Thursday, December 31, 2009

New Years Eve Circa 1967

This photo is of New Years 1967. My grandma is the lady in white, one person left of the lady by the letter N. Next to my grandma is her younger sister. Don't they look like they were having a marvelous time? :)

Happy New Years Everyone!!!!! I hope you all have a wonderful New Years Eve!!!!

Emily

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Celebrations

Yesterday was my mom's birthday. For the last few years, we have been dinning out at Macaroni Grille for her birthday celebration. They serve delicious Italian cuisine and highly recommend going if you ever get the chance. I always take any sort of a celebration as an excuse to get dressed up. My mom had a really nice birthday this year and she is enjoying her vintage cameo that I got her. :)

Tomorrow I am taking a drive over to the closest Goodwill Outlet Store, or the bins as many call them. I have been searching for a close location for a while, since Michigan does not have one (I found one in a bordering state). I am really excited by the thought of buying thrifted finds by the pound!! I'll post any finds that should come my way!!

Dress: Mother Fletchers

Sweater: Target

Purse: Salvation Army

Heels: eBay

Belt: Off Another Dress


Emily

Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!!!!


If you didn't notice, I stole my entry title from an N'SYNC song. Their Christmas album is still among one of my favorites. :) Anyways.... Merry Christmas!! I hope Santa brought everyone something special!!

This is what I wore to church last night. I decided on wearing my "Joan" dress. I got this dress a year before Mad Men even aired on TV. Then one night, to my surprise, I was watching an episode and saw Joan wearing my dress...or something very very similar. Mine doesn't have the buttons or as low of a neckline, but is similar nonetheless. I almost wore this dress for Halloween. :) I went with this over the other two choices because I wanted to keep with tradition and wear my Great-Grandma's coat; I have been wearing it to church on Christmas Eve for several years now. I feel they go together well -- almost like they were made for each other. So this year it was a "Mad Men Christmas."

Dress: TJ's Sweet Repeats (They are no longer in business)

Purse, Earrings, Shoes: Estate Sales

Pin, Bracelet, Coat: Great-Grandma's

Belt: Kohls


Merry Christmas Everyone!!!! May your day be joyful and bright!!

Emily

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Black and White Christmas


These are some of my favorite Christmas photos. They are from my grandma on my mom's side. When I was a little girl, I would love to look at all the old pictures at grandma's house. She has this big black album that is from the '30s filled with old photos. That was my favorite thing to look at and I would spend hours doing so. After looking at the album, Grandma would get down a shoe box that was filled with old Polaroids. This is where these photos were found. The color one is probably from the late '40s to mid '50s. The black and white one is probably from 1956 since is says April '57 (I think the date thing was off on the camera). I love all the old furniture and Christmas decorations!! I will be posting more of these old photos in the future.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas eve!! Tonight I will be attending church with my family and have yet to decide on which dress to wear. I am still debating between three different dresses. :)

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Emily

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Green Glamour


For a long time now, I have been on the look out for the perfect vintage vanity set. Last summer, I found a sterling silver brush and comb set at an antique mall sidewalk sale for $4. It was a reproduction, but that was okay by me because I wouldn't feel bad if something happened to it while I cleaned it.

Last week, while lurking around on eBay, I came across this vintage set, for only $15!!!! The mirror is in perfect condition -- no cracks or dark spots!! It is vintage celluloid and has such a lovely design. I am thinking it might be from the mid to late '20s because of the button hook, but if anyone has a better guess, let me know!! This set kind of matches the power jar I found at a flea market over the summer. My brush and comb don't really match, but I don't mind. I am planning on looking for a comb to match this set and possibly a silver mirror to match the other. A girl can never have too many vanity sets....can she??

Emily

Monday, December 21, 2009

The Snow is Here!!

I want to start off my post by sending a thank you out to Leah over at Storybook Ranch. I won her giveaway and on Friday I received it in the mail. Since then, this cute vintage inspired magnet has been on my fridge and my family has had some fun playing around with all the different adjectives. Thank you soo much Leah!!! :)
Last week, Metro Detroit Michigan finally saw some snow that actually stuck to the ground. I love snow this time of year but don't care too much for it once school starts back up and I have to commute in it. We have less than an inch on the ground where I live, but the forecast is calling for more snow around Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!!! :) Yesterday I got dressed up to go out and do a little shopping. I recently purchased some stocking at Nordstroms with the seam up the back and I wanted to try them out. I found this dress in my closest; I had nearly forgot about it! After wearing it yesterday, I realized why it doesn't get worn too often, the top part had a hard time staying closed (as you may be able to see in the picture). I even pinned it with still no luck. Oh well, maybe I will trade it in for a different dress soon.

Hat, Shoes, & Bag: eBay

Dress: Mother Fletchers

Gloves: Estate Sale

Belt: JC Penny

Stockings: Nordstroms


Emily

Friday, December 18, 2009

Film Fashion Friday: Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

It is Christmas week this Friday. The main film for this special holiday edition is Christmas in Connecticut (1945). This is one of my favorite holiday films, as I'm sure it is for many others as well. No big description this time. If you haven't seen this film....you need to go out and rent it or buy it!!!! It's a very cute story and Barbara Standwyck has some great gowns, designed by Edith Head. This is a definite holiday must see!!!
I selected four honorable mentions of sorts. I have blogged about It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947) before, and it does feature some really lovely coat and hat ensembles. Plus it is a really heartwarming movie. Lorraine MacLean did the costumes on this film and doesn't really have any other huge film to her credit. I found it interesting that she also dabbled in the make-up department as well as some acting in the late '20s and '30s.

The Bishop's Wife (1947) doesn't have a whole lot of fabulous costumes, but I really like that Loretta Young wears the high heeled over boots. There is also a great ice skating scene as well. Irene Sharaff did the costumes for this film and has done the costumes for some other big films, later in her career, such as West Side Story (1961), Mommie Dearest (1981), and Who's Afriad of Virginia Wolf (1966).
Holiday Inn (1942) and White Christmas (1954) are both really wonderful Christmas musicals, both featuring music from Irving Berlin. As with most musicals, the costumes are great; Edith head did the gowns for both films.

I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays and I hope you get a chance to catch at least one of these great films!! Film Fashion Friday will be taking a short hiatus until for the holidays and will return in the New Year on January 8th 2010. Until then, if anyone has any suggestions for some themes (say a certain actress or actor, genre, etc.) or some of the eras you would like to see in the new year, let me know!!!! I love suggestions!!!

Emily

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Christmas Lights

I am sure every town has a house like this and if they don't, you are sure missing out. Some may find this tacky, and maybe it slightly is, but I think it's simply beautiful. This house has been putting together Christmas lights for 31 years and it has become a tradition for many in the area. Above are pictures from the corner of the street on either side. This corner house has a huge backyard and every square foot is covered with something that sparkles.
The daughter of the homeowner said it takes them about two months to set everything up. They sort of have little vignettes, all with different themes. I love the big Santa -- he is life sized!!
The daughter as said that the carolers represent the homeowner's grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I think that so sweet!!

Going to see this house has become apart of my Christmas traditions. When I think of Christmas, it's always one of the things that comes to mind. I love how you can spot the house from a block away and how much time this family spends on putting something like this together, for all of us to enjoy. I never miss out seeing this house during the holiday season.

Is there a house like this in your town? I'd love to see!!!!

Emily

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Last Day of School...


I meant to post this last week, but with all the holiday craziness, I am now just getting around to sharing this. Last week was my last class for my last fall undergrad semester (I graduate in May!!!!!). I was itching to wear one of my new dresses that I acquired at the farmhouse estate sale. This lady made SEVERAL of these dresses in the same style. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the pattern for this style among her stash of SEVERAL patterns. I ended up buying three of these, the only three left that were in good, wearable condition. The others had been patched and worn with lots of love. I can just picture this lady wearing one of these dresses while feeding the chickens. The other two dresses have ties in the back and for some reason, this one did not. All of the other dresses there had the ties as well. Maybe she forgot to sew them in? Anyways, when I saw this dress at the sale, I knew I had the perfect belt and shoes to match at home. I also just loved the print of the fabric. All this lady's dresses were made out of the cutest fabrics!!

Dress: Estate Sale

Sweater & Earrings: JC Penny

Shoes: Adrienne Vittadini

Belt: TJ Maxx


Emily

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Holiday Product Review: Wilton Cookie Press


A few weeks ago, my mom and I spotted this cookie press at Target. I have been wanting a cookie press for a long time and since this one was such a good deal, $9.99, we decided to pick it up and try it out. This past weekend, I got busy and whipped up a batch of Christmas trees to freeze for Christmas. I followed the recipe on the back of the box and swapped out the almond extract for lemon and added a bit more vanilla....I love vanilla!! I also added some green food coloring to make the cookies more festive.

I must say that what you get for ten bucks is nice. There are twelve different disks complete with a Christmas tree and a pumpkin, making this a nice buy for making all different kinds of holiday cookies. The press is nice and sturdy, not what you might expect from a ten dollar buy. Once I started making the cookies, things did not go as smoothly as the box states it will. There is a definite technique to making the cookies come out and it took several tries to make them look acceptable, even for a somewhat experienced baker. Once I got it down, they went onto the cookie sheet like one - two - three!!

The recipe tastes okay. It calls for 3 sticks of butter, which overpowers the taste. It is more of a butter cookie than anything.

Overall, I give this cookie press 8/10. The price is great and is quite sturdy. Target is carrying this press as part of their regular holiday specials that are found in their signature boxes. So if you still need to get some baking done for Christmas, I recommend this press. It takes the stress out of baking!! :)

Emily

Monday, December 14, 2009

1st Birthday!!


Yesterday was Pumpkin's first birthday!! I can't believe how fast time has passed. Last Thursday, my mom and I took her to the vet for her "big girl" check up. She now weighs a little more than 10lbs and is in great health!! The vet gave the go ahead to start her on dog food rather than puppy food. I started the dog food yesterday, on her birthday. She loved the new food and picked out all those pieces and left the puppy food in the bowl (we mixed the food so she wouldn't get sick).

This picture was taken last week when she was cuddling with my mom on the couch. How cute!! :)

Emily

Friday, December 11, 2009

A Big THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Last week one of my readers contacted me because she came across a pair of vintage shoes she thought I'd like. Rosie over at Pondicherry Cottage works at a thrift store and last week the above shoes came into her store. I told Rosie I would love to add the shoes to my collection and she promptly sent me a box packed full of vintage Christmas goodies!!!! Rosie, being the extremely sweet gal that she is, sent me all the goodies as a Christmas present!!!! She wasn't sure if the shoes would fit and when I got the box yesterday and tried on the shoes, they fit like a dream...a perfect fit!!! Now I cannot wait until warmer weather to take these cuties for swing around the block. Rosie also sent along a vintage apron, tablecloth, and runner; which all coordinate so well together. My mom loves the runner and I have a feeling it might adorn our Christmas table for dinner this year!! Rosie also sent a vintage corsage that is still in the box and a vintage Santa's boot which was filled with candy, but I have since devoured it all and have placed the sweet little Christmas hankie she sent in it. This was such a lovely surprise!!!!! I am so grateful to have such sweet and generous readers out there!!!

Thank You SOOOOOO Much Rosie!!!!!! I Love Everything!!!!!!!

Emily

Film Fashion Friday: Since You Went Away (1944)

So, I have a mini obsession with Joseph Cotten, which is reflected in this week's picks for Film Fashion Friday. I apologize now for the lack of pictures. I got both of these films through Netflix and sent them back before I took stills from them. Anyways, the main film is Since You Went Away (1944). This has an all star cast including Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones, an older Shirley Temple and of course...Joseph Cotten!!! The story revolves around the girls (mother and two daughters) and how they cope when their father/husband enlists in WWII. There is a great love story between Jones and Robert Walker, who was her ex-husband in real life. I have never been a huge fan of young Shirley Temple and this was the first "older" Shirley film I had seen. I must say that I am now a fan...but only of old Shirley. :) She has great clothes and shoes in this film (and in the honorable mention, too) and I really loved her hair too. I am going to have to study them and try to attempt one of her styles soon!!

Elmer Ellsworth was in charge of the wardrobe for this film and really did a good job. What many may not know is Ellsworth helped in the wardrobe department on some really great films such as Gone with the Wind, Marked Woman, and The Petrified Forest.

Both films this week take place during Christmas and both have great dance party scenes, making both film a must see!!!
I am sure many have seen I'll Be Seeing You (1944), it is a Christmas classic of sorts. Although Ginger doesn't have many different costumes (she mostly appears in one suit with different blouses) there is a great New Years scene that features a lot of lovely ball gowns. The extras are also very well dressed in this film. Edith Head was in charge of Ginger's clothing which shows some of her signature touches.

Next week I am going to try and round up some more films that take place at Christmas time!!

Emily

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Mad Men Plaid

Lana Turner's daughter has said how her mother had the tendency to nickname her jewelry and other items. I have found myself doing this lately as well. I have named this dress my "Mad Men Plaid" dress because it reminds me of something Peggy would wear. This dress came from the sale mentioned in my last post and is a homemade flannel wiggle. I looked at this dress the first day of the sale and decided I liked some other dresses more and put this one back. Afterwards, I was a little bummed I didn't get it because how often do you see a vintage flannel dress?? When I returned to the sale two days later, it was still there, so it came home with me! All of this lady's dresses had their original belts and this one did as well, but I liked how it looked with my wider silver belt instead.

The coat is a perfect match for this dress (I put a sepia overlay on it for flair). I found it at a garage sale two summers ago for only $20. It is such a lovely combination of blue and grey; something not often seen in vintage coats...or at least not around here. I love how much I matched and felt sooo dressed up for my afternoon lunch with a girlfriend.

Emily


Dress: Estate Sale

Belt: TJ Maxx

Shoes: Adrienne Vittadini

Coat: Garage Sale

Gloves: JC Penny

Purse: Michael Kors

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Pretty Pinks


This past Thursday, my mom and I ventured out to the farmland of Michigan to attend a once in a lifetime estate sale at a farmhouse. This sale was UNBELIEVABLE!!!!! It contained three to four generations of vintage goodies and everything was truly "priced to sell." The sale's description said there were over 100 "movie quality" clothing items from the 40's to the 60's. My mom came along to help me get some new items for my closet. She did a great job of picking out some wonderful pieces!! I have to say the majority of the clothing was 30's/40's farm dresses, and I picked up quite a few. They work well with cardigans and I want to pick up a pair of boots like the ladies wear in The Edge of Love.

The lady or ladies of the house were seamstresses and there were a lot of vintage patterns and fabric, both of which were added to my purchase. They also made a lot of their clothing and saved everything....even if it was torn or was no longer wearable. I came home with two whole bags of stuff the first day and another bag two days later when the items were at a discounted price. I was so elated to cross off a few things from my look out list, including vintage heel over boots and a high waisted girdle.

The robe in the above picture was one of the hand-sewn items and is well made. The cream top in the picture next to the robe is also from the sale. It is a pajama top dating probably to the early '40s based on the label. My mom treated me to both--Thanks Mom!!!!

These pictures are from the weekend and I am just now getting around to posting about them. It's finals week and I have been crazy busy with studying and paper writing...Saturday I regain my life!! :) This past weekend I also tried out a new hairdo to go with my new clothes!! I hadn't done pin curls in a while, so I set my hair with those and styled some faux bangs. I really enjoyed the faux bangs and plan on doing them again soon!!!

Most of my following outfits will be of the clothes I picked up at this estate sale...stay tuned!! :)

Emily


Picture One
Robe and Head Scarf: Estate Sales

Picture Two
Top: Estate Sale

Sweater: American Eagle

Jeans: Levi's

Shoes: Nordstrom Rack

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

70th Anniversary Gone with the Wind Box Set Review


I am finally getting around to posting this review!! I wanted to watch all of the extras included in the box set so I could make a fair assessment of this edition of Gone with the Wind. When I found out that this and the Wizard of Oz were going to have 70th anniversary box sets, both available on Blue Ray, I was super excited. When I went out to get the sets (my mom was treating for Christmas) Costco only had the Wizard of Oz on both Blue Ray and DVD; GWTW was only on DVD. Since I already own Wizard of Oz on DVD, I opted to get that one on Blue Ray and just stuck with the DVD version for GWTW. Anyways, to my understanding, both films were rescanned to create the Blue Ray version. I have not yet opened the Wizard of Oz one (my mom is waiting until Christmas for me to open that one), but I will tell you that the picture on GWTW is impeccable, even for just being a DVD.

I had been waiting to replace my VHS version and am so glad I waited for this box set. I have a guilty pleasure of made-for-TV movies and was super thrilled when I found out that included in this box set was the 1980 made-for-TV movie, The Scarlett O'Hara War. I have been trying to locate a copy of that for A LONG TIME!! This made the whole box set worth it, in my opinion. There is also a feature length documentary on 1939, "Hollywood's greatest year." This was very interesting and informative. Three of the five DVDs contained all the extra material and were well put together, giving a lot of information that many may or many not know. It was also nice to take peeks at some of the numerous screen tests. There are many clips of Paulette Goddard and Vivien Leigh, among others.
The box set also contains many of what Warner Bros are calling "collectables." These include ten watercolor reprints of the sets, a 52 page coffee table book, copies of some of the correspondence from David O. Selznick, a reproduction copy of the 1939 program and a "bonus" CD soundtrack sampler. Everything is high quality. My favorite picks are the book and the program. Both have really nice touches and photos, along with some great historical information.

I give this set a 5/5 only because of my made-for-TV movie obsession. The "collector" items are nice, but mine will stay in the box. Someone who isn't a diehard fan could live without all of these and could definitely get away with the older box set for a much cheaper price. I believe this box set cost $46 at Costco, and for me was totally worth it (again because of my NEED for the made-for-TV moive it contained). I also want to note that the packaging it comes it is really superb, complete with velvet exteriors and interiors - it really is a nice presentation.

If anyone has any questions about the set, ask away!!! It's always nice to be able to ask someone who already owns a box set any particulars before they purchase it.

Oh!! These box sets are in limited edition and this time I really believe this is true. Mine is numbered and there were only 10 other sets at Costco when I bought mine and they didn't have anymore in stock (I asked because I was interested in a Blue Ray edition, which no Costco in Michigan has, so if you live in MI you might have to get that online). So, I suggest if you are interested in adding this to your collection to act fast!! :)

Emily

Friday, December 4, 2009

Film Fashion Friday: Changeling (2008)

Welcome to another week of Film Fashion Friday. As I am with just about every week of this series, I am so excited to share my film choices for this week. This semester I had an opportunity to create a nine to twelve week screening series with the theme of my choice. We had to have theories and research to back up our themes and I thought it would be interesting to see what I could come up with related to costuming and how it affects the viewer. As I assumed before I began my search, there isn't really a lot out there on costuming. Film costumes are really overlooked and taken for granted. I really feel the vintage community is one of the costuming department's biggest fans and advocates.
The primary film for this week is Changeling from 2008. Even though I am not normally a huge Clint Eastwood fan, I couldn't wait for this film to come out. The costume designer, Deborah Hopper, had worked on two of Eastwood's other period films which were set in the forties (Letter from Iwo Jima and Flags of Our Fathers). I knew she was going to do a really good job with Changeling and thus my excitement for the film's release grew! What I didn't know until I had watched the DVD's extras and read interviews for my project was that most of the costumes for the main characters in the film are in fact period pieces. Hopper said that she flew around the United States in search of vintage garments indicative of the period. In days when most designers are creating their own looks for films, Hopper held true to making the period film look and feel as authentic as possible. She also said that she looked at old Sears catalogs and yearbooks from the time period to get a better grasp on what the average person in the late '20s - early '30s wore. The overall outcome is shear amazement! The film is cinematically very beautiful and tells a great - but heartfelt - story. Changeling is available on DVD and through Netflix.
This week's honorable mention is the HBO made for TV movie Grey Gardens (2009). This period remake of the documentary spans from the mid-1930's to the 1970's. The beginning of the film is full of wonderful period costumes. Costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas did a brilliant job of putting together a well dressed cast. Like Hopper, she used some period pieces, most notably the white dress Little Eddie wears to her coming out party. I couldn't find any for sure remarks about the shoes in this film, but to me, many look like period pieces and if they are not, they are surely crafted extremely well. Drew Barrymore has the most stand out pieces in the film and I would suggest watching it, if only to see her spectacular wardrobe. Grey Gardens is available on DVD and Netflix.

I wanted to end this week's film suggestions with a website recommendation. I recently found the site ClassicFlix.Com which is very much like Netflix but only provides classic movies and television shows. What is so great about this site is that they are the only rental company to offer the Warner Bros. Archive DVDs. I took a quick look at their offerings and I must say they include a lot of older movies that are extremely hard to find on DVD -- even to buy a used copy on half.com or amazon.com. Their plans are a bit on the pricer side; at least compared to Netflix but it is totally worth it if you are a classic film fan. I think I am going to ask for a subscription for Christmas!!

Emily

Oh! And don't forget to check back for my review of the 70th Anniversary Edition of Gone with the Wind. If you have any questions about the box set, let me know and I will answer them to the best of my ability in my post.

My Prefect Vintage Christmas

Super Kawaii Mom is hosting the most scrumptious Vintage Christmas Competition! The prizes are simply divine!! I was so excited when I found this and could not wait to get started on creating an entry. There are some really great entries so far. To check them out, click on the link above.

Here is what my idea of my perfect vintage Christmas would be:
Having a perfect vintage Christmas, for me, would be entertaining my family. I love to throw parties and play hostess! In preparation for my guests, I would need to decorate my home. One of the key decorations would be the silver feather tree that was been passed down through the female women of my family - first belonging to my grandmother (who turns 90 in March!!), then my mother, and now me.

While decorating, I would watch my favorite classic vintage Christmas movies; The Bishop's Wife, It Happened on 5th Avenue, Christmas in Connecticut, and of course, It's a Wonderful Life.

Christmas would not be Christmas without special Christmas cookies. My mom and I have been making Christmas cookies together ever since I can remember. Using my vintage Sunbeam Mixer and vintage rolling pin (both of which belonged to my Grandma), I would bake up some yummy cookies all while watching the first snow flakes of the winter outside my kitchen window.

While the cookies were baking in one side of the oven, I would get the rest of my Christmas dinner put together. Being the glamourous vintage homemaker (that I hope to be someday ;) all this would be done in style, in a lovely 40's rayon dress and babydoll heels to match. I also couldn't forget to don the prefect vintage Christmas apron, complete with cutely decorated trees.

While my dinner was cooking and the tasty smells were filling my little Craftsman bungalow, I would begin to set my table. Being that Christmas would be a "special occasion" in my vintage household, I would break out the sliver 1847 Rogers Bro. silverware that also belonged to my grandmother. The table setting would also include some lovely green mix matched Depression glass and Jadeite.

One of the best parts about having a vintage Christmas would be using all the lovely hand-me-downs I have received from my grandmother and mother. These are things I truly cherish and bring back so many fond memories of holidays past. But the really best part of my perfect vintage Christmas would be spending time with my amazing family and celebrating with them the birth of Christ.

Emily

Monday, November 30, 2009

A Girl Can Never Have Too Many Coats

I feel that a girl can never have too many coats. Maybe this is because I own an embarrassing number of coats, but regardless, coats are just divine. They can complete your outfit or add that extra flare or give your outfit that oomph of edginess. Vintage coats are one of the simplest ways to incorporate a vintage piece into your wardrobe. Most of the time they are easy to find and there are options in almost every price range. The best thing about coats, especially vintage ones, is the classic designs they feature. Many cuts and shapes never go out of style and fashion is very reciprocal.

I bought this coat over the summer and have been waiting ever so patiently to wear it. It is more than likely a homemade or custom tailored piece, as it has no label to it or signs that there was ever one present. It probably is from the 50's because of its swing design, but somehow when I look at it, the late 30's come to mind. At any rate, I am in love with the built in scarf, which is right above the mink, tucked into the coat. I also love the single side closure, giving it an off beat feel to it.

Coat, Gloves, and Shoes: Estate Sale

Emily

The Winner Is.......

Congrats to Heidi Ann!!!! I want to thank everyone who entered my little giveaway!!! This blog is so rewarding on so many levels. I truly enjoy it and am so grateful to all my readers!!!

Emily

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Thanksgiving Recap and Last Day for Giveaway

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful day on Thursday and filled up on lots of yummy food!!! I was really excited for Thanksgiving this year -- I love the food my mom makes and I really enjoy helping out in the kitchen. Each year I learn more and more from my mom and I know that years down the line, when it's finally my turn to host I'll be prepared.

We normally have dinner with just our family of my parents, brother, and maternal grandmother. However, this year we had some guests over; my grandma's sister Frances and her son joined us for dinner. Like my mom, I love entertaining and it was so fun to have dinner guests this year.

While my mom was finishing up the cooking, I got to set the table with some of my vintage linens. I love that my mom lets me do this. She normally gives me the job of setting the table and always gets a kick out of what I come up with.

I decided to wear this dress I traded for at Lost and Found Vintage. I had mentioned it in a post a few months back and it has been hanging in my closet ever since. I was waiting until I found the right sweater to go with it to wear it. I found a sweater a week or so ago and was itching to wear my new pearl necklace and earrings, so Thanksgiving was the perfect opportunity to do so.

Dress: Lost and Found Vintage

Sweater: J C Penny

Lizard Heels and Pearl Necklace: Estate Sale

Pearl Earring: Halzberg Diamonds


Don't forget, today is the last day to enter into my giveaway!!! If you posted about this, don't forget to comment and send me the link. I will be drawing the winner tomorrow evening.


Emily

Friday, November 27, 2009

Film Fashion Friday: Gilda (1946)

Due to the holiday this week, Film Fashion Friday is a day late. I had planned on doing a different film for this week, but yesterday I picked up some dvds while shopping on "Black Friday" and had to make a change of plans. One of the dvds I picked up was Gilda (1946). This has been on my wish list on half.com for a long time. Costco is currently selling it for $7.99 (I think, its under $9 for sure). I can't believe I hadn't seen this film before!!! It's a really great movie and it has some really spectacular gowns in it, all designed by Jean Louis.

Jean Louis is best know for his work in Gilda and for the gown Marilyn Monroe wore to sing happy birthday to John F. Kennedy. Louis started out his film fashion career in the mid-40's and made his last film in 1973. He also made the gowns for Loretta Young that she wore during her entrances on her show which aired in the 50's and 60's.

I really recommend checking out some of Louis's lesser known films because they show the same keen eye that is represented in Gilda. The gowns in this film are so glamourous and rightly so, since this film takes place mostly in a casino/night club. Gilda tells the story of forbidden love and has some gangster flare to it as well.
When I was looking for an image of a vintage movie poster to use in this post, I came across some of these publicity stills. I absolutely love Rita Hayworth's hair in this movie and it has convinced me not to cut my hair just yet!

Gilda is available on dvd and is an instant on Netflix.

This week's honorable mention is from 2006. Hollywoodland is a period film staring Ben Affleck, Diane Lane, and Adrian Brody. Hollywoodland is the story of the first superman, George Reeves, who starred in the television version of the classic comic. Julie Weiss did the costumes for this film and she did a wonderful job -- the costumes are very true to the period. Hollywoodland is available on dvd and Netflix.

Check back later next week for my review of the 70th anniversary Gone With the Wind box set.

Emily

Friday, November 20, 2009

Film Fashion Friday: Wife Versus Secretary (1936)


First, let me apologize for my lateness in putting out this week's film selections. I had the day off of work and took advantage of that to get a lot of errands done and stop by a few estate sales--something I don't normally get a chance to do on Fridays!! Anyways, I am so excited to share this week's films and fashion designer. The main film this week is Wife Versus Secretary (1936). Ever since I saw Public Enemies (2009) this summer, I have really gotten into the look of the '30s. This film features really awesome outfits from the mid-30's.....these outfits are just to die for!!!!

The costumes were designed by Dolly Tree. Miss Tree designed costumes and coordinated wardrobes for over 130 movies during her movie career and some of likes include several Joan Crawford favorites and a few of the movies from the Thin Man series. Miss Tree began her career in Europe in the theatre the costume department. She is created with creating Mae West's signature 1890's look in her 1920's films and is believed to be the first designer to use the strapless gown.
Tree worked for MGM and designed looks for some of the big leading ladies of the 30's; including Jean Harlow and Myrna Low, and later for Judy Garland and Rosalind Russell. I was so excited to feature a film with her designs because I am sure vintage lovers have seen a film with her costumes and just didn't know it was hers. Tree was often overshadowed by other costume designers at MGM, mainly Adrian. I really recommend checking out some more of her movies, her eye and flare for glamour are spot on.

Wife Versus Secretary stars Clark Gable as a New York business man and Mryna Loy as his wife. Jean Harlow plays Gable's secretary. There is also a small, but memorable preformance by James Stewart, as Harlow's boyfriend. As the title suggests, this becomes a love triangle of sorts, without Gable actually engaging in a romantic relationship with Harlow--it is just assumed by the general public that he has cheated on Loy, thus creating a rift between the married couple. I love this film, not only for the great costumes but also because it is a lovable screwball comedy. I just wanted to point out one really great scene, the one pictured above, because it features mostly extras dressed in everyday leisure clothing indicative of the 30's. They are on an ice skating rink, so they have on winter type clothing--prefect to copy now that colder weather has arrived!!!
This week's honorable mention is one of my favorite period films, The War Bride (2001). This movie is the story about a war bride and her trials and successes as she tries to fit in with her husband's family while he is away at war. This is truly a lovely film in every sense of the word. The costumes/accessories are very right on and true to the era, as well as the make-up and hair styling. Some of the costumes remind me a little bit of the ones in The Edge of Love (2008). I highly recommend this movie, and it along with all of the others mentioned in this post are available on DVD and Netflix. Public Enemies will be coming out on DVD in December!!!

Emily

Thursday, November 19, 2009

100th Post GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe I have reached 100 posts!!! It's very exciting; especially since I only started this blog because I was bored one night and thought it would be fun to photoshop a banner for a vintage blog. That crazy idea has morphed into a part of my life I can't imagine not having. I can't tell you all how nice it is to be a member of the vintage blogging community. You all inspire me so much!!!

So, in honor of this milestone, I am hosting a giveaway. I know it's still a little more than a month away, but I wanted the giveaway to be Christmas themed. If you are the lucky winner you will receive a vintage half apron, a vintage milk glass bubble bowl, a set of vintage caroler candle holders (still in the box!!), two vintage Christmas greeting cards, and a pair of earring/shoe clips. To enter just leave a comment on this post and for an extra entry, blog about this post and use the button I have posted on the sidebar that links back to this post. If you do an extra entry, just leave another comment with a link to that post. I will ship to anywhere, so international bloggers are welcome!!!

Emily

EDIT:::I forgot to post what day I will do the drawing. The giveaway is open until next Saturday (28th) and I will randomly select a winner on Sunday, the 29th.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Snoods and Hair Nets

As I mentioned in my review of Hot Sticks in my previous post, the setting lasted for two days--much like a cold set. On the second day after doing a cold set, I like to wear my hair in a snood or hair net. The curls from the Hot Sticks setting looked very similar on day two to a cold set, so I was able to style my hair with a hair net. I was in a bit of a rush (I wanted to get to Mother Fletchers before they closed) so my hair doesn't look as refined as the lovely girl in the photo; which I found off the same website as the one I mentioned in this post. Mother Fletchers had a few new dresses out on the floor and I found one that came home with me; a really pretty late 40's rayon blend with a nice printed floral pattern on it. I am planning on wearing it on Thanksgiving. I also found the greatest pink hat I have ever seen in my life. Once I form an outfit around it, I will post some pictures.

Hope you all are having a marvelous Monday!!

Emily

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Sweater Season and a Product Review

This past weekend I saw two movies I had been dying to see; Pirate Radio and Coco Before Chanel. Pirate Radio was spectacular!!! If you love 60's music and 60's British fashion, I highly suggest you check out that movie. It was super funny and tells a great story. I was less satisfied with Coco Before Chanel. I definitely prefer the Shirley MacLaine's version. I felt that version was a bit more entertaining and showed more of the fashion side to Chanel's life than Coco Before Chanel. However, if you are interested in Coco Chanel I would go see it, the french countryside cinematography was quite beautiful.

I saw Pirate Radio on Friday night and it inspired my Saturday evening look. I got this sweater over the summer at an estate sale for $3 and I have been patiently waiting until colder weather to wear it out.

Saturday I also tried out my Hot Sticks for the second time -- the first time did not go so well. After seeing this video and this video I decided I needed to purchase these and try them out for myself. I got mine through Walmart.com for only $15 (and that's the link if you click on hot sticks above). I did the site to store and it was really nice, and I do recommend that process if you don't need the item ASAP. My second attempt at using them went better, and I probably will get better over time. I did find that they can be a bit difficult to roll your hair on. I think this is because they are so small in diameter and don't really have any groves to help grip the hair and possibly because the rollers get pretty hot in the centers. I also found that my hair got much more frizzy with the Hot Sticks than they do with a wet set. The set I have is a 14 count and does work well, but I would probably recommend the larger 20 count set for girls with longer or really thick hair. The set that I did the second time around lasted over night and into the second day -- which I was really impressed with; especially for a hot roller setting. I think it lasted longer because I sprayed some Lotta Body setting lotion into my hair before drying it and used a little bit of hair spray on each section before rolling. Overall, I give Hot Sticks a thumbs up!! If you use Hot Sticks, leave a comment for any tips or tricks to using them!!

Emily


Sweater and Earrings: Estate Sale

Jeans and Shoes: JC Penny

Tank Tops: Target

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Tutorial: Vintage Postcard Card Wallet

I saw this tutorial in an old issue of Country Living (September 2007) and I just knew I had to try it out!! After trying it, I knew I had to share this with all my lovely readers. This gift card/money holder is just in time for the holiday season. They are so easy and quick to whip up and will sure make a big impression on the recipient. Here's the steps:
Step One: The magazine calls for regular vinyl to be stitched on but I wanted this to be a super quick project so I used iron on vinyl with a matte finish. The result was amazing. Cut the vinyl about 1 cm bigger than the post card.
Step Two: Iron on the vinyl on a lower heat. I set my iron to the setting for synthetic material and use a press cloth. Once the front is ironed on, flip the card over and fold over the excess and iron that down. I did the folding method rather than cut off the excess.
Step Three: Fold the postcard in half and decide what side to be your front.
Step Four: Stitch down the three sides, leaving the top part open. I choose a decorative stitch, but you can use whatever you like.
Here's the finished product. The magazine called for a half moon shape to be cut out of the top to make it easier to access the card or money, but I chose to leave mine just the way it was because I really liked the gold border. I also used denim thread and that worked out very well. The magazine also suggested you could use a fancy embroidery stitch, like a blanket stitch to close up the sides; making this project easy to make even if you don't have a sewing machine.
I have a PDF version of the article in the magazine and if anyone would like it, please email me and I will send it to you. Hope you enjoy and I would love to see your finished product!!!

Emily