80's Does 30's

I always thought I was too short for a dropped waist dress. I was wrong.

 This 80's does 30's dress is the sort of thing my mum liked to wear, but she was quite tall and had great legs. I assumed I'd look like a potato in a dress like this, so I avoided them. Looking at the way this dress worked on my build, it opens up all sorts of  wardrobe possibilities. There's no shortage of these 80's dresses, and I will now be giving them a bit more attention on the rail than I previously had.

 I could have done without the fabric flower, but it is sewn on rather securely. The busy floral print made accessorising tricky, but I knew I bought this long strand of beads for a reason.

I had the perfect straw hat as well...

I found this hat at Goodwill on a display with ratty baseball caps and winter stocking caps.

Looking at the photos, I'm wearing this hat too far back on my head. That's fine for a schoolgirl, but I'm a grown woman, and it really belongs evenly atop my head. Time to employ a hat-pin. Photographing myself for the blog has made me aware of these small things that I can correct.

Outfit Particulars

Saks 5th Avenue 80's dress-Thrift World
Vintage Naturalizer shoes-Thrift World
Necklace-Hand-Me-Ups
Earrings-K Mart
Vintage hat-Goodwill
Gold leaf-design bracelet-New Life Thrift
Adjustable bracelet-Goodwill
Shawl-ages ago at a shop on Devon Ave. in Chicago
Handbag-Marshall's about 20 years ago
Fragrance-Patou 1000

I started going through my stored clothing with a very critical eye. I really own too many clothes. When we moved to the city from the farm four years ago, I had very little clothing outside of my vintage collection pieces, and they were rarely worn. I think in the 13 years we lived out there, I wore the same five dresses over and over with jeans and sweaters for winter attire. The hard water from the well was murder on clothes, and the second I'd step outside I'd either be covered in blowing dirt, or mud. Country living isn't compatible with nice clothes. 

Once we arrived in Omaha, and I saw how inexpensive the thrift stores were, I splurged. Four years on, I can honestly say I'll never need to buy another item of clothing. I'm not saying I wont-just that the need isn't there. Going from having almost nothing to wardrobes bursting is understandable, but I understand that just because it is .49 cents I don't need to have it-and if I must have it, I need not keep it. I'm being rather cold-hearted in the cull, but unless it is wonderful, vintage, or valuable-away it goes. 

This dress has already been moved along, but I did learn that I can wear a style of dress I previously avoided. That alone was enough reason to bring it home. Have you ever been surprised by a style you didn't think you could wear?