the morning strut's swoonsome Xmas things

'Tis the season to be generous, so I've decided to treat all four of my readers to a little festive swoonage.

Without further ado, I present The Morning Strut's thoroughly useless assemblage of Xtacular Xmas Xavourites!

a woman for all seasons

you can call him ray...

One of my very favourite nuggets of inspiration in the studio is a scan of this article from a 1959 issue of Vogue Pattern Book, featuring "lively teenager" and home sewer extraordinaire Lynda Harper. The piece follows Lynda as she creates a dress for prom night. But enough about her.

Her date's name is Rayford*.

Seriously. RAYFORD*.

Boy is he ever dreamy.

*Sadly, the name Rayford reached its popularity zenith around 1930, 29 years before this issue of VPB was even published! If anyone out there knows anyone by the name of Rayford, please urge him get in contact immediately, as I would like us to be wed.

isle of joy

I'm in New York this week, a town I love to visit if only for the tasty, tasty anonymity it brings (down right irresistible for a journalist who's already used up all her witty repartee for 2010).

I've been dividing my time between trawling antique stores for massive ear rings, watching movies I can't get in European format, personally depleting the world's supply of scallion cream cheese, perving off buff train conductors, taking my book on a bar crawl of Manhattan, justifying everything with "I'm on vacation!" and having a guy on the street make my year by greeting me with a "Yo, what's up, white Rihanna?"

I'm also giving my sister a hand with her new vintage-inspired fashion line Recollection, which makes its ultra glamorous debut in Fall/Winter 2011.

Here's a look inside her ultra glamorous studio*...

*all photos by me

before the freeze

Ireland's weather has always been a little fickle/unpredictable/hysterically evil, but this year the Seasons seemed to change at the drop of a hat.

Ruth took these photos, and a week later, Dublin was spazzing out under a foot of snow and I was suddenly dressing for the coldest temperatures of my lifetime. Bad news for my toes, worse news for my wardrobe. 

Light coats, heavy knits, leather jackets, trenches, stockings, jersey dresses - all totally useless. Thanks to Mama Nature's hissy fit, I'll be rocking the Bolivian housewife look 'til Spring.

It's not all bad, though. The snow makes for a flawless backdrop to my ridiculous print obsession, the blizzards provide a natural wind machine and it's finally acceptable for me to dress like an extra from Dr. Zhivago. 

...and hey, I always welcome an excuse to watch this video.

threads: {top - asos bandeau and h&m dress} {skirt - vintage} {tights - penneys} {brogues - penneys} {necklace - a gift from the wiley travelers of yearlongbreakup}