Being Daisy Buchanan

The last weekend of August I attended a super fun 1920s weekend with some friends, and it turned out to be the motivation I needed to not only get sewing again, but also to dust off my camera and get shooting. We picnicked, swan, played croquet and mah jong, met some awesome people, and charleston-ed our hearts out!

our venue was built in 1915, so perfect for 20s! this image is from a tour book from the period

It was a really perfect way to end the summer (and it really was the end...I started grad school a few days later!), and I don't think I can capture it accurately in words. Instead, here is a giant (really, really giant) photo post!

waiting in line

our picnic setup. I love my giant umbrella!

ready to go swimming! We each made a 1920s bathing suit

Antonia knitted hers!

shooting film! Much braver than me.

the only pictures of me are on land, but if you can't tell from my drowned poodle hair I really did go swimming! The water was gloriously cool for the hot day.

we're goofs

splash fight!

I finally put sleeves on the white yachting dress I started a year ago...whoops

mah jong and afternoon refhreshments

a different game I can't remember the name of (but rules very similar to mah jong!) after dinner

serendipitously coordinated in dragon pajamas for morning croquet! The set I'm wearing is original (something I don't typically do, because originals are so delicate--in fact, these started to shred when I was wearing them. I've photoshopped them back together here.) and made of lovely red satin. I plan to lift a pattern from it so I can make a new pair I won't mind running amok in. 

croquet takes teamwork

The Wolverine Jazz Band! They were so great!! And joined by a fabulous vocalist (and our fearless dance teacher) who was amplified via megaphone

And the B&Ws:

ok, it's not black and white, but I added little corners so I'm counting it in the special ones

my dinner dress

Of course, I managed not to get a single picture of any dancing! Luckily my friends were more on top of things than I was. Here's a video one of them took of a charleston--I'm the blur in gray at the very beginning.

#gatsbyontheisles #charstondance

A video posted by Julia (@julia_rampone) on Sep 6, 2015 at 12:26pm PDT

Now all I need is a yellow car to crash! Or maybe not.