Monday, October 15, 2012

Top 5 Couples Costumes Inspired by Classic TV

Halloween is creeping up on us again.  If you are still trying to figure out your costume - think about doing something retro this year.  Check out the suggestions on this list and maybe you'll be inspired.

1.  Jeannie and Major Nelson - I Dream of Jeannie
 


2.  Gomez and Morticia  - The Addams Family




3.  Lucy and Ricky - I Love Lucy



4.  Samantha and Darrin - Bewitched




 5.  Herman and Lily - The Munsters




Who do you think should have made the list that didn't?

Sunday, September 30, 2012

1960s Time Warp


Moschino's Spring/Summer 2013 runway show was a time warp back into the 1960s.

 































I like where they were going with these dresses, but I think the interpretation of the vintage style is too literal.  

Don't you think they should have added something unexpected?

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Fashion of the Boardwalk Empire

The new season of HBO's Boardwalk Empire has finally started.  Whether or not you like the show, you have to admire the wonderful 1920s styling.  Gretchen Mol's character Gillian Darmody stole the spotlight with her sparkling sequined New Year's Eve dress pictured below.


The neckline and straight silhouette of her dress were both very popular in the 1920s.  Actress Alice Joyce is pictured in a similar style below in 1926.


We have already seen the influences of the 1920s on the fashion runway.  With the popularity of HBO's Boardwalk Empire and the buzz surrounding the upcoming Great Gatsby movie we are bound to see more fashion inspired by that roaring decade in the coming months.  

I'm looking forward to seeing more of the 1920s on the TV screen and in the fashion magazines.  Are you with me?


Friday, September 14, 2012

Polka Dot Fun


Enjoy the few last days of summer sunshine and be inspired by the lightheartedness of Polka Dots!  
 

Fantastic 1960s Ad

1960s Jantzen Swim Caps

1961 Arnold Scaasi Polka Dot Dress

Marilyn Monroe on the Beach


Polka Dots make everything feel so cheerful and happy, and couldn't we use a little more of that all year around?

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Love the Contrast!

Check out these black and white suits with fantastic contrast taping - one from the mid-1960s and one new for 2013.

1960s Andre Courreges Suit
McQueen Suit - Resort 2013


It's interesting how retro the 2013 McQueen suit looks with the wide collar and bell bottom pant legs.
  
Both are pretty great suits, but I feel that the Andre Courreges jacket with the striped lining is the stand out piece!  

What do you think is the stand out? 

Saturday, September 1, 2012

The New Look

In 1947 Christian Dior released a bold silhouette termed by the editor of Harper's Bazaar as the "New Look."  It was an ultra feminine style inspired by the tiny waists and large skirts of the mid-nineteenth century.  The standout from the collection was the Bar Suit pictured below on the right.

It seems that Dior has decided to revamp the Bar Suit for the modern girl in the 2013 resort line (pictured below on the left).  I love how Dior has maintained the basic silhouette, while giving the skirt a romantic sheerness, adding a simple belt and providing an extra hip detail.  There definitely differences - the buttons, collar and color.  Yet, I think the new Dior version has much of the same charm as the original - just with a modern twist.

What do you think?  Which version do you prefer?



Thursday, August 30, 2012

Retro Themed BBQ

Looking for some last minute ideas for Labor Day?  How about a Retro Themed BBQ?



It's a great excuse to pull out your fav vintage garb and enjoy a day out in the sun.  Here are my top 5 tips to make your Retro Themed BBQ a hit:


1.  Set the Scene
  • Put out a gingham tablecloth (nobody will mind if it's plastic).
  • Decorate with some colorful pinwheels to add a little fun. 
  • Make sure the music playlist matches the theme - maybe throw in some songs from the Beach Boys or the Monkees?


 2.  Keep the Menu Simple and Traditional
  • Burgers and hotdogs were popular then and are popular now.
  • For sides use the old classics like corn on the cob, baked beans, coleslaw or potato salad.
  • Treat guests to cherry pie for dessert.
 

3.  Drinks Should Stay in Theme
  • Spring for the bottled Coca-Cola.
  • Keep beer American - think Budweiser or PBR.   
  • Try to get your hands on a vintage cooler to hold the drinks.
  • Find a large punch bowl and mix up some vodka pineapple punch.
 
 

4.  Provide Some Unique Fun
  • Set up a game of horseshoes, badminton or croquet.
  • Ask guests to bring their baseball gloves and get a game of catch going.

   
5.  Most Importantly, Dress the Part!
  • Maybe try a vintage floral dress.
  • As a hostess, you may even want to throw on a cute vintage style apron to add a little pizazz and keep the food off of your clothes.
  • Top the outfit off with a cute retro summer hat or head scarf and you'll be sure to look glamorous!
 

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Sky Girls


Glamour, excitement and adventure!  When women had few career opportunities, becoming a stewardess was dream come true - an opportunity to meet new, interesting people and travel the world.   Not to mention getting to model some fantastic uniforms.


Delta Air Stewardess 1957-1959


The original flight attendants in the 1930s were known as Sky Girls and were actually registered nurses.  Some pilots had hesitations about having these ladies on board, but quickly found out that the Sky Girls both calmed the passengers and made the pilots' lives easier.


The Original Sky Girls


During WWII most of the nurses working as stewardesses left their jobs with the airlines to help with the war effort.   As a result, the airlines loosened their hiring restrictions and no longer required that their stewardesses be nurses.  Now they just had to be young, slim, well groomed, friendly and, of course, unmarried.  It was modeling in the sky - so their uniforms had to be glamorous.


1940s Delta Air Flight Attendants
Chic TWA 1965 Flight Attendants


These PSA uniforms are by far my favorite.  Super girlie, sleek and sexy - a great combination.  I would love to wear one!



Pretty in Pink PSA Flight Attendents




There were also some definite fashion mistakes as well - for instance, the Braniff International uniforms of the mid-sixties - yikes!  Who came up with those?




Then there was the Space Bubble - I kinda love it.  It was designed by Pucci to keep the flight attendant's hair from getting disheveled on the tarmac.


The Space Bubble designed by Pucci in 1968


I also love the hot pants and go go boots of the 70s.  Can you imagine seeing a flight attendant in that today?




Not all stewardesses in the 70s wore hot pants, but the tone of the decade for stewardess uniforms was definitely fun and playful.

 
Hughes Airwest Flight Attendants in the Early 1970s


There are some pretty great vintage stewardess uniforms, but what's your favorite?

Monday, August 20, 2012

Peplum Wedding Dress?


Peplum has been a popular trend in 2012 - on the runways, in the stores, throughout the streets.  Everyone has seen it, but not everyone knows what to call it.  Peplum is that ruffle or short overskirt that attaches to a waistline of a dress, skirt, jacket or top.

Above is an example of a Peplum




This is by no means a new style.  Women have been wearing one style of peplum or another since at least the 1920s.  This style was brought to prominence in the 1940s (think classy suit) and then had a huge resurrection in the 1980s (think 80s prom).  This look can be amazing or tacky depending on how it's done.




This style best suits those with broad shoulders and narrow hips because it creates a sense of balance.  

Pear shaped girls beware  - choose your peplum carefully.  This look can be flattering, but if the peplum is too long it will draw attention to your hips and give you more volume where you don't need it.
  
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I think we can agree that this is a great look for everyday wear, but what about for a wedding?  Apparently, peplums are going to be big for the 2013 wedding season. 


Angel Sanchez Gown
Marchesa Gown


































Again, no one is reinventing the wheel - we saw peplum wedding dresses in the 1940s and 1980s...


1940s Peplum Wedding Dress
1980/1990s Peplum Wedding Dress






















































But are we ready for a round 3?  













 I will admit that some of the new peplum wedding dresses do look pretty nice, but are they a lasting style?  Or will we look back in 10 years and wonder - What were we thinking?


Reem Acra Gown
Ines Santo Gown
































Thursday, August 16, 2012

Phone Art


A piece of art to carry in your purse.  Salvador Dali collaborated with Schiaparelli Haute Couture to create this Telephone Compact in the Fall 1935.  Can I call this the original flip phone? 


 Then came Dallas Handbags with an amazingly adorable and fully functional phone purse.  Just connect to a wall socket and you are good to go.
Small and Red
Large and Reptilian


Now in 2012 we can get the best of both worlds with a pocket sized rotary phone that lets us make real phone calls.  Check out the Second Skin Rotary iPhone 4 Case.

Is it bad that I want all of them?  What do you think is the must have?

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Fancy Tights

 The beginning of summer is a wonderful time where the weather gets warmer and the days become longer.  It's time to bring out the bikinis and beach towels, but unfortunately, also time to box up the winter layers.  I have to say goodbye to my cold weather friends - the tights (if only for a season). 

At the turn of the century women had some amazing looking silk stockings that had incredible embroideries and lace inlays like the ones below.


Evening Stockings from Around 1903

It's interesting to see that there are similar styles on the market today.  Tights with spirals designs and argyle patterns are being sold by some of fashion's big names.  The material and processes have changed over time, but the inspiration is still surprisingly similar.

Kate Spade Spiral Stripe Tights
American Apparel Argyle Tights

One dramatic change is the point of interest is on the stockings.  In the early 1900s the details were all at the bottom of the leg since that is the only thing that might peak out under a skirt.  At the time it was considered very sexy to reveal even an ankle.

Now we see styles like the one below where the detail is high on the thigh because that is the new sexy.  Today, this is what might peak out from under a skirt and get some attention.

Wolford Spring Leaf Tights



Thursday, May 10, 2012

Sunglasses Straw Hat


A couple of weeks ago I popped into a Kate Spade store in Orange County and spotted this super cute straw hat with embedded sunglasses.  It seemed like the perfect beach side accessory.  No longer would a girl have to choose between people watching or covering her face from the sun.  Finally she could do both - and still look stylish.

Kate Spade Straw Sunglasses Hat
  

I had all but forgotten about the hat when I came across a very similar vintage hat.  Looks like the women of the 60s could have been wearing a version of this hat as well.

Vintage Straw Hat, Libelle (Dutch) May 1965


 The colors have definitely been toned down since the 60s, but the idea's the same.  If you're wearing a sunglasses straw hat you're not looking to blend in, so might as well go for the bright colors.  What do you think?