1950s | I Get a Kick out of you

Jean Harlow, Nightdress, Dinner at Eight

Elegantly Lounging

February 8, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

Pyjamas are back. But for those of you not in the know, this is not for lounging at home, this is an everywhere , every way trend. Just as the slip was in the days of grunge. Remember Amanda de Cadenet, Courtney Love and Kate Moss? I like the idea of pyjamas, I love the cut. I loved the slip too – I had a black one, which was too big and I safety-pinned it at the back to give […]

Categories: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, Fashion, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1920s, 1950s, audrey hepburn, culture, design, diy, dressmaking, Elizabeth Taylor, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, films, Inspiration, Jean Harlow, Mildred Pierce, movies, music, photography, shopping

Carolyn Everitt, Jo, Rachel and Rebecca, HUSH, Gentlemen prefer Blondes

Dresses and Controversy in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

February 6, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

It was a bitter night and as we reached the screening, snow was really starting to fall heavily. However, there nestled in a little courtyard off Brook Street was our outdoor screening of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ at HUSH, complete with fairy lights, candles, hot water bottles, blankets and hot chocolate…….oh, and most important of all popcorn! We all agreed that if someone had planned this as a first date, we would have been super impressed. I hadn’t ever watched the […]

Categories: 1950s, Fashion, Photography2, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1950s, Costume, craft, design, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, film, films, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, marilyn monroe, movies, photography, reviews, William Travilla

Pretending to be Plain

January 19, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

“Carmen Dell’Orefice..who has had three husbands and more hot dinner boyfriends than one cares to count later, is still known as just plain Carmen – though the plain has nothing whatsoever to do with her appearance” Norman Parkinson I was fortunate enough to catch the Carmen Dell’Orefice exhibition at the London School of Fashion, at what I thought was the very end date – however – lucky readers, they have just extended the exhibition to the 31st January. So after […]

Categories: 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, Photography2, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: art, books, Carmen Dell'Orefice, Cecil Beaton, design, Exhibition, Fashion, Harper Bazaar, Irving Penn, model, photography, reviews, Richard Avedon, style, vogue

Grace Kelly meets the Gladiator

January 1, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

My challenge for New Year was to re-create a vintage outfit. Doing the daily routine, school runs etc, in slightly distressed vintage is all well and good, and indeed can add to the outfit, but sometimes there are occasions when the evidence of ageing just won’t do. The added advantage of making an outfit from scratch is making it to your size, particularly since the majority of my vintage finds are a tad on the small size. I comfort myself […]

Categories: 1930s, 1950s, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: craft, design, dressmaking, Fashion, Grace Kelly, history, HItchcock, movies, Rear Window, vintage

Pillow Talk and the Hunky Beast

December 18, 2011 by igetakickoutofyou

The prompt for this post was the Terence Conran exhibition at the Design Museum, which is definitely worth a visit for all those interested in vintage pieces and design (and doesn’t finish until March 2012!). Perusing round the various, “Heals & Habitat”, styled furniture and textiles, I came across this dressing table . This is one classy, cool piece dressing table. It’s chunky, almost masculine, with an industrial edge but is still somehow elegant. Only a really cool cat could have […]

Categories: 1950s, 1960s, Interiors • Tags: design, Doris Day, Fashion, film, Interiors, movies, Pillow Talk, Rock Hudson, vintage

A Week with Marilyn – The Ingenious Breast Dress

December 1, 2011 by igetakickoutofyou

Ahh……loved, loved , loved “A Week With Marilyn”. Michelle Williams is incredible – absolutely breathtaking – in fact I’m going to see it again! One of the things I want to pay particular attention to is the dress that Marilyn Monroe (Michelle) wears when she steps off the plane in England. You’ll know what I mean if you have the seen the film – it’s a total scene stealer. The construction of the bust line on this dress is seriously ingenious. […]

Categories: 1950s, Fashion, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1950s, burlesque, craft, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, film, flapper dress, Glamour, hollywood, Inspiration, marilyn, marilyn monroe, movies, my week with marilyn, photography, shopping, style, vintage