Friday, August 13, 2010

The love of Vintage

I found another vintage hat today at the Rink.  Only $12.00!  I felt like I did well with this one.  Considering I seem to be too lazy to get out and look for them myself at estate sales.  This hat really reminds me of my Nanny.  It looks like something that she might have worn to church when I was a child. 

We know that she loved loved her hats!

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I know that I have posted these pics. before.  I keep them out year-round.

I remember the “good old days” as a child.

I would go shopping with my grandparents in downtown OKC.  No malls back then!  You would go someplace fascinating for a young girl.  Someplace like John A.Browns department store.

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The department stores were so elegant and beautiful.  They had everything from a wonderful hat department to wedding gowns and furs.  And of course, a wonderful luncheon counter or restaurant where we ate.

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Downtown was a bustling and busy place.  I don’t remember the trolleys though.  Only stories that my mother used to tell me about taking the trolley downtown and spending the day.

So I fantasize that this hat was probably purchased someplace like this.

Such a pretty little hat with its chiffon flowers and brown velvet band.  I especially love the big cabbage rose.  The taupe color is so pretty.  I think it was probably added some time recently as it was pinned on with a safety pin.

Would this hat have been worn to an elegant luncheon?  I can’t really remember that much about ladies fashions.

Maybe it was a bit too dressy for a day of shopping and lunch?

A time before we had e-mail and the internet.  And a lady may have kept a book like this close at hand….

Maybe the fantasy, and the remembrance, if you are old enough to remember, is what attracts so many of us to all things vintage.  

What ever it is,  all things vintage have grabbed me by the hand and are leading me on a fine scavenger hunt.  What a fun adventure it is, too!

Have a wonderful vintage filled weekend!

Denise

images of downtown OKC courtesy of dougdawg.blogspot.com

19 comments:

  1. I remember those days too when the downtown was the place to shop. My Mom and I would get in a cab and go straight to a dept. store called, "The Diamond." It was like the one you described.

    I also remember that when you went to town, you would dress up.

    Thanks for the great memories. I love the hat and I would say it was worn at church or for special occassions. It's lovely. Great find.

    hugs
    Sissie

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  2. Oh...you found the hat I intended to buy...

    WINK!

    Don't you LOVE The Rink! Yep! I do! I do!

    SWEET Post my Okie Friend~

    Rebecca

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  3. Great score on the hat and I so enjoyed the story about downtown shopping. I have fond memories of the luncheon counters with the coveted orange drink circulating in the big glass dispenser. Sitting there "like a lady" next to my mother was a big treat. Those were the days!

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  4. Hi Denise, I haven't been over to visit for awhile. Started using dashboard to catch up with new postings, and you weren't showing up. Who knew I wasn't already following you through Google. Now I am!

    Great photos of your Nanny and what a beautiful hat you found.

    I so love the posies you make! It's hot and humid here so I've been doing a lot of crafting. Certainly can't do anything outdoors.

    I need to be on the lookout for great old suitcases for the top of my armoire.

    Hope you are having a great weekend. Best wishes, Tammy

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  5. Hi Denise, Great images of old downtown. And the hats are a great find. Im going to have to post our colection of cloaches with their metalic trim and glass beads soon. Thank You for sharing your treasures with all of us......Julian

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  6. What a beautiful nostalgic post...I remember going into town with my mum and nana for an outing, and I would have a bowl of chips at Coles Cafeteria - how funny the things we remember...your Nanny looks so beautiful x

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  7. Your grandma is fabulous in her hats! My mammy was a diva of sorts also! Her house was pink, she wore leopard coats and rhinestones whenever she went out, and her glasses always had them! She didn't live in a big city but I remember her as being glamorous always. She was Mammy Fabulous! The downtown pictures are wonderful, I wonder if our children will think going shopping is anything even close to glamorous? Well, mine won't if we never get farther than the goodwill! LOL!! Thanks for stopping by and for your sweet comments, I enjoyed this post so much, Theresa

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  8. Oh, what great memories! I don't have those kind of memories. Growing up my two sisters and I were navy brats so we moved a lot. Coast to coast! After, my daddy retired he still enjoyed moving so we moved, and moved, and moved! I do remember going to Sears and Roebucks to get new school clothes though. That was always an exciting time for us girls.
    I really love the hat. Where are you going to put it?
    Heading out for the flea market in Tulsa today! Who knows what I will find!
    Kelly

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  9. I love your hat, so fun to find these treasures!
    Debby

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  10. Thanks for visiting! I love hats too. Those department stores are so great, that was in a time that people dressed up to shop, probably wore that hat!

    Carol

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  11. I too remember!! We used to take the bus downtown and shop at the "specialty" shops. Such fun and such sights to behold. And eating at the counter of the Five and Dime. So fun!!
    Made for a truly memorable day!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  12. i just love your sweet photos...
    what a special treasure.
    isn't it fun to imagine the past?
    very magical.

    chasity

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  13. The hat is divine! I love it!

    Your department store story reminds me of a place we had here, Kaufmanns, with wedding dresses, furs, and the Tick Tock restaurant (named after the infamous clock outside of the store). I didn't grow up here but my husband did and I hear all the stories about it. I was fortunate enough, however, to be able to shop at the store before it was sold to another chain.
    I still love to go into town with my children!

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  14. I LOVED this post! Are the first two photos of your Nanny? She is gorgeous!
    And yes, shopping was soooo much better before malls! Everyone dressed up and we had so much fun.
    My daughter and I had the opportunity of a lifetime to go to London in 1998. While we were there, we shopped and had lunch at Harrod's - and it was so much like shopping in the city department stores in the U.S. in the 60s. Sigh.

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  15. We never actually shopped downtown. That would've been downtown L.A. for us. We didn't have malls though. Stores were along the streets and it was always fun to go shopping. These photos were wonderful Denise!
    Blessings,
    Marcia

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  16. Hey sweetie!
    I see you have moved to this blog? I still have you on the other blog...which one do you want me to have you linked to? Tell your mom "hey"! LOVE the hats...and all the old pics of the city as it "use to be".

    xo...deb

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  17. I remember the old dept stores too and was sad when the old G Fox store went out in Hartford Ct. It was 10 stores high and a big deal in those days.
    btw I hate malls!
    xxx
    Carole

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  18. I loved your story about the ladies hats. They are just wonderful. They had such classy look to them.

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  19. Ahh, for me it was downtown Atlanta and Rich's Department store. I have very early memories of being dropped off at the "child care" when I was really little. It was a special place in the big downtown store :->

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