20 March 2008

Sappy? You bet. Vintage? Absolutely.

I'm a sappy romantic at heart. I read Anne of Green Gables, the "Betsy Books," and anything Arthurian. My trashy vice? Nora Roberts romance novels and "historical" novels in which the heroine rises from her downtrodden orphaned roots to get the guy. I love button and lace-up boots, and wanted a vintage prom dress before vintage was in. My first wedding dress choice (before we wisely delayed things and I changed my mind completely) was a simple column with an amazingly romantic lace coat. I was happy in the 80s prairie skirts with petticoats and wanted a winter wedding, originally, so I could wear a vintage fur stole.

Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong century, let alone the wrong decade.

But as a tall, Germanic-boned woman, even on my skinniest days, vintage rarely fits. It barely did when I was scouring Mommy's college duds in high school (FABulous minidress with gold buttons down the front), let alone now, at full height.

So when H came home from a trip to Takoma Park, local vintage mecca a few months ago, and had a present for me from Moonshadow, I was pleasantly surprised - and not at his buying me a present - he does that all the time.

Rip, rip, tear, tear. Through the tissuepaper we go.

Fur.

A muff.

A fabulous, gorgeous, soft, silky vintage muff. The stuff of snowy sleighrides and lapcoats (Laura Ingalls Wilder, eat your heart out). And it's not your average muff (if there is an average). No simple roll in which to stash your hands inbetween roasted chesnuts. This muff is practical - it has a zipper pocket built in.

It's a little late in the season to be wearing it, but it's happily stored in my sweater drawer. I did manage to wear it out on our Purple Tooth night (it was bitterly cold). H still doesn't understand why I didn't wear it out on weekends while walking The Bean in her stroller. 1) One can't push a stroller with hands in a muff, and 2) black fur doesn't go with L.L. Bean orange ski coat. But I promise to wear it as much as humanly possible next winter - and for all the winters to come...it'll come in handy when I find a winter ball to attend in my wedding dress...

1 comment:

conflictedthimble said...

This is wonderful!!! I have one too, its leopard print front, silk inside, and embroidered silk on the back pocket....mine is mostly brown though...

It's been worn to all of my office parties, with a cream pashmina in tow