Barbie Couture

On Vogue.com, Barbie A Style Icon, in Dior and a number of other designer duds.

That would be the famous Dior "Bar" suit.


From the V&A-The Golden Age of Couture:

'Bar' is one of the most important designs from Dior’s first collection. The tight-fitting jacket has padded hips which emphasise the tiny waist. The long pleated wool skirt, backed with cambric, is exceptionally heavy.

Vintage Arkansas

Recently The Old State House Museum here in Little Rock, AR. received a gift of $1000 to restore the gown worn by Mabel Claire Martineau in 1927 to her husband's inauguration ball when he became Governor.


Oh my, that is one lovely vintage 20's dress.

The website for the museum has a nice timeline of all the dresses of the former First Ladies of Arkansas.

Here are a few others, one from 1933 and the other circa 1953.


The last one is Hillary Clinton's from 1979, which was the fist time Bill was elected Governor.
I mention it because it was made by a local designer, Connie Fails.
Last weekend I was over at a friend's house just going though her closet looking at the great vintage she has collected over the years and she pulled out this exquisite dress that looked like a beaded 20's wedding dress, but was a actually a reproduction made for her by Connie Fails.
Cool, huh?

Pattern of the Week

Vintage Adrian pattern.
Lovely.
"A6101. Early 50s -- likely 1951. This pattern is part of the "Patterns of the Times" series, published by the New York Times, as part of a series about the designers."
For more information, check out the listing at Vintage Fashion Library to read more about this group of Advance patterns from an insert (not for sale) included in these patterns written by Virginia Pope.

Here is my bit of shameless self promotion for Sew-Retro Patterns:


Not an Adrian, but a nice Vogue from the 1940's with an interesting neckline and a tie on peplum that provides pockets.
Clever!

Do You Know Your First Ladies?

NYT has a quiz on the inaugural ball gowns worn by former First Ladies.
I got a 10/15.

Really?

Seriously, I can't believe that no one thought to tell me that Ricky Gervais has a blog.
How much I love that wanker...even if he is raggin' on the fat folks like me (and him).

The obvious lack of irony makes me laugh.

Get That Bitch Off the Stage

After my last post we need an Anderson Cooper and Puppy break.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Road to the Doghouse - Puppedential Debate

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

If you Get a Plantar Wart Removed

Your Doctor might ask if you have had any blood work done.
If your Doctor asks if you "have had any blood work done lately" you might say "no never".
If you say "no never" he might look at you like you are crazy and order blood work.
If he orders blood work you will get a PSA.
If you get a PSA it might be high.
If it is high, you'll need to see a urologist.
If you see a urologist he might give you a prostate biopsy.
If he give you a prostate biopsy you just might find out you have prostate cancer, but only on one side and will consider yourself really fucking lucky that you had to have that plantar wart removed.

We recently found out that The Mr. has prostate cancer.

I guess I am in the acceptance phase right now since I have found that just ignoring the cancer will not make it less of a fact.
The last couple of weeks have been full of anger and sadness. Spending lots of time investigating treatments. Next week we will meet with his Dr. again to discuss what we have learned and get his recommendations.

Make sure your Mr. gets his PSA levels done so they can be compared if they begin to rise.

New Vintage Kitchen Curtain

I was pawing though a friend's loot of vintage tablecloths when I ran across this:



"Cool" said I.
"Take it" says she.
So I did.
Now, what seems like a large cotton kitchen towel, is hanging in front of my kitchen window.

Open Tabs

New Doctor, the inter-webs explode with wank, Fandom Wank has the round-up.
(kinda creepy looking, but The Doctor changes, I was hoping for Stephen Fry or maybe House would get cancelled and Hugh Laurie would go back to British TV where he belongs.)

I'm in love with Bobby Pin Blog. (speaking of vintage hairstyles, I have a new one. June Allyson (who Mr. Vintage says was hot) housewife meets Marisa Coulter....unfortunately I look like neither Allyson or Kidman.)



Well damn.
I had more but the power went out and the tabs were lost. So this is for this is it week.

BTW, ice on trees sucks.

What I Did Not Get For Christmas

So I'm back.
I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year!
Mine was homey and booze full (which means I spent it at home drinking Cranberry Vodka Cocktails and watching the Dr. Who Christmas special on Youtube with my teen because the Mr. was already in bed).

I got some cool things for Christmas...unfortunately I did not get the one thing I really needed.
A crochet poodle liquor bootle cozy with googly eyes:

(yes, the nose does make it look like the Hitler of the poodle world)

Because nothing screams "I'm a CLOSET ALKIE" louder then crochet cozies for your liquor bottles.
And no, it is not for shampoo bottles as one well meaning friend suggested....the neck is too long for one thing.

Where do I find these things you must ask?
I have a friend, who will remain nameless (you know who you are), who trolls Etsy looking for creepy/cool/awesome shit to buy and then calls me and tells me to talk her out of buying the Vintage Retro Tribal Head Vase for a pen and pencil holder.
Why would I want to do that?
Not only did I tell her to buy the set, I pointed out the Kitty Cat Planter that she should also buy and then I found the Poodle Cozy of my dreams.
This is what I do for fun.

Lame.

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.