liebster award

I would like to thank Norah Coughlin for nominating me for the liebster award! Thanks for checking out my blog!
I started out Vintage Thread for a class I took last semester, and although I loved it I decided to take the vintage fashion portion of it and combine it with my lifestyle blog stopping to smell the roses . Ir you would like to see more posts like the ones on this blog check it out! I'm also going to do the rest of my my liebster award post over there! Thanks again for the nomination Norah!

My Great-Grandma's Closet

We were able to catch the last of the sun's light today to take some pictures with the coolest umbrella I have ever seen. This umbrella belonged to my great grandmother. I never had the chance to meet her, but it was so fun to get to see and hold something that was a part of her life. Even if it was just a small part that she probably didn't think about much. I'm in love with the pattern, the handle, and the shape of this umbrella it's just so stinking adorable! 

I don't know exactly what year this umbrella came from, but from what I've researched of umbrella's it looks like it could have belonged anywhere from the 1920's to the 1950's. 

Who's ready for a little history of umbrella's? 

Nobody really knows the true beginnings of umbrella's, because they've been around for so long, but it's believed that anciently leaves were used like umbrella's to shield people from the rain. Umbrella's were first commonly used as a shield from the sun rather than the rain. The term for these types of 'umbrella's' is a parasol. Umbrella's held a special significance in early China and Egypt where they were used to distinguish social status. Not all umbrella's started out being waterproof, we can thank Chinese innovation for their use of waterproof fabrics to keep themselves dry that started that trend. The umbrella's we use and see today were first introduced in the 1800's.

 The history of Umbrella's is very long and widespread throughout many different countries. If you're interested in learning a more in depth history of umbrella's you can click any of the links at the end of this post.  

I know, who takes pictures with an umbrella when it's not raining? Apparently me. :) 

Sources:

http://www.foxumbrellas.com/index.php/company-history/history-of-the-umbrella

http://www.umbrellahistory.net/umbrella-history/history-of-umbrella/

My Grandma's Closet: Part 2

Hey guys I'm still here! Sorry for the long break between posts, a couple of weeks ago I went to New York with my family! It was an amazing experience, and then I spent last week trying to catch up with school, and work so things have been crazy! 

I'm so excited for this next installment of the My Grandma's Closet series! 

These pictures feature her Solito club sweater from High School. What's the Solito club you may ask? 

It was an all girls club that my grandma was a member of in the 50's. She told me that each year they would add about 10 new members. "It was more of a social club really." she said. The Solito club would get together each month and meet at each other's houses. My grandma also told me that the girls would wear their sweaters over their skirts and sweaters (like the outfit in my last post) and wear them to school.  I wasn't able to find a date anywhere for how long this club was around but my grandma told me she thought it went for about 20 years after she graduated.

I don't know about you guys, but I love learning about my grandparents lives. If you've never asked your grandparents about their lives when they were younger, I highly recommend it.  I guarantee you will learn so much plus it's so much fun!

These patches have initials on one side, and graduation year on the other.

Seriously how cute is this sweater? Vintage is where it's at. 

My Grandma's Closet: Part 1

I am happy to say that this outfit minus the shoes is truly vintage! This sweater and skirt combo belonged to my Grandma when she was in high school in the mid 1950's. 

I asked her if I could borrow one of her old sweaters and she let me borrow some of her old outfits! I was nervous that they wouldn't fit me, but when I tried them on they fit perfectly! Like Grandma like granddaughter I guess. ;)

I don't think I can adequately describe to you how happy playing dress up in vintage clothes makes me. I felt like I had stepped back into a time when things were simpler and style's were classy. Or at least that's how I like to imagine it.

I don't know what part of this outfit I love more, the Jantzen sweater that is the perfect shade of green, or the houndstooth pleated pencil skirt? All I know is that this outfit is perfect and I wish I could wear it on a daily basis. 

Stay tuned for more outfits from my Grandma's closet as well as some of the history behind these clothes, and the 1950's!

Thanks for reading!

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/12959335/?claim=cck59e7qr3a">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

what's old is new

 There is something about walking in the mountains, wearing a skirt and carrying a suitcase that takes you to a different world for a little while. A world that's apart from the realities of school and work, and every other mundane thing that vies for your attention throughout the day. If only for a little while it's as if you are a different person who could be going anywhere,and doing anything, the possibilities of this new reality are stopped only by the edges of your imagination.

I realize that every part of my outfit is not vintage inspired, but I don't think most of the outfits I post on this blog will ever be 'completely vintage.' My favorite thing to do when putting outfits together is to find a vintage inspired piece and mix it with the modern everyday things I already have in my closet. The piece I chose to build this outfit off of was my teal lace pencil skirt.

Did you know pencil skirts were first introduced to fashion in the 1940's by Christian Dior as a more versatile and comfortable option to wearing fuller and longer skirts? (Sew-Simple.com) These skirts were also created in an effort to conserve fabric for the war effort. (Wikipedia) I can only imagine the feeling of freedom women must have felt as their hemlines were raised and they no longer had to worry about big bulky skirts. 

To read the full history of pencil skirts visit http://sew-simple.com/sewing/pencil-skirt-history/ 

Where will you let your imagination take you today?

Shout out to my gorgeous photo shoot pals, Ashley and Megan. Thanks for taking these pictures Megan! :)

Sources:

Web. 16 Sept. 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pencil_skirt

"Pencil Skirt History" Sew-Simple.com. 25 Oct. 2010. Web. 16 Sept. 2014. http://sew-simple.com/sewing/pencil-skirt-

history/