You can leave your hat on

Remember that song? I loved it when I was little, though I really had no idea what it was about. Tehehe.

That top picture is my fave, I've had that concept in the back of my head since I started Vixen Vintage, and never go around to it. I mentioned it to Lara, and she said "let's do it!"

I think this is my favorite set so far we've done, I mean, it features my favorite accessory! My facebook peeps might remember a picture I posted a while ago of a studio set up in my teeny living room. Well, this is the result! I still can't believe these were taken in my house, Lara does wonders!

Hope you enjoy, and have a nice weekend!

All photos by Lara Blair

Polka dot dress-Fab Gabs

Pink dress-Buffalo Exchange

Red dress-Urban Eccentric Vintage

Regency inspired

I was incredibly inspired by this post placing screen stills from costume dramas, and photos from street fashion blogs side by side, as if the photographed were inspired by the films. It's a great way to show that you don't have to be in costume to pay homage to your favorite film or character.
I recently re-watched Wives and Daughters, one of my favorite period miniseries. Although towards the end of the film it enters my least favorite era of fashion, the main character stays fairly consistant in her plain country frocks. It's always the practical fashion I love most in costume dramas, not the hight of fashion ensembles. In any film that follows the goings on of servants, I'm usually more interested in their clothing than the wealthy, fashionable families :)

With this outfit, it's mostly the hairstyle that pulls it together as "regency inspired". I just used this pincurl set, but instead of brushing the front up, I brushed it to the side, and used hairpins (not bobby pins) to secure the back up. Now I just need a bonnet....

Dress-Made by me using a 1930s pattern

Cardigan, boots, pin, and wool shawl-Urban Eccentric Vintage

Lodekka

Saturday Sam, fellow blogger friend Dana and I went to Portland for a little bacon tasting at New Seasons. It wasn't quite the bacon tasting we had hoped for, but on our way home we stopped by Lodekka, the cute little double decker vintage bus. It's something you must visit if you're ever in Portland, if not for the shopping, at least for the novelty of it! We both found something, I took home this amazing 40s red straw hat with cherries cascading down the side, I swear Dita has one very similar. The sun came out for a couple minutes when we were taking pictures, wasn't that nice of it?

Sunglasses-Estate sale

Belt-Lodekka

The rest-Urban Eccentric Vintage

Lady of leisure

This is what I look like when I get up in the morning.

So not.

But either way, these last three photos do show my favorite dressing gowns. Dressing gowns are another lost aspect of polite society. Basically, you would get all your undergarments on, and put a dressing gown on over that. Then you would do your makeup, hair, read the morning paper, have a cup of tea, all the lovely little domestic things. I don't know exactly how long they've been around, but in the late 50s and 60s, they evolved into housedresses (or housecoats). Little loose cotton button ups, or zip ups, that you would wear either over your dress, or in place of a dress if you were between running errands or doing housework. For me, dressing gowns are like aprons, once you buy one, you just can't stop. They're just so darn pretty!

Many thanks to Lara Blair for the shoot, I'm so glad to have great pictures of my gowns and my living room!


And, just in case you're wondering, the picture in the blue frame is one of Amanda Atkins fabulous prints, the two little portraits are of Sam and I that I painted years ago, and the big abstract one is painted by my sister in law Caitlin :)

40s casual

Photos by Sam

I think it's the casual vintage looks that can be most difficult to put together. And the most difficult pieces to find! It took my quite a while to find an affordable pair of 50s jeans, old oxfords seem to be rare, and regular old 40s cardigans are a treasure to be had. I suppose people wore those casual things so often, they didn't last this far in the future.
This weekend I was lucky enough to find four 1940s yearbooks, and one 1950s, and have been pining over the casual little high school outfits the girls wore. I'll be sharing scans of the yearbooks soon, especially of some of the pretty hairstyles in the headshots.

49er jacket, socks, and purse-Urban Eccentric Vintage

Knit blouse-Part of a skirt/top outfit, Antique Expo

Slacks-Made by me, using a 1933 pattern

Shoes-Gift from my mother

Scarves and belt-thrifted

Amazing gift from Germany

A few weeks ago I was surprised by a fantastic, and thoughtful gift in my inbox, all the way from Germany. Annemarie is a graphic designer, and made these for me as a thank you for posting, as she loves Vixen Vintage :)
I really love these, she took photos and put her own, fantastically stylized spin on them. I just can't get over how sweet it is for someone to send me something so personal, which must have taken a large amount of time and effort, without ever us ever having met. A reminder of how great you guys are :)

You can visit her website: Penchilla

Or her blog! Penchilla Creative Blog

xoxo

Breakfast for one

Last thursday I turned the ripe old age of 22 (don't worry, they're putting me in a home soon), and just happened to have my first photoshoot scheduled with the lovely Lara Blair. She contacted me a few weeks ago wanting to do some fun vintage style shoots, and as the weather improves, I'm sure you'll see many more!

These were taken at Je t'aime bakery, a place I frequent for soup and pastries. At the recent expo I found this amazing amazing 1940s bird hat, and a belt to match! I found them at the same vendor, so maybe the woman who owned them in the 40s wore them together too :)

1940s twins

Twila Jean and I get mistaken for each other in out little part of town quite often. I have been asked how my kids are. She has been asked how things are at the vintage store. We have both been referred to as "the other one". Even when she was platinum blond and I brunette, people got us mixed up all the time. So we decided to have some fun with it :)
For the March Palmer and Wirfs Antique Expo, we found very similar 1940s sewing patterns in our collections, went out and got some cute repro fabric, and made matching dresses. Needless to say, we got stopped quite a bit. And were asked many times if were actually were twins.

The show wasn't as spectacular as it has been in the past, there were no women's clothing dealers :( But since my closet is bursting, I really don't need clothes. But bakelite bangles? Why of course I need those :)

I arrived at the show with two bakelite (and two lucite) and left with eleven. A nice little collection I think!

The ones on the top hand are my new finds :)


Dresses-Made from 1940s patterns

1930s Shoes-Flashbacks San Diego

Bakelite birdie-Gift from Sam

Hat-Don't remember

How I do 1940s hair

Ok, I FINALLY got a little tutorial done on how I've been doing my hair lately. I won't go into pin-curl basics, but you can watch this video, these vintage directions, or get this book (I swear that's not a sponsored link, I just love the book).

If you know how to do pin-curls already, then this will be a cinch, it just takes it a step further by doing upright pincurls, and pinning the finished curls in a 40s style. I've been pin purling my hair for about a year, and it takes me 5 to 10 minutes to pin everything at night, and about 1 minute in the morning to brush it out and style it. So for anyone saying they don't have an hour to style their hair in the morning: Seriously, one minute.


Make sure your hair is thoroughly wet, from root to end. I take showers at night, so that's not an issue. Otherwise stick your head under a sink!
I have thick hair that holds curl very well, so I don't use any sort of setting lotion. But if you have fine hair, or you just need extra help holding the curl, I've heard great things about Lottabody setting lotion. So, if you need a setting lotion, now is the time to apply it, and brush your hair smooth.
Part your hair at the side, then section off a portion of locks between your side part, and a middle part...

...brush the section in the opposite direction, at a diagonal. Now, instead of rolling the curl flat on your head, roll the curl upright, and pin at the base of your hair, right where the little arrow is.

Continue to do three more upright pin curls, in the directions shown in pink.

As for the rest, I do a back an forth, flat pincurl technique, and secure a hair net. The front actually looks like a style, so if you want to make it pretty, and show off the front curls, add a headscarf using this tutorial.

At this point I sleep, and let time do the work for me. If you are pressed on time, or wake up to some dampness, sit under a hood dryer until the set is completely dry. I always do a heat setting, and once dry, do a few minutes of cool to strengthen the curls and add a bit of shine ;)


Once your set has dried, take the bobby pins out and use a large brush if you have a strong curl hold, or use your fingers if you have a weak hold. Fluff everything up, I take my brush and brush out instead of down. You will look like an 80s rock star. Don't panic.

Brush the upright pincurls up, then add a little pomade and work that through with your fingers. Play with it a bit, brush more if needed, fluff it up, and once it looks like a nice, even set of curls, take a bobby pin, and pin from the back forward. Do this at various places on your crown, until it looks satisfactory. It should have lots of body, and the pins should be hidden from the front view. It takes me about three to four pins, but use as many as necessary.

Now, take the side of your hair, and pull back, pinning right above the back of your ear. Criss cross the pins if needed. You can also nix the pins and use some pretty combs! The photo on the right shows the difference between one side being finished, and the other only being half done. The pinning back makes a world of difference.

The finished style will look something like this. Add a ribbon, scarf, hat, or leave it be, you now have an authentic 1940s hairstyle :)

7. Beta Boutique scarf giveaway!

And the winner of the Vintage dress prints is...Piia!

Last but not least we have a beautiful scarf from Beta Boutique Accessories! All you need to do to enter, is visit the shop, pick out your favorite item, and link it back in the comments section here. For an additional entry, visit their clothing boutique and link your favorite item from that shop here in another comment.

This giveaway is open to international readers, and will last approximately 24 hours.

6. Vintage dress paintings giveaway!

And the winner of The Witchery giveaway is...Dani!


Today we have a beautiful set of prints from Lauren Maurer Artworks, an artist who specializes in gorgeous watercolors of vintage dresses. To win all three prints, simply visit the Etsy shop and pick out your favorite print, then link it back in the comments section here. For an additional entry you can follow her blog!

This giveaway is open to international readers, and will last for approximately 24 hours.

5. The Witchery Vintage $30 gift card!

And the winner of The Custard Heart Vintage giveaway is...Vanessa! Email me at solanahraquel@gmail.com for details.

Today we have $30 gift certificate to The Witchery Vintage, a pretty shop filled with vintage clothing from the 20s to the 80s. To enter, just visit the shop, and pick out your favorite item, then link it back here. For another entry, follow their blog, and comment here again.

This giveaway is open to international readers, and will last approximately 24 hours.

4. Custard Heart Vintage $50 gift certificate!

Ad the winner of the Ms. Tips giveaway is...Emma! Email me within a week, at solanahraquel@gmail.com for details.

We have another gift certificate to offer!

This one is for $50 at Custard Heart Vintage. They carry a stylish selection of clothing for "the modern romantic". All you need to do for a chance to win is visit the shop, find an item that strikes your fancy, and link it back in the comment section here. For a second entry, follow their blog (you can click "follow" up in the left corner), and comment again here.

This giveaway is open to international readers, and will last for approximately 24 hours, at which time the winner will be announced.

3. Ms. Tips Vintage $40 gift certificate!

And the winner of the Bombshell Bettie Giveaway is....Shiraz! Contact me at solanahraquel@gmail.com within a week for details.

Next up we have a $40 gift certificate to Ms Tips Vintage, a fabulous shop filled with clothing for women and children. All you need to do to enter is visit Ms Tips Vintage, pick out your favorite item, and link it back here. For another entry, follow them on Twitter, and comment here again.

This is open to international readers, and will last for approximately 24 hours, at which point the winner will be announced!

2. Bombshell Bettie's Vintage $40 gift certificate!

Bombshell Bettie's Vintage has a beautiful selection of vintage clothing, accessories, and decor, even some darling vintage clothes for the kidlets! You can win a $40 gift certificate to the store, just by visiting Bombshell Bettie's Vintage, picking out your favorite item, and linking it back here. If you would like another entry, like their Facebook page, or follow the Blog and comment again here.

This giveaway will last for 24 hours, and is open to international readers. The winner will be announced Tuesday night!