Although I am an equal opportunity 1950’s huntress, there are a few things in particular that make me weak in the knees. Uber full skirts. Border prints. Appliqué. But, I cannot deny that vintage trompe l’oeil (or prints that deceive the eye) steal my heart every time. 2D prints designed to look like ribbons or ruffles and bows – I will literally start salivating. I knew I loved this style of artistry before I even knew it had a name. I have been lucky enough to slowly add trompe l’oeil prints to my collection over the years (case in point here, here, & here) and am endlessly searching the horizon for these stunning illusions.
So, when a dress popped up at Coutura Vintage, with a tromp l’oeil of a blue ribbon threaded through lace, set against a backdrop of polka dots, my heart leapt. It immediately sank right bank into the depths when I discovered she was too small for me (25″ waist is simply not Kara-sized). I hemmed. I hawed. I messaged the lovely Lena and debated whether she could be tailored. There was some seam allowance, but this would not be a simple tailoring job to get her to fit me. I looked at my towering sewing pile, threatening to fall over one day and drown me. But, I simply couldn’t get this dress out of my head….
In the end, I decided to take the leap, because these types of pieces don’t come around every day. She flew across the world and into my hopeful arms – as we suspected, she was too tight to zip up comfortably and be able to breath (or eat pizza, which is really the more important factor). But, because of the madness that always accompanies the end of the semester, she sat in my sewing pile for weeks, smirking at me.
I can be a bit of a purest when it comes to vintage – I try to leave well enough alone and don’t want to interfere with the integrity of a garment more than necessary (key word being try. For certain pieces all rules go out the window). I will make minor nips and tucks, but hate structurally altering something. And it was still tough to imagine making the alterations necessary to make this beautiful dress fit. But, this one spoke to me. It called my name and whispered sweet nothings at my sewing machine.
On occasion, my busy schedule and inability to shrink my sewing pile can sometimes work in my favor. Just before she went under the knife, something remarkable happened. Her twin miraculously popped up in my field of view. I could hardly believe my eyes, but this beauty existed in duplicate at Double Take Vintage. Even better, the sister to my trompe l’oeil was exactly my size.
As it turns out, trompe-l’ightning can indeed strike twice…
Feeling bolstered by my vintage luck, I’ve been charging into tasks with abandon. This is shaping up to be a bit of a crazy week – I’m working on a grant proposal with collaborators, and am busy trying to get all of my documents together. We are also preparing to head off to celebrate my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary (which is just too incredible for words), so there are words to type and suitcases to pack.
The dichotomy of my life hits me sometimes – that as much as I try to keep my science world and vintage world separate in my head, they will often collide and merge and separate, like a river rushing downstream. And maybe the truth is that one cannot exist without the other – that I’m my best when I allow myself to explore all aspects of myself. Like two dresses on opposite sides of the world, halves of the same whole, that somehow found each other again. The scientist and the artist. The homebody and the jetsetter. The nerd and the vintage maven.
I suppose two’s a charm….
xoxo
Outfit Details:
Dress: Double Take Vintage (similar modern & vintage here, here, & here)
Bracelet: c/o One Sweet Thread (similar)
Handbag: Vintage (similar here & here)
Shoes: Irregular Choice (similar here & here)
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Any items in a post marked with a “c/o” (courtesy of) a retailer mean I was provided with an item for free in exchange for a review on my blog. I always provide my honest opinion of any item I’m reviewing, regardless of whether it was sent to me as a courtesy item or if I purchased it myself. In addition, this post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click and/or make a purchase through certain links or ads on this site, I may make a commission from that click and/or purchase at no cost to you, which helps with the day-to-day running costs of my blog.