Paper Mothball Vintage

Giving a vintage dress a fresh look.

1. The dress The above turquoise floral print dress is a vintage 1930s cotton crepe day dress with little button loop details on the bodice and pockets. Its a popular pattern for the 30s, sewn with several skirt panels and gathering at the shoulder/yoke.

Shown below are a few examples of common variations, with capped sleeves, puff sleeves, various yoke cuts and paneled skirts. The skirt panels are probably designed to accommodate the fabric bolts being only 28-32” wide. All lengths fall between the ankle and knee. To update a 30s dress, you might want to have the hem line brought up to the knee, but leaving it longer is also a nice variation to the lengths more common today.

2. Hair & Makeup An updated finger wave will pull this look into a 2013 Great Gatsby mood. Curl or crimp your hair by setting it with pin curls or braids the night before. Brush it out with your fingers to a messy wave. You just need to pin the first 3 or so “finger wave curls” at the crown of your head. Let the rest go as it wants. If you have long hair, roll the remaining longer portion in the back up and under at the nape of your neck, secure and pin. Hair spray that to stay in place!

Makeup can be fresh and natural. I love Benefit’s Light Up highlighter stick. Use this all over, its the best multi-tasking cosmetic you can buy. Apply under the eye brow/ eyelid, around the high cheek bone, shoulder and neck line for a glowing skin affect. I love Dior’s cream blush. It blends sheer for a kiss of color. Finish with Nars Lip Lacquer, a juicy thick gloss of creamy stay on color.

3. Accessories I have paired this dress with Anthropologie’s Lace Boots. These are a great all around shoe for summer. Give a dress that flirty feminine feel or match them with jean shorts or leggings. They add a perfect vintage twist. Finally, the sunglasses are Anna Sui. Dont go with boring black for summer, choose a simple frame with a fun pop of color.