✯ Day 214 of Vintage 365 ✯
Toronto - and indeed many other parts of the North American continent - recently went through a heat wave that made the Sahara seem like a winter paradise. The lethal combination of heat and humidity that this part of Ontario gets hits with means that you can add about ten degrees (Celsius) to the temperature the thermostat read to get the "feels like" temperature, which hit a staggering 50C for a few days here.
During those smelting (especially for those like myself who do not have A/C and must rely on fans, cool drinks, and as I turned to at absolute toastiest moments, ice packs from the freezer) days, the only thing in my wardrobe that I wore was vintage sundresses. The notion of pants or a two garment ensemble like a skirt and a blouse, was just as unbearable as I'd been asked to don a parka.
As the sun beat down unmercifully and the city sizzled like a collective piece of bacon, it was the cool, crisp cotton of these feminine frocks that clothed me day after day. Not, of course, that I'm complaining (about wearing dresses, I'll grip about the heat though 
).
Dresses in general are my very favourite garment and I'll happily sport one, in the right seasonal fabric, any time of the year - whether it's +50 or -50 (and yes, Canadian vintageista that I am, I have worn dresses when the mercy dipped nearly that low).
I find that sundresses allow air to circulate more freely around your body than shorts, pants, blouses or t-shirts. If they're sleeveless (or, for those who enjoy the look, even strapless), as some of mine all, all the better. I know that for many of you, this beloved and classic item of clothing is a tried-and-true favourite, too.
Thus, I simply had to share a delightful vintage reproduction sundresses that I spied over at Blue Velvet Vintage recently. Just as sundresses are the summer wardrobe choice du jour, so too is timeless white eyelet one of the season's most integral fabrics. It's been in use for decades (if not centuries) during this piping hot season and remains as elegant and fitting today as a frosty class of ice tea.
At first glance one might think this dress channels a late '50s Marilyn Monroe vibe, and indeed it does, but I also see in it a sense of the 40s, thanks to the sweetheart neckline and simple, yet very becoming, tailoring.
Few hues can compare with white when it comes to helping keep at least some of the heat at bay, and this snowy coloured dresses will definitely help in that regard. It's neutral tone also ensures that you can dress it up or down and accessorize it to your heart's content.
Though a bit more structured than some vintage sundresses (it has some boning in the bodice), the fact that it's strapless and not too long (it's tea dress length), ensures that you should still be quite comfortable on this days when the temperature shows no sign in slowing down its quest to break the record.
Available in modern ladies sizes 4 - 14 (though, at the time of writing, a couple of sizes are out of stock), this chic, wonderfully fresh, completely pretty white cotton eyelet sundress (which is available for $140.00 from Blue Velvet Vintage), is one of those pieces that is sure to get scores and scores of mileage summer after sunny summer.
While the absolute worst of the heat wave has slackened up here, we're just kicking off August and I know that I've got at least a few more weeks of wearing vintage sundresses to look forward - and that, sweet dears, is a positive side of this sweltering season, in my books. 
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