Continuing the gown series, I chose this estate sale 1950’s silver satin gown with ribbon pattern and circle skirt, which is one of my all-time favorites. The skirt provides a never-ending source of twirling possibilities. I wore it last year for New Year’s Eve and the memories of that festive event are forever ensconced in its luxurious fabric, alongside the unknown secrets that were experienced by this playful piece in the past.
This skirt could inhabit two staircases and many lifetimes if given the chance! It’s certainly having a new life with me.
This season is the time for contemplation and new beginnings. A time of remembering and looking back. A time to revisit great pleasure and deep sorrow. But from the depths of darkness, as the Winter Solstice passes and the light once again begins to illuminate my world, hope arises, as it has been known to do.
Hope for the new year becomes draped and folded into the swirls of the velvet and satin vintage Schiaparelli turban which was gifted years ago. The long velvet fingerless gloves, which were purchased at an estate sale, embrace my outstretched arms and hands as I reach into the future for the surprises ahead. Another empty canvas on which to create to accompany awakening mysteries. Amidst the hope for new beginnings, the vintage rhinestone necklace and the rhinestone trimmed red earrings sparkle and glow with the potential of the present moment.
The vintage black fabric platforms with round heel and silver trim were of course an estate sale find. A metaphor for moving forward, and as often happens when I allow myself to be open, I stumbled upon a book which I’m inhaling as fast as my breath will allow.
The Upside Of Your Dark Side by Dr. Todd Kashdan and Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener presents new research in the area of positive psychology. There is a beauty to the premise that “being your whole self – not just your ‘good’ self – drives success and fulfillment.” A letting go and acceptance of life as it is, with its imperfections, its twists and turns and the continuum of emotions that accompany the human experience. To embrace and be curious about the negative as enthusiastically as the positive? I’m intrigued by the audacity of the counterintuitive.
Photos By Daniel
Happy Holidays to all of my readers and those who comment on Style Crone. However you celebrate, or don’t, I wish you the very best for the season and the year to come. Sent with love!
I’m joining the holiday party at Sacramento’s Share-in-Style HERE at Mis Papelicos and linking up with Patti’s Visible Monday HERE at Not Dead Yet Style.
Lovely Post, Lovely Wishes, Lovely Gown and Accessories. May all your kind intentions for others return to you seven-fold, and Thank You so much for all you share. Happiest Holiday Wishes from your faithful Florida follower.
That staircase is very nostagitic! Happy holidays!
Whoa, what an amazing gown! The red velvet gloves and turban are so glamorous, and they go perfectly with it.
Happy holidays! 🙂
I LOVE your writing!!!!!!!!! It is so inspiring and the beautiful images just enhance your words.
Ms. Judith,
It’s so great to see you breath life into the lovely gown which you purchased from me a few years back. I loved finding out that with your extensive collection of beautiful things that you chose this gown for your New Years festivities last year. Wishing you the best of holidays!
I had a little preview of this beautiful gown. Probably a post which wasn’t finished yet. I think it is regal. Wouldn’t love to go to a ball dressed like this. Or a “do”. It is wonderful. And you have paired it with red. Such a good combination. I need more red in my wardrobe. It is a colour which suits me as much as it suits you, but everytime I come home with black (because they sell so little red in the shops and we have no estate sales. Alas.)
A turban by Schiaparelli…. My word, that is haute couture. And the boots are so special with their round heels. How come you always find shoes and boots which never seem to outdate? Have a lovely holiday dear Judith.
Greetje
Gorgeous gown! I would totally wear a crinoline under that!
Ah, that first photo…magical! Wishing you a very happy holiday Judith!
Oh, what stories that gown could tell…your Schiaparelli turban is a sculptural wonder, so beautiful!
The writing in this post is magical and just shows how clothing can inspire great art. I love the Gown series and look forward to seeing more. The photos are amazing, the turban and elbow length gloves and the color are absolutely perfect with the gold. Thank you for your graciousness and support by commenting and encouraging me on my blog. As a new blogger, it has meant so much. I hope you have a wonderful holiday and Happy New Year. I hope we get to meet in the future.
Accidental Icon
ww.accidentalicon.com
This is the gown you were wearing when we first talked about your needing a photographer…it just swept me in!
Amazing! This dress is awesome. You look so beautiful!:)
Stunning! The gown is amazing and the turban so dramatic!! As always, you look amazing. I’ll be clicking over to have a look at that book. Wishing you a warm, love filled a Merry Christmas.
xo
Stunning because of your choice of accessories and the beautiful hangar for the gown and accessories.
THAT SO WORKS…………..SO FABULOUS!!!!
That elegant! You look like a princess ready to dance. Merry Christmas.
Beautiful gown and so stunning with that red turban and gloves.Thought provoking words. Have a magical holiday season, Judith.
I love how you’ve taken that gown and made it your own, updating it with the zingy turban and cool shoes, making it a piece of art. You look beautiful. Have a wonderful Xmas, dear Judith! xxx
The red and gold look gorgeous on you. The book sounds interesting I will check it out as I already do “mindfulness” meditation most days, which is about acceptance. We had a lovely time in Nice, hope we can meet again at some future date.
You are the best sweet lady! This dress is amazing!! Merry Christmas!!!
Holy cow! That’s one heck of a fabulous gown!!!! AND fabulous turban! AND fabulous gloves! You go, girl! And all the best for this holiday season!
Royalty wishes they looked as good and carried themselves as gracefully as you do! You are beautiful as ever in that golden gown.
Joyous Yule, Happy Solstice, and Merry Christmas to you, Judith!
Alicia
spashionista.com
What a wonderful piece! The gown, you and the sentiments.
All the best to you and yours this holiday season!
bisous
Suzanne
The gown is almost a living thing, swirling and rustling. However, I’m smitten by those long velvet gloves! Are those not what was called “opera gloves” — fingerless so that one might nibble on a box of opera chocolates whilst seated in a box of one’s own?
Once upon a time there was a documentary about the Queen which showed her utilizing Prince Philip’s then new photo binder system of tracking where and when she’d worn her gowns and jewels. Methinks you’d have the beginnings of an entertaining book if you did something of the sort with your collection of gowns and hats.
Yes, Beth, opera gloves! Thank you for your always enthralling kind and thoughtful words!
What marvelous-ness is this? I’m swept away by yet another vision of THE Style Crone. The gown series. Having just been blown away by the yoga series. Such beauty and graciousness is almost unbearable to behold and puts me in a state of awe. Thank you Judith.
Silver and Scarlet this year! So wonderful. One of the qualities I love best about you, darling Judith, is that you seem to forge a new personal strength every winter, acknowledging and accepting the bitter-sweet, the difficult and the dark. It’s as if you soak in the tenacity of those less welcome memories and feelings into your whole being, making a strong scaffold to hang all the joy you anticipate and create. Besides your beauty, I admire your character.
I’m so happy to see you in your lovely gowns.
Those shoes, by the way, are the best ever!
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas, Judith. Fabulous gown and that Schiap turban is delightful. So pleased that we got to meet up in New York & I hope to see you again in 2015!
Once again, stunning Judith!
I hope your holidays are the best!
That dress is stunning! And seems to suit you really well. I love the colour. I can imagine you dancing like Ginger Rogers, wearing that gown. Fabulous! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
A fantastic dress. A fairytale dress with stories. Wish you a wonderful holiday and thank you for your words.
Judith, the gown is exquisite, and the red turban and gloves add even more glamorous impact.
I think it’s a very sensible and realistic idea to acknowledge and embrace our faults or negative experiences; simply ignoring them doesn’t negate their existence, and without admitting and addressing our “dark side”, how can we be fully rounded humans?
Hope you have had a wonderful Christmas, my dear friend. xxx
Wonderful, insightful post, Judith. It’s a life-long mission, isn’t it, to accept and then embrace ourselves, the dark and the light. (You’ve got me thinking about Jung just now). The gown is magical, and you’re a work of art descending the stairs! Thanks for sharing with Visible Monday, xox.
This is absolutely amazing ! Love the entire attire 🙂 THe red velvet, makes such a standout statement with the gold, and who can resist a dress that allows for twirling?
from the link up,
please stop by, jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com/
aren’t you beautiful!
Love the accessories, the color scheme is outstanding
Judith you are the queen!
Happy Holidays!
Ariane
You look mahvalous in that dress and accessories!
Popped by from Vis Monday.
http://thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com/2014/12/visible-monday-pants-edition.html
Wow, that’s some gown, Judith. Don’t you wish these pieces could TALK?!! You could probably write a book from that gown. Absolutely stunning!
I like the concept of embracing the negative. I heard about a kid in high school who would draw ultra-creepy, disturbing pictures. Her parents encouraged it and she went on to be a mega-stylist for opera and even Marilyn Manson…? I don’t remember the details. BUT I was impressed.
You look absolutely stunning! Gorgeous gown!
Happy New Year, Judith! You are fabulous as always…may 2015 be filled with joy, beauty and elegance.
Just found your blog and have been REALLY ENJOYING IT… JUST PUT IN A SUBSCRIPITION TO FOLLOW YOU…what fun it will be. Thanks a bunch for all that you give.
Shirley