Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Marlene's Fur Coat



I have something so fun to share today! Right in time for chilly December to arrive, I received the kindest (and coziest) gift package from a family member. Earlier in the year, he had helped move his mother to a much more manageable apartment complex and helped her clean out her house. He found LOTS of goodies and, knowing my love for all things vintage, collected a few for me! 

The reality of COVID delayed the actual mailing of said goodies but I didn't mind! Receiving it recently made for an unexpected surprise and it was SO fun to open it up and explore pieces from the past. Among the goodies was this lovely vintage coat with a fur collar. 

The BEAUTIFUL Pyrex bowls Kevin sent!

I was hoping and wishing for it to fit me the entire time I waited for it to arrive and I am excited to say that it does! Look at how incredible! Of course, it figures that I chose the windiest day to take photos wearing it. While taking them, I was beyond annoyed dealing with my wind-swept hair and my dress blowing up but now that I look at them, I guess it fits the goal of showing off a gorgeous coat! The vibe fits the bill. 

Appropriate photos aside, what's even better than having the coat to share? HAVING THIS PHOTO:

Everyone, meet Marlene and Paul Flanagan, photographed in their living room in Worcester, MA back in the day as they were heading out to an evening at The Eden, which was apparently their special spot downtown. Yep, that is a photo of the beautiful Marlene wearing this gorgeous coat I am wearing in these photos! I mean, there is SO much to say about this photo: her coat, HIS coat, the TV set behind them, her gloves, and HER HAIR! 

Their son, Kevin (the sender of these goodies and provider of the photo and its precious backstory), is married to my mother's cousin, Ruth-Ellen. They have been close to my sisters and me throughout our lives (ironically sometimes more than our first cousins/aunts/uncles despite being physically farthest away!) and we love keeping up with each other on Facebook. I was happy to have them attend my wedding in 2018 and was even MORE overjoyed when Kevin thought of me as he was cleaning out his mom's house.   

It isn't often I get to enjoy true vintage goodies. I live outside the city and even if I do travel into Boston, while there are a few, it isn't quite the mecca for vintage shops. I used to buy quite a bit of vintage dresses online but these days, my measurements no longer fit into most of the vintage found online. Oh the good old days of being in my mid-twenties, ha! 

It is SO fun to learn about my family's history. Ruth-Ellen and Kevin have a LOT of family knowledge, too. Ruth-Ellen is quite the researcher and collector of family information, news, stories, photographs, and roots. Her work from over the years is very impressive! So I suppose it really shouldn't surprise me to receive such a thoughtful gift from them along with the great photograph and story behind it! They're certainly our family's memory keepers. 

Happy Holiday Season, my little peanuts! I hope you have cozy coats to keep you warm and you are enjoying some of the holiday cheer around us!