Sunday 18 May 2014

White Light/White Heat



It's been a glorious weekend here, sunny and warm with a real buzz of summer about it.



 And I've been wearing white.

This is relatively unusual for me; I am very fair-skinned and tend to feel overly pale in white.
In addition, I am messy and prone to spillages.

But all of these new-to-me beauties were too good to leave behind, and it's good to challenge those preconceptions once in a while.



1970s St Michael cotton maxi skirt, denim jacket, 1960s silk scarf, sunglasses and leather belt - charity shopped
Hobbs t-shirt - jumble sale
Indian leather bag - vintage fair
Sandals - retail (sale)


This fabulous skirt was in the Vintage Corner of one of my local charity shops, but still only cost £4, and the Hobbs t-shirt was 50p at last Saturday's jumble. 

My kind of outfit!



1970s California Cottons dress (but made in the UK) - flea market (£8)
Cardigan and belt - charity shopped
1980s sunglasses - vintage shop


I am slightly concerned that this makes me look like Sandy from Grease before her makeover...




...but not worried enough to prevent me from wearing the dress today and feeling perfectly happy.




Nina has declared she would like it when I've finished with it - you know, when you're 90, Mum.

She and I had a mooch around our local secondhand/vintage shops this afternoon.



The Vault used to be a bank, and still has the old safe in the basement; Nina posed in front of it on the proviso I wouldn't lock her in it.

That reel-to-reel was fabulous, but had a hefty price tag; my friend Sue bought one from last week's jumble for a quid. 



 
There's darling Vix, posing nude again. She'll do anything for votes.
 


 
I only bought this 1960s bracelet. It's not marked, but it's satisfyingly chunky and well-made.
 



From early 1970s maxi chic...



 
... to a late '70s recreation of 1950s style.




The two outfits seem to bookend the 1970s in a way I find ridiculously satisfying.
 
I'm easily pleased.
 
 
 
 
I'll be taking my 1970s looks to Patti's Visible Monday as always; see you there!

xxxxx

61 comments:

Asparagus Pea said...

A veritable snowflake - I came from work hot and filthy. Now sitting in the backyard with a glass of wine and a blankie over my knees feeling pleasantly chilly xxx

Asparagus Pea said...

First!

bahnwärterin said...

both outfits are really beautiful! so summery with the yellow! that bracelet fits vix´ pendant!
but i have weather envy - here was it cold and rainy the whole weekend - i´m wearing my woolen underwear again.......
xxxx

Mother of Reinvention said...

Second! I love both outfits but the first one is my favourite. I have a bit of a thing for stripes. The colours are lovely together and you look amazing as usual. It has been summery even in the frozen North this weekend and now I am away to put the Velvets on as I haven't listened to them in ages. P.S. How come the charity/vintage shops are so much better where you are? Up here there is nothing much in them 'cept Primani :) xxxx

Kezzie said...

Tell Nina I'll race her for the dress!!!! Gorgeous, ever-versatile you!!! I absolutely love these looks!!!! X x

Kezzie said...

Oh and 'after you've finished with it' is polite-girl talk for 'when you die'- that is what I used to say to my nan x

Unknown said...

Hi Curtise!

Tks for your comment, sorry i didn't get back sooner, but had terrible headaches, i had to stay clear of my I-Pad, but I'm 10x better now and improving every day!

You should wear those colors more often, looks great on you- I love that polka dots maxi, what a beauty!
We have been having a nice long weekend here too, lots of sunshine!
Nina is darn cute!

Hugs

Arianexo

Sheila said...

Smashing outfits! I love the yellow/navy/white combo in the first outfit, with the brown accents - just perfect! You look amazing in that cardi's shade of yellow - lovely with your hair.

I hope you're still dressing like this in your 90s! Me too!

Jayne H said...

Sounds like a fab weekend with a jumble and a vintage mooch. Looking cool as a cucumber and the 50 p Hobbs t-shirt is a great find x

Pam @ over50feeling40 said...

I love the shorter length dress...a great look anytime..any age! You look amazing in it!

Helga said...

I love white, and often wear white accessories. I dream of the perfect white frock. Being a little bigger, supposedly I shouldn't wear white, but feck that shite. I think you look just lovely! Not Sandy pre makeover at all, not that there's anything wrong with a little Sandy!
Loving YOU! XXXXXXXX

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love that polka dot skirt! It looks soooooo good paired with the stripes and denim jacket. That scarf is the perfect finishing touch. Love it!

Angels have Red Hair said...

Both outfits are gorgeous ... though I'm particularly taken with the polka dot maxi.
What does it say about me that I always preferred the pre makeover Sandy ... let's face it ... that relationship was never going to work ... just be yourself Sandy ;0)
xx

Patti said...

I love the white and lemon outfits - and if you bring to mind Sandy, well, she was the *star* and adorable to boot. Great chunky bracelet you picked up, too. Thanks for sharing with Visible Monday. xox

Natalia Lialina said...

Nina is the cutest!!

Love both outfits and seeing you so happy! Interesting texture on the skirt - great find and such a bargain too. Love it how you added yellow to make the outfits even sunnier and more summery! Very cool bracalet too - a perfect pair to the pendant Vix showed recently (and how gorgeous she is in that nude portrait, oh my! :)

I too went to a thrift shop today - spend the whole 11 bucks, what a splurge! xxxxxxx

Unknown said...

I love them both, especially with the pops of yellow! We had great weather here too! :)

Becky said...

I love you in that sundress. I'm the same, a bit pale and VERY messy, so I tend to avoid white. Always good to make an exception! You look fantastic :D

Goody said...

I swear on a stack of vinyl records, I was gonna use the same song as a title for today's post. Is that some sort of bloggy jinx?

I love the dress, but the maxi skirt is mind-blowing. You'll have to teach me to pattern mix-you do it so well.

The metalwork on that silver/green bracelet is so evocative of the era-I can remember it being worked into office décor on doors and such. It seems like it was everywhere for at least a decade (housewares, accessories, buildings) and then disappeared completely. Maybe because it was so distinctive it looked dated sooner? Anyway, after several decades it is nice to see it again, and that bracelet is an excellent example of the style.

Connie said...

Sunny yellow and mini Curtise. Yep, that Nina is following in your footsteps. You do good/bad fifties girl soooo well.

Glenda said...

I absolutely love yellow. It so cheerful. I love both looks, however, the maxi polka dot skirt with striped top has captured my heart.

Sue @ A Colourful Canvas said...

Cousin? More like my twin sister in your first ensemble. I LOVE it!!! Enthusiastic, I AM! I love the jacquard texture to the polka dot fabric. Very nice...and of course, stripes, and floral...all good, all together!

I love the Sandy outfit too! Don't worry! You've still got sass my friend!

We have a local restaurant in what used to be a bank called...wait for it...The Vault.

Sue said...

I don't do white for the exact reasons you came up with. I am hopeless and always manage to turn something white into another colour either when I am wearing it or washing it. Sandy Dee indeed, I want to see you in the tight as black kit now!! Glad your summer is happening. We had fog this morning but once it had gone the day was lovely.

Jane and Lance Hattatt said...

Hello Curtise,

Well, never say never that is our motto. So, if white presents itself, then white it should be. And, how fabulously summery you look in each of these outfits.

The Hobbs t-shirt is our favourite piece. We cannot believe the price. Some people must have more money than sense to part with such things

And, Nina looks delightful. We particularly love the 'Dorothy' red patent shoes. Totally fabulous. A vintage star in the making!

Melanie said...

don ferget u r pinup style kween yersell cuz alwayz awsum in good cloze i will vot fer u too white cloze outside but nev a goody 2shu neena grat senz humer like mum bwa

Unknown said...

Radiant in white! I especially love the 70's doing 50's in all its full skirted flirty-ness. I share your messy tendencies and usually steer clear of white for fear of wearing whatever food I am eating. How cool is that vault in the shop - although I think I would be a bit scared of getting stuck in there too!XXX

Anonymous said...

You look fresh and fantastic in both of these lovely outfits. I would wear both in a heartbeat, especially the maxi skirt.

Unknown said...

Loving your creative vintage style! Both outfits are super cute. I'm especially in love with the polka dot maxi!

Pennyblossoms said...

You're selling your daughter for £15!!!!!
Love the dress and cardi combo.
If I wear pale colours food just throws itself at me! And Vanish doesn't take the stains out, despite what the ad claims!
Z xx

Melanie said...

Love the white looks, I really like wearing white, it always feels so summery and floaty xxx

Peaches McGinty said...

You are gorgeous in white, and not too pale skinned at all! the only problem ever with wearing white is not to drop your dinner on it or pour something on it (white makes me even more clumsy)I love both outfits equally, Nina is ace and I love her snaffling the dress! Charlotte does it too, maybe we will let them borrow them for a bit when we are 90! x x x

Anonymous said...

Ooh, more great finds, well done you, and beautifully put together outfits as always. That M&S skirt and Hobbs tee is a particular summery knockout! I'm just discovering white too, it's nice to have a change now and then! Adorable bracelet as well, it's really difficult to find true vintage like that round here, specially at my one pound limit!

Forest City Fashionista said...

I avoid wearing white for the same reasons as you, unless it's mixed in with other colours. Nothing wrong with channeling a bit of Sandy in your wardrobe, but only in dress - you're much too opinionated and feisty to ever be mistaken for her.

The maxi is great - I love the polka dots, and the combo of yellow and navy. Very summer-appropriate outfits, and if summer ever arrives here, I will be able to switch sweaters for cotton.

Too bad the reel to reel was so pricey - it's way cool. I like the fabrics and the round mirror.

Virginia at A Sewing Life said...

It's a good sign your daughter thinks you'll be wearing that dress until you are 90! But I bet other dresses will sing their siren songs and she will inherit it somewhat sooner. Love both your outfits and all the snaps.

Krista said...

Well you are no where near as innocent as Olivia Newton in those pictures:) I think that both of these white outfits are super cheery on you and I love the polka dot maxi! Nina is taking after her Mum and I see a fashion blogger in her begging to get out!
Glad you were blessed with sunshine, it's our turn this week too!
BRING IT!
XXXOOOOO

My New Happy said...

I love both of those outfits on you, and think the white looks very pretty with your coloring! The polka dot skirt is gorgeous, and the cut of the dress is perfect.

Megan said...

I love all your outfits but the striped top with the polka dot skirt is divine.

Vix said...

Where do I start? That spotty maxi is just gorgeous and the tiered frock is a beauty, bit like you. No wonder Nina fancies it.
I've noticed a local chazza with a vintage rail actually charges less for the old stuff than the tatty primarni and New Look. Four quid? You can't go wrong, can you?
The vaults are groovy. I love anything with a Design Centre, London sticker and Jon got a reel-to-reel when he went car booting alone the other week for a quid, too. Weighs a bastard ton!
Love you! xxxxxxxxx

Ashley cramp said...

oooo so much loveliness to see love the bracelet chunky rules!
best of all loving that skirt and hobs t-sht ensemble....way to go inspired....bestest as ever
Daisy j x

Miss Magpie said...

You look ace and Sandy looked fab whatever she wore! My parents have probably still got their reel to reel somewhere my dad never throws anything out.

Melancholy and Menace said...

Such lovely outfits. They loog great on you. I especially think yellow is your colour (the cardi).

I do love the bracelet you found, the chunkier the better I say.

Your daughter's such a cutie :)

Have a great day xx

Emma Kate at Paint and Style said...

Two lovely outfits. You look great in white. Surely you're much more of a Rizzo than a Sandy though aren't you? xxxx

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

No. Really. That polka dot skirt and the striped top and all the goodies that go with make up one of the BEST outfits ever. On anyone. I LOVE it on you. Be thrilled with your own hot self!!! Very sweet dress but the dots and stripes are perfection. Be proud, be very proud.
Sweet picks of La Nina! For a moment I thought she might be posing in her room and that was her door. A young lady who values her privacy, I thought. That Curtise is some decorator, I also thought. I'm only a little disappointed. Nina is prettier each day.

Beth Waltz said...

The slash of strong yellow keeps these outfits from feeling faint: well matched, indeed!

The Style Crone said...

Both 70's looks are stunners! I love the addition of yellow, which pairs perfectly with white. I started wearing more white over the past two years, and am slowly developing an attachment to what it has to offer.

Beautiful Nina is growing up before our very eyes!

Shawna McComber said...

Both looks are fantastic on you, though as another pale and spill prone person, I relate to the fear of white. I still love white though. I also love Sandy pre makeover. Yeah, I know I am supposed to love the new liberated, bad ass Sandy but I hate it that she changed for a guy. When I saw that movie I didn't get any sort of message about liberation I saw peer pressure and changing who you are to please a man.

Grease aside, you look fabulous and I'm Hopelessly Devoted to You.
xo

Trees said...

That white skirt with poka dots! *swoon*

Caroline said...

Sandy? You'd have to snog travolta, eeeww.

Anyway, totally agree about the white. I'm in a cream top today and I know I'll spill shitloads of crap down it.

Both outfits look fab and for that money you can afford to get your dinner down the front.

silvergirl said...

just loving the polka dot and stripe outfit
how could you not have a great day wearing that outfit???
Brett

The Small Fabric Of My Life said...

Ha ha - love the naked Vix.
Despite what you say about your fair skin I think the white shades with splashes of colour suit you.

Ms. Falcon said...

oh, i totally love this 70s does 50s dress. it looks so comfy and chic ... great find.

Mrs Bertimus said...

Fab dress and gorgeous bracelet! X

Fiona said...

Good god, Sandra Dee? Nah, it's our Curtise in virginal white. What a change from your usual vibrant colours, but change is good...right? Maybe we'll be seeing you in spray-on black leggings with a fag hanging out of your mouth next week? Love your collage, chunky new bracelet and Nina's smile, is that an owl I spy? xxx


Señora Allnut said...

hurrah for challenging preconceptions, I think white is a color we, pale ladies, are used to avoid, but it's not that unflattering! Because you look gorgeous, and summery, wearing those yellow details as your neckerchief or bracelets!, and also love the print and texture of your maxi skirt, it's a pretty polka dot motif!
besos & sunny yellow!

thorne garnet said...

you only got that awesome bracelet? Good score.

at my dressingtable said...

You look gorgeous in white and both the outfits are lovely !!!xxx.

Angie said...

I like the colors you picked today! Frsh and uplifting!You and your daughter are good together.

freckleface said...

I'm with you, white can feel a bit of a challenge, especially when you're feeling a bit pasty round the chops like i do, but no, you've not only pulled it off, but given us two looks to choose from. I choose both!! The long skirt look would be perfect for when you go on a millionaires yacht and the Sandy is perfect for everything else. Sorted, no fuss needed. Must be time for a porn star. Cheers! Xxxxxx

Lally said...

Fabulous! Love the spotty maxi skirt, can't believe it was only 4 quid, what a find!

Lally

lallymacbeth.blogspot.co.uk

Vintage Bird Girl said...

Isn't it different seeing you in white?! I adore that maxi skirt & top combo....the polka-dots take it to another level. And I would quite like to look like Sandy pre-makeover in Grease. She was simply stunning! Loving that bracelet you found. Will we ever see you in head to toe beige or is that a bridge too far?? ;) Xx

Suzanne said...

That fit and flare dress is glorious although I have to say I do prefer you in colour. I think I have a thing against white. I love how you added the cardigan. That makes it work for me...um....I mean you. ha ha.

Another painting of Vix naked? It has become so blasé right darling? I'll really sit up when I see the one of you naked ; )

bisous
Suzanne