Post Calender!

Although I promised in my last post to present a how-to on 1930s make up, I'm facing a lull in my preparations for that.  I need to practice my hair and make up first, and I haven't really been doing that!  Naughty me.  Well, I did feel the urge to post something, and in order to satisfy that (and possibly awaken my motivation), I decided to let you know what I'm hoping to write about in the coming weeks.

-End of March:  Someday, I'll get up that post about getting a 1930s face.

-Month of April: Because of the 1940s party I have planned for early May, the month of April is going to be 1940s month!  Faithful readers will receive tips on how to dress 1940s-esque with modern clothing, how to do hair rolls and other hairstyles, and how to do make up.  And of course I'll have 1940s tips for men, since we all know how foxy those 1940s men are.  ;D

-Speaking of the 1940s, I have a hat I bought nearly three years ago that I believe is a genuine 1940s hat.  For lack of a better term, it is epic.  Italian made, magenta-red...Oh darlings, you just have to see it.

-For this summer, I want to post about dresses, dresses, dresses!  I have a few modern dresses that look rather vintage.  I need to share.

There is more, but you would like some surprises, wouldn't you?

Coming Soon: My First How-To Post

I have not yet done a tutorial on this blog, but for my next post, I'm hoping to change that.

The subject will be how to get a 1930s face. I'm quite excited for this, and I really hope I can provide you all with the tips you'll need to pull off the look.

As I've said, I've never done a how-to post, so I'm still trying to figure out what the best approach would be, but I'm seeing the task as a welcome challenge. I hope to do more how-to posts in the future.

Fay Wray

Stay tuned...

Stylish Blogger Award! Truly?!

Oh my, how pleasantly surprised I was when I saw that Miss Dee so generously bestowed upon me a Stylish Blogger award! I feel so honored.

And now, for seven facts about me!

1. I am in love with film noir. Though I'm generally a positive person, I just love the dark, often tragic themes, the mysterious plots, romantic intrigue, and the shadowy photography.




2. I love perfume. Smelling it, wearing it, and--yes, making it! It's fascinating how many different fragrance combinations there are. And in terms of aromatherapy, it's interesting how certain scents can affect our moods and emotions.


3. I used to be really into 1960s/1970s fashion. One day (okay, it took a bit longer than that), I looked at myself, my personality, and said, "What the hell am I doing? This is okay--but not for me. Not anymore."



4. My love of 1930s and 1940s style comes from my grandmother. Around the time my grandfather died, I missed him a lot and started listening to Glenn Miller, whom he really admired. That somehow got me started on the clothing of the era, and my grandmother was a big inspiration toward that, too. After I got a taste of the '40s...I never went back, ha, ha!



5. I absolutely adore dramatic piano music. Chopin is my favorite, along with Rachmaninov, Beethoven, and Scriabin.


6. I really love trees, and just plants in general. Their characteristics are fascinating and they're fun to learn about, not to mention just beautiful!


7. Dangle earrings are something I absolutely adore! They make me feel extra sassy and quite alluring as they swing and bump against my skin, and twinkle in the light. :3



And I now bestow the Stylish Blogger Award to the following seven blogs:

Silly me observing

Vintage Rose

Wearing History

UrbanNoir

In The Pursuit Of Happy-Ness

Penny Dreadful Vintage

Geninne's Art Blog

Here's what to do:

-Post a link to the person who gave you the award.

-List seven facts about yourself.

-Pass on the Stylish Blogger Award to seven other blogs.

Mystery Compact

Look what I found at a thrift store, for $2! I'm going to try to restore it.


It's a rather large compact mirror...I have no idea of how old it is. It was pretty tarnished...


And the mirror inside is not in the greatest shape...


Here you can see some crazes in the mirror; the backside is probably painted. I'll replace it later.

Here you can get a good idea of the size. I polished it up with...lime juice, of all things! That was the most effective cleaner I could find that was non-abrasive.

I was thinking I would have to find some rhinestones to replace on this cute sun here...

But, oops!--The sun fell off and revealed a beautiful fleur de lis beneath! Maybe I'll keep it this way. It still needs work; that corrosion and glue has to come off, and I'm thinking of maybe painting it. If anyone knows how old this might be, please let me know!

My Ideal

...My ideal 1940s evening gown, that is! I found this illustration on a vintage pattern site. This would be a perfect gown to wear to my 1940s party...




I love sweetheart necklines! I would go with the rose print, or some other colorful floral print.

Talc-Free Curiosity, Part Three (The Final Chapter!)

Since I decided to go talc-free with my face powder, the standard of quality I was searching for was something like Coty's Airspun. Since I used that, I love loose powders, but I wanted one that did not contain talc or mineral oil, and would not feel oily at the end of the day. I wanted something that would give that matte, silver screen siren finish to my face.

I tried three powders: Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil, Palladio "Rice Powder," and Aubrey Organics Silken Earth. I liked the Bare Escentuals, but it was $19 and was mainly cornstarch and zinc stearate. I felt that was quite a heavy price for such simple ingredients. Then I tried Aubrey Organics Silken Earth, which I immediately liked. However, I tried Palladio before I made up my mind.

The Palladio powder was fine in feeling; however, it is NOT talc-free. Also, it turned yellow on my skin, and was very hard to get off, and seemed to almost stain patches of my skin. I know some people adore it, but it is just not for me.

So, which did I choose? What glorious powder would be the end of my talc-free quest?

The winner!

Aubrey Organics Silken Earth Powder, in Porcelain Beige. This contains 100% natural ingredients, NO TALC; it is a silk powder base and has aloe barbadensis and vitamin E, so not only does it reduce shine, but it feels like it's nourishing my skin while I'm wearing it. Also, it contains "organic cinnamomum zeylanicum bark powder," so there is a slight, pleasant cinnamon essence about it. And I do not feel greasy after having it on for a few hours!

Usually, I can't wait to take off my make up at night. But this...I almost want to leave this on!

Next on my wishlist is the Aubrey Organics blush...

I was going for a sassy screen-siren expression. Ha! Anyway, it hardly looks like I'm wearing much powder, yet there is no shine. Hooray for matte finish!

"V" is for VICTORY!

Hey!

This upcoming May, I'm planning a 1940s "Victory" party! Those of you who know me best know that when it comes to vintage style, the 1930s and 1940s are my favorite...But something about the 1940s really wins my heart. The fancy hairstyles, the MUSIC, the movies (film noir!), the more simplified makeup. So, this party is one I am really looking forward to! I'll probably do some ration-inspired food, like a war cake, and there will be other World War Two themes about--lots of red, white, and blue!

I'm hoping some of my male guests will dress in uniforms. :O Ohhhh myyy...

But that reminds me! I need to figure out what I'm going to wear! I want to find a very elegant dress. I really like the beaded gown Rita Hayworth wore in the 1946 film Gilda (one of my favorite noirs).





I would imagine that something like this would be hard to find at a second hand shop, so I do have another option. I have a grape-colored satin and white lace gown I wore for a southern belle Halloween costume, and I'm thinking about cutting the lace off of it. It has a sweetheart neckline, too!

Pictures to come!