My Love/hate relationship with Pinterest

OK, so here's the deal.  I love Pinterest for all the reasons anyone does. It allows you to capture images to inspire, dream and wish upon. You can share them with friends and see what others are dreaming about as well. As a consumer I think it's a wonderful tool and I appreciate the platform they have created. On the other side, as a business owner I tend to feel a just a little disgruntled when a bride-to-be sends me pictures of her fantasy dress (emphasis on fantasy) on Pinterest.  These are all gorgeous designer dresses with designer price tags.  Of course, the bride wants that same dress (or one very similar) for around $500. Really? I'm only guessing that they think they can get a dress at less the cost because vintage can sometimes be cheaper than modern dresses ( and maybe I'm the only one to experience this because I specialize in vintage - I don't know.)  Yes, sometimes vintage is less expensive but most of the time vintage does not look like the new "vintage inspired" dresses that designers are putting out these days.  (But I digress more on that subject in a previous post.)  The real issue is that looking for a bridal dress on Pinterest allows you to see ALL the options available in the world!  This is all well and good if you have the budget for it. I feel that it is a bit unfortunate for a bride to fantasize about dresses that are out of their price range instead of looking within their means at what is available for them. Once upon a time, before the internet (and I realize I shouldn't be singling out Pinterest as it's really the internet that has opened up the world to us in the first place), a bride would shop the stores in her area and choose a dress from what was available in stock.  If you wanted something unique and/or less expensive you would have one made for you.  As far as I can tell, all those brides from decades past were very happy with what was available to them.

"What do I wear under it?"

It's called a slip

A slip seems to becoming an article of clothing from the past. Once upon a time one wore a slip under every dress or skirt and blouse whether it required one or not.  These days it's very different.  Many young women don't have the occasion to wear a dress very often let alone a  formal one. This brings us to the subject of formal/ bridal wear. The question: "What do I wear under it" is one of the most common questions I hear during bridal appointments. Back in the day one was expected to wear all the necessary undergarments: bra, girdle, slip and stockings. So the dresses of the time could be a bit see through knowing that one would wear the proper 'foundation garments' underneath.  This brings me to the subject of old v.s new bridal gowns.  New bridal gowns tend to be built with all the foundation built in - no slips or girdles (spanx)  needed. They even have corsets built in to help pull you in tight in all the right places. Therefore, when brides are shopping for vintage dresses they are surprised by how light they are which is a good thing. Everyone likes light and airy. It has all the qualities you want in a wedding dress; easy, breezy, comfortable, except for one thing: it does not suck you in like the modern dresses. They are not form fitting and body hugging unless you wear the proper "undergarments". (Even then, the bridal fashions of the past were not that form fitting until you reached the late 1980's and then were bejeweled and bedazzled by all the pearls and sequins covering the whole gown). So, here lies the dilemma; you want the easy breezy look but you want to look a bit sexy showing your curves...

How do you get both?  Foundation Garments.

To clean or not to clean. ..

That is the question. Quite frequently in my work with vintage materials -especially with vintage wedding dresses- I am challenged with taking the risk of cleaning an item. With this particular 1940's wedding dress there is a stain on the right side of the lace bodice. Upon first glance I decide yes I can get the stain out but it will require removing the buttons. Ah yes, all those beautiful buttons. I've learned the hard way (with one of my very first vintage bridal gowns)that if you are going to clean, especially hand wash, you must remove the buttons. The old buttons were made with a type of metal base that will rust and ruin not only the buttons but will leach out onto your whole dress. Yes, this did happen to me with my first bride. Unfortunately, the dress was in perfect condition but the bride's mother wanted it "freshened up". Needless to say it was a disaster. (On top of that the bride didn't like the lighter 'fresher' color! She loved the original antique hue. Who knew it would turn so white!) So, my original post was supposed to be about removing buttons before cleaning. And this is still valuable information. But upon closer inspection of the lace I see that it is too fragile to withstand an even gentle washing. I often remind people that it's not the dress that is 70 years or more old but the fabric is that old. So, in conclusion you always have to weigh the pros and cons. If you love the dress and accept it as is then by all means wear it in all it's vintage glory!

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Special thanks to my bride Darci

Thank you Darci

Her gorgeous dress 

Was created from 3 vintage dresses

to create the look

of a  woodland garden fairy

What is Vintage?

Lately, I've been finding myself having to describe in detail what vintage actually is. My customers call and ask about what it is that I do and what I carry. Naturally I describe the process of choosing from my collection of vintage dresses and how we re-work the dress if desired. When I first started my business everyone understood and appreciated the concept. But this last year I've been getting questions like: "Can I get this in a different size?", "Can I order it in a different color?", "Oh, is it used? Has it been worn before?" So then I begin to describe that vintage means it is one of kind (I have one, just one of that style) and it was made earlier than 20 years ago ( but as the years go by this means that the early 90's is classified as vintage! ACK!) I was surprised by the lack of knowledge re: vintage by most young people and then I came to realize than the term vintage has become so generic that the concept is watered down and washed out. For a while designers started phrasing their collection as "Vintage inspired". Even though these styles bore no resemblance to any vintage theme that I could see I accepted their version if they felt it was so inspired. But now it has become such a marketing frenzy that everything is being called vintage when there really is no reference whatsoever.  No wonder people are confused! As someone who works with authentic vintage pieces it is becoming a challenge to distinguish myself from the rest.  Therefore I guess I may be moving into the role as educator - although I am by no means a expert on the history of fashion but I am old enough to remember more than most of you! :)

Vintage Bridal Skirts

At last I am revealing my new designs: vintage bridal skirts! What a concept right? I love the idea of creating separates for versatility in both size and style. It's easy and makes so much sense. I've designed some photo shoots to show how you can style your own skirt. This lovely ruffled skirt is paired with a simple stretch lace top for a simple but elegant look. As I mention in my book (How to restyle a vintage wedding gown) this is just one design idea that lets you recapture a beautiful piece of a vintage gown and make it your own.

My Victorian inspired fashion show