Vintage Inspired Lines

I have been so pleased to see vintage inspiration in the clothing lines in many of the most recent catalogs that I have been receiving, much of which I can't afford, but can still drool over all the same :)

I adore these sunglasses from J. Crew...I don't love the price quite as much ;) I love the vintage/retro feel they have.

{Cutler and Gross Sunglasses}

And Banana Republic has a Mad Men line out, I want it all! Here are some of my favorite pieces. So, so gorgeous aren't they?

I want this sweater so much (it's also the most affordable of these pieces ;) ) This blouse is gorgeous too!

I love this dress so much that I wanted to feature both colors, it has such a different look in the pale gray doesn't it?

Happy Birthday, Lucy!

Just a little post to honor Lucy on what would have been her 100th birthday! I grew up watching re-runs of the show (probably an early influence on my current love of vintage) that they have on the channels featuring all those old shows. They just don't make shows like the used to. From Lucy to Dick Van Dyke, they managed to make shows so hilarious without have to be over the the top racy or full of language.

Lucy was such a strong woman, and so talented and funny. She had such an interesting life, I encourage you to read a biography on her, or see the public television documentary done on her and Desi Arnez. So sad that they couldn't work things out. But anyway, I hope that you have a good laugh today and watch an I Love Lucy episode, always a classic!

{Young Lucille Ball}

If you know anything about Lucy, than you'll already know that she started out as a blonde, not with her classic red hair. She looks so different, doesn't she? I often don't think of her as being one of the Hollywood beauties from that age, but she really was.

{Photo Credits}

{I Love Lucy}

{The Famous Chocolate Factory Episode}

Happy Birthday, Lucy! Thank you for all of the years of laughter you brought us!

Making Do

Oops...
I can't believe how I let time get away from me! I blame the summer and the nice weather ;)
This post was actually meant to be a 4th of July post, but well, clearly that didn't happen.
I wanted to do a post on the ladies of the WWII era. I've always been so fascinated with the sacrifices they made and their bravery in doing things women before them hadn't done. I also am interested in the fashions of the era and how the war and shortages and rationing created fashion problems.

{Above: Helping Hand}
{Bottom:Woman painting on her stocking seams}

I just love how the women did this. I know that if it was me, I would definitely need some help from a friend or sister to do this. Can you imagine how tricky it was to get those lines straight enough to look realistic?

Before looking into it some, I also hadn't realize how much hair changed as a result of the new work women were doing. For example I found a video showing how a long style that hung in your face, like Veronica Lake's wasn't good for factory work, hence the victory rolls and hair back in snoods and scarves, or women just simply started sporting shorter hairstyles. Though the non working hairstyles seemed very elaborate to me, which one site I came across explained as since women could have elaborate clothing and other things due to shortages they got creative with.

{Rosalind Russell}

{Linda Darnell sporting Victory Rolls}

{WWII Women at Work}

I found some amazing pictures in a book showing the way women updated and combined pieces they already had so as not to have to buy more cloth to make more clothes, or to have to go out and buy more clothes, but I just thought it was so fascinating.

Though this was an example after the war, but I loved this and just had to share this piece that's in a museum now. This lady had her wedding dress made from nylon parachute that saved her husband during the war.

{Story and photo}

Bit of history geeky post, and maybe information you vintage gals already knew, but hopefully you enjoyed nevertheless ;)

150 Anniversary of the Civil War - Celebrating the Fashion of the Era

In honor of the 150 Anniversary of the Civil War, which started this day 150 years ago, this post is devoted to Civil War era fashion. I have always love the fashion of the era, especially the huge hoop skirts. When visting Gettysbug on a junior high field trip, I was more concerned with buying the Civil War fashion paper dolls and a Civil War style bonnet, than other suveniers. My love of antique/vintage fashion started early :)

However, this one era you just have to borrow little bits from and not wear in daily life without being mistaken for a reenactor gone mad ;)

Please enjoy some lovely Civil War fashion! (Some of these are reproductions, but gorgeous anyway!)

(I adore this dress from Gone with the Wind, I couldn't find a shot I liked of the full dress in color)

1940s Fiction

So, I did a post like this once before way back, and I thought it would be fun to do again. Being a vintage loving girl and a history nerd (a label I proudly wear), I love historical fiction, which like any genre can be a hit and miss when it comes to good books. I especially am always on the lookout for books set in the 1940s during the war. I truly do feel like they were the greatest generation, and I gobble up any information I can about the era, whether fiction or nonfiction. I recently read this book, and I thought I'd share it with you all.

Lynn Austin is no Jane Austen ;) but I always have enjoyed her work, especially her WWII era novels. This is one of her latest, and I highly recommend it. It explores many different topics of the era, including religion.

Rest in Peace Elizabeth Taylor

So, I'm sure that I will be one of many bloggers posting on this legendary woman and famed beauty, but I felt the need to do my own post and tribute to the lady with the violet eyes. More than the scandels, she was a very talented actress, and quite a lady.

February 27, 1932 - March 23, 2011

"I've only slept with men I've been married to. How many women can make the claim?" ~ Elizabeth Taylor

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Happy St. Patricks Day!

So, of all days to return back to my blogging, I was inspired to do so on St. Patrick's day...yes I have been absent from any posting for quite a while. I hope that have not lost all my lovely readers and hope to not wait months before I post again ;)

A lovely dress I saw on Etsy inspired me to post in honor of St. Patrick's day, the day when everyone is Irish ;) I actually am, though only a wee bit.

{1930s Dress}

Available on Etsy.com through DearGoldenVintage (whose shop I wish I could buy pretty much everything from)

Isn't it just exquisite???

I wish you all a very lovely St. Patrick's Day!

“If you're lucky enough to be Irish, then you're lucky enough.” ~ Irish Saying