Pretty Vintage

Vintage Video: Making Fashion (1938)

I spent the weekend recovering from jetlag and catching up on my favourite blogs and stumbled upon this fabulous video, found by fellow Aussie Frances Baker. The detailing on these beautiful gowns from the late 30s is just magnificent... nowadays, you only see gowns this stunning from couture houses! Enjoy!

Lovely vintage turbans!

My favourite aspect of World War II fashions is the make do and mend, thrifting mentality that the lovely ladies of that time used to keep their look fresh and beautiful.

Where there's a will there's a way, as the saying goes, and one of my favourite war 'substitutes' for fashion was to use inexpensive scarves to replace rationed and expensive hats!

My thanks to the gorgeous Solanah of Vixen Vintage for sharing this vintage video, which shows just how ingenious one can be with a simple scarf or two!

I'm inspired to dig through my collection and to try out some new ways of styling my hair with this wonderful WWII look!

Modern Vintage: Neiman Marcus does Mad Men

I've only recently started watching Mad Men (things come late to Australia sometimes) and I'm completely enamoured with the costumes, props and sets. It's an interesting peek into the strange lives of the ad men and women of the 60s, although I must admit that after two-and-a-bit seasons, I'm starting to find the complete lack of joy in every character (even the kids!) rather depressing. Mind you, I tend to prefer comedies / light-hearted entertainment, so I may be a little skewed in my view! (It's otherwise VERY good.)

Anyway, what I wanted to share with you was a little look at Neiman Marcus's 'Retro Fit' range, styled after Mad Men. This gorgeous Valentino coat is my favourite. Styled with simple jewellery, glamourous make-up and a perfect understated 60s bob, it looks as if it could have fallen right out of the show!

Of course, my favourite look would feature the item that would set you back $14,650. Just a little out of my price range! But if it's within yours, it's available here. Make sure to check out the rest of the Mad Men style shoot!

Enid Blyton Biopic

I love Enid Blyton. I love Helena Bonham Carter. Put the two together and what do you get? A crazy-mad-vintage-lover squeeing at her computer screen is what!

Five Minutes Peace first alerted me to BBC4's Enid Blyton biopic, which is due to hit British screens in Autumn, a few weeks ago. Needless to say, I was chomping at the bit, sitting on the edge of my seat with excitement! (I may have even toasted my computer screen with lashings and lashings of ginger beer.)

Then! Oh, yes, THEN! Keris shared the first picture of Helena as Enid! Needless to say, I may have fainted. (With a ginger beer in my hand, no less.)

I can't tell you how excited I am to watch this biopic, and HBC is such an incredibly talented actress, that I'm literally getting butterflies about seeing her portray Enid's character. Enid Blyton is the reason that I have always wanted to be a writer. She inspires me above any other author and she was just a little bit of an odd-ball, which is just how I like 'em. Will you be watching?

[Via Five Minutes Peace]

Happy Thursday!

Yes, it's 1950s obsession week here at Pretty Vintage. I'm not sure what they're putting in the water, but it's all we can focus on, so it's fortunate that the 50s are delightful! To celebrate this mad obsession, I have two 1950s clips for you - the first is a collaboration of rock 'n' roll dancing clips; the second, a clip from Rock Around the Clock, with some gorgeous dancing set to Bill Haley's 'Razzle Dazzle'. Enjoy!

Pretty Vintage Loves John Hughes' 'Some Kind of Wonderful'

I've already mentioned that it's my favourite of John Hughes' films and here's why - the chemistry between Keith and Watts is so incredibly gorgeous that it draws you into the story. It also features what I think is one of the best screen kisses in any film, so squee-ifying that you can't help but blush when you watch it! (So, blush away, friends! xx)

Pretty Vintage Loves John Hughes

I returned today from a brief business trip (sorry for the quiet post front this week, on that note) to the sad news that filmmaker John Hughes had passed away at the age of 59 from a heart attack.

Hughes created so many memorable films (many of which are my own personal favourites), which explored middle class life in the 1980s, the chasm between wealth and poverty, popularity and invisibility and young love, usually set in a high school context. His films were often terribly funny, although at times, truly heartbreaking. My favourites include Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day off and - the best of them all, imho - the lesser known Some Kind of Wonderful.

So, today I'm providing a week's worth of Pretty Vintage dedicated to everything 1980s, in honour of this man and filmmaker who truly encapsulated that unforgettable decade.

[Image sourced here]

Vintage Birthday: Lucille Ball

I grew up on repeats of I Love Lucy, starring the fabulously outrageous redhead, Lucille Ball. She always had amazing comedic timing and she can still draw a laugh 20 years after her death. A talent, a wonder, a total knock-out... happy birthday, Lucille!

Happy Thursday!

When I was a wee lass, Mary Poppins was one of my favourite films, and my favourite song was always 'Feed the Birds'. A little out of place amid up-beat tunes, I loved its lilting melody and that it focussed on the goodness of charity (not to mention those poor hungry birds). It was apparently Walt Disney's favourite song and he would often request that Richard Sherman play it for him. A little more sombre than our usual Happy Thursday features, but beautiful nonetheless. Enjoy!

Vintage Birthday: LaVerne Andrews of 'The Andrews Sisters'

Best known for amazingly harmonized hits, such as 'The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boys', The Andrews Sisters still hold the record for being the best-selling female vocal group to this day! Having sold over 75 million records, had 113 songs on the billboard charts and been featured in 17 films, they were a trio to be reckoned with.