This is just a quick preview- they all need pressed and the blue cotton dress needs a zipper repair.  Almost all the other dresses are silk.

All are about a modern size 10, I have not taken measurements yet.  They are larger then they appear in the photos as I pinned them in the back to better fit the dressform.   I will get them listed as soon as I can.

When I get a more permanent photo area set up I’m going to use some live models such as Julie’s cute daughter M

eredith and her friends.

I finished sewing my red rose dress today from the 1957 pattern.  I wore it with modern peep toe pumps I got from penneys a few years ago. They look so vintage, you can’t tell!  Sunglasses, bead necklace and bracelet- all vintage 5o’s.  The red crinoline is enormass with many layers- looks great but not for everyday! Scratchy!!

The navy blue dress is a vintage early 1960’s shirt dress made of lightweight poly with polka dots.  I wore it with a netted navy blue circle hat (50’s) and a 60’s enamel flower pin and pink beaded 50’s coil bracelet. Shoes, belt and hoop earrings are modern with vintage flair.  I hope this inspires you to send pictures in.  If my aged, chubby little self can have fun doing this– so can you my lovely vintage lovers!

I’ve had this stash of vintage 50’s dress patterns in my size for a while now.  One has to go strictly by measurements, not size, on vintage patterns as well as clothing.   I generally wear a plus 16 in modern sizes but need a 40 bust in vintage patterns which is a size 20-22. I finally got around to doing some sewing this week. I was inspired by reading several of my fav. vintage blogs.

I am making 2 dresses from the same pattern to start.  I finished the first one yesterday. The dress is a self belted casual day dress with round neckline, loose half sleeves and a gored skirt with big pockets.  The completed dress is sewn from some 60 yr. old fabric I had from my grandmother who was a hoarder of fabric. Blue cotton with blue roses.  A casual day dress, suitable for marketing or daytime errands.

I have the second dress cut out and ready to go.  I am using a red rose print.  I started with one of the more simple patterns as I am a little out of practice.   The next pattern I want to tackle is a sailor dress in navy poplin with white yoke and red trim!!

Julie and I took a field trip to Dover yesterday and trolled every shop and source we knew.  I found a few lovely 50’s dresses in larger sizes, chiffon scarves, vintage jewelry, gloves of all colors, and a treasure trove of men’s items such as hats, fabulous old ties, robes, and 2-tone shoes.

We always come home exhausted, stopping for coffee along the way.  I am busy pricing the new stuff this afternoon and a dress and some jewelry are gone already.

Had a nice customer today who was shopping for her little girls.  They are each getting vanities for Christmas and she picked out vanity hand mirrors for them and some empty perfume bottles.  Start them on this stuff early, I say!  These lovely items are better then the cheap ugly toy vanity items available.

The Slaugh family Christmas is at our house this Sunday and I am looking forward to seeing everyone.  Shannon is coming to clean tomorrow, we spent hours wrapping gifts yesterday.  All I have to do is make some cookies, finish up the laundry, pop Ziggy into his new reindeer suit (he loves it), get some food(that’s why God made Cosco’s) and we are ready!

The Hall side of the family gathers at my brother Jerry’s Christmas day.  I think I’ve got it all together but I’m sure I’ve forgot something!!!

My daughter Jennifer, her husband Jason, and son Nate were here for a whirlwind visit over Thanksgiving when the shop was closed.

They live in upstate New York and we don’t get to see each other very often.  I cooked dinner and my folks and brothers came also.

Black friday was an insane romp on the wild side!!!!  My intrepid sister in law, Becky insists a gang of us friends go SHOPPING!  Jen joined us this year and had fun in a terrifying kind of way!

Toys-r-us at midnight, Khohls at 4 am.  The rest was a blur.   I got 90% of my presents bought, but heavens knows what exactly I did purchase in my not a morning person daze. You all might be getting  sausage and cheese gift packs for all I know! 

After they departed for home on sun, Rick and I transformed Vintage JoAnn and our living quarters into a Christmas dream.  We have the routine down pretty good by now.

So stop in, warm yourself by the roar of the faux fireplace, check out the pink tree and lots of gift ideas and gorgeous holiday dresses and jewelry. And if your significant other needs a gift idea we can fix them up with a gift certificate.

The blue 50’s dress with the lace and tulle looks adorable, and I LOVE the hat!  Also 50’s netting and blue millinary flowers.

The leopard skirt was a 60’s find and very cool as the fabric was actually furry!!!!

Thanks Mandi, you are the best!

You can see more of Mandi’s photos in Vintage JoAnn outfits at the Models section of our Photo Gallery and go to her website on Model Mayhem by clicking here – Mandi’s Model Mayhem site.

Merideth and her friends attended their homecoming dance looking elegant and sophisticated beyond their years wearing lovely vintage eve. attire from Vintage JoAnn.

Please check out all the girl’s pictures , as they all looked adorable!

It’s been a busy few weeks here at the shop as several local dances had retro or Hollywood themes and I had the pleasure of watching these young ladies discover all these beautiful vintage garments.

Check out Meredith’s 1940’s era red mink stole, which complimented her hair.  These girls looked like they were ready for the red carpet and I know they had a wonderful time at the dance.
View other Homecoming pictures here.

As anyone who knows me will attest to, this is about the only activity I will get out of bed for that early. I’m a night owl plus. Why did you think Vintage JoAnn does’nt open until the crack of noon??  Julie M. lives for this type of shopping and loves vintage everything as much as I do.  Plus she also buys for her adorable 13 yr. old Meredith who has the figure for some of the smaller vintage clothing we find.

It was 90* but we were armed with hats, shades, water bottles and our old lady carts.

I have never seen so many sales concentrated in my life!!!!!  Even the churches had their parking lots full of venders. Hundreds of people were shopping and the cars lined the streets for blocks.  They were even parking cars in the graveyard.  Not on the graves of course!!!

Julie has a bad knee and my body is disintagrating in new ways almost weekly so we knew that this was going to be grueling but oh so worth it.

As you can see I will indeed risk heat stroke to find the goods even though I will cancel a dentist appt. at the first glimmer of a mild headache.

We had a great time and were later joined by Julie’s sister Sarah.

I literally shopped til I dropped and Sun. I spent on the sofa recuperating.

The best sale of all was at the house of a dealer friend of Julie who had lots of excess stock and vintage clothing she wanted to get rid of.

I bought loads of beautiful 50’s dresses, shoes, and purses from her that were her mothers.

At other sales I uncovered vintage lingerie, 70’s flower print dresses, vintage face powder boxes, compacts, scarves, vintage dresser sets plus so much more.  I also added liberally to some of my own collections such as red 50’s kitchen ware.

By 3 we limped back to the car and headed home with our treasures.

Rick had manned the store in my absence and I finished the day there.

Even though my feet hurt, my knees and back ached and I got sunburned and dehydrated I can’t think of a better way to spend a day!!!!!!!

It’s a lot cooler in Vintage JoAnn than outside!  Lots of fans and shade to keep things comfy.  I shop way too much and of course as usual have TOO MUCH INVENTORY.

If you need cute vacation wear I have some of the best authentic vintage Hawaiian dresses and shirts.  I have too many and am having a 40% sale next month on those items.

Mention the blog and get the discount early!

Our lovely pond is up and running and in spite of a few fish committing suicide in the beginning, quite gorgeous.  A lot of customers have discovered the back garden next to the pond is a great place to sit and rest.

Well, must get back to work pricing yet more new stuff as I unearthed quite a few treasures shopping last Sat. including some darling 4o’s bed jackets.

Check out the pond photos in the photo gallery.

Amanda in the Green Dress

Last month a very attractive young couple stopped in and and I enjoyed their visit. One of the items they bought was a bright green halter dress, form fitting and dripping with long fringes, like a 20’s flapper dress, even though the dress is circa 1970. She looked absolutely fabulous and they left but not before I asked them to send me a picture to put on my website.

A few days ago she popped back in the store with pictures. Her name is Amanda and she models. The pics were done by a pro photograher and were fabulous. She is also featured on Model Mayhem just like another favorite customer of mine, Kurvy Kara.

Amanda, Barely in the Green Dress

You can see Amanda in this dress at http://www.modelmayhem.com/1143519 which is a Model Mayhem site she set up for her “Green Dress” project. Amanda is trying to get as many photographers as possible to shoot her in the green dress. You can see the rest of her portfolio here -  www.modelmayhem.com/341000.

These girls are really cute and I’m so thrilled they got things here. Amanda bought a long petticoat and a lace parasol her second visit for a southern belle shoot.

My customers are so much fun. thanks ladies!!!