If rainbows dwelt at the thrift stores with their vibrantly happy colors, then it would be my favorite place to be everyday!
A few months prior to this particular thrift store trip, I had come across the most colorful vintage dress on Instagram stories and it radiated happy vibes only with every color, design details and fabric flow. To be more specific, I'm a lover for a good vintage find, especially when it goes the extra mile of have those voluminous puffy sleeves that scream " I checked on the mirror on my way here and the results were fabulous darling! How do you do? " Hahaha...
Anyway, the dress in question was a Vintage Raul Blanco polka dots rainbow. The first thing one would notice was the vibrantly colorful and contrasting red, yellow, black, blue, white, green colors that were meticulously presented on 100% silk fabric. The dots were in different shapes and sizes, which immediately amplified the fact that beauty comes in all shapes, colors and sizes, though I do not know for a fact if that was the original messaging of the designer. Then came the voluminous puff sleeves and my heart was racing with joy! This dress embodied the feeling of confidence in a woman who would wear it, adventurous spirit and playful energy with a touch of mystery and elegance. The dress finalized its presentation with two tiered circular cut bottom which gave the dancy-happy vibe. I was sold!
I remember looking at that dress and thinking to myself, that would be such a lovely addition to a wardrobe, oh, the endless dances I would do in that dress! The downside of this particular dress on Instagram was that it was a size 2... Well, I'm a size 8 baby!. So, without malice or regret in my heart, but with sheer gratitude and expectant spirit, I simply whispered to myself, "In due season, I will get one of those if its meant to be."
Thursdays were good days to thrift as the thrift store near me seemed to add more inventory on those days, and of course, had color tags sale as well. I woke up that particular morning with a strong hunch to go and was expectant for a good find. Felt like I wanted something colorful and for months I had been looking for Vintage Laura Ashley dress. After hours of ravaging though the racks with nothing much of a find, I was ready to wrap it up when my then 3year old daughter who was doing ABC's on my phone held my hand and said, " Mommy, look over there. I see rainbows and balloons and it look so pretty! Please go check it out".
Have you ever had your jaw drop open and your heart racing at the same time? More like those cartoon in videos that rub their eyes vigorously while blinking furious in disbelief of what they had just witnessed? That was me in a nut shell 🤣🤣. My daughter had to shout " Well, mommy, faster! Someone might take it away." Oh boy! I always play modest at thrift stores but I was not about to watch my daughters rainbow balloon find be snatched from within reach. I practically crawled under the rack due to carts being in all places with people hunting for their find. I guess superpowers are real... Just joking.
Long story short, that day had Vintage Raul Blanco and Laura Ashley dresses sitting side by side on the racks waiting for one who could look beyond the TLC that they needed and see their beauty! It was a thrilling thrift store trip....
Sometimes, the clothes on the racks have more beauty to offer once you clean them up and do some mending. Instead of focusing on the problem alone, try to think, " What's the beauty hidden in this pieces and how much more life/use is left in it!
Till next time, thanks for dropping by our Vintage Fancy Friday ❤️