vintage charm

It just so happens that somewhere in the country of Thailand, one of my sisters is laying on a beach. She's wearing a swimsuit which makes my toes wriggle for sand and warm water, tropical breezes and all the other wonderful things I imagine surrounding her. The morning's relative warmth and my sister's tropical adventure led me to photos of bathing beauties from the good ol' days when suits were not stretchy or small, but literal suits. Over the years they've trimmed some of the extra fabric off and made them quite a bit easier to swim in, but I can't help loving the details of the before-time of bathing suits.

Let's not forget the hair and the shoes, which often distract me with their charm.

There's nothing like very cold weather followed by not-so-cold weather to make one feel very excited about spring and even more excited about summer. A bit of a February thaw, with little buds and fresh green shoots poking their timid heads out of the soil is just what I needed this morning. I can feel my muscles relaxing, inviting warmer air and dreams of sunnier days. It's no Koh Tao beach, but it'll do. For now.

Thanks to Lizzie at http://thevintagetraveler.wordpress.com/ for sharing her amazing collection of vintage photos. They prompted today's post and possibly a new project designing a vintage-inspired bathing suit for myself...