The Recipe for Love - and one seriously fun vintage outfit, to boot!

Outfit details

1950s green nylon/chiffon hair scarf: Unknown, had for years (possibly a gift)
1940s red plastic knot shaped screw back earrings: Purchased in person from a fellow vintage seller
1980s does 1950s chambray shirtwaist dress: (Probably) eBay (had for years)
1980s does 1950s citrus slice brooch: eBay
Brown vintage fabric belt: From a 1970s skirt purchased from Cricketcapers (see the two in action together here)
Vendula Recipe Tote Bag: c/o Vendula London
Vendula Recipe Clip Fastened Frame Wallet: c/o Vendula London
C. 1950s green gloves with ruffle details: Unknown, had for years (possibly eBay)
Yellow plastic bangle bracelet: Forever 21
C. 1950s/60s red twisted plastic bangle bracelet: eBay
C. 1950s/60s green moonglow plastic bangle bracelet: Unknown, had for years
Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay
Brown 1940s style faux leather round toe heel: Walmart
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red
 

Photography by Tony Cangiano

 
























































(As Tony frequently travels to the States for work, he often has a little bit of US currency to hand and thought it would be a fun touch to slip an American paper note into the wallet for this shot. I concur and think it really adds a delightful touch to this snap.)

♥ ♥ ♥

Rain, an unusually large and frequent amount of the wet stuff, has filled many of our days lately, making taking outfit snaps quite a challenge at times. On the very recent Saturday when these photos were captured, the light was changing ever thirty seconds or so and all of about ten minutes (tops) after we wrapped, the heavens opened up again and dropped countless more cats and dogs on us.

In fact, in all of the years I've live in the Okanagan (which collectively, is quite a few), I can't remember the last time we had such a damp, chilly spring (though, there have been pockets of warmer/sunnier days here and there, don't get me wrong). 

But enough of me being a hard core Canadian (that is to say, talking about the weather with great interest and detail - something of a national pastime in this beautiful country of ours) - especially since, in a lot of ways, I actually enjoy rainy weather and find there's a distinct serenity to it that really appeals to my soul.

Another thing that has always spoken to the very core of who I am and what I adore is cooking. This massively includes the collecting, creating, and using of recipes.

As such, the moment that I saw the recently released Vintage Recipe line of products from the wonderful UK accessories brand Vendula London, it was love at first sight.

Over the course of the past year, I've had the pleasure of teaming up with Vendula London twice previously here on my blog, and really adored the beautiful, extremely well made offerings that I received from them both of those times.

I have to say though, that the two awesomely lovely items - the Vendula Recipe Tote Bag and Vendula Recipe Clip Fastened Frame Wallet, respectively - are my absolute favourites to date, and I can't begin to thank Vendula enough for these wonderful review gifts.

Each of these products is bursting with shabby chic meets vintage inspired charm and whimsy, and has a design that also channels that of certain scrapbook styles, and thus appeals to me - as a long time paper crafter - all the more.

The detail on Vendula London's offerings is always impressive, but that of the Vintage Recipes collection is knock-your-socks off incredible!

Both the tote bag and wallet are double sided, with a different design on each side, and a beautiful culinary related printed cotton lining inside. Canvas, faux leather, cotton, and metal make up the various components of each are are all very durable, high quality materials.

One of the things that I adore most of all about Vendula's products is how incredibly creative they are. Each side of this bag and wallet is a work of art with unique, stylish, and timelessly beautiful elements combining to create a product that is head turningly stunning (and indeed, I've worn this bag out on two occasions and have been inundated by kind compliments from strangers and relatives alike each time I have).

Appearing on the outside of the tote bag and on the inside of the wallet is Vendula's "recipe for love", which includes such vital elements of life as humour, romance, joy, compatibility, trust, respect, sharing, tenderness, and patience.

As someone who believes in, and tries to live a life filled with, the virtues of such things this elegantly charming recipe resonated deeply with me, as I'm sure it does with many of you as well.

We are well served by putting this recipe into action as often as possible in our lives and I really admire Vendula London for creating products with such a touching, soulful reminder printed on it for all the world to see and hopefully try to embody as often as one can.

When it comes to the recipe for this outfit, I pulled heavily on the colour palette from the bag and wallet, as well as the lemon slices featured on the tote.

This 1980s does 1950s chambray shirtwaist dress is, without a doubt, one of my favourite dresses that I've ever owned. Interesting, though it has appeared on my Instagram at least a couple of times over the years (including on my 30th birthday and on the ferry ride to Vancouver Island that we took for our holiday there, both back in 2014), I believe this is the first time it's appeared here as part of an outfit post on my blog.

I love this frock so much, that if someone - for whatever strange and unusual reason - forced me to whittle my entire dress collection down to just five garments, this classic chambray shirtwaist dress would make the cut, no questions asked. It's akin to the dress equivalent of a light hued pair of jeans, is incredible comfortable, and works well the whole year round (especially from spring until mid-autumn).

As the tote bag is the rightful star of the show here, I kept my accessories somewhat low key, but not entirely subtle - after all, it's hard for a large sized vintage citrus slice brooch to ever read as understated!

A hair scarf, 1940s earrings, assorted bangles, olive-y green hued ruffled mid-century gloves, and classic brown faux leather pumps round out the mix and add up the perfect sort of ensemble for a weekend afternoon of errand running - no matter the weather!

From its darling cherry faux leather charm on the zipper to the recipe for love and the awesome vintage inspired notes, this gorgeous canvas tote bag and wallet from Vendula London are every bit as much "me" as this chambray shirtwaist dress is and both instantly add up to a recipe for wardrobe happiness in my (cook)books.