Mother may I?

...Use your garden to take vintage outfit photos in. Yes? Thank you!

Outfit details
White hair flowers: Arden
Adorable sterling silver and Swarovski crystal kitty necklace: gift from my husband ♥   Silver coloured heart earrings: Claire’s
Grey shrug sweater: Sears
1950s turquoise gingham wiggle dress: etsy seller Adeline's Attic Vintage   White skinny belt: eBay   1950s blue gloves: eBay
Aqua hued plastic bangle bracelets: Claire's
Skinny white bangle: etsy seller Me She Designs
Skinny grey bangle: etsy seller RecycleBuyVintage
Nude seamed stockings: eBay
White pumps: Payless
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace   

Photography by Antonio Cangiano  
♥ ♥ ♥

My parents have an absolutely beautiful garden in their backyard, which they've loving cultivated since moving their current home a few years ago. Spring after spring, they've continued to build and decorate their yard (complete with a thoroughly awesome little stream that one turns the water on or off for with the flick of a switch), and it is a sight to beyond - and enjoy a spell of serenity in - for sure.

While over visiting one (surprise, surprise) rainy day, between downpours and before tucking into a meal together, Tony and I popped into the backyard to snap some photos against a wall at the base of their deck that is festooned with gorgeous tangerine-coral hued honeysuckle. Given the rather generous sized white bloom in my hair, it made oodles of sense to partner this look with a floral background.

This wonderful 1950s dress, which I bought a few months ago from Adeline's Attic Vintage (which is run by the marvelous lady behind the blog Tea with the Vintage Baroness), is a definitely favourite for me, as it combine three things I just adore: the colour turquoise, plaid, and a streamlined silhouette. Though it's technically a tad too big for me, all it takes is a little fabric folding in the back and a belt to make it look like like it's my perfect size.

The rain quickly struck up again a few minutes later, so it's a good thing that we took advantage of the brief lull while we could. Not having a proper garden of my own and loving flowers dearly, it is such a glorious treat to spend time in my parent's enchantingly pretty backyard, where floral colour combo inspiration and tranquility both abound in (gardening) spades.

Be a summertime vintage streaker!

✯ Day 133 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

…Of your hair that is!

Fear not, this isn't a post about skinning dipping or getting your thirty seconds of fame by sprinting across a sports field in your birthday suit, instead it's devoted to an entirely darling vintage magazine page that showed fashionable ladies of 1954 how to streak their hair at home.

While these days it's considerably more common to include several high and/or lowlights in your hair when you streak it, during the mid-50s one bold, prominently noticeable streak was what daring gals adorned their locks with.

I honestly love this look. It's equal parts brash and beautiful, lively and completely lovely. Long before Stacy London's trademark grey streak appeared on TV screens the world over, ladies of the fifties were daring to dye (or bleach) a strip of their hair a dramatically different shade than the rest of their head.

If we jump ahead six decades it's not entirely uncommon to see this same style of streaking - do in part to the looks sported by some rockabilly and psychobilly loving women. However, it's a look that I think more vintage loving lasses could easily and very successfully pull off.

Streaks (which are all about the dramatic contrast of high and dark hair colours) can work on hair of almost any length and compliment many different styles splendidly. Indeed, if you're a fan of rolls (Victory and otherwise), a strategically placed streak can truly look amazing when put to work in a pin-up worthy roll or two!

{Delightful vintage magazine page via Charm and Poise on Flickr. Click here for a larger version.}

 

The instructions on this page from the July '54 issue of Better Living magazine - complete with sweetly elegant photos - are incredibly straightforward and simple sounding. Which is great, should you wish to save yourself a salon trip bill by adding adding a zippy streak to your own hair at home this spring or summer.

And why not? As the caption below the "finished result" photo says (a streak is) "just good fun". It can be added to your hair in less than hour (when done with a home colouring kit), takes much less effort than a full dye job, is easy to colour over if you tire of it (or it doesn't turn out as desired), and is an instant accessory built into your hairdo all season long.

With those points in mind, I see no reason why we can’t all be streakers this summer!