Sponsor Chronically Vintage in May - big things are happening here!

At the moment (and for the past few weeks in particular now), I'm the busiest I've been since we moved across the country in early 2012 from Ontario to my home province of British Columbia. I'm burning the midnight oil, expanding great amounts of elbow grease, and in the process having a lot of fun, while working on my absolutely top secret vintage plans, which will be announced here in just one week's time exactly.

Exciting things are afoot for Chronically Vintage, not only with those plans, but in general. I've been giving in a great deal of thought and feel like I've finally reached a point in my life where, despite being immensely shy, I'd like to start making Youtube videos, so watch for the first of those, if all goes to plan, later on this year.

In general though, not just when it comes to those two (fabulous!) things, I'm continually looking for fresh, fun, appealing ways to branch out and/or bring you cool new things here on the blog front, including by working with a carefully handpicked selection of sidebar ad, product review, and giveaway sponsors who offer lines and services that are in keeping with the interests and needs of the tens of thousands of visitors from around the world who visit and read Chronically Vintage every month.

{Make your website, shop or product line feel as special as Queen of May by becoming a Chronically Vintage blog sponsor next month! Image source.}

If your shop, product line, blog or other website jives with what Chronically Vintage is all about and you'd like to become a blog sponsor, I'd love to hear from you anytime. A small number of advertising sponsorship slots still remain for May and I'm currently booking product review posts for July and August (and beyond), so you could soon be seeing your shop, products, and/or blog up on here. Wouldn't that be awesome?

Please don't hesitate to email me anytime to discuss how we can make that happen for you further.

Thank you in advance and thank you so very much to everyone for your enthusiasm and shared eagerness about my ultra secret vintage plans. Just one more week until I unveil what they are!

Ten mid-spring perfect vintage fashions from Better Dresses Vintage

So long as you don't mind a few rain showers and the occasional storm, both of which can be quite endearing unto themselves (especially if you're not caught outside without the proper gear on during them), mid-spring is rather fantastic time. In fact, I'd argue that it's many people's favourite time of the year, whether they're aware of it or not. Most of us dislike, understandably, extreme hot or bone chilling cold (or both), and are prone to remarking that we wish it could be somewhere around a balmy 20C/70F or so all year round.

Sadly, there's just about no place on earth where such is possible, but most of us, even if this period is exceedingly short-lived, do get to experience this nirvana like middle ground of temperates between mid-April and early June. These are days when a cardigan is still optional, but rarely an absolute necessity. Where gardens are powerfully alive and beautiful, not yet having been baked like a potato during the sweltering weeks of late June, July and August. We seek grassy fields to picnic in, take our first tentative dips (if only with our little toe!) into lakes, rivers and oceans, stock up on a slew of fresh produce, and are often in a generally upbeat and revitalized mood.

For most (in the Northern Hemisphere), the heavy tweeds, woolens, corduroys, and velvets of winter have packaged away, sometimes with a smirk of glee on one's face as we do so. For at long (long!) last, spring has not just returned, but we've hit its sweet, magnificent middle ground, that - much to Goldilocks’ delight - is neither too warm, nor too cold.

A similar window, sometimes briefer still, will appear again come fall, but that's the better part of half a year away and often it isn't quite as glowingly toasty as mid-spring, which is racing head first towards sizzling hot days, not leaving them behind in its wake.

One has a vast array of options at their disposal on the fashion front at the moment and for the next few weeks. We can often still slip on (not-too-heavy) tights, if desired, but by the same token, are shining up our sandals and dusting off our straw hats. It's a marvelous time of the year for vintage fashionistas from coast to coast, who are reconnecting with their beloved sundresses, lightweight circle skirts, bathing suits, gauzy blouses, playsuits, crop/bralette tops, capris, and shorts, most (if not all) of which have been in hibernation for several months now.

Often we find, as we take stock of our mid-spring wardrobe, that we're lacking in a few pieces. They may have bit the dust last year, been absent for some time now, be a need that has arisen lately, or simply a garment or accessory we didn't previously feel pulled towards, but now adore. Whatever the case, it's immensely fun to go shopping for mid and late spring (right on into summer) pieces and to perk up our closets with some snazzy threads the way that Mother Nature is hard at work reviving the world outside at the moment.

To that end, I thought that today, the last Monday in April, would be an ideal time to share ten mid-spring perfect vintage fashions with all of you from one of Chronically Vintage's latest blog sponsors, US based online vintage clothing and accessories shop Better Dresses Vintage.

With a name that takes its inspiration from the "better dresses" section that many leading departments stores once had, where the very cream of the crop was displayed for customers to swoon over and try on, Better Dresses Vintage follows suite by providing their customers with a terrific array of yesteryear fashions that have all been handpicked, well described, and put up for sale online by the shop's founder and owner, Liza.

Like a lot of the best vintage sellers out there, Liza launched her online after many years of wearing and collecting vintage herself, which means that she has a thorough knowledge not only what she's selling, but what her customers are most likely to flock to. Interestingly, and rather wonderfully, Better Dresses Vintage also buys vintage and those who are interested in possibly selling to this site are encouraged to email Liza anytime.

Better Dresses Vintage's site is engaging, easy to navigate, well laid out and just plain fun. On top of their stellar listings, I really enjoyed checking out their customer photo gallery or buyers who are sporting items they've purchased from BDV, as well as their lovely page teaming with positive testimonials from past buyers.

It was tricky to cap my selection of mid-springtime fashions from Better Dresses Vintage at just ten, as there were so many beautiful, easy to wear pieces up there at the moment that fit that bill, but in the end I did and the selection below highlights those that caught my eye the very most and which I'm sure many of you will adore as well.

{Gloriously sweet and lovely as a springtime field bursting with tiny wild blooms, this elegant 1950s purple floral print dress, which features a light purple hued tulle overskirt, would make for an awesome Mother's Day dress (or gift), not to mention the perfect thing to wear to a garden party, wedding, or countless other warm weather events. Fits up to a 36" bust/26" waist. $85.00 }




{Carry the spirit of a spring garden with you wherever you go when sporting this charmingly pretty vintage enamel flower basket brooch. 1 1/8" by 1" high. $30.00.}




{Though colour palette at work on this sophisticated 1930s/40s floral print rayon dress may call to mind autumn and winter more than our current season, its short sleeves, super lightweight (somewhat sheer) material, and inclusion of blue and yellow blooms helps ground it solidly in spring. Fits up a 39" bust, 34" waist. $70.00.}




{Instantly redolent of this season's bright blue skies and fresh new green grass, these sweetly fun 1950s Miriam Haskell glass bead earrings would be a cinch to partner with everything from denim peddle pushers to your favourite cool toned sundress. Earrings measure 1.25" in diameter. $42.00.}




{What would springtime be without a few rainbows? Certainly not the same in my books, which is why I often find myself drawn towards sporting clothing and accessories like this marvelous 1950s pastel rainbow dress that convey the same glorious beauty as the real deal all season long (and right on until fall starts). Fits up to a 38" bust/27" waist. $95.00.}




{Give your cold weather black, brown and navy blue footwear a well deserved breather and slip into these chic 1950s cream Caprini stiletto heels instead. Fits a vintage size 9AAA foot. $50.00 (which includes the shoebox shown here that they were found in).}




{When those grey springtime days that feel as though the rain will continue to fall for a month (and sometimes, it very nearly does just that!) strike and the temps are touch nippy once again, reach for this vibrant coral 1960s wool cable knit sweater to stay both warm and and in a chipper mood thanks to its punchy hue. Fits up to a 39" bust/32" waist. $65.00. }




{Look no further for your ideal, goes with a myriad of outfits, endlessly elegant vintage springtime topper than this beautiful 1940s/50s cream lace platter style hat, which could very easily work for a bride, mother of the bride, or wedding guest chapeau, if so desired. Inner diameter of 12" inches. $50.00.}




{Just as rainbows and spring go hand-in-hand, so too do butterflies and the second season of the year, which usually sees their return to gardens, backyards and meadows near and far alike. If, like me, you're a fan of sporting butterflies on your clothing, you'll flip for this sweetly pretty green, blue and white 1950s sundress featuring a swarm of the wee darlings. Fits up to a 33" bust/26" waist. $75.00.}




{Just because winter is behind us again, that doesn't mean you need to wave goodbye to all your suits for the next few months. Quite the contrary actually, when you opt for lighter weight versions in soft, feminine shades like the positively gorgeous lilac purple shade that this sophisticated 1940s/50s skirt suit boasts. Jacket fits up to a 38" bust/30" waist, skirt fits up to a 29" waist/38" hips. $105.00.}

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Don't you wish you could wave a magic wand and have all of these breezy, sweet, totally fun vintage spring fashions fall right into your closet this very moment? That might not be possible, but thankfully you can certainly buy any of these vintage treasures that your heart desires and help perk up your mid-spring right on into summer wardrobe with the help of Better Vintage Dresses.

This site also has a companion etsy shop called Bee Dee Vintage, where all listings (which are not the same ones that appear on BVD's main site) are geared towards the especially budget friendly side of the price spectrum, coming in at $100 or less.

Just as with Better Dresses Vintage itself, this etsy shop is teaming with wonderful yesteryear pieces that would be perfect for this time of the year, such as the four stop-you-in-your-tracks gems pictured below (I'm also especially smitten with this beguilingly pretty lemon and lime hued Lord and Taylor 1940s/50 strapless party dress, which I would wear in a heartbeat if only it was my size).



{From top left to bottom right: Plus size 1950s light blue short sleeved dress, 1950s light pink cotton voile and lace blouse, Peachy-pink 1950s woven handbag, 1980s does 1950s floral print short sleeved dress.}


It is a joy to be working with Better Vintage Dresses this spring and today's post is just the first of two that will shine the well deserved spotlight on this terrific online vintage seller. Keep a look out for a second in a few weeks which will feature yours truly sporting a gorgeous 1950s garment from BVD.

Likewise, it is also fantastic to share today's selection of mid-springtime fashions with all of you. I'm gleeful about the fact that I can finally don pieces like this again without risking frostbite, nor, conversely, melting faster than a crayon left on the tarmac in July. These days are warm, wonderful and so immensely lovely and without a doubt one of the best ways to celebrate them is by treating yourself to some new vintage fashions, such as the beauties highlighted here today from Better Dresses Vintage.

Happy mid-springtime wishes - and shopping - everyone!

My vintage finds from the 25th annual Vernon Antiques and Collectibles Show

It would be charming, in something a bit akin to a "cute meet" kind of way (at least to me), if I could say that I had intentionally timed our return to B.C. after a week in Calgary to line up perfectly with ensuring that we'd be in Vernon for the first evening of last year's 25th annual Vernon Collectors Club Antiques & Collectibles Show, but I really can't - especially when you consider that while in Calgary we decided to add an extra day to our stay, thus returning home on September 20th, instead of the 19th as originally planned.

Yet, as I was aware of the show (though I'd never been before), I did make a point of discussing the possibility of hitting it on the way home that day with Tony and we timed our day to make it happen. As our vehicle was full of our luggage, camera equipment, and new vintage purchases however, he didn't want to leave it unattended in the parking lot, so he - bless his darling heart - very sweetly stayed in the car while I worked my way at near breakneck speed around the many tables set up inside of the Vernon Rec Centre where this show was being held.

There was a small admission (I think $3.00) to get in, which included a hand stamp that would allow you to get back in for free the next day, if so desired, but after a very busy trip and with precious little in my budget left for the year (let alone the month!) after shopping in Calgary, I knew that this was going to my only time there that weekend.

The show was divided between two rooms, with a few vendors also set up in a small hallway between the two. I didn't count, but I would estimate that was probably somewhere in the range of 70 to 100 different sellers there in total. I didn't want to make poor Tony wait in the car all evening (especially after having just driven several hours straight with 1.5 hours more to go that night before we got home), so I really did buzz around at lightning speed, scanning the tables quickly, but still relatively thoroughly, for pieces that caught my eye.

Despite the large number (for this part of the country) of sellers, I did not see anyone selling vintage clothing (save for men’s military uniform pieces) or hats. There were a few pairs of gloves here and there, but they were all vastly overpriced in my opinion. Happily though, there was no shortage of jewelry, some of which was scarily expensive, plenty in the mid-range, and some pieces that were true bargains. It was the last two categories that I gravitated towards, though I certainly enjoyed seeing everything.

I can't claim that I saw every last table, but I would say that I made it a good 75% or more, and made sure to quickly eyeball the others, just in case they had any clothing, hats, or other items that I was looking for (none did). There was a good mix of items, the main categories of which included vintage and antique jewelry, coins (and stamps), military items, small petroliana items, signs, housewares, china, ceramics, kitschy decor pieces, toys, postcards and other paper ephemera pieces, tools, jars and tins, fruit crate labels, license plates, and some small household items, such as lamps.

Most of the vendors were friendly and happy to chat, as well as being quite energetic still, as the weekend was just getting started. A good sized crowd swirled around the tables with me, many of whom seemed to be a warpath with certain items in mind, though there was also many others like myself who were happy to simply explore and buy an assortment of yesteryear pieces.

Though I have no problem paying reasonable retail rates for vintage items, I do love to bargain hunt at these kinds of events and wherever I go in my travels (or when I'm close to home), and the items I bought that evening in Vernon were no exception. I didn't record the prices that I paid for these pieces at the time (I'll try to remember to do so if I go again - as I hope I will - this year), but I remember nearly all of them, and at most, I wouldn't be off by more than a dollar or two in either direction on the couple that I'm not 100% certain of.

So without any further ado, may I present my selection of vintage finds from the 25th annual Vernon Antiques and Collectibles Show.




{Two WW2 Canadian ration books (with some coupons still inside) | $5.00 for the pair | I've long been fascinated by ration books (you may recall this post on them back in 2011), but did not, prior to this buy, own any. These two, which are series six (the last ration books issued in Canada) are in very decent shape and I feel privileged to be able to give them a new home after what I'm sure has been a very interesting lifetime.}




{Three vintage photo postcards from the Rocky Mountains | $0.50 each | While in Calgary, I'd been keeping my eyes peeled for vintage items pertaining to the city and province as a whole, but didn't run into too many things, so when I spotted these postcards (on the way home from our travels, to boot), I really felt like they were meant to be mine - and for that price, how could I even contemplate saying no?}




{Vintage Twink laundry dye and soap box (with original contents) | $2.00 | This is one of those charming little vintage pieces that one sees, has no actual use (or even space sometimes) for, but loves and just can't seem to pass up. It's the first vintage laundry related collectible I think I've ever purchased (the dye flakes inside are blue, in case, like me, you were curious).}




{Vintage Coats 6 Cord box (with two spools of c. 1950s/60s thread inside) | $1.50 | Much as with the Twink dye, I just loved the packaging on this mid-century Coats thread box. It's now on display in my craft room, still housing the two spools of thread that it came with when I bought it.}




{Vintage Oxo Cube tin | $5.00 | I have a super tiny (less than ten so far) collection of vintage spice and food tins, which I suspect will continue to grow over time. I'd not yet encountered a vintage Oxo Cube tin like this before in person, and since I had fond memories of my mom cooking with this brand when I was little (though the cubes came in a paper box by then), I decided to add it to said collection.}




{Vintage Aryton Heart Shape Indigestion Tablets tin | $2.00 | A wee vintage tin that once housed heart shaped vintage medicine for just two bucks? Naturally there was no way I was going to leave that behind.}




{Circa 1910s/1920s empty Riker's Peroxzone Cream glass jar/pot | $5.00 | This small, but very sturdy milk glass bottle for a product that my online research turned up exceedingly little for is just beautiful. I adore the art nouveau style graphics and fonts on the label, the somewhat eyebrow raising word "peroxzone", and the fact that it has held up so very, very wonderfully over the course of around a century.}




{Two circa 1940s/50s pink and gold decorative pine cone dishes | $4.00 for the pair | These lovely little dishes look beautiful as part of a pink/pastel Christmas display in December, then get put to work the rest of the year as handy catchalls and ring holders in our en suite bathroom.}




{Beautiful c. 1950s pink decorative swan figurine | $3.00 | Speaking of things to hold rings in, this sweet-as-can be pink swan would work great on that front, too. For the moment though it's just enjoying life as a display piece. I was especially drawn to it not only because I love swans, but because Vernon itself has traditionally been one of the few places in the Okanagan where, if you're lucky, you might be able to see real live swans, thus adding another layer to its importance to me.}




{Pair of c. 1950s ceramic girls in old-fashioned attire | $5.00 for both | These ladies have a few tiny paint chips and scuffs here and there, but are still in very respectable shape over all, and were too cute for that price to pass up.}




{1950s cream and gold ceramic spaghetti angel figurine | $4.00 | I was so surprised by the super great price ($4.00) that the seller quoted me for this lovely spaghetti angel when I asked, that I didn't (rather uncharacteristically for me) even try to bargain further. I'd pay that for here any day of the week! Christmassy though she may be, her gentle cream and gold colour palette easily enable her to remain out on display the whole year through.}




{Cute 1940s/1940s souvenir girl on skills doll from Banff, Alberta | $4.00 | This slightly quirky, completely charming vintage souvenir doll was the other great Alberta related find that day. Though the ends of her ski poles have long broken off, she's in excellent shape otherwise and is now skiing across a stack of hardcovers on my bookshelf.}




{1950s/early 60s copper ballerina charm bracelet | $5.00 | Usually, because of my pesky nickel allergy, I have to stay clear of most metal costume jewelry that comes in direct contact with my skin, but copper is a fair safe bet (ditto for brass), especially if its pure, so for a fiver, I took a gamble on this sweetly lovely charm bracelet. I haven't worn it yet - I really should soon - to road test if it's safe, but I suspect it will be.}




{Pair of 1930s/40s plastic dog brooches | $20.00 for the large brooch, $5.00 for the small | Despite being easy to come by and very popular, and the fact that I completely adore them, prior to this purchase, I didn't own any vintage Scottie/terrier dog brooches. These two came from the same seller, who offered the smaller one to me for $5.00 (instead of $10, which was its sticker price) after I bought larger one. How could I not nab it? These two seem like they were meant to spend their days together as best puppy friends forever.}




{1930s/1940s plastic deer brooch | $12.00 | Though it looks the part, I've run every test on it, and this darling brooch isn't Bakelite. I didn't particularly think it would be when I bought it, though that would have been a cool bonus. I just love its shape and sweet little face - and the price wasn't too shabby for such a pin these days either.}




{1930s/1940s celluloid flower basket brooch | $8.00 | This design of flower basket brooch was quite popular back in the 30s and early 40s, and I've seen many over the years, but hadn't yet added one to collection (much as with the terrier) pins, so when I saw this one that’s in great shape for its age, I knew it was time to do just that at long last.}




{c. 1950s reverse carved clear lucite floral brooch | $7.00 | I love reversed carved jewelry and was looking for pins like this in Calgary, but didn't spot any, so when I saw this one I jumped on it immediately. It's now one of three reversed carved vintage brooches that I have, and I suspect more will be added to that little collection over the years.}




{Vintage stylized gold toned maple leaf brooch | $4.99 | This good sized, solid, elegant maple leaf brooch really caught my eye, not only because I adore maple leaf pins, but because we were just about to start fall at the time of the show, and it seemed like such an immensely fitting pin to start the new season of autumn themed accessorizing off with.}




{Vintage rotary phone novelty brooch | $8.00 | This brooch is not only darling, but it boasts an actual rotating dial! I'm old enough to remember using rotary phones (both sets of my grandparents had one when I was little, plus many public pay phones were rotary still into the 80s and early 90s), and the memory of doing just was more than enough to spur on the immediate purchase of this wonderfully fun brooch.}




{c. 1950s plastic floral hair barrette | $2.00 | I love vintage barrettes, but don't own many, so when I spotted this tiny (it's maybe an inch long) one on the table of a seller who was mostly focusing her offerings on china and ceramics, it seemed to call out "Take me home, Jess", and who was I to argue with it.}




{Vintage carved plastic orange tortoise shell style bangle bracelet | $4.00 | Neither Bakelite nor celluloid, but definitely old feeling, I'd estimate this carved bangle to be from the 30s or 40s, though it could be newer. It's has a little bit of wear to it, but is still in great shape and really works well with autumn hued garments, which makes me adore it all the more.}




{c. 1930s carved celluloid bangle bracelets | $18.00 for the cream, $20.00 for the mint green | These bangles were amongst priciest single items I bought that day, but they were still well within the range of a good deal for such celluloid bracelets in today's retail market, and were something I'd really been hunting for, so I was pleased as punch to find them at this delightful show.}

(All photographs taken by me)

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I love everything that I bought (I wouldn't have purchased these items if I didn't), but I can confidently say that my very favourite pieces are the two darling puppy brooches, the rotary phone novelty brooch, and the pair of floral celluloid bangles (which you may recall, were on my vintage shopping wish list last year).

This show was a blast, with no shortage of tables, items, or interesting things (and sellers!) to see. I'm delighted that I finally got a chance to attend and eagerly look forward to making the 1.5 hour long trek up to Vernon again in the future to do so again. It will be fun to see how many familiar faces I can spot next time, and to see if anyone just happened to have some vintage clothing they opted to bring along with them to sell.

As there's quite a shortage of that in the Okanagan these days, I won't hold my breath, but you just never know. Far more likely is a great selection of old jewelry, household items, cute little kitsch pieces, and a respectable assortment of decades old items that have all made their way, much like me, to the Vernon Rec Centre for an evening of fun, good conversation, and plenty of enjoyable vintage shopping.

One last wintry vintage look before that famous Okanagan summer weather returns

Outfit details

Red and cream hair scarf: Claire's  Red plastic rose stud earrings: Claire's
1930s/40s style knit aqua scarf: Miss Beta Knits
Black dolman sleeve cardigan: Freddies of Pinewood
Fitted red top: Urban Planet (I think - bought it years ago now)
Vintage style side button jeans: Freddies of Pinewood
Vintage red knit gloves: etsy seller Stylish Light
Black crochet handbag: Thrifted (Value Village)
Black vintage-y looking lace-up winter boots: Tender Tootsies (bought this year at Walmart)
Lipstick colour: MAC Russian Red


Photography by Tony Cangiano

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We're spoiled and I know it. Compared to a lot of the country, we usually see spring weeks before many folks do, so when it (winter, that is) decides to hunker down, strap itself in, and stubbornly refuse to budge, we scarcely have a leg to stand on in the complaint department. Well into early April, there were still signs of the frosty half of the year here, though now, many rain showers later and with a few jittery stops and starts, spring has returned, in full, at long last (or so one says with as much confidence on that front as they ever can in Canada).

Towards the end of March, on a day that was sitting mighty close to freezing still, Tony and I ventured out to a wee indoor flea market in the nearby tiny of Oliver (a location which I chatted about a little earlier this year here). It's an ongoing event that happens most weekends, and while there is rarely little genuine vintage, especially in the categories that interest either of us (yes, my dear chap fancies certain yesteryear items, too), as it's only about 40 minutes away, it is worth checking out every now and then just in case some marvelous treasure is waiting for us to unearth.

No dice that day, really. I say "really", because I didn't walk away completely empty handed. At one of the first stalls upon entering, I found a tiny slip (it's much, much smaller dimensionally and page count wise than most vintage or current ones) of a vintage yearbook from 1933 hailing from a high school in the province of Saskatchewan. Between my love of vintage yearbooks and the fact that I have family ties to Saskatchewan, which naturally makes me feel an affinity for anything related to it all the more, I knew it had to be mine. The seller was asking six dollars, I offered four, and she took it on the spot. I smiled gleefully all day over this sweet little find, which while not big in size, is jam packed with marvelous early 30s quaintness and fun.

Between dodgy bursts of rain that threatened to turn into snow, we headed a bit further south to Osoyoos and pulled over at one of Tony's favourite fishing spots, an immensely pretty corner of the Southern Okanagan called, I kid you not, Solana Bay (pronounced and spelled just like Solanah of Vixen Vintage's name, minus the letter "h" at the end of the word). Naturally it is impossible for me to visit this beautiful and deeply tranquil location without thinking of one Solanah herself each time we’re there.

That day I also very much had the darling aqua hued 1930s/40s reproduction knit scarf that I'm sporting in these photos on my mind. This scarf was very kindly made and sent to me by tremendously talented Portuguese craftswoman named Beta, whom I've had the truly beautiful pleasure of becoming friends with in recent months. She sells this scarf, as well as number other hand knit accessories and fashions in her etsy shop, Miss Beta Knits.

Called, so very charmingly, The Miss Marple Scarf (named after the famous Agatha Christie character), this classic neck warmer is is such a sweet, easy to style piece. In fact, as soon as it arrived a few weeks prior, it instantly became the scarf that I wore more often throughout the remainder of the winter than any other. I love that it's not bulky, that's it's cheerfully hued, excellently well made, and just plain cute to boot! As well, it can be styled to work for multiple decades, from the 1930s (perhaps even the 20s) to the early 60s, just depending on what you partner with it.

As well, the Miss Marple retails for a very reasonable $25.55 US, which an extremely good price for a piece that it knit from scratch. Beta lists various colours of this scarf in her shop, and can also make others, depending on the colours of wool she has on hand or can get a hold of. She is a sheer delight to work with, so if you'd like a scarf in a colour that isn't listed, just give her a shout on etsy and I'm sure she'd be delighted to try and help make the piece you're envisioning a reality.

Here, on this day of flea market visiting and errand running, not to mention dog park visiting, I took it in a 1940s direction and partnered its punchy aqua hue with red, black and dark denim (care of my super beloved Freddies side button jeans, natch). Layers and thick materials like denim were still a most on that nippy day and between them and Miss Beta's splendid scarf, I was able to keep the chill rising off of the water - if you'll pardon a someone obvious pun - at bay.

This is the first of two absolutely wonderful vintage inspired knits that Beta is very sweetly and generously making for me to review. The second will be arriving a touch later in the year and will be the star of its own vintage outfit post when it does. I feel blessed to have received this timelessly pretty aqua hued mid-century style accessory and look forward to many more chilly seasons to come of wearing it.




After all, if there's one thing you can be assured of in this northerly country, it's that winter will return again with a vengeance quicker than you can say "where's my Miss Beta Knits scarf?".