Modern Desires: Favorite Colors

What do I want more than anything else when I shop? Colors that I love. Not just my "season" or whatever, but colors I like to surround myself with in all aspects of my life. My absolute favorite hue has pretty much always been blue, though the particular shade/tone/tint has changed with my growth. I also am very fond of most shades of green and purple, certain yellows and pinks, & deep reds. And, of course, I love ivory, black and warm browns. Interestingly enough, other than on my hair, it's very rare that I find orange appealing (flowers don't count, cos all flowers are prettyyyy.)

 So no, "Favorite Colors" is not the name of a designer or retailer, sorry if that was confusing.

Anyway, whilst internet shopping for a dress to wear to a wedding, I got side tracked (as usual) with the desire to buy a coat, despite the fact that it is a cool 78 degrees Fahrenheit (no joke, this is cool weather) right now. After having absolutely no luck on Etsy, I decided (stupidly) to check out Anthropologie's selection. PHRWOAR. I should not have done this to myself. 

Honestly, there are not a whole lot of their clothes that I love, but every so often I manage to find something. I hate them for that.

On that note I would like to state the this coat WILL BE MINE. No matter how much my pocketbook/students loans protest.  I just think, though it is not an entirely vintage style, it is really gorgeous and potentially very nice looking on  little ol' redheaded me. And I know I do not often wear hues other than cools, neutrals and occasionally red/pink, I think this coat would go along quite well with most of my wardrobe. But I don't know... Maybe there is some obvious flaw I'm missing here, due to my infatuation. Other than the price. What do you think I should do? Do I buy it or not?

Ruched Marigold Coat

 I have one pair of oxfords and I LOVE them. I wear them a lot lately since it's awkward wearing super pretty/fancy shoes to walk all over town and get my hands (and clothes and face) dirty in class. And honestly, I do not want any other pair, but I really like the blue toe and edging on these oxfords from Anthropologie. I have a thing for blue shoes (though I only have one pair, which I never wear because the heels are about 5" tall and very uncomfortable) and this is my favorite shade of blue, so I felt obligated to share them. Plus, they're just down right cute.

Moorland Oxfords

Soon to Come...

Boy, I cannot wait until fall, when I can wear my crepe 40s dress and not have to worry about sweating all up in it and I can go outside and not have my hair go from nicely done to "mad 80s-esque" form. I intend to soon do a diagram/picture tutorial on setting ridiculously thick hair. I only want to do this because all of the tutorials I have seen are on people with thin hair or normal hair or hair that is super long or super short or super straight or moderately straight, basically every type of hair but mine. So, if you having been waiting your whoooole life for a tutor like me, you will soon be satisfied. I hope.
Until then, here is an example from one of my few particularly good hair days from this summer. Also, I'm showing off my dress a wee bit because I lurve it so much and miss being able to wear it.

here

xx Gracie

Lovely Ladies of the Past: Audrey Hepburn, and how I owe her BIG TIME.

My love for Audrey Hepburn goes beyond just admiration for her beauty, grace, and wonderful personality. It is also mingled with gratitude. Yes, gratitude.

About That Rain...

So, you know how I said how much I looooooove rain? Okay well maybe I exaggerated... Like a whole lot. Don't get me wrong, I really do enjoy a good downpour, however I overlooked one teeny-tiny aspect... MY STUFF IS NOT WATER PROOF. Oh and those "super awesome" galoshes I was bragging about? Yeah, they don't do shit in the type of rain I just encountered. And now my suede 30s heels are soaked. As are all of the clothes I was wearing. Also I forgot how scared of lightening I am... Yeah. So, rain is great and all but from now on I'm going to try to only appreciate it from a dry place unless I happen to be wearing water-safe clothes/swimwear.

So that's my little unnecessary update plus the few pictures I completely forgot to add last time.

I could have benefited from an outfit like this, today....

In other news, today a dead man was found in the river near my building. Cool, huh?

xxGracie

Millions Like Us (1943)

Currently, I am taking a preservation technology course at school. This class is, essentially, free manual labor on the house we are working on the restoration for. Not that I am complaining, believe me, it is totally awesome. However, because I dress kind of fancy I draw a lot of unwanted attention, especially in this class. For instance the first day of actual work I wore a skirt and heels (ok yes I wore a blouse too, but that is nothing special)... and let me just say that was awkward. It's not even that I feel physically uncomfortable in that sort of attire (I have gotten so used to it that it really makes no difference from trousers and flats,) but everyone kept looking at me like "Did she not get the memo that this is a messy class?" So, the next class I played down my fancy and wore some cream linen slacks I made a couple of springs ago, a button up from goodwill, my (too) well worn oxfords and my hair UNCURLED (not that it made much of a difference to anyone else since I have naturally curly/wavy hair.) I still was questioned about my apparel, but the interactions were a bit more amicable. 

The reason I feel the need to share all of this is because in my quest to put together good labor-wise outfits I remembered I had taken tons of screen shots of "Millions Like Us" for the lovely attire these factory girls wore. Upon reexamination I realized most of the shots were of Patricia Roc's or Anne Crawford's glorious hair styles, which I sadly will never be able to accomplish since my hair is not naturally silky-smooth and will never be such. There are also several shots of out-of-factory outfits. Clearly the reason I am doing this post is not at all about the quality of the film (sorry if you came here for a review) and all about the quality of the styling. I adore all of these looks. I just cannot help it. These women look so incredibly pretty whilst slaving away in a factory (ok on a movie set made to look like a factory, but same thing, right?) and in their down time, despite the limited supply. I guess my point is this; if any of you lot have trouble thinking up outfit/style ideas for when you have to do dirty tasks or feel like being less posh just take a gander at these. Hopefully they will induce some sort of inspiration and you'll be able to put something together!

Patricia Roc being gloomy with such a very pretty hair style.

Side note: Miss Roc is supposed to be the plain girl in this movie, but I cannot figure out how anyone thought she could pass for anything less than stunning. Also, I love her coat.

Rain, Rain Come My Way

I love rain. I love the sound of it. I love the smell of it. I love the feeling of it. I do not, however, love the way it floods homes and enlarges my hair... Other than that it may just be my favorite type of weather. Don't get me wrong, a nice warm day with some cool breezes thrown in is always a pleasure, but that it so rare I don't even dare dream of having one of those nor calling it my favorite (because then I'll be cursed, ya'know?) Unfortunately my rain gear is limited to a pair of galoshes (pictured below) and my lovely citrus print umbrella.

 I hope to someday look as smart as the folks below do in a rainy situation, but for now I'll have to suffer, I suppose.

Rain smoochin'.
See all the good things that can happen when you look nice in rain-gear?! Okay, so Im a bit of a idealist, but hey can I be blamed?

More McCall's!

Hiya folks!

I have been woefully negligent to this little corner of the internet that I so adore (the vintage blogoverse, that is) since I got to England, but I assure you (not that you were worried) that I am not failing to share any fascinating experiences - I've just been utterly drowning in work. Reading countless books, writing papers (2 due this week) projects/presentations every day, it seems. 

But no pity party here! I'm trekking through, and I will get to leave this big house, eventually. And when I do, I will try my best to remember my camera and document this country's loveliness!

Without further adieu, here are some more pictures from my university's magazine archives! Including some season-appropriate looks (if you're in the Northern hemisphere) from the mid-late 1930s. 

The Sum of My Parts

Hey-o,

This little post is more for my benefit and entertainment than for you (meaning that I am procrastinating, but also too lazy to come up with a real/good post.) So, I thought I would share some of the things that make being away from home a little less weird:

1. A comfy room with all of my unnecessary stuff.
Honestly, these things are all very representative of who I am and how I live, so though they may seem trivial to you, they are a big part of me (as dumb as that may sound)

where I get my most of my work done (when I actually do it,  that is) 

Can't Help Lovin' That Man: Tyrone Power

So, school is in and guess what I am doing on my friday night?!?!?!?!?! Yup, looking up dead dudes. Awesome sauce, right? Any way you slice it the boy cake is just not one I can have and eat too.
...That sounded like it could be cannibalistic or overtly sexual. Sorry.
I just sighed. I just sighed a big sigh. I mean "big" as in a nice breeze just blew across town because of my sigh.
That what guys like Tyrone Power do to me. Even if they are dead (as he is). Why does this happen? Well, for one he is the embodiment of a dream. My dream, at least. Ok sort of a nightmare, but the good type... What I mean is, he's devilishly handsome and too charming for anyone's good.

I hate men like him. HATE. But also.... I kind of cannot keep from admiring him. Just from a distance, though. He was one of those men. The cheating, (probably) sleazy, dashing, charismatic, sexy types. Unlike all-around wonderful fellas like Jimmy Stewart, Tyrone was a man a gal could trust as much as she could get away from her own shadow (this does not apply to those with Peter Pan abilities). So I might be exaggerating. Then again I might not. All I know is he had a thing with Judy Garland while he was married to the very pretty Annabella and later had fidelity problems later on with other women. So he might be the victim, but I doubt it... I'll say something for his acting, though, because he certainly held my attention, even through "Suez" (which, to be frank was really not that interesting from the last 45 minutes on. Yes, that is all I have ever seen of that movie and I really don't care to see more.) Oh wait that wasn't about his acting was it? Damn.

Anyway, Thanks to my infatuation with Tyrone (beginning around this time last year), I discovered Alice Faye, with whom he worked on a number of films. So, my adoration for her grew as I realized he really wasn't that great of an actor. Still, I cannot help but swoon when I am reminded of his looks. I mean, he is seriously hot. And I hate using the word "hot" frivolously, so you know I really mean it when I do use it. If he isn't your type (look wise, and hopefully he's not your type in personality) then good. fine. more for me. except not really.

Regardless of your opinions of his acting and/or personal life I hope you can appreciate the beauty that good genetics created in the form of Ty-Pow.

Just one of the many reasons I would be very okay with being Betty Grable during her young adulthood.

Kodachrome Kids

It might be getting clear to you that forties teen fashion is occupying my mind a lot lately. I remembered today that I have several color images of the students of North High School in Worcester, Massachusetts, circa 1946 that I have been wanting to share! Now, these are not  artistic photos, but more like snapshots. I found them through this flickr account and enjoy them immensely. Mainly because a) they show a more realistic side to fashion, lifestyle, and culture of the mid forties and b) they are in glorious, vivid color, which I just love! Also, these photos are a really good resource for young men/ten boy's fashion from that year, which I appreciate very much.

I'm glad that this school had at least a bit of ethnic diversity.

Carefree (1938)

A few weeks ago, during my reunion with Gracie, I saw Carefree for the first time! Gee had already seen it before, but she gladly re-watched it as one really never tires of Ginger and Fred. 

The movie is actually strange for a Rogers-Astaire pairing in that there are only four songs (five musical numbers, one is a lyrical and then an instrumental version). The small bit of music there was, however, I really enjoyed. And I liked the storyline, it was interesting to see Fred as a psychiatrist/psychologist instead of a professional hoofer! 

I just had to share my favorite bits, for the few of you out there who haven't yet seen it, and for those who have, I'm sure a re-watch would brighten up your day if you're in a rainy part of the world, as I am now!

"I Used to Be Colorblind" - Words cannot express how much I love this number. Definitely in my top favorite F&G numbers! The lyrics are fine, but the part that sets me sighing is the beautiful orchestration and slow-motion dance bit. They are both such beautiful people. And Ginger's dress is perfect for the slo-mo!

"Change Partners" - This is another one I adore. The orchestration gets me again, and Fred's voice! How could Ginger  resist? What's hypnotism to the powers of Fred's charm? Not much, apparently, since she's still under the spell...

"Change Partners (Instrumental)" - My goodness. I must have a thing for dream/hypnotism-induced dancing between this pair, because this one is a really close tie with "Colorblind". The orchestration for this one again (that's not really a thing with me, this movie was just really excellent, more so then usual, in that regard!) and the dancing is just as hypnotic to watch, as it appears to be for Ginger to dance. 

A Little Youthful Inspiration

I have found that, for the most part, when looking at photos for clothing style-inspiration I collect more images of young adults (ages between early-mid 20s to mid 30s)  rather than those in my age group because I find them (generally) more appealing. So it is very refreshing when I come across young ladies (as in kids my age, more or less), who are not big names, wearing beautiful, youthful but somehow very mature-looking clothes. This is why I love this photoshoot done in a March 1949 issue of LIFE Magazine so much. This girl, called "Madeline" evidently, looks fabulously put together, but still like an adolescent, which is nice. I  think it is a shame when kids try to grow up to fast. I say take advantage of being a teenager while you ca... oh wait, no I don't. But that is only because in modern society that means "hey go do a bunch of dumb shit, 'cos later you won't be able to get a way with it as easily" and "It's ok if you look like a whore, you're young."
... I hate kids.
Not really.
But seriously, I do....
Where was I going with this?
OH! Right, this photo spread contains some of the most amazing outfits. The only way it could have been done better would be if done in color (I like to know what the fabrics were meant to look like).
If you're like me and like the thirties through early forties a bit more than the New Look styles, I will hopefully be able to find some photos just as glorious as these from that time.
I hope you other kids (and all the rest of you lovely ladies who are lucky enough to look good/appropriate in this style) out there get some inspiration for your fall semester wardrobe from this, I know I did!

Artist Feature: Rolf Armstrong

Hello friends!

I'm now safely and successfully in England! If you haven't read on here before, I'll be here, in Oxford, until December studying for school. Two weeks before my classes are out, Gracie will be coming to England and after school ends we'll take a week to travel somewhere, anywhere, in Europe! It will be hard to choose where to go together, and it will be severely limited by our limited funds, but being together will make anywhere grand!

Not that this place isn't grand - my goodness, Oxford is absolutely stunning! I've been to England before, but only ever to London, and I think Oxford is far superior... I'm going to sound very tourist-y and gush-y and effusive and say that Oxford is just really, really, really beautiful. Ancient architecture everywhere, amazing gardens, the greenest grass, cobblestone streets... a totally different landscape from the mildly drought-ridden and extremely hot South US! Obviously the place is chock-full of history, much of it very interesting, and I learned just a fraction of it today when my fellow students and I got a tour of Oxford. I feel so foolish for not bringing my camera, because everything was picture-worthy, but I can always walk down there again... I'll just feel awkward doing it when I'm not in a group! 

Anyway, I'll put some pictures up soon, the house I'm staying in is also beautiful, it's this restored Victorian mansion and I've got the room right overlooking the lovely gardens in the back! 

Okay, onto the point of the post - another artist that I adore very much, Rolf Armstrong! I love his super saturated jewel tone palatte and the often dramatic way he paints his lovely ladies. He's pretty popular, so I'm sure most of you have seen some of his images at some point or another - but here are a few of my favorites!

Lovely Ladies of the Past: Barbara Stanwyck

What can I say about B-Stan? First I must declare that I fell for the dame a couple of years ago when TCM played "Remember the Night" immediately followed by "Christmas in Connecticut". Or was it the other way around?... either way I've adored ever her since. Though I've only seen half a dozen of her films, I feel confidant in saying she is a fabulous actress, though sometimes in not-so-fabulous roles (or maybe I just really don't like hyper-dramas), often with a don't-mess-with-me attitude and with astounding comedic timing. Every part I have seen her play she is the embodiment sass, smart, tastefully sexy and cunning beyond belief. She portrayed (almost) everything any self-respecting girl should admire and aspire to, and for that I am wholly dedicated to her.

Oh and by the way, she is friggin' gorgeous. 

Here's some evidence (in no particular order) incase you don't believe me (but why wouldn't you? You know me so well, after all.)

Probably my favorite picture of her. 

Euphonic Earworms: Sailboat in the Sky

Wednesday I leave for England as I'll be studying there this semester, so I've been running around trying to get everything ready in time! Gracie left my house on Thursday, and since then I've only been on the internet to do school related things and do a few quick read-throughs of my blogger dashboard (I couldn't completely stay away!).

Anyway, here's an aviation-related-ish soundie from 1942 that I just love - super cheesy, but I couldn't care less! Knowing my luck, I'll be sat next to a 180-year-old fart machine the entire ride (as I was when I went to China), instead of honey-voiced Johnny Johnston, but one can dream, right?

- Emily