Monday, June 24, 2013

The 1940's and Our Late 20's

I'm glad my husband tells me I look like a 40's movie star when I wear my $5 dress found at a pile sale. I'm also glad that 1940's silhouettes are having a fashion moment right now. The 40's shape is friendly to a woman in her late 20's. It's sexy but modest. Chic...but basic enough to make one's own; which I attempted to do here with purple sunglasses, bright lips and a gold collar necklace.

In 1939 the war changed everything including fashion. Designers stopped designing. There were restrictions on amounts of fabric women could buy. Adornments were frowned upon. Because of the war, fashion became all about DIY. Improvising. Reworking what you had in your closet to create something fresh and new.

Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure my entire LIFE is having a 40's moment right now.
Aside from the whole frowning on adornments thing.

As I get closer to my 30's the blue prints of my future are becoming more visible. Tell me I'm not the only one who is just now starting to sort things out. (And by sort things out, I mean start to freak out I'm not where I thought I'd be at this point in my life). I find myself taking pieces (skills) in my closet (skill set?) and figuring out how to utilize them to build towards my goals. You're welcome, world, for that genius metaphor! Since moving to LA, J and I have certainly had to learn to improvise. And the expense of living out here has forced us to flex our DIY muscles more than once or twice.

A real wartime effort, y'all. 

But women in the 40's ended up doing some pretty rad stuff: headscarves, military style, wearing mens suits aaaaaaaand a little thing called THE ALL AMERICAN GIRLS PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE, bitch! A sports entity which was the inspiration for the best chick flick/best sports movie of all time: A League of Their Own. So I guess the moral of the story is these wartime gals, out of their scrapping and improvising, created a beautiful movement in history. One worth replicating.

With that in mind, at this some what uncomfortable transitional period in life called "my late 20's" I have to keep telling myself two things:

1. Ya' gotta have faith that everything you have to do for yourself...all of your improvising, will pay off and the end and one day, you will look back on this time endearingly.

2. There's no crying in baseball.

{Dress: Pile Sale. ModCloth has some awesome 40s style dresses: Here, here and here}
{Shoes: Old (similar)}
{Glasses: Venice boardwalk (similar)}
{Neck: F21 (similar)}

23 comments:

  1. This dress is beautiful. I am loving the print.

    ReplyDelete
  2. gorgeous look my dear! xoxo

    stylemeetsbeauty.blogspot.ro

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love love love this! You do look like a 40's movie star. And I appreciate what you're saying about improvisation/creativity - being on a budget can really suck sometimes, but it definitely forces you to think outside the box and flex some creative muscles that wouldn't have been used otherwise! I'm in the same boat :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great dress and I love your hair! That braid is the perfect Summer updo.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love your braid! You did a beautiful job with it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Absolutely gorgeous dress, so classic and timeless ^.^

    flawedfairytale.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. love this look, your husband nailed it on the 40s movie star thing, and love the lessons. just remember that saturn returns in your late 20s and everything starts to come together during your 30s. so enjoy the chaos!

    abigail
    www.farandwildjewelry.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. love this analogy-filled post.
    everyone tells me that I'll miss my 20s, but in my drama queen 20s-the-world-is-ending mental state, that's sort of hard to believe.

    at least you're married and living somewhere cool. that sounds grown up and all, right?

    you look bombastically fantastic in this 40s get up. radiant. you shoulda been a movie stahhh, dahling.

    -gab

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a find! That dress is beautiful.

    Kate from Clear the Way

    ReplyDelete
  10. You are one of the few people who dresses ABSOLUTELY perfect, no exceptions, and looks AMAZING. And I'm not just saying that, I mean it. Your blog and style are creative and make people drool all over their computers :D
    "And by sort things out, I mean start to freak out I'm not where I thought I'd be at this point in my life"- yup, that's me alright :D I don't think anyone is possible of sorting things out in life, they just happen and people go with the flow :D
    Now for the outfit- That dress is incredible!!!! <3 I'm gonna steal it :D

    ReplyDelete
  11. This dress is beautiful on you! I think everyone freaks out if things aren't going to plan but sometimes it's better to stray off the path slightly!

    Maria xxx

    ReplyDelete
  12. I've never even thought about fashion during war... The amount of fabric was restricted?? I had no idea. Re-working it is working it, at least in my book.:) 40's silhouette and flair definitely suit you and I love your hairstyle too, babe!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh girrrl, 1940's dress silhouettes are ALWAYS in fashion! As are innovation, resourcefulness, and whatever those awesome shoes are you're wearing in these pics.

    P.S. From someone who recently entered her "late" twenties, here's a kooky little mantra to add to your collection:

    3. time to put your BIG GIRL panties on! (it's great to use in the face of anxiety... or impending deadlines:)

    xoxo

    Katherine
    www.stylemachineblog.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. Looking tres chic lady! I love how you've done your hair! Plus I'm always so amazed by the awesome vintage things you seem to find!

    xoxo Iris
    A DASH OF FASH

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yes, this is awesome... and no there is no crying in baseball.. Having already "crossed the threshold of 30" I feel ya... there is like a meltdown/bottle of wine a least once a week... I know you wont judge.. I comfort myself knowing this... it took forever for me to find my husband and he was DEFINITELY worth the wait.. So, great things sometimes take a while.. and it's important to not rush the process... in the meantime... I've invested in waterproof mascara and a couple of bottles of wine.. ;) (sorry for the book)
    Hope
    hchdesigns.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. You look fantastic!! Love the last photo <3
    www.cecilleblog.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. That dress is just so gorgeous! It fits you like a glove and the pattern is just so pretty! Doesn't it feel like we are re-doing the blue prints of our life? As someone who is about to be a college senior, I know that feeling well!

    xoxo,
    Laura
    http://lauraisthriftingthroughlife.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  18. Really gorgeous dress! Fits you perfectly and love the print :)

    xoxo
    Cin
    http://www.fashbrown.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. You look so beautiful! Loving your bright lipstick and hair :)
    The '40s wouldn't be a dressing style I'd try out straight away but I do love their mindset. These days I really have to keep telling myself to stay motivated to get that degree. At times it's so hard. I guess everyone has to bite through that sour apple in life. Keep looking stylish!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I just love how happy you look in the first photo! Gorgeous dress and I love the lipstick you chose to pair with it!
    Nicole
    www.younglovestyle.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. You look absolutely LOVELY Ashley! LOVE this form-fitting forties style on you. Your hubby is right- you DO look like a 40s star! :) I am a HUGE fan of this silhoutte and own a couple styles similar to this myself! Thanks for sharing! XO

    Courtney

    http://cupcakeobsessions.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  22. You husband is right, you do look like a 40s movie star in that dress. Its gorgeius and sexy silhoutte.

    xoxo
    Ivy
    http://www.purrpleivy.com/

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm not surprised you love the 40s silhouette...it certainly loves you!
    And what a sweet husband!

    www.monadot.net

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by! Feel free to spill your guts! However, please keep those guts nice and constructive.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...