modern collodion

It's always been the detailed modernity of aged wet plate photos that struck me. However with these images, it's quite the contrary. Knowing they were taken just last year yet possess the antiquated beauty of Civil War era photography makes me thankful there is still a world out there with film, albumen paper and the like. How inspiring are these images by Angela and Ithyle? This design/photo/do what you will duo could very well be a new favorite of mine.

let's bring back

Being a nostalgist myself, I am thoroughly looking forward to this book. It comes out just after I leave the country, so I'm afraid her column will have to suffice til I return next Spring. Does anyone out there follow Ms. Blume's column, Let's Bring Back, on the Huffington Post?

parisian treasure trove

Sunday afternoon, my friend Dana took me over to Bow to check out a cafe she had been raving about for quite some time. Over what was one of the most delicious breakfasts I've had in quite some time, she asked if I had heard about a recently discovered Parisian flat, one that had been abandoned for 70 years. I had no idea what she was talking but of course I was intrigued. I love this sort of news and she, being like-minded in spirit, knew this and sent me the article she came across written by the Telegraph.

Just before the start of WWII, the grandaughter of actress Marthe de Florian fled her Parisian apartment for the south of France never to return. The part that I find so strange is that for 70 years she continued to pay rent for a flat she nor anyone else ever put to use. Why did she leave? Why did she never return? Just a few simple questions to which I would love the answers.

When she recently passed away, the apartment was finally opened up and a remarkable world of cob-webbed beauty uncovered. Amoung the antiquated treausures were stacks of love letters from lovers and admirers including artists and politicians. Swoon. These are the discoveries a girl dreams of coming across.

le mont st michel fall winter 2010

Now that I'm excited about Fall collections, I'm heading to a tropical climate. How is that for timing? I'm convinced that's how things usually go though. I have about one month to bundle up in layers and the Le Mont St. Michel Fall Winter 2010 collection has me inspired to do exactly that.




I never thought I would be into Southwestern prints and must say I'm surprised that I'm liking that Southwestern print jacket and scarf shown above. While I know I would never infiltrate my wardrobe with the designs, a few pieces here and there wouldn't be all that bad. Unfortunately that's not going to happen for me right now as all my extra cash will be going toward my flight to Thailand. I suppose I'll just have to see what I can pull out of my tiny closet!

charlotte gainsbourg

First off I must mention how absolutely, positively horrendous the Salt Water Flush is. I would scream it from the mountaintops if I could. Last night I was horribly sick, more than I've been in quite some time. As I've fasted before on my own accord, I can confidently say what happened last night was not my body detoxing, but was in fact my body reacting quite badly to the flush. Enough said. Moving on. Never again!

On a separate and more blog related note, I wanted to share one of my fashion crushes, Charlotte Gainsbourg. Her style is effortlessly chic, bouncing back and forth between ultra casual and extraordinarily sexy. Somehow she throws on a pair of jeans and a tshirt, and lo and behold I want everything she has on. How is it so many French women are blessed with this gift?





Not only is Gainsbourg super stylish and quite talented in the acting realm, she's got a beautiful voice. My favorite off of 5:55, an album composed mostly by Air. I know quite a few of my recent posts have been music related, so I hope you're not getting sick of it.

wanda jackson

A few weeks ago my best friend sent me a little song by Wanda Jackson claiming she loved the lady and that I would too. I suppose she knows me well because of course her prediction rang true, I did like the song. Not only that song, but I listened to a few other tunes from Ms. Jackson. Love. I didn't think too much about it though until her name came up again inthe autobiography I'm reading on Johnny Cash.

Seeing as this lady's name has popped up not just one but two times in my life over the past month, I thought I'd do a bit more investigating. After checking out her website and perusing the Internet, I've come to the undeniable conclusion she's got that womanly 1950s Nashville style. You know, the form fitting dresses and fringe type. Apparently her mother made a lot of the costumes she galavanted around in.



I would have liked to post more photos but the gal is hard to track down, in photograph form at least. So here you have it, a few photos and tibits on the Queen of Rockabilly. Above...She signed with Capital in 1956 and stuck with them 'til the 1970's.


Above...Such a classic 1950s hairstyle! And that Wanda Jackson on her guitar. Sigh!

I used to have a photo of a woman and oh, you know, Elvis but found out after the fact it wasn't actually Wanda Jackson. Oops! He helped her out considerably when she was getting started. Encouraging her to pursue a career in music, specifically rock and roll. Oh and in case you were wondering, the two did have a little affair. I wish I had a few more details on that!


Above...Fringe and heels. How very Nashville! And below...Hard Headed Woman. I'm a little in love.

holly golightly & a bit of a crush

No I'm not talking about the eccentric lady we all know and love from Breakfast at Tiffany's, but an equally crushable lady from across the ocean. One whose voice I can't get enough of lately. This isn't my favorite song, but I do love the old-timey video.


Oh and just in case you're wondering was is my favorite Holly Golightly song, it's There's an End. PS. Apparently that thrift I spoke of yesterday is only open on Tuesdays and Fridays, so my kitchen project is pushed back yet another day. C'est la vie.

colorized

If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm a huge fan of Shorpy, a blog soley dedicated to historic photos from the 1850s to 1950s. If you've never been over to the site I highly (I would have super italized this if I could) recommend having a look around over there!

Normally I'm keen on the black and white images, using my imagination to conjure up color into each photograph. However tonight, I'm drawn to the colorized photos. One of the things I find most interesting are the comments. Quite a few people talk about how horrible it to colorize photos. I must be honest, I don't know what the big deal is. It's not as if the original was colorized folks! I could understand the rants a bit more if that were the case, but it's not at all. Most of the complaints revolve around robbing the image of it's original beauty. Well again, they've got both images. If you so desire to see the colorized in it's original black and white, you can easily do so. Actually, I find it rather fun to check out the black and white, imagine it in color in my own little head, then get the chance to see someone else's take. What are your thoughts?









Now colorization drama aside, can you tell I'm dreaming of Summer? I know it's supposedly here but I'm not quite convinced. Until the sun tells me otherwise, I'm taking warmth and inspiration from each of these bathing beauties! One pieces galore and that last with the belt, just darling.

kling summer 2010

Wandering through the delicious site that is the Dujour blog, I came across the Kling Summer 2010 collection and was instantly smitten. The muted tones, delicate nature of the photos and feminine frocks lured me entirely and left me longing for my girlfriends back home.

the brox sisters

Lately I've found myself completely taken with images from the 1920s. I'll google random words that are related to the decade, click on images and sift through all the photos that come up. Some uninspiring. Others, well, too dreamy for words. Last night, I was all googled out and went over to the Shorpy website for a quick look. To my surprise I found several photos of the same three ladies. But who were they? I had no idea. There was a little caption reading "The Brox Sisters" but I had never heard of them. Intrigued, I did a little scouting and come to find these three beautifully dressed sisters were among the first artists to appear on Vitaphone sound shorts in the 1920s. The trio started out on Vaudeville in the 1920s and by the early 1930s were already broken up but had quite the time it seems performing with The Marx Brothers and a slew of other stars.





I'm smitten with those lacy nighties and the frizzy silent film bed head going on in the second photo. What about you?

modern rapunzel

Last year I decided to take the plunge into long hairdom. At the time my hair was just past my shoulders, and I naively thought it would be easy enough. Now here I am with the summer months quickly approaching and am so tempted to start chopping at it. And really I do mean that. I keep a pair of shears in the top drawer up my bathroom for trimming my bangs but I’m thinking about putting them under the lock and tossing the key into the ocean. It’s just too tempting! Alas, persistence and patience are necessary. The first, no problem. The second, well, I’m in the process of learning. In staying true to my goal of elbow length hair, I’m looking to these long-haired beauties for inspiration. And oh how lucky for me and you, they’ve graciously offered a few tips for those aspiring long locks of their own.


Nicky of The Stitchy Life...
Eat lots of fruits and veggies.
Plenty of rest.

Francesca of The Snail and the Cyclops...
Don't skip trims!
Don't wash it that often.
When shampooing only apply shampoo to the scalp.
Coconut Oil.
Supplements.
Eat well.

Hannah of Hannah and Landon...
Patience.

Kennedy of Kennedy Holmes...
Keep growing!
Combined with the bit of research I've done on the subject (and boy has that been lot) I'm thinking this might not be so hard after all! And I suppose it's a good excuse to keep a healthy diet while I'm at it. I really love Francesca's advice of applying coconut oil to the ends of your hair. I'll definitely have to try it. Even with regular conditioning I feel as if my the ends of my hair are always dying of thirst.

If you're interested in my two cents, here are a few other tips I recommend following...Brush your hair before showering. I've found this helps prevent a tangled mess when it comes time to comb. And yes, always comb when wet! I never brush my hair when it's wet because I'm so afraid of breaking it. I've also taken to sleeping in braids. This could be just me, but it's another tangle preventer. And the bonus is you've got morning waves.

So what about you...Tips? Techniques? Advice? From solid text advice to old wives tales, I would love your thoughts on the topic.

organic by john patrick

Believe it or not ladies and gents, but this is a Spring collection despite what your initial instinct might be whispering in your ear. I think I was struck by these pieces because they seem to emulate the way I've been feeling so far this Spring. Which as you may have noticed, is not at all pink and pastely as is the typical Spring mindset. I wish I was feeling that way but nope, not there yet. Perhaps it's the cooler weather, the laid-back style of the locals or the need for sensible flats almost all the time. I feel funny wearing heels around these parts!


Last Spring, folks were deeming Organic by John Patrick as depression chic, which I must say I wasn't too keen on. Don't get me wrong, the dresses were gorgeous and an obvious throw back to the 1930s. But really, isn't calling something depression chic, a bit, um, tasteless?

Moving on to this season though, I'm loving the draped high waisted trousers, the tailored jackets and droopy stockings in the style of the late great Kit Kat Club ladies. If you're like me and can't afford the real deal, these looks can easily be recreated via your local thrift store. I'm thinking sheer cut-off stockings and a scavenge in the little boys department are in order.

vogue korea

Soft thoughts in a pure vision of Spring. Roses. Hydrangeas. Tulips. Poppies. Hyacinths. Let's lose ourselves in ephemeral joys for the afternoon, shall we? Or if you're feeling up for the challenge, an eye spy challenge of the floral nature!

twenty-seven names

Overnight my fondness of the New Zealand fashion scene may have bloomed from a little crush into a full-fledged romance thanks to Emma over at Rag Pony. While she picks and chooses heaps of international trends to showcase on her blog, she's also got a stash of New Zealand designers up her sleeve that she sprinkles in throughout the week. Of course a girls got to represent, right?

Now quickly, a bit about my lusting. You see it all started last Winter with my admiration of the long regal gowns by Juliette Hogan, and the fact she caters to both hemispheres each season. How considerate! Now just a few months later, Winter has passed and I'm fawning over the Spring 10/11 collection, Twelve, from Twenty-Seven Names. Have a look yourself, and I'm sure you'll agree...


From pin tucks to pleats, each piece seems so delicate and touched with the detailed beauty I find in so many vintage pieces. And on top of that, each piece seems made for my closet!


I'm also loving the concept of the class portrait they did at Emma's suggestion. Isn't it perfectly fitting? If you take a look at Guy Coombes' portfolio, you can catch a glimpse of the individual portraits he took for the project, equally stunning I might add.

Now if you're in the mood for a little more New Zealand eye candy, be sure to check out Juliette Hogan's latest collection, along with Karen Walker's collection of shapely sunnies. And in case you haven't seen enough, Lonely Hearts has a beautifully shot video on their site that is completely worth the watch.

dujour cover contest

Wishing on sweet tea, cupcakes and delicious fashion? I must admit I am! Substitute for wishing for living and it's seems that is exactly what the folks over at Dujour Magazine are doing this very moment. And they've enlisted your help in selecting their next cover. As they said over on their blog, "...nothing means more than the wishes of our readers...So make your wish come true by voting below!" Well I must second that notion. You've got to love a magazine who cares that much about their readers!

Voting is easy as pie. Below you've got yummy eye candy in the form of potential covers. Just leave the number of the cover along with what's going on in that little head of yours in my comment section. Don't forget to jot down the reason for your vote so you won't be left out.

You've got the week to vote, but no dilly dallying! Winners will be announced just before the new issue hits the stands. Oh and how fun is this, if you guess the correct theme of the new issue, you've got a chance at receiving a snail mail goody bag straight from the hearts of Dujour.

cover 1

cover 2	cover 3
cover 4	cover 5

I don't know about you, but for some reason each of these images make me want to swim under the pink moon. Perhaps I'll just put a bit of Nick Drake on the record player instead...

sleeveface

I'm feeling quite down in the dumps today. My little sore throat has come back full force and all I can bring myself to do is watch reruns of A Haunting on the Discovery channel and piddle around on the interwebs. While pathetically wallowing in my general feelings of crapiness, I came across this series of photos from a book called Sleeveface, Be the Vinyl. How is it this came out in 2008 and I'm just now finding it?




They've even got a hilarious how-to video with tips on making your own. Perhaps when I'm feeling more like myself I'll have to play around with my brother's record collection. Hmmm...Yes, I do think I will!

stop motion fancies

Last Fall I kept coming across small film projects online, falling a little bit more in love with stop motion at the click of each video. I've always loved photography in itself, but the idea of snapping a series of images and merging them to form one cohesive video is mesmerizing.

Okay, I know I just simplified the hell out of it! But seriously, really good stop motion always takes a little piece of my heart, and I can't tell you how much I want to do one myself especially after seeing this video on Etsy yesterday. Can you believe these folks found each other on Etsy and decided to collaborate? How neat is that?

Watching Lost Things definitely rekindled a desire to try my hand at this art so the question is...Is there anybody out there who could offer me their wise words of advice on the matter? I would love suggestions on anything from what program to use to story lines to techniques. Help! Oh and as big as my ideas are, I suppose I should start simple, as in the last video.

I'll be brainstorming today while photography for the shop and editing photos but I'll leave you with a few other favorites...

Rachel posted this one awhile back and so glad she did or it never would have graced my presence! Perhaps I'm a little in love with him or perhaps I just want to be him. I can't quite tell.


A graphic equalizer that makes me want to dance? Yes please!


And lastly, this bedhead video because it actually looks like a feasible project!

rochas spring 2010

I'm loving what Rochas has lined up for Spring. Okay, it's true, my bank account sadly cannot afford me actual Rochas, but I'll definitely be looking to this line for inspiration from now until...

It's as if Marco Zanini pulled the best of from the 20s, 30s and 40s to create this vibrant vintagy collection. And the colors. Oh the colors! It's refreshing to see a Spring line that strays from the usual girly pastels and opts for more traditional Fall shades.


Corsages on belts? Yes please! I already see a few DIY projects and craft store visits in my future. And those sunnies are perfectly 1940s although I can't say if they're Rochas or not. I'll be on the prowl for an inexpensive pair that's for sure...Any ideas?


What I'm really loving about this collection though, are the tap pants. I need to get a pair stat. Aren't these gorgeous? The cream and tangerine numbers are especially adorable. They remind me of a slinky 1920s swimsuit, something I would also love to have in my wardrobe.