The right to Rouge!

Last Wednesday I did my usual ‘I’m just going into to town to pick up a few bits, I’m not going to buy anything other than what I need’ spiel & of course, predictably, I found myself shuffling around the North Laines snooping around the Vintage Boutiques & Flea Markets. It was absolutely freezing that day though so I didn’t stay out too long but in the short amount of time I was out I had bought a 1940’s Wool check jacket, a Pendleton Woolen skirt (I think it’s probably 60/70s but their stuff is always pretty classic), a bamboo shelving unit & an amazing little 1940’s Make up booklett on how to look like the Starletts of Hollywood. Tusk!

I thought I would share some photos that of the booklett as it really is charming plus it spurred me on to delve a little deeper into the world of Max Factor..

A selection of the most glamorous faces staring back at you

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Quick Outfit Post

I am currently snuggled in bed, Matt is out Djing till 5am at his monthly ‘Ape-out’ The Big Itch at The Green Door Store (nice place,always free entry but don’t expect to be pulling any shapes unless you like to wobble on uneven stone floor & dip your toes in the odd welt of boozey juices) Thought I would do a quick outfit post, as I managed to get Matt to snap some pictures of me this week…

Firstly is one of me from Cotton Tail on Tuesday :

The quality is dire I am saving my bubble money this month for an actual camera (rather than a grainey Blackberry) – stay with me folks!

An Occidental Women

Mae West (Mary Jane West) – Born August 17^th 1893 to Bavarian parents ans began performing professionally for the popular vaudeville shows of the Hal Clarendon Stock Company in 1907 at the age of fourteen. Becoming a popular face, Mae’s over exaggerated swagger, reportedly inspired by the female impersonators of the time, caught the attention of The New York Time in 1911 Times.

She would often go to the black clubs in Harlem, where dancing & music was looser & more energised. She was a key figure in introducing the ‘Shimmy’ to shocked white audiences. Her appearance on the music sheet cover for ‘Ev’body Shimmy Now’ (1918) placed her close to the centre of the controversial dance craze.

Variety is the spice of life

I sort of made it a very loose New Years resolution to start reading more & to also train my brain to be more like a sponge than a sieve, well I am off to a positive start at least in the ‘read more’ part anyway.

I usually get my post sent to my work as, let’s face it I am there most of my life, plus it gives me a childish pleasure in receiving packages from the postie!

 I originally had read a blog post by the enviable Mariams Kafferep about a few books that she had bought & had found inspiration from (scroll down to the bottom of her posts for the English translations) One of them is an amazing looking book on Swedish textile, print & designers which sadly I couldn’t find an English translated publishing. So this lead me to try & find a similar one. I purchased a few books from Ebay, this ‘1950’s Fashion Print’ by Marnie Fogg (fan-tastic name!) I bought it on the premise of there being more about Swedish print designer Astrid Sampe but alas although a few of her prints are featured there is no more than a small paragraph on the lady!

Vinyl Vacations at The Black Dove

Photo courtesy of The Black Dove

Exotic curios – one lump or two? Photo courtesy of The Black Dove

Hello! Happy Sunday! I have been doing very little all day as it’s my day off & me & the boy were up late DJing at our monthly Night ‘Paradiso’  (enjoy a taster of the delights we spin HERE ) It’s on every first Saturday of the month at The Black Dove, in Kemptown. It’s one of my favourite bars & although many bars have tried to copy the eclectic Granny’s Attic look, to me it has remained completely original & authentic. With a massive range of Beers from around the globe (which I am told is impressive & tasty as I don’t like the stuff) & a beautiful Cocktail menu to boot (which I have tried&tested of course!) it is a great place to nestle into & enjoy the atmosphere. Oh & they recently refurbished the downstairs space, which can only be described as some what of a Victorian Opium Den with it’s small booths, red lighting, exotic curios & a bum pleasing scattering of cushions.

When a clumsy cloud from here meets a fluffy little cloud from there…

Hello again, after another long stint of silence, I am back & this time we find ourselves in a different year. Unfortunately I had to work New Years Day but as a result I had two days off. So what delights did I get upto with my rare two days off in a row? Well Myself & Sadie ( Vintage News / Vanity Case ) hopped on the train ( also met up with Katie betwix the bright lights of Leicester Square ) & went to see the stage adaptation of RKO Pictures ‘Top Hat’ – if you frequent the London Underground you may have already spotted the posters – I am not usually one for theatre productions but, this being an adaptation of one of my favourite talking pictures I didn’t need too much convincing!

The film was one of the biggest grossing pictures of the 1930’s