Shirley Baby: buy and wear vintage clothing!

Oooooh! Where did you get that?! 

• A Vera Neumann dress from the 1960's.
  
  It is an A-line, sleeveless shift, with a collar. I am not a collar type person, but this was too great to pass up. It is white, with a orange, yellow and red abstract design down the middle of the front and back. Of course, in the bottom left corner, there is that little ladybug.
  
  I wore this to work on May 15th. It wasn't as warm as they said it would be, so I had a yellow wrap over my shoulders when I went outside.
  
  I went to Saks at lunch, and people went out of their way to come over and complement me on my dress. Even my husband noticed, and he never notices anything. :)
• A painted glass brooch of Shirley's.
  
  I do not know the timeframe of this item. It is about the size of a silver dollar, with elaborately sculpted edges (the design is stamped, so it was probably mass-produced piece). The back is a copper-colored metal, and the front is green glass (I am not sure if the glass itself is green, or if the metal is painted green.) There is a red rose painted in the middle of the pin, with blue, orange and yellow flowers painted around it. There is a tiny cluster of red berries tucked in there as well.
  
  I am wearing it with a bittersweet chocolate colored Elie Tahari pantsuit. It is replacing a blazer button that had popped off. ;)
• A 50's-style shirtdress with a full circle skirt, minus crinoline I destroyed.
  
  Yes, so I leave my house for work this morning, feeling like Lucille Ball, and I mean that it a good way, when I drop my keys. I stop, and try to pick them up without putting down the other ten things I am holding. Of course, everything tumbles to the ground. I hurridly gather everything together, because I have a train to catch. I stand up quickly, and hear a RRRRIIIIPPPPP! My spike heel, which had been firmly planted on the crinoline, tore it right up. I mean, like I couldn't have jacked it up more if I had tried. I was mad!!!
  
  But I also was late, so I shimmied the crinoline down, kicked it off my feet, and caught my train. ;)
• My grandmother's girdle from the 1950's.
  
  I. Cannot. Breathe.
  
  This was a Very Bad Idea.
• Another 50's-style shirtdress, in poppy red.
  
  Red has never been my color, but I bought it because it has pockets. I love a dress with pockets. I'm having a bit of trouble getting the bow just right; it's kind of droopy. Also, it really needs a crinoline to give it that *oomph*, because it doesn't have great twirl.
  
  I am wearing black ballet flats. I had to cool it with the heels.
• A black silk kimono from the 1920's.
  
  I am sitting at my kitchen table wrapped in this beautifully embroidered robe, feeling like I should be doing something a little more *grand*...
• A pale peach-colored, floor length silk nightgown from the 30's.
  
  It is a beautiful style, and it is a very flattering cut. Problem is, I don't want to sleep in it and wrinkle it all up. This may be one of the few pieces I have that I probably won't wear.
• A floor-length, silk chiffon, flutter-sleeved, wrap front gown.
  
  Ha! This is another one of my Brimfield finds. It is beautiful. From afar it look like a lovely sunset colored abstract pattern. Up close, one can see that it has kitschy southwestern-themed scenes on it. There are cacti, adobe houses, mesas, and little sombrero wearing people (not stereotypical looking).
  
  When the wind blows, it reveals a very saucy amount of leg.
  
  Surprisingly, I can't even begin to date this. If one of you is really good at this, I'd like your help. Leave a message and I'll upload a picture.
  
  And, I wasn't going to say anything, but when I first put it on, I didn't realize how long it was. I tripped on it and fell UP the stairs. Ooof!