About This Site

The thoughts and obsessions that take up a majority of my life: fashion, fashion design, retro and vintage everything, entertainment, literature, school and the every day the madness of living the life of 23 year old girl. It's a party darling. Would you like some tea? ;)
Showing posts with label retro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label retro. Show all posts

Monday, January 4, 2010

Old Family Treasures

Here are a few photographs of family that I found today while just lazily looking through old boxes and drawers. I did not know that I had such treasures packed away. Most of them are of my grandmother, who seemed to be quite active and vivacious in the 40's. She was born in 1918 and died in 1986, but as these pictures hint at, she lived a very full life. What I absolutely love about these photos is the fashion and the history behind them. You can see amazing dresses full of different patterns, lovely cocktail hats and other types of hair adornments, and other fun things as well.  I wanted to share my new found treasures with you all because I know you all will appreciate them as I do. These photographs range from the 1930's until the late 1940's, so you can visibly see the evolution of fashion occurring. The looks of these eras are so distinctive. You see a picture and you can immediately tell almost to the decade when it was taken. This is something that doesn't really exist anymore. For example, women wore their hair higher on their head and in more dramatic styles in the 1940's to make up for some of their rather "bland" clothing. This clothing was bland, like I'm sure most of you know, because of using money for other expenses and resources relating to the War. So in order to still keep their dramatic looks and fashionable appeal, they focused more on their hair. Fashion has lost the ingenuity and creativity we saw during these time periods.   What kind of treasures have you guys found from your relatives' past?
~Ashley

    Mike Jennings Night Club, "Dancing Nightly"
St. Louis Park, MN circa mid 1940's

Andy's Bar, "Andy Ain't Mad At Nobody"
Minneapolis, MN Oct 30, 1944

Family Portrait, circa early 1920's

Circa early 1930's

Circa late 1930's


Sunday, January 3, 2010

Classic Imagery and Inspiration

I was browsing through My Vintage Vogue and it is difficult not to have your breath taken away by all of the phenomenal outfits and pictures on that site. I just wanted to share a few of many of my favorites with you all. Check out that blog, it is simply amazing. Most of those photographs I have never seen before, its like a vault of the history of fashion in the 40's and 50's. Enjoy!


Suit by Irene's 1951, myvintagevogue



Charm Magazine - December 1954 , myvintagevogue



1949 LIFE Magazine - Photo Nina Leen, myvintagevogue

LIFE Magazine 1951 - photo by Nina Leen, myvintagevogue


Vogue-Jean Patchett courtesy of myvintagevogue


LIFE 1951 - photo by Nina Leen, MyVintageVogue


Hope you enjoyed! It's amazing how a style that occurred so long ago can maintain as much power now as it did back then. Why do you guys think that is? 
~Ashley 


Pea Green with Envy


I know it is not right to covet things but I simply cannot help myself with this beautiful hat. I noticed this hat while browsing around on Etsy.com for one of a kind items to add to my wardrobe. The hat is labeled " Nicole de Paris" and is a vintage piece from the 1940's. Perfect!! I really would like to call it my own. I'm going to copy and paste the description from the seller, her words speak better than mine : "The rayon velvet is a rich, very 1940's olive green hue. The spray of feathers is true, deep emerald varigated with black. There is a soft round base that fits at the crown of the head, and an elastic band to hold it on to your hairstyle. The folded bow-like structure drapes low over one eye. The piece is just massive - and so is the impact!" Available for $124.00 on fabgabs shop on Etsy.com. If anybody purchases this hat before I can save up to, please enjoy and I will be pea green with envy!!
~ Ashley

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Little Updates :)


Just finished updating my Top 10 Obsessions, some were removed and new ones were added! I also added some new quotes for you to enjoy! In spirit of one of my obsessions, here is a picture of Ava Gardner to enjoy! Isn't the hat gorgeous?! I would totally wear it, but I have a feeling I would get strange looks, more than I already do. But then again, who cares!!
~Ashley

Little House of Horrors


This is a definite oldie; but goodie. I haven't posted in a while so I never got the opportunity to show my outfit for All Hallow's Eve. I went as a Zombie Mourner to the Minneapolis Zombie Pub Crawl. I sure did get a lot of compliments on my outfit, especially the hat! Got my hat from Hot Topic for about 20 dollars, the earrings from Forever 21 online for about $5.80 and all the make up I did using the vast amount of eyeshadow I own!! Oops! Too much! Enjoy!
~Ashley

Oh boy do I love antiquing!!!


As much as I hate getting out of my warm bed on cold Minnesota days, I am forever grateful to my friend for making me get up this time. We went antiquing in Anoka today and I struck gold in the first shop I entered. I had been looking all over FOREVER for the hat that Violet wore when she was leaving town to head to New York in It's A Wonderful Life. It's a front tilt hat made of brown fur, which I am assuming is mink and it's GORGEOUS!!!! It was only $8.50 too, which makes it all the more swell! :) My friend thought it was atrocious, but she does not appreciate that style like I do. My camera is not working at the moment, so here is a picture of Violet, from It's a Wonderful Life. :) Now all I need to do is to figure out how to get my hair like that, with the bouncy curls on top and I will be all set. Any suggestions?!
~Ashley

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Ginger Rogers

I have an intense love for old films and the style of the 30's, 40's, and 50's. One of my favorite actresses is Ginger Rogers. She's a doll and not to mention she has played with some of the best leading men: Jimmy Stewart and Fred Astaire, anyone?! I just had to share this photo I stumbled
across the other day of Ms. Rogers in a stunning sequin outfit and a cute cocktail hat. Bright blonde hair in waves with and all black outfit and red lips. Stunning! This would make an amazing
New Year's Eve outfit! Now if I only had a place fine enough to wear it....