I ♥ Thursday

 I am finally able to participate in Ashley's "I ♥ Thursday" link-up! So what am I loving this week?

GUNNE SAX!

All photos via Etsy & eBay

Actually, I've been loving these cute, feminine "peasant"-style dresses for several months now. I actually had two or three growing up (hand-me-downs from older cousins), between the ages of ten and fourteen, I think, and I loved them. What I didn't love was outgrowing them. :-( Nor are the prices people ask for them on Etsy and eBay especially a happy thing, neither, but it doesn't cost anything to look, wot? ;-) So here are a few (a VERY few) of my favorites:

I love the sheer femininity of this one--the pale-pink print, the sweetheart neck, the muslin sleeves and neck insert (trimmed with white ribbon and dainty lace)...So pretty!

 Normally I don't go for navy, but when made up in a pretty calico print and paired with lacing, sweetheart neckline, lace, velvet trim and Gunne Sax's signature muslin sleeves--who wouldn't love it? And notice the micro-polka-dot trim? That's another feature GS did with their dresses back in the '70s--mixing prints. And they usually did it pretty tastefully, too!

Case in point. This frock is made of two prints (which up till recently has been a big fashion no-no), yet it looks polished. That's because both prints are similar--floral on a colored background. I must say, though, that if I had made this dress myself, I'd have put three tiers in the skirt and omitted the lace. The two tiers look a bit awkward to my eye, and the lace only calls attention to the join between fabrics, rather than disguising it. Compare with the bodice--the join is nearly seamless because the background on both fabrics is the same color.

These two frocks are pretty much opposites as far as color scheme goes, but in design are very similar. Both have the front panel and sleeve inserts in one fabric, while the rest of the dress is another. Personally, I like the one on the left best, as it looks like something Regency with a dash of peasant whimsy. Although I can totally see the red-and-blue dress made up in a less--erm--loud palette. ;-)

CU of sleeve

 And then we have a dainty blue number with the signature muslin sleeves, lace trim and velvet detail in the bodice, and the addition of a perky peplum at the waist.

Ooh, look! Roses!

But not all Gunne Sax dresses were peasant/prairie style, though. Some, like these two delectable specimens, were more Medieval/Renaissance in their inspiration. You can't see it in the picture, but the green dress has a lovely embroidered trim around the lacing, with red roses on it. Both dresses feature solid-colored cotton velvet and are trimmed with metallic gold braid. Very regal!

I'll be taking a bit of a hiatus from blogging. It's been more difficult than I thought to get into my Summer schedule, plus there are some Real Life things I need to straighten out. I'll still drop by your blogs and leave a comment now and then, but personal blogging is a bit much for me right now.

Until next time, Gentle Readers,

God bless,

~"Tom"~