Vintage Outfit Post-Play Suit Summer Fun

No matter how old you are summer should be all about fun!

And what could be better fun time wear then a play suit?  Nothing!  In the 1950s and 60s women and girls wore play suits for summer time activities and looked mighty cute doing it.   From beaches

to barbecues 

Many play suits had removable overskirts so they could be made more modest when worn off the beach.

There are tons of patterns available so if you are a sewer this is a great vintage project for you.  However, as I can't sew even a  button I had to find another source for my play suit.  I went to Etsy Seller Vintage Rags and Digs.  She makes a wide variety of summer play suits in great fun fabrics and was a pleasure to work with.   My play suit was made up very quickly and fits very well. I apologize in advance because Ive shown some of these pictures before but as this play suit has been my go to weekend outfit this summer I figured it deserved a post of its own.  

I really love how the shorts make it practical for biking.  I also love that while its a play suit it isn't two revealing.   

Its really easy and fun to wear and pairs perfectly with the sort of fun, kitschy mid century accessories I love to wear, like bamboo and bakelite bangles, sea shell purses, and novelty brooches.

My brooch is a 1960s puzzle piece, the state of Minnesota, I was born there but moved to New York by the time I was 2.  I got the brooch from Wacky Tuna on Etsy for just a few dollars during their flash sale.  I've had the purse since high school.  

The hat is probably my favorite part of the outfit.  Its so cool a 1960s folding beach hat!  Sadly, Ive been wearing it a lot this summer and it now has cracks on the side, sob!  Thats the problem with vintage if you wear it you risk ruining it, but if you don't wear it whats the point! It was actually a set of two hats.  The green one is still in perfect condition but I like the natural straw one better, sigh...

Summer fades so quickly so have fun and savor every moment:

Wordless Wednesday-Checking Out the Neighbors

Tasty Tuesday-Trying a Sample

On Saturday we took Tuvok to the Jersey Eats Festival, it was just too hot for the pugs and Bob.  Tuvok was a bit freaked out by the crowds but he enjoyed his taste of a fried cheese curd from the cow and the curd. 

Flapper Friday-Joan The Flapper

Joan Crawford had a film career that spanned over 40 years and included dramas like Mildred Pierce and camp classics like Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, but her look, with the dramatic brows and large shoulder pads, remains in most people's minds firmly entrenched in the 1940s. It certainly suited her strong angular features

So you may be surprised to learn that Joan started her career as a flapper.  In Our Dancing Daughters she was a jazz baby dancing on tables, quaffing champagne, and sporting one of the best flapper bobs I've ever seen. A short curly version that looks incredibly modern even today. 

  

Success!

Our 3 legged 11 year old cat Ernie doesn't appear much on the blog because he is super camera shy. I did manage to snap a picture of him the other day when he finally got to the first level of the cat tree, not bad for 3 legs! 

Vintage Nautical Nonsense with a 1930s Terry Beach Cape

I've long admired the gorgeous 1940s style of Esther Williams both in

And out of the water.

Esther gets my vote for most stylish 40s and early 50s star.   I love the touch of whimsy in her outfits and the bold colors.   One of her most interesting looks is in 1944's Bathing Beauty when she dons a Mexican style cape as a beach cover up: 

Now, a cape may not be the first thing most people think of when it comes to beach ware, but on further examination Esther's cover up choice proves to be fairly practical.  A cape is easy to take on and off, provides good protection from the sun, covers a bathing suit modestly, and depending on fabric drys easily.  I've always had Esther's cape in my mind as the ideal beach cover up. Which Is why 

I fell in love with Guermantes Vintage's rare 1930s terry beach cape.  It was my end of the school year, before summer school, splurge and I love it.  

It has amazing anchor and sailboat details, as I've discussed before I love a nautical look.  I decided to wear my cape for a trip to Sandy Hook beach in the Atlantic Highlands.  This is my favorite beach because it's close to our home and has some relatively empty stretches. 

As a bonus it has the adorable Zoe's Vintage Kitchen which has tasty and affordable food and adorable vintage decor.  They have a yummy  a cream cheese omelet, a special comfort dish for me because my late Dad made them. 

I'm no Esther, and I failed to go to the beach in full makeup and perfect hair. So pardon my frizzy hair and lack of makeup in the following photos of the cape. 

In case you are wondering my 50s style swim suit is from What Katie Did 

I love my cape !  It's in great sturdy condition and totally washable.  I can't believe it's over 80 years old!!! Now I'll be in perfect vintage style for all my summer beach adventures, minus the hair and makeup!

New Portraits

We have always had paintings of all of our dogs and I new we needed two more of our newest addition, Fry and Tuvok. I love Lynn's art on the blog Dip Dip and The Bridge, or Drawing with Dogs. I asked her to draw Tuvok and Fry and she did. We got the pictures last week and they are adorable. 

They look very nice hanging on 

Thanks so much Lynn the wall