Wallace Hall

I just spent the weekend swing dancing in the John Deutsch University Centre at Queen's University in Kingston for the Queen's Swing Dance Club's 20th Anniversary. Very conveniently, I have a Vera scarf that resembles Queen's blue, yellow, and red flag so that made a perfectly festive headscarf. The music by Gordon Webster and band was mind-blowing as always, and I thoroughly enjoying swinging out amidst the beautiful wooden panelling, lofty ceiling, and grand portraits of intellectual individuals!

Vera Scarves

After reading about surface pattern designer Vera Neumann I went through a period of discovering oodles of her scarves at every thrift store I went to! I always chuckle at how that kind of thing happens, and clearly I started a collection. The bold stripes and such on these slender pointed scarves are so eye-catching, and I love to see her name on the corners. Vera scarves are fun and functional to tie in my hair when swing dancing!

Vintage Striped Vera Scarf

The other day I was in the changing room at Value Village and my mom, who was thrifting with me, was apparently entertaining herself by flipping through the scarves. As I opened the door to show her a shirt I had on, she tossed a scarf into my hands and said, "Look what I found--it's very cute and French-looking!" I agreed. She added, "And look at the nice logo!" My jaw dropped and heart leaped. After babbling about the fact that it is a Vera scarf, I looked at the price tag--$1.99--and babbled some more.

Judging by this article about how to date a Vera scarf by the logo, I'd say it's from the '80s or '90s, so it's not incredibly old, but I love it anyway!

Vera Neumann

I typically arm-clear design books out of the library if they look even remotely interesting, and then I flip through the massive pile while eating breakfast, sitting outside, and the like. Well, last weekend I cracked open this book and my jaw repeatedly hit the floor with every new page!

As artists and entrepreneurs Vera Neumann (1907-1993) and I have a lot in common. I was shocked to see so much of my life reflected on the pages of the book, and it's strange, too, because I've always liked the name Vera. As I have discovered, she is most well known for her splashy mid-century scarves, but her artwork has also been turned into other garments as well as bedding, dishware, and additional home decor. It's intriguing to get a sense of the creation processes she was involved in, and how she made a living out of surface pattern design before it went largely digital. 

Her style is a mix of free florals and simple geometrics, all in bright color combinations. I am most fond of her paintings of architecture, food, and flowers. Vera: The Art and Life of an Icon is an uplifting, educational book.