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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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