A bit of Class and Glamour under the Christmas Tree

Christmas is coming! It's time to work on  our self improvement. Especially for those who like to be lazy and mobilize only for a reason. 
Let's go back to the past, to those golden days!

Let's promise ourselves larger dose of glamour - since more is always better than less - and more satisfaction from life.

Especially nowadays when all values disappear with a blink of an eye. Women wander around the streets basically naked, people have sex on the side walk (yes, strange London streets at 4am) and art of casual conversation is dying. 
Maybe the art of any conversation or rather art of thinking vanishes.... 
It just happened I met a girl who's name didn't stick to my brain, unfortunately, who got this strange need to talk to me. She approached me with a question:
- How do you do your hair?
I didn't have time, willingness and found it boring but still I answered.
- Your hair is so damaged, it looks so bad, no shine at all. I !!! take care of my hair very much that's why it's so nice besides I don't want to become bald. It will fall out.
And she disappeared.

Perhaps it's my environment or could it be me?
If yes, could it be 'Dave' my workmate? Random guy asked him: 
- Are you Dave? 
- No, I'm not. 
- Are you sure? You look just like Dave. 
- Who is Dave anyway?
- You know; this fat guy.

However now when I think of it... I had (I'd like to emphasize Had) a friend, lady G., who as my guest, under my roof, using my electricity and hospitality practised the same art of conversation. Once, during London trip day, she asked me.. 
-So, what kind of perfumes do you use?
After very detailed pictured I built for her including Where, How much and Why I love so much Agent Provocateur she just simply replied:
- Because you smell like an old lady.

I've been thinking about myself What do I do wrong? Am I not aggressive enough? too patient? ...or really...?
But then if you've ever experienced such thing and have doubts just look at this persons life:
depression, failure, complexes or - simple explanations always work - stupidity. I admit it warms me up from inside and brings sentimental memories from Denmark that is living it's own life fortunately without me and ... I smile.
I know, it all starts with parents, so how can you blame them.
Let's promise ourselves (hopefully - They will do as well) something no one can buy or receive; 

more Class for next year.

Savoir vivre is French and means living a good life while staying elegant and smart. (noun)

And let's remember - the art of saying Get lost is as well important.

Hairstyle is a Lifestyle

Just started working. Sitting and waiting, ready to deal. I feel good..I felt good. Suddenly I hear: 'What have you done to yourself!?!'.
I'm puzzled. 'hmmmmm... n-nothing.(?)' Regular customer in front of me. His pressed lips and shaking head expose disapproval of the landscape before him. 'Yesterday you looked so beautiful!!! what did you do!?!' And he's leaving truly concerned still shaking his head. What did I do? or what didn't I do. I did not make my hair. Just put it flat together with some slight wave which was suppose to give some vintage 'something'. As I really like louis vuitton hairstyle in this particular show, this gentleman decided... it's a shit.

So what does the most create this vintage something?
Seamed stockings, high waist, dress length, hats, gloves, petticoats, eyeliner, red lips... well, no.

Hairstyle.

Dita von Teese is using hot rollers - only small ones - that for me are a waist of time. It's heavy, uncomfortable, takes a lot of time and doesn't keep the curls. I have thin and flexible hair. Many women get up, brush their hair, throw it backwards and they look astonishing.
I haven't been born with those extra features so I do pin curls.

It takes practise but in the end it takes me 10-15min with eyes shut, going to sleep and brushing in the morning, kilo of hairspray and done.

In my second- day- hair (I wash it every second day) I put some conditioner before brushing out the hairspray that tends to break my hair and still make pin curls but much bigger and rather carelessly since I discovered it tends to style much easier and effect is more smooth.

Hairspray is essential. Things I like are :

CHI Royal Treatment Hairspray, unavailable easily in Europe...
and

Fudge membrane gas Amazing !!! available everywhere online in UK and in hair salons. 
Both with a nice scent and great hold.
But I do load tones of conditioner before brushing hair after the long day to prevent breaking it. 
Haircut is a great help! This what I took to my hairdresser who has no knowledge of pin curls:

So pin curls based hairstyle is a Lifestyle.

When you finally get experienced, get to know what you have - most women can't do their own hair - you find out how easy and quick and glamorous it is.

There are no ugly women, only lazy ones.

Practise pin curls patterns and angles. Get straight bobby pins; straight, no ridges !!!

I did upload vintage instructions:

pinup-life.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/hair-setting-and-pincurls.html

So cheap, so handy.

I do it always... better or worse, more or less precise and it always works for me.

But can you look good in it? Judge yourself. When my Love said 'You would look good in short hair' looking at completed hair set, I thought he went mad.

Good Luck !

The 1950s look - Recreating the Fashions of the fifties. Mike Brown.

I like both periods, 1940s and 1950s but if it's about this book definitively I'd buy "the 1950s look" only. 
The 1940s part I already described HERE.


There's so many chapters and details. Men, gloves, belts, cases, children, teenagers... too many to show in one post. That's why I recommend to buy this book!
...and skip 1940s.

The book starts with so famous 'New Look' by Dior from 1947.

Of course everyone knows two main directions: pencil and wide skirts.

In the book you can find description how to make your own swing skirt.

There are two kinds of coat which I really like with pencil skirts.

This 'bum - freezer' jacket looks like the one worn by Elisabeth Taylor in 'What's my line' show. And she looked fabulous !

The main point of this figure look was underwear. Specially designed undergarments gave you what's the most important. Tiny waist and perfect uplifted breasts closed in bullet bras. Without the whole engineering it wouldn't be possible.

'Remember the fashion is under the fashion'

The ultimate solution is obviously a corset. And it always works.

However shaping underwear is really hard to find. Charnos looks good and bras fit perfectly but there's not much of shaping. What Katie Did has great bullet bras! stockings! and some corsets! but shapewear... Charnos doesn't even pretend it's shaping but What Katie Did is trying without any significant effect. 6 straps belts are really good but waspies press you everywhere but not in the waist. 
I'll never shop there for shapewear any more.


Accidentally I've found Valisere and their, already sold out, Body Perfection:
- shorts with adjustable, elasticated waist

- and suspender/waspie which is constructed in such an amazing way! 
It presses only where it should so you will never look like a sausage with your clothes on which is quite possible in What Katie Did.

When you put two together... it's like a gentle corset in your waist.
...and about going to the toilette then...well, I admit it's not so easy but still possible. 
Now when I think about it... it's like a totally different skill which you need to eventually improve.
Perhaps somewhere it's possible to find it. If you know where!! Let me know!!
I have few belts and shorts in beige and black but I would get more.
I've never tried but the belt has detachable straps so I assume it's possible to work on your waist without stockings. But who would like to do that?


I have no idea how  was it possible that Marilyn Monroe looked like this!

 You can't see any corset marks. Nothing.

Knit wear created The Sweater Girl look achieved by using special bra - kind of bullet bra.

There's plenty of cardigans on ebay or etsy. Very good is vintage Laura Ashley.

I got mine from eBay or second hand shops. This cashmere one was really cheap. Maybe because using these crazy buttons is really annoying. And because it's yellow...colour of sickness.

Another one I found in Reykjavik. It's made from angora and wool and should be dry cleaned. So seems to be a trouble unless you find out how to clean it by yourself.

Nightdresses. Very fashionable Shortie Pyjamas.

I love long nightgowns and babydolls.

These few I have from Agent Provocateur I like a lot but my Love says:

...that I look like a curtain in this one.

...I'm like disabled because I can not really quickly tie this one up on the back.

...I look like I dressed up as a little girl.

However the photo doesn't make you think of this comparison.

Well...I don't like few of his clothes and although I never say it loud I think we're even.

About furs...

I know furs look so glamorous! But nowadays, when there are so many artificial fabrics imitating real fur why not to use them? Why is it good to still support animals killing? And why stinky smell together with saprophytes is considered elegant? My friend will finally receive this nice photo on her facebook wall...

when I'll be in my mood.

Anyway... there is a lot of advices!

Hats.

Stockings.

Fortunately we have stay ups.

Never wear ANY nylons for more than one day without washing them !!!

...this Vintage hygiene problem...

Bags.

Gloves.

Shoes.

Glasses.

Jewellery.

It's very easy to find brooch like this on eBay for few GBP only.

Sometimes with an imperfect hair-do, rather than starting over, I cover the flaw up with a vintage brooch. - Dita von Teese

Plastic surgery started to advertise.

And the strangest 1950s thing I could imagine.