I'm starting a new regular post called 'Treasure' where I show you one of my most treasured and loved pieces from my vintage and antique collection. So here's my first treasure!
I bought this coat about 5/6 years ago at the most wonderful vintage shop I've ever come across, which was situated down a back street in Hastings, East Sussex. It's closed down now but for the short period in which I'd found it and it was open I used to spend hours in that shop tearing up with joy at the selection of delicate, exquisite clothes and accessories the owner had for sale. This was quite early on in my obsession with vintage, I didn't know the secrets to finding bargains then, so this shop seemed like an incarnation of my dreams! I didn't mind spending lots on vintage then (it definitely is worth it for something so special but not if you have almost no income) and would buy ridiculous things that I loved so much but had no occasion to wear out. This coat, happily, goes against this in that it was quite expensive (£90 if I remember correctly) but so so worth it as I wear it very regularly and love hanging it up to look at it when I'm not wearing it. Every time I wear it out people love to comment on it and I've found it often starts conversations which I find really lovely! I'm uncertain as to it's age, it's handmade and hand embroidered (you can still see the blue pen marks where someone has traced/drawn out the flower design) and quite roughly done in places. I can still feel a couple of pins which have accidentally been sewn into the cuffs! It really needs to be cleaned now after so many years of wear, which I'm dreading in case I ruin it, but it has to be done and so it shall be! I really love that it's so obviously been made by an individual; I love the pen marks, I love the rough and bold embroidery and the pins sewn into the cuffs. This really makes this piece special for me because I can see how much work and love has gone into it and there's something so personal about hand sewing which makes me feel very close to the act of making.
