Meet a fellow vintage blogger: Art deco fashion loving, super talented Finnish sewer Rhia

Unquestionably one of the most enjoyable aspects of this exciting ongoing vintage blogger interview series is the many diverse corners of the world from which those who take part in it hail from. Today I have the immense pleasure and honour of sitting down - via email, that is - with none other than Rhia, a wildly talented, sweet as can be, passionate vintage adoring seamstress from Finland who blogs about her love of the past on her blog, the Evil Dressmaker.

{The awesomely stylish Rhia sporting the one genuine 1920s dress currently in her wardrobe - and looking thoroughly amazing in it, if I may say so myself!}

Rhia is one of those ladies that you instantly admire. She is an accomplished sewer, a devoted vintage lifestyle enthusiasts (with a particular penchant for 1920s and 30s garb), a historical costumer, a makeup maven, a choir singer, and so very much more.

She radiates passion, loveliness, skill and it is instantly clear that she pours her heart and soul into everything that she does. I am much the same way and so adore it when I get a chance to talk with others who live their own lives and celebrate their own passions with this kind of devotion and wholehearted-ness.

Join me, won't you, as we get to know one of Finland's most beloved old school fans better in today's fabulously fun new vintage interview post.



You are an incredibly talented seamstress, could you please tell us about what lead you to start selling your vintage style handmade garments?

I suppose my own business has always been my dream, so I think it was pretty much my goal since the moment I started studying to be a seamstress. Vintage jumped on board much later. I also want to bring people better quality than you’d find from the average chain brands.

{A tremendously talented sewer, Rhia made this spot on 1930s looking vintage reproduction dress herself that many people have since thought was the genuine vintage deal - a testament to her incredible skill as a historical seamstress.}

You have a lovely Etsy shop, where else do you sell your wonderful creations?

Occasionally I can be found at local sales events and fairs. I also have my little workroom boutique where I have my collection on display and customers are always welcome to drop by when I’m working there.



Do you have a favourite decade (or two) to sew from?

The 30s and 40s are my favourite inspirations for sewing. Both decades have loads of buttons, pretty details and interesting cuts – all of which I love immensely!

{The picture of timeless elegance, Rhia dazzles in this sophisticated 1940s look, which includes a terrific pair of shoes from the Finnish designer Minna Parikka.}

Are these the same years that you most gravitate towards wearing yourself?

The 1920s has always been my favourite era, but during the past couple years I have also started to gravitate towards the 30s. I think that the 30s style actually fits me better than 20s, and these days I mostly love to wear 30s looks. Not that I have many authentic 20s garments mind you. They are very difficult to find here, unless one is prepared to order online and contend with the high price of such.


You also really enjoy making and wearing historical (aka, pre-20th century) costumes as well. What is your favourite pre-20th century time frame to dress from?

When I was a younger my favourite era was Rococoo with huge panier skirts and high powdered coiffures. Now when I actually started making historical costumes my favourite era turned out to be Regency (early 1800s, Jane Austin era). I really love the empire-line dresses and delicate styling. My other favourite is late 1800s, the bustle era, with very narrow skirts with huge behinds (yes, in my opinion, women have to have a proper backside ). But when I think about it, I can find something to like in every era.


Do you take part in many historical reenactment events?

I haven’t really until recently. Last Spring was the first time when I actually took part in any reenactment events. That was the 1700s Spring Ball, then a little over a month ago there was a 1700s fair that I took part in. Those are the only proper reenactment events so far, but next year I’m hoping to do more. I also like old era dances (renaissance and baroque), which I hope to learn better. They are fun and very different to modern dances.

{The breathtaking Regency ensemble that Rhia wore for a 1700s ball that she attended earlier this year.}

What were some of the strong influential factors in the development of your love of sewing?

My mum and granny did a lot of sewing and doing all sorts of handcrafts when I was a kid. I must have been quite young, not even in school yet, when I made my first doll costumes. I have made clothes for myself as for long as I can remember, even before I learned anything about patterns (they were horrid, absolutely horrid I tell you). So I suppose it sort of grew on me. We always had many handcraft tools at home such as weaving looms, knitting machines, sewing machines, etc.


Did/do you have any sewing mentors who have helped shape your path?

I suppose my mum and granny were my mentors in many ways. At least they encouraged me to do handcrafts from very young age, starting  with pinecone cows and cutting rags for loom weaving materials. My schoolmate from commercial school encouraged me to apply to a vocational school of handcrafts, because she knew I love handcrafts.

My biggest mentors were two of my teachers in that school, they were really inspiring and good at what they do. I am very grateful especially to my knitting and textile information teacher. She was the best teacher I’ve ever had, she managed to turn the dullest lectures into very interesting ones.


Have you been a passionate vintage lover for a long time?

Actually no, I have only really been into vintage for about 4 - 6 years or so now. I’ve been interested in vintage fashion for as long as I can remember (first the historical fashion, and later the 1900s decades), but I never really realized that I could actually wear that stuff. I found a Finnish vintage forum in 2010 and joined in.

Then soon after that I started really collecting more vintage garments and wearing them. I had some 1960s and 70s clothes even before that, but I didn’t really call them vintage at that time. I found lots of like-minded people from that forum and made friends with them.

{Rhia looking sublime in one of her favourite 1930s dresses.}

In addition to sewing and wearing vintage styles, what are some of the ways that you weave your love of the past into your daily life?

I also love old architecture, art, music, furniture, magazines, cars, you name it. I’m not purist in any of those fields, so I like stuff from many eras. But all old junk fascinates me in a way. The quality of work and materials, the design aesthetics and so on are somehow appealing. Old technology, old methods, ways and materials are interesting. I like reading about old technology and history. I collect old black and white photos and stereoscopic pictures, hat pins and powder cases. So our home is filled with my “junk” as my boyfriend likes to put it. Recently I have also started to experiment with old food recipes.


Are you member of (the Finland based vintage enthusiast group) Fintage?

Yes I am. It is actually registered association and we got members all around Finland. I’m the vice president. Earlier this month we had shoe fashion show in local museum. Members of the association modeled the vintage shoes in a show, which I curated. Fintage also arranges two major local vintage fairs a year and takes part in smaller vintage related events mainly in the southern part of the country.



What are some things about yourself that you'd like to share with my readers, who may be meeting you for the first time here today?

Tough question this one! Perhaps that I might make loud noise but I don’t bite. I might come across as a very serious person, when you read my writing, but when you see me in the photos, you might realize that I’m actually a bit of a joker. I always reply to comments left on my blog and I hope my rambling is both entertaining and interesting. Readers are also welcome to request posts on topics they'd like me to write about.

{A huge (fellow) fan of costume parties, this is the outfit that Rhia sported last year for Halloween. She was an un-named Star Trek character being attacked by an alien disease.}

What inspired you to start your awesome blog, The Evil Seamstress?

I started reading blogs in 2008 and soon found out it was quite fun thing to do. So I just decided that I’d give it a go and see if I get any readers. First it was more like a public diary. Then I started to move towards daily outfits and tutorials and other craft related stuff. Now it seems to be a combination of both, but I try to keep it interesting.



You are anything but evil, lovely lady, do people ever make unfair snap judgments about your blog, shop, or even yourself because of the word "evil" in that name?

During all these years, only one person (one of my customers, and older lady) so far has actually had any criticism about the name. Most often the comment is that I don’t look evil at all. I think people generally get the idea. It’s a joke about me poking customers with pins. But I don’t really do that - usually I just poke myself with them, pretty much daily actually.



In addition to sewing and fashion, you've very keen on makeup and beauty related topics as well. Can you share more about that love?

My other, all though a bit neglected profession, is makeup artist. I studied that in private school about 10 years or so ago. During my years in seamstress school I got this idea about being able to give customers a whole look, not just clothes. So a couple years after getting my seamstress papers, I went studying to be makeup artist.

However I don’t really have as much time for makeup stuff as I would like. It’s one profession which requires quite a lot of following the current trends, new inventions and keeping up with the industry to be able to give customers what they want. So for now I just settle for posting little snippets on my blog and creating fun looks on my own face. I would really love to learn more about making FX-makeup and prosthetic stuff.

{A fabulous vintage safari style outfit that Rhia wore for a day out at a botanical garden, complete with classic red lip for that hit of lady explorer glamour.}

What are five of your current must-have beauty products?

1. Wine red lipstick which is my makeup staple. My current favourite is Shu Uemura which I’m running low.

2. Setting lotion for my curls. Still in the process of finding the perfect one though, since it must be fragrance free.

3. Tinted lip balm for those days when I can’t be bothered with lipstick. Again, I need it to be fragrance and flavour free, so I’m currently using a local pharmacy brand called ACO.

4. MAC Fluidline eyeliner gel with MAC eyeliner brush. It took several years to find this and I’m not going to change any time soon.

5. Crystal deodorant is absolute must during hot Summer months. Unlike usual deo, you can use it everywhere on the body, like feet and under boobs. Yup, no more smelly boob sweat.


Any makeup secrets or favourite brands that would benefit the stylish gal on a tight budget?

If you are looking for eye shadows with loads of pigments but can’t afford high quality expensive brands, go for theater makeup. They are usually as loaded full of pigment as stage makeup that is made for professional use, and is more affordable than higher end brands. Packages might be uglier, but you get larger amounts of the actual product with same price.

 My favourite stage makeup brands are Grimas (from the Netherlands, very good eye shadow selection at an affordable price) and Kryolan (from Germany, they have a large variety of shadows, powders, makeup bases and quality bushes) which I can buy locally. Check local theater makeup sellers or fancy costume shops for local or international brands.

You can turn any matte finish eye shadow into shimmering one just by applying loose iridescent pigment on top. Going for multi-use products can also save money. Matte lipstick can be used as blush, choose colour that works both ways. Cold brown eye shadow works as contour shadow and ivory or cream shimmering loose pigment works as highlighter, an eye shadow and can be mixed with lipstick to create more shimmering look.

Once I made a whole party makeup looks with just a compact powder, one large eye shadow palette (The legendary Coastal Scents pallet) and lipstick, because I left all my other makeup at home by accident. Coastal Scents pallets are not as good pigment-wise as I would hope for, but if you are looking for massive amount of shades on a tight budget, they work fine. And you can make colours stand out better by applying eye shadow base.


You are such a renaissance woman with a wide variety of interests, what are some of your other passions that we haven't covered here yet?

It's quite a compliment to be called a renaissance woman, as I have always admired people who have many talents, but I suppose I qualify. A couple years ago I finally found the kind of exercise I like, ballet. I’m fascinated by the fact that it can be very relaxed in motion, but still always makes me sweat like crazy. I am hoping that some day my feet are strong enough to try out the pointe shoes.

A year ago I finally took the bull by its horns and joined a choir. I have always wanted to sing, but never had the courage to start doing so until then. I have also taken lessons on singing and I enjoyed every moment of it. It’s so different to anything else that I do it’s sort of way of relaxing to me. After joining in the choir I also managed to finally tackle my other long term dream: to learn to play saxophone. I managed to rent an alto sax via a choir member, but I’ve put that hobby on summer break for now. I’m not particularly good at it yet, but it makes me smile which is the main thing.

But wait, there’s more! I have one more part time profession. On weekends I turn into a glittering burlesque performer Sea Breeze and take my clothes off on stage. I did the International Stockholm Burlesque festival in 2014, which is the biggest Swedish burlesque event, as well as the Helsinki Burlesque Festival and a bunch of smaller local events. I also perform at private parties like birthdays and such. I perform both solo and as a duo with my lovely friend Lolita Love.


Have sewing and/or anything else pertaining to vintage become your full-time job or do you work in another field as well?

Sewing is my only job right now (besides the occasional burlesque gigs) and it’s my own business via co-op. Unfortunately that doesn’t support me full-time yet, so I’m constantly looking for another part time job to supplement my current income.

{Much like here in Canada, winters in Finland get mighty chilly! Layers, wool, fur, tights, and a hat are all a must, as Rhia demonstrates in this lovely cold weather vintage ensemble.}

On your blog, Evil Dressmaker, which you write in both Finnish and English, you share a wide range of awesome tutorials, what have been some of your favourite so far?

My favourite tutorials to write have been fabric covered buttons and a Christmas wreath.  However it looks like my readers have liked most the skate shaped Christmas decorations.


Where do you see the vintage scene going in Finland in the next decade? How about the rest of the world?

It’s becoming more and more popular and it’s slowly turning towards mainstream. Although I doubt it becoming completely mainstream, I suspect that during the next decade it’s getting more and more difficult to make reasonably priced vintage finds.

On the one hand it’s good that people realize old garments are not just something to fill the dump sites with, but good quality and long-lasting garments. On the other hand that also means higher prices and less selection. Also the older the garment, the more difficult to acquire. I think 20’s and 30’s are soonish going to be almost impossible to find.

I think that is happening everywhere, all around the world. I don’t know when we will see the peak of it. Very slowly people are realizing that the modern clothing industry produces very low quality garments and people have started wanting better quality. Basically anything made in 1990s and before that is better quality than modern. And until the fashion industry stops manufacturing low end stuff and starts returning to better materials, I don’t see the end of vintage wearing scene happening anytime soon.


Any exciting plans for your shop, blog, or any other area of your life in the coming months that you'd like to share with us?

I haven’t been able to update my Etsy shop for awhile because I’ve been busy with other stuff. I have been making a test collection of tango clothes. We don’t have any shops in Finland specializing in tango clothes, so my friend, a teacher of Argentinian tango, asked if I’d be interested in that kind of project. So we designed a collection together and I have been selling it in several tango events here in Finland. It has received pretty good reviews so I might continue doing that.

Sewing and handcraft-wise I’m planning new stuff for the blog too. I’m a huge fan of sci-fi and I’m planning on creating some new cosplay outfits, so readers might expect to see cosplay-related posts in the future. I’m also planning some more tutorials on sewing. And if I have time, I’m making similar Christmas-calendar type of set of posts in December (keep your fingers crossed!) to what I have done before. So stay tuned!

Connect with Rhia on:

Her blog

Her Etsy shop

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

Ravelry

{Rhia as her burlesque character, Ms Sea Breeze, along with her friend Lolita Love, who also adores all things vintage. Together the beautiful pair form The Valentino Sisters burlesque act.}

♥ ♥ ♥

Seriously, you guys, is Rhia one over-the-moon cool - and incredibly talented - lady or what? I am so honoured that she jumped at the chance to be interviewed for this post series and truly want to thank her for such a stellar, in-depth, engaging conversation. I know who I will be looking her up right away if I ever have the good fortune of being in Finland!

In the next exciting interview, which falls in October, my very favourite month of the year, we will be zooming back to North America, where I'll chat with a dear friend of mine who is as wild about Halloween as I am! She also happens to be a goth gal who adores vintage, a passionate feminist, a whip smart educator, and one all-around awesome person - amongst her many other fantastic points.

I wholeheartedly mean it when I say that I can hardly wait to her interview this woman in a few weeks time - and for those who may be wondering, no, the timing of her post appearing in the very same month as All Hallows' Eve is not entirely a coincidence. :)

Enter to win a fantastic Wind at My Back prize pack

In John Steinbeck's unendingly classic book The Grapes of Wrath, which delves into the heart of life and all its hardships during the Great Depression, there is a line that always springs to mind for me when I think of the excellent Canadian television series Wind at My Back, itself also set during the heartbreakingly hard years of the dirty thirties: "How can we live without our lives? How will we know it’s us without our past?"

For those who are not acquainted with this show from Sullivan Entertainment (the same production company that created the beloved Anne of Green Gables movies and the Road to Avonlea TV series, amongst other excellent works), it was a wholesome Canadian television series that focused on the lives of the fictional Bailey family, who were indeed struggling to keep their lives, memories, and the family itself intact despite the overwhelming odds against them.

The series was set in the (also fictional) little town of New Bedford, Ontario and has at times been likened to a Canadian version of The Waltons, though there are a good many differences between the two shows.



{Many of the key characters from Wind at My Back, some more lovable than others certainly, but all equally important to the dynamics of this wonderful Canadian period drama series.}



Loss and hardship, death and separation, sorrow and triumph all ring loudly through this family friendly show, which followed on the heels of (but wasn't tied to) Sullivan Entertainment's beloved Road to Avonlea, which wrapped up regular series filming the same year (1996) that Wind at My Back was launched. Running for five seasons of thirteen episodes a piece (followed by a made-for-TV Christmas themed movie), this series, like everything Sullivan Entertainment creates, was incredibly endearing, enjoyable and beautifully done.

From the period appropriate vintage and vintage reproduction clothing that was used throughout all five seasons (some of which, worn by cast members themselves, is now available to buy in Sullivan Entertainment's terrific online store called Shop at Sullivan, along with pieces from some of the company's other movies and TV series) to the soulful, gripping acting of the characters, especially the character Honey Bailey who endears more than her fair share of hardship right off the bat, Wind at My Back speaks to history fans and admirers of great family programming alike.

If we take whodunit mystery series out the equation, objectively, there haven't been a huge number of 1930s themed TV shows over the years, let alone ones set in Canada, and that element too is sure to appeal to many. Though Wind at My Back ceased production thirteen years ago now, its stories and themes are as a timeless as the day is long and filled with the sort of hard hitting, earnest struggles that Steinbeck himself would have instantly been drawn to.

Today, on what just happens to be my darling husband's 34th birthday, I'm immensely happy to let you know that I've teamed up with Sullivan Entertainment for a second (the first, which took place last October, was Road to Avonlea themed) stellar prize pack giveaway for one lucky North American winner. The winner will receive all four of the following items from Sullivan Entertainment's online shop:


-Season 1 of Wind at My Back



-The Wind at My Back soundtrack


-Wind at My Back cast photographed signed by series creator and producer Kevin Sullivan himself!


-Edwardian Style Clear Rhinestone Necklace and Earrings Set



How to enter:

There are five ways to enter this great giveaway. Please leave a separate comment for each way in which you enter so as to increase your chances of winning (five comments, for example, give you five times the odds that just one comment would).


1. Leave a comment on this post letting me know about one the things you most love or admire about the 1930s.


2. Like Sullivan Entertainment on Facebook and share about this giveaway there.


3. Follow Sullivan Entertainment on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway including including @sullivanent in your tweet.


4. Pin any image you'd like from SE's shop to any of your Pinterest boards. Leave a comment here with a link to your pin.


5. Subscribe to Shop at Sullivan Entertainment's newsletter.



Giveaway details


This giveaway is open to participants from North America. It will run from today's date, August 6th, until Wednesday August 13, 2014 at 11:59 PST. The winner will be selected using a random number generator and announced on Facebook and/or Twitter, as well as contacted directly by email or Facebook private message, if such contact information is available to me.

Once I've been in contact with the winner, I will pass along your information to the lovely folks at Sullivan Entertainment who will then mail out your prize package consisting of the four items detailed above. If you have any questions about this Wind at My Back giveaway, please don't hesitate to email me.

♥ ♥ ♥

Whether you've seen every episode of Wind at My Back, have never so much as even heard of it before, or fall anywhere in between, this giveaway is for you. As lovers of all things mid-twentieth century, Wind at My Back speaks to us on so many levels and warrants watching time and again, including with your children (youngsters who are fans of the 1930s themed American Girl dolls Kit and Ruthie are bound to especially adore this series).

From the Depression era fashions and hairstyles to portrayal of the kind of difficulties so many of our own relatives faced during these harrowing years to the heartwarming relationships between the Bailey family members and their ability to ultimately make it through no matter what, this series is ideal for vintage fans fan everywhere.

It is a sincere pleasure and honour to be collaborating with Sullivan Entertainment again for another wonderful giveaway and I want to sincerely thank for the opportunity to do so this month. Many thanks as well to everyone who enters. Best of luck to one and all!

Joyful vintage Chinese New Year wishes!

Unique amongst the animals used in the classic Chinese zodiac as being the only one that is mythical, the dragon begins its reign with today's arrive of the Chinese New Year.

Though I'm not Chinese myself, like many people, I enjoy celebrating this winter festival nevertheless and have long delighted in watching dragon parades, fireworks shows, and other festivities that were put in by the local Chinese communities in B.C., Alberta, and Ontario. (Not to mention whipping up a tasty Asian inspired feast to further celebrate this special day!)

{A cute youngster holders what appears to be a string of firecrackers in front of the mouth on a large dragon costume in this fantastic vintage Chinese New Year's photo from 1937. Image via carbonated on Flickr.}

Like each of the one dozen creatures assigned to the Chinese zodiac, the dragon appears once every twelve years. It is said that those who are born in the year of the dragon are often ambitious, passionate and successful risk takers who are not afraid of challenge or change.

While I wasn't born under the sign of the dragon, there's something quaintly charming about extending to those same traits to the type of year that one hopes lies ahead, as well as to how they carry out their own lives.

Metaphorically, I'll soon be taking to the skies like a dragon to travel across the country and settle in British Columbia, all the while tackling change and challenge with passion - and I hope - a great deal of success.

Likewise, I hope that this brand new year in the Chinese calendar will bring success, happiness and positive change into each of your lives too, dear friends.

Here's to a fabulous year ahead for all of us! Gong Xi Fa Ca!

Reflecting on friendships, both old and new

✯ Day 332 of Vintage 365 ✯

You know those times when you stop and look back at your schooldays, places you've lived and moved on from, old jobs, or past romances and ponder the many people you’ve known and interacted with day in and day out, yet likely haven't seen or heard from in decades?

I can't help but do this sometimes - it's only natural to wonder about people, even those were weren't that close to you, with whom you spent months or years of your life. Social networking sometimes allows us to connect with these distant faces from our past once more, but there's almost always going to be people who's paths we'll never again cross.

This is - in this day and age, where most people move several times throughout their lives, especially - completely normal. Not even the most active of social butterflies can say they've kept in touch with everyone they've known throughout their lives, and that's totally fine. Some people will be with us until the very end, but others play a role (be it small or large) for a shorter period of time, and that too is completely alright - it's part of the ebb and flow of daily life.

The online world is relatively similar in this regard - perhaps even more so. I often think of people that I had never known in person, yet became very close with online for a spell, who have since faded out of my life. (Knock wood!) I've never had an actual falling out with anybody I meet on the web, it just seems that online friendships often have shorter expiration dates than real world ones.

Sometimes once the topic (whatever it may have been) that drew you together in the first place has been tapped out, you find you have little left to discuss. Other times one party is very busy or unable to get to the computer often and so the pair ends up drifting apart. There are many other reasons, too, of course.

Yet, it struck me the other day how now there are two sets of people now that, some of whom, in the natural progression of 21st century life we'll lose contact with: those offline and those online (many in the latter camp that we may very well never interact with in the offline world).

This thought didn't hit me melancholically, rather quite matter-of-factly. One of those "hey, you know, that's a good point" kind of musings that your brain has over the course of an average day and so I wanted to share it here, as I'd venture to guess I'm not the first person that this notion has struck before.

{An immensely sweet vintage photo by Charles Harris of two young friends in the 1930s. Whenever I look at endearing images like this one, which comes by way of spiralsheep on Flickr, I like to think that the pair stayed in touch and always remained close companions.}

 

As it's more than a little bit clear at this point that the internet (or whatever future versions of it will evolve) is here to stay, I know for certain that some of the people I correspond with, leave blog comments for, and otherwise connect with online will come and go from my life - as will others I've yet to even meet.

I suppose what primarily sets these people from those in the offline world though, is that many times we never interact, beyond the realm of our keyboards and computer screens with the friends and acquaintances we make online.

This isn't to say that such friendships are are any less valid or important than those in the offline world, not at all, but they - by the this very fact alone - inherently different.

What, you may be asking, got me thinking about this particular topic today? It was actually the fact that in recent weeks I've noticed some wonderful new faces here on Chronically Vintage and also seen a couple of great gals that I hadn't been in contact with for ages reappear again. As such, to visitors and online friends, new and old, alike I say a very warm hello!

Whether you've known me for year or just stopping by, our online journeys have intersected and I for one am very happy about that.

1930s autumn fashion inspiration

✯ Day 317 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

November's palette is dark, but not foreboding. It may not be quite as majestically vibrant as that of earlier autumn days, but it retains some of the same burnt umbers, inky maroons, and greys that call to mind cold, wind whipped skies.

At the same time, just as November has one foot planted in the fall, another stretches out to start embracing the colour spectrum of winter, with it's evergreen tree hues, barren tawny-brown landscapes, and pale, snowy ski hills.

Far from being dull and dreary, I find that there is a lot of subtle, beautiful inspiration to be found in the shades that the world around is presently decked out in. Mother Earth is starting to sport her neutral wardrobe as we inch closer to December and this can translate marvellously into vintage pieces for our own sartorial looks, too.

Take for example the richly lovely selection of French 1930s looks in the fashion illustration below. Here we see an array of dresses and coats in the very colours mentioned above - even the quaint (almost loafer looking) shoes are matched to the November inspired outfits.

{A timelessly pretty selection of vintage French fashions are on display in this wonderful illustration from 1936. Image via Le Petit Poulailler on Flickr.}

 

By the mid-thirties we start to see some of the looser lines of the 20s and early years of the decade give away the more structured styles would appear as time rolled on into the forties. The silhouettes are still long and lean here though, as they'd so often been during the Depression years, though in this image one picks up on a subtly feminine figure being carved out thanks to belted and nipped in waists.

Regardless of if you enjoy sporting fashions from the thirties yourself, there's much inspiration on the colour front to be gleaned from this palette of autumnal shades, which you can easily apply to your own favourite decades (just think how striking a 40s inspired pencil skirt and sweater set combo in earthy green and brown would be, or why not an 1950s evening dress pale grey or teal-kissed pine green?).

In a few short weeks nature will even more devoid of colour, but that doesn't mean you wardrobe has to be, so long as you keep November's elegant palette in mind all through the snowy months that will upon as in a flash.

On this very special day in 1930...

✯ Day 287 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

It was a cold morning, whatever remnants of the short-lived summer may have lingered into fall had already disappeared and another seemingly endless winter was beginning to burrow into the once thriving town of Dawson.

In the dim oil lamp light a petite French woman by the name of Marie Lefebvre readied herself to give birth to her ninth and final child. Seven girls and one son had proceeded this babe's birth. Seventeen years of bringing life into the world had taken their toil on the mother's body, but deep inside her soul she was content and eager to meet the little she'd been carrying beneath her apron for three-quarters of a year.

Far away "down south", the world was abuzz with talk and stories of the economic crisis, fortunes lost, families forced to abandon them homes, jobless men trekking the country, desperate for any scrap of work. Up in the Yukon though, in their small hamlet of the north, there was still stability in 1930.

This town, once wild with the glint and fever of cold, had slowed rapidly over the decades since crazy rush of '98 that brought her husband, Charles, north on foot over the gruelling Chilkoot Trail, a thousand pounds of provisions (as mandated by the Mounties) lugged over the treacherous incline, pack load by exhausting pack load, on his strong back.

He was a good man, her Charles Burkhard. With his wavy brown hair, statuesque height, strong - but kind - features, and worker's hands, he lead the large family well, provided for his children, was sweet to her. Though more than twenty years her senior, his face - for all the toil it'd seen - was young, and few noticed the age gap between them.

At 34 years old, she wasn't ancient by any means, but she sensed, in that way mothers inherently do, that this would be her last child, so she took extra care to hold onto the memory of each moment, as the contractions grew stronger, closer, and her breath became heavier.

The birth was a straightforward one, easy and - as much as such things can be - pleasant. Not to anyone's surprise, the child was a girl. Quiet and calm, she cried immediately, nestled against her mother's breast, and slept soundly as the arctic winds waltzed against the wooden walls of the small home above the bakery that the family owned, before it fleeted off to howl through the towering mountains nearby.

Looking down on her tiny infant, Marie pondered a name - something French, perhaps, in a nod to her Quebec linage. Bernice, yes, Bernice. She liked the way it matched the "B" of the family's surname, and that it had a charmingly feminine ring to it.

On this day, 81 years ago precisely, in the snow-locked land of the Yukon,  Bernice Schill (née Burkhard), my maternal grandma was born to loving, hard working parents. She would grow up to be a wife and mother herself, live in three provinces and two continents, deal with tremendous heartache (including the passing of her only son), battle chronic illness, and yet, never lose that sweet, kind disposition her mother saw in her instantly.

 

{My grandma, Bernice Schill, looking so summery and lovely, in an photo taken circa 1950.}

Though it's been a very long time she she last set foot in Dawson - a lifetime ago, really - she still has the spirit of the north in her veins, going strong as her father as he set out from his home in Nebraska for the prospect of gold in the far-flung promise land of the Yukon.

She, my grandma (who has always, adorably, spelled her chosen grandmotherly moniker as "Grannie"), is a venerable, beautiful, wise, tenacious, caring, amazing woman, and on this day, I celebrate every moment of her fascinating life, and each gift and blessing she has bestowed on mine.

From the bottom of my heart, and all of my love, happiest 81st Birthday, Grannie!

1930s Orange Cake is the bee's knees!

✯ Day 285 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

It's by no means a secret to say the 1930s were a challenging decade - indeed, they were one of the hardest in recent human history. Yet, even in the face of immense hardship, the decade was able to produce many wonderful, endearing recipes.

Likewise, it also gave up scores of incredible people, including my maternal grandma, Bernice, who was born on October 14, 1930. With her birthday just around the corner this Friday, I knew that today's recipe post simply had to feature a cake.

Much like many aspects of the thirties themselves, I wouldn't call my grandma flashy. Far from simple, but in no way chichi either, she's a woman of dignified class and charm, beauty and spirit who's taught me much over the years.

My grandma's never been the most girly-girl of gals, instead her style is refined and classic, elegant and unfussy. Thus a bells-and-whistles sort of birthday cake piled with mountains of frosting or multi-coloured embellishments just wouldn't seem right for her special day.

Instead, if I was able to celebrate her birthday this week with her in person (we live on opposite sides of the country, so unfortunately that's not possible this year), I would make her the delicious (not to mention entirely au courant) sounding Layered Orange Cake pictured below.

{Fresh, sweet, and wonderfully suited to an array of occasions, this delightful 1930s orange cake is sure to go down a treat (to borrow a term from the Brits) at your next event. Image via Daily Bungalow on Flickr. Click here for a larger version of this delicious vintage cake recipe.}

 

True to the thrifty spirit of the 30s, this cake calls for a minimum of ingredients, most (if not all) of which any one of us would have on hand right this very moment.

While not ornate, there's nothing boring or plain Jane about this lovely citrus dessert. You could proudly bring it out all year long, for anniversaries, showers, bake sales, dinner parties, holidays, and of course, birthdays, too!

It’s an endearing gem of a recipe that’s every bit as sweet and timeless as my grandma herself.

Covering 20 days with one post

My sweet dears, I'm afraid that I'm going to be slightly MIA for the next little while. You see, I'll be heading into the hospital (to have to two surgeries) on June 14th and most likely may not be able to blog for a spell both before that date (there's quite a lot of prep work involved) and afterwards. Fortunately the procedures I'm having are fairly routine and, baring (goodness forbid) any complications, I should be on the mend and back blogging (daily) again in a couple weeks or so.

I'm not entirely sure how long my recovery will take, but I'm determined to keep the Vintage 365 project alive and well (happy to report that I haven't missed a date yet and we're nearly half way through 2011), while I'm feeling not quite so well myself.

To that extent, I thought that I would put together one post today with twenty different interesting vintage related topics to see all of you through the remainder of June (ideally, I'll be able to launch back into writing a post per day at the start of July).

I apologize to those for look forward everyday to each new Vintage 365 instalment and hope that this "all-in-one" post, with brief entries for the coming 20 days, will still help brining you a hearty dose of old school history and style alla Chronically Vintage.

 

June 11 ~ Day 162: It the warm, almost cocooning apricot light that grabs your attention first when you peer at this 1950s photo taken inside of a Dior shop in Paris, yet fractions of a second later your mind sends fashion alert flashes your way letting you know that there are vintage (Dior!) treasures aplenty to be spied in this captivating image.

Though not a sweepingly large photo, there is such much resplendent beauty to be gleaned from the box of chic high heeled shoes, the garden's worth of delicate silk blooms, and sundry other millenary supplies in this captivating photo. It speaks to an age of unmatched grace, proper high couture, and unshakeable style in the way that only Dior could ever truly deliver.

 

June 12 ~ Day 163: Though today, and for the last few decades, Cuba, is and has been a downtrodden land in desperate need of freedom, during the earlier days of the twentieth century, this lush, wonderfully pretty country was busting with entertainment, art, fashion, great cuisine, tourism, nightlife, and plenty of fantastic views that beckoned holidaymakers from around the globe.

Today’s  interesting, nicely narrated Youtube video clip shows 1930s Cuba during its heyday, when this fascinating tropical destination was busting with life, possibility and no shortage of fun ways to pass the sunny days.

 

June 13 ~ Day 164: Every now and then someone in my building (intentionally) leaves a couple of copies of the current Avon catalogue in the laundry room of my building. Though I very much enjoy flipping through them as my clothes just all sudsy, I'm rarely struck with the urge to actually purchase anything.

Avon makes some wonderful products, don't get me wrong, and over the years I've enjoyed the items I have bought (or received gifts) from this well-known brand, it's just that I sometimes feel like their catalogue pages teeter a bit on being infomercial-esque (absolutely no offence to anyone reading this who is an Avon rep).

They lack the show stopping glamour of their yesteryear counterparts and rarely standout from the sea of beauty advertisements one encounters in any run-of-the-mill fashion or ladies' magazine.

Not so in 1959 however, when this captivatingly  lovely Avon cosmetics ad hit the scenes. Featuring a pretty brunette model with a mile-wide smile, this ad show cased five Avon cosmetics products, every single on of which I'd order right this very moment if they still came presented in such charming packaging and by way of such wonderful ads.

 

June 14 ~ Day 165: Though I'll be sporting a hospital gown today (so glam, I know), there's no reason I can't help keep my mind off of the day’s medical activities by fantasizing about this truly, completely breath-taking floral print, 1950s inspired dress from Trashy Diva.

Featuring a full skirt, flattering V neck, fitted bodice, invisible side zipper and a wide waistband (that will flatter a host of different figure types), this stunning silk-like rayon frock is simply too amazing to pass by unnoticed. Its bouquets of blooms sing out in hues of purple, teal blue, burgundy, rose pink, black, grey and white, all nestled atop a peridot green backdrop, making for a show-stopping, deeply sophisticated look.

If you'd like to join me in yearning for this sublime frock, swing on by online retailer Blue Velvet Vintage, where you can pick up one of these beguiling vintage inspired dresses (in ladies sizes 6 to 14) for $135.00. If you’re only going to treat yourself to one new dress this summer, I highly recommend giving this gem some serious thought.

 

June 15 ~ Day 166: Have no fear, just because I'm away, doesn't mean that a new (errr, old) recipe won't be the subject of choice each Wednesday. For the 15th, I think we should all take advantage of the fact that berry season is in full swing and whip up a dish featuring these marvelous little bit sized fruits.

Looking back all the way to 1936, this lovely sounding recipe for Blackberry Roly-Poly (wonderful blackberry stuffed pastries) would be a stellar way to use up some of the season's choicest berries.

If blackberries aren't your favourite, you could very easily swap in raspberries, huckleberries, blueberries, strawberries, or (red or white) currants here instead (or why not channel a "fruits of the forest" vibe and use a combo of your most beloved berries for an extra special dessert!).

 

June 16 ~ Day 167: Care of the ever-fabulous blog The Mysterious Life of the Metropolitan (ex) Housewife, comes a handy-dandy instructional page from the 1950s on how to wash rayon.

I bookmarked this post back in the fall of 2009 and have been meaning to mention it ever since, as I know many of us (myself included) own vintage (and/or vintage reproduction) rayon items that require proper laundering to stay in pristine shape. The easy-as-pie tips here are bound to help ensure you you're able to keep all your rayon pieces in top-notch shape.

 

June 17 ~ Day 168: With a name like Vintage Soul, it would be downright impossible for this charming Liz Clairborne perfume not to nab my attention. If the moniker alone didn't do it, surely the softly curvaceous bottle and subtly art nouveau inspired graphics would.

Featuring an engaging blend of lily, freesia, cactus flower, green lotus leaf, jasmine, blue tiger lily, gardenia, tuberose, blond wood and nutmeg, this lovely perfume sounds like a complete - and entirely gorgeous - garden in a bottle.

Should you wish to sprinkle a little old school spirit on yourself each day, be sure to head over to amazon.com where you can currently pick up a bottle of Vintage Soul perfume on sale for just $16.53.

 

June 18 ~ Day 169: The mercury is bubbling over, but that doesn't mean one has to resort to being unfashionable, especially not if you turn to this delightfully fun 1940s summer fashion clip for your sartorial inspiration this season.

Featuring an array of warm weather looks (from playsuits to dresses), this quick little Youtube video (it's only about a minute and a half long) is teaming with oodles of vintage fashion ideas that are sure to capture your heart this summer.

 

June 19 ~ Day 170: $18.00 is a lot of money to pay for one light bulb, no ifs, ands or buts about that. However, sometimes there's a good reason behind why a seemingly inexpensive item gets slapped with a hefty price tag.

In the case of this Sunday's objet du jour, it's because this slim, gracefully shaped light bulb is a spot-on replica of an early Edison bulb, right down to its eye-catching looped filaments and rich brass base.

This bulb - which is available from Anthropologie - is not the kind that you'll screw into any old lamp or light fixture (unless you've finally found a tree that grows money and can now afford to pay $18.00 per light bulb), instead it is meant to be displayed, hanging artfully from a pendant lamp or shining out from an unadorned socket.

It's a little piece of the past that you can use, quite literally, to illuminate the present, and somehow knowing that makes $18.00 almost forgivable.

*PS* Merry, cheerful, immensely fun Father's Day wishes to dads out there. I hope today is a utterly fantastic one for you fellows!

 

June 20 ~ Day 171: Though one of the key elements that I love about vintage fashion is how it grants me free creative license to dress as splendidly femininely as I please (think full skirts, sweetheart necklines, crinolines, and lashings of red lipstick!), I can't help but stop from time-to-time and think about the Teddy Girls of the 1950s. These (sartorially) daring young women eschewed many of the conventional styles of the day, preferring instead to follow in the footsteps of some of the male peers who were opting for the Teddy Boy look.

For a engaging post about these UK style rebels of yesteryear, be sure to swing by Betty Swallow's blog for her post on the Teddy Girls, which includes interview excepts from a former teddy gal, as well as scores of wonderful black white photos of (apparent) tomboys whose style still managed to seem somehow more feminine than most of the looks one encounters on the street today.

 

June 21 ~ Day 172: Happiest summer solstice, everyone! Can you believe that the first official day of summer is really here? Are you happy about that? Or does this sizzling heat have you pining for snowmen, winter boots and steaming mugs of cocoa?

Over all I'm pretty excited about it - how could I not be when the birthdays of everyone in my house (hubby, kitty cat, and I) all fall during this magically lovely season.

 

In order to ensure this post was able to load without taking an eon and a half (not everyone has super high speed internet!), I weighed the matter carefully and decided not to post an image for each of the twenty days ( if you click on the link in the write up for each particular day, you should be taken a page with at least one image, or video clip,  for each respective topic).

However, there was no way that I could let the inaugural day of summer slip by without celebrating it with an image - and what a charmer this one (the marvellously illustrated June 1948 cover of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine) is!

I can’t wait to hopefully get in plenty of the activities depicted on in it myself this season, just as I'm sure tons of you are, too!

 

June 22 ~ Day 173 : This coming Friday is my little brother's birthday, and since one of his favourite desserts when we were growing up was lemon meringue pie (peanut butter cookies were another sweet treat he adored back then), I knew that in honour of his special day, I had to dig up a super delicious sounding vintage recipe for this wonderful classic (which, like most citrus flavoured foods, seems to be especially useful at helping you bet the heat, especially if served cold).

I think this yesteryear version (which is quite similar to my tried-and-true, handed-down-from-my-mom recipe) would be sure to please even the most discerning of lemon meringue connoisseurs, no matter their age!

 

June 23 ~ Day 174: By way of the great blog Vintage Chic, comes a page from 1946 called Make Up to the Day, which is chocked full of entertaining/helpful suggestions for what colours of make-up are best suited to brides-to-be with various complexions and hair colours. From redheads to ash blondes, there are tips here to see many-a-gal through her special day in beautiful 1940s style.

 

June 24 ~ Day 175: This day is a joyful one for me because it's my brother's birthday (how can you possibly be 24? If that doesn't make - soon-to-be-27 year old me feel ancient, I don't know what does!), and while he doesn't share my love of all things vintage (I'm the vintage black sheep of my family), I do distinctly remember one splendidly fun old school cartoon that we enjoyed watching as a child was The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.

Featuring everyone's favourite cartoon moose and squirrel, as well as the bumbling dastardly villain duo or Boris and Natasha, this entertaining children's show was every bit as much fun for us in the early 90s as it was for those who watched it air the first time around decades earlier.

I devote this clip - of the opening theme of Rocky and Bullwinkle - to you, little bro, happiest birthday! Here's to always striving to have as much fun in life as we had as youngsters watching cartoons!

 

June 25 ~ Day 176: There's a school of thought that suggests that if one surrounds themselves (or wears) cool colours they'll feel colder (and vice versa that warm hues will help you stay toasty). Given the visual weight that colours carry, I think this idea makes a good deal of sense.

I for one would not be too inclined to spend much time during the summer in a fiery orange or red room, but I would however rush to relax at the end of another dizzyingly hot June day in this charmingly sweet soft pink, mint green and sleek black bathroom from 1953.

Done up in sherbet and licorice inspired hues, this pretty powder room just looks cool when you gaze at it. The swirl patterned tiles evoke thoughts of serene pools of sea water, the pink curtains, towels and paint (used in the built-in wall shelves) are as revitalizing as a tall glass of strawberry lemonade, and the glistening black elements seem to give the distinct feeling that they'd be smooth as ice to the touch.

Indeed, there is much to be loved about from this inspiringly fresh, entirely beautiful 1950s bathroom, no matter if it's the hottest day of summer of the nippiest of winter - because truly beautiful interior design is always refreshing.

 

June 26 ~ Day 177: Let's face it, cat (and pet in general) furniture often isn't the most stylish thing around. Cumbersome kitty condos, litter boxes glaring out at you from random corners of the house, and oversized plush napping pads eating up half your living room floor can be practical and cozy (for said feline companions), but again, they rarely win any awards in the design department.

To that end, one clever etsy seller (Atomic Attic Upcycled), came up with a splendid idea for kitty beds that are both function and wonderfully fun to look at.

They’re constructed of vintage and retro suitcases that have been fitted with short, sturdy legs and fluffy cushion inserts (which are removable and washable). Averaging around $59.00 a piece, these smile-inducingly cool vintage suitcase cat beds are leagues more chic than most pet beds I've seen and are definitely the kind of thing I could see both me and my darling kitty hopping on board with!

 

June 27 ~ Day 178: While I tend to put on my make-up (and style my hair) before I don my ensemble for the day, there are times when all of us need to (for whatever) reason to apply our cosmetics (or merely touch-up our faces) while dressed, which can mean introducing the potential of getting powder, lipstick, eye shadow, mascara - you name it! - on our vintage outfits (which is definitely not a good thing!).

In 1938 that problem could be cut off at the pass by donning the Playtex make-up cape, a charming little caplet (with a fun front tie neck) that draped over the wearer's shoulders and upper chest, thus helping keep her clothing as clean as whistle while she went about her beauty routine.

I think this is really good, entirely practical idea and so went hunting around the web for a modern day version. While I couldn't find a make-up cape that was quite as cute as the 1930s version, I did find a Scalpmaster Nylon Make-Up Cape on Amazon for the reasonable price of $11.99 - which is certainly less than a trip or two to the drycleaners (to try and remove make-up from your favourite garments) is bound to run you!

 

June 28 ~ Day 179: Despite the often surface-of-the-sun like temps of this season, there is something about summer that makes me want to cut a rug to absolutely no end! I know why that is actually, it's because as a youngster I spent many a summer day bopping about the living room, classic big band and 1950s rock and roll tunes blaring out from the CD player, any friend, sibling - total stranger in sight a potential dance partner (ahhh, the carefree things we did as kids!).

When my feet start a tapping these days, I love to look up awesome old school swing  dance tunes and movie clips on Youtube (such as this terrifically fun 1950s clip of Bill Hailey and Comments playing the song Razzle Dazzle while the dance floor bursts to life, despite some squares in the crowd) and put on a concert of some of the most enjoyable music of all time - and should I happen to wrangle someone into being my jitterbug partner again, all the better!

 

June 29 ~ Day 180: It's Wednesday again, my lovelies, you know that means, time for another scrumptious vintage recipe to see us through the week. Given the scorching hot temps of June, it's high time we all kicked back with a sweet, ice cold treat!

Do just that with a handful of ingredients in snazzy 1953 style care of this tasty sounding Seven-Up Sherbet recipe. I bet this would be great with various other sodas as well, such as ginger ale, Orange Crush or Mountain Dew. Whatever pop you put to work in this recipe, it's sure to help stamp out the heat for at least a few minutes.

 

June 30 ~ Day 181: While we've just gotten through 20 days of posts, the fact of the matter is that it’s still June 10th as I write this blog entry, and I don't only know the 30th of this month will be like for me.

With a good heaping of luck however, it will be better day on a lot fronts than right now. I hope I'll be in the mood to celebrate the outcomes of my medical procedures and that by today, I'll be feeling better in a lot of different ways.

June is one of those months that lends itself so naturally to celebrating and feeling joyful. From graduations to the start of summer, picnic weather to Father's Day, there is much to adore about the six month of the year - not the least of which are June weddings.

Let's wrap up this twenty day round-up of Vintage 365 posts with on a very, very lovely note, by celebrating the 1942 wedding of Lewis and Helen, a dapper young couple who had their whole lives still in front of them that glorious June day.

♥ ♥ ♥

 

I will miss you all very, very much. Due in part to the Vintage 365 series, it's been quite some time now since I wasn't around these parts and I know that it’ll feel strange to suddenly be out of the blogging loop.

As in the past during these kinds of situations, my wonderful husband (Tony) will be helping to hold down the fort for me here (and should anything that warrants announcing publicly occur, he will come here to post on my behalf and let you know what's going on). I sincerely hope to be back soon and must say again just how much I'm going to miss you, my darling friends!

Until we chat again, know that you'll be in my thoughts, and that I wholeheartedly hope you each have a truly sublime start of summer!!!

Remembering the invaluable work of photographer Dorothea Lange

✯ Day 146 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

To call Dorothea Lange's photographs incalculably meaningful pieces of world history, would scarcely begin to convey the degree of importance that this pioneering photographer's work captured for all the world to see.

Professionally trained in New York and taught by well known photographer Clarence Hudson White (other famed students of whom include Paul Outerbridge, Margaret Bourke-White and Ralph Steiner), Lange apprenticed with several photography studios before opening up her own portrait studio in 1918 on the other side of the country in San Francisco, which proved to be quite successful for her.

As the years rolled on however and the Great Depression hit the US with an intensity unlike any other economic crisis the US had ever faced, Dorothea begin venturing out of the comfortable confines of her portrait studio and on the streets, populated as they now were with a great many folks whose lives had been turned upside down my the financial nightmare America was swept up in.

Lange's honest, at times gritty, completely captivating photographic studies of unemployed, homeless and various other downtrodden people quickly caught the eye of other local photographers and was responsible for her becoming employed with the Federal Resettlement Administration.

Together with her second husband (Paul Schuster Taylor), Lange travelled across America documenting with great skill, the startling realities that so many were struggling greatly with during the Depression. From rural farmers to migrant workers, throughout the 1930s Dorothea turned her lens on many of the poorest and lest remembered (by the government of the day) people in America at the time.

Lange's haunting images, which showed men, women and children of all ages, were instantly recognized for their startlingly earnest portrayal of life for those on the out and out. They were distributed free to newspapers right across the US and quickly became some of the best known photographs of the Great Depression.

{This short two minute YouTube video shows a wonderful selection of Dorothea Lange's Depression era photographs set against a lovely tune that elegantly helps to highlight the impactful-ness of these now timeless images.}

 

Of all the photographs Dorothea Lange captured during her lifetime, perhaps none is as well known – nor heart wrenching - as her image "Migrant Mother", which depicts 32 year old Florence Owens Thompson and two of her children. In the image we see Florence's incredibly concerned looking face, whereas those of her two young kids are turned away from the camera as they lean sorrowfully into their mother's shoulders.

Now an icon of the era, this image perfectly captures the grief and hardship that so many endured during the 1930s. In an interview that Lange gave in 1960 she is quoted as saying of Florence, "She said that they had been living on frozen vegetables from the surrounding fields, and birds that the children killed. She had just sold the tires from her car to buy food. There she sat in that lean-to tent with her children huddled around her, and seemed to know that my pictures might help her, and so she helped me. There was a sort of equality about it."

And indeed, through Dorothea Lange's work there was a definitive equalizing of humankind. She didn't set out to stage life, she aimed to capture it in all its raw and brutal honesty, as though seen through the very eyes of those who lived and suffered, survived and somehow kept going during the 1930s.

For Lange, her images were never about garnering fame or fortune (as so poignantly evident by the fact the she gave up her Guggenheim Fellowship award, which she received in 1941, so that she could photograph the forced evacuation of Japanese immigrants on US soil following the attack on Pearl Harbor), she sought to preserve the hardships of time and made no bones about using a critical, bitingly realistic eye as she did so.

Today, May 26th, was the date on which in 1895 Dorothea Lange was born, and as such I wanted to stop and set aside some time to remember the life (she passed away in 1965 at the age of 70) not only of this superb documentary photographer herself, but of all those she captured on film during her career.

With a lens, Lange froze time, ensuring that both people of the day and many generations to come would have an eye-opening look at the less than glamorous side of life during the bleakest days of the mid-twentieth century.

Thank you, Dorothea, for each photograph, every life you preserved on film, every bit of history your excellent work ensured would never be forgotten. You were a gifted photographer, incredible documentary creator, and a wonderfully caring human being; the world is a better, more informed place because you were a part of it.

Vintage 365: Those Dancing Flappers!

✯ Day 2 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

Last night in an email to my mom, I said to her that I felt like I'd been doing a (very!) happy dance in my head all day. I can't stress enough how elated I am that 2010 is behind us and that the prospect of 12 brand spanking new months is here. Those chipper feelings got me thinking about yesteryear dancing (my favourite kind for sure), and I bopped over to Youtube to go searching for the cheeriest video of vintage dancing I could find.

I think this immensely cool compilation of Flapper era clips fits that bill to an absolute tee! These frocking, gleeful, and wonderfully fashionably dressed gals really do represent the level of excitement I'm experiencing in my soul about the New Year, and hope that they'll help boost your own festive start of January feelings, too! :)

Saturday Snapshots: November 27, 2010

Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough. ~ Emily Dickinson

{Identified as “Marilyn Crocker, Jeanne and Leanne”, this trio of elegantly dressed young women was photographed in November of 1951. Though I don’t know where this shot was taken (does anyone recognize the large white church in the background?), the roof top skyline makes an especially neat backdrop for these three beautiful young women to pose against.}



{I have such a soft spot in my heart for vintage wedding photos. I love to look at them and imagine the lives that lay ahead for a given couple, to ponder how their marriage unfolded, if it lasted, and if they turned out to be each other’s soul mates until the very end. The romantic in me likes to think this was always the case, but of course the realist knows that not every marriage was a bed roses. I don’t know the tale that became this incredibly dapper looking couple’s life after this photograph was captured, but I like to think that they remained as radiantly happy for the rest of their lives as they looked on their wedding day in 1938.}



{This darling pair of youngsters have been hard at work (most likely with mother’s assistance) and have created a positively scrumptious looking, large gingerbread house to help them celebrate the holidays. Tell me you don’t adore the sweet, spunky grin of the little boy as he mischievously attempts to pluck a candy wafer from the house’s edible roof?}



{Ohhhh, how immensely cool would it be to know what these two beautifully attired 1930s women were looking at on those reels of film? Were they staring at frames filled with the likes of Shirley Temple, May West, Errol Flynn or Greta Garbo, or was it something a little less thrilling like a news reel? Either way, they seemed to be enjoying their task and having a great time posing outside in their lovely spring or summer dresses.}



{A large American Italy family gathers around a small kitchen table in 1948 to celebrate one of its young relative’s First Communion day. As someone with a very small imitate number of immediate relatives, I love images like this through which I can various live out my desire to come from a generously size family. (For anyone who’s interested, the person who posted this photo has identified the names of the folks, who are his relatives, in this great shot.)}



{Doing his best “Bark-thoven” impression, this precious vintage poodle entertains onlookers as he paws adorably away at the piano keys (looking every bit as though he really is reading the sheet music perched in front of him!).}



{In the picturesque golden sunlight of an autumn day in 1957, a family enjoys a simple picnic together in the fresh air (note the wonderful large wicker basket and iconic 50s style thermoses, both of which add to the charm of this fun family snapshot).}



{At first glance it might appear as though this was just a simple street scene of a parade, but upon closer inspection there is much to observe about this lovely shot taken during 1960. From the wood paneled station wagon (complete with suspender and bow tie adorned little boy leaning out the driver’s side window) to the flag carrying veterans, and the ironically wonderful barber shop there is such a wealth of American history wrapped up in this one terrific shot.}



{Three Texan sorority sisters take a break from the demands of collage life, as they sport jeans and enjoy a tipple, in the great outdoors. I wonder if the gal on the left was simply tired or if she’d had a smidge too much to drink and was now leaning on her smiling girlfriend to help her keep her balance?}



{Standing outside of “Antoinette’s Sweet Shop”, an adorable little blonde haired girl appears to be taking a small packet (perhaps of candy) from a man’s hand, as a gorgeously dressed woman smiles on for the camera in this appealing 1930s street photograph.}

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


It’s been a staggeringly long time since the last edition of Saturday Snapshots (June 5th of this year, to be exact). Okay, granted it’s not been decades, but still far longer than has ever passed between editions before! I’ve sincerely missed putting together this post more frequently, perusing with great intent the realm of vintage “real world” photographs – peering to the lives and worlds of those who lived 60, 70, 80+ years ago and selecting ten particularly engaging shots to share with you.

Though I know the multitude of reasons why it’s been nearly half a year since this post last appeared (chief amongst being the state of my health this year) – and I know that I won’t be able to go back to putting up a new edition every week at this stage in time – I sincerely hope that nowhere no as much time will elapse between today and the next Saturday Snapshots post!

This week’s quote, by the intensely insightful Emily Dickinson, is one of my all-time favourites and also one that has resonated strongly throughout my life – at perhaps not time more so than throughout 2010.

These words, simple yet profound, on the one hand obvious, on the other sage-like in their wisdom, remind us all to step back from our worries, to stop dwelling on what we think we need to buy, find, or do to achieve happiness. To stop chasing the unobtainable, stop beating ourselves up over regrets and impossibilities, to strip away the hustle and bustle of the rat race, to return to simple pleasures, and to extract a sense of purpose from the amazing fact that we are blessed to be alive. Or at least that’s what this beautiful quote says to me when I reflect on its words, written in a time so incredibly different yet also timelessly similar to our own.

Life will always come part and parcel with a myriad of reasons why our happiness may lie on line (it did for the folks in the photographs above and it still does for us today), yet – and I can attest to this firsthand – sometimes it is remarkably invaluable to step back and realize that the fact you are here, in this moment in time, drawing breath, feeling the cold November air, creating your own destiny each day, is more than enough reason to be, at a deeply rooted level, happy.

Saturday Snapshots – July 3, 2010

"If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

{Identified as “my great-aunts Millie and Mayme, great-grandmother Rose, and grandmother Marie”, by the person who posted this terrific photo, these lovely women in their late 1930s garb and hairstyles seem at once both like they could have been actresses or just as easily members of my own family.}



{Three adorable youngsters are all smiles here, as they perch on the side of a canoe in their charming old-fashioned bathing suites (which lead me to feel this shot was taken sometime between the 1910s and 1930s), conjuring up relatable summertime memories for many who grew up near seas, lakes and rivers.}



{Looking chic enough to have just stepped off the pages of Vogue or Harper’s, this immensely stylish young woman cuts a striking figure as she peers out a car window with her wonderfully cute little dog. Absolutely no background information is provided for this elegant shot, but I’d venture to say it was from the fifties.}



{Here two young folks sew long scarf-like pieces of fabric together while sitting outside on a well groom lawn, in front of what looks like school or large church. I love that this 1930s shot shows a man sewing, too, and am curious as to what they were whipping up?}



{There is such an endearing sense of "real world" beauty to this prettily dressed young mom in her checkered dress and curled hairdo. In a way it seems as though this portrait was planned for in advance, and yet elements such as the inclusion of her handbag in the photo and the causal outfit the child is wearing makes me wonder if this photo was an impromptu – portrait taken while she was in the midst of other activities that day.}



{Looking dapper as the day is long, this handsome young gent is identified as being Daniel J. Perini, who (the poster of this photo tells us) later went onto serve in the Navy during WW2, which he returned home from.}



{Nowadays some people might call this chipper gal’s look "geek chic", but back in the 50s, I think she was just about the swellest looking girl in town. From her lovely turquoise and black dress (with matching turquoise head scarf) to her tawny leather camera bag, everything about this photo is pure vintage cool!}



{It’s the bright tomato red truck that jumps out first at you when you look at this 1953 street scene shot taken at Fisherman’s Wharf in Los Angles, but there are many other wonderful details worth checking out, too, such as the sleek black car coming up the road and the instantly recognizable Coca-Cola sign in the background.}



{A darling young brother and sister beam megawatt smiles as they wear sunglasses and summer clothes in this 1940s shot taken in Houston, Texas. This really is the cutest vintage photo I’ve chanced upon in ages, and a perfect representation of the warm weather that’s besieging many of us at this very moment.}



{A smile-inducing shot wraps up this week’s selection of vintage photos. Here several youngsters are busily engaged in a pie eating contest that appears to have permitted the use of the eaters’ hands, as their parents look on and cheer.}

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


From a menagerie of memories from my own life to my ongoing adventures in the land of genealogy, I spend the bulk of my time with my family in my head (odd as that may sound), as my relatives all live on the other side of the country.

The quote above rings deeply true with me, for I feel it can be extended out to the human race as a whole and applied not only to the lines in our hands, but to the faces that stare back at us from the past in vintage images (or photos from any era for that matter).

Though we may not always know who they were, these people mattered every bit as much as you and I do today, and deserve to remembered for all of time – just as each of us, and our families, do. For none of us would be here now, if not for the countless generations that came before us - a fact which spending time with one's family (whether in person or within the realm of your mind) is a beautiful and poignant reminder of.