Vintage Watch Pendant

My latest vintage-inspired fashion statement!

My grandmother gave me some of her old watches; one of them, she said, was a graduation present from her father. She graduated in 1940, so it's pretty exciting to think that the watch, which was missing a band, was probably made in 1939 or 1940. Of course, it no longer works, but it is so beautiful...What to do?

I slipped a chain through the loop at the top of the watch face, where the band was once attached. And now...It's a pendant!

A fashionable way to wear beautiful vintage watches you may find at antique malls.

Ancient Vintage?

Ha ha...So, my blog focuses mostly on vintage style and fashion from 1900-1950s...But with Halloween coming up, I'm planning to go as Helen of Troy. So! How about going extremely vintage for a little bit?--Ancient-Greece-and-Troy-vintage...

Rossana Podesta in the title roll of the 1956 film, Helen of Troy

I dressed as Helen of Troy in 4th grade, and it was hilarious...It's time for a pretty, grown-up version! Helen of Troy (who was actually queen of Greece, but ran away to Troy with the Trojan prince Paris) is usually portrayed as a blonde in the movies. Since I was ten, I always pictured her as a redhead. (Or maybe I just always wanted red hair?)

Well, my costume probably won't look quite that amazing, but I did make a very crafty crown out of bay leaves, painted gold, last year that I didn't get to wear. I'll have to post pictures of it!

Besame Mucho!

I know what I want for my birthday!



http://www.besamecosmetics.com/products.cfm/Classic-Enchanting-Lipsticks/pID-6

An Adventure in Matte

(Veronica Lake)

For years I'd heard about matte lipstick--magazines described it as a daring, "not-for-everyone" look. Naturally, that made me want to give it a try. But either I wasn't into the vintage scene at that time or I was still intimidated by red lipstick, as I forgot about it nearly all together.


And then Revlon introduced a line of matte lipsticks. Revlon--my favorite lipstick brand! Buying red lipsticks can be risky; often the color on your lips is far from the color of the sticker on the bottom of a tube. So it wasn't until recently that a local drugstore had a sale on Revlon lipsticks that i decided to take the plunge. At $4.99 a tube, how could I go wrong?

(Revlon Matte lipstick, "In The Red")

Even the black-and-silver tube is matte! I adore it; it's matte without feeling dry, and the color wears well.


I bought "In The Red." I think it's a great red (the lighting of the photo doesn't do it justice); it works well with my hair color. I like the matte so much, I think I might buy a darker shade.

I really don't think matte lipstick is as risky as some makeup "experts" claim--and I disagree that it is exclusive only to certain women. If you're someone who has wanted to try matte lipstick but you're apprehensive due to all the hype--go ahead and give it a try. You won't know if you like it until you do. There's nothing to be intimidated by!

The Perfect Red

(the lovely Rita Hayworth wearing with ideally red lips)

I've been looking for the perfect red lipstick for a long time; the ideal "classic" '40s red, not the pinkish red that is sometimes recommended (that's more '50s). I found a great one made by Revlon, "Mulled Wine," but it has recently been discontinued, so I'm on the search for another!

Recently I found this advice on a makeup site: "ivory skin

tones should save red lipstick for only those special occasions calling for some extra drama. " I followed that advice for too long and was really timid about trying to wear red on my lips. The truth is, red looks great with ivory skin; it adds a color and classiness that can't be beaten.

Could any of my readers possibly help me by recommending some great red colors? :D

Some Other Time?

...So.

I had the party; it was lots of fun! There was a password to get into the party (as it was speakeasy themed): "hotsy-totsy!" Everybody did great in remembering it. We laughed a lot while trying to make up sentences with the 1920s slang dictionary I found online, and we drank gin and tonics and ate cookies, and tried to dance the Charleston. I regret that I did not take more photos, but the few that I did take, I will try to post soon. This is the only photo I have, of me, taken by a friend:



I made the headband myself (see the post on how to make a flapper headband to find out how!); I'm wearing a strand of plain plastic "pearls," knotted, with vintage pearl earrings (also fake!), and a second-hand bracelet that must weigh three pounds. The dress I bought a while back at a sidewalk sale, only $5! It was beaded and sequined, and felt more '20s than I expected.

Sometime I will continue on my '20s posts, but I had to return all my resources to the library, so I haven't a whole lot right now.

I'm planning to do my next post on matte lipstick, as I tried it a few months ago and really liked it. Matte was in during the '40s. Exciting!

So Much to Blog--Not Enough Time!

I have been away too long!

Good news: Postponed the '20s party, so I thought I would have more time to post all the fashion pictures I wanted to.

More good news (though not so good for blogging!): Started a writing group, a new book, and working on a book I want to have published within the next couple of years. Then stomach flu, or something like it (that was not good news). Oh my!

Lots to catch up on! The party is one week from now, and there is so much I want to blog about when it comes to 1920s fashion:

-The popularity of sunbathing! (After all, it is summer!)

-Long strands of beads, and easy way to flapper-ize your look.

-Oriental influence on clothing.

-Men's fashion!

Hopefully I can get something done this week!