Via my Shop It To Me Sale Mail, news that this Valentino silk-blend dress is 75% off. Not only is it a classic little black dress, but it’s damn-near timeless with the three-quarter length sleeves of sheer chiffon sleeves (with tapered buttoned cuffs) and V-neck with a layered chiffon ruffle collar.
Classic Little Black Valentino Dress
Tags: little black dress, Shopping, vintage glamour, vintage style
Once you see this week’s “Wow!” in vintage fashion, you’ll agree this sheer black vintage organdy blouse “tops” the list for many reasons.
Vintage Sheer Black Organdy Blouse With Lace And Bow & Dot Pattern
The seller, Marie McLeod, points out that the construction is couture quality, with its vertical black Needlerun lace panels, nipped waist, flirty double rows of organdy ruffles (finished in hand rolled edges!), self covered buttons, hand finished button holes, and hand cast or French seams.
But even a fashion novice will swoon over the pattern of sweet bows and dotted lace alternating with sheer black organdy. They just don’t make them like this — or even looking like this — anymore.
Back of 1940's Sheer Black Blouse
Tags: blouse, Shopping, vintage fashion, vintage glamour
Thrift Is Glamorous
Now there is a lot to be said for the communal experience of watching a movie at the theatre or cinema; it’s not just the big screen (which, with some folks’ home entertainment systems, it’s nearly the same!), but the shared experience of “Ooohs” and “Ahhs” — and, my favorite, when a guy gets kicked in the family jewels and all the men collectively groan and bring their legs together. lol But if saving money is what you’re after, nothing beats staying home to watch a film.
Since I watch more vintage and classic films than the latest releases, I’m not so aware of the prices at my local movie theatres, but Alicia Young fills us in, stating a $6.75 ticket price (for a matinee?!) and the following incidentals:
Movie theaters are ripping us off with their outrageous soda and bagged popcorn prices. For example, $4.25 for a large soda (32oz), $5.25 for a large popcorn that is pre-popped and comes in a bag then warms up under the heat lamps. ( I know how this works because I worked at a movie theater for a year.)
Being a vintage film fans means you can save a whole lotta money. There’s watching TCM and DVD rentals (including at your public library) — and even buying your own DVD is worth the price when you add up multiple tickets, multiple viewings, etc.
So what are you going to do with all the money you save, glamour girl? …Maybe spend it on some incredible vintage loungewear? I know I do! *wink*
Tags: Films, thrift, vintage glamour
This week’s High-Five Friday are a mixed lot of glamorous vintage fashion and film history and collectibles — and news.
1. At The Vintage Powder Room, researching The Lady Conceta face powder box — including a discussion of shawls & Lupe Velez.
2. At Kitsch Slapped, the unfairness of showing an obsessive collector playing cards with silent film star photos.
3. Cliff Aliperti gives his blog a cool name: Immortal Ephemera! (Here’s the story of the name.)
4. Shopping Alert! Violetville Vintage, an eBay seller that I’ve mentioned a few times at this blog (at least in terms of posting about individual vintage fashion finds), has a new store site: Violetvillevintage.com.
5. And, because I have a lot of old photos and vintage magazines, I’m thinking of attending the Organizing a Bookmark Collection and How To Store And Display Your Bookmark Collection sessions at the Bookmark Collectors Virtual Conference — if you mention Inherited Values when you register, you might get a free, limited edition, commemorative bookmark too.
Tags: collectibles, Makeup, Shopping, vintage, vintage glamour
How about a Lucite purse from the 50’s in a root beer color? This vintage tortoise shell box purse has brass fixtures and rhinestones — like little glittering ice cubes in the root beer! lol
Vintage Root Beer Colored Lucite Purse With Rhinestones
Tags: handbags, Shopping, vintage fashion, vintage glamour, vintage Lucite fashion accessories
The second Luise Rainer film I watched was such a fabulous film that I’m now devoted to collecting everything I can from or about it.
Luise Rainer in The Toy Wife, 1938
Since this film is a period piece, I posted my review of The Toy Wife (1938) elsewhere — but I did discover something fashion related to discuss…
On the back of the old MGM promotional film still photo by Clarence Bull, the following is typed:
Grey Faille with blue velvet ribbon detail and corded bow fastenings is charming in this costume designed by Adrian for Luise Rainer, in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, “The Toy Wife.” Bonnet of grey straw with blue and grey feather frou-frou and blue velvet tie.
This reminds me that once upon a time, movie stars, especially the actresses, were noted for the fashions they wore in films — not just the red carpets. Seeing such information that was distributed by the studios proves that fashions and designers themselves were part of the film promotion.
Today, if such photos and captions are provided and/or used, the caption probably has more to do with who the actress slept with, some arrest information or other bit of notoriety to gossip about. I much prefer to gossip about the glamour of film and the fashion in film, don’t you?
Back Of Photo Still
Tags: collectibles, designers, film history, vintage glamour
Via this funny post at Kitschy Kitschy Coo, I found a link to this vintage photo of a singing diva that certainly looks an awful lot like Madonna — like vintage Madonna, anyway. (And don’t you just love that gown she’s wearing?!)
1929 Singing Diva
Do you know who she is?
It’s Olga Baclanova (pronounced bahk-LAH-no-vah), known best for the cult classic Freaks
She sure reminds me of Madonna.
Olga Baclanova
Olga doesn’t always bear such a striking photographic resemblance to Madonna though…
Olga Baclanova Wearing Hostess Pajamas, 1929
Here’s what’s printed on the back of that vintage promotional photo:
HOSTESS PAJAMAS are introduced to Hollywood by Baclanova, Paramount’s Russian artist, who selects green and silver metal cloth, bound with shimmering silver braid for an unusual costume. Exotic modernistic earrings complete this effective ensemble.
Tags: pajamas, vintage glamour
This vintage black wool circle skirt by Madalyn Miller features a working purse applique!
Vintage Madalyn Miller Circle Skirt With Purse
The cream wool felt purse with silver and black detail work has a working gold clasp that opens up, making it a functional vintage purse!
Working Felt Purse Applique On Vintage Black Felt Skirt
Available for sale at, and photos from, Wear It Again Sam Vintage Clothing.
Madalyn Miller Original Label
Tags: circle skirts, handbags, purses, vintage fashion, vintage glamour
I stayed up late Tuesday night, celebrating Luise Rainer’s 100th birthday with TCM. This was my introduction to Rainer — and even though the three films I watched are neither her best known films nor those she won her two (back-to-back) Oscars for, I was smitten.
Luise Rainer
The first movie I watched was The Emperor’s Candlesticks (1937), which, frankly, is often dismissed as more eye-candy than substantive film. It’s easy to do, what with such opulent settings for two wealthy spies each on opposite ends of political intrigues who manage to fall for each other. But if you listen as well as watch, there’s a sophistication and elegance to the acting too. Especially the banter between Rainer and William Powell.
William Powell & Luise Rainer in Emperor's Candlesticks
Enjoy the lush settings, but don’t forget to focus on the faces and the dialog — if you do pay attention, it’s rather like the delight of employing the secret compartments in the antique candlesticks.
Vintage Magazine Article On The Emperor's Candlesticks
It’s not my favorite of the three Rainer films I watched, but it was good enough for me to want to watch another…
Tags: Films, reviews, vintage, vintage glamour
The elegant and elaborate lace shawl is a glamorous accessory many think of only for holiday dressing — which is probably why Valentino’s Sequin Lace Shawl is on sale at Neiman Marcus (sale found via Shop It To Me Sale Mail).
Sequin Lace Shawl By Valentino
But the shawl really knows no season, nor is it limited only to black-tie events. It’s just a bit of glamour you throw on with any old thing, right Myrna Loy?
Myrna Loy & Lace Shawl
(Myrna Loy autographed photo via MovieTreasures.com.)
Vivien Leigh agrees.
Vivien Leigh Lace Shawl
Tags: Accessories, scarves, shawl, vintage glamour, vintage style
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