Birthday suit

Yesterday was my birthday! I am now Thirty Years Old - a real milestone has been reached and my first flush of youth is firmly behind me... sadly.  But don't worry - I don't intend to give up the ruffles (as discussed recently) or girlish outfits quite yet. I'm even having a slight third-of-life crisis and actually put one of my long-abandoned nose piercings back in last weekend. Not vintage, but does it matter?

I spent the day having an important business meeting (more on this later), followed by lunch and another visit to the Cult of Beauty at the V&A with my wonderful mum. Who subsequently got stuck on a train for FIVE hours trying to get home. South West Trains, if you read this, you are truly a bunch of cretins for ruining the end of a lovely day out. I wore my birthday suit for the day... a playsuit that happened to be worn on my birthday, you filthy minded so-and-sos! This was a recent find - pretty bargainous and no one else bid on it. Following the pictures will be another vintage shopping tip so do carry on...

No idea why I look so stern - sorry about that! But behold the Birthday Suit! It's a rather splendiferous all-in-one house dress/culottes/playsuit/thingamygig, made by Princess Peggy and completely deadstock! Being of Amazonian proportions, I was slightly worried about whether it would fit me, length-wise. But it does! Could probably do with an inch less of torso, but what's an inch between friends? It doesn't 'cut me in half', if you catch my drift... so that's all that counts. It's seersucker, with the top white bit being patterned with black wishbones, and the black with white wishbones. The contrasting green sash is also fab, don't you think? Worn with assorted bamboo, bakelite and plastic bangles, and my white Remix sandals.

On a side note, the one thing I am not enjoying about my new-found love of Running, is the effect it's having on my calves. They have always been 'shapely' (read: wide), and now they're positively huge. Bah.

Green bakelite earrings, Revlon Cherries in the Snow lipstick and hair that needs a brush completes the picture!

Here's a closeup of the fabric, with another tip for spotting real vintage. With only a little bit of experience, you can tell a 40s or 50s brand a mile off, due to the font or general label design and motifs. Princess Peggy is a well-known brand, but even if it wasn't, the typography and the portrait are a dead giveaway.What you will never find in a dress of this age is a care label for machine washing or dry cleaning. And you probably won't find a size label. Unless...

It's deadstock!

Ignoring for one moment my horrifically discoloured, yellow claw/nail (this is what constant wearing of red nailvarnish does kids, even with base coat! It's now been covered up by a coat of mint green), you can see this garment is deadstock because it still has its paper size label. One wash, and this flimsy tag will start to dissolve, and its information will be lost. It's always interesting to find them, not only because you know you've got a pristine item, but because sizes were as strange back then as they are now! A size 12 should have a 30-inch bust! I can assure you mine is much bigger than that, yet it fits. I have frocks in my wardrobe ranging from vintage 12 to an 18 and they all fit. The more things change, eh!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Fleur xx
DiaryofaVintageGirl.com