beauty | I Get a Kick out of you

Serge Lido, Annual ballet magazine, photographer, vintage dance photographs

Vintage Ballet by Serge Lido Part 1

August 22, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

At the weekend I was extremely fortunate to have been given these exquisite vintage ballet books from the 1950’s. Basically two of my greatest passions rolled into one – vintage and dance. Serge Lido was born in Moscow and became one of the greatest photographers of dance in the twentieth century. Based in Paris he and his wife Irene Lidova travelled Europe creating a magnificent record of contemporary and classical ballet. Since there are so many images to choose from […]

Categories: 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, Photography2, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1940s, 1950s, art, arts, Ballet, beauty, books, burlesque, culture, dance, design, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, Inspiration, photography, Serge Lido, style, travel, vintage

Birgitte Raben Olrik, Rabens Saloner, Copehagen style, Elle Decoration

A Life Story in Design – Copenhagen to Bali

August 20, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

If ever there were an example of global style it’s the homes of Birgitte Raben Olrik, designer of the Danish brand Rabens Saloner. Six months of the year Birgitte lives in Copenhagen, in an apartment spread over three floors in the fashionable district of Vesterbro. For the other half she decamps to her island home in Bali, on the south west coast. Boy, does she have the right idea! The styles of both homes feature Balinese fabrics, furniture and ornaments, […]

Categories: Interiors, Photography2, vintage • Tags: art, arts, Bali, beauty, Birgitte Raben Olrik, Copenhagen, craft, culture, design, diy, Fashion, global style, Inspiration, Interiors, jewelery, lifestyle, photography, Rabens Saloner, shopping, style, travel, vintage

Wilderness Festival, Prangsta, Burlesque costumes

Bordello Inspired Buys

August 17, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I don’t know what happened there – the post seemed to publish before I was ready to go… So following on from the Lure of the Bordello – I’ve drummed up a little victorian wardrobe. Love all of it, want to own all of it – except perhaps the bustle – not sure I would fare too well with that – must be a nightmare to sit in! BTW – if you want more info on what’s listed below, just […]

Categories: Fashion • Tags: art, beauty, burlesque, costumes, craft, culture, design, diy, dressmaking, Fashion, Glamour, history, Inspiration, jewelery, photography, shopping, style, travel, vintage

Maison Close, Sky Arts 2, Burlesque, Corsets

The Lure of the Bordello

August 14, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

My guilty pleasure at the moment is the series Maison Close on Sky Arts 2, about a bordello in the heart of Paris in 1871. Have you been watching it? It’s rather compulsive viewing. The first scene in the first episode shows you pretty much what to expect and it’s risque with a capital R! But of course it’s not the (ahem..) antics of the show that inspire – it’s most definitely the fashion. Corsets, camisoles, cami-knickers, petticoats, masks, gloves […]

Categories: Fashion • Tags: 1871, art, arts, beauty, bordello, burlesque, Cannes Film Festival, craft, culture, design, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, film, films, Glamour, history, maison close, movies, Paris, photography, reviews, style, travel, vintage

Vintage Whites

August 11, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I’m rather susceptible to white lace dresses, particularly the edwardian types with the bobble edging and crochet details. In fact you can usually spot me at a vintage fair by the trail I lead from one white outfit to the next. Generally, followed closely by my mum, saying “yes it’s lovely but when would you wear it?” Well the weather, for the last few days anyway, has been perfect for a white dress – this is when I would wear […]

Categories: 1920s, 1930s, Fashion, Illustration, vintage • Tags: 1920s, 1930s, art, beauty, craft, culture, design, dressmaking, Fashion, fashion illustration, Inspiration, photography, shopping, style, vintage

Young pin up Marilyn in a towel and tan lines

Marilyn – Pin Up vs Portrait

August 6, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

This weekend was the 50th anniversary of Marilyn’s death. I wanted to do a “10 favourite images” but a) I couldn’t narrow it down to 10 and b) there seemed such a distinction between the pin up shots and the portrait shots, I thought I’d make a point of it. So which do you prefer – the pin-up or portraits? From Pin Up Photo: Andre de Dienes Playboy 1953 Photo: Milton Greene Photo: Sam Shaw Photo: Milton Greene To Portrait […]

Categories: 1950s, Fashion, Photography2, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1950s, art, beauty, celebrities, Chanel, culture, Entertainment, eve arnold, Fashion, films, Glamour, history, hollywood, Inspiration, marilyn monroe, MIlton Greene, movies, photography, Pin up, playboy, style, vintage

Lanvin, Autumn Winter Campaign 2012, Older women, real people

Is The Older Woman The New Cool?

August 3, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

It’s that time of year when all the new designer campaigns lace the pages of the September magazines and this year change is in the air. Could it be that the fashion industry has finally woken up to the fact that older women just might be pretty damn cool? Lanvin, Loewe, Dolce & Gabbana and Bulgari lead the way – demonstrating that style, edginess, and individuality is only enhanced with age. I say three cheers to that – and about […]

Categories: Fashion, Photography2, vintage • Tags: advertising, Autumn Winter 2012, beauty, Bulgari, By Malene Birger, Campaigns, celebrities, culture, design, Dolce and Gabbana, Fashion, fashion illustration, Glamour, Inspiration, Lanvin, literature, Loewe, photography, shopping, style, vintage, Women

Helmut Newton, Cardin Gres, 1971 Harper's & Queen

Helmut Newton’s Menacing Marais 1971

August 1, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I must admit I’m not a huge 70’s aficionado. I did go through a stage at university wearing long indian dresses, 70’s flares from Camden market and this ill-fitting sheepskin coat – but generally it isn’t my favourite style era. However, my mother in law gave me this 1971 Harper’s & Queen, and I must say this beautiful runway edit, shot by Helmut Newton in the Marais, has me re-thinking the 70’s. I love the prints and scarfs. I’d love […]

Categories: 1970, Fashion, Photography2, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1970's, art, beauty, Cardin, Chanel, craft, design, Dior, dressmaking, Fashion, fashion illustration, film, films, Harper's & Queen, Helmut Newton, Inspiration, Lanvin, movies, photography, style, travel, vintage

How can you look so naughty and feel so nice?

July 27, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I recently bought the book “Lingerie” featuring the beautiful photography of Lillan Bassman. Bassman became a photographer in the late 1940’s. Her images of women broke the mould, emphasising a more intimate portrayal and establishing a niche in lingerie and night-wear photography. Harpers Bazaar, March 1954 Carmen Dell’Orefice, Merry Widow 1951 Bassman was an avid watcher of women and in the book it describes how, in the mid 1940’s, she began to study the body language of those who made […]

Categories: 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, Book Reviews, Fashion, Photography2, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, art, beauty, books, burlesque, culture, design, dressmaking, Fashion, Harpers Bazaar, Inspiration, Lillian Bassman, Lingerie, photography, reviews, shopping, style, vintage