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Christmas is almost here! Gah, I can hardly stand the wait – nog, carols, presents and my nieces in adorable Christmas attire (I’m just assuming). With only a few days to go before Santa comes to town, its time for one more Christmas post – exploding with vintage-holiday glam!
A few weeks ago, two of my gal-pals were over the moon about their newly-aquired vintage finds. These two style mavens made a trip to Downtown Dundas, and discovered Andrian’s Armoire – a consignment shop with vintage finds all hand-picked by the owner. Now, consignment shops can be scary territory for thrifters like me – what price tag are are we looking at here? Can I still call it a steal? My friends assured me that all clothing was reasonably priced with a variety of vintage finds and quality brands, which means I’m headed there ASAP. Kristin picked up an incredible gold 60s cocktail dress that fit her like it was MADE for her, and Sandra got herself one of the more fabulous coats I’ve ever seen – a furlined hood, New York-made, amazing! So, we did what any normal girl would do – schedule a photoshoot!
I called on my two sisters to round out our crew of Mad Women. Adele wore a thrifted bright orange shift-dress I picked up on Queen Street in Toronto four years ago (and no longer fit). And Laura wore a mid-calve white beaded number I’ve been hoarding, right out of Betty Draper’s closet. (I’m going to do another post on that find, its got some interesting history.)
I took a break from standing behind the camera for a few photos aswell, in my favourite polka-dot dress. All in all, it was a fantastically fun time. It also spoke to the pure quality you can aim for when shopping second hand – thrifting doesn’t mean cheaply made! All our looks were beautifully crafted pieces from bygone fashion periods. And, at the risk of sounding like an old bitty – they don’t make ‘em like they used to!
Note the added details – what fascintor! Kristin thrifted the above hat for her “Mustaches & Hats” birthday party last summer, and was delighted to have a reason to wear it again. It’s from from Weird Stuff – Antiques, Collectables & Nostalgia in Hamilton. Kudos to her for not being scared off by the website. It’s weird!
What bunch of stunners. Merry Christmas all!



What a fun idea, you all look lovely.
Enjoy your holidays! Merry Christmas!
xo Leah.
Thanks Leah! It was a blast. A very Merry Christmas to you too!
The photos are really nice. The second to the last one is my favorite
Thanks! One of my favourites too
STUNNING pix and beautiful attire … you girls are bringing sexy back this holiday season!
Thank you! I wish I could dress like this everyday.
AHHH! I LOVE this post!! I have to say, you really made me laugh when I read: “So, we did what any normal girl would do – schedule a photoshoot!”
Amazing! And Merry Christmas!!
Ahaha, it’s funny how that’s my response to many things “Good hair day – photoshoot! My cat looks cute – Photoshoot!”
You girls look like you belong in a movie. Just perfect. Fun. Stylish, Chic.. simply mahvelous
Val
http://valentinedefrancis.wordpress.com
Why thank you – It was a mahvaleous time indeed!
Adorable. A party with you gals looks like a classy event I would love to attend. Merry Christmas!
Thanks! It was too much fun. Put anything in a champagne glass and you feel instantly classy
Fun.
Gorgeous! I hope to find vintage steals some day *sigh*
Patience is key! It’s so rewarding when you find a deal – keep looking
You all look absolutely stunning! The pictures are simply great, and the clothes are to die for! You are so lucky! Looks very fun too
Thank you! My only sadness is I don’t fit the gold dress, so I won’t be borrowing that on
so beautiful!
fortheloveofclothes.wordpress.com
Looks like you all had a blast! The pictures came out just lovely!
AHH!! Congrats on the freshly pressed on WordPress! SOOOOO awesome
Thanks Cheryl! I’m shocked! My first response was “what the heck?!” Actually, that’s still my response.
I should mention that I picked up that hat at “Weird Stuff – Antique – Collectables” store on King Street in Hamilton. I added the feathers but the rest is all vintage!
Excellent, thanks Kristin! I’ll update the post!
Love. So beautiful.
Love, love, love. I am envious of the coat.
Me too. We are the same size, so I’ll be waiting in the wings until she gets sick of it!
Gorgeous! Have a very Merry Christmas,
Ladies you look gorgeous – looks like lots of fun!
I looked at the title, read the first word ignored the rest and clicked anticipated pictures of mouth watering dishes. Scrolled through the blog. Did I click the correct link? Scrolled back to the title and the aaha moment.
Anticipated mouthwatering, achieved eye glittering, not a bad trade.
Congratulation on being freshly pressed!
You need a first class sight to scrap second hand items. Great pictures too. Complements to the clicker too.
Glad you enjoyed! I am cooking-challenged, so I’m afraid you’ll never find mouth-watering dishes here
Looking at your pictures I wanted to gather my girlfriends and play dress up. Please pass the bubbly!
DO IT! And, the bubbly is a key component
Ladies, you all look absolutely amazing! Wonderful style choices – you are all brilliantly dressed for your body-shapes, and have chosen colours that really enhance your features! Love how each of your looks shows the 5 distinct personal styles – how individual each one of you is!
Also – really gorgeous hairstyles and accessories, love your style girls!!!
Stay stylish
The Image Mistress, xoxo
Thank you! You’re totally right — different styles emerged for each of us, and we didn’t even consciously aim for that.
These pictures are wonderful. It is hard to beat the feeling of walking out of a thrift store with fabulous finds like the ones I see here!
Exactly. It’s the feeling I aim for every time I shop!
Awesome post
) Merry Christmas
So glad you were freshly pressed, we love the resale stuff (I’ve had amazing luck so far) and now have a blog to help!
That is so cool. I love them all!
Amazing, I personally like those “looks”. And You girls , like the added touches of posses
. But I have to admit, I came to this website thinking it was about food – but I enjoyed the post. Have a good one.
Ok, not what I expected, totally threw me off, but did enjoy the pics. You girls look great….
Hey, you guys look great, I love the pictures especially the posses, must of taken a lot to set up for the shots. And I agree : they don’t make ‘em like they used to!
I had very willing models! They make my job easy.
Wow those outfits are beautiful, and the pictures are so clear! You all look amazing =)
You have re-awoken my passion for thrift store shopping, I must say.
Don’t resist – thrifters have more fun
beautiful
You look a lot like Kristen Dunst. What settings did you use on your camera/which camera, to get that vintage faded look to your photos? Great stuff
Thanks! I used to get the Kristen Dunst thing a lot more as a teenager. I still like hearing though – she’s lovely! As for the photos, I’m using a Canon t1i, which I love. For the vintage effect, I do a tonne of editing in Photoshop – using pretty much any trick in the book.
So glam! Makes me not only want to go thrifting, but throw a party about it too! Very nice.
It was a great time! Not only was it nice to together with wine and cookies, I’ve rarely had so much fun getting ready. And it was great to see what the others came up with!
Loving this post! Great looks ladies!
I LOVE Kristen’s hat. Don’t you wish hats were in fashion again? My favorite fashion era — the forties. What glamour, what style, what cut waistlines! Fabulous
Totally agree!
Stylish Canadian women — score!!!! Great post, lots of fun and some fab looks.
I grew up in Toronto and am always amazed what great stuff I can score when I go back. One of my best pieces was found where I live now, (NY) in an East Village shop — a black mohair hat with bugle beads. Totally Myrna Loy…Vintage (worn well) has so much more style.
I’ve only been to NYC twice in my life, and it doesn’t feel like near enough! Maybe I should tell me husband a thrifting trip to NYC is necessary for the blog
Such a fabulous post! You ladies look marvelous!
So pretty! It is a great idea! makes me want to dress up as Betty Draper for NYE!
NYE is the perfect time to bring out your inner Draper!
Great Photography and Merry Christmas!!!
Have a great day,
Tom
http://www.PhotoBotos.com
Wonderful photos and I love the dresses! Congrats on being freshly pressed and merry christmas!
Wonderful photos. And a beautiful post. I have always told ladies the same thing but very few of them ever listened. Now that your post is on freshly pressed lets see how many of them listens.
All photos are very nice
Stunners indeed. Don is very pleased. I’ll have some whiskey on his behalf (in appreciation of course).
Nothing beats vintage dresses! Awesome post!!!
(New reader here!)
These pictures are absolutely amazing, each of you ladies looks great! Love the retro inspiration. Have a happy holidays!
Alexandra xo
http://tovogueorbust.com/
Fantastic title! I suck at the art of the perfect title, so you have my respect and admiration!
I’m a huge fan of thrift shops [we call them op shops in Australia], and I’ve found some amazing things in Eastern European second hand stores. The only problem is that I can’t buy anything as I’m backpacking, and carrying amazing clothes that are impractical is just not possible. Love the photos, beautiful vintage styling.
Love the idea and I love how you even made the photo’s look vintage to match!
great article, and pix! loved the polka dot dress and the fur coat! Fantastic!
Just Darling! Looks like you all had a blast.
Such a cute & fun idea! Your photos look fantastic too! Happy Holidays!
WOW! They really had a blast, like suffragettes who won the fight! So admiring…
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Congrats on FP! Great post.
aahhh I just love your blog specially this post. your photos are really good!
I’ve got this crazy thing about shopping too. Great ideas!!
http://dubaimumz.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/i-can-hear-lv-and-burberry-talking-to-me/
Amazing!! You all look gorgeous!
A vintage consignment shop just opened across the street from the food co-op I shop in with regularity. I was planning to stop in “one day” but reading your post makes me want to stop in today! Great photos!
oh my goodness! Love it! Such fabulous finds. Plus- they fit so well. VIntage can be very tricky since there’s no Lycra in it!! Makes me want to pull out my pearls!
for our christmas party (with old highschool friends), we decided to wear modern interpretation of disney cartoons, but your idea is really much better! i shall tell my friends that we should revisit more mature themes too
Merry Christmas!
I love Mad Men and the glamorous 1960′s style:) you guys look awesome!! Joan Holloway and betty draper ain’t got nothin on you:) loved this post!
High praise indeed! Thank you!
I graduated with a degree in fashion design and I agree that clothes were made so much better back then. My whole family & I shop for clothes at thrift stores all the time..we hate the malls. Great post and Merry Christmas
Love the dresses!
Nice post! Playing dress up will ALWAYS be fun! Congrats on being Pressed!
arbohl.wordpress.com
Love your photo shoot! looks like so much fun you had.
Though not thrift a lot of sewing magazines have had issues with specials on these styles. I made my christmas dress from an 50′s revival issue (1959 style).
I like a lot of the styles,more feminine and less flesh. Even my mum commented: “I used to have a dress like that when young. Looks better on you”
It sounds lovely! My mom always says “I had stuff just like that” and I’m like “you should have kept it!”
You guys look amazing! They don’t make them like that anymore! A little glam always makes it feel more like Christmas. Hope your holidays are wonderful!
Mona
So much fun!!!
i am loving these pictures! i am sure someone has already asked this, but are you using a particular app or editor to gain this vintage effect?
Thank you! I do a lot of editing in Photoshop.
Beautiful ladies, love the dresses, really like that polka dot one! So cute, I found a red one with smaller dots at Goodwill for 6 dollars, it’s really retro, I get more compliments when I wear that dress than anything. They don’t make them like they used to the classics never die.
great smiles really great smiles loving the clothes too
A Don Draper Christmas. Whiskey was never so classy haha. Beautiful style and photos!
Beautiful outfits! No, you don’t sound old for saying “they don’t make ‘em like the used to”. I worked at a thrift store over the summer and thought the same thing many times! Also, it appears that back then there was something in between floor lenth and ultra short when it came to formal and semi-formal dresses. Not so much anymore!
Too true! It’s either mini or maxi if you buy new today.
Love the photos.
Merry Christmas to you too! Great pictures and a great post.
what a beautiful way to spend christmas
love all the outfits
This is a fabulous photosession! Looks so so cute and elegant. Ladies are gorgeous!
http://dressupforme.wordpress.com/
Greetings to you and Merry Christmas!
Cool Layout
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love it! my daughter (13) has been wanting to try out our local thrift stores. she’s coming into her own little style and is looking to venture out. thanks for inspiring me to go for it with her!
what fun and great finds!
Gorgeous photos! You all found some great pieces. I’ll definitely have to check out some consignment shops. This looks like an awesome girls day/night out idea.
The outfits and the photo’s are great! Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find clothes like that at triftshops. Hope you had a good Christmas!
btw.. your last name (Huizen) is the name of the city I live in
the holidays look fabulous in vintage!
This was an awesome idea to spark some holiday fun! Love it ladies! http://dontbuyathing.wordpress.com
so lovely! perfectly vintage christmas gathering!
Great Pictures! Love the style!
Love the vintage theme!
this really doe look like fun. Can boys do it?:)
Of course! Suits and skinny ties and hats, oh my!
This is my first time on your blog! Seriously an awesome idea! Happy Holidays!
Lovely! Makes me want to host a party like this!
this is so gorgeous ! you, girls…the post, the pics….fabulous ! love it ! are you in the film ? …you should !
Thanks for reminding me of the shift dress, found one for myself after I read your post
http://www.flickr.com/photos/redreplicant/6830699933/in/photostream
Wow! Beautiful!