Vintage Fashion Inspiration for Fall

With vintage styles still coming full circle in the world of fashion, there’s no better time to raid your family members’ closets or head to your local vintage shop. Fashion designs tend to recycle old trends and the 21st century is no exception. I’ve been fortunate enough to be gifted many pieces from the 30s through to the 70s that fit perfectly into my wardrobe. I have also picked out a few vintage-inspired modern pieces for those whispers of nostalgia we feel every time we watch a period film. Here are my own styles to inspire your fall outfits with a touch of vintage fashion.

Channelling My Inner Anne of Green Gables

Canadian millennials grew up on a diet of the original Degrassi and the iconic Anne of Green Gables TV mini-series. At least I did. Is any fictional character more beloved in this country than red-haired Anne with an e? I’ve paired my mom’s skirt from her university days in the 70s with a simple blouse having embellishments that harken back to the first decades of the 20th century. It may give off a bit of an early school teacher vibe, but I’m okay with that. I’ve loved this skirt since my mom first pulled it out of the closet and I tried it on. The simple lines give it a clean look that may be vintage, but will always be classic.

Nana's Knitting is Spot On

Has anybody else noticed that wide sleeves with a tapered cuff are making a comeback in the sweater department? Shopping in Calgary last fall at the TopShop boutique inside The Bay, I bought a pink sweater with those 70s sleeves we haven’t seen in a few decades. It just so happens that my Nana knit a gorgeous sweater for my mom back then; it is now in my possession. It goes well with just about everything, but I went with a monotone look paired with wide-leg grey plaid trousers I bought in Spain. My Nana’s knitting was spot on in the 70s and it is back in style once again. You may notice that Destiny cares little for sleeves, but she does dance for treats.

Kilts are Always a Good Idea

If any style has stood the test of time, surely it’s the kilt. On a trip to Edinburgh for my friend’s wedding I thought it would be nice to purchase a kilt… until I saw the prices. I wasn’t quite prepared to part with hundreds of pounds, so I settled for a wool scarf in a Black Watch tartan. I also remembered quite clearly that my mother’s kilt was tucked away in a cedar chest at home. Why buy new when a vintage kilt awaits? From the late 60s or early 70s, this kilt is perfect for fall with boots or with these vintage-inspired t-strap pumps from Seychelles.

Pulling Out All the Vintage Stops

Besides the long plaid skirt, my other favourite piece from my mother’s collection is her green wool coat, purchased in Tarbes, France in the fall of 1971. Pea coats and military-style coats never seem to go out of fashion. My hat, the quintessential 20s cloche style, is actually a modern piece that I purchased at Anthropologie in Bath, England. I had no intention of purchasing anything that day, but when I put on this Christy’s design, I just couldn’t resist. I even went several years later to the Christy’s shop in London to buy the grey safari hat that shows up frequently in my photos. My purse belonged to my grandmother, and the best guess is that it was purchased in the 60s. It certainly has that 19th century carpet bag look to it. Finally, my gloves were a gift from my grandfather to my grandmother during WWII. She never wore the kid-leather gloves because they were too small, but she saved them anyway, and now I have a chic pair of leather gloves from the 40s.

Just Another Plaid Skirt

Plaid and fall were made for each other. This reversible plaid wool skirt belonged to my grandmother. Despite our alterations, it is still a little big around the waist for me, so I added one of her belts from the 30s that I’ve been wearing for years. The skirt itself is from the 70s. Apparently reversible skirts were all the rage. A trick to dress down a skirt is to pair it with a t-shirt, and a denim jacket always makes an outfit a touch more casual. Going through the closet, we found two pairs of knit wool mittens that my great-grandmother bought in Switzerland for my mother and uncle in the early 60s. They must not have worn them much because they are in mint condition, and of course, I’ve appropriated the mittens for my collection.

The Goods in Grandma's Closet

Back in the 50s, my grandmother knit a Cowichan-style sweater. She even made a matching one for my grandfather to wear to his curling bonspiels. A Scottish woman taught the ancestors of the Cowichan First Nations people how to knit and they created a distinctive design handed down from one generation to the next. The Cowichan sweater is iconic and you can read more about the traditions of the Coast Salish knitters here. We actually have photographic evidence of my grandmother wearing the sweater.

The photo above was taken in October 1958. Sixty-two years later, the sweater is still in great condition. That’s one of the benefits of vintage fashion in comparison to the fast-fashion of today. It was made to last, and last it has. I have every intention of enjoying my vintage pieces for many more falls to come. I encourage you to have a look in your family members’ closets, with their permission, of course. You never know what treasures you may find!