A beloved 1950s dress, two stellar Alice Hannah accessories, and wintertime serenity as far as the eye can see

Outfit details

Black satin 1950s hat: eBay
Silver tone and glass stone earrings: Save-On Foods
Grey wool blend wrap lace shawl: Alice Hannah
Silver tone and crystal feather brooch: eBay
1950s red dress: etsy seller Gogo Vintage
Faux leather black skinny belt: eBay
Black leather gloves with red heart detail: Alice Hannah
Opaque black tights: Arden
1940s style black shoes: Thrifted (Salvation Army)
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red


Photography by Tony Cangiano    

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If you're a fellow blogger who posts photos of some of your outfits, you can likely relate when I say that this dress is one of those pieces that, while worn often, somehow always manages to elude landing on (digital) film. On days big and small alike, in the case of the former including the incredible June day in 2012 when Tony became a Canadian citizen at a ceremony in Kelowna, this classic dark red 1950s frock eluded being photographed. So much so, that it almost became a running joke that when I put it on, it was a given that a photo shoot wouldn't actually happen in the end.

I'm pleased to say that a little earlier this winter, on an icy cold, intensely grey afternoon that streak of going undocumented on camera was finally broken thanks to a shoot held at Veteran's Park in Osoyoos. This tranquil, lovely little parcel of land, complete with a tiny wooden foot bridge, is situated immediately beside Osoyoos Lake and is a touching tribute to all those in the area who have fought in the wars of 20th century.

Though the temperature was well below freezing, the wind was relatively mild and the there was a break in the downpour of snow we'd been getting at the time. Still, to help ward off a bit of the fierce Canadian winter chill, I slipped on two absolutely beautiful pieces that were recently sent to me for review care of UK fashion accessories brand Alice Hannah.

Based out of London, England, Alice Hannah, which was founded in 2007, offers a range of exclusive, high quality fashions, which, while modern, often embody a timeless, fetchingly pretty yesteryear feel. Their offerings are available in stores ranging from Asos to Top Shop, ModCloth to Fenwick, as well as in the company's online shop.

Both the darling red heart adorned black leather gloves and the timelessly elegant grey wool blend shawl with coordinating dark grey lace appliqué hail from Alice Hannah and were the perfect accouterments to the strikingly wintry landscape. They arrived from the UK in a jiffy by courier and were, I kid you not, amongst the best wrapped and presented items I've ever received from an online retailer. Sturdy, beautiful boxes, coordinating ribbon and a tulle bag, complete with a complimentary product catalog and an a personalized note, accompanied these two products and made opening them a highly memorable event.

At first when I was contacted in regards to if I might want to receive products from this brand, I must admit, I wasn't a touch leery, simply because I'm allergic to wool and nearly all of Alice Hannah's products are made from wool. Where there's a stylish will there's a stylish way though, and after going through all of the offerings in their shop at the time, I discovered that I could safely wear the cute leather gloves (which are wool-free) and the cozy, beautiful wrap, which, while a wool blend, doesn't have to come in direct contact with my skin (when layered over another garment, as I've done here) the way that a pair of gloves, a scarf, headband, or a hat would have had to.

Given that I'm allergic to it, I own and wear very little lamb's wool, so when I do actually sport a piece like this shawl, I'm always pleasantly surprised by just how warm it is, which proved immensely helpful on a day such as this one. Both the gloves and the shawl are excellently well made. The gloves are not lined, so they’re best suited to warmer climates or milder days than this particular one, but aside from that, I cannot sing their praises highly enough. They're fun, whimsical and eye-catchingly sweet - not to mention a great way to, quite literally, wear your heart on your sleeve (or at least your gloves!).

There is an instantaneously noticeable level of high end quality to Alice Hannah's offerings that pushes them into the realm of feeling down right luxurious. The shawl, as just mentioned, is warm, as well as excellently constructed and generously sized. It did shed fibers quite heavily all over my dress and black tights that day, but otherwise, it was an absolute dream to wear and (with mini lint brush stashed in my bag) I know it will be a frequent cold weather wardrobe player for me from here on out.

Quality and luxury in this case however, do not equate to bank breaking price tags, especially if you happen to live the UK. Even for those outside of the good, ol' Blighty, the brand's offerings will still be affordable to most, especially if you're looking to invest in the kind of woolen cold weather gear that will see you through many a fall and winter to come.

While I can recall every photo shoot Tony and I have ever done, there are some that really stand out in my mind, often because of some especially memorable component of the location, weather, or outfit, and in certain cases, all three. Such was the case for me this day.

At long last this dress, which I truly love and don frequently the whole year round, appeared on camera. I had the honour of wearing two marvelous new accessories from really lovely brand (thank you very much, Alice Hannah team, I adore them both!) to help keep a bit of the near arctic temperatures at bay, and we shoot in a park that that means a great deal to the local community in Osoyoos, all against the backdrop of placid lake waters, majestic mountains, and a thick blanket of snow as far as the eye could see.

When it comes to outdoor winter photo shoots, one really couldn't ask for a better or more enjoyable day than this - nor for more delightful accessories to sport while smiling and making memories in subzero temperatures.