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Friday, 19 November 2010

Mad Men

I think everybody knows it. There's no need to write intro.
Accidently I found:
Mad Men Wikipedia - full CV of every character
Everything about.
Season 4 ended and I am happy to know that season 5 's coming next summer!
However it is true, action is really Really REALLY slow. There's a lot of chauvinism that's why as far as I know some people simply can not watch it.
I liked that!...well this is how it was and there's nothing we can do about it.
I didn't like main character Don Draper, no matter how handsome he was - But only in the series. Only.
Since his marriage collapsed I lost my interest which finally died completely when Mad Men entered 60s.

But it inspired me in many ways;
-  After looking at Joan Holloway I got a need to wear a brooch and more close - to - body dresses. Size 14.



- Betty Draper made me using my red lipstick more often and change a bit my hairstyle from more to less curly.
Also I almost spend a lot of money on big pattern flower dresses but fortunately (?) my friend stops me everytime I want to do this.









To achieve this effect I have to just make bigger curls. Sounds easy but goes quite bad I must say...I'm trying though.



Only because of the color.
The nicest dress ever, also this white one on the party when she's pregnant and meets Henry Francis.

 - If it is about the Peggy Olsons clothes didn't give me any ideas exept one thought... would it be nice to walk around in short whitisch, creamy gloves?



Jon Hamm I like him more than his character.





that's me

and in homey style...

 Inspired by this series I decided my Christmas Drink 2010 will be...
Bloody Mary
"You don't know how to drink. Your whole generation, you drink for the wrong reasons. My generation, we drink because it's good, because it feels better than unbuttoning your collar, because we deserve it. We drink because it's what men do." - Roger Sterling

Watch it on iiTV.info

Wednesday, 17 November 2010

My stockings

I am partial to stockings and garter belts.

But it wasn't easy before I learnt what's good what's not and most of all what I like and what I don't. You can not try it on. Everyone likes it on different hight so you can not relay on shop assistants advice and info on the package is too general.
So I spent a lot of money during my life on stockings which were too short, once too long and rarely to tight. Surely I still will because it's always like that when you check new brand.

What I know now is that for me there are only and only seamed stockings.
The rest doesn't count. Maybe only if you feel like cleaning the house in some stockings and belt. Then please do that, but no seams, just plain ones so nobody will cry over a ladder.


Seamed Stockings

Dita's Book. Anatomy of a seamed stocking.

 
From so many kinds I guess all will agree the top is Fully Fashioned.
Only 30 pairs can be produced in one hour.


There goes the list that I've tried:

Gio
My favourite.
Very soft. Many sizes so you can really find the best fit.
Not so available though. Made on original Reading machinery.
There are only few old and traditional machines in UK.
This one was bought by Gio from Aristoc in 90s.
So these are stockings made in original way as it was in 50s.
There is no way any company can make these traditional FF stockings using modern equipment. That is why it's very important to find such FF!


It should cost max. 15GBP.
I've seen it on eBay many times much more expensive than it should be.

It works like this, Gio produces some supply, let it go to sell and we wait for another batch.
It takes a lot of time.

I'm size uk 12/ eur 38/ us 8 and 169cm.
I use 10 but it is long. For some belts I have to go down to 9,5.
I used grey - too greish, silverish, sick color, navy-blue - like it, black - is just black.

It can be point heel.


And cuban heel - my favourite.

 

What Katie Did
Foundress of this company had a goal. And it was to create high quality stockings for every woman in reasonable price.
I'd say she failed. It is quite expensive or just as the rest.
What Katie Did has some really good pieces. It's famous for corsets.
I have a lot of WKD lingerie and I'll write about it some other day - the minus - widely used polyester.
Their stockings are changing constantly. I was lucky to buy some time ago few pairs FF with red seam, natural seam and cooper color seam.
Not so many sizes. I chose Medium and I have to admit it's perfect.
I paid around 14 GBP and it's OK price.


It really doesn't loose shape after 6 months up to year of use (if you're lucky not to destroy it).
I buy it only if there's something in this price range.
I wouldn't give 20 GBP for a pair.
You can check it HERE.

Eleganti
You can find them in many online shops. Good, long, soft. Size M just perfect for me!
Nice seam. But after 6 months it gets longer and longer. It rather looses shape. I liked it when was brand new. But now I know I won't buy it again because for the same price I can get something which will last longer.



Not Fully Fashioned don't have the keyhole which is so exciting end of every FF.
The feeling is worse. Nylon is rough. Forget about the softness.
Very important!
 the 1940s look book

...and you really do have to buy one size bigger.
I often make this mistake and I don't and always regret.

Cervin
The welt contrasts so nicely. This stocking definitively doesn't melt in color. It is very graphic.
That's a plus.
The heel is a bit short. Doesn't look so distinguished.
And buy bigger than you should. It is cheaper than FF.


Eva Chic
Polish stocking. Very similar to Cervin. If not Cervins juicy welt color and a hill it would be the same.
Somehow black is smaller than cinnamon color. Why?
I bought exactly what Nylony Pl recommends and next time I'll buy bigger.
But price is so optimistically low.
They send abroad so anyone can get it. Here is online shop - XXX



The most important:
no matter your sobriety level,
temporary lack of manners,
strong language,
Your Seams Have To Be Straight.


Tuesday, 9 November 2010

Marilyn Monroe

This is my 3D portrait made on plasterboard with acrylic and gypsum.


My full portrait gallery:


Everyone one knows everything about Marilyn Monroe .
I just bought Vanity Fair only because they published pieces of her diaries.
I am quite dissapointed with the whole article. It is not precised at all. A lot of journalist's interpretation and too little unrevealed facts which allow to create own opinion.
But I found few things that somehow escaped my notice;

1. Marylin's mother and grand-mother were hospitalized. Locked up.
It is not true that she was an orphan literally. It was created for masses. She had to experience many foster houses but only because her mother was locked up in psychiatric ward.
Gladys
...and with Marylin

2. She spent three days in New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center at 68th Street.
Was it here?

She entered all glamorous, in fur coat. Presented herself as Faye Miller.
By the way...Faye Miller was the character in MadMen series. Consumer-reasearcher in Don's company. If you watch it..


So she signed papers and she was looking forward to spend couple of days in this treatment facility resting.
It appeared she was placed in a padded room in a locked psychiatric ward. All her things were taken away. She was forcibly bathed and put in hospital gown.
I have no idea how could she write and send any letters - journalist mentions nothing about it. So she send some letters. Her doctors and friends didn't react exept Joe DiMaggio who took her away from there.
How did she contact him?
How did he remove her?
From other website I know he managed to make her transfer to another hospital.


She went through hell. The whole trip was the idea of Dr. Marianne Kris, Viennese woman.
It was suppose to be rest cure. Instead it brought Marylin's biggest nightmare : that she as her mother and grand - mother aslo has serious mental problems and should be locked.

In the end Dr. Kris also became beneficiary of Marylin's will. Accidently? or not?

3. I have never read anything about her experiencing sexual insults. According to Vanity Fair she was harrased three times. What When How? No answer.

However it was really sensual to look at her notes, handwriting...


Much Better than buy Vanity Fair is to make small research on the net!
What I found on http://www.handwriting.org/

Some not so well known events in Marilyn's life.
 

Marilyn's grandmother and mother were both diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

Marilyn's mother Gladys had witnessed violent behavior between her parents.

Marilyn's grandfather, Mr. Monroe (first name is not known) once took a pet kitten out of daughter Gladys' hand and flung it against a brick fireplace.

Delia Monroe, Marilyn's grandmother, was prone to rages and outbursts. It was said that a newspaper boy was afraid to knock on her door. Though she appeared to love her granddaughter, once when Marilyn (at 4-5 months of age) threw a bowl of food on the floor, Delia repeatedly spanked her.

Another episode occurred shortly before Delia was committed to a state hospital in the summer of 1927. Delia had taken 13 month old Norma Jean for the afternoon. Marilyn, later told her third husband, Arthur Miller, that she awoke from her nap and could hardly breath because something was pressed against her, perhaps a pillow. It has been said that an infant that young could not remember such an episode, but people close to Marilyn believe it happened.

Gladys' first husband (Baker) had permanent possession of her other two children, Jack and Berneice. When admitted to the hospital to give birth to Marilyn, Gladys would state that her other two children were "dead".

Gladys would have long periods of depression where she would feel lonely and rejected. She was given to outbursts of uncontrollable laughter and crying. In 1934, she became hysterical and suffered a nervous breakdown. She was carried away, strapped in a stretcher and was later committed to the State Asylum in Norfolk. Marilyn would suffer her own nervous breakdown in 1960.

Marilyn claimed that she had been raped at 7 or 8 years of age.

Marilyn was devastated that she could not have a child. She suffered two miscarriages and was rumored to have had a child when she was a teenager (note: this is contested by some who claim this never happened) and had given it up for adoption.

The long delays in the shooting in the hot Nevada sun of "The Misfits" contributed to the death of her co-star Clark Gable, who Marilyn had secretly pretended was her father.

Marilyn was upset to learn that while she was earning $100,000 a picture, Elizabeth Taylor was being paid $1,000,000 for "Cleopatra". However, shortly before her death Marilyn was thrilled to know that the publishing of her nude photos would push Liz off the front pages.

Towards the end of her life, Marilyn was so dependent on drugs and alcohol that it would take the whole day to complete one scene of film footage.

The preceding information was researched by Rosa Silvestri.

Tuesday, 2 November 2010

Me in 40s

Recently I started to buy more dresses from 1940.
It is more difficult since it is further in time. It is an occasion to get one in excellent vintage condition.


Closer to the body than 50s. Rather no volumetric shapes. Shoulder pads are very common. Still waist has a meaning. Length is longer, behind knee, half - calf.


Dita von Teese in her book describes it like this:



Till now I was mostly fascinated in hairstyles from this period. Until I bought my first one, on eBay, from amazing seller. God knows where does she take it from!
This unique dress was actually "brand new". Still with tags. So I am the first person wearing it.
I am not sure about the fabric. Cotton, wool, linen, rayon, acetate and silk were widely used.
I guess it is cotton and acetate lining.




Unfortunately I can not find any information about the company.
But this dress is really demanding. You have to make your hair and flats are out of question.
Otherwise you may be taken as slightly mental person. I know it doesn't look so scary on the photo but reality says something different.
My boyfriend hates this dress and -as always when he criticizes- calls it 'granny style'.
In spite of this I'm still trying to look good in it.
I know I failed with hair on this photo but ... next time ...


I should have gone for my 'the best in a hurry' option:


Which is probably more 50s but would fit better.

Going back to dresses... there is another one, from the same eBay seller, on its way :)
I am excited to find out how does it fit.


Rembrandt is quite popular brand among vintage dresses. You can easily find it online.
I already have one with the same label and I'm satisfied that is why I count on it.

There is something more... there is another one which I'd like to win but I'll have to wait couple of days more for maybe yes, maybe not.
Dress with jacket.
So let's hope the price won't go so much up.

Monday, 1 November 2010

The 1940s look. Recreating the fashions, hairstyles and make-up of the Second World War.




I became a happy owner of  'The 1940s look' written by Mike Brown.
I tried to find some information about the writer but I couldn't. So many Mike Browns...
Anyway he is the author of several books concerning post-war times.

Buying this book I expected glamour and beauty I know from black and white movies.
I didn't expect at all that the whole book focuses on daily life of ordinary people living in war times in UK.

Leitmotiv is:
Recycling - Do it yourself !
If you sew, weave, knit or do something similar, this book is FOR YOU.

How to survive and be glamour or pretty or at least decent when the World ends?
Recycle! In this book you can find many articles taken from original magazines with tips how to make:
a skirt from men's shirt, coat from carpet, dress from curtain and suit from men's trousers.
Read about how to fix destroyed stockings and create raincoat by soaking normal coat in aluminum powder.
It is not surprising if you look at four - year wardrobe plan :


Obviously clothes shortage and past habits brought hygiene issues mentioned here:



I have to confess I haven't read men's and children's part which is equally rebuilt.
Women's look shown in this book comes originally from 1940s periodicals and presents
like this:








There are some hairstyles and to my surprise all are based on permed hair !
It brought me relief because for ages I am trying to recreate vintage hairstyles.
All this sleeping in rollers and bobby pins...chasing permed waves which exist since 1930.



I am also a happy owner of  '1950s look' and I am seriously looking forward to find there some splendour.
Accidently I found a link where you can meet Mr. Mike Brown and hear few sentences about his book:  Mike Brown about his book

I have to admit though it is precise and detailed daily fashion record from 1940s full of facts, photos, articles. And yes, just because it is published in such a nice and neat way it is worth buying.