What do you like to do when you have a free Saturday morning? I prefer sleeping, but on occasion I will venture out, wearing something a little different. I awoke before dawn, raided my brother’s closet and stole his shield, sword, and helmet (items that all brothers have sitting around no doubt), packed my camera, chose the wrong shoes for field terrain, forced my sister to come with me, and in rushing out the door forgot any sort of coat. No matter, the day would not be spoilt by the cold. Or the wind. Or the frosty wet grass. I consider the cold I later caught by running around in a valley on a blustery morning, a mere expense of high adventure. We suffered no casualties, save a bruised nose. I really must get better at putting on medieval helmets if I am ever to succeed in battle. I do myself more injuries than I would my enemy.
It was a wonderful day from start to end. First, we parked and gathered all the metal and leather bits and bobs before entering the wide valley to get lost on noble quests, fight orcs, and scavenge for second breakfast.
Just as I left the car, holding my sword and shield with the helmet on my head, a car drove down and into the parking lot. I was in perfect view in his windshield. It must have been strange for him to see a rogue Lord of The Rings character so early in the morning. Turns out he was so frightened of my menacing attire, he parked, got out of his car, and ran away! (Yes, he was a jogger, but that’s beside the point.) I was indeed menacing. . .
I may be a menace, but. . .
We snapped photos and videos listening to the LOTR soundtrack (likewise I am as I write this). Hikers passed by but didn’t say much besides hello. No one wanted to cross swords with me, I suppose, for I should surely have won a duel and left them in shame. In actuality, the sword was much too heavy for me to fight successfully. I prefer a smaller blade, perhaps a Hobbit sized one.
The belt I found at a thrift store and the dress was given to me. The shoes, I wore in my first blog post ever (in 2016) and the headpiece is a necklace I’ve had for years. The lantern was from World Market, I believe, and the rest, of course, was stolen from my brother, which is how I imagine Eowyn got her armor for the Battle of Pelennor Fields.
Every spring my family and I attend an annual art show, held at an historic site. It’s been tradition, for almost as long as I can remember. As kids, we would always be given a scavenger hunt paper at the front door: find a painting with five dogs in it, how many red barns can you spot, can you find a sculpture made out of marble? We’d work together, give each other hints until we found everything. I know there was a prize at the end, but I don’t remember what it was. We’ve all grown taller now, so we don’t get scavenger hunt papers anymore, unfortunately. I did glance to see if they still had them, and I didn’t see any. Perhaps the children of today are not as lucky as we were in our youth, without any artistic scavenger hunts.
It was a cloudy and humid day with puddles reminding us of the morning rain. There’s something about this kind of weather that makes my allergies worse than usual, and from the time I woke up, I knew it was going to be a sneezy day. Then put me in an old (and somewhat musty) building and I WILL NOT stop sneezing. Since it’s hereditary, my family knows better than to say “bless you” after every sneeze. They say, “bless you for the rest of the day” and that’s that. However, the strangers throughout the building just trying to look at art peacefully couldn’t have known this and gave their blessings anyway.
The first floor of the building is where the larger (and most sizably priced) art pieces are displayed, many by well-known artists from the area. Room after room full of art, some old and some new. I wish I had remembered to choose my favorite among them, but I was too busy sneezing, I think. These photos are from upstairs, where the smaller pieces are kept. Some of them are so pretty, I’d like to fill an entire bedroom wall with tiny little frames, instead of wallpaper. And I would paint them myself in order to make that happen, however, I have no talent for painting. Truely, it’s something I am absolutely no good at. (Insert a horrified Lady Catherine de Bourgh scoffing at the fact that I do not draw).
There are so many paintings each year, they resort to hang them over the windows, so there is this odd sense of dimension to the art. There’s a canvas with its colorful display, then the frame, then behind it a sheet of glass encased in its own frame (aka the window), and then another display beyond that, one of nature.
These old ruins have intrigued me since forever and seeing them from afar makes them look all the more mysterious. It reminds me of Jane Eyre. P.S. who else thinks that Mr. Rochester is totally creepy and not romantic at all? Anybody?
Being out in the fresh air again seemed to lessen my sneezing, long enough to get some photos outside. And a big thanks to the lady who offered to take a few pictures of my sister and me, even though I had my eyes closed in all of them, as I usually do.
Despite the allergies, it was a wonderful day spent with people I love, and filled with childhood flashbacks. There’s really nothing like the feeling of reliving a day from your past. It was so familiar, yet still new. And nothing makes you feel more like a kid again than running around some old ruins.
And here is a completely unrelated photo of Raisin and Charlotte the sheep, being absolutely adorable.
There is a certain girl in the beginning of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” walking in the background for about three seconds. Her appearance is so quick, I couldn’t get a clear screenshot. She happens to be wearing an outfit a lot like this one!
The scene is set in Connecticut, where Dr. Jones is a professor at Marshall College in 1936. I’ve always loved those few short scenes of the campus. Watching it seems to bring back memories I’ve never really had or experienced. It’s funny how that works, sometimes.
When I’d heard that “Raiders” was showing at a local theater, I knew I wanted to wear this specific outfit. It was going to be in 4DX, you know, where the seats move to the action and water sprays in your face (the submarine scene got a little out of hand). There was a button to control the water for your individual seat, which I quickly turned off. But with every other seat around you going off, getting sprinkled with cold water is mostly unavoidable. The wind of the desert, the wood smoke smell from the burning fires, and the effect of air whizzing past your head for narrowly missing bullets makes you really feel like you’re part of the story. And there’s NOTHING like the feeling of a sudden piece of rotating plastic hitting your feet while watching snakes slither around Indy’s shoes. Definitely hated that. So must have the lady in front of me since she screamed so loud. I think I saw everyone in the theater scramble to lift up their feet in horror the first time it happened.
I think 4DX movies can be truly captivating and fun, if done right. Sometimes the seat just jostles you around so much, you focus more on that than what’s happening on the screen. For me, it’s like riding a really hectic wooden rollercoaster. When it’s just tossing me everywhere, I get really mad, furious actually, that I’m being pushed around and can’t fight back. How are you supposed to punch a rollercoaster in the face? It’s not fair if there’s no way to retaliate. Does not all of the world’s population feel as I do; aggravated by these monstrous bullies, disguised as amusement in the form of massive constructions of lumber in which humans are fastened onto and tossed around at seventy miles per hour, compelling grown men to scream for their lives? No, just me, ok.
Saddle shoes and poodle socks: the most comfortable fashion duo ever to grace history. Very suitable for walking, dancing, and all-around adventuring.
Here’s a late 1930s photo of some stylish students from Lawrence College of Kansas. A short-sleeved sweater, plaid skirt, saddle shoes, and poodle socks all make an appearance. (Photo curtesy)
Both the sweater and cameo necklace once belonged to my grandmother. The sweater, I’ve heard, she had since high school, and I’m so happy I get to wear it. It makes it easy to remember her. Everyone who knew both of us knew how much we looked alike. I’m just so thankful that I can remember her by wearing the clothes she left for my sisters and me. I never truly got to say goodbye, but I know I’ll see her again soon. And until then, I’ll don her fashionable attire with an abundance of joy, and then hand it all down to the next generation. You definitely had great taste in fashion, Grandmom!
Heaven is a wonderful place and I’m glad that I can live there for eternity one day. And while yes, death is heartbreaking and depressing to us here still on Earth, I quickly remember that there is no death in Heaven, only life, beautiful and blissful life, where we know no trials, no pain. . . And no tormenting rollercoasters that make me infuriated.
So yes, we can mourn in our own ways. It’s healthy to feel those feelings, not wrong. We cry them out and then think of the happy truths around us that encourage us to cheer up. I think so often today, people associate crying with weakness. But being sad is a way of showing our love for people. When Lazarus died, Jesus went to his grave and cried, right in front of everybody (John 11:35), even though He knew He would bring him back to life in a few minutes. Showing that sadness, having those feelings was an example of how much He loved His friend, and that is a beautiful thing. He lets us know that we can be sad for a while, and that it’s okay. Our love for someone else is an example of how God loves us, which I think is pretty amazing.
And lastly, to finish up this fashion post:
A photo of me being locked inside the mall bookstore because I wouldn’t leave. . .
(No, I was actually helping my sister close up shop for the night. P.S. reminder note to my sister, do not, I repeat, do not use that shady back elevator to take out the trash, alone. It was creepy enough when both of us went together.)
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Skirt // thrifted
Sweater and necklace // my grandmom’s
Belt // thrifted
Shoes // payless
Poodle socks // irish dance store
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Which Indiana Jones film is your favorite, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, or The Last Crusade? (The fourth film doesn’t count in my opinion.)
Is there some item handed down to you that reminds you of a loved one?
Well, well, well. I’ve again returned from the tight clutches of reality to my special little place on the internet, and with good reason. (Yes, I am celebrating my blog’s fifth anniversary this week, but that is not the reason for my posting.) I’ve happened to experience a day of glorious adventures, and not far from home. I do believe that I went overboard with editing these photos. Some I edited to make them look vintage, others are overedited because of poor indoor lighting. I only ask you to overlook the ones less than desirable, as they show their quality. *insert Faramir meme here*
There was a special exhibit at one of my favorite museums, one that my sister and I immediately planned to see as soon as the museum announced its arrival. I knew I had to dress vintage for the trip.
There was no particular decade to this outfit, it was a more of a mish-mash. . . pardon me, a “collection” of different decades. The dress was given to me by a friend (thanks Miss Sue) and I altered it a bit to make it appear more vintage. I’d like to think that it could fit into either the 30s, or 40s. However, some of these photos remind me of ones from the 1970s. Let’s just say, I was a time traveler that day.
You may be wondering about this special exhibit, the one I was so excited to visit. Well, first take a guess. . . hint: It rhythms with Hatharine Kepburn. I’ll give you a moment to think real hard on this one.
Did you get it? Of course, you did. Katharine Hepburn is one of my favorite actresses (pictured here with Cary Grant from the 1938 film Bringing Up Baby, which also happens to be one of my favorite movies).
I was lucky enough to be in the presence of many of Katharine Hepburn’s film costumes spanning over her entire career. Two large rooms were filled with gowns, suits, shoes, accessories, and personal items that once belonged to her. I could have spent hours in front of each display, it was captivating to be so close to history, and old Hollywood. Pictured below are just some of the many costumes in the exhibit.
Here’s her famous black gown from Adam’s Rib (1949).
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967).
The Philadelphia Story (1940), Stage Door (1937), The Little Minister (1934), and then Me (2021).
The Lion in Winter (1968), and Long Day’s Journey Into Night (1962).
Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry (1986).
Her personal everyday shoes.
The Lake (1933) Broadway Play.
These three above are from a TV show, The Corn is Green, from 1979. A lot of the costumes were from productions I’d never seen before, like this one. My list of movies and shows to watch had doubled after leaving the museum.
Oh, yeah, there was also a Lego exhibit. . .
After the museum, my sister and I had some adventures around town.
This was right around the time when a motorcycle gang showed up. They also decided to blow out two sports car engines (sounded like literal canon fire) for five minutes straight. It was strange, hence my expression and awkward stance above. The gang also asked if I had any hand sanitizer they could use, and yes, I gave them some out of my car. They now ride around town with jackets embroidered, “The Germ-Free Angels.” No they don’t.
All in all, it was a wonderful day of adventures. I hope you can set aside a day to have one just as good this week. Always have a friend with you, never forget to buy some chocolate milk on the way, and always give a motorcycle gang some hand sanitizer upon request.
Quick disclaimer: This is not a paid sponsorship nor am I in affiliation with Lindy Bop.
This wonderfully beautiful 1950s inspired dress called the “Marianne Red Swing Dress and Jacket Twin Set” came from Lindy Bop. It was the first time ordering from them and I can’t wait to order another dress in the future. I also bought my crinoline there which I’ve already wore this my last fashion post.
The crimson color, the fullness of the skirt, the style of the jacket, and its perfect fit made this the best Christmas dress. I just love it! It also comes in dark blue, light blue, pink, burgundy, black, gray, and white, all of which I would love to have. Coming from London, it is of high quality and of wonderful craftsmanship. Unfortunately, the price matches the high quality, so I shall be content with this red one for a while. (P.S. I bought this particular dress on sale. Three cheers for Christmas sales!)
If you love vintage fashion and classy clothes, you must head over to Lindy Bop. They have so many great finds, and coincidentally, they’re having a 60% off end of year sale, which includes the “Marianne Burgundy Swing Dress and Jacket Twin Set!” Go check it out and come back and tell me if you like it!
The New Year will soon be upon us, so this will be the last fashion post of the year! Do you have any specific goals for 2018? Any fashion goals?
Snow flurries! What can be better than snow flurries? Hot chocolate and a book by a warm fire, actually! But before you sip your steamy cocoa topped with marshmallows, you have to get outside and frolic in the snow a bit. So that’s exactly what I did.
I was very excited to finally wear the new crinoline I ordered from Lindy Bop. It works perfectly with this skirt that I made last year. They have so many color choices of crinoline, but I chose classic white. Lindy Bop has a great vintage collection. If you love dressing vintage, wish to start, or just want to try it out, Lindy Bop is a great place to shop. I do suggest collecting all the things you want in your shopping cart, and then waiting for a sale because it’s definitely on the pricey side.
My sister did my hair and added the bows. The whole day I felt like Minnie Mouse!
While you may see me smiling in these photos, what you are not seeing is: me shivering nearly to death, my feet frozen in the snow, my hands turning red and numb, and me yelling, “It doesn’t matter if it’s in focus! Just take the picture so we can go inside!
To match all the colors of my outfit, I wore my “I Like Ike” pin. I once wore it to the voting polls and the people in front of me thought it was funny. Comment below if you know what my pin means!
Besides liking Ike, I also like this little snowflake, resting on my sweater, all by itself. It reminds me of that well-known fact that no two snowflakes are alike. Out of all the times it snows, and all the millions of snowflakes that make up a storm, none seem to be the same. Yes, this little snowflake is different, it doesn’t match another, and maybe it’s a little small among the countless other flakes, but it’s still beautiful. Just like us.
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skirt // made by me
sweater // target
shoes // old navy
crinoline // lindy bop
hair bows // (white) icing, red (christmas ornament)
pin // (i can’t remember)
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How much snow did you get this week?
What do you think about snowflakes being different?
It’s time for an Autumn outfit post! If you think I mixed up the title of this post, I did, but don’t worry, it was intentional. **salute to Peter Tork**
There’s something about walking alongside a lake in the autumn time. Somewhat akin to spring, it feels serene and peaceful, though it’s not quite the same. In springtime, everything feels alive as nature finally awakens after the callous months of winter.
During autumn, the peacefulness seems to emerge from the silent and temporary death of nature. To everything there is an end. Autumn seems to signify nature’s farewell tidings, until it can return again. In the meantime, we can enjoy a walk around the lake, a bike ride down a leaf covered trail, or a car adventure getting lost in the countryside. We get to enjoy all those magical moods of autumn, particularly when surrounded by nature. So sometime this weekend, be sure to go outside and enjoy the enchanting environment that God has provided!
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sweater // thrifted
jeans // old navy
shoes // primark
backpack // thrifted
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Now, to announce the giveaway winners!
The 1st name to be pulled out of the hat will get a homemade candle, “Crisp Forest Leaves.”
The 2nd will be sent “Autumn Apple Pie.”
Both winners will receive a specially-crafted piece of jewelry with the candle! Are you ready to draw the first winner?
The first winner is. . . . . . . . . .
Congratulations Angela Watts, author of The Peculiar Messenger! Go check out her blog! The second winner is. . . . . . . . . . .
It’s Hadassah, over at Photography Phun! Head on over to her blog and take a look!
Congratulations to both winners! If you could just email me a P.O. box or address, I will get the packages sent to you as quickly as I can! (simplymeganjoyblogcontact@juno.com)
I’d like to say thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway! I have a feeling there will be more along the road . . .
P.S. Here are two more giveaways you can enter, hosted by some fellow bloggers!
I love how this dress is so World War II inspired. It feels as though it could be right out of an old 40s movie. It’s truly a gem in my vintage wardrobe.
I found this brooch at a flea market one day and decided to pair it with this dress since the roses seemed to match it perfectly. It is a replacement of an original pin I have worn with this dress, since the old one is no longer with me. We, the old pin and I, parted sadly one stormy day while I was attending a car show. There were cars ranging from the 1910s to the 1980s, all of them Buicks, driven there from all over the country and Canada. It was a lovely day as I donned this red dress and my little rose pin, until a crack of thunder had us running into the nearest building to hide from the rain until it passed. The downpour stopped briefly as we ran to our car and headed home. It was then that I realized the absence of my little pin. We turned back, threw on ponchos, and searched the entire muddy show grounds; me in my bare feet not wanting to ruin my shoes. I watched as the paths were transformed into rivers, carrying leaves and things down the way and into the storm grates below. I, still to this day, wonder where my tiny rose pin ended up. It would be nice to think that someone has found my little treasure and is taking good care of it, better than I had.
If you remember, in “Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel” Diana Berry wears something like this; a white blouse and a creamy off-white skirt. The outfit is plain and simple, yet glorious in all its splendor! I wanted to recreate the outfit, so I gathered some of my Victorian things to piece together.
This weekend, I attended one of my favorite Civil War reenactments. The three-day event was filled with dresses, tents, campfires, and soldiers. There were two mock battles fought and a few drills. My brother joined the Union army this year. I was pleased when he came out of both battles alive.
After the last battle, my sister and I were able to sneak down to the waterfront and snap a few photos.
This is a new camp dress that I bought from one of the sutlers at the reenactment. Sadly, the first time I wore it, it was torn while getting out of a truck. It’s only a minor rip and I can sew it up, so it’s not too bad.
I found a stone that looked like a nugget of gold! It wasn’t, though.
After leaving the reenactment, we stopped at the nearest mini mart for a snack to eat on the way home. We were still dressed in our Civil War attire, but weren’t too concerned about the funny looks we might get. To our amazement, a Confederate soldier entered the store just as we did, and we laughed to see each other. After departing the store with a snack and a cheerful story to tell later, we never could have imagined what would be added to our tale! As we neared our truck, we noticed that something was dangling from beneath the engine. Upon opening the hood and taking a closer look, we noticed that the fan belt had frayed and half of it had dislocated itself from the rest. When trying to remove the loose piece, we realized that it was stuck, tangled, and in need of some brute force to get it free. My brother, in his Union uniform, crawled underneath the truck, and attempted to untangle the mess but to no avail. At the same moment, the same Confederate soldier was exiting the store and noticed our troubles. He offered his help and suggestions to dislodge the piece and managed to pry it a little looser.
Meanwhile, another Confederate had parked just ahead, and when sighting our dismay, came to help. Seeing that more help had arrived, we thanked the first Confederate and he drove off on his long ride home. Now, the second Confederate was able to pull the belt free with my brother helping from beneath the truck, while my sister and I watched from other side. This task was completed. Now, the next question: could the truck be driven the long ride home with half a fan belt? I think not. As we discussed this, two more Confederates pulled up and asked if they could help! They helpfully told us of four auto stores nearby, and offered directions to them. After a plan had been settled upon, we thanked all the Confederates and we dispersed on our own separate ways. It had been a joyful reunion between both strangers and “enemies” – Yankees and Rebels. It was good to know that four Confederate soldiers would be so gracious as to help a Northern solider and his sisters, when just hours before, they were in battle against each other.
So, to carry on with the story, we had to drive to several mechanical stores until we found someone willing to help us so near to closing time. Once our truck was accepted (I sound like we were trying to get it into college!) and was pulled into our last resort garage, we were asked to wait while the mechanics replaced the belt. Then we realized that the snacks we had bought in the first place were now five feet high on the car lifter thing in the garage. We had spotted a Wendy’s down the block earlier and decided that some of us could eat there. We assembled a parade and marched down the busy street in fashion. We received many a strange look once inside, but smiled and had a grand old time. Soon the truck was fixed and we headed home with a new experience to keep under our hats.
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dress // sulter tent
bonnet // sulter tent
belt // handmade
bag // thrifted
shoes // thrifted
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Have you ever been to a Civil War reenactment?
I challenge anyone to walk into a Wendy’s, wearing an historical outfit, and order fries to go. If you do, don’t forget to take a photo, and send it to me via email. The first person to capitalize on this challenge before the end of May will win a $10 Wendy’s gift card! Now don’t you all jump up at once!
Simply Megan Joy 