Outfits and Buildings Telling Stories

It takes time to build a unique collection, and that goes for creating a unique wardrobe as well. Some of you might remember the story of this tapestry coat (OCTOBER 2017), how doubtful I was, keeping the coat in my shopping cart while browsing Goodwill, then leaving it behind, driving back home only to return to the store to rescue this jacket the very next day. I don't know whether it is vintage or not (the label doesn't suggest vintage), but it is well made and I have no regrets purchasing it, even though I did not really need another jacket. But that's the beauty of being a collector - you certainly don't need to add to your collection, but if a new find brings you joy, then that's the right thing to do! And so this jacket joined my general collection of jackets and coats, and is now also a part of my particular collection of tapestry jackets and coats (see my other tapestry coats in APRIL 2017 and MARCH 2019). Unlike many modern pieces which only imitate tapestry (while being prints), all of these pieces are actually made of woven fabric.

In her comment on my old post, BEATE suggested to create a character of a story as an inspiration for my future outfits with the jacket...

"I´m a wild girl in the middle of nowhere - Mexican border or Sierra Nevada - and buy colorful dresses from a catalog because I like them (outside it's just beige dust)... But I have to wear a jacket in Winter - so I just throw on one of Dad´s, made from a blanket, because that's the only one I own..."

Needless to say, I was enchanted with the fruit of Beate's imagination...

So I tried wearing this jacket with some of my colorful dresses, but especially loved this combination - so much that I wore it twice in the last three days, to work, errands and play. While this dress doesn't boast bold colors, it charmed my heart with the textured fabric, combined with subtle shades of various stripes in French gray, and of course the gorgeous design and details, such as puffed sleeves and pom-poms! The dress is very comfortable to wear, fully lined, made of pure cotton by eShakti. Justin gave me a gift card for Valentine's Day earlier this year, and I chose three dresses, all made of cotton to my measurements, and this was one of them. It quickly became my favorite dress of the moment, I must say. I hope the pom-poms will stay after washing. I've never actually had a dress quite like this before. 

We chose one of our local parks with pioneer's wooden cabins built back in the 1800s, thinking that old log houses would provide a perfect background for my outfit. I love the rustic feel of log houses, and love when people save historical buildings, however unfancy they are.

The Denny Cabin is now standing in West Hylebos Wetlands Park in the city of Federal Way, but its history started in Seattle (west from the area which is Seattle Center now, with all the tourists attractions). David L. Denny was from the family of first settlers in the area (if you're familiar with Seattle, you have certainly at least heard of Denny Way or Denny Park), and was an ambitious businessman who did a lot for his beloved city, like helping to install the water system, electric lights and electric railway, and had even bigger plans. This cabin was built in 1889 as a real estate office (therefore the unusual roof which was probably designed to attract attention). The cabin miraculously survived fire that destroyed other buildings in the area, just a few weeks after it was built.

In many years of its life, The Denny Cabin served as a school, church and even a tavern, till the day when it was destined to be disassembled and moved from its spot for a new IHOP restaurant. The enthusiasts from a few historical societies from different towns around Seattle (West Seattle, Issaquah and Federal Way) tried to save it in different periods of time. Long story short, it was finally rescued by the Federal Way Historical Society and after a couple of moves put permanently by the entrance to the West Hylebos Wetlands Park, where you can now see it. Its owner's life was no less dramatic, but much less lucky at the end. The successful businessman lost everything in the panic of 1893 which shook the whole country, and died a poor man. 

"When he left his city home for the last time he said as he paused at the door, and looked sadly about, “I’ll never look upon Seattle again.” Then, like a sorrowing father turning his back upon an ungrateful child, he went out of the city to his humble home in the woods." 

Quote from Roberta Frye Watt, Four Wagons West: the Story of Seattle (Portland:

Metropolitan Press, 1931), HERE. Old photos of The Denny Cabin - source HERE.

There is another old log house in the park, and I even took photos in front of the Barker Cabin before (JULY 2017), but that's a whole other story. (For local history buffs, HERE is a detailed article!)

Tapestry jacket - secondhand

Dress - eShakti

Necklace - Chico's

Boots - Josef Seibel (from 2012)

Bag - Frye

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