Some spring inspiration from 1935

Last week we felt a touch of spring here in the mitten state and it ended up causing my poor MCM basement to flood on Monday.  After a messy two days, I am ready to get a jump on spring cleaning and well, for the warmer temps to roll in.

Unfortunately, the weather man is calling for more subzero temps for at least another week or more.  Until the weather gets the memo, I'll be flipping through this 1935 Sears catalog and dreaming of springtime.

Feel free to share these or pin them, but please give credit/link back here.

From the LV Archives: 1936 Valentine Store Front Window Display for Lord & Taylor

Since I have been blogging for several years now, I thought it might be fun to occasionally share a post from the Livin' Vintage Archives.

This is one of my favorite photos that I have collected over the years.  It encompasses many of my vintage loves: vintage fashion, old store fronts/displays, photography, and documenting history.

SEE THE ORIGINAL POST

For a while I thought this photo was used in a kit to help other Lord & Taylor window dressers get the original look created in New York.  Now I am thinking that it might have been used as a way to document past windows for the L & T archives.  Regardless of the intended purpose, I am glad it was taken and that it now resides in my collection.  I have a few others like this and plan on sharing them soon.

*PHOTO DISCLAIMER: this photo is from my personal collection and may not be copied, reproduced, or redistributed in any whole or part.  All rights reserved by livin-vintage.com, 2014.

Vintage Christmas Craft Week: 1930s Crepe Paper Bells

I've been wanting to do a week of tutorials for a while now and what better time than Christmas to work on some fun crafting projects?  All this week, I will be sharing some holiday themed how to's, patterns, and some retro Christmas crafting project ideas.

To start the week, I am sharing this nifty idea for hanging bells made from crepe paper, circa a 1930 Dennison party book.

1936 Valentines Store Front

I thought that this year for Valentines Day, I would share a photo from my personal collection of a store front display from Valentines Day 1936. (Click to enlarge).

The photo has a very detailed description of how the display should be set up: with what colors, etc. I also really liked that they were using the "new cellophane" mannequins. Aren't those gowns to die for?

Hope everyone is having a great Valentines Day!

Emily

Please Note: This photo is from my personal collection and it was purchased by me. Please DO NOT reproduce this item. You may use it for personal uses, such as fashion inspiration, however, any other use than that is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Half Moon Manicure and Product Review

I decided a little while ago that when it came time for me to re-polish my nails, I was going to try something new and a little more vintage. I always have my nails painted, it's very rare that you will see me without polish on. I really feel it is my best accessory. Plus, after years of acrylic nails in high school, it helps keep my nails strong and less prone to breakage. After much thought, I chose to go with a half moon manicure that many ladies sported in the 30s and 40s. I opted not to shape my nails in an almond or oval shape because I don't find it that flattering on my hands and I also chose not to do a white tip.

It was really simple to do, surprisingly. Especially since I haven't ever had much luck with trying to do a French manicure at home. I used the French manicure tips at the base of my nail and did pretty much the same thing Super Kawaii Mama does in her youtube video, which you will find below.

I'd like to point out that I have seen some girls use these Avery reinforcement labels instead of the manicure tips. I think this is a great idea and a much cheaper device to achieve the same look. I know what I will be buying once my tips run out!

I also want to share one of my secrets for keeping nails strong and helping your polish last for more than just a few days. As I mentioned above, I used to have acrylic nails and had then on for about seven years. Two years ago, I decided enough was enough and I went back to a more natural look. It has really taken all two years to get my nails back to a somewhat normal state. Note to self: sometimes our mothers are right! Anyways, I had been having a really hard time keeping the polish adhered to my nails. After only a day or two of painting, the polish would peel right off. I knew I needed a better base coat and after several trials and errors, I believe I have found one of the best ones on the market and one that is actually affordable. ULTA's Silk Wrap Base Coat is seriously AMAZING!!! It's under $7 and definitely does what it says it will do. I can go about a week without having to redo my nails, which is considerably longer than just a day or two. So ladies if you are having the same problem as I was, take note, and go get your self a bottle of this magic potion!

Emily

Now and Then

I may have mentioned this on my blog before, but my 90 year old Grandmother lives with my family. She moved in about a year and a half ago and has been enjoying her little room here ever since. She is such a cute little thing -- she is under five feet tall and was always a short gal. Yesterday she wasn't herself, so I thought a trip down memory lane via some old photographs would help cheer her up. We sent a few hours looking over all the pictures she had saved from the 20s-60s. My grandma is part of the reason why I am into old things. I always loved looking at the old black photo album when I was a kid and those photos of her and her sisters dressed so fashionably is just one of my many inspirations for dressing vintage.

After the photos, we decided to play a little dress-up with some of my vintage hats and sunglasses. My grandma didn't save a lot of her old things and the things that she did, I treasure dearly. I think she had a lot of fun "going back" while she tried on the hats and sunglasses. Isn't she cute?

The old photo is from 1932 when my grandma was 12. It was taken on her grandma's farm in Canada. When I was about that age, my family took my grandma back to her grandma's farm, which is sadly not owned by the family anymore. She really enjoyed her summers there as a girl and often talks about taking another trip back. When I was a girl, I loved to hear her tell the stories about her grandma's old seller full of home canned goods and the bread and pies she would make and go into town to sell. Even now, I still enjoy hearing them....they just don't get old!

Well, I am off to see a vintage dealer at his warehouse about some vintage clothing. Wish me luck!

Emily