How began my journey into the realm of vintage... (part two)

However, later in my life, has finally come the period when I was able to expand my dressing possibilities. I got some modern straw hats (light pink wide brim and beige cloche), a blue wool coat a la Chanel (my favorite), a blue wide brim felt hat, black felt pillbox and leather cap, as well as new colourful purses. Most were made by small enterprises and a few were dresses obtained at secondhand shops, and diversified my wardrobe.

My first truly vintage pieces were 4 hats and 1 cardigan from America: 1 hat from the 1940s (navy cockscomb silk hat with coral beads and veil), 1 hat from a period between 1940 and 1950 (navy straw (?) half-hat with white silk lilac flowers and veil), 2 hats (black Dior-like horsehair saucer hat with velvet ribbon and ivory grosgrain silk half-hat with veil) and 1 cardigan (cream wool cardigan with silk lining, embroidered with glass beads) from the 1950s.

Real 1940s navy cockscomb silk hat with coral beads and veil

Real 1940s/1950s navy straw (?) halfhat with white silk lilac flowers and veil

Real 1950s ivory grosgrain silk halfhat with veil

Real 1950s black Dior-like horsehair saucer hat with velvet ribbon

Real 1950s cream wool cardigan with silk lining, embroidered with glass beads

Unfortunately, as it happened with my great-grandmother due to life circumstances, I lost them, because a few years later I had to permanently change my place of residence and start life from beginning. I still very miss my collections of hats, postcards, books, clip-on earrings and other sweet things which I left far away.

However, I had little courage to constantly or even often wear hats... although gloves were my constant companions! At that time, I had short hair (probably, of medium length compared with others), less thin eyebrows - so goodbye, Mona Lisa! 

I aspired to be like Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly. Also I was a fan of red lipstick, which seemed to me a symbol of the retro era.

With a lack of the right outfits or the presence of too modest outfits, my situation was corrected by accessories - handbags, cardigans, scarves, hats, gloves, shoes, necklaces, bracelets, clip-on earrings (I don’t have pierced ears)...

Therefore, the same dress can be presented as different, but from the most modest dress to make something special.

To be continued...