Late Forties Do's

Hello again everyone, I'm back with what is turning into my monthly blog post! Oops!

I just wanted to share some images that have been inspiring me recently. With tax year end/start chaos taking over my work life, I must admit that I have been far too tired and lazy to be setting my hair of an evening. Instead, I have become slightly obsessed with late 1940's/early 1950's fun updo's- isn't it nice to simply put all your hair on top of your head and forget about it for a while! Here I am attempting a bit of a poodle...

I found this 'do surprisingly easy to style. I firstly curled the longest pieces of my hair with curling tongs, and then pin curled them to set whilst I put my make up on. Once they were definitely cool I gently separated the curls and pinned my hair up all around my crown. The poodle pretty much formed itself, but required a bit of pinning to keep the curls in place. I used this beautiful picture of Rita Hayworth as my inspiration.

Here are some of my other favourites that I hope to try soon...

I also have quite an obsession with turbans too, as I mentioned on one of my last posts. I love this simple picture of Lucille Ball.

And finally a little outfit picture...

I would love to know what is inspiring you as Spring approaches!

Hannah xxx

A New Look For A New Year

Christmas time brought me a book that I had long lusted after, '1940's Fashion'. Inside there are many pictures that simply fill me with inspiration but I have to say that it has caused a slight change in style for me! I asked for the book as I hoped to fill my head with inspiration for wonderful, original 1940's styles, which it has done, however I have been inspired by different images to those than I expected to be. Just look at the front cover...

What really stands out throughout the book is the sense of fun that could be found through enjoying clothing. I perhaps always regarded 1940's style as a more restricted and prescribed effort due to the war efforts, however the book really shows how fun style could be.

I must admit that I have made the schoolboy error of just diving in and looking straight at the pictures- how could I resist?!

This above image has the following caption; "Stage actress Ethelind Terry in slacks, a cotton blouse with scalloped edges, a white casual turban and suede moccasins, photographed on a military airfield. The image was part of a propaganda drive to encourage women to take up war work and to suggest that everyone, regardless of fame, class and wealth, was in it together and they all had to do their bit''. I can certainly say that the turban alone would have persuaded me, what a look!

I think these looks are so perfect as spring approaches, I particularly love the above photo with the slacks and 'Sweater Girl' style jumper. I have made some amazing finds recently, with the ever faithful M&S Classic Collection and BHS both well stocked with reasonably priced pieces. Alongside this Forties look, I do long to adopt a little more of the Sweater Girl look into my wardrobe. My Instagram is full of serious inspiration and I simply cannot resist- I think another blog post will have to include some of my inspiration.

 The top below is a BHS purchase paired with a headscarf- I think it is time to find (or make) some turbans!

Alongside some new wardrobe additions this spring, I can hardly forget the accessories can I?! I dream of greatly increasing my brooch collection with an assortment of novelty and mid century pieces and have made some purchases recently. 

Do you intend to adopt a new look into your wardrobe for this new year? As 2013 drew to a close, I felt ready for a change and slightly fed up with my wardrobe. I am looking forward to feeling more of a sense of enjoyment and frivolity from my outfit choices, rather than trying to be 'spot on' all of the time.

With lots of love,

Hannah xxx

The Edge of Love

Ok, I have a confession. I am a big Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller fan. They may split opinion on their acting ability, but it surely can't be disputed how beautiful they are?! The Edge of Love even has the Brucie Bonus of not just Keira and Sienna, but Cillian Murphy too. Drool. 



Anyway, back to the film! Set in wartime Britain, it is a complicated love story between two couples. With Knightley's husband sent to war, she begins an affair and faces the consequences when he returns. I was really hit by the realisation of how lonely war must have been for both those fighting, and those left behind. In such a terrifying situation for all, you can only imagine how frantically all sought solace and similarly struggled to return to normality once it was over.

A real highlight of the film was the incredible wardrobe throughout. I must admit that the outfits of both Miller and Knightley whilst in London did seem much more opulent than their circumstances would suggest, however I certainly wasn't complaining! However, the later parts of the film are a great lesson in the knitwear and tea dress combination that is perfect for transitional times of year.

I think that this coat above is so stunning. Just look at those darts!

What is your opinion on this film?

Hannah xxx
 

Glorious 39

Settling into bed on Saturday night, I noticed that British Drama 'Glorious 39' was on TV. Knowing I was bound to fall asleep partway though, I decided to sit down and watch it properly...and am I glad I did!

 

I really don't want to reveal too much of the tale, but can guarantee that it is so worth a watch. The plot is gripping, cast full of British talent and an amazing wardrobe to boot. Set on the eve of WW2 in wartime Britain, Anne, the adopted daughter of a rich and formidable family, discovers secret recordings in her Father's shed and suddenly her life dramatically unravels.

 

I find myself incredibly inspired by the wardrobe and understated elegance of Anne. The wealth of her family is definitely reflected in the outfit choices, from lame to silk gowns, all outfits are incredibly opulent. Simple, classic late thirties/early forties styling was made incredibly realistic by attention to detail. Anne was given a 'capsule wardrobe', so we see the same pieces of clothing being used slightly differently throughout the film. How authentic! Even better, we even see her sleeping in pin curls. How frustrating is it when we watch reproduction films were they sleep with no set but awake to incredible curls!

 

 

 

 

 

For me, the hair is absolute perfection. Not too over the top, but understated and elegant styles accessorised with wonderful snoods, berets or slides. Even better, look how few pin curls she appears to have in! In the film, she has just pin curled the entire front part of the hairline.

 

The make up for Anne is incredibly simple as she really is a natural beauty. For the daytime scenes, I wonder if they have used a lip stain, such as Benetint. Her eye make up also appears very simple, with the slightest bit of black eyeshadow used instead of eyeliner. Of an evening, a rich red lipstick is used (possibly Russian Red) with some more definition to the eye by a tiny bit of eyeliner and eyeshadow in the socket.

 

I think it is fair to say that the DVD, a red beret and navy snood are most definitely on my wish list!

 

Glorious 39 should be on the Iplayer this week if you catch it quickly!

 

Hope you enjoy,

 

Hannah xxx

Goodwood Revival 2013

Sit down with a cup of tea and prepare yourselves; this is going to be a seriously picture heavy post!

 

On Friday, after months and weeks of preparation, we set off to Goodwood! After a well documented (via Twitter) jacket nightmare, having it been held up for almost a month at Customs, it finally arrived and I could put together my look. A huge forties fan, I was desperate to put together a classic outfit that represents my style, but was within my modest price range! I decided to wear my own interpretation of the Dior New Look that came out in 1947.

 

And here is my version...

 

 

Jacket: Black Rock Vintage on Etsy

Blouse: Charity Shop

Skirt: Zara (3 years ago!)

Shoes: Ebay

Bag: Vintage Hobbs

Beret: Charity Shop

Brooch: Bobby and Dandy, Hove

 

I even found the perfect Dior New Look shape straw sun hat, whilst on holiday in Suffolk, however the decidedly rainy weather called time on those plans. I decided to go for a Beret and a pageboy set, Lauren Bacall/Nina Foch style.

 

 

 

It is the first time that I have worn a beret and I must say that I loved it!

 

Here come the pictures...

 

Super amazing Tesco's stocked with goods in original packaging

Brown sauce anyone?!

 

 

My boyfriend wishing this was his

 

I had such an amazing time, it really was quite overwhelming to be surrounded by such an incredible amount of everything that I love! I suppose that I am so used to searching out vintage in a charity shop, or seeing what a vintage fair has to offer, that miles of clothes, cars and just hours of people watching was just amazing. I really wish we had bought tickets for all three days so that we could see the finals of the racing, and spent more hours immersed in the atmosphere. The only problem has been my seriously achy legs the day after!

 

Have you been this year, or any previous years? I would love to see some of your pictures!

 

Hannah xxx

 

The Cold Days Are Coming

As a sunshine lover, I do get a feeling of dread as Winter approaches. Cold, wet weather and short dark days ahead leave me feeling a bit miserable, however there is something exciting about getting a warm, winter wardrobe prepared!

Since completely embracing my 'vintage lifestyle' and embedding it into my everyday life, my own interpretation and 'look' has developed and this is the first winter that I feel excited to dress completely vintage for. A 50s sundress, gypsy top or circle skirt are easy to pick up and give a fantastically authentic summertime vintage look, but I feel winter is a little more difficult mainly due to the temptation to be warm rather than stylish! An avid eBay and Etsy viewer, many an evening of late has been spent hunting down some classic winter staples to add to my ever increasing array of clothing. I am really looking forward to indulging in some more forties fashion and adding tweed, hats, fur and knits!

 

Here is a selection of some pieces I have my eye on...

 

Freddies of Pinewood Black Capri Pants

 

 

Freddies of Pinewood Saddle Sweater

 

Of course, most of my time will be spent wrapping up warm and hunting around the charity shops. Who can think of a better way to spend a winters day?!

 

Do you have your eye on anything in particular?

 

Hannah xxx

The Pageboy Tutorial

Ever since I used curling tongs to create a lovely Pageboy hairstyle, I have been determined to teach myself how to do the same style but by setting, a much more hair friendly method. Like all vintage setting styles, practise makes perfect but I have found this quite an easy one to do as there are only six sections to set. I use rollers to set my hair, rather than pin curls as I must admit that I still have to master that technique! Rollers give a great heat free styling option that works every time once you know where to put the rollers to work for you.

I must also add that when I compare pictures of my Pageboy done by a set and curling tongs, the set picture looks much more authentic!

To begin the set, separate the hair into six sections. This can depend on how thick the hair is, but I do have very thick hair and this method works fine.

Part your hair as you would normally. I always begin with the smaller side which my fringe isn’t on as there is normally a little bit less hair.

1. Section One: Hair from just in front of the crown parted diagonally to the point at the tip of the ear.
2. Section Two:  I imagine a vertical line down from the point near the crown that I began section one from, to the hairline at the base of the neck.
3. Section Three:  A semi circle of hair around the crown that will mainly be backcombed
4. Section Four:  A rectangle underneath the hair in section three.
5. Section Five:  Take the hair out that will be in your fringe and part in a similar way to Section One.
6. Section Six: This should be the remaining hair just behind the ear on the fringe side.

 I use rollers that I recently bought from Boots for around £2 (these are them!). I add a large foam roller for the section at the crown as this gives a looser set to get the dramatic U shape of a Pageboy set. Don’t forget a spray or two (or three!) of setting lotion before putting the rollers in!
 

Now comes for the scary bit, adding the rollers. My top tip here is to really think about the end result when adding the rollers. Think of the classic U Shape of the pageboy and roll the hair to recreate this. To put the rollers in Sections One and Two, I roll the hair upwards with the plastic bit of the roller at the bottom.  I like to end up with the rollers fastened in place vertically to almost create a ringlet once taken out later. I use the same technique for Sections Five and Six except I find it easier to have the plastic securing bit of the roller at the top, because I am right handed it helps me to secure the roller in really tightly. For Section Four, I do sometimes add two rollers, to continue the U shape well for both sides of the head, however it does work fine with one. Put the roller in, rolling it up underneath. I sometimes slightly twist the roller so that the hair is slightly more set to the side which has least hair. If I do this, I then add the roller for Section Three slightly twisted in the opposite direction to that of Section Four. I hope this makes sense! My thinking is that the U shape will be a continuation along the hairline, rather than the hair parting down the back and falling to each side.

Add a quick blast of hairspray and a headscarf and get some beauty sleep!

The beauty of this set is that it is relatively quick and easy to style in the morning as the curls are quite large and loose. Remove all rollers very carefully and I generally encourage the hair back into ringlets once the rollers are out. You should look very old fashioned with a head of ringlets! I then take a large round bristle brush and gently brush underneath the hair to loosen the set. I use my other hand (that isn’t holding the brush) to smooth and shape the hair up and under into the pageboy style. If you get any fluff, don’t worry, just keep brushing out and smoothing around and underneath and you will be perfectly pageboyed! A little backcombing to Section Three and sorting the fringe, however you would like seals the deal and you are ready to go!

I hope you find this useful, and would love to hear how you get on!

Hannah xxx

1940's Hairstyles- A Book Review

A rare decision to tidy up a box of ''important things'' lead to me making a great discovery...some Amazon vouchers! I decided to treat myself to a few things that I have wanted for a while, in particular this book, 1940's Hairstyles by Daniela Turudich. With beautiful Gene Tierney on the cover, how could I ever resist?!

 

The book begins by covering the basics, from the different styles that hair was cut into to create the best set, to pin curl tutorials to form the perfect rolls, poodles or pompadours. It details how the forties hairstyles focused on detail at the front of the head, and has beautiful pictures to demonstrate some of the amazing looks of the day. It describes the different methods in which you can get perfectly coiffed, from exactly how to 'fluff' your hair or how to set it to create a reverse roll. I think I will have to give some techniques slightly more practise yet though!

 

 

 

I think this page below features the hair of my dreams, look at the pageboy on the top right!

 

 

Of course when I reached the page with Gene Tierney AND Lauren Bacall on, I was completely sold

 

 

It even reveals some of best tips of the day used by Hollywood studios to conceal and camouflage any imperfections. I definitely studied this page for a while and was amazed with how the most subtle alterations can seriously conceal a range of flaws!

 

 

At the end of the book, there are a few pages explaining how to authentically accessorise a hairstyle, with flowers, bows, ribbons and much more. Another favourite section gives a few ideas for 'Career Girls'. As a vintage girl through and through, I dress 'vintage' all of the time, and really enjoyed getting a few more ideas of how to create an authentic but professional vintage hairstyle for every day.

 

 I have found it to be incredibly inspiring! It is more than a simple tutorial book, reading more like a reference guide. Modern day methods are acknowledged, such as curling tongs, but it also suggests techniques that have worked since the forties to emulate the same styles. I am potentially being a vintage snob, but I love learning the 'proper' way to style my hair as I really do believe that the old techniques work best. Great quality pictures of forties models provide much better inspiration than Google Images or Pinterest (dare I say?!) and so I am very happy with my purchase.

 

Have you got this book? It is a bargain on Amazon too so I would definitely recommend you picking one up!

 

Hannah xxx