June 14, 2015

Flickr Favourites: June 14, 2015




{1959 illustration by Paul C Burns ~ Totally Mystified}
 
 
 

 



{Polka Dot Milkshakes ~ Jamie Anne}
 



{Who's watching the movie? ~ Salty Cotton}
 



{1950s smiling couple riding tandem bicycle built for two ~ Arnold Kabini}
 



{1952 Dunlop ad ~ Totally Mystified}
 



{Love Beach ~ Patrick Hayes}



{Montgomery Ward Summer 1959 catalog ~ Capricorn One Vintage}
 



{Pink Dining ~ Salty Cotton}


 
{For Young America at Play ~ Salty Cotton}
 



{Kookie Vol 2 EP by Edd Byrnes ~ Totally Mystified}




{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on its title to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}




Like many vintage lovers, I count 1978's classic musical movie Grease amongst my favourite films of all-time, as well as one that had a powerful influence on my passion for the past as a youngster (another biggie was A League of Their Own, as I chatted about here way back in 2009). I can't help but think of this movie whenever the hottest season the year looms into sight again and often find myself singing or humming Summer Nights as it does.

While I'm not searching for a warm weather romance (I'm already blessed with to have found my boy, by which I mean, man, who is definitely "cute as can be!"), I do love the spirit of this hit song and how it makes me think not only to the season at hand, but to the countless times I watched Grease on VHS as a child. I knew it verbatim at one point and can still mouth most of the lines when I watch it these days.

Though one obviously looks at Grease with different eyes as an adult than they do as a poodle skirt wearing six year old who loved to dance and was nothing short of infatuated with the era (some things never change! :D), I still have a serious soft spot in my heart for this musical and make a point of catching it at least once a summer.

The images in this month's edition of Flickr Favourites are not specifically from, or relating to, Grease, but they all call to mind the same kind of feel good, toe tapping, happy-go-lucky take on the mid-twentieth century that this classic movie does. They're warm, fun, summery, and perpetually appealing, much like Sandy and Danny's ability to each break into the same song simultaneously while chilling with their respective group of friends.

I think that for just about all of us, whether we're big musical film fans in general or not, there is something about Grease that speaks to our souls as vintage lovers and that makes us yearn to spend at least a little time at Rydell High. For it there that a very idealized version of the fifties exists, no one says a word about the fact that the "teenagers" look like they're in their 30s, puppy love can turn into something so much more, and the sun is always shining right up until those Suuuuummmeeerrrrr Niiiiigggggtttttttssss roll around and anything suddenly seems possible so long as you want - and sing about - it enough! :)

25 comments:

  1. I adore Grease, Kenickie being a big, big draw ❤ We saw it in the cinema a few years back as it was rereleased in cinemas over here. I want to say it was the 30th anniversary of the film, which seems likely.

    And I also really love the pink kitchen in this post, how I miss my pink kitchen cabinets :( I finally found the perfect pink, got my sweet pink kitchen and we were then hounded out of the house by bad neighbours. But I live in hope that one day I may have a pink kitchen again.

    I hope you are having a glorious Sunday xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely!!! Kenickie was/is great! How fun that you saw a special anniversary screening. For all the times I've seen Grease over the years, I'm almost certain I've never seen in a theater. That would be so cool - especially if it was a classic drive-in one. I love drive-ins soooo much!

      Thank you very much for your great comment, dear Melanie. Have a fantastic Sunday!
      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
  2. Pink kitchen swoon
    Retro rover

    ReplyDelete
  3. Flickr has really become one if my favorite places to go recently, just for everyday inspiration. That and Pinterest. And the reasons for that can be shown right here. Ah the wealth of beautiful colors and vintage frocks! It just plain old makes me happy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's wonderful to hear, sweet dear. I've noticed a decline in the last year or two in this post and am thinking of phasing it out in the not too distant future. But fear not, I've always, always turned to Flickr as one of the first sources of photos for this blog and vintage inspiration in my life in general, so even if it is retired or turned into a different version of itself, you'll still stand to get oodles of vintage inspiration from Flickr here on a regular basis.

      Many hugs & thanks for your lovely comment.
      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
  4. did not saw "grease" until the 90´s - but funnily enough i had my own 50´s crush with 12, end of the 70´s! must have been in the air :-)
    fab images as always - i take the blouses into my sewing inspiration board!!!
    tons of hugs and sunshine! xxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's so cool - there definitely must have been something in the air. I think, though it isn't (that I've seen) often credited as such, Grease was actually a really pivotal factor when it came to launching the 1950s resurgence that took off like wild fire in the 1980s.

      I'm very happy to know that the page is going on your sewing inspiration board. How lovely! I hope you have a great time sewing if you try your had a version of any of them.

      Huge hugs & the happiest end of spring wishes!
      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
  5. Who doesn't love Grease?! When I was at the Secret Cinema Back to the Future event I admit I was partly thinking of Rydell High as I went round the school set - film traitor that I am ;) Love all these happy, summery images - and would like to own everything that's on the 1959 catalogue page! Why is it so hard to get hold of cute separates like these... Have a lovely Monday! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So (x a million) absolutely true!!! Not only can be hard, but it can often be pricey, too. The modern fashion world is flooded with separates, but few that come close to the styles, let alone quality, of the vintage ones folks like us hold near and dear and I really wish that was't the case. I find vintage appropriate cardigans somewhat easier to come by, but even there, finding ones that do look fairly mid-century in the mainstream (aka, non-repro) world is not always the easiest of tasks. A bunch of us vintage loving/wearing gals should band together and start our own collective fashion company, complete with tons of separates (how awesome would that be?!).

      Big hugs & many happy Monday wishes to you as well!
      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
  6. Of all the images that stand out, it has to be the adorable pink straws! I searched everywhere for the perfect pink straws for my daughter's first birthday, and now I have a straw fetish... wait, is that even a thing? <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That can so totally be a thing - especially with the proliferation in recent years of soooo many fabulous paper straw designs. I love a pretty straw, too, and usually buy a new pack each time I have a party or entertain at our place for the holidays (ditto for festive cupcake wrappers if I'm making/serving anything involving them).

      Big hugs & many thanks for both of your great comments today,
      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
  7. I loooove Grease and whenever I see it on TV, I am happy. It's so sweet and so like that - intrigues and etc about a guy needing to show he is tough and the sweet girl - and sweet group of girls. It's like a coming of age movie, in a sense. I loved the pictures here, as usual! The Pink Dining is my favorite one, but clothes too, of course! I love pictures as ads, like before. Normal Rockwell, for example, such a genius for Times' magazine covers!
    DenisesPlanet.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I was in public school when Grease came out and us girls just had to memorize all the songs. We'd sing at recess, in the bathroom and on the school bus ride home and we all loved Sandy. But I tell ya the movie that starts tugging on my brain every summer is Dirty Dancing. I could watch it more then a few times during summer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh now, that is seriously cool! I wish my schoolmates would have shared my passion for Grease.

      Big time! Dirty Dancing is another summer musical classic in my books, too.

      Thank you very much for your lovely comment - have a great week!
      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
  9. Aah, lovely summer. :) Such lovely summer inspiration you have put together for us. I'm a huge Grease fan, still got the LP and still often listen to it and sing loudly along. :) I have watched the movie countless times, and still love it. As mentioned I was 16 in 1980 when the movie was at the highest in Denmark. I had a complete Sandy outfit as seen in the last scene, which I went to disco dance in. It was really a hit. Ohh, these memories. I love the stribed staws and pink drinks. And I didn't know that Dunlop made shoes?! I love these posts, I really enjoy your choice of photos, so thank you for taking your time to make it, dear. :) Now I will just hope we get some warmer weather here in cold Denmark, my summer holiday is in less than two weeks and we have autumn degrees, sigh,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's fabulous!!! I would love to find the LP at a yard sale or thrift store. It's great that a lot (if not all) of the songs are posted on YouTube, but of course that doesn't hold a candle to an original record.

      It's sooo cool that you had a complete Sandy outfit. I love hearing about all the great classic movies that you were heavily inspired by, sweet Sanne. Aside from Grease and the Crocodile Dundee series, what were some of the others that had a deep impact on you back in the day (and/or your love vintage)?

      I second your hope that sunny summer weather reaches you soon. I keep hearing about what a chilly spring it's been in much of Europe this year and sorry that such has been the case. Summer is out in full force again here and I'd happily ship over some extra sunshine, if I could.

      Have a wonderful last week of spring,
      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
    2. You can find lots of vintage LPs on Amazon. I've found most of those I missed or wanted, and at reasonable prices too. The condition of the records are graded, so look for "Like New", "Very Good", and "Excellent", which are always like new. I am sure you can find Grease here too. When thinking of it I don't think I was inspired by any other movies back then. I was not into Saturday Night Fever, Thank God It's Friday or other big hits like that. I have always been proud of having my own style. Wishing you a lovely day, dear. :)

      Delete
    3. Thank you very much for the great tip, dear Sanne. I knew that eBay and Etsy could be treasure troves there, but hadn't checked out Amazon for records before.

      That is the best approach to dressing and one that we should all strive for. Nothing beats individuality!

      Tons of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
  10. Dear Jessica,
    thanks to these pictures, they are very nice to look at and relaxing ...
    I would really want to drink a milkshake pink! we take one together !?
    kisses

    serena

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yum!!! That would be thoroughly lovely my dear, thank you! :) If only there wasn't so many miles (and an ocean) between our two countries) and we could actually do so. The fresh cherries are starting to ripen on the trees around these parts and they make for an especially nice milkshake.

      Wishing you a great last week of spring/start of summer,
      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
  11. I love this collection of pics! You have fabulous taste! I am also in loveee with Grease and have been ever since I first saw it at age 4! Such a fun movie xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much, darling gal! I can't say as though I remember the first time I saw Grease, but it would have been very early on, as I have memories of it from the of five up. I watched it so often as a child, I'm surprised I didn't wear out our VHS tape of it! :D

      Big hugs & happy Tuesday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
  12. I want the whole outfit on the front of the Coronet and most of those 1950's tops and the Dunlop sandals too. I love Grease, it is such a feel good film and I always sing along!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ooohh, me too on both counts! I am completely unabashed in singing along to all the songs in Grease - ditto for The Sound of Music, though that doesn't have the lightheartedness of Grease, IMO, and I don't associate it with summer to the same degree.

      I hope that you're having a terrific first week of July - big hugs!
      ♥ Jessica

      Delete
    2. I would invite you to a sing a long cinema screening of either film if we lived nearby! We would have such a giggle!

      Delete