Smooth Sailing
Good morning dears! This past Mother's Day, my family and I decided to go on a lovely brunch boat ride to celebrate some of the women in our immediate family. It was a chilly day, I wore the wrong outfit and longed for the boat to play proper boat riding music, such as the croons of Frank Sinatra, and you can't go wrong with "Beyond the Sea" by Bobby Darin, which is more than fitting. Despite these issues, we had such a lovely time! I wanted to share my outfit for this day because I was particularly proud of it due to its bold color palette and heavy 1960s inspiration!
It always starts with a nice jacket! This lightweight, vibrant floral printed late 1960s jacket makes me think of the word "groovy." I purchased this little number from my favorite vintage seller, Cynthia Deering, many years ago at a liquidation sale and paid a couple of dollars for this gem. It has some flaws that need fixing, such as new buttons and lining, but it has served me over the past few years, and I wear it with pride, despite its falling apart! My sunglasses were a staple on this boat ride. I purchased these retro wide cream-colored cat eye frames from Flower Child in Akron, Ohio, some months ago. The sunglasses have pink plastic roses that were applied to the frames' sides for dramatic effect. I'm always a fan of sunglasses on the larger side because I have a rounder face. My gold drop hoop earrings are also a nod to the 1960s/70s and were purchased at a consignment shop called Designer Consignor.
Finally, my new to me favorite vintage dress right now is this 1960s yellow and white bold little number. This dress may be handmade as there is no label, and some of the dress's finishings seem home-sewn. I absolutely love the bright powder yellow coloring of the dress contrasted by different size white circles that remind me of bubbles. The dress's length is perfect because it hits right at my knee! The belt provides a little cinch for me, but the dress is a tad too big for me, and I may eventually list this on my Depop and Poshmark! I purchased this dress from The Bomb Shelter in Akron, Ohio, which is, quite frankly, my favorite vintage shop.
Lately, I've been heavily inspired by the 1960s and find inspiration in the gorgeous photographs of Ghanaian photographer James Barnor. He took marvelous pictures showcasing black Londoners during the 1960s/70s. The first photograph above is of Drum Cover Girl, Erlin Ibreck, captured in London in 1966. Just look at the candy colors featured in the print of the dress! Erlin's hair, accessories, and makeup coordinate well together and really highlight mod fashion. The second photograph is of Drum Cover Girl, Marie Hallowi, taken in Kent in 1966. The geometric print on Marie's jumpsuit and her larger-than-life 60s hairdo makes this look like a dream for me! You can find more photographs James Barnor took in this fantastic photo spread of some of his works featured on The Guardian's website here.
I hope you all enjoyed this little Outfit of the Day post, and I will see you soon for more vintage content!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the photographs by James Barnor.