The Clothes Off My Back (3)

Gale storms, maelstroms, and blizzarding aside, I'm still playing the "tights" card every day this week. You can't take my office-workwear freedom, cold weather! There's supposed to be more of a wintry mix falling over poor, formerly sunny Tennessee today and tomorrow... but that doesn't keep me from wearing my favorite late winter dresses, and hang 'em all. This week, I've already worn two dresses I'm pretty nuts about, so I reluctantly stepped in front of the camera again to show off the goods.

Above, a 1980's, new wave, shirtwaist dress from Southern Thrift ($3.99) that almost fits like a charm-- I love the way the shoulders, sleeves, and collar fit; I haaaate the way the waist is a few inches too high and loose as a goose. It still comes off pretty well when you add a belt (estate sale, 50 cents) and a necklace (part of an "and earrings" set from an estate sale, silver and turquoise, $6). Also, happening to have your own Enid Collins of Texas bag to cap it off will certainly draw attention away from the proportion shortcomings, and straight to...a little piece of bejeweled goodness. The closest you get to "purse nirvana" this side of heaven...is Enid Collins of Texas.

You'd be smiling, too.

Since I last posted about Enid Collins bags a hundred years ago (click on the link for a time warp back to said ancient epoch, in April), I picked up this number at Music City Thrift for $5. Son of a GUN, can you imagine how excited I was. Hardly used. Near mint condition. Nestled alongside those freebie Clinique bags and some ugly strappy purses... one of my dream purses. This bag, labeled "Gazebo" in the lower left hand corner, is a canvas material lined in off white vinyl with a wood base, which makes for solid goods-carrying. The background is painted or printed, the decorations are jewels and studs of various shapes and sizes...and would you look at the tiny metal bees zzzZZZzzz'ing, two at the right, and one at the left, on either side of the bag. I could have a closetful of these guys and still not be satisfied.



Here's another outfit from this week, an all-in-one forest green, and green and beige plaid, sweater dress combination (Goodwill, $7.99). It's like they read my mind...sweater...dress... sweater PLUS dress. I was digging through the back of the closet for more wintery wear and came across this guy. The collar has an eyehook clasp so that it lays "just so". Heaven. A girl downstairs in circulation yelled from across the room, "You just look like a Christmas-y green apple!" I yelled back, "I caught a look at myself in the mirror a minute ago and I thought, 'Velma!'" Either way, love this dress. Don't know what's going on with my hair. It doesn't seem to know whether it's coming or going, lately...and sometimes it is doing both at once.

I've been digging through my old recipe cards, so I'll probably try and make a post on 1940's Christmas cookery tomorrow, scanner willing. 'Til then!