ~ I sort of followed the fashion pack but always insisted on putting my own twist into it.  As I got older I realized how vitally important it is for me to express my personality through the way I dress.  I am a very visual person and I love that my clothing finally reflects how I feel inside ~ artsy, feminine, and very individual!  ; )


Faux fur 1940s vintage style | Lavender & Twill

 
How long have you stuck to it?

I really only discovered the vintage aesthetic half way through 2010, so I’ve been dressing in a 1940s – 1950s style for close to four years now.  The more I do it, the more I love it.  This is something I can see lasting my whole life.


Reproduction jeans are a staple for a vintage mama's every day wardrobe | Lavender & Twill 

What do you love about it?

I think the biggest element that I love about wearing vintage is how feminine it feels.  I tend to think that nowadays designers are focused on creating clothes that look good on minus zero models, a sort of androgynous look that it neither designed for a feminine or masculine figure, but rather for a unrealistic, impossible figure that only exists in the world of high fashion.   

Compared to that, I tend to feel that even though vintage wear still had is ‘impossible’ figures in the high fashion ~ models with generous curves and tiny waists, the clothing itself was still designed with real women in mind.  You may not be able to look completely like a fashion model, but the clothes still look good on your “normal” figure. 

Because of this reason, I find that vintage feels like it was made for me, not just the impossible woman, and who doesn’t love clothes that feel perfectly suited to you?  Plus, vintage wear is so cute with all the little details that you just don’t find in mass produced fashions. Each piece of vintage is different, and no one has the same dress {unless it’s a reproduction}, so of course that appeals to my very independent streak. 


School marm style is a classic look | Lavender & Twill 

What’s frustrating?

Availability.  Don’t get me wrong, I love that there is a huge appreciation for the vintage look at the moment; vintage being on trend is a big bonus in fleshing out my wardrobe with some cheaper ready to wear items.  It’s helpful in that respect, but not so great when you are paying between $50-$100.00 for simple cotton day dresses.  And of course, the really nice stuff is going for $180 + these days! 

The high demand means that you have to really treasure the vintage pieces you own {which I already do} and treat them really carefully.  This can get quite wearisome when you have young children and need to be able to get dirty, clean the house, be rumpled, pulled on, snot nose wiped on, and etc. That is the hardest obstacle I face when dressing in my vintage clothes.  Sometimes I just can’t do the things I would like to in it, so sometimes I can’t dress the way I want to.


Short waisted cardigans are a great style staple | Lavender & Twill 

What would you say to someone considering a similar sartorial path?

Dress the way you want to, wear what makes you feel pretty.  I know there can be some hesitation and concern about others judging you on your clothes, or maybe feeling like you’ll draw too much attention to yourself, but really ~ if it makes you happy go for it!  The last thing you are going to do is wish that you had stayed at home and hid yourself away.  Your life is for your enjoyment, so step out and don’t look back.   ٩(⁎❛ᴗ❛⁎)۶ ~ ♥


Twilly skirts are so fun | Lavender & Twill


xox,

bonita

~ ♡ ~

Find me:

Instagram | missbjvear
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Ravelry | BJVear
Twitter | bjvear
Youtube | Bonita Vear

Monday, March 10, 2014

~ A Story of a Girl & Her Rainbow Be-Ribboned Handbag ~


Part 1: Waiting | Lavender & Twill
…He said he’d meet me at the corner of West Wembley and Adelaide Lane…

Part 2: Is that you over there? | Lavender & Twill
…Is that him? I can see a familiar face…

Part 3: *sigh* Please come... | Lavender & Twill
…*sigh* I hope he hasn’t forgotten about me…
  Part 4: Better check my makeup! | Lavender & Twill
I’ll just do a quick lipstick check ~ I want to look perfect for him…

Part 5: You're not coming, are you... | Lavender & Twill
It’s over an hour past our meeting time. He’s not coming, is he…

Part 6: Dispair | Lavender & Twill
… *silent tears*…

Part 7: I need to catch a cab | Lavender & Twill
…I guess I had better catch the trolley home…

Part 8: What's this? | Lavender & Twill
…What’s that you say Rainbow Be-Ribboned Handbag? Let’s go on an adventure together?…

Part 9: Well... | Lavender & Twill …Well…. Okay…

Part 10: Freedom!  *wheeee* | Lavender & Twill        …*takes off* Wheeee!…

~   ♡  ~

*This picture-story post idea was inspired by Rochelle of Lucky Lucille. She wrote a great Photography Tips article and one of the things that really stood out to me was the idea of telling a story with your photos. Now, I always try to do that with my artistic photography, but not so much with my outfit shoots. And I thought, well, why not?

So here it is ~ my Mary-Poppins-inspired, 1940s-styled, tale of a Rainbow Be-Ribboned Handbag and a Girl that stops waiting on her Prince Not-So-Charming!*  

xox,

bonita

~   ♡  ~

Crochet Pink & Beige Hair Rose | Me Made, 2011
40’s Floral Shirtwaist Dress | Ebay
Rainbow Be-Ribboned Handbag | Forever New, 2012
Camel Penny Loafers | Big W, 2011

~ ♡ ~

Find me:

Instagram | missbjvear
Pinterest | bjvear
Ravelry | BJVear
Twitter | bjvear
Youtube | Bonita Vear

Monday, March 3, 2014

~ Celebrating Spring with The Easter Egg Dress ~

  It's a spring fling | Lavender & Twill

Bright and colorful creates a sunny look | Lavender & Twill

A vintage clutch can add the perfect finish to a dainty dress | Lavender & Twill

Glitter polish and glow mesh | Lavender & Twill


It’s not actually Easter yet, nor is it spring in Australia ~ in fact it’s almost autumn and I should be saying farewell to summer days and summer dresses. 

However!

When I wear this dress I instantly feel like it’s spring again, and the bright colors remind me of nothing more than a pretty Easter egg, so there you have it. (✿◠‿◠)

Now you may have noticed that I’m not very good at keeping up with Twitter ~ I like to mostly share through Instagram on my Twitter feed. I tend to think that this is because I am too wordy and prefer the whole “a picture is a thousand words” format rather than trying to squish my thoughts into such a limited amount of characters! *cough*

Still, I checked my notifications the other night and was aghast to find that several people had responded to various Tweets, but I hadn’t noticed! I was all “Ohnoes! They are going to think I am so rude!! ﴾͡๏ O ͡๏﴿…”

So I have resolved to keep on top of that and try to join in with the Twitter community much more frequently, as well as making sure I respond to any kind people who Tweet at me.

You can find me @bjvear if you wish to send a Tweet my way ~ I promise to respond barring floods, fires or other such disasters befalling the interwebz connection... (¬_¬)

xox,

bonita

~   ♡  ~

The Easter Egg Dress | Ebay
Vintage Glow Mesh Clutch | Thrifted
Watermelon Jelly Wedges | eBay

~ ♡ ~

Find me:

Instagram | missbjvear
Pinterest | bjvear
Ravelry | BJVear
Twitter | bjvear
Youtube | Bonita Vear

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