The travelling dress

A little while ago Laura featured a lovely frock on her blog as part of The Sisterhood of the Travelling dress being run by Joanna at Dividing Vintage Moments and it piqued my interest. Joanna, Laura and many other ladies from around the world have participated in a little dress chain mail, sending it around the world for each of us to wear and style as we desire and share the photos with you! It's been in warm and snowy climates, to New York City and even Hawaii! And currently it's down under visiting us antipodean vintage lovers! 

The dress is a 1940's handmade dress possibly made from an acetate or similar man made fabric from that era. 

I don't know a lot about fabrics from that period, but I assume it was one of those fabrics invented to make up for the silk shortage in WW2. Regardless it has a lovely style and didn't require any ironing when I unpacked it! 

The dress has so far been worn in a myriad of ways. True vintage 40's and 50's style, Victorian style and of course modern! 

I really loved the idea of taking part in the dresses journey and hoped that maybe I could add my own spin to it, so being a 60's blogger, I tried to imagine how a girl finding the dress in the late 60's would style it. 

You can find suitcases like these all over Etsy!

Perhaps she picked the dress up at a flea market for a couple of dollars in San Francisco? 

Or maybe she found it in her mothers wardrobe - a favourite dress of her's during The Blitz?

This girl would obviously be of the alternate 60's subcultures, picking up the dress to wear to a festival or perhaps even to wear to a communal hippie retreat 

Flea markets and second hand shopping were very popular in the late 60's as young people looked to create a completely different look to the mainstream styles. Spurred on by designers like Barbara Hulanicki, 40's and 30's styles became popular again in the 70's for everyone and dresses from the 70's are still often confused by vintage novices as being 40's or earlier. 

I styled the dress with some short brown boots, a floppy felt hat and a leather belt - all the sorts of things that might have been easily found in shops around Haight-Ashbury or a London market. 

Also included is a little Wattle flower broach, which I found in my jewellery box and thought it would go well with the dress. Another item easily picked from a market or mums jewellery box for our travelling girl! 

I'm not actually sure of the era of the broach itself but it matches the dress perfectly don't you think? 

This dress is perfect for dancing! 

I actually wanted to style the dress 70's does 40's but then it just looked 40's! Not that that's bad but I was trying to go for a different angle 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that post! Check out the other ladies and how they styled their versions. And you may be able to still participate if its not too late - send Joanna an email if you are! 

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your week! I'll be trying to slip in a little sewing while also cutting out squares for a quilt and making a present for my best friend! So many creative pursuits, so little time! 

Take care lovelies! 

Cat xo