Although I love a day when I can get fancy – lacquering my nails and cinching myself into heavenly chiffon – there are other days when a gal needs a dress that’s going to get the job done. Today I’m finding myself racing around, running errands, which includes a meeting on campus. Thus, I need my outfit to serve double duty today – to be comfortable and practical, but also professional and put together.
I‘ve recently discovered a new online shop – Rock My Vintage – which carries both true vintage and vintage-inspired clothing, jewelry, and accessories. I was excited for the chance to work together with them on this post, as they have a mission statement that really resonates with me: to keep vintage relevant, edgy and accessible.
I often hear from a lot of people who adore vintage but feel they can’t pull it off or have no idea how they might incorporate it into their life. I’ve always been of the belief that you should embrace all of the things you love and that you don’t need to be decked out in head to toe vintage to embrace the beauty of the past. From a mother of three and savvy business woman to a nerdy marine biologist / aspiring broadway star, we can all incorporate vintage in our own way, in our own capacity, and make it shine. I personally love combining eras: mixing true vintage with quirky shoes, a vintage-inspired pencil skirt with a hand-beaded 1950’s cardigan, sheer blouses with upholstery fabric jumpers, creating an eclectic look that speaks to no one but me.
One of the best ways to dip your toes into the water of bringing that vintage flair into your wardrobe is through vintage inspired pieces – a cute 60’s mod inspired number or a modern circle skirt. I must admit, when I really need to get up and get out of the house, I generally will reach for my vintage-inspired dresses. I don’t have to be quite as precious with them and they can keep up with me on my third cup of coffee. In perusing Rock My Vintage for an hour (okay 3. it was addictive), I decided on this cute little vintage-inspired number by Emily and Fin. I loved the geometric art deco print, and a quick perusal of my wardrobe showed a surprising lack of purple.
I find Emily and Fin dresses, at least this particular cut, to run on the large side – I opted for a small (size UK10), which corresponds to a 34″ bust and and 28″ waist on the size chart. But, my 34DD self (about 36″ bust circumference) fit into it perfectly, with even a bit of wiggle room. It does hit higher on the waist than I normally go, but I found the silhouette of this dress was still super flattering at the empire waist.
You all know me and little details – this dress is made of 100% cotton (which I love – hello machine washable!), is fully lined, with a back zip and adorable keyhole opening. She also has pockets (hallelujah!) and as we’re right on the cusp of cooler weather here in North Carolina, I’m excited to style her again with tights and a navy cardigan.
One of my favorite bloggers – Kristina of The Eyre Effect – wrote an amazing post recently. She confessed to struggling to find her personal style – trying to feel good by fitting in or emulating what she saw other friends, bloggers, & passers-by wearing. It really resonated with me, because we can all get stuck in that ol’ bear trap – believing someone else looks put together and comfortable in their own skin, therefore if I just look the way they look, I’ll feel the way they feel. The unfortunate reality is that confidence can rarely come from emulation.
Personally, it took me awhile to wear what I wanted. To ignore the cacophony (including my own inner monologue) telling me what I should wear. What a scientist *should* wear. What a 30-something *should* wear. What you *should* wear as a pinup or vintage girl. What you *should* wear to gain a lot of likes or followers. Truthfully, I identify with none of those shoulds. And once I let go of labels and stereotypes and stopped apologizing for my own personal brand of fabulous, I found a style that is uniquely mine. And in that style, I found my confidence and a fearlessness to wear vintage in my own unique way. I rock my vintage.
So, to help you find your own personal vintage style, Rock My Vintage is offering my readers an exclusive coupon code to use for their next purchase! Use the code DRESS10 and get 10% off your next order (if you love this Emily & Fin number, she retails for £70 (~$88USD) and is available in sizes UK 8-14, with free worldwide shipping for orders over £160). You can also check our Rock My Vintage out on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for other upcoming deals!
Now, let’s go forth, rock our vintage, and be fabulous.
xoxo
Outfit Details:
Dress: c/o Rock My Vintage
Necklace: Swarovski (similar)
Bracelets: Gift (similar)
Handbag: gift (similar here & here)
Shoes: Modcloth (still available here)
Lip Color: Tarte Amazonian Butter lipstick
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