2 Influential Vintage Designers

For the average working woman designer wear is un-affordable. However we cannot have a  vintage blog without discussing some of the designers who have paved the way for other designers and whose designs are timeless and still popular today.

1. Coco Chanel

 

French designer Coco Chanel

Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel, born 19th December 1883, in Samur France; was credited for liberating women from the restrictive corseted silhouettes through the designs of her trademark suits and little black dresses. Chanel was raised in the Aubazine orphanage where she was taught to sew.

Coco Chanel trademark suit

Coco Chanel LBD worn by Audrey Hepburn

In 1910 she opened her first clothing shop. In 1920 she launched her first perfume then introduced the world to the Chanel suit and the little black dress, which is a staple in every woman's closet today. While Chanel is known as a prolific fashion designer, her creative designs were first recognized in jewellery, handbags and fragrance.

Coco Chanel handbag with hot shorts

 Her signature scent Coco Chanel No. 5 has become an iconic fragrance.

Chanel No 5 Ad in the late 1970s

 On  Time Magazine's 100 most influential persons of the 20th century, Chanel is the only fashion designer to be listed.

Coco Chanel puts her finishing touches on that LBD

2. Christian Dior

World famous designer of the 1950s, Christian Dior

Legendary fashion designer Christian Dior, born 21st January, 1905 in Normandy, France was renowned for his revolutionary post world word II designs. During the war years there was fabric rationing, which simplified fashion into a subtle and almost boring look.

World War II fashion minimalist fashion trends

 However,  Dior's designs were quite the opposite. His creations represented opulence. Dior tapered and sloped the shoulders,  tucked the waistlines and produced incredibly full skirts.

Christian Dior 1950s design

 During the 1950s Christian Dior was indisputably the most famous fashion designer in the world. Dior died in 1957 of a heart attack, but his work lives on.

Modern Christian Dior trademark design

How to Tie a Vintage Headscarf

Head scarfs are so convenient for those lazy hair days and lately I have been experiencing a lot of those. I have been rocking the 1950s vintage housewife head tie more than ever to: go to school, christian meetings, shopping and just plain old hanging out. This style is not just restricted to vintage fashion. It is quite versatile and can compliment almost any look including the bohemian style. I would also recommend this if you are wearing a vintage bathing suit. If you don't want to get your hair wet; instead of using a regular bandanna try these simple steps. It will not only scream vintage but you will turn some heads at the beach as well.


So are you ready dolls? Let's get started.

Prepping the Hair

If your hair is long or shoulder length you will need to pin it up, ideally into a neat French roll. Avoid rolling your hair into a bun or sweeping your hair into a pony tail, as it would create a bulge.

Head Scarf

You will need a square scarf.  The bigger scarf will allow you to create a bow at the top, a smaller scarf will afford you a knot. It all depends on the look that you desire.

 

 Step 1

Fold your scarf diagonally, creating a triangular shape. Ensure that it is neatly done to get the best results. 

 

 Step 2

Place the scarf on your head. Hold the two longer sides and allow the shorter side or tip of the triangle to fall downward. 

 Step 3

Pull the longer pieces up over the ears and tie them together on the top of your head. Make sure that the hanging piece remains in place.

 Step 4

If you have a larger scarf, tie the ends into a bow. If the scarf is shorter, tie it into a knot. Ensure that the hanging part of the scarf, in front of the forehead, is still in place. 
 

Step 5

Take the hanging end; and neatly tuck it under the ends of the bow.  If the tails of the bow are too long, tuck them in as well. if you desire, feel free to fluff your bow to create fullness.

Step 6

There might be some points sticking out; don't panic! Simply tuck it in as well so as to create a smoother and neater look.

 Et Voila! 1950s Head tie

There you have it dolls the 1950s vintage house wife head tie. Practice makes it perfect, so don't give up. Try this wrap and let me know the outcome. Hit me up in the comment box below.  

 Pics and info compliments Mandi Johnson of babble.com

 

 

 

 

Retro Matte Lipsticks

Finding the right lipstick to complete the vintage look can be frustrating and expensive. I bought everything under the sun, moon and stars in search of the perfect retro lipstick. Some of the lipsticks possessed the ideal shade but the textures were either too glossy or satin. Until one day,  I saw a girlfriend rocking these gorgeous red matte lips on Facebook. Of course by that time I had already spent lots of money on lipsticks that I didn't want or cared to use. Asking questions can save you time and money, right?

 Note that matte lipsticks make your lips dry, so to get a smooth finish, try exfoliating the lips with oil ( my preference is coconut oil) and sugar. Then an hour or more before you put on your lipstick, brush a generous amount of chap stick on your exfoliated lips. And always remember to blot with tissue just before you apply the lipstick. If you don't your  lips will look glossy, which will defeat the purpose of wearing matte lipstick.

 Alright dolls, here is a list of vintage lipsticks, for women of colour, that help your make up to look authentic:

1. MAC Rooby Woo

 

 

 This is my absolute favourite lipstick of all time. It is part of the retro matte line. I have found this colour to work on all skin tones. This iconic red has blue undertones which is ideal for women of colour. Oh and it makes your teeth look white! Price $US 17

2. MAC All Fired Up

 

I came across this lipstick by accident and have had  no regrets. It looks pinkish-red and depending on the colour clothing that you are wearing, it can lean more to the pink or red side. All Fired Up is also part of the retro matte line. Price $US 17

3. MAC Flat out Fabulous  

Highly pigmented, bright plum lipstick, which is from the retro matte MAC line as well. There has been complaints that this lipstick is  too dry. That would not be an issue, once your lip is properly prepped (check  guidelines above), this lipstick would not be dry on application. Price $US 17

4. LA Splash Studio Shine -  Lady

 

Lady is a deep wine red colour. The label says lip lustre but this is in fact a liquid matte lipstick which contains  tiny specs of red glitter to add some glitz and glamour . This product is waterproof, which means you can kiss your favourite someone without having to re-apply.  When applying this product don't rub your lips together so as to prevent smudging; brush both bottom and top lip. Price $US 14

5. LA Splash Studio Shine -  Jasmine

 

Jasmine is such a pretty pink! This is also a  matte lipstick, however it does not contain specs of glitter but it does scream Hollywood glam. This product is waterproof as well. Remember, when applying this product don't rub your lips together so as to prevent smudging; brush both bottom and top lip. Price $US 14

6.  Revlon Certainly Red

 

Really Red is not fully matte, as it contains a slight creamy lustre. However I have included it in the list because it is used on the Mad Men ladies by make up artist Lana Horochowski.  I am not a fan of the color because it more looks like brick red-orange and I love that highly pigmented red. However if you like, perhaps you can experiment with it and see if you get those desired vintage lips. Price $US 8


So that is my list dolls! Feel free to hit me up and let me know of your favourite vintage lipstick.

 

Vintage ≠ Frumpy

I have never been good in math, but what I do know is that vintage does not equal frumpy. It is an awful misconception that vintage clothing is unwearable in the 21st century, which is furthest from the truth. Styles revolve and the only thing that change is its name; for example, what was once called the full circle skirt, is now referred to as vintage flared skirts which are very much trending today. Also, there are some vintage styles that are simply timeless. Being a lover of vintage I have been wearing a lot of classic styles. It is a part of my everyday life. From make up to the shoes to accessories and definitely the clothing. I have added two pics of myself at the bottom of this page, all donned in vintage. Check out these pics below and let me know if these styles are wearable today?

                                              

                                                                     

                                                         

                                                                            

 

 

                                                                  

  

 

                                                               

                                                                                         

How to Get Betty Draper-Francis Hair

If you are a classic woman then surely you must know about the 1950s/1960s TV Hit series Mad Men and if you know about Mad Men,  no doubt you know about Betty Draper-Francis. Of all the Mad Men ladies, Betty's signature style is the most coveted. Those A line dresses and full circle skirts, along with her flawless make up and forever in place hair, makes her the most talked about woman on the show.

Today, I would like to show you how you can style your hair like Betty Draper-Francis, which can be accomplished by most hair types. Check out this video and let me know what you think.

Vintage Ads:" The Innocent Years"!

One thing that I appreciate about the vintage period is that there was a demand for artists in the advertising industry. That was the era when full-sketched stills and punchy catch lines were aired on the television tube. Today, film technology has replaced stills and the demand for artists has considerably declined. As a result, graffito is prevalent as there are few outlets  for artists to showcase their talent. It forces some artists into street hagglers in hope of recognition one day, while others have put art on the back burner and treat it as a mere hubby.

Granted some of these old ads were nothing short of hilarious, others appeared to have magical transforming powers; ( another word for "misleading"), while some ads were undoubtedly sexist and more than anything outrageous! Nevertheless, I was inspired and tickled by some old 1950s ads and decided to share some with you. Some of the fonts might require you to zoom in to get the real essence of the ad, like Chubbettes, but it is worth it! Scroll to the comment box at the bottom of the page and let me know what you think.