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Showtime

March 5, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

“Gonna rouge my knees and roll my stockings down……and all that jazz”. Those words are ringing in my ears and probably will be for a few weeks! A few of us from PUSH performed three numbers from Chicago for an evening’s entertainment and to raise money for the PUSH Foundation. Needless to say it was fabulous and fun and a little nerve-wracking. Although I knew a little about Bob Fosse, the great choreographer and director of such shows as […]

Categories: Dance, Fashion, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: art, books, burlesque, Cabaret, Chicago, Costume Design, culture, dance, design, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, films, Fosse, history, Liza Minelli, movies, music, style, vintage

A Dress of Envy – Atonement

February 29, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

My very gorgeous cousin in law was going to a wedding at St Paul’s Cathedral and she asked me to make her a dress. Aha, I thought, another one to add to the recreating vintage list. When asked what sort of dress she would like, she replied “that green dress in Atonement”. Hmmm – not just any dress, that green dress in Atonement – who doesn’t want that green dress? I have lusted after that dress since the first time […]

Categories: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, Fashion, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1930s, Atonement, books, craft, design, diy, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, films, history, Kiera Knightley, movies, photography, reviews, style, vintage

Fun with Dolly, Barney & Keith – a retro challenge

February 24, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

Sounds a bit dodgy doesn’t it – I can ensure you, however, it is all above board. February half term is dog week in our family. We meet up with the rest of the family and head down to Cornwall – hence fun with Keith, Dolly and Barney. This year I set myself a challenge, specifically for the blog. Could I keep up a retro look whilst cavorting in the sea and the mud with the children and dogs whilst […]

Categories: 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, Fashion, Photography2, vintage • Tags: art, Cornwall, design, Dogs, Fashion, fashion illustration, Food, Padstow, photography, travel, vintage

The 1930s Monogram Masquerade

February 22, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I have a favourite book of reference at the moment, for the 1930s. It’s called Fashion at the time of Fascism and it’s all about the influence and effects of the Fascist regime on fashion in Italy. The book explores many different angles of the industry, including beauty, the rise in fashion houses and italian celebrities of the time. Today I’m only looking at one very small aspect of it – as I shall no doubt use many more for […]

Categories: 1930s, Book Reviews, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: art, books, craft, design, diy, dressmaking, Fashion, fashion illustration, history, photography, politics, reviews, style, vintage

That’s Amore

February 20, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

Sorry for the break in transmission. I’ve been away for half-term but more about that in another post. I did my usual round up of magazines before I went and for any 1950s & 60s Hollywood aficionados, Vanity Fair is a great purchase this month, featuring interviews with both Sophia Loren and Brigitte Bardot? What more can one vintage lover want? I was struck by Sophia Loren’s story. Its’ a very human one – not a typical rags to riches […]

Categories: 1950s, Fashion, Photography2, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1950s, art, design, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, film, films, history, Love, Magazines, movies, music, photography, reviews, Sophia Loren, style, vintage

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

Tango Collage, Space NK, Netaporter, Tabitha Simmons, Leighton Denny, Agent Provocoteur

A Touch of Tango

January 31, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

So we went to our Argentine Tango workshop at PUSH. Wow, this dance is so much more complicated than I thought it was going to be. Watching it, you think it’s just going to be a bit of walking and flicking of the feet, but boy the intricacies and detail that goes into it, is way above and beyond any other kind of dancing I have done before. To see it done at its absolute best (without a trip to Buenos […]

Categories: 1920s, 1930s, Dance, Fashion • Tags: art, culture, dance, design, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, films, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Biel, movies, music, Salma Hayek

Pleasing on the Eye

January 25, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I think I may have OCD! I get a buzz out of little coloured-covered books – particularly if they are part of a series. It’s not a huge exciting thrill – more of a kind of content satisfaction. Please tell me I’m not alone in this sensation. I’m sure I’m not! The catalyst for this post is a series of pocket sized interior/style books by Paumes, which you can purchase from Bodie & Fou. They are written in Japanese – […]

Categories: Interiors • Tags: art, books, design, Fashion, fashion illustration, home, Interiors, lifestyle, photography, reviews, travel