[ as usual, be sure to click for the enlarged view! ]

[ as usual, be sure to click for the enlarged view! ]

So I’m curious: would you try any of these scarf tricks? What is your favorite way to sport a pretty scarf?

[ check out the unique, "winged" sleeves on the jacket, and the lacing up the front of the playsuit. ]

In my last round up of late 1930s film fashion, I can’t believe I forgot to mention one of my favorites (and seemingly many of your’s too!): the 1939 classic The Women! If you haven’t seen it, you really must. I won’t clutter this entry with a description of the plot, but suffice to say it’s a wonderful mash-up of fashion, amazing actresses (Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russel… just to name a few!), and witty dialog. It’s basically what we’d call in modern terms a “chick flick”, but it’s certainly one of the chicest chick flicks I’ve ever seen!

The film is so chock full of wonderful, over-the-top clothes (designed by the talented Gilbert Adrian), that I’m not even going to try and cover it all in one post! For this (first!) post I decided to cover my favorite part of the movie: the fashion show! Although the rest of the movie is in black and white, midway through the main characters attend a fashion show and the film switches into color (a true late 30s touch!). The fashions are fantastically theatrical as only Adrian could design them, with many sly winks at the mania for surrealism at the time. (Check out the beach jacket with the modeled-hand closure!) I hope you’ll be as inspired by all these fun looks as I am! (If you haven’t seen the movie, check out the scene in action here.)

Seeing all these makes me wildly excited about playsuits with sweet little details and jaunty hats! What details catch your eye?

[ more sweet playsuits. ]

[ one of the most interesting, surrealist pieces in the whole fashion show--check out the modeled hand clasp on the jacket! ]

[ I've pretty much decided if I can have a beach jacket with snappy red stripes around the shoulders, I'd be a happy girl! ]

[ more seaside fashions; two longer lounging outfits. the series of pockets on the left outfit are so interesting! ]

[ eye-catching cool-weather outfits. the center one is my favorite--especially the jaunty hat! ]

[ more gorgeous daywear. the fur details on the black outfit are pure Hollywood--so glamorous! ]

[ fanciful gowns. the one on the right with the simulated black skirt and midriff waistband and scalloped hem is so pretty! ]

[ more floaty gowns! ]

[ striking evening gowns. take a close look at the hat the model in the green gown is wearing: the crown is a clear plastic! ]

[ the caped evening ensemble is so interesting... ]

[ more glamorous looks! ]

[ I love this bustled gown so much--the shaping is divine, while the color keeps it elegant. ]

[ gloves all in one with the sleeves! ]

[ another nod to surrealism: gigantic gold "studs" on the gloves! ]

[ click for a larger view. ]

If there is one thing that I love and never tire of, it’s the vintage updo. Truth be told, I wear my hair up in some configuration the majority of days; it’s just easier to have it out of the way (not to mention cooler not to have it against my neck!). Something I have been doing in spare moments lately is scanning through my image files for new vintage updo inspiration! A girl can never have too many ideas for new ways to arrange her hair…

[ click for a larger view. ]

So many of these are deceptively simple. But even for those that aren’t, just the concepts are good in that they can be imitated with a little hair know-how. Even if you’re not game for doing an updo on a regular basis (my everyday ones are never anything special!), they are great for special occasions that crop up!

[ click for a larger view. ]

Excuse the lack of an exciting post today–I’m decidedly having one of those days. So rather than berate myself over the fact that I forgot to take pictures yesterday (when it was sunny!) of a project nearing the exciting stage of completion and neglect to post anything, here are some pictures that have caught my fancy of late!

[ click for a larger view. ]

What has been inspiring you, friends? Please do share–I’m always curious to know what is sparking your imagination!

Tomorrow, hopefully, there will be a knitting progress post! Much excitement!

Whenever I start to get just the tiniest bit bored with high fashion photography (of the vintage or contemporary kind) or just feel the need of finding some new looks, I always find hunting down vintage snapshots a great way to recharge my style inspiration banks. I could go on about how it’s possibly because the shots aren’t staged, don’t show designer clothes, or are a bit less glamorous than the movie star pictures from back in the day. But honestly, I love these just as much as the high fashion, contrived photography. Women seemed just as glamorous mucking around in everyday frocks then–or maybe it is just me wishing a little glamor into the frozen moment?

I’m not a terribly high maintenance gal when it comes to the retro look. Well, a lot of people think I am with my vintage makeup and hair, but I think I spend just as much time as most style conscious gals to get ready. I prefer a bit of a softer, girl-next-door look. That is why I love these old photos so much: they were the girls-next-door, the sweethearts and wives, homemakers and gals with career aspirations. None of them look too perfect, if you know what I mean. I love glamor, but like these women before me, keeping it up on a daily basis with toilets to scrub and errands to run in 95 degree heat means that stepping out looking like a fashion plate isn’t terribly practical. Plus, a face of half-melted makeup ain’t that glamorous after all…