Memorial Day - A Day of Remembrance

The only thing "vintage" in this blog is the most loving and powerful poem. Written by a woman in 1932 to honor her WWI husband, so timeless it still holds true today.

We all have been touched in some way by war ~ some of us have had grandfathers who served in one of the World Wars or Korea, perhaps fathers who have served in Viet Nam, or children, cousins, relatives now serving our country.

As you get ready to kick off summer this Memorial Day weekend, pack your picnic basket, plan your parties, barbecues or head off to see your town's parade, please remember the reason we sadly celebrate this holiday.

And, enjoy this poem. I'm sure it will touch your heart as it did mine:

The Inscription

"Here lies an American Soldier
Known but to God."
As I read the words over softly
I said to myself, "how odd"!

For I knew the Unknown Soldier
Ever since he was a lad.
He was just an average boy
Neither too good or too bad.

He liked to play ball, and marbles
Climb trees, fish and swim.
Collect moths and arrowheads
Or whatever suited his whim.

I watched him grow to Manhood.
And fall in love with a fair-haired lass.
While half a war torn world away,
The cry was "They shall not pass".

I was there on the station platform
When he kissed his sweetheart goodbye
There--he started his journey
To a foreign land to die.

Letters came from oe'r the billows;
What a story they did tell!
Then the message-he was missing
In the Argonne's flaming hell.

Back across the restless ocean
To his own dear native shore.
they brought his broken body home,
Here to sleep for ever more.

Back and forth ,the sentry paces
With his firmly shouldered gun,
Ever guarding the sleep of the soldier
Called "Unknown" by every one.

But I know his name, so listen!
While I tell it to everyone.
He's not an Unknown Soldier
For his mother called him--Son.

~ Annabelle Gunnet Jones ~ written in 1932



Credit and a sidenote ~ as a former Michiganian, I listened with tears to now retired radio legend Dick Purtan read this poem on air for his listeners every Memorial Day. Thanks to Dick for sharing this powerful poem. You can read more about Mrs. Gunnet Jones and hear Dick read it on his website:

http://www.dickpurtan.com/blog/

Vintage Fashion on the Red Carpet of Cannes

As an addicted Red Carpet fan, of course I was constantly watching the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and checking the Internet daily to see who was wearing what. Critiquing of course, admiring some, dissing others, but most of all watching for vintage.

There was a wee bit of vintage represented at the 64th annual festival ~ some good, some just "so so".. here are a few of them, and my unsolicited opinion:

Darling:


Sonam Kapoor in vintage 60's Lanvin "tulip dress" at a press conference


Mia Wasikowska in vintage Valentino


Kristen Dunst in a blue vintage gown

DARING:

Giovanna Battaglia in vintage Versace

FABULOUS:

Alexa Chung in 60s Balenciaga



Stephanie Allin in a 1930s vintage Bridal gown


MY ULTIMATE FAVORITE:




Melanie Laurent in vintage Christian Dior

Vintage Crop Top Cuteness - Cropped Shirts for Spring into Summer

In the 50s women tied the tails of their shirts in front, bravely exposing a bit of tummy, and crop tops became the rage. They resurfaced again in the late 60s and early 70s, and now they are trendy again!

Complete cuteness ~ Crop tops look darling with anything from skirts to shorts and there is a "length" that is flattering to everyone. Variety from sleeveless to sheer chiffon sleeves, short exposing your tummy as you tie it; or longer to the waist and buttoning closed



Here are some darling cropped blouses, all on sale to enjoy for summer at
Vintage Outlet




60s vintage Crop Top ties blouse DAISY button Hippie boho M




Sleeveless Vintage Khaki Crop Top Shirt western Hippie M L



RAB Cowgirl Goth Fringe Chiffon Vintage 70s Crop TOP M




Vintage Hawaiian crop top Ties L large Postcard Seashell VLV

Available at
Vintage Outlet

No Vintage Hats At the Derby?

As promised last week with my Kentucky Derby Hat blog, i spent the week searching daily for "vintage hats at the Derby."

With an all time high attendance record of over 164,000 people, surely a few hats would be designated vintage! There were many that "looked" vintage, which just seems impossible.

We know this one is for sure, and so is his ~ aren't they the sweetest couple?







"Allegedly" Kate Goslin's hat was vintage:



I hope next year, the proud wearers of vintage will speak up and brag about their beautiful hats at the Derby!

Tis the Season For Hats Kentucky Derby Time

Vintage hats are fabulous. The have a certain charm and nostalgia not found in today's hats although there have been some great "new" currently created hats in the public eye lately. For anyone who shares my passion of hats, this has been our time!

Starting with Easter, and of those that wear hats to church, we had Easter hats. Interviewed by a writer at the Ft. Worth Star telegram for an article on vintage hats, I was thrilled to share my passion, I'm not allowed to quote the article, but you can read it here ~


Vintage Hats- Star Telegram

Next we had the fabulous hats and fascinators at the Royal Wedding and then the Kentucky Derby. Hats seem to be taking over the fashion news.


The United States proved we won't be outdone by the Royal Wedding and hats. We gave them a good run this year! Now if only they would become a daily fashion trend again~


Along with beautiful hats:









We also had wacky ones, just as they did at the Royal Wedding, but you have to admit, our's were fun:









I have not discovered any wonderful vintage hats yet at Derby, but give me a day! In the meantime, this one by YSL is definitely kind of unique:


Yves Saint Laurent Hat circa 1970s @VintageOutlet

Celebrating May Day Through the Years

Spring officially arrives in April, but it seems it is not until May that we can really celebrate warm weather, blossoms on trees and flowers sprouting through the ground and the greenest grass of the year. We enjoy May after long winter months indoors.

In the States, we celebrate May with Renaissance Faires, Mayfest celebrations and even school children have plays, parades and Maypoles and anything that will take us outside to enjoy the warmer spring weather.

There are many interpretations of the first MayDay, and many different theories and origins, all with the same principle ~ people through the years loved to celebrate the coming of spring on the first day of May!

The celebration of May Day is documented as early as 1628 in the US, when Govenor William Bradford of Plymouth documented indentured servants created their own colony and set up a pole in the middle of their settlement and danced around it.

Another possibility is that it was celebrated by the Druids because it brought the Beltane festival and the observation of pagan fertility rites. May 1 was seen as the beginning of a new year, and fires were lit as part of the celebration and was the second most important holiday of the year.

Maypole dancing evolved into Ribbon dancing around the maypole in the 18th century, and is possibly derived from traditional and 'art' dance forms popular in Italy and France.

In old Eurpoean villages, the youth would go into the woods and cut down a tree, removing the branches and covering it with violets. At daybreak they blew horns and celebrated and the towns would know May Day had arrived.

By the Middle ages, English villages had a May Pole, and everyone ~ from adults to children would all go into the woods to select the tree, making it a parade and singing songs as they went back to town. Often large cities like London would leave the maypole up for an entire year, so it was ready for the next years may day dance.






In Yorkshire, dancers gather in a circle, each holding a coloured ribbon attached to a much smaller pole. As the dance commences the ribbons are intertwined and braided either on to the pole itself or into a web around the pole. The dancers may then retrace their steps exactly in order to unravel the ribbons or leave them as a beautiful design on the pole.

Today MayDay and dancing around the May Pole are still traditions in many European Countries and the United Kingdom.

In the US there are still many ribbon and May pole dances but usually in elementary schools as part of a May Day celebration and are often part of a school presentation.

Hawaii celebrated May Day as Lei Day, in praise of the season of summer and celebrated in a very different from the MayPole, although they do have parades, pageants, and a Lei Queen.

The MayPole has evolved to MayFest celebration in the US with many cities celebrating the entire month of May instead of just one day or dance.

Enjoy your month of May, which ever way you choose to celebrate it!