To some, the iridescent blue hopsack dress and matching coat was a bit too modern but she had fallen in love with the sleek professional look the outfit leant to her and once she saw the fabulous lining of the coat she was hooked. She was an artist and the colors in the lining spoke to her, but art would not pay the bills and so she pushed that to the side to enter the world of Washington, D.C. amid many other young women looking for a government job that would provide a steady income while they waited for life to present them with their one true love.
"Well no use dragging this on and on," she thought. She readied herself, checking herself in her bedroom mirror to make sure she had not missed anything. Her mother wished her well and she walked to the center of town where she boarded the bus heading to Washington. She had several interviews that day and all went as well as could be expected. While waiting in the various offices of the capital, she saw that what she thought was so fashion forward was anything but. Compared to the other girls waiting for their own interviews, she looked older than her years and small town chic. Her credentials were top notch, however, for the fast pace of Washington she was just too old fashioned for anyone to take notice. The repetition of the closing comment "we'll be in touch but if you receive an offer from someone else I'd advise taking it" left her feeling drained and frustrated.
She boarded the bus to come back home, discouraged and wondering where life would take her. Pondering her future and not liking the direction it was heading, she didn't hear him at first. He repeated himself saying, "Would you mind if I sat next to you? There are no other seats on the bus available." She looked up into the eyes of a rather gallant young man, with dark brown hair, deep brown eyes and a bluish 5 o'clock shadow. He rather looked like a hoodlum, but he was dressed in a gray sharkskin suit that fit him perfectly. What caught her eye was his colorful pocket square and rather rakish silk tie. She said, "Of course." He sat down and he noticed she was staring at his necktie. He looked back at her and said, "I know the tie stands out, but I just have to show a little bit of what's really me when I go on these interviews. I'm really a silk artist and I painted this tie and pocket square, but you have to pay the bills so on goes the suit for interviews." She smiled and shyly unbuttoned her coat and showed him the lining. "I'm an artist as well, but it doesn't pay the bills so I've just come back from Washington after a round of unsuccessful interviews today. I just had to have a bit of color, but of course I'm not as bold as you are."
They continued to chat and before they knew it they were back home. It seems that he had been two years ahead of her at the same high school but they'd just never run into each other. They found they had acquaintances in common, but somehow or another never met each other for one reason or another. He walked her home and then asked her out to dinner for the next night. She accepted and that as they say was that.
Time passed. They dated, became engaged and were married. To pay the bills they opened a paint and wallpaper store in their home town. He continued to paint his matching ties and pocket squares which he sold from their store. In the way that life happens, a socialite from Washington D.C. came into their store one day after having car trouble, to use their phone. She was stunned by the trompe-l'œil scene on the longest wall in the store. Finding out that the painting was done by the co-owner, she immediately hired her to paint her living room. Her talent became known to the smart set in D.C. and she was commissioned to paint many trompe-l'œil scenes over the years.
And so as they say, life happens while you make your grand plans. Their business paid the bills and their art fed their souls.
Vintage 1960s Navy Blue Dress & Coat Ensemble B38 W34 H38
Why not make a little history of your own with an outfit from Born Too Late Vintage!
