Ridiculous wardrobe longing - the one that got away

[cupcake_goth]

Long ago (before we owned this house, as a matter of fact, so more than a decade ago), the J.Peterman company offered a gorgeous waistcoat. It was styled like a men's tuxedo waistcoat, but made in pink silk velvet.

Oh yes, I purchased it. And ended up returning it, because I couldn't quite get it to work in my wardrobe at the time, as my style hadn't finished evolving into the NeoVictorian Cupcake Goth creation I am today. Plus, budget-wise, I couldn't justify it.

But oh, how I wish I still had it. Because NOW? Oh, the outfits I could create around it!

No, one has not turned up on eBay. Yes, I look. (If any of you happen to find it while at a thrift or consignment shop, in a size 10/12, PLEASE tell me.)

What item of clothing is The One That Got Away for you folks?

Comments

[movingfinger]

Was it burnout or plain?

[cupcake_goth]

Plain. Plain, gorgeous candy pink silk velvet, with a shawl collar, satin-covered buttons, and pockets. ::sigh::

[movingfinger]

I think they did a damask one... kind of plummy... recently, on the same pattern. I bet a decent tailor could use it to make you a velvet one.

[amaliedageek]

A linen/cotton extra-small men's button-down Dockers shirt, in dark blue. It was perfect: when the color faded I overdyed it with indigo and changed the buttons. The sleeves were long enough! It was so comfortable . . . I still miss it.

J. Peterman breaks hearts

[icprncs.livejournal.com]

So did you see the black and pink cut-velvet waistcoat that was on eBay late last week? (There were actually two, and one was my size, and it had no bids just a few hours before the end of the auction...and I completely forgot to bid on it.)

For me, it's still the purple silk jacket with velvet trim that I DIDN'T buy at the store-closing sale (so yeah, more than a decade ago for me as well). Instead I bought a jacket and two dresses (because I thought that was a "better value") that I ended up never wearing.

I also still think fondly of the B&W windowpane-plaid taffeta skirt they had for the holidays a few years ago; I just couldn't justify the cost to myself, but I still long for it. And I really, REALLY wish I'd sprung for the "Beautiful Geometry" skirt in black when they had it; I adore the cream one I have and just really wish I had it in black.

Re: J. Peterman breaks hearts

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

So did you see the black and pink cut-velvet waistcoat that was on eBay late last week? (There were actually two, and one was my size, and it had no bids just a few hours before the end of the auction...and I completely forgot to bid on it.)


Why yes, yes I did see those. The smaller one is winging its way to me, as a matter of fact. (I have another J.Peterman item from that same era in that size, and it fits me perfectly.)

[calligrafiti.livejournal.com]

Back around 1990 there was a lovely silk, royal blue dress that was about $10 more than I was willing to spend. It looked amazing on me. It had a square neckline that really showed my cleavage and my waist looked so tiny in it. I still wish I'd bought it.

[rimrunner.livejournal.com]

There is a line of 'vogs that they have stopped making. I don't remember what they were called, but they had sky-high gold heels and they were terribly impractical and I was in the throes of carrying Aphrodite for SMF at the time and they cost $400 and I still wantsed them, precious!

I didn't buy them. Don't know when or to what I would have worn them. Kinda wish I did anyway.

[shadowedrabbit.livejournal.com]

I love the tall babycakes (with the contrasting lace that shows just a hint of skin?). But alas and woe! They do not fit around my calves, so though they still make them, they are the wardrobe item that got away.

[icprncs.livejournal.com]

Heh. I've got a pair of Fluevogs on my list as well, though in my case the problem was that they sold out (due to being on sale) by the time I realized I wanted them. The style does turn up on eBay every now and again, but so far never in my size.

There are also at least three styles in my now-favorite 'vog family that I didn't even know about until they'd already stopped making them. Same as above: occasionally on eBay but not in my size.

[cordelia-rose.livejournal.com]

Not clothing but a couch. About a year before moving out of my parents house I found this great 80s does Victorian sofa in blue velvet with loverly details. I wished for a long LONG time that I had bought it and stored it somewhere. Now I have a purple velvet Antoinette sofa, so that makes up for it somewhat.

[morfydd.livejournal.com]

Oh, ouch.

For me it was a gaming table that I would have used as a dining table: Ebonized, Chinese Chippendale fretwork at the joints that was lovely but not too over the top, folded down to about 25 inches deep but extended all the way to about 100 inches deep. They wanted $600 for it, which was a reasonable price but more than I had then. I went back a week later and it was gone, but they said they would have put it on layaway for me for $50.

I've probably spent THOUSANDS of dollars in tables that were almost-but-not-quite that table since.

[oldhalloween.livejournal.com]

Oh....I remember that waistcoat. Pink wasn't doing it for me then. Its probably the Titanic line at J. Peterman that I couldn't afford at the time that was a real missed opportunity. The one that got away though was Bette Middlers costume from Hocus Pocus. It was hard to see it sell on ebay.

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

Vintage Deco marcasite pin in my initials. I later ended up with my great-aunt's similar pin, but that's got her initials on it, so it's a memento rather than something I wear. I blame my then-boyfriend, who didn't understand why it was such an amazing find, and was bored and wanted to get on to brunch rather than have me dash out to a cash machine.

[brsis.livejournal.com]

A pink and white Gunne Saxe ballgown, exactly my size, with puff sleeves, a sweetheart neckline then lace up to the choker, and a ruched overskirt festooned with bows. At sixteen I bid all the money I had in my bank account on ebay and it wasn't enough - and I've never seen anything like it again!

[mahariel.livejournal.com]

When the husband was still in grad school, we found a smoking jacket at Red Light. Oriental red and black satin brocade goodness with black velvet lapel, and it fit him like it was tailored for him. But he was in grad school and I was supporting us on a mall retail job, and we were responsible adults and didn't buy it. That was in 1999, and we've never found anything like it for him since. (I just found one for me at a thrift store this summer, which rubs it in even more, the one I wore for Halloween.)

But now, if we're looking at something and waffling whether to buy it, one of us will ask the other "Is it a smoking jacket?" If the answer is yes, it comes home with us.

[missfunnybunny.livejournal.com]

An above-the-knee layered eyelet lace skirt with faux corset sides. My mom told me it was a bit "young" for me. I was 24 at the time.

[moonmelodies.livejournal.com]

I'm curious. What was your style like pre-cupcake goth era? Besides fabulous, of course. ;)