Photos by Diana.
Vintage coral structured beret, vintage jewels and suede YSL pumps – estate sales, 50’s silk taffeta print dress with velvet collar and vintage coral fabric gloves – purchased from a friend’s inventory, and nude fishnets.
The lilacs are blooming and though I have resisted the reality of spring this year, reluctant to see the blooming trees, daffodils and tulips, I am in love with the fragrant lavender blossoms that wave in the spring air in my front garden. They greet me, embrace me as I walk by, coming and going. I gather sweet bouquets that grace my home until the lilac display outside my front window sadly ends.
As I have described before on Style Crone, the hat room transition takes place in spring and fall. The twice yearly ritual is announced with the blooming trees, and the fall/winter hats are cleaned and tucked away in their tissue paper and boxes. The spring/summer hats come out on the racks and sit waiting to be chosen for the outfit of the day. However, it’s tricky; if the weather is chilly, the felt hats and fabric gloves remain in the mix, making this transition complex. But then April is tricky and complex.
In the middle of the hat room transition, in the middle of the seasonal transition, in the middle of The SC’s transition – an outfit of transition was created with the inspiration of lilacs.
And now, over to Patti’s Visible Monday HERE to join a creative group of bloggers.
Transitions – so many in your life in the last year, dear Judith. You are simply gorgeous in this vintage dress – I love the shape of 1950’s dresses, so generous in the skirt! Thank you for sharing with Visible Monday, and I hope you have a lovely day.
Those nude fishnets are spanking fresh! What a lovely accent. You fit in with that springtime blooming – such a delicate and lovely print on the dress – and the colour of the beret and gloves is just right. Transitioning is a tricky business but your outfit, attitude, and setting tie all the elements together with beauty and verve (love that word, so perfect for you)!
Oh, lilacs! I used to live in a house with a row of lilac trees outside my bedroom window, and still miss them. Your ensemble is so lovely and the blossoms in the dress make it perfect for spring.
I love lilacs…I need to plant them one year. That top picture is one of my favorites of yours…it is fabulous! You are gorgeous!
Fantastically glam!:D
I have to say that you look stunning in this outfit. It makes my heart sing to just see you in it. The foliage and flowers in the backgrounds just add to the beauty of you and your outfit. Thank you for sharing it with us.
The dress is simply beautiful–I love the full skirt and the detail across the torso. And the coral accents are perfect. Our lilacs are mostly gone by now…a sign that morels are lurking in the hills.
Judith, your discussion of the twice-annual hat room transition reminds me of a question I have been meaning to pose. How do you travel with your hats? I must confess that I travel with what I think of as “crushable” hats because it is easy, but I was particularly taken with the structured hat you recently featured from your New York trip. I marvel that it clearly survived the hazards of the trip, and I wonder how you prepare and transport pieces from your collection. With your advice, I’m sure I could be more adventurous with my toppers when I am planning for a trip.
Lilacs….. Only one place here in greater LA for decent East Coast lilacs (Descanso Gardens) and I usually forget to go visit them. Love seeing you traipsing through yours.
Hi Willa, I too travel with packable or crushable hats. In the case of the structured hat, I carried it wrapped in tissue paper in a carry on tote large enough to hold my shoulder bag and a few other items. This bag fit under the seat in front of me with no problem. If I want to transport a hat, I usually figure out a way! Thanks for the question!
You have a hat room? I’m in awe. There are such a thing as nude fishnets? Where do they live? That 50s dress is a piece of art unto itself. Gloves. Why don’t we wear them anymore? Yours rock!
Wow, nude fishnets? Can’t get any cooler than that. Your first picture is just divine.
You are a beautiful sprIng blossom – made of, creating & sharing beauty!
How lovely to see you in summer clothes Judith. For me it’s a new you in this flowy dress. I’m still so curious to see what you hat room looks like and I look forward to seeing all your summer hats. It’s simply so hot in Singapore that I find it difficult to find stylish hats for this cool weather. Hat makers are hard to find too, but I’m hopeful I can pick something up in Europe this Summer, so bring on all the lovely summer hat inspiration!
A refreshing Spring look, both retro and contemporary. The hat and gloves are wonderful, and I also love fishnets!! I grew up with lilacs in the North-East, but I never seem to see them here in the South. I miss them and appreciate the glimpse.
Love, Jean
You are Spring personified in that lovely 50’s dress! The coral coloured gloves and hat are the perfect accents, especially against the backdrop of the lilacs. Ours are coming out here on campus now too. I have a question about winter hat storage–this is the first year where I have a significant number of hats to clean and store–could you give me some tips on how to clean them, and where I can find a hat brush?
Hi Shelley, Thanks for the sweet comment. I use a hat brush from my hat shop days to clean my hats before I put them to rest in their boxes for the season. My brush is from my hat shop days, but I just checked online and (http://www.judithm.com/), a millinery supply company, sells hat brushes (light and dark bristles) for $9.95. There may be other sites as well. Happy brushing!
Hi Judith!
Hope you feeling alright i read the previous post –
Again Judith i know i have said it a million times! but besides my mother you are the best looking 69 years i ever saw! I think you look a bit like my mom actually!
This vintage dress was made for you – you are very, very lucky to wear vintage clothing with such grace, for some people it does not work – You always choose the perfect accessories – Beautiful!
Take care
Ariane xxxxx
I am so happy to have found your blog…a mix of fashion and millenary perfection, interwoven into the beautiful complexities…that is life. Thank you for sharing yours!
I’ve got “Turn! Turn! Turn!” stuck in my head now.
This is a lovely post again suggesting to me that you are the best dressed in blogger land.
I’d love a rummage in your hat room! What a stunning dress – the print is so perfect for Spring!
O! Heavenly!
That dress is fabulous. Absolutely timeless. I’ve just had a moan on my blog about pastel shades – so I’m pleased to see that the lilac in this post is in your garden!
PS your comments are visible again. Thank you for persevering!
Hello pretty lady, I’m so happy to stop by here and learn that there will be more Spring hats. Yay! Coral is my favorite color. You look radiant in your coral hat and gloves with that stunning dress.