Merry (Vintage) Christmas! and Happy Holidays Too.

Hope you all have a lovely holiday.

Dior (Dresses you at home for Christmas) turns his genius to glamorizing the holiday scene in this hostess gown Vicalaine Sag-No-Mor jersey from his current New York collection.



Both scans from the December issue of Vogue, 1954

Shameless Self Promotion

New at Sew-Retro.

A couple of Marian Martin and Anne Adams sewing patterns.


And this pretty Vogue Special Design shirtwaist dress.

Fuck You, Cookie Press

Fuck.
You.

they do taste good....

Open Tabs

My open tabs in the last week included these:

Department Stores is a fun website with lots of historical information about department stores in the US with an emphasis on the Portland, OR area.

Over on Pajiba they had one of the funniest conversations concerning dogs, vandals, spoilers and the movie Marley and Me. Be aware there are SPOILERS in the thread.


I wish I had found this Dean Martin Christmas CD before it was too late, besides the cover being super cool it has all my favorite Christmas songs done by Dean-o.

Speaking of Christmas songs, Fairytale of New York, The Pogues and the late Kirsty MacColl, still tops my list of Christmas songs.



Yes, that is Matt Dillon as the cop.

Dickipedia now has a listing for Rod Blagojevich.
"On December 9, 2008, adding dick insult to dick injury, Blagojevich was detained by the FBI and charged with conspiracy to commit fraud as well as solicitation of bribery for allegedly trying to sell president-elect Barack Obama’s vacated seat in the U.S. Senate. This happened the day before Blagojevich’s 52nd birthday. One imagines they canceled the stripper. "

What can I say? Fuck You, Penguin...."A blog where I tell cute animals what's what".

What-I-Found, a new blog from Tina who travels the country with her hubby in an RV and sells patterns with me on Mainstreet Vintage. Her new blog has oodles of vintage catalogs and vintage advertisements scans.

Hollis from Past Perfect Vintage has begun blogging about the Inauguration fashions of our former First Ladies. Great idea, great images....all I know is there is Mamie in all her pink glory and in comes Babe Paley in this.

I agree with the Sartorialist, Morris Day had a fabulous sense of style. (you have to scroll down a bit to see the post) Plus Jungle Love is one of the best songs evah!

And last but not least, Jonathan over on Kickshaw Productions has done a couple of interesting reviews on the historical accuracy of the fashions in some recent movies. Here and here.

Christmas Tree

Weekly Pattern

Vintage 1938 Vogue Special Design Pattern, S-3942.
I love it, hostess gown.
On eBay.


Here is another offering from the same seller, 1941 Vogue Special Design, S-4263.


The seller, feenixgroup1972, has an amazing group of 30's and 40's patterns listed right now.
Go take a look.

Oueen O' The Bag

Chief was playing with the scrap wrapping paper bag, but Nico really wanted the bag all for herself.
Guess who won?

Vintage Purses...Christmas Colors

These are 2 of my favorite vintage purses of the whole calender.
The red is probably 40's with a Lucite clasp while the green one is 1930's made of a early vinyl that replicates alligator skin. If you have ever had one of these early vinyl bags you know how soft they are compared to more modern vinyl.

This late 30's or 40's vinyl handbag is on Damn Good Vintage, great color, soft and the shape is slick.

Vintage Roux Haircolor Advertisment

Vogue 1949

I love the neckline on this Hattie Carnegie gown.
The jewerly is also from Hattie Carnegie.

Kitty Mission

This summer Chief picked up the annoying cat habit of sleeping in planters with the expressed mission of killing all my flowers.
Still on the job I see....

Indulgence

Paperspine is my personal, completely unessential necessity.*

A luxury monthly expense that I really should cut.
I just can't though.
See, I have this problem with libraries, I always owe them money.
Ridiculous you say?
Absolutely
Even though they have on-line renewal I still rack up tons of over-due fees.

The problem is I like to read and not just fanfiction.
I like a nice book in my hands.....nothing heavy, normally a mystery.
A serial killer is nice.
I could go to a used book store, but that would require finding one that I like and driving there.
Experience has taught me that the local ones are full of romance novels which make me laugh at the silly covers and helpless heroines or "chick lit".
Ugh.
Thanks, but no thanks.
Plus I like things to come to me.

So Paperspine has filled the need for a good read with no overdue fees. I end up getting 5-6 books a month (I read very fast which makes the turn around on my side is pretty fast) so the price is comparable to what I might spend at a used bookstore.

Someday, when I have real money, I will buy a Kindle and download all the books I want.

*No they have not paid me to say nice things, but it would be nice.

Hammer Time!

Just a bit of shameless self promotion.
New vintage patterns are now up at Sew-Retro.
Those 80's hammer pants can be found here.

70's Caftan

Jumpsuits here, here and here



They are making me nostalgic for shag rugs, swingers parties and Harvey Wallbangers.

In My Mailbox

This was in my mailbox yesterday.


A Christmas package from an on-line (hopefully IRL someday) friend.
Cool, huh?
Here is how it looks with the office.


Nice and cushy and great when my back begins to hurt.
I luvs it.

Vintage Tablecloth

Look what I got.
Cute.
Still in its original package.

Open Tabs

Let's see, this week Angie posted a video interview filmed at Dorothea's Closet, her vintage clothes store in Des Moines Iowa, from 512 Magazine.

Kim got a bird zombie in the the mail.

The Smoking Gun finally got a copy of that Van Halen Rider with the "NO brown M&M's".

Carol over at Dandelion Vintage is having an end of year sale.

Jodi at Couture Allure always has the most interesting links. This one is to the Morris Museum which is presenting an exhibit on outerwear; "Stepping Out in Style: Outerwear from the Past 150 Years".

The VFG Blog featured vintage jewelry this week. Look, one of my items made the cut:



Fun post about adding a bit of Burlesque to your life.

What Mamie Wore on Mrs. O.

Not Quite Nigella...Luxurious Rocky Road...heaven.

Vintage Airstream Home

I want some of these "vintage" hairpins from Cara Lyndon.
(I don't think they are really vintage, but vintage "look".)

This was a new one for me. Lotion Candles...candles that burn at a low heat and when melted you can massage the "wax" on as a skin lotion.

Muwahahahahaha

More ways to collect the minions.
I am now on Twitter.
Yes, you too can now follow my every movement (not really, I won't waste money texting to the damn thing) because my life is so fucking exciting.

Followers

Seriously?
I have a follower!
I had no idea, I didn't even know about this "follower" stuff.
I feel like I have a minion (sorry no t-shirts or hats involved)...if you want to follow me just click on the thingiee on the right side.

Weekly Pattern(s)

This week I am featuring both a pattern and pattern book from the estate of a woman in LA who was a clothing designer in the 1940's. Both are auctions from oncillakat who told me she will be listing more interesting patterns from the estate all week.


My GOD is this not an awesome Ceil Chapman design?
No the normal draped look, but instead a sexy, tailored number that can be worn for both a dinner date or cocktails.

The other item is a "Patterns by Originator" catalog.


Oh, I noticed she also has a great 1930's McCall pattern catalog too.

And now shameless self-promotion time, nothing as awesome as the above, but I am pretty partial to this Modes Royale pattern:

Vintage Purses

1940's Lucite Purse:



Gold 1950's Hatbox Style Handbag:

Oprah, Please STFU

Please.
Just stop.
Have you any idea how tired I am hearing about your weight?
So you gained some weight back.

Jesus, you act like the world is coming to an end.
Let me ask you somethin' are you still amazingly rich?
Are you still a self made businesswoman with a scary amount of power?
Still got Stedman?
Still got Gail?
Still got the dogs?

Then STFU.
So what if you weigh 200 lbs?
I have a feeling that your body is supposed to be soft and lush and curvy.
Revel in it.

Is your self worth really based on your weight?
Hell, I think you are looking pretty damn good for a woman over 50.

Stop worrying what the scale says and live a lifestyle that makes you happy....not one you are a prisoner to.
And stop making it sound like being overweight, even obese, is something we have to be ashamed of or apologize for.
In a society that in so many ways claims our self-worth as women is directly related to how skinny we are, it would be nice if women like you would just STFU when it comes to your weight (you too Queen Latifa) and instead prove that being sexy, powerful, sucessful and happy has NOTHING to do with your BMI.

Great post by Kate Harding on Oprah and her weight gain.

Because I Hate My Cat....

Actually I love my cat, but I can't resist a cat in a head cone.
We discovered that Nico had some kinda "mass" on her chest and thought, cancer, so I had planned to take her to the vet later this week.
Tonight I discovered that she has licked the spot, now it is a spot with no hair, a hole and infection.
Just an abscess.
She won't leave it alone so we made a cone to keep her away from the sore until I get her to the vet in the am.

She will kill us all when this is over.

May, 1959 Vogue

From the 1959 May Vogue.

Mary Black Chantilly Lace Over Organdy

Vogue Paris Original Pattern by Griffie #1449

Lemon Yellow Silk Polka Dot Dress with Alencon Lace
Collar and Cuffs, Harvey Berin

And really, just because I want this dining room....all of it.
Even the furry rug.
Howell Modern metal Furniture

Ebay...What I Want

I want this vintage rhinestone poddle pin from DeniseBrain.
Come on! How super cute is that?

It is only bid up to like $6 with a day or so to go.....

New at Damn Good Vintage

Some shameless self promotion.

Vintage Fred Perlberg party dress.....





Vintage rockabilly dress....

Open Tabs

Carol from Dandelion Vintage interviewed Marzipan Jones as she tries to live the life of a 1950s housewife. The interview is here on Vintage Bulletin.

Couture Allure reminds us that the Constantiner Collection of Photographs will be auctioned off at Christie's on Dec 16th and 17th. If you live in New York you can go see a preview from Dec. 12th - 16th.
My favorite photograph is this one of a Mainbocher Corset by Horst P. Hors:

The Vintage Fashion Guild is featuring vintage with bling this week.

Debutante Clothing on a chic Dior vintage find.

Hahahahahah, the director of Twilight (ask your kid) may have been canned because she wanted to make the movies better.

Kim is still counting off the 12 days of Christmas in her own cracktastic way.

Lizzie over on The Vintage Traveler is doing a give away! (I mention this because that creepy elf on the right makes me giddy.)

National nightmare is almost over and get over it, Obama is an American and the truth matters. Both from Deus Ex Malcontent.

Big ass pockets on Dress-A-Day.

Weekly Pattern

New Feature...let's see if I can do it more then one week in a row.
Pretty.


Vintage 30s Gathered Bodice Frock Dress w/ Bow Accents Pattern from Miss Helene's.



Self Promotion:

Vintage 30s/40s Sewing Pattern with Great Puff Sleeve Blouse

High Waist Wide Leg Culottes !