Accessories – Page 17 – Swing Fashionista

Michelles Etsy picks of the week…hats

Hi all. Sorry that I missed a week of blogging my etsy favs, but I was away for Christmas and New Year on a jaunt the country. Anyhoo…time to start off 2012 with some of my favourite vintage headwear from the 1930s and 40s. I am a big fan of 1930s ’tilt’ hats and ‘toppers’ or straw fedoras that tip towards the eye. So very flattering and sophisticated and I adore the balance they give to the face.Â For those new to vintage ‘hat-talk’ here is a little background …

Unlike today, hats were an essential part of every womans’ daily wardrobe and were not just worn for special occasions. As a lady, if you went out during the day before 6pm – it really was expected that you wear some type of headwear and that included church, shopping, going to the movies, posting a letter etc. The variety of hats available was endless (except during WW2 when rations were imposed – and ladies would improvise and make their own) and there were so many styles, colours and different hat materials on the market that you could pretty much find headwear to match any outfit you owned and for any season. Hat-pins and clasps were also extremely popular and could make a drab hat look quite special. Milliners were everywhere and huge sections of department stores were dedicated only to displaying and stocking hats.

I have also included a lovely 1930s hat pattern below for those among you who are creative. This great little pattern is produced by my friend Shelley from her very ownÂ New Vintage Lady line. Hope you like these beauties as much as I do 🙂

* Please note that all photos are linked back to their original Etsy sources.

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Â Â Â Â Â Â Vintage 1940s 50s Hat : Beanie-Style Straw Hat

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Michelleâ€™s Etsy picks of the week…vintage compacts

Vintage compacts…don’t you just love them!! Each one distinctly different from the other – the style revealing a little something about the previous owner. Historically the compact had a slightly shady past. They were originally only used by ‘less desirable’ women such as ladies of the night and actresses. As time moved on, the wearing of make-up became more acceptable and compacts finally came out of the shadows to become a mainstream fashion accessory and were finally used in public without disgrace.

I have a tidy little collection of my own vintage compacts and am always on the lookout for more Art Deco lovelies. They really did come in all shapes and sizes and were made from a variety of materials. My favourite is my ‘Volupte’ case which has a puff, lipstick and place for cigarettes/coins, all carried in a little grosgrain purse (similar example below). Here are some fabulous compacts that are available on Etsy.

To see an another cool collection of compacts for sale, check out Sheryl’s Art Deco Emporium.

* All items are linked back to their original Etsy source.

Â Â SALE 10% OFF Vintage 40s Elgin American Make-Up Compact Case - Golden Etched with Carry Pouch Â Â Â Â Vintage Tortoise Shell Rhinestone Mirror Compacts

Â Â Compact Mirror Fan Shaped Vintage Â Â Â Â Victorian Silver Dance Coin Compact Purse, 1900 - 1920

Vintage Pocket Watch POWDER COMPACT by Ritz 1960s Â Â Â Â Art Deco Richard Hudnut cloisonne vanity compact 1928 Â Â 1940's Stratton GEORGES LEPAPE DECO Vanity Powder Compact Vintage 40's Rare 20's Geisha Girl Print Novelty Scene Make Up Compact England

Holiday SALE Vintage Eastern Star Masonic Compact by Clarice Jane for Elgin Â Â Â Â Compact - Bourjois - green and cream enamel on chrome Â Â

Â Â RARE 1927 COMPACT Lucretia Vanderbilt Butterffly Enamel signed Mirror Rouge Â Â Art Deco Elgin American Compact, Silver & Red Enamel, GREAT CONDITION Â Â

Helena Rubenstein Art Deco Compact Â Â Â Â Volupte Hand Compact 1940's Classic "Golden Gesture" Â Â

ART DECO 1940s Gilt Compact by Elgin American Â Â Â Â Art Deco Flapper Makeup Travel Case. Enamel Compacts. Vintage 1920s.

Vintage unique 1930s-1940s snakeskin compact carryall and cigarette case Â Â Vintage Purse Box Britemode Compact Velvet Black

Vintage Guilloche Compact with Flapper Girl Â Â Â Â Finger Chain Compact - Art Deco Sailboat - Black and Silver Â Â

Vintage colour swatch…burgundy beauties

So, I thought I would do something fun and start writing a regular post every 2 weeks that focuses on a particular colour. I will also include pics showing all sorts of vintage fashion items that were produced in varying shades of that colour, hopefully to inspire some new outfit combinations in the future. 🙂

Burgundy. It’s rich, dark, sensual and one of my favourite clothing colours, along with darker greens, browns, rusts, reds, black and navy. I’m not much of ‘bright colour’ girl (much to my father’s disgust…he always comments that I ‘wear too much black’) and I tend to accessorise with brighter pieces or wear a bright shirt with darker skirt/trousers etc. Burgundy usually screamsÂ winter and autumn to me but I do have items in cottons and linens in lighter shades and funnily enough; a pair of vintage suede burgundy lace up oxford shoes! Hope you enjoy this collection.

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Dress clips…the forgotten accessory

Recently I discovered that a pair of my favorite Art Deco dress clips were missing from my collection, so pending their reappearance somewhere, I began to search online to see if I could find an identical pair to replace them. I am always amazed at the variety of dress clips that are out there for sale.

So many beautiful designs, sizes and materials are used. My preference is for the very geometric abstract ones. Many Art Deco dress clips were designed in pairs and could be worn on necklines, belts, jacket lapels, purses, furs, shoes and hats. They were held in place with a flat backed hinged mechanism with small spikes, which gripped the fabric. Some were made in the form of a Duette, where two clips could be joined together to form a single piece.

Dress clips were a great way to dress up simple outfits and were worn on everyday clothing as well as evening wear. For some great ideas on how to wear them, check out Tuppence Ha’penny Vintage’s post on the subject. She has written a great little article 🙂