5 Favorite Vintage Pieces for Summer
Ah, summer. Long sunny days, barbecues, and “plant season” here in the Midwest. I have a confession: summer is my least favorite season. I may be Native Hawaiian, but I have a difficult time with the high temps and humidity. This is also the time of year my allergies run wild. And of course I love layering pieces but find it to be tricky when trying to stay cool in the relative 70% humidity we experience in Chicagoland.
Today I wanted to share my current favorite vintage pieces for summer.
I’m omitting casual wear clothing because I tend to wear newer pieces made with fabrics that I feel are more breathable on my skin. Trust me, vtg Hawaiian muu’muus are near the top of my “things to find for summer” list. .
Current Favorite Vintage Pieces for Summer
1. Large Gold Floral Pearl Earrings
An absolute classic staple piece in any jewelry collection! These can be worn casually with a t-shirt and jeans as well as a day dress to brunch or even with a silk dress to a wedding. I truly believe if you own any kind of earrings in your collection, make sure its a pair similar to these.
2. Decorative Metal & Enamel Tray
I found this metal and enamel tray several years ago when I was out thrifting with my mom. I recall spotting it from far away due to the vivid pink on the decal. I love the use of colors, the gold outline, the pattern. It’s all so good! Pulling this piece out and displaying it on our bar top signals the start of summer time.
3. Oil Painting of a Ship
Okay, so technically this piece can be year-round, however, I love the ocean and associate ships with warm weather. Yes, I know ships fare year-round. This painting gives me serious Pirates of the Caribbean vibes every time I look at it. Where’s my rum? When you look at it closely, you begin to notice the beautiful imperfections-this oil is clearly hand painted and is signed “J. Terrion.” I’m happy to have it’s twilight cruise in my kitchen.
4. Ivory Silk Nightgown
As I mentioned earlier, I have a tough time with the heat of summer and am usually dressed in non-vintage clothing. There is one exception though and that is silk nightgowns. I absolutely love the look and feel of them. I’m much cooler at night when I sleep in silk versus cotton—silk wicks away the heat! I’ll often throw a silk robe over my nightgown and have my morning coffee outside in the garden before getting ready for the day.
5. Champagne Coupes
In recent years Champagne and sparkling wines have gained in popularity. Like, en masse. I feel I see people sipping sparkling bubbly in clothing and furniture ads, tv shows, being promoted at events. Yes, it hails as the ruler of brunch beverages. It’s certainly no longer confined to travel and leisure advertising campaigns I remember growing up. Champagne coupes are one of my ultimate weaknesses, especially those with a thick sides and deep cuts to reflect light. My husband says we have enough…but do we?
And there you have it! These are my Top 5 Favorite Vintage Pieces for Summer. For me, it’s not about finding cool vintage pieces to have and collect, but to find what you absolutely love and actually using them. Every day life is beautiful and beautiful pieces need to be used.
-Cass