Renaissance Roses

I'm not a label person. Rather, I don't base purchases on the tag inside - but I do check them obsessively. 

"Made in China" clothing is so ubiquitous that it's neat to check a piece you own and discover it was made in Brazil or Italy instead. Or when uncertain if an item is real vintage, the discolored/scratchy/embroidered tag often gives it away. And if you're lucky enough to find a brand whose clothing is tailor-made for your shape right off the rack, by all means, seek it out (I would never fault someone dedicated to their jean brand). 

A brief glimpse into my closet shows a definite lack of brand loyalty. Other than a few secondhand items from Forever 21 I can't think of any duplicates, and many are brands I've never seen before nor heard from again.  

My personal favorite is when there's no tag to be found (which is not to be confused with the frayed remnants of a label that's obviously been cut - grrr!) No, I'm talking no trace of a tag at all, when you're left with a garment of mysterious unknown origin. Often these are homemade items, and it gets me wondering about the creator. Did they sew it for themselves, or a loved one? It might have been sewn by the lady down the street, or traveled from overseas in 1984...so where was it made? And most importantly, why did they donate it? I grow really attached to items I've made by hand/handmade items I've received and can't imagine donating them without a good reason. 

Which brings us to today's find. 

While I love a good novelty print, I'm admittedly a bit snobbish about them. Nothing wrong with the pervasive fox/deer prints of late - some are really cute! - but there are (literally) a million different animals/objects/ideas to choose from. When all the clothing companies stick to producing the same handful of prints I wonder why the aesthetic is trapped in such a box. 

When I found this dress at the thrift store on half price day, I definitely did a double take. A renaissance/folklore processional, complete with mandolin, trumpet, and shower of roses? Yes, yes, yes. I also love that it's one large focal point rather than a tiny duplicated print over the whole dress. It's safe to say medieval fanfare hasn't been overdone yet and it's now added to my growing collection of one-of-a-kind (or at least few-of-a-kind!) garments. 

The natural ending to this story: no tag. Though left with more questions than answers, I'm just grateful that someone, somewhere, chose to put this image on a dress. 

What I'm Wearing

Dress - thrifted, no tag 

Boots - White Mountain

Bag - Waves