I found this blue dress at Dusty Rose Vintage Warehouse in Brooklyn, NY. I had to dig through a barrel to find it since the shop often sells to wholesalers. Eventually I would like to have an Etsy shop, hopefully in the not-so-far-off future. I could use a sideline income and that is right up my alley of fun things I’d like to be involved in. So this was my first visit out there, basically to see the warehouse, and this is what I found that I decided to keep for me. It looked my size and sure enough when I tried it on it fit perfectly; however it had these weird puffs on the shoulder, Gibson Girl style, and I didn’t think it worked with the short sleeves and my little frame. If I wear a Gibson Girl style I like it long sleeved. So I gathered up the excess puff and stuck it below the seams and created a small slanted seam on the sleeve. I doubt anyone is going to get that close to see the seam, you do what you must to make things work!! Now I am happy with the dress.
I didn’t realize until I was getting this post together that I’d done two outfit posts in a row in blue dresses. I am really into blue again. Last year I did a post, “Am I Blue?”. I am still embracing wearing blue again. There is something strangely comforting about wearing it after all those years of not wanting to wear blue. I wanted to rebel against its conformity, its uniform look, and now oddly enough I find it appealing. I like its simplicity, and it is not black, which I get tired of in New York City. Sometimes black is so elegant but I just feel like it is not right for me on a regular basis. Even with the blue I like red, yellow, white, and orange to brighten it up.
I really like the first picture since not only am I wearing blue but my hair is getting longer and flowing and it was blowing in the wind. For years I alternated between growing my hair and enjoying that liberating feeling of chopping it off and not embracing my longer hair. Now I just wish it would grow faster. I have resorted to everything but the kitchen sink to get it to grow faster. Mashed bananas, olive oil, vitamin E oil, coconut milk, honey, literally I am going all out to get it to grow!! When I was young I wasn’t allowed to cut my hair for years and years. My father was controlling about that so when I grew up I kept up this alternating pattern of growing and chopping it off. For years it was super short. The last few years I am just thrilled to have soft pretty hair, so I doubt I am cutting it short for a long time. My mother keeps hers rather short and she is going to keep it that way forever she says. No, my mother isn’t with my father anymore so she wears her hair how she likes it!! This picture represents two things I wasn’t so comfortable with for a long time – the color navy and letting my hair down for any real length of time. Well things certainly change through the years.
Another reason I liked this dress is that I have noticed so few women working in accounting wearing floral dresses. It is to the point that I am not totally sure if florals are acceptable at work anymore, particularly in accounting. This dress I feel is feminine and floral; yet the navy gives it a very conservative look. So I think it is a good one to blur the lines with. These are things I have to consider when I buy a vintage dress and would like to wear it to work. Obviously if I end up with a large finance company it won’t work unless it is summer, but in most offices I think it could work. Are there any other ladies feeling frustrated by lack of florals in office attire? I am sure I am not the only one, so if you have any comments on this please let me know.
I went outside and took more close-up pictures. These things happen when I am taking photos on my own, so that is why there are two different hair styles, on two different days. The jacket is more a 1950’s style but it works with the dress and I found that little vintage pin at a shop in the Clinton Hill area of Brooklyn.
Well I hope you are enjoying fall and perhaps have something fun planned for Halloween. Our weather here has gotten warm again but the leaves keep changing. I have been able to go out on longer walks and am getting some physical therapy for my foot now. Hopefully I can get out and take some more shots at some nice parks or something for the blog soon!!

All photos by Marilyn Lavender. All written material by Marilyn Lavender. © Marilyn Lavender, 2015.  “All rights reserved.”

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