Thursday, May 2, 2013

Weekend Finds 3: Mexican Tourist Jacket

Good morning!

It's Thursday! I'm off tomorrow, so I have all day to contemplate what kind of menu to serve at our engagement party Friday night! I know it sounds so Elizabeth Taylor in Father of the Bride, but I thought, as we never had a big to-do when we got engaged in 2011, why not kick out the jams this year to celebrate having set the date? While I am no newcomer to party-throwing, this is my first party as a mostly-vegan, totally vegetarian hostess. I don't much care what my friends eat in front of me, but I'm deathly afraid to serve dishes I haven't had a chance to taste test! Thus, I'm nosing around Pinterest directly after I finish this blog post to nail down some appetizers and a shopping list. If you know any good meat-free, dairy-free, egg-free party foods, please hit up the comment section!

In other news, we've made it to the last of my weekend finds for this week! Check out this Mexican tourist jacket I snagged from the flea market on Sunday:


I think I've mentioned before that it is to my eternal regret that I passed up a jacket a lot like this one at a Dogwood sale about two years ago, for FOUR. DOLLARS. I tried it on, it fit, and I went, "Ya know kid, you've been spending too much on outrageous pieces of vintage you never end up wearing, and this time, I'm puttin' my big foot down, see? Ixnay on the exican-may acket-jay, you get me?" (My inner voice sounds a lot like James Cagney after a mild stroke, apparently) I passed it up, and I've lived to regret it again and again when I see cute, embroidered souvenir jackets online with higher two-digit price tags. What was I thinking?! Atomic Redhead did a fabulous post a little while back about her tourist jacket, complete with online examples, and I could have spit I was so jealous (the mint green on black and black on mint green version are giving me heart palpitations even now).


I actually have one in red, that's a lot like the jacket Janey is wearing with her red squaw dress in that post, but it's a lot larger than I like to wear jackets. Being small waisted and little-of-bust, I really prefer for items to fit tightly (not even fitting, but actually a little too tight) onto the upper portion of my body to contrast with the bottom-heaviness of my pear-shaped figure. You can imagine how excited I was, accordingly, when I was digging through that same guy from last month's tables and tables of moth eaten linens and clothes in the Antique Shed, and found this. If you go to the flea market often, you know who I'm talking about (and if you don't, I described him last month when I bought a boatload of dresses)... he's there almost every month, and it's so strange the quality of clothes he has. This time, as I approached the tables, he said in his same-old Andy Devine voice, "Well, hey there! Do you know I bought a hundred and ten boxes of linens last weekend? There's all kinds of stuff in there, you know the drill-- find something you like!" I picked this and a couple other jackets, then carried my haul to another booth where there was a mirror, and tried each on for size. This one, and a pale yellow Dolman sleeved sixties' suit jacket, made the cut.


Do you see the back of it? Churches? A palm tree? LITTLE FIGHTING CHICKENS? I almost died. And look how tiny the fit is! I will definitely be wearing this a lot in the fall when wool and felt jackets are more weather appropriate.

I am really into these sewing patterns for similar jackets. Can't get to Mexico? Make a swagger jacket in your own home!

1940s Jacket Pattern Vintage McCall 1399 Embroidered Mexican Motif on Felt or Woven Fabric

1940s Childs Jacket and Beret Pattern McCall 1464 Mexican Motif Embroidery Transfers Vintage Sewing Pattern 
Vintage Pattern 1947 Girls Mexican Appliqued Felt Jacket Size 6
Do you have a Mexican tourist jacket to call your own? Do you think they're too much or just enough kitsch? Which one of the patterns you see here or on Atomic Redhead's blog do you like the best? How would YOU style this or one of the oversized swagger ones?

That's all for today, kiddos! I'm off to look at recipes. Have a great Thursday, and I'll see you tomorrow for Photo Friday! Til then.

30 comments:

  1. Love those jackets! They seems to hold up pretty well too. Have fun on your day off!

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    1. Thanks! I hope it doesn't rain on me, but I'm gonna try to enjoy it either way! :)

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  2. Oh my goodness, little fighting chickens!?! It's kitsch at its best!
    Good luck with the menu planning, let us know how the party goes!

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    1. The chickens are the best! And I didn't even notice them until after I got home. Thanks for the well wishes; I've got all the groceries, we just have to wait and see how everything turns out!

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  3. YAY for buying it, that should definitely make you feel better for passing up the first one! I have a turquoise one that I love, and am always on the lookout for reasonably priced once (rare around me). They are wonderful spring jackets!

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    1. Oh, and this one is a much better fit! It was funny because the guy who was running the booth corrected me when I said I had "two coats", he was like, "Actually, that's one ladies' coat and I think this is a child's shirt". Either way, I love it!

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  4. What a find!! I love your jacket! I have a turquoise one with flowers on it, but I'd love to find another in a more folksy print someday too. I do ponder about the potentially stereotypical aspect (like personally, I think I'll avoid the ones with sleeping sombrero dudes) but they're such fun pieces.

    (And I was DYING over Atomic Redhead's mint/black jackets too!! Amazing!)

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    1. Oh, I know, the sombrero-slumberin' ones are kind of "Umm...soooo...." but I love the ones with bright, folk-art felt and embroidery! I bet your turquoise one is gorgeous.

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  5. Ohhh awesome! I've been wanting one for a while! I can't believe I didn't find this as I was there Saturday. But glad it went to a good home ;) You look amazing in it. Maybe one day the flea market gods will smile on me and I will be able to find such a jacket.

    xo,
    Em

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    1. Man, you went Saturday?! Brave gal! I wanted to go, but it was so horrible weather-wise in the morning that (as I said) my dad and I gave up in the morning and then we were both busy in the afternoon by the time the weather improved. That table is such a grab bag of stuff, you never know what you're going to find! Keep lookin'! :)

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  6. i love them! but i'm not sure if i would wear one out. i'm too chicken!
    also, i'm too chicken to host parties now! i used to all the time, but i haven't done it as a vegan. when we got to parties we always take hummus with chips and veggies, and some kind of sweet. these cookies are a real crowd pleaser and are easy! we've made this cake for a few parties too!

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    1. Re: jacket: Oh, I know-- the crazy factor is what kept me from that one I'm so sad I passed up. But they look so cute with patio squaw dress like on that Atomic Redhead blog that I'm trying to think of different ways to style 'em.

      Re: menu: It's funny because I've been going down my usual menu and going, "UGH, NO. That has eggs. That's 90% cheese. That IS eggs." I think I've almost got it figured out. Those recipes look awesome, I'll have to sit down and try them sometime. Thanks for the suggestions, fellow Vegan! :)

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  7. Also I dug through the same pile of clothes that you mentioned! It must have been fate for you to get it. I did find a lovely 40's jacket in the giant pile. The man is...a very interesting person.

    xo,
    Em

    (sorry for double comments!)

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    1. Isn't he weird, but in kind of an endearing way? That Antiques shed is my very favorite place to shop, second only to maybe the mule and rabbit barns. I can't wait to see what you found! Also, double comment any time, haha!

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  8. Check out Indian cookbooks. Lotsa recipes that will fill the bill. Julie Sahni had a great vegetarian cookbook that i gave to a vegetarian friend as a present.You can always substitute vegetable oil for the ghee and leave out the paneer and yogurt.

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    1. I will have to check that cookbook you mentioned out! I lo-o-o-o-ove Indian food, since we went veg it's been a special treat to head out to the Indian buffet and really dig into the vegetable based stuff.

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  9. This looks marvelous on you! The deep maroon is perfect with your skin tone! And your jacket is only the second one I've seen with a "chicken dispute" happening on the back! The first being mine. It's wonderful to see another one!

    I love that you and Emma go to the same fleas too!

    xoxo
    -Janey

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    1. Thanks, Janey! I bet your fightin' chicken jacket is just as feisty; what a cute detail! You know I run into everybody when I'm out at the Nashville flea market; must be where all the cool kids hang at the last weekend of the month! I'm always like "Oh, hey, there's so and so!" It's fun to see everyone else's loot from the same place, too!

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  10. What a perfect fit! The colour is lovely, and who can argue with the fact that fighting chickens are just another part of how great this jacket is?! Nice find!

    www.mancunianvintage.com

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    1. Thanks, Helen! You should have seen me gingerly pulling it over my shoulders at the next booth over's mirror. I was so afraid it wouldn't fit, but it's perfect!

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  11. I love the tourist jackets!!! They seem to be pretty plentiful in these parts but that fact is not reflected in their price!!! My brother has been veggie/vegan for YEARS and one of my favorites appetizers is veggie spring rolls (a little time consuming but so fresh and delicious). His vegan chocolate cake has become a family standard (better than any cake with eggs, butter, etc.). Good luck with the dinner!

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    1. I think they're so neat-- I've had the worst luck trying to find one online, but the two that I have now from my various pickin' travels are pretty neat! I'll have to try to make some veggie spring rolls sometime-- I went the easy way out due to time constraints and am just making a few things I already make for dinner around these parts, just appetizer-ized! Keep a good thought for me they turn out as planned!

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  12. This is such a cute jacket - it was fate for you to wait and get this one! I love how fitted it is too, as they are usually a lot bigger. You look lovely!

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    1. Haha, thanks! The other one I have is a normal, oversized size one. I've tried to belt/pin it but to no avail! I'm glad this one is so tiny already so it fits about like it should!

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  13. I never would have know this was a style. It's beautiful and looks so pretty on you!

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    1. Thank you! It's funny because I hadn't heard of them either until I started trying to look one up after I got bummed about not getting the first one, and suddenly they were everywhere on the internet! I love how folk-art and handmade they look.

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  14. That jacket is adorable, and fits you perfectly! Have a great engagement party!

    Adrienne
    What Lola Wants

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    1. Thanks, lady! :) I hope things go off without a hitch!

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  15. I love it! I've never found one in my size but I totally vote "just enough kitsch"!

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    1. That's always the balance I'm trying to strike, though I don't always succeed, haha!

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