Pineapples and Hula

I finally hosted my "bitches getting drunk" party.  I went with a Tiki theme, mostly because I really wanted to make tropical drinks with umbrellas, but also because I had the perfect dress.  I found this late 50s Hawaiian themed dress at the thrift store last Halloween.  It has a gorgeous black and gold print of islanders in boats, pineapples, hula girls, palm trees, etc.

Outfit Details: 

1950s Red Hawaiian themed dress: thrifted

Vintage gold basket weave box purse: antique mall

1950s gold charm bracelet: Ebay

Red flower fascinator: Ebay

Embroidered flower wedges: Nine West

 

I collected several different drink recipes from vintage sources, but we got stuck on Mai Tais, which are so very delicious.  

Mai Tais:

pour over ice

one shot white rum

one shot dark rum

1/2 shot coconut rum

1/2 shot apricot brandy

mix with orange pineapple juice

for added effect I served them in vintage Siesta Ware with pineapple novelty straws, colored drink umbrellas, and DRY ICE!

SiestaWare

I also made Pina Colada cupcakes & Tikis on horseback among lots of other food.

I had a fabulous time and now I am ready to plan for the next event.  Got any good theme ideas?

Kidney beans, amoebas, boomerangs, and ...umm gallbladders.

  I've been a bit out of the blogging loop.  A couple of weeks ago, a friend stopped by after dinner, for a quick chat and a beer.  I started having abdominal cramps and pretty serious back pain.  After my friend left, I decided that a hot shower would fix everything.  Before I could even rinse the shampoo out of my hair, I was doubled over in the bathtub in such terrible pain that I couldn't catch my breath.  I managed to stumble downstairs, mascara pooled under my eyes and lathery bubbles in my hair, to throw up a couple of times.  My oldest son called my husband to come home quickly and drive me to the emergency room.  I'm not one to complain about pain lightly.  I had a home birth, and aside from a couple of deep breaths and a crinkled forehead, I handled it pretty gracefully.  This was a different story.  I felt pretty confident that some internal organ had exploded, my diaphragm was paralyzed, and a painful death was eminent. At the hospital,  I was rushed back pretty quickly. FYI, the mere mention of chest pain, and the E.R. staff takes you pretty seriously.  After $9,000 worth of tests, and a shot of morphine, the doctors concluded that I had gallbladder stones and would need surgery to remove this insubordinate little organ.  I had laparoscopic surgery two weeks ago.  This surgery is meant to be minimally invasive, and includes 4 incisions, blowing your abdomen up with air, inserting a camera, some robot arms, and then evicting my bastard gallbladder.  Surgery went well, I am told, and I was sent home late that afternoon.  I have a vague memory of trying to convince the nurse that I wanted to take my gallbladder home with me in a jar.  I was on a lot of painkillers those first couple of days, so this may have been a dream.  I'm finally starting to feel like myself, well myself at about 65%, but it's a start.  In honor of my gallbladder, I thought I'd share some fabulous ads of mid-century modern furniture, shaped in amorphous, nature inspired silhouettes.

Kidney bean table woodworking pattern

Abstract artwork in a 1950s interior design book

collection of mid-century products, including; nesting tables, ashtray, ottoman, and Formica boomerang countertops

1950s Flooring advertisment

The lovely Betty White, who my son likes to remind me is literally older than sliced bread

1964 Futurama brochure

Ray and Charles Eames

It's good to be back!

XOX, Hannah

Picnic in the Park: Modcloth's Uniquely You Campaign

 Picnic in the Park: Playful & vintage inspired

Cherry lemonade, clear skies, and plenty of sunshine. If only everyday could be this perfect.

I was asked to style the Garden Home Tour Dress in Pink, for Modcloth, using Wanelo style boards.  You can check out my Picnic in the Park board here.  Are you a Wanelo member?  I hadn't ever used the site before, but I think I might be hooked.  It's a great way to find new products and connect with others who have similar style.  It's sort of like having a team of personal shoppers.

outfit details:

Garden Home Tour Dress, Fanciful Finery Parasol, Delicate Delights Hair Comb, Preserves Purveyor Necklace, Ice Cream or Cola Sunglasses, Cherries and Cappuccino Cardigan, Va Va Voluptuous Petticoat in Cotton Candy, Gallery Opener Heel in Marigold

The bold colored florals of the Garden Home Tour Dress remind me of the fabric patterns that were popular in the early 1960s.

Modcloth.com has an array of awesome vintage inspired pieces and the most covetous collection of shoes ever!!  Here are some of my current favorite dresses and matching shoes.

A Biscuit, a Basket Dress, How's About It Hell in Orange, 

Night Brunch Dress in Fern, Class Treasurer Heel in Blue, 

Espresso Order Dress, Trailblazing Charmer Heel in Black,

As Lush Would Have It Dress, Book Signing Soiree Heel in Teel

What are your favorites?

The Cat's Meow

This is the dress that I wore when I presented at The Colorado State Preservation Conference earlier this year.  It's 1950's and has THE BEST novelty print of hobo cats.... yes, felines holding tattered suitcases and bindles scattered about the fabric.  I'm in love with the shawl collar and the flared french cuffs.  It's pretty much my favorite novelty dress right now.

1950s cat print dress: Etsy

Kitty cat nylons: Ebay

Grey and black brogues: Jeffrey Campbell

White crinoline: Ebay

assorted Bakelite: Ebay & thrifted

“Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.” 
― Robert A. Heinlein

All the cool chicks

Novelty fabrics are my absolute favorite, and I'm getting quite a collection of quirky prints.  Somewhere along the way I picked up a dress with a huge rooster embroidered on the pocket, and it started a weird obsession.  I started looking for clothing with prints of chickens, roosters, and even nests with eggs in them.  As soon I saw this 1950s skirt,  I knew it had to be mine!  I'm holding the monopoly of Google images on 1950s rooster prints...so I've got that going for me.

Outfit details:

50s rooster skirt and matching belt:Etsy

1950s cropped sweater: My Sister's Closet in Minneapolis, MN

40s inspired shoes: Miss L. Fire

Celluloid and rhinestone chicken brooch: Etsy

Assorted Bakelite and plastic bangles: Ebay, thrift stores, & The Robot Exchange

Tomorrow my husband and I are giving another talk at the Historic Boulder Preservation Awards in downtown Boulder, CO.  We've also been asked to go to the Iowa State Preservation Conference and present in August.  I'm super excited!

We were also published in Recent Past Preservation Network's magazine called, Connections.  If you'd like to read our piece, the link is here.

 

XOX, Hannah

 

Beauty Essentials for the 20th century

  As many of us vintage loving girls know, authentic hair and makeup go along way to creating the perfect period appropriate look.  I'm sure I'm not the only has some spent a lot of time admiring hairstyles in classic films, perusing vintage magazines, and watching youtube tutorials on things like creating pin curls or applying twiggy style eyeliner.  Hair and makeup styles really changed by decade, and I love being able to discern the era of an image based on something as subtle as the shape of their brows or lips.  I'm always on the hunt for products that were available during these eras, because I love being faithful to the looks.  Wearing a lipstick brand and color that could have been worn by the original owner of my dresses, is just another way to really embrace and live history.  I've done a round up of skincare, makeup, and perfumes that are still available today.

 

Noxzema invented in 1911

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream invented in the 1930s

Yardley soaps and lotions, like the lavender scent, company established in the 1770s

Jergens hand and face creams in 1901

Ponds Face Cream and Cold Cream, 1910s

Smith's Rosebud Salve, (used as lip balm, eye shadow base, cheek highlighter, & hair pomade) created in 1892

 

Nivea Cream, 1911

Oil of Olay, 1950s

Dove Soap, 1957

Wrinkies & Frownies, invented in 1889

They have retained their ultra darling 1950s/60s packaging.

 

Shiseido was the Max Factor of Japan in the 1930s.  Oil blotting tissues were a must for a woman's makeup table.

Countess Isserlyn makeup, created by a Hollywood makeup artist in the 1920s

Coty Loose Powder, 1935

Max Factor pancake makeup (which has been discontinued, but is still available online), 1920s.  M.F. Panstick makeup is still readily available though.

Max Factor, who started in theatre, brought makeup for everyday women into the marketplace.  He was instrumental in creating the first commercial eyeshadows, made of Henna, which started the whole Hollywood vamp or Biba look. He also created lip glosses, eyebrow pencils, face powders, and lipsticks, now available in tubes, for his line.  Lipsticks prior to WWI were only available in tubs or sticks wrapped in paper.  Now every woman could look like a Hollywood starlet.

Cake Mascara was first invented in 1917, by the Maybelline company.  The owner got the idea when his sister Mabel used Vaseline and coal dust to darken her lashes.  God bless you, Mabel!!  Popular colors were black, brown, and blue.

While Maybelline no longer manufactures cake mascara, Longcils Boncza cake mascara is still available.  It's said to have been a favorite of Marilyn Monroe. Longcils Boncza liquid eyeliner was a favorite of Audrey Hepburn, and it is how she created her famous, much emulated, doe eyed look.

Tabu lipstick, 1932

still available in four original shades

Tangee lipstick & blush, 1930s

The lipstick and blush are "mood changing" and respond to your individual body chemistry. 

Arpege perfume, 1927

Wind Song perfume, 1960s

Chanel No. 5, 1924

Eau de Cologne Imperiale, 1860s

a gender neutral scent, said to be a favorite of Cary Grant

Bourjois' Evening in Paris, 1928

 

In the 1940s companies such Max Factor, Revlon, Elizabeth Arden, Maybelline, Estee Lauder, Bourjois, Yardley, Coty, Avon, and Rimmel were already manufacturing beauty products.  I've tried to only list vintage products that still exist, but I'm sure that all these lines have some popular colors or products that never stopped being fabricated.  I wish more companies made this type of list.

Revlon made its first smear proof lipstick way back in 1953!

 Can you think of any I have missed?  What are your favorites?

 

It's important to note that it is not sanitary to use actual vintage makeup.  Unfortunately most items could be teaming with bacteria or even harmful chemicals.  If you are lucky enough to have any gorgeous vintage compacts or lipstick tubes, you can still use them by properly emptying, cleaning, and refilling them.  

Follow one of these great tutorials:

How to fill a vintage compact by Vixen Vintage

How to refill a vintage lipstick by Voluptuous Vintage Vixen

 

Also, check out some of these vintage makeup reproduction companies: Le Keux Cosmetics, Besame Cosmetics, or The Balm Cosmetics.

 

 Want to know how to achieve the perfect vintage pout? Click here :X

XOX, Hannah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mid-Century Modern for the kidlets

   As a mother of four, I invariably end up watching a lot of cartoons.  I have a new appreciation for all of the classic shows from the 40s-60s, and love picking out historical details.  The early Tom and Jerry cartoons have some seriously cool Art Deco interiors and architecture!

The interiors featured kitchens with rounded aluminum rimmed counter tops, metal cupboards, checkerboard linoleum floors, and streamlined stove silhouettes.  Another thing that abounds in these early animations is the some pretty serious racial stereotypes.  Political Correctness did not exist in the way it does today, but that's a subject for a different blog post (that I'm not touching with a 10 foot pole.) 

 If you're looking for space age atomic, of course the Jetson's is the creme de la creme.  In fact, between Disney's original 1950's Tomorrowland and the Jetson's, I'm a little disappointed in the "future."

If you are looking for high style design, then Bugs Bunny has you covered.  Bugs Bunny owns a Hollywood home nearly identical to Twin Palms, owned by Frank Sinatra.

He is seen relaxing in chairs by Eames (shell), Ferrari-Hardoy (butterfly), and Marco Zanuso.

Watching mid-century cartoons isn't the only way to get your MCM style fix.  I've noticed it in Modern Disney Cartoons like Kim Possible......

and Phineas and Ferb (a favorite in our house).  The bumbling arch-villain Doofenshmirtz has a fantastic living room, complete with Preway fireplace, Joan Miró artwork, and Saarinen Womb Chair.

Pixar studios,which is located in Emeryville, CA, is known to have many fine examples of Eichler Ranch architecture.  Clearly the artists there have been influenced, because references to the mid-century era, through Americana and design are found throughout some of their most popular films.  Cars is obvious, with its retro Route 66 theme, but what about Toy Story?  Westerns were wildly popular until every little boy became obsessed with the Space Race.  The villain in Toy Story 2, has quite the collection of 50s toy memorabilia and space age furniture.

The coolest example though, is the film, The Incredibles.  Holy design-gasm!!!

Our absolute favorite is the Powerpuff Girls.  My daughter loves watching a show where tiny super hero heroines save the day.  I love watching it because of the clever writing and carefully crafted, atomic style backdrop.   I want to marry professor Utonium, just so I can live in his house, which is believed to be modeled after a home in the 1958 French Comedy, Mon Oncle. He has Mondrian inspired artwork, an Eames lounger, swag lamps, and tons of atomic ranch style. Townsville is also filled with many perfect examples of 1950s architecture.

Interested in watching a collection of Mid-century cartoons and shorts? Check out this collection by Animation archaeologist Steve Stanchfiled. 

Happy Sunday!