· "New Look" Velvet Jacket ·

Here it is- my one and only original vintage garment! :-)

Mom and I decided to go visit an "An-Teek" mall in a tiny nearby town 2 1/2 years ago.  Given the choice of spelling, we had low expectations for the merchandise offered. ;-)  The mall is rather large and some of the booths do tend towards the sketchy-garage-sale-castoffs, but there were lots of gems just waiting to be discovered! :-)  It was such a fun mall after all, and we determined that we prefer our vintage shopping experiences to be "in the rough" and an adventure.  The thrill of the hunt adds such fun (and the lower prices are also a bonus! ;-)).

This velvet jacket was hidden amongst a rack of 1980s dresses, but what a wonderful surprise it was!!  It looks to be handmade, and I'm guessing it is from the early 1950s.  It came with a pencil skirt that seemed more 50s styled, but the jacket seems very "New Look" and edging toward the late 1940s.  The gathered peplum is lined with a stiff taffeta, the front and back are fitted with released tucks, the neckline is gathered into a collar in the back, and the kimono sleeves are finished off with cuffs.

Oh, and it has shoulder pads.  But since they are practically imperceptible (and period!), I made peace with them. ;-)

I was so pleased that this jacket fit, and that it was in such wonderful condition!  No mending/alterations needed. :-)

And these buttons are AMAZING! :-)

All in all- not a bad purchase for $10. ;-)

We've been back to the An-Teek mall several times since, and it has always resulted in many exciting finds!  Despite its somewhat undesirable appearance, it remains a guaranteed fun outing for the two of us. :-)

And yes... while everyone else is posting about the official start of spring this week, I post snowy photos. Besides the occasional warm days, we haven't had much evidence of a new season, so I felt justified in posting this anyway. :-)

· Pictures by Kathryn ·