Saturday, July 24, 2010

Here comes the Furlough Bride & Update on Rescued Birdies

Just wanted to first update you on the little birdies we rescued last Thursday. Since none of the bird rehabilitation centers would take the birds, they are still living with us. In just the past 4 days they have doubled in size and have started to fly. Unfortunately they still won't eat on their own and are being hand fed. We are trying to ween them. My daughter made this bird cage out of a box and screening. There is a flap in the back that we can reach in when doing the feedings. This is another in a long list of "firsts" when it comes to what my daughter involves me in ..... hand feeding baby birds, especially flying-at-you baby birds. Such a good mommy.
















WEDDINGS:

"Furlough Weddings can be simple and lovely." That was the title to one of the articles in this Everywoman's Magazine that I found at a lawnsale for $.50 cents, not a bad mark-up from its original cost of five cents. As a caterer I was hoping that it might be describing the food and decorations of the event. Instead it was an article about Wedding Attire. I loved the photo captions and just had to share and thought the folks visiting Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality for Today's Thrifty Treasures might enjoy. Everything that follows are all from lawn and estate sales.

The article begins .....
"Because today's bride often must marry in haste, she wants to cherish at leisure, the memory of a beautiful wedding ceremony. Chances are her brand new husband has hurried off to his job of making this a better world for his wife and children. Meanwhile, bright plans for the future, thoughts of a happy past, sustain the little woman who waits. " Little Woman indeed, I thought perhaps a man had written this article but saw that it was a woman, one Gertrude Gordon Sachs. I had to wonder if Gertrude employed as a journalist/writer, presumably working outside the home, did she still view herself as the little woman at home.

The article continues with "She does it by having her wedding outfit ready for the wearing even though she doesn't know when that day will be." Hopefully the bride already has an actual beau and isn't getting the dress first and then finding the husband, that would be very sad. Here are a few suggestions for wedding attire as offered by the magazine and Ms. Gertrude.

What every well dressed bride is wearing for her Furlough Wedding.

This smart little number is described as "For a second venture into matrimony, this black bengaline suit has dash and line." Although I had never heard of that phrase, apparently dash and line is a good thing. I'm not so sure about the use of the word
Venture as it relates to matrimony, sounds more like a business proposition than an Ad-Venture into marital bliss. Also I have to ask "What is a bengaline?"


The stunning little black number, bottom right, was described as perfect for a "hurried" wedding and as "Sweet and Victorian, it's a favorite with very young brides." After all, furlough only meant a few days. It is interesting to note two things here, that several of the dresses shown for weddings were black and I always thought that the phrase was "married in black and you'll wish yourself back". Secondly, the mention not of young brides but rather
very young brides Oh well, how could these women resist a man in uniform.

I have always loved vintage wedding pieces. As you may recall, I even have an entire Christmas Tree devoted to the theme of Vintage Wedding. I currently have in my shop some pieces culled from that collection. Here are a few of the cake toppers, pearls, gloves and hats that are being displayed.

I especially love the hat on the left. It fits more like a headband with beautiful taffeta roses.

To me, although it is just my personal opinion, weddings and pearls belong together. I have put together quite a collection from several estate sales this summer. In particular, I have two strands, each marked Japan, that are heavy, finely knotted, exquisite strands.

This hat is a recent acquisition. It really is lovely although in this photo it looks like the top is made of saran wrap. I think it would be just gorgeous for a modern day bride.

There is something so beautiful about these tender sentimental keepsakes and even if I didn't know the brides personally, I still feel a connection. I am a hopeless romantic at heart and can not imagine being a young bride back then, and as quickly as saying "I do" to have your new husband off to war, and then wondering and worrying that you might find yourself not a newlywed but a widow. So let's raise our glasses in a toast to all the little woman left at home, our mothers and grand-mothers, that waited for their menfolk to safely return and a moment of silence for all those men that left behind a widowed bride.

Please be sure to join Rhoda and all the others participating in Today's Thrifty Treasures.

Got it at Goodwill
Sherrie

5 comments:

Linda @ A La Carte said...

The 'Little Woman' cracked me up. Yikes we would burn our bras and march now...oh wait we already did that. Now I need that darn bra for gravity has taken it's toll(TMI?) Anyway, love the hats and the pearls. I love pearls they are timeless.

Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal said...

"A hurried wedding" cracked me up! Does that mean she was prego? So they added some pleating to hide it? Love those old magazines.

canngil said...

bengaline [ˈbɛŋgəˌliːn ˌbɛŋgəˈliːn]
n
(Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Textiles) a heavy corded fabric, esp silk with woollen or cotton cord
[from French; see Bengal, -ine1; first produced in Bengal]

sort of a textured silk, really nubby with the feel of the raised rows. pretty nice stuff. would have been dressy, but tailored. what a fun discovery! My mom eloped to Las Vegas wearing a pretty wool crepe suit with a white crochet edging and crystal and rhinestone buttons. she had to do all the driving from Los Angeles to Vegas because my dad was studying for law school.

Rose said...

your family is indeed animal lovers hope the birdies do ok. black dresses for a wedding reminds me of death. strang choice for a wedding.

Unknown said...

Oh my, I just loved the outfits in that vintage mag. I would wear them today for sure. My mom gave me her gloves she wore when her and my dad got married in 1947, I can't get them past my wrists! ha ha

Thanks for the update on the birds!

Lisa