Vintage cars and fun aplenty at the 2013 Peach City Beach Cruise

Outfit details

Hair flowers: blue and white, Ardene; yellow orchid, eBay
White rose stud earrings: Claire's
Grey knit shrug: Fairweather
White cotton cami: Old Navy
1950s blue and white polka dot dress: etsy seller Forever Lovely Vintage
White crinoline: Pettiskirt Style
White skinny belt (which Annie has since eaten!): eBay
1940s/50s white ruched gloves: eBay
Vintage grey handbag: etsy seller Running Rabbit Studio
Nude and black seamed stockings: eBay
White pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Antonio Cangiano

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There are two striking parallels between last year's Peach City Beach Cruise and 2013's: grey skies with plenty of rain, and the fact that because of said wet weather, we opted to leave the DSLRs at home and shoot the photos for this year's event with Tony's iPhone again. Unlike 2012 however, the temperature was a bit warmer and I didn't need to use an umbrella constantly, as the rain fell in quick spurts for much the day.

For several years now, Penticton has hosted the Peach City Beach Cruise down on Lakeshore Drive in front of Okanagan Lake. It's a good sized classic car show (though modern cars can enter as well) that spans three days (Friday through Sunday), with a parade of parked vehicles all down the street and onto Rotary Park (at the end of the beach). Hundreds of participants from across the province, elsewhere in Canada, the US, and occasionally even abroad flock to Penticton for this annual event, which includes various judged competitions and plenty of fun for classic car owners and fans alike.

Last year was the first time I'd had a chance to attend and I truly enjoyed it. So much though, that I did something I very rarely do (because of the extremely unpredictable nature of my health, a point I discussed here last May) and actually quasi-planned to attend this year's well in advance. It was, no word of a lie, touch and go until just a couple of hours beforehand, but much to my great happiness, I was feeling well enough to attend (yay!) - a point you may already know if you follow me on Instaagram because I posted shots of a a few of my favourite vintage cars of the day there.

This is as close to a vintage related event as you're going to find in Penticton, which makes it an especially big deal to me and the kind of day that I wanted to dress to the nines for. That meant it was high time I debuted (on camera) one of my absolute most beloved 1950s dress. 

In fact, I adore this dress so much that at various times over the years when I've done interviews or been asked by people I meet if I have a favourite dress in my vintage collection, this classic blue and white beauty has often been my answer. It was an investment piece, but one that I've never regretted for a moment and which I truly cherish. This is the first time you're seeing it on the blog, but I highly doubt it will be the last.

Because the weather was cooler than the seasonal norm that day, a thin knit shrug was in order over top of my dress, with a crinoline (from fab website Pettiskirt Style) underneath - though I would have sported one regardless of the weather in order to help add volume to this relatively full skirted frock. White gloves, a vintage grey handbag, and a trio of hair flowers completed the ensemble.

Just as with last year as well, I was the only person there (that I saw) wearing vintage clothing and as you might imagine, this attracted a lot of attention at a classic car show. Several people had asked for my photograph the previous year, but this time I could scarcely walk two feet without having a stranger grab a snap - a few families even sent their kids over to pose with me, which I thought was incredibly sweet and touching (it made me feel a bit like a costumed character at Disneyland and is the first time I've ever experienced that before). 

One never knows where these photos end up or what people do with them (put them online, etc), but - shy as I am - I'm more than happy to smile for other peoples' cameras on days such as this. They bring the vintage cars, I bring the old school fashion!

We had a total blast looking at, posing with, and in the case of the 1962 Shasta trailer, even venturing inside, the fantastic array of antique, vintage and custom hotrod cars on that overcast late June Saturday. Though only time will tell if such is able to happen, I must admit, I'm already eagerly looking forward to attending the 2014 Peach City Peach Cruise if circumstances will permit. Vintage gloved fingers firmly crossed! :)