A Few of My Favourite Things

The Vintage Hat Series: 1950s turquoise feather and pearl bead toqueA few of my favourite fashion things come together in this ensemble: robins egg blue, hats, feathers, beads, pearls, tassels. Both hat and knit top are vintage 50s items – not my favourite decade for fashion in general, but I do love the myriad incarnations of beaded sweaters this era has left us.

This particular short-sleeved wool knit is covered over in tiny aurora borealis sequins, and is also beaded with pearl tassels. Note the very careful positioning of the latter on the bosom, avoiding anything that might remotely resemble pasties! I won this top at eBay auction for around $35, which is an excellent price for this type of beaded knit – I’ve seen many priced at hundreds of dollars.

The little toque is made from curled feathers and trimmed with tiny little flowers that have a pearl bead at their centre.

Also vintage, the earrings are made from pearl beads too, and resemble a bunch of grapes – I came across them in a charity store and have had them in my collection for many years.

There’s no reason to feel blue wearing this charming pair!