I Don't Have a Thing to Wear

Here we are in Paris of the 1920s through 1931

and I don't have a thing to wear!

Girlfriends!

Time for some serious shopping,

don't you think?

Shall we start with French perfume?

I believe I'll wear this Quelques Fleurs lotion

by Houbigant Paris that my sister Deb ordered

from Vicki Archer's French Essence shop,

thinking that it would be perfect for

my Paris birthday.

You're right, Deb, it is divine!

Come on girls, choose your perfume and let's go on to the rue  de la Paix for lingerie by Mirande. I'm a simple gal so I'll buy a day set of underwear trimmed with hand tucking and Irish crochet. Sister Jenn's getting a sports set for tennis of white linen.

My guess is that my daughter Christy is choosing alluring lingerie to wear for her husband, but sister Teresa may just be planning on dropping quite a few francs at Hellstern's. Do I see two handbags on her arm? (There's a family story behind this, folks!)

A brown crocodile bag (and matching heels), and a black antelope bag by Patou with a turquoise clasp? Teresa!

(Remember, dear readers, your consciousness wouldn't have been raised far enough in the 1920s to be against wearing fur coats or crocodile shoes. I even remember a pair of brown crocodile high heels my mother wore in the 1950s and her silver mink stole.)

Our sister Deb didn't leave without buying a black Crepe de Chine evening bag and heels to match by Hellstern. And then she bought three bracelets by Patou of onyx, turquoise, and coral!

My sisters are always chic!

Here they are at Jenn's son's wedding in Palm Springs.

Hurry, girlfriends, before we go to the boulevard Saint-Germain  to order handkerchief linen monogrammed sheets sent home, let's go to Schiaparelli's to buy scads of stockings!

Now it's time to visit a few little dressmaking houses. Maybe they'll do a rush job for all of us traveling with Dewena's Window.

I expect to spend a little birthday money here as some of these birthday cards had money tucked inside.

Speaking of birthday cards, thank you, dear Poppy, for your sweet one! Is your beautiful daughter Liberty here with you on our trip?

Honora, so glad you left Pondside to join us! Since you and I share the same birthday, why don't you go first and show us your silver lame (can't get the little mark on that e) wrap by Louiseboulanger, worn over your dress of navy-blue moire. You're so elegant, Honora!

Your time now, Lorrie and Tanna. Lorrie from Fabric, Paper, Thread wears a Venitian red velours de Lyon coat and dress trimmed with blue fox by Paquin.

And Tanna of The Brick Street Bungalow wears Paquin's pale pink satin coat trimmed with Kolinsky over black crepe. Terribly chic, ladies!

Jemma of At Home with Jemma, is that you in the House of Worth gown of pale pink embroidered net? You say you are wearing a flesh-colored satin slip under that lovely creation? I hope so!

Marcia Pilar, how utterly soigné you are in your Mainbocher navy-blue faille!

Step up, Sheri, the oh, so lovely mother of the mother/daughter trio of Red Rose Alley. That Augustabernard violet-blue crepe dress with the narrow fuchsia sash is so feminine, and I won't even ask who the man is. Nice touch with the white carnation worn at your waist, Sheri!

Here's Rue of An Old-Fasioned World wearing Cheruit's yellow satin evening gown with a brown sash. And Deb of  Frugal Little Bungalow, is that you with Rue wearing Cheruit's midnight blue chiffon gown with the green and gold sash? Are you girls flirting with Maurice Chevalier? 

Kimberly of the Nutbrown Cottage, I see you're stashing away as many diamonds on this trip to Paris as a squirrel does nuts in autumn! 

Sandra of Thistle Cove Farm is a seasoned world traveler and knows that this robe d'interior by Chanel of heavy gold satin will see her through any number of at-home supper parties.

Debbi of Debbi's Front Porch, my new Beach Gypsy friend, I haven't learned your taste yet but surely a beach gypsy would like to wear this Chanel tea gown of bud-green chiffon? What do you think?

Ah, my girlfriend of mystique from Nib's End, you with the silver words flowing from your pen, tell me what designer you would choose. Your wish is my command.

I know I must have forgotten someone who expressed a wish to travel to Paris with us. Please forgive me! And surely at least one of my friends here doesn't care for the gown I've pictured on them, or with their likeness? Do you know how difficult it is to find a pretty Parisienne model from those long ago days, especially when I'm only using pictures from the vintage fashion magazines in my personal collection and not pictures from the internet?

The choices were getting slim. There is this one…

Or would anyone prefer this one?

Maybe someone would want to claim this danseur? 

Did you girls enjoy shopping in Paris? Personally I think these sun suits that Nora and CC are wearing are darling, and I bet they make it to Paris someday with their mom of excellent fashion sense.

Oh, what about me? I forgot to choose a dress in Paris!

And I just don't have a thing to wear.

Only this robe d'interior of my childhood.

Au revoir until the next post when a special guest will join us.

[Again, all fashion pictures were from my collection of vintage Harper's Bazar and Vogue magazines, and from a treasured book, Paris in the Twenties.]