I think I've said it before, but our house is literally in the bush. On every side there is thick forest, homes nestled in massively overgrown gardens, and beautiful parks, not to mention a 225 hectare native forest and wildlife sanctuary that starts at the end of our road. Every time I go for a walk or a bike ride, I seem to be finding some other gorgeous bit of greenery to get muddy shoes exploring. So when Kita and I went for a walk the other day to find somewhere to take some photos, we weren't too surprised to find this little bit of woods a few hundred metres from home. We wandered, we got terribly lost, we took pretty photos. The end.
I have wanted a dress like this ever since Caitlin's post with a near-identical one, which was in January. I missed out on buying her one off her, but searched madly for one with all sorts of keywords on eBay and Etsy. I finally found this one and snapped it up for a very reasonable price, but not before Oasis made a poor replica of it, for the massive cost of £85. This is by no means the first time a big-name company has blatantly ripped off a vintage garment, and to me it reeks of a lack of originality. If all that corporate backing can't buy an original design, what's the point? Mine is the real deal 1950s novelty, the label is 'Kay Whitney by Huntington' and the placement of the print is so perfect. It came with a matching belt, but I decided on this pink one off another 1940s dress for today. I wore my Marie Antoinette dress with an old pink handknit ballet cardigan, Columbine brown woolen tights, opshopped black t-bar mary-janes and the 1960s banana basket that Jack's lovely mum opshopped for me.
Kita loves this photo so I had to include it.
Where the wild things are.
How lovely! The dress is so wonderful, so delicate and unique! (Couldn't find the oasis knock-off, sadness...) The photos are also fantastic, I love the last one especially, the forest looks so calm.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh
ReplyDeleteThe dress is lovely (v Jane Marple-y), but the woods!
The woods.
Holy hell that last photo is (extra) breathtaking!
ReplyDeleteHoorah for homes in the bush! Ours practically is too and I love it. That dress is stunning by the way. Sometimes it's worth shelling out a bit more for something you really love.
ReplyDeleteAfter searching for it for sooooo long I probably would've paid any price for it! Thankfully it wasn't too expensive, and is probably balanced out by all my other cheapo clothes. Your property looks insanely beautiful, you should post more photos of it!
DeleteIt is a gorgeous dress!
ReplyDeleteThat last pic is especially wonderful!
ReplyDeleteFab frock,darl! X
All thanks go to my lovely photographer!
DeleteThanks for your super lovely comment! I will be sure to pop in to vinnies next Thursday :)
ReplyDeleteAnna xx
http://opshopaholic.blogspot.co.nz/
That print is perfect. The last photo is so awesome. I get annoyed when companies rip off vintage designs but then I remember that I do that too, so I guess it's kind of hypocritical of me. Yours will be better quality and will probably last longer than the Oasis one, anyway.
ReplyDeleteIdk, I think it's different for a huge company to almost exactly replicate a design from 60 years ago, but if you are making something inspired by a vintage dress for your own use it's totally kosher. Although maybe I am just trying to make excuses for also ripping off vintage designs!
DeleteThat last photo gives me goosebumps! Beeeeeeautiful gettup! So, so envious. That's so lazy and shitty of them, they employ designers don't they? get some originality, and the cheek to charge that much for something made in china makes me rage. I want to live near the woods, I'm a drive away from the sea, but I just want to hang out in nature by myself sometimes, without neighbours or other people
ReplyDeleteAll thanks to my lovely flatmate for the photos. The woods are pretty great, sometimes I hate biking to work at ten to 6 every morning, but the surroundings are so pretty when the sun comes up that it's worth it most of the time. Although we live a 20 minute walk from the central city, it quickly descends into the wild.
DeleteWhat an amazing dress! I am amazed how many designers rip off vintage designs - so I get really excited to find an 'original' so to speak.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by my blog too!
Me too, I always think I should give brands the benefit of the doubt but in a case like this it's just too blatant to ignore. I have heard of thrift stores in the US being pillaged by buyers from labels who buy vintage garments, take them apart and replicate them. Sigh.
Deleteoh wow, that last photo! also that dress is probably one of the prettiest dresses i've ever seen! i feel in love with caitlin's dress too but unfortunately i wasn't the one who bought it and now after seeing yours i feel like i really have to find one for myself!
ReplyDeleteI hope you do find one and we can match!
DeleteOh my gosh, that is the most beautiful dress I've ever seen. I desperately need to get my hands on one!! It is so perfect on you. You are an angel
ReplyDeleteGosh, you are too kind!
DeleteThis dress is so pretty !
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the Oasis one was a replica.I was patiently waiting for the sales but unfortunately, when the price went down to a reasonable price, my size was sold out :/
What keywords did you use to find this beauty ?
I think it was just 'novelty', which is my favourite search term to lurk by far!
DeleteThere is this one on Etsy that is a billion dollars: http://www.etsy.com/listing/102947318/1950s-blue-victorian-scene-novelty-print?ref=usr_faveitems
And there was this awesome one too but drop-waists are bad on me AND it sold: http://www.etsy.com/listing/94473446/vintage-60s-dress-dropwaist-toile?ref=usr_faveitems
holy moly, this is just too divine for words! ( a bazillion times better than mine!) the print is so rich and bold. what a beautiful gem to own!
ReplyDeleteI NEED one of Caitlin's biscuit dresses. *swoons*
ReplyDeleteGood fabric and the print coincides with the background. The color of belt best suits the dress. Very feminine look.
ReplyDelete