Those Blue Jeans

We interrupt this blog to say, Gloria Flippin’ Vanderbilt. That’s right, after her passing this week I thought it only right to scrap my original post and go into some life details of the fashion icon/heiress/artist. I mean she’s a Vanderbilt, so that’s blog worthy, and let’s not forget those jeans. So let’s dive into the life and times of Gloria, shall we?

1940s baby fashion icon.

When she was born in 1924 her railroad tycoon father is said to have exclaimed, “It is fantastic how Vanderbilt she looks! See the corners of her eyes, how they turn up?” Her father died shortly after her birth and from there her socialite mother and paternal aunt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (namesake of the Whitney Museum), battled over custody of baby Gloria – Whitney won after a long and scandalous trial. Gloria studied acting and art eventually pursuing a career which included television dramas and some stage plays. She was often photographed and modeled frequently – wearing some of the most fashionable clothes for Harper’s Bazaar – seriously these photos are stunning. With grace and those “Vanderbilt eyes” she was quite enchanting.

“Excuse me while I casually stand around all these torsoless jeans.”

Her biggest fashion moment came in the 1970s when she teamed up with Glentex for a line of designer scarves. This was quickly followed by a collaboration with the Murjani Corporation for the infamous Vanderbilt jeans. The embroidered, tight fitting jeans were a sensation and took off. It was so successful, in fact, that by the late 70s she took back her name and started GV Ltd which branched into different clothing such as blouses and dresses. Vanderbilt was now even more of a fashion icon! She kept the rights to GV untiled 2002 when Jones Apparel Group bought them. You can still get yourself a pair of the iconic jeans, but the vintage styles are the best!

Richard Avedon for the win!

In her later years she continued her art, wrote two books, and made a documentary with her news anchor son, Anderson Cooper. She was an inspiration and always wanted people to be kind to each other – actually painting over her fireplace, “be kind to everyone you meet for everyone is fighting a great battle.” Be kind and wear some awesome jeans – life lessons from Ms. Vanderbilt. I’ll leave you with a link to Cooper discussing his mother on CNN earlier this week.

Stay beautiful!

Summertime Playlist

World War II Weekend was a rousing success! It is such a good time I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys history. I have a million pictures and a review I want to post but I think that’ll be for next week. I’ve been so excited the weather is nicer and my vintage can come out more – summer is the best! Along with cute vintage outfits I’ve been listening to tons of music and it got me thinking about “modern” bands that play vintage music. This lead to me to the great idea that I should make a list of some favorite albums for your vintage summertime playlists. Now that you know how that train of thought left the station let’s listen to some tunes.

So the theme of these albums is, as I’ve said, modern band plays old styles. There are a million genres to pick from but during the summer I like lounge, rock n’ roll, surf rock, and girl groups, primarily. The first person that came to mind was Amy Winehouse – she just knew how to write a song. It isn’t fair that something lyrically upsetting as “Tears Dry on Their Own” should be so catchy and dancey, but there it is. She gets that 60s girl group swag down perfectly and we’re all better for it. Basically any Amy will add to your playlist but if you want a full album to start with the soundtrack to the Amy documentary is a good collection.

Next up, JD McPherson. He’s an old favorite, having been on my Christmas album list, but he’s solid gold when it comes to rock n’ roll jams. It’s hard to pick just one album but his first, Signs and Signifiers, is something I return to the minute nice weather begins. His band is tight and perfect with some amazing musicians filling out the rhythm section including the brilliant, Jimmy Sutton on upright bass. You can’t go wrong with this band, you just can’t.

Stray Cats! The granddaddies of swing revival have recorded their first new album in decades and it is fantastic. 40 is a rock n’ roll gem and will bring some swing into your summer. I saw Brian Setzer last year in concert and was so awed by his skill and the pure joy he exudes when playing music. It is fantastic that they’ve decided to grace us with a new album. Pick it up, you won’t regret it!

But what about that outdoor party you were planning? Got any ideas for that? I sure do! My new favorite Philly band, Slowey and the Boats will whisk you away to the tropical island of your choosing. They do Hawaiian inspired steel guitar perfectly. And, lucky you, they’re coming out with a new album you can pre-order now! Seriously, this is sunshine weather music at its finest, the album should come with an umbrella drink!

My final suggestion would be Postmodern Jukebox. Their website sums them up the best with the tagline, “modern day songs with a vintage twist.” Want to hear swing Beyoncé? This is your band. They have so. many. cool versions of songs you can get lost in the rabbit hole. They really round out any playlist.

There you have it – some modern musical acts to scratch your vintage itch. Please feel free to comment below and let me know some artists to check out – always looking for new tunes!

 

Stay beautiful!

History Podcasts!

This weekend is World War II weekend at Reading’s Mid-Atlantic Air Museum – one of my favorite weekends of the year! I’ll be driving out Friday night and enjoying the festivities on Saturday and Sunday. It’s about an hour drive to the airport so I’ll have some time to kill getting there. This is perfect for podcast listening! I listen to A LOT of podcasts and I thought for this week I’d give you guys a short list of some history shows that any vintage loving babe needs to listen to.

Number one for me is You Must Remember This. Karina Longworth takes a look at the golden years of Hollywood and really does a deep dive into actors, actresses, and events that shaped film history. I particularly loved the “Many Loves of Howard Hughes” episodes, but there are so many good ones!

Next up, The History Chicks with Susan Vollenweider and Beckett Graham. As the name suggests these ladies discuss famous women throughout history in hour plus long episodes. They do a great job delving into each woman and sharing her life and role in shaping history. Blog favorite, Audrey Hepburn was a recent two parter – worth a listen!

Stuff You Missed in History Class is my go to for a quicker history lesson. This is a two woman team, Holly Frey and Tracy V. Wilson, that pick a topic and assembles 30 minute or so episode on it. It’s got everything from biographies to war to inventions! And with so many episodes to choose from, you can listen for hours!

The British Museum came up with a great way of telling history using artifacts in their holdings. A History of the World in 100 Objects tells the history of humans through the objects found in various times. It is fascinating the pieces chosen to explain one era from the other. Definitely one to look into!

Finally, some spoooooky stuff, My Favorite Murder. Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff take us through the history of creepsters and serial killers in an entertaining hour plus long podcast. This is a must for any crime history buffs! Who knows, maybe you’re a murderino in the making!

There you have it – 5 podcasts to check out for history lessons while roadtripping, or whenever you’re in the mood for some good audio time traveling!

Stay beautiful!

Bursting at the Seamed Stockings!

Guys, we are one week out from one of my favorite events – World War II Weekend in Reading, PA! I can almost hear the Glenn Miller songs wafting through the air. Of course that means I’m spending the next week running down my check list – dresses, snoods, shoes, and, of course, stockings! I’ve talked about stockings in other posts but realized I never did a proper history on them and this seems (no pun intended!) to be the best time. So, let’s talked about nylons!

Workin’ gals!

There is a crazy long history of leg coverings in most eras. I will not be going pre-historic on this one. We’re taking it back to the 1920s to start – with silk stockings. Once we raised our hemlines legs were still taboo which meant that even though we could see them they had to still be covered with something. (Naked legs – heaven forbid!) Thus we get nude, silk stockings. While beautiful, these babies aren’t practical. For one thing they’re expensive and another they attract moths – both not great for something you’re supposed to wear on the reg. In comes DuPont in the 1930s and we get synthetic silk or nylon! They were instantly popular – affordable and durable, what more could a lady ask for. The original version of these stockings, or the vintage look, was formed in the shape of a leg with the sides attached in the back with a seam – iconic!

The love affair with nylon was about to hit a rough patch as we entered into World War II. Nylon was rationed, as it was also used for military items such as parachutes, and ladies had to do their part for the war effort and stop buying. This created an insane black market for stockings, you could sell a pair for $20 – a small fortune in 1940! It also created a market for leg makeup so women could paint lines up their legs for the appearance of stockings. (Also a good trick for reenacting!) Luckily we won the war and got our stockings back! The back-seam style remained I fashion until the 1960s. Nowadays there are plenty of places to get yourself a 40s style pair – my favorite being What Katie Did – or take a friend and your eyeliner and draw a line to support the troops!

A real pro!

Stay Beautiful!

Doris Day – Style Icon

Everyone’s favorite girl-next-door, Doris Day, died this month at the ripe old age of 97! That is a lot of life and career! (I’ll be lucky if I make it to 33, let’s be honest). That being said, I thought we could discuss her career and her stamp on the fashion world. That wholesome blonde animal lover really left her mark on the world in so many ways. Let’s jump in!

“Always make an enterance.”

Doris Day, born Doris Mary Kappelhoff in April of 1922, got her start singing with big bands in the late 1930s, especially Les Brown & His Band of Renown. Her first number one hit came in 1945 with “Sentimental Journey” (a favorite of mine) and “My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time.” Her solo career’s most furtive years were between 1947 and 1967 where she recorded over 650 songs! As if that wasn’t impressive enough, she made her screen debut with Romance on the High Seas,in 1948 beginning a 20 year career in the movies. Outside of films she was a huge animal welfare advocate, starting the Doris Day Pet Foundation in 1978. For her accomplishments she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Academy in 1989, the Presidental Medal of Freedom in 2004, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association’s Career Achievement Award in 2011. Quite a resume!

Let’s get them all!

Day was a movie star and thus, her fashion was seen by millions and copied by even more. But, what made it so lasting? Many speculate that her characters, many of which were working girls, made the average woman see that every day life can be glamorous. Tailored suits, cute pajamas, fun casual outfits, all mixed together to create a seemingly effortless every woman with a fashionable flair. Day made the movie star look attainable for more than just stars and the ultra-rich.

Nothing like a good suit!

Victoria Brynner, a style consultant speaking with the Los Angeles Times said, “She was incredibly stylish, she looked fabulous but she wasn’t a sexpot. She knew how to do the body line — the cigarette pants, the skirts. She always had a very nice sort of ankle and leg, but there’s not a single picture of her with cleavage. And men loved her and women wanted to be her.” So right! Not to say the Marilyns of the world aren’t appreciated – because they are! But, Day gave another type of woman a fashion icon and that legacy lives on!

Stay beautiful!