Time-Travelling Diamond

Vintage bomber jacket (similar here) / DIY batik dress (similar here) / ASOS round sunglasses (similar here) / Office brogue boots (similar here)

Anyone who knows me vaguely well will be aware of my love of vintage clothing. Not only is buying vintage more friendly on the environmental front - always a positive if we can reduce our carbon footprints etc. - but I love the patina acquired by a well-loved vintage piece. Coupled with a hint of mustiness, it evokes the feeling that one is wearing a piece of history, albeit a rather little one.  And try as they might, none of your everyday clothing shops can truly replicate this. No, not even you, Urban Outfitters.

So what's the story behind this mustard bomber? Discovered in the murky depths of a thrift shop - yes honestly, I'm not just saying this for vintage storytelling effect - I couldn't resist snapping up this leather beauty. From what I can gather, this jacket found its way to me from the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Queen's University, Canada. It was purchased by a first year engineering student in 1971 and, in line with EngSoc rules, said student was prohibited from wearing the jacket until completing his final exam in December of that year.

And the dress? My parents acquired the batik fabric from a trip to Indonesia in days gone by. Using my new-found sewing skills from CSM and this striped dress as a template, I made myself a simple shift dress. For a first dressmaking attempt, I'm rather chuffed with how it turned out!