Classy on Sunday // Stripes and Silk

Hello there!
It seems like an age has gone by since I wore this vintage piece for Sunday, three weeks ago! The thoughts of what it was like wearing the darling thing are still fresh in my memory, probably due to how nice an experience it was. I don't believe I have yet worn a silken garment, but to say that silk is overrated is a bad assumption. I was thoroughly impressed and surprised by its airy quality; though it was a rather warm day, I didn't notice at all, even with long sleeves! But there! With any such natural fiber, one never really suffers in the heat because of the way the fiber acts to keep you cool and comfortable.




It is such a neat thing to have two sisters who can help back you up if you are ever in want for accessories! Brigi often lets me wear a pair of earrings to match a particular outfit or else a hair flower, and Charlotte usually will allow me the use of one of her snug cardigans (we joke about how large her collection of cardigans is in her wardrobe. She might have one in every color... Ha ha!)

I have a great desire to share with you all the happenings going on around here, but before I go on, let me share one last detail about this breezy dress. We went to a closing out sale at a vintage shop up in Dayton City in the month of March, and it is there that I found my new favorite. As soon as I tried it on I noticed how late 60's, early 70's this garment really was. It still has the simple 60's flare–you can tell by the silhouette and stripe print–and yet there is the unmistakable 70's prairie collar and tie detail. I have tried on many a vintage piece, some ill fitting, some too big, but this one seems to be made just for me, and in fact, Brigi believes that it was tailored for a particular young woman back in its day, as there are no tags to tell us where it came from. I love finding out the story behind vintage garments!



Freedom! Jubilation! On with the rampage! There have now been two very big events that just took place in our singing lives and both within a week of each other! #1 We were blessed by the LORD to have a dream of ours unexpectedly come true. The dream being an opportunity to sing in our town's historic Murphy Theater. #2 We were also blessed to be invited to sing in our town's Courthouse (another big dream of ours) on the National Day of Prayer (you have already heard a smidgin from Brigi on that subject in this post)!

The Murphy Theater: How does one describe such a thrilling night in as little time and with as few words as possible? Let me give you a skimming from the top of the cream, and may you use it in whatever fashion you think best. We were told by Mom a few weeks ago that she was going to take us three out on a little "night out", while Dad was away on business, to go see a Blue Grass band, known as The Mule Skinners, perform at the Murphy Theater. Oh goody! This also counted as a little research time for the girls and I to study good showmanship when putting on a concert of our own (which we are about to put on at the end of the month!). The show was superb! In every way the plink, plank, plunks from the strings of mandolin, guitar, banjo, and bass were singularly Blue Grass! Ah. The delightful thrills of the twang in the band members voices made one feel right at home. There was a nice little intermission in the middle of the concert, and Charlotte and I (Brigi was in the unmentionable room) were called out by the elderly band leader–who was on duty talking to the bands adoring fans–to come on over and introduce ourselves. I made the "mistake" of explaining to him about our gift of song, and he, being the kind gentleman that he was, asked us right out to sing a song for him. We only got so far in our favorite "Angel Band" before he interrupted suddenly, saying, "You girls are coming up on stage with us!". What?!? To cut the story short (but how can I when there were so many mixed emotions to recall to you, so many delightful details?) we three actually did go up on stage after a few songs into the next part of the concert, and sung our very favorite Blue Grass tunes, "Angel Band", and "I'll Fly Away"! The four gentlemen were so kind to us three, and they even let us introduce ourselves and give everyone the address to our media page on Facebook! It was a night to remember, especially since we all were just agreeing earlier that day how incredible it would be to sing in that decadent building!!

 

Dress // Vintage; Shoes // DSW; Hair Florets // Borrowed; Earrings // Borrowed 

The Courthouse: A while back, one of our good friends called us up one day and asked if we would sing two patriotic/religious pieces in the Wilmington Courthouse, on the National Day of Prayer. We were basically invited to be apart of a ceremony focussed on the value of prayer and how we as one people are able to come before the LORD, in a spirit of humility and contrition, to seek His mercies.  (In the state of this society, to be apart of such a worthy service, set on making right what has gone terribly wrong was an honor more than we girls could ask for!) Through the use of the gift that our Father gave to us we were able to bless the small crowd who gathered around the rotunda inside the Courthouse. The Lord made calm our hearts, and filled us with awe for His faithfulness. After all, He did bring that crowd together to pray to Him, and that is something worth thinking about. We were asked to sing the "National Anthem", and then were given the choice to sing whatever else we thought appropriate of such an occasion. We chose, "Battle Hymn of the Republic". I hope you all have heard that piece at least once! It is filled with the spirit of the soldiers who marched bravely through the fields of battle in the time of the Civil War; filled with the honor we are given when we fight for truth and righteousness; filled with the drum-beat of hope for God's faithfulness to mankind to give us a Redeemer who saved us from our ultimate doom. It's a spectacular hymn! As we three lifted our voices in that great domed building, we could make out a ring in our harmony that we never noticed before! The perfect acoustics allowed us to hear the reverberation of both songs, and it gave me chills! I have always wanted to sing in that building, ever since I walked through it on tour with our homeschool friends! It is a beautiful place to visit, and sing in! :)

So those are the two big events the LORD blessed our lives with! Have a blessed LORD'S Day tomorrow my friends! I am off to work at the Greenhouse for the rest of today!

What big events have touched your life recently?

What era do you think my dress is from?

Have you ever worn a 100% silk dress before?

Fondly,

Jessica

The eldest sister & singer