Vintage Furniture Part 1 - The Vintage Kitchen - By Annie Ef

Vintage Furniture Part 1 - The Vintage Kitchen - By Annie Ef

Ever the cheerful: a lady beside her fridge

Vintage furniture! Which one of us, vintage lovers wouldn't want to have an old fashioned couch in our houses? Where to start with a topic so big? In the kitchen of course! 

The idea behind a vintage kitchen is simple, it has to have a warm feeling to it. Sharp edges, sterile whites or cold silvers and blacks had no place there. It has to be a place where you wouldn't mind spending most of the day on cooking, baking or just gossiping with friends.

The kitchen was the woman's kingdom, a place where she held absolute power. You got on your wives bad side, and the fridge was out of limits. It was also a place where she spent a vast majority of her time. This manifested in the style of it. The colours were well matched, and the whole concept of it kept within the same style. Weather is was a traditional or modern kitchen, every little detail was refined. It was a place the women could, and would show off. The kitchen was the one room that reflected current trends the most.  The design of kitchen accessories was very similar to the one outside of it. Round edges, pastel colours, all of this could be seen in the design of cars, for example. The husband had his 1953 convertible Cadillac, and she had her fridge, that looked like it was about to drive away at any point.

On top of being very visually pleasing, the vintage kitchen is also set up to be as comfortable to use as possible. Big fridges, working areas and stoves allowed not only for fast preparation of meals, but also made it possible to cook a huge thanksgiving dinner for the entire family, and bake a pie in the meantime. The cabinets were large enough to be able to hold everything, and, in case guests arrived early, allowed the lady of the house to hide everything she didn't have time to clean up yet. She might not look ready for the guests yet, but her kitchen was spotless at all times.

There wasn't much a woman couldn't handle in her kitchen!

Smaller kitchens had a different feel to them

If someone lived in an apartment, they didn't have  the luxury of a big kitchen. As such a lot of women settled for a "bar" set up. An open kitchen, with a counter that served as a table gave the impression of bigger space, provided a dining area, and made it possible to keep an eye on the rest of the family. This had it's disadvantages as well, with a kitchen like that it had to be held clean at all times, and, of course, was much less comfortable. The style of this kitchen was usually a bit different from the one found in family houses. Because it was exposed, the design of it often matched the style of the rest of the apartment. Nonetheless, these kitchens had a definite charm to them as well. While the suburban kitchen was warm and pastel, this one had sharp colours and edges. It was much more modern, and, in the later years, usually had a slight futuristic feel to it.

A modern take on a vintage kitchen

It's easy to generalise like that, but keep in mind that vintage kitchens varied as much as the ones we know now. Every one had a unique touch to it, and even though it's easy to point out some trends, our image of it is usually very different from what most of them actually looked like. Then again, we, vintage lovers, like to operate with stereotypes as far as oldies are concerned, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with is. After all, the stereotypical vintage kitchen is lovely!

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An introduction and Vintage Posters - The perfect life

An introduction and Vintage Posters - The perfect life

I'm always hoping to bring you guys a fresh perspective on the beautiful world of vintage paraphernalia but sometimes this is easier to say than do. So what better way to achieve this than to ask one of my lovely fellow vintage vixens to join us here? That's exactly what I've done, you can thank me later.

So without further ado, it's my pleasure to introduce our new guest blogger - Annie Ef! 

You either love them or hate them. There's no middle ground. They are explicit, sexist, racist, and just straightforward. Whenever I come upon one, I always imagine a white guy in a suit, smoking his cigar, drinking his whiskey, and coming up with marketing ideas. Political correctness? Pffff.

 If you look at the world through vintage ads goggles, things seem to be so… easy. You know exactly what the commercial is for, and the message it conveys. Don't believe me? Here, take a look:

A bottle of ketchup with a cork you can unscrew? *You mean a woman can open it?*

A commercial for Dormeyer electronics store? Just read through it, there's nothing to add.                                                                                                                                                                                   






It not only shows the store off, it gives you tips. Wives, cry just a little. Husbands, go buy what she wants before she starts to cry. It's that simple.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          The image painted by those ads is very clear. The man is independent, smart, strong, and handsome. He gets his women, and he does so thanks to our cigarettes!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             





                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 He then falls in love with the sweet girl next door. She, on the other hand, is pretty, a bit silly and clumsy, and she needs her men to protect her. She might not be too smart, and messes up sometimes, but he forgives her.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

They live in this paradise for a while, then a baby comes along. It's obvious that parents want their children to have a good start.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Your kid isn't doing that well in school, seems a bit slow? Get your medical advice from us! We take care of you 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Speaking of medical advice, did you know that more doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarettes?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 However, your dentist recommends Viceroys.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Lucky Strikes on the other hand are good for weight loss. Take your pick!

Vintage ads took care of you. People who made them understood your problems, and wanted to help you with them. The product they tried to sell was the solution to your every day struggles. This might be the reason why they are so appealing. Yes, they are offensive, and yes they paint a sugary version of life. At the same time they are down to earth, they portray simple people with simple problems. It's easier to relate to a housewife trying to make her husband happy, than it is to a supermodel. The ad tells you how to fix your problem, promises you a better life, if you only buy what they are selling!

Now, I see why a lot of people don't like vintage commercials. They take harmful products, package them nicely, and sell as medicine. They show women as naive and completely dependant on men. Then again, when's the last time you turned your TV on? Were those ads that different from what we're used to now?
                                   

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A different perspective...

A different perspective...

Marlon Brando from his screen test for 'Rebel without a cause'

There's a line in the picture where he snarls, 'Nobody tells me what to do.' That's exactly how I've felt all my life.
Marlon Brando 

On this blog we've mostly covered vintage life from the perspective of us ladies so I thought it was high time that we change that. I went and bothered a fellow (male) lover of vintage clothing and asked him a few questions. Here's the insight he gave us to the masculine side of vintage love.

Q. When did you first take an interest in vintage fashion?

I suppose when i was 14-15 and started exploring various subcultures. First came punk, then came the rest.

Q. So how long in total have you been wearing these clothes?

Vintage, as in 50's-60's? A small time when I was 16. They sure were comfy.

Q. What first attracted you to this type of clothing?

Mostly the comfiness. I don't care much how it looks, though I can appreciate the aesthetics. 

Q. If you could pick any era to live in, which would it be?

Hmm...The Italian Renaissance, Victorian England, California in the early 20th century or the 60's anywhere...

Q. Why those eras?  

Renaissance: Rome and whatnot were getting built and many great inventors and authors lived around that time that I would have wanted to meet. 
Victorian England: The pseudo-romantic chivalry and the whole thing with suits, top hats and being a gentlemen had a thing to it. 
California in the early 20th Century: It was crazy times, I've heard. I like crazy. 
60's: There's not much to say, really. 'Cause, you know. 

Q. How do you view the trend of vintage clothing coming back into mainstream fashion?

Not too surprising, history is a wheel of a unicycle. The cart may have moved further, the unicycle's wheel is simply repeating it's own circular motion. Over and over. 

Q. Who are your favourite designers?

Don't have any, I'm DIY with clothing. Although Vivienne Westwood is cool, so is Marc Jacobs.

Q. Where do you go to purchase your vintage clothing?

Probably on the market on Waterloo Square, Amsterdam. Or find myself in one or another shops.

Q. Do you think it's harder for guys to find vintage clothing?

Not at all, just need to know where to look.

Q. Also, do you think it's less acceptable (with regards to society) for guys to dress this way compared to women?

A guys wardrobe may be less experimental, in general, but I believe that there is no consensus against it, no, at least not with what I've experienced so far.

There are many things that this interview tells us but one thing that makes me happiest is the fact that this is a glowing example of there still being men who think about the way they present themselves, not just with clothing or styles but also the way they approach their fellow human beings. There are still men out there who want to be gentlemen and that alone is a promising thought!

P.S. Ladies - if you're loving the sound of this man already, just read these two quotes from him as well - I asked him what his favourite colour was and he said  -
A deep dark blue, whose name I never knew. Wise, serene, cool, distant. Mysterious.

And when I asked him who his favourtie star of the silver screen happened to be, his answer was as follows - Marlon Brando, The guy who got me into the more distinguished form of fashion. Suits and everything.

So any girls out there in Amsterdam, maybe you'll want to snap him up ;)

All thanks for this insight go to C.J. Boon, Student of Artificial Intelligence, in Amsterdam.

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Accessorize yourself (Part 1)

Accessorize yourself (Part 1)

Solene Percher by Stephen Plumb, hair bow by  Diablo Jo's

"You can't put a price tag on love, but you can on all its accessories" - Melanie Clark

         What do you look for when choosing accessories? Is it value for money, brand appeal, quality, design or a mixture of all four? 

I personally like to try and achieve a good balance of value for money, quality and design . I also like to try and buy locally and/or hand crafted items.

When I find something new and exciting (even if it's only new to me) I love to share it, and this is exactly what I'm going to do now. 

Obviously, there are many good accessories websites out there and that's without mentioning the abundance of creative and talented artists on Etsy but I want to concentrate on an incredibly talented lady, and her shop Diablo Jo's. This site is beautifully designed, so easy to navigate and has lots of lovely goodies for your perusal and buying pleasure.

I can't resist but to tote some on here (especially as my geographical location at the moment prevents me on buying any!).

Hawaiian Barkcloth Bow

This Hawaiian bow is first on my want list. I think it's so cute and would work well with any hairstyle and colour, I can't wait to get my hands on it and for only £3.50 it's a bargain!

Red and Gold Hawaii Fascinator

My next pick is the beautiful Red and Gold Hawaii Fascinator. How stunning would this look on luscious ebony locks or shimmering crimson tresses? Us redheads sometimes find it hard to match accessories to our hair that don't dull our colour or make it too coppery so this beaut is a definite must. At only £20 it's a worthy addition to your collection.





As you can tell I love Hawaii prints and hibiscus flowers but I promise not all of my recommendations are not based around this theme...instead the lovely Diablo Jo's also provides accessories to cover all tastes and obsessions...even my other one - cherries!

This headscarf is such a simple classic design, and by no means do
I mean this in a derogatory way. This is a perfect design and a necessary part of everyone's collection, whether it has cherries on it or not is up to you. The benefits of having a classic design like this is flexibility  you can match it with most outfits and it will definitely go well with any hair colour...literally any! Another steal at just £4.00


I'm going to now wrap up this article with one more precious piece from Diablo Jo's as I fear otherwise I will just end up adding the whole site here!

'Lil' Cherry' Scroll clip pack

So my last selection is to fit with the above headscarf, this lady has come up with a brilliant design of securing the item - matching hair clips! She has these for most of her headscarf designs so you don't have to have any boring or unsightly bobby pins popping out and ruining the whole ensemble. Just £10 to have this peace of mind.







I suggest you get your little fingers over to her site so you don't turn blue holding your breath from excitement!

Enjoy shopping ladies ;)

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Vintage Hairstyles

Vintage Hairstyles

“I think that the most important thing a woman can have- next to talent, of course- is her hairdresser.” 
― Joan Crawford

I think all, or at least most, of us can agree with the above statement, right ladies?
We've all been there - looking for that elusive new hairstyle, finally finding one that fits our face and what we first envisioned it to look like, then the sense of anticipation as you head for a hairdressers...only to find either your usual hairdressers has closed down or, worst still, they've gone and hired someone who doesn't know your hair...or theirs...or anyone's hair!
Still, You're a lady and so not to be impolite, you sit down cautiously in that chair, they tie that noose like gown around your neck and begin.

Not hairstyles to emulate now are they?

You try your hardest not to judge the cut every time you glance in the mirror but cannot help it - you may not be a hairdresser but did this style really have that shape to it at all?
Common sense denotes this might not be going well.
Then, they 'finish', take that gown from round you, dust you off (all with a satisfied grin) and then they ask if you like it...
You see yourself and the end result in the mirror for the first time and wish it were the last! What have they done? This looks nothing like the photo(s) you showed them! You feel like crying but again, something in us compels us to be polite, nice and even grateful to this person who just made you look like a prepubescent boy (or something resembling a member of The Ramones, not that I don't love their music...it's just not a good look for a woman). So you say you like it, managing the best fake smile you can, part with your hard earned cash and walk out vowing never to go back there again (to yourself of course).

So now ladies, what's the solution? Needless to say - find a better hairdresser! Ask for examples of their work before letting the loose on those locks, look at reviews, ask friends and family and most importantly - trust your instincts! If you are looking for a particular vintage haircut I would advise against going to a regular hairdressers like Supercuts. However, don't get me wrong, there are hairdressers in those places and private ones that don't specialise in vintage cuts but still do a darn good job (I'm lucky enough to have a friend who is just this kind of hairdresser :D). There are tons of specialist hairdressers, pretty much wherever you live - believe me on this one as I come from a...not very enlightened town north of London and even we now have a vintage hairdresser! Look around, ask people, and keep your eyes peeled at local events and clubs.

Next on my hair hit list is those hairdressers that don't even cut your hair but manage to still mess it up - not helpful when you've gone to them in preparation for a special day like your wedding. My best tip, which again is an obvious one, is to follow that age old saying - if you want something done properly, do it yourself.

There is a plethora of resources for you to follow and learn from. These include books on the subject (like Style Me Vintage by Belinda Hay, Vintage Hairstyling: Retro Styles with Step-by-Step Techniques by Lauren Rennells, 1940s Hairstyles (Vintage Living) by Daniela Turudich or Style Me Vintage Look Book Step-by-Step Retro Look Book by Naomi Thompson,Katie Reynolds & Belinda Hay), websites, and - my favourite - Youtube!

Two of the people I absolutely adore on Youtube are Lisa Freemont Street and The Cherry Dollface. These women are amazing, if there's something they don't know about hair and make-up, then it's not worth knowing! They do a variety of styles from a variety of eras so there's something on there for everyone. Check them out, use their videos and advice, like them on Facebook and all the other social media sites and most importantly, thank them for doing such a wonderful and informative job! Also, check out Lisa Freemont Streets blog for more tips!

Let me know if there's anything I've missed on here, or  something you want to know and I'll do my best to either answer your queries or send you to a place that can :)

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