Forties Fashions

Excellent hair trick

2012-01-19T15:15:00.000-08:00

I was visiting http://beautyisathingofthepast.blogspot.com/ and there was a mention of this post

http://www.bforbel.com/2011/09/appearances-matter-perfect-hair-bun.html

Great Vintage Blog

2010-08-21T00:59:00.000-07:00

http://dmoran227.wordpress.com/2010/07/22/its-no-secret-you-can-make-your-own-deodorant/

Very sweet article about her Nana.

This made me laugh. "Waste not want not was a phrase heard at least once a day in her house. Seriously You were allowed one glass of juice at breakfast in a proper juice glass ... Similarly if she was out of something, she wasn’t going to go out just to buy one thing, ridiculous. Stomach ache and out of Pepto Bismol? A teaspoon of baking soda in warm water will take care of that."

Hilarious "new" Ads for Twitter, Facebook, & Youtube vintage style

2010-08-21T00:31:00.000-07:00

http://newslite.tv/2010/08/20/vintage-style-adverts-for-face.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newslite+%28news%3Alite.tv%29

Mommy Knows Worst by James Lileks

2010-06-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

Easily the funniest book I've read in years. James Lileks has compiled the most absurd and dangerous parental advice from the 30's thru to the 50's. His hilarious and extreme narration and observations of these relics is even funnier than the nonsense that passed for good advice back in the day.

From window hung metallic cages for apartment dwelling mommies to ensure their baby gets all the fresh air and sun they require to articles warning mothers against picking up and touching their "little stranger" unless it's absolutely needed so as not to create an adult that must be committed to an asylum later on!!!

Mommy-Knows-Worst

Cow Cow Boogie - Ella Mae Morse

2010-06-23T05:52:00.000-07:00

She had an innovative style of blending so many genre's together. Country, blues, jazz, swing. Amazing Lady.

Ella Fitzgerald - A-Tisket, A-Tasket

2010-06-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

If you've never heard this song you are missin' out man!

Here she sings "A - Tisket, A-Tasket" in an appearance in 1941 in the Abbott and Costello movie "Ride 'Em Cowboy."

The 1940s Look.mov

2010-06-22T04:35:00.000-07:00

He briefly mentions how creative ladies had to get with cosmetics during WWII rations. Using soft lead pencils in their eyebrows, and the lady in the video seems to be using some type of watery dye for her lips, maybe it's beet juice?

www.1940.co.uk

This is his book.

Quick Curl Set, Vintage Hairstyle

2010-06-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

Hi Ladies,

This is for those Gals out there who do NOT have the time to do the much more labor intensive hairstyle I posted last week. This will take about 15 minutes to get into pin curls. If you are not a pin curl lady you can use the same curl pattern with a large barrel curling iron. My curls don't last when I use curling irons so I stick to pin curls. Good luck Ladies!

Vintage Haircuts & Hairstyles for Short Hair

2010-06-20T00:58:00.000-07:00

I drew a copy of a vintage haircut to share, since it's copyrighted material I couldn't print the original.

I've made a small collection of hairstyles specifically for short hair from the huge collection at

beautyisathingofthepast.blogspot.com

Vintage Sewing Pattern Design Site

2010-06-18T22:48:00.000-07:00

www.vintagesewing.info/1940s

This place is wonderful, very detailed info on construction and design of your own sewing patterns.

Vintage Sewing Pattern Re-Release

2010-06-18T22:27:00.000-07:00

I just recently found a vintage re issue sewing pattern that retails for $17.00 on ebay for $5.00 total, uncut & unused. The seller has about 10 available at the moment.

I just received it in the mail, have yet to make any clothes with it. So I hope all is well with the pattern pieces, it all seems to be there. I am making the slacks this week.

1940s-Retro-Ladies-Suit-Pattern-Skirt-Pant Pattern

Vintage Haircuts, the Middy, the femme fatale, & the baby

2010-06-18T00:17:00.000-07:00

Hi Ladies,

Here are a few authentic vintage haircuts from this decade we are all so fond of.  Just click on the image to enlarge. The originals were copyrighted material so I just made sketches of them for everybody.  Just keep in mind the length shown at the nape of the neck is for the majority of the head. The length of the bangs and the sides of the head will vary.

Everyday Fashions of the Forties by JoAnne Olian

2010-06-16T11:10:00.000-07:00

Everyday Fashions of the Forties by JoAnne Olian

I just checked this book out of my local library and am so glad I did, I've got to buy it now. She's got a lot of great info on the ol' Sears Catalogs from this decade. When I think of Sears I cringe frankly, I remember my Grandmother taking me there, I had a really hard time finding anything that I thought looked good. Apparently in JoAnne's book she mentions that the old catalogs ONLY contained exactly what people said they wanted to buy. I'd love to have a clothing dealer now that would be so cooperative! That's why I make my own clothes! She talks briefly about how the rural corn farmer and his wife were dressed as smartly as the stocks trader in Manhattan or L.A. would've been and other interesting wartime era details. It's mostly just the best of 10 years of the catalogs pages.

1940's Fashion Designs for Sewing Patterns

2010-06-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

I've been collecting every pattern cover I can find from the era, click on the image to enlarge it.

As I was sifting through these designs I felt some of these were very 'mid century modern' or 50's. Then I remembered by the end of WWII Dior latest design that was called "the New Look" began to influence the formerly masculine designs of wartime clothing. Which soon developed into that waspish appearance that is characterized by the 50's.

Hairstyles from the 1940's

2010-06-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

I found excerpts from "1940's Hairstyles" at scribd here for free this is the link: 1940s-Hairstyles

Actually, I did some more research on this book. I found this book on amazon for $90.00!!! Can you believe that?!   It's free at the link above, it's just the images were scanned at very poor quality. 

Also interesting link to huge catalog of 'Remembering the 1940's Books Site'

www.1940.co.uk

Authentic WWII Era Hairstyles & How To Have One

2010-06-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

This is what I think of when I'm talking about a 40's hairstyle. I used to set my Grandmothers hair all the time, so I thought I'd share some pin curl skills for those who would like to have an authentic 'era correct' style.

Just so we are all on the same page lets review a few examples of what hair was really like during WWII.

This is my Grandmother. 

Now do any of these ladies look like they have created a candy crunch net of hairspray over their entire head? 

No.  Their hair is soft undulating waves of brush-able inviting locks that lasted for days without alot of product. Now I will show you how to do the same thing.

Click on the images below then click again to zoom in to read the type. I keep a spray bottle of water on hand to keep my hair damp as I roll it up.

I do not use any product at all just shampoo. No setting lotion, no hairspray, no conditioner.  Conditioner just weighs my hair down and reduces the shine and actually makes it dirty. Your hair [my hair anyway] will stay clean longer with out it you know. After three days my hair still smells freshly washed. Hairspray will make it stinky also so use as little as possible.  

I know ladies! "Comb out my hair with no conditioner!!! Well I've Never!" But the end result is soooo worth it, unless of course it's so processed that it becomes rubber bands when wet.  

Just try it and be patient and gentle, try a really large toothed comb to do it, starting from your ends and gradually working your way up to your scalp not the other way around.  

This way your pin curl set will last a few days and it won't smell funky. {This won't do for ladies who's exercise regimen requires that they get sweaty, sorry ladies}

If your going for more of a Veronica Lake look with shiny large finger waves, I'll do a post on that later, her hairdo is simple.

Now more important facts you need to know.  There is a special way to brush these hairstyles also. Blouse-brushing. It's referred to here in this article found at that treasure chest called a blog beautyisathingofthepast.blogspot.com

This article is in reference to a particular hairdo in '51 but the concept is the same, controlled brushing and sculpting of the waves over your hands or fingers. Guiding the waves into place, not just brush brush brushing out so you have a halo of frizz.

It's really important that you use blouse brushing or a controlled method of brushing out your curls other wise you are going to get massive frizzy volume.
Also if you use product such as setting lotion or gel, use your hands and fingers to break up the set so the curls soften prior to brushing out.
Your hair must be absolutely bone dry! If you take your pins out and your hair is slightly damp your curls will fall out.
I use a dryer bonnet that I made that I attach to my hair dryer. It takes 45 min's to 1 hour.
You can let it dry over night but I would advise covering your pin curls with a scarf so you don't knock out your bobby pins in the night.
Finally after I initially brush out the pin curls I rake my fingers slowly downward in a pulling motion and arrange the waves and curls as I would like them to fall. This will rid the frizz and huge volume you get from brushing out pin curls.

fri june 18, 2010:

p.s.

Hi Ladies, I've been thinking about all you gals who just don't have the time to do a full curl set like this. I have a few other methods in mind for you and will do a post for you soon.

If any of you ladies out there know of a conditioner or hairspray that truly leaves your hair clean for days I would really like to know about it! Please tell us in the comment section. I'll keep an eye out. Thanks.

How To Acheive That Natural Look of the 1940's Era Cosmetics

2010-06-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

The 40's look was all about being as natural as possible.  Even though it took alot of effort to pull it off, it was really worth it.  

Here are just a few of the Women that set the standards for beauty in Hollywood of the 1940's Era: clockwise starting from upper left: Ava Gardner, Barbara Stanwyck, Rosalind Russell, and last but by no means least the Beautiful Joan Crawford. 

In my  tutorial I do not include the false eyelashes that all ladies wore. Sorry ladies, but that's a skill you'll need to hone all on your lonesome. Besides they pull out your lashes.

By  the way, they were human hair, so if you got them wet you lost the curl  in your lashes. My Grandmother mentioned once how she actually curled  her falsies to get them to look right after getting them wet, you pretty  much use the same technique you do for your hair.

I used  to wear fake lashes for years. I really don't enjoy pulling out my  natural lashes with glue so I can become dependent on fake ones.  So I  do not include falsies in this tutorial.  I'm not a fan of them anymore.  

Also important to know, makeup artists of this era achieved an ephemeral glow to the complexion by applying a much darker foundation makeup then applying a very light face powder to this darker foundation. I thought this was fascinating.  

I don't enjoy the feel of the [era correct] heavy pancake makeup worn during this period so I will be using a mineral powder foundation. [I know all my talk about era correctness and I use modern day mineral powder! That pancake spackle just isn't pore friendly sorry gals.]

Click on the images below to enlarge then click on them again to supersize enough to read type.

Here's a list of very basic supplies any gal needs to be drop dead gorgeous:

For instructions to have an authentic vintage manicure look see my post here: vintage-manicure-real-one

These vintage magazine articles were found at my absolute favorite site ever! beautyisathingofthepast.blogspot.com

She has spent days and days and days scanning her collection. Her blog is full of great historical information.

More from beautyisathingofthepast.blogspot.com

Don't forget to visit:

beautyisathingofthepast.blogspot.com

If any of you ladies know of pore friendly 'vintage' style pancake makeup please tell us about it in the comment section. I'll keep an eye out.
Thanks.

Forties Fashion the book

2010-06-14T04:57:00.000-07:00

Any gal who fancies her self a WWII aficionado must get her mittens on this wonderful book. It covers fashion from factory made to the couturier. Also how women managed to get through this era with any style or lipstick!

Forties Fashion: From Siren Suits to the New Look by Jonathan Walford

Vintage Manicure, a real one please

2010-06-14T00:33:00.000-07:00

A still of Joan Crawford from the late 30's with a clear detail of manicure of the time.

An ad for Cutex from 1930's that gives instructions for this type of manicure, just paint the nail skipping the edge and the moon. Accenting the nail edge under neath with a french white pencil. My Grandmother used these, they look like a white drawing pencil that is water soluble, you simply draw underneath the tip of your nail to whiten it.

This ad was located at one of my favorite blogs: thepaintedwoman.blogspot.com

This method works best if your polish is not thick. If it's thick add a few drops of 100% pure acetone remover [if you use non acetone remover it won't work as well] to your favorite polish and slowly roll the bottle in your hands. Rolling the bottle doesn't add bubble like shaking does, and warmed polish flows better.

I've seen modern attempts to recreate this look with layers of polish painted over french tip tape that is then peeled away. Bravo to them for having such dexterity, I've used this method many many times.

I just don't like seeing sharp edged layers of the nail bed paint left at the moon and nail edge after the tape is peeled off of the nail. It's not nearly as delicate as this time tested method. I prefer the much smoother result of using authentic vintage techniques.

An interesting note on this styles history:

What first began as a trend in the 30's became a necessity by the time WW2 began. Since all industries were working towards victory in the war with the Allies, cosmetics production practically came to an absolute standstill. Ladies used this style to extend the life of their polish bottle and lengthen the wear-ability of their manicure, although painting the entire nail was done during the 40's, most women, {especially in Europe where the rations were much stricter}, were more careful about rationing their luxury goods during this period. It would've been considered wasteful to paint your entire nail, unless of course you were wealthy and had a stock pile of luxury goods at your disposal.

Please feel free to post comments about your vintage manicure experiments. We'd love to hear about it. Thanks.