Vintage Friendships- (And a Vintage Outfit Post Inspired By My Dear Friend Jessica)

When I started Retro Rover three years ago I was inspired by other bloggers I saw sharing their love of vintage style on the internet, first among those bloggers was the lovely Jessica Cangiano at Chronically Vintage.   Jessica has an amazing knowledge of the 1940s and 50s fashion that she shares on her popular blog and she is incredibly supportive of other vintage bloggers like myself and the online vintage community in general.   Most impressively, she does it all while struggling with multiple chronic illnesses.   Even though I have never met Jessica personally I consider her a dear friend

and on ongoing source of style inspiration.

I was thinking of her when I put together this fall outfit from elements I already had in my closet.  Jessica is adept at blending eras, and often wears 1980s does 40s and 50s looks with great success, and also looks gorgeous in a pinafore.   The outfit I am wearing here consists of a 1940s repro blouse and pinafore from Jitterbuggin and a 1970s tweed jacket I found at the Salvation Army a decade ago, so it is a very Jessica look

(though I'd never presume to do a pinafore, or indeed, any vintage look as week as Jessica can.)  Like me Jessica prefers a covered up look a

and is a lover of tweed, fall, novelty brooches, and bakelite.  All elements in this outfit.

                         

My favorite part of this outfit though is the necklace.  

It is a 1950s poodle necklace that Jessica sent me free of charge when I made a small purchase from her Etsy shop.  Jessica knows I have a toy poodle so she knew I would appreciate the necklace.  It's a testament to what a kind and considerate person she is that she sent it to me and I treasure it.  

The reason I have been thinking of Jessica particularly a lot lately is that she and her husband Tony have endured a terrible tragedy.  Their condo was destroyed in a massive fire that was started in arson incident in a neighboring condo. Thankfully Jessica, her husband and their dog Annie escaped, but tragically their beloved cat, Stella, is missing and not presumed to have survived.  All of their possessions: momentos, photographs, clothes, a lifetime of vintage collecting, and the wares from Jessica's online Etsy shop  have been destroyed.  

Jessica's sister has set up a You Caring link so that friends of Jessica can help her and Tony out.  If you know Jessica and how kind and supportive she is of her online friends please considering donating in her time of need.  Thank you.