Rain, Rain, Go Away

It has been rainy a lot here lately, hence my lack of outfit posts. I find it hard to get inspired about dressing when it is gloomy outside. There have also been a lack of good sales and thrifting here. Where has all the vintage gone???? I have been having to rely on eBay for new old clothes. Hopefully this will change as the weather gets nicer.

Today, my mom and I took my grandma out for a bit. Our day consisted of a visit with her sister and a quick stop at Sonic for some dinner. I got this dress a while back on eBay and was pretty upset when I opened it. The seller had not disclosed the numerous stains around the lap part of the dress. I really liked it otherwise, so I opted to keep it and see what I could do with the stains. I managed to fade them a bit, but there are still there. They kinda get lost in the print of the dress. Plus the dress zips up the front, one of my favorite designs.

Emily

OUTFIT DETAILS

Dress: eBay

Sweater: Target

Shoes: ReMix

Bag: Estate Sale

Film Fashion Friday: Tea for Two (1950)

***Sorry this is up SOOOO late!! I had it saved as a draft and never actually hit publish!!****

So the main film for this third week of Musical Month is Tea for Two (1950). I figured I couldn't have a musical month and not feature at least one of Doris Day's films! I really like this film for a variety of reasons, but mainly for its great songs, Doris Day's amazing voice, and great showgirl fashion. I don't know a whole lot about Doris Day and which of her films are the most popular, but I am assuming that most everyone has seen The Pajama Game, so I went with this film. The film tells the story of a rich heiress (Day) and her quest for making it on broadway. To do so, she bets her uncle $25,000, the amount needed for the show to go on, that she can go two whole days without saying yes. What Day doesn't know is that her uncle made some bad investments right before the crash, making him essentially broke. The film is told in flashback and is set in 1929. While the era is suppose to be the late 20's, this film definitely presents the fashion in a very late 40's early 50's style. Leah Rhodes designed the costumes and even though she wasn't able to capture a correct representation of the 1920's, I still feel she did a wonderful job. I especially love all the scenes with the showgirls in their practice clothes. I know I will be using their costumes as some of my summer clothing inspiration. Tea for Two is on on of TMC's Doris Day's box set and is currently an instant on Netflix.

My first recommendation is another Doris Day film, Love Me or Leave Me (1955). The film stars James Cagney alongside Day in a quasi-biographical account of jazz singer's Ruth Etting's life. As with Tea for Two, the film is suppose to take place in the late 20's onto the 30's, but the film's costume suggest otherwise. While I really adore Helen Rose, I do find that one fault with this film's portrayal of the past, although I find this to be the case with many films of the Classical Era and their representation of the past. Having said all that, Rose worked frequently in the musical genre and it shows in this film, with the use of dynamic colors and detailed showgirl costumes. Love Me or Leave Me is on DVD and is currently an instant on Netflix.

My second recommendation for this week is Down Missouri Way (1946). Being that this film was made by one of the poverty row studios, Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC), I had never heard of it until I was searching Netflix for some new films to add to my instant queue. Since it was only a little over an hour, I thought, why not watch it. It actually turned out to be quite good, especially for a poverty row production. The film stars Martha O'Driscoll as a college professor who lives on a farm. When a movie crew comes into town and is looking for a trained mule for their picture, O'Driscoll and her mule are thrown into the mix of a film production. The songs are nicely integrated into the film: the mule won't cooperate unless O'Driscoll sings to her first. From a vintage style perspective, this film holds a lot of inspiration, especially for the coming warmer months. I am really loving the farm look that is so nicely presented, mainly through O'Driscoll's maid. I am also digging the use of plaids and O'Driscoll's glasses. The costumes were done by a PRC costumer, Karlise, who had an extremely short stint in the film fashion world. Karlise only has eleven films to her credit, which is not surprising since many poverty row studios were only in business for a year or two before they ran out of money. Even with her short career, I still think her work on this film made it memorable and certainly worth watching.

Only two more musical posts!! :)

Emily

America's Castle

A week ago, my mom and I got a chance to visit America's Castle, aka the Meadow Brook Mansion. The mansion, or hall as it is normally referred to now, is located on Oakland University's campus and is the forth largest historic home museum in America. Matilda Wilson, the widow of John Dodge (yes, the man the created Dodge), and her new husband, Alfred Wilson built this 88,000 square foot home between 1926 and 1929. They modeled it after the Tutor style and made sure to have many specializations throughout the home. Each room was tailored to the occupant's tastes and interests. The home was also designed to have elaborate guest bedrooms for each of the occupants. This was a necessity when majority of the family's acquaintances resided in Detroit and would need to stay overnight for a visit. The 4 million dollar home boasts 24 fireplaces, 110 rooms, and 4 kitchens.

In 1957, Matilda donated the hall, land, family collections, and $2 million to Michigan State University to fund a college in Oakland County, which would later become Oakland University in 1963. In 1970, the University was granted autonomy.

When I was looking around Michigan for potential colleges I might attend, Oakland was high on the list. I wanted to go to a school that was close to home, beautiful, and most important, a high standing academic establishment. Throughout my four years at Oakland, I loved be surrounded by lush landscaping and the historic atmosphere. I also loved the smallness of the classroom sizes, which undoubtedly aided in a more hands on education, something Oakland prides itself in.

Last Thursday, the English department was holding a reception and complementary tour for recent graduates. We were invited to bring a guest and enjoy some hors d'oeuvres while we celebrated our recent accomplishment. My mom and I thought it would be a great chance to take some vintage inspired photos on the grounds of the hall. I think they turned out pretty great!! :) I tried my hair in some victory rolls... they looked okay, but I definitely need more practice and any tips would be welcome.

If you are ever going to be visiting the metro-Detroit area, Meadow Brook Hall should most definitely be on your tourist destination list!!! They also host weddings, for all you Michigan readers out there. If I ever get married, this is probably where I will be holding it at.

Emily

OUTFIT DETAILS

Dress: Mother Fletchers

Shoes: Southfield Vintage Clothing Expo

Earrings: Estate Sale

A Fabulous Giveaway!

Mary over at Deluxeville is hosting a FABULOUS giveaway for reaching 400 followers! In celebration of this, Mary is giving away one of her prized lamps (pictured above) for one lucky winner to welcome into her home. I seriously am IN LOVE with this lamp and am crossing my fingers extra hard!! ;) Click on Deluxeville above to be directed to the giveaway page on Mary's blog. And, whle you are at it, check out her fab blog as well. I just adore her home!

Congrats to Mary for getting to that milestone!

Emily

Weekend Uniform

As most of you know, this past Sunday was Mother's Day here in the U.S. My mom decided that a causal and quite day would be the best for my Grandma, since it's getting harder on her to sit on the hard benches at church. My mom invited her brother over for some dessert and we had little visit. Because we were having such a low key day, I felt one of my new Swirls was fitting to wear. It's black and white gingham with red flowers embroidered on the bust and pockets. Since getting my first Swirl, I have become addicted!! They are my new vintage obsession!! :) Not to mention a perfect weekend uniform or go to outfit.

Hope all you moms out there had a wonderful Mother's Day!!

Emily

OUTFIT DETAILS

Swirl: eBay

Shoes: Re-Mix

Sweater: Target

Bakelite Hoops: eBay

**Photo From HERE**

Film Fashion Friday: Orchestra Wives (1942)

Welcome to week two of Musical Month here at Film Fashion Friday! This week's pick comes from 1942 and stars Ann Rutherford and George Montgomery in Orchestra Wives. I just recently discovered this film and it has since become a fast favorite. If you are into 40s big band musical or are a fan of Glenn Miller, then this picture is for you!

Ann Rutherford stars as a hometown girl, Connie, that falls for Bill (Montgomery), the star trumpet player in one of the most popular bands. When the band travels to her town, Connie makes sure to make it to the show and ends up exchanging kisses with Bill. They then decide they should get married and there beings the real meat of the movie. Connie has a difficult time fitting in with the rest of the wives, making for a musical version of The Women (1939). All of this is inter-cut with the band numbers, all preformed by the Glenn Miller Band. At the conclusion of the film, you are also treated to a performance by the wonderfully talented Nicholas Brothers. If you haven't ever seen them dance, you are really missing out!

Earl Luick designed the costumes for this film and did a truly wonderful job capturing the everyday look of the early 1940s. The main female characters are dressed very much like we would have expected the middle class to have looked like. While their are some gowns, I feel that they are a bit tamer than one who expect a Hollywood starlet to wear to a premiere. I suspect that since this film was made in such a close time frame to the US's entrance into WWII that this could have effected the costuming slightly. Regardless, the main actress are stunning and a true inspiration for anyone looking to recreate a 40s look. And you can't forget the extras!! The extras are also worthy of looks during this film, especially at the big dance where we see a few swing dancers showing off their spectacular moves -- not to mention the great clothing, shoes, and hairstyles. I was really digging Ann Rutherford's hair throughout the entire film and may even try to recreate some of her signature looks in this role. I must say, Rutherford is quite adorable in this role and is definitely much more grown-up then her role as Carreen in Gown with the Wind (1939). Orchestra Wives is currently an instant on netflix and is available on DVD.

My recommendation for this week is Four Jills in a Jeep (1944), which is loosely based on Carole Landis' book of the same title. The book is based on Landis' experiences while touring Europe during WWII entering G.I.s. The book is really interesting and I haven't even made it through the whole thing yet! Four Jills doesn't just feature the four main girls, it also features Betty Grable, Alice Faye, and Carmen Miranda, all doing some kind of a performance. You definitely get a lot of bang for your viewing with this film. Some historians have noticed this as well and have noted that they feel this was 20th Century Fox's way of luring in a bigger audience because they felt the four main girls couldn't carry the film all on their own. While I see their point, I highly disagree. With the lovely Carole Landis singing, the stimulating dancing of Mitzi Mayfair, and the ever so witting comedy from Martha Raye, how could one not enjoy this film?

While Luick didn't have very long career in Hollywood, the costume designer of Four Jills did. Yvonne Wood worked in Hollywood for about forty years and Four Jills was only her second picture, although you wouldn't have ever known it. Wood also does an excellent job of presenting a realistic approach to dress in the 40s. It also helped that the girls were supposed to be on tour in Europe, so, naturally they didn't have their hair and make-up dressers at their disposal. Four Jills in on DVD and is also apart of the Alice Faye Collection Volume 2.

Look for week three's picks next Friday!

Emily

Meet Me In St. Louis: A Blogger Meet Up Part 3

DAY THREE

Sunday was my third and last day of my little visit to St. Louis. Since I had to catch my evening flight home, the girls thought that Sunday would be the perfect day to go to some of their favorite antique malls. We had just enough time to shop at two malls and get some lunch before I needed to get to the airport. The first mall produced this little expandable jewelry box. All three of us bought some items from this vendor's booth, as the prices were dirt cheap and the items were really nice. I am in love with this box and it now sits on my dressing table with my most worn jewelry in it. It's so nice not to have to dig through my jewelry draw anymore!! I also bought a really cute brown felt hat from this booth as well. Brittany got some really cute Bakelite earrings from this booth and is wearing them in the picture above.

I had such a lovely weekend and want to thank the girls again for showing me such a great time. Thanks to Brittany for hosting dinners at her home and many thanks to Amanda for being my personal driver the whole weekend! Thanks girls and I can't wait to come and visit again!!!

Emily

OUTFIT DETAILS

Dress: Farmhouse Estate Sale

Sweater: Target

Snood: St. Louis Mills Mall

Flowers: Made by Me! ;)

Meet Me In St. Louis: A Blogger Meet Up Part 2

DAY TWO

On the agenda for day two was an early morning trip to this warehouse that had six levels full of stuff only a digger would dream of. Making it to the warehouse was one of my major goals of the trip. Amanda had told me so much about the sale and said that it would be going on for a few more Saturdays. Not only did I want to meet up with some fellow vintage lovers, but I also wanted to check out this sale; Amanda made it sound soooo good!! She was totally right. So Saturday morning, we all donned our best Rosie the Riveter outfit and headed off to the sale. Since Amanda and Brittany had been there before, they knew the best place to start. The 5th and 6th floors is where all the clothing and textiles were. The girls think this building may have been used as a Goodwill sorting facility, as there were huge bins formed around movable pallets. We spent about 2.5 hours there and all came away with some really great stuff. The pile of linens pictured above was found in the warehouse and most are in fairly good condition.

After the warehouse, Brittany took us to this sweet little retro diner that served up the best greasy food!! :) Us gals had a fun time changing in the bathroom and helping each other out with fixing their hair. It was pretty packed, so we opted to sit at the counter rather than wait for a table. I think it turned out to be a great idea since we were able to get this really adorable picture of the three of us. Those green earrings are the ones I got at the Value Village the day before. The girls were so sweet to let me have them, as they matched my outfit perfectly.

After the nourishment of some food, we headed out to some thrift stores. That's were I found this awesome little Evenflo pitcher, for only 50 cents. I collect vintage pitchers and was super excited to find this one, as it can double for a measuring cup too. Once we were shopped out, we headed over to Brittany's to sort through the warehouse stuff and to have some Chinese take out. As if we hadn't already shopped enough for the day, later that evening we made a trip to the Mills Mall, we all three of use found some great snoods for only $3.99!! I am kicking myself now for not buying all the colors. :)

Check back tomorrow for the final part of my trip!

Emily

OUTFIT DETAILS

Picture One:

Coveralls: My Dad's

Shoes: Target

Scarf: Kohls

Picture Two:

Dress: Estate Sale

Belt: Target

Earrings: Value Village, St. Louis

Meet Me In St. Louis: A Blogger Meet Up Part 1

Two weekends ago, I made a trip out to St. Louis, MO to visit a fellow vintage blogger, Brittany of Va-Voom Vintage and her friend Amanda, who is also one of my blog readers. I feel really awful that I am now just getting around to posting about my lovely time spent there, but better late than never! You can check out Brittany's post about our weekend HERE.

DAY ONE

I arrived in St. Louis in the afternoon and the girls picked me up from the airport wearing their vintage finest. Both Brittany and Amanda looked soooo cute!! Our first stop was an estate sale in a cute little older neighborhood that rivaled Michigan's Royal Oak area (pictured above). The sale was a bust for Brittany and Amanda, however I scored some round vintage napkins with cute yellow fall leaves on them. They match my vintage fall table runner and will make their debut this Thanksgiving. Sorry no pictures of them as of yet.

On the way to the second estate sale, Brittany spotted a Value Village and antique mall that neither of the girls had seen before, so we make a stop there before heading over to the estate sale. We all found some great items at the thrift store. I found a perfect vintage chenille bedspread, a cute 80s does 40s blouse, and a great pair of green carved fake-lite hoops. After the thrift store, we went into the little antique mall next door which produced the aqua ceramic cookie jar pictured above. For only $6 it was one of my first deals of the trip.

We got to the estate sale about 30 minutes before they were going to close up for the day and we all got some great deals. I got my first VERA scarf for only $1!!! I also got the cute little vintage wedding cake topper for $10. I saw it on the website listing that Amanda emailed me and I couldn't believe it was still there when we got there. It was definitely meant to be!!

After a day of shopping, we headed over to Brittany's for a yummy dinner her hubby had made for us. After dinner, we had some fun watching some You Tube tutorials and other random vintage how to videos. Mainly the expert's village videos of how to dress 50s; they are a hot mess!! Neither of the gals had seen them and if you haven't either, you must take a look. I don't know if this girl is for real or is just kidding, but either way it's quite interesting.

Check back tomorrow for DAY TWO!

Emily

OUTFIT DETAILS

SHIRT: Charlotte Russe

SKIRT: Estate Sale

GLOVES: Grandma's

HAT: Value World

SUNGLASSES: JC Penny Optical

BELT and SHOES: JC Penny

TRAIN CASE: Mother Fletchers

A Day of Accomplishment

This past weekend I closed the door to my undergrad career at Oakland University and opened the door to a whole new stage in life. My college commencement took place on a very rainy Saturday and was unfortunately outdoors. I had my trusty umbrella in tow so my hair didn't get too drenched, but it did loose a lot of the curl by the end of the ceremony. At least the rain let up and we were able to march out of the pavilion to the bagpipes. The rain was not going to put a damper on this day, which I had been looking forward to ever since my first college class four years ago. I had a great time sitting next to a few friends from the film department and we kept each others spirits up as we roughed out the rain. In regards to my outfit, I was trying to recreate what a 1940s high school or college graduate girl would have worn on her special day. And, since the general look of the cap and gown hasn't really changed since those seventy years, I feel I accomplished the look.

Emily

Dress: Bloomfield Hills Jewelry and Vintage Apparel Show

Shoes: eBay