Shopping Vintage: The Holiday Party Dress

I know I may have mentioned it before, but I am a sucker for vintage dresses. I've spent hours 'window shopping' for old dresses on Etsy and browsing through consignment stores, searching for that special, one of a kind piece to add to my closet. Don't tell Erik, but my dream would be to open a second Etsy shop full of vintage finds...but that may have to wait until we have a place with more storage...oh, and some start up money.

I can't remember when this love affair started but I have a few ideas...Maybe it was watching Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr, in her HUGE ball gown, dance across the screen in The King and I...or ANY of the amazing costumes I fell in love with while watching movies from my Papa's Rogers and Hammerstein collection, for that matter. Thanks to my sister's Judy Garland phase, maybe it was the red velvet dress and sparkly head scarf Judy Garland wore to the Christmas party in Meet Me in St. Louis that sent me over the edge. And Dolly...Hello Dolly...that gold number Barbara Streisand wears while she's singing with Louis Armstrong...words cannot describe how much I love that dress.

Like most little girls, I remember really liking the idea of 'dressing up'...putting on your Sunday clothes (as Dolly would say). Not a lot has changed. I still like dressing up! Every year, I start looking for a dress to wear to Erik's annual Christmas party a couple months in advance. My one stipulation...it has to be unique. I go into this dress hunt knowing that there will be a little work...you can always find a vintage dress that is beautiful but its hard to find one that fits perfectly! I have to go in with an open mind. Its not what the dress is, but what it could be...I know that's pretty deep for dress talk, but its soooo true.


My three rules for finding that perfect vintage piece:

1) Know your measurements...all you need is a measuring tape and maybe some help from a friend (and maybe a helpful youtube video). One tip- I tend to buy dresses that fit my measurements or a little larger because you can always take it in but you can't always let it out!

2) Learn a little about clothing construction...or find a friend (this is an open invite people!! I'm here!)

3) Be creative!!! As long as the fabric is in good condition...go for it. I'm still teaching myself how to alter clothing, so if you are more experienced, the sky is the limit!


And this brings me to my dress of the season...I found the perfect dress a couple of years ago but due to  a bad cold, we skipped out on the party that year. It was a $40 find from a shop on Etsy and it hung on a hanger in my closet for two years. Everytime I opened my closet door, there it was...begging me to wear it. With a few alterations, this dress became one of my favorites!

Here's my 2012 Holiday Party Project...I mean dress :)

The bright aqua and silver brocade fabric is what drew me in...every girl needs that statement sparkly dress, right?

A bit boxy, but, man....that fabric!

A little big and a little too long...I have a short person complex thanks to my younger (but taller) sisters.

I took the dress in 2" on each side and took the hem up about 3.5"...I know, soooo scandalous.

AND.....The After

Paired with black tights, black wedges, a bun and bright red lips!

 

 And a couple model pics for good measure but mostly to make Erik laugh...

And my date for the night, doing his best James Bond impression! :)

Lots of food, drink, and conversation (oh, and my hot date!) made for a great night out. Like I said before, I'm still learning this alteration stuff so I was pretty proud of myself! I received a couple nice compliments but my favorite reaction was when a lady told me (after she'd had a few cocktails) that she like how "it looked like it was from the future but also kinda from the 60's".  Hmmmm...how do I top THAT next year?