beatnik

zara turtleneck
topshop corduroy ankle grazers
m&s flats

This is what I wear when I go into smoky cafes, dance to jazz and recite poetry. Right… 
Super simple beatnik inspired outfit, reminds me of Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face, just need to get me some white socks, hihi.

Summer a la Parisienne style 40s & 50s

As the weather is gradually improving here in London, I turned to my favourite photography website, parisen images, for some real Parisian late 1940s early 1950s inspiration.

 

college style

turtleneck – ebay
skirt – vintage Pendleton from bfyvintage 
socks – Topshop
shoes – vintage saddle

Editorial: Retro Swimwear 2012

Source

So cute! Model Naty Chabanenko for How to Spend it Magazine. I would love to have the first one, dreaming of summer…

Editorial: Madame Germany Feb 2012

Source

Chic! Model Annabella Barber plays the role of ’50s vixen and soaks in the sights of California with classic looks. Personally I find this shoot to be early 60s, but since it is called Some Like it Hot let’s assume it is late 50s.

How to decorate your house vintage style

 

A few 50’s interior illustrations for inspiration. I have been collecting these through time, so I haven’t got the source, just be sure credit does not belong to me. In my dreams, I would have a pink bathroom and a baby blue kitchen, a moss green living room and… I haven’t decided on the bedroom colour yet! If I had an office it would be red though.

There’s a few bits and pieces that I add to the flat where I live, a record player, a few analogue cameras, old magazines, vintage reprints, a nice lamp, etc. However, since we always live in rented places I cannot just go and paint the kitchen cabinets or buy much of my own furniture. And the time to move out and find a new nest has come once again. Our landlord is selling the place and we need to move out by the end of April. It is good news in a way that we might be able to find something better, but it is so time consuming to search for a new flat and then comes the dreadful moving day!

How wonderful it would be if we found something like a one of the pictures above for a reasonable price! Fingers crossed!!

vintage books: The Dud Avocado (1958)

I will try to follow this like a series of vintage book reviews (anything before the 70s) as I think it is an interesting and real aspect of the culture of the time. I don't know how often I will be able to keep this series, but I will definitely give it a good try!

The Dud Avocado is a delightful book that I wish I had read earlier in my life. It is the fun story of Sally Jay, coming of age American girl who moves to Paris for 2 years to live la vie en rose. It is loosely based on the author's life, Elaine Dundy, and I wish to read her two other books (if only I could manage to get my claws on them). Sally Jay is not a character, she became my friend, telling me all her adventures, successes and disasters included. I did wish I could keep on reading it for longer, I didn't want to depart from her stories! 

I love it for a book written in the 50's to discuss female sexual desires and casual relationships from a woman's point of view, not only the lovey-dovey or tragedy stories. Elaine Dundy certainly was ahead of her times, or we just don't have too many examples like her still reaching out to us after 50 years. 

I would recommend this book to anyone wishing for a bit of fun! And if you've been to Paris is even better because you can relate to the places mentioned and have a great big image of the scenes in your head.

Elle magazine Nov 1954 vintage scans

A few more scans from a 1954 French Elle magazine. I absolutely adore how French vintage magazines seem so much more natural and easy to copy, when compared to American ones. On the cover you can read "an easy fashion, out of reach of everyone". The Stop advert is pure love.