The Ugly Truth Behind Gingham: A Picnic In My Pants

Does anyone else get creeped out by gingham? It seems to have a permanence in the realm of fabric that will forever recollect thoughts of a certain facet of Americana vintage. The same way patchwork recollects American prairie life, or blue and white stripes, that lovely sailing/Kennedy/holiday in the Hamptons/nautical vintage vibe.

But gingham is different than those other well-known patterns. It conjures up a A 1950's American splendor flavor, to be more specific. Gingham is known for picnicking. Picnicking!

I will never forget the scene in Madmen where the Drapers, on a happy little road trip, stop to have a picnic in a meadow! Don (an alcoholic who is having extra marital affairs) looks at Betty (who will later in the episode vomit in her own lap) lovingly while their children Sally (who will soon be forced to visit with a child psychologist) and Bobby (there's not much goin' on with Bobby) play. After lunch they hop back in their brand new Cadillac and go on their merry way...leaving all their garbage to blow in the wind.  Ya know, a regular 1950's picturesque picnic!!! 

So that is what's creepy about gingham. A fabric used for picnicking, which is an act that represents sheer relaxation and happiness, becoming popularized in the height of a time where people were desperate to hide any sort of disfunction of ugliness. 

My life's a picnic....I SWEAR!

Now, thanks to the Oscar de la Renta 2013 resort collection, gingham is back and people are paying a pretty penny to participate in the happy little trend! Trendiness is not, however, why I purchased these shorts. I bought them for 2 reasons.

First, They are totally 90's GAP, a line of clothes which carry their own sort of nostalgic Bush era, 90's prep creepiness (in a good way) vibe. And secondly, so I could say, "there's a picnic in my pants, and you're invited."

What patterns do you love and why? Is it purely aesthetic, or do you get into the symbolism of it all?

Bed Stu Boots · Urban Decay Lip Stain · Kule Button Front Tops
Shorts: Thrifted GAP
Boots: Vintage, Dolly Python
Silk Shirt: Thrifted
Necklace: Stolen (woops) from my mom
 Hat: Thrifted

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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)}

Stuart Weitzman Sandals · Topshop Cocktail Dresses · Urban Decay Lip Gloss