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Jewellery can make or break an outfit, and can be a great way of expressing who you are, but all too often people either treat it as an afterthought or stick to the same pieces day after day. Here are some tips for wearing jewellery in a way that catches peoples’ eyes for all the right reasons.

Consider colour, but don’t afraid to be daring

Colour is one of the most obvious things to get right, but the ‘rules’ for doing so aren’t as narrow as you might have been taught. For example, how many people are convinced they can’t wear gold and silver together in a single outfit? Of course this can look clumsy, but if you do it right, for example by including at least one item which contains both gold and silver then it needn’t be a problem at all.

For every day, consider building up a collection of inexpensive pieces in the same colours as your favourite outfits, for occasions when you need to look smart and unobtrusive. But don’t be afraid to make use of dramatic contrast either!

Be your unique self

Nothing matches the thrill of wearing a piece of jewellery that you love and that you know no-one else will be wearing. Checking out vintage and antique shops and websites can be a great way of finding that really special piece that is totally you.

Even better, you can regard second hand jewellery as an investment. Whereas new pieces will go down in price if you ever have or want to sell them on, antique pieces may even be able to be sold at a profit. And unlike money in a savings account, your antique jewellery investment can give you joy while it’s in your possession.

What feels comfortable to wear?

As with clothes, there’s no point in wearing any jewellery that feels uncomfortable. If you find that bracelets get in your way, or rings feel annoying, or earrings hurt, then life’s too short to bother with them. Instead find necklaces or brooches that you like. Wearing jewellery should be fun!

Real or costume?

Both! Most people own and wear a mixture of ‘real’ and ‘costume’ jewellery, and again, mixing and matching is nothing to be ashamed of.

Ethical considerations

There are ethical considerations associated with buying jewellery. You may have heard of ‘blood diamonds’, which are mined and sold to finance wars in Africa. Luckily there’s something called the ‘Kimberly Process’ which is making them much rarer in the UK, but they do still exist. If you’re buying new, make sure that your supplier knows your diamonds came from a legitimate source.

If you’re particularly concerned about ethical issues, it is possible to buy fair trade jewellery, which ensures that everyone in the supply chain is paid a fair wage. This can be a great way to make sure you feel as good as you look.

Find Miss Candyfloss at http://www.miss-candyfloss.com

What do you think of these looks? Do you prefer classic true-to-original reproduction or inspired polkadots/gingham dresses?

Did I lose it, talking of buying affordable vintage and then buying 3 pairs of Miss L Fire shoes at once?! No, I promise I haven’t! It just so happens that I took advantage of Amazon & Miss L Fire’s Summer sales over the past months and bought three new pairs of fresh 2011/12 collection shoes by Miss L Fire with deep discounts. It makes me sad I can’t pick and choose right when they come out, but if you’re reading my blog from Portugal  you’ll know just why I can’t afford £100 shoes these days, if any. Still, a good selection of styles and colours were available and so I got winter boots + evening heels and summer platforms for the price of one. After I looked at the neat boxes piled, I thought why not review all three at once. Here’s the scoop…

1. Monterrey Wedges

Not the most vintage looking wedge in history, but, like most Miss L Fire shoes, they are extremely cute and flattering on my UK7/EU40 feet, which is not a subtle achievement. Although the height may be a bit intimidating at aproximately 3,5”, they are more comfortable than most high heels and wedges which makes them ideal to glam up a casual days. They’re covered in a sturdy cotton fibre with a cute crochet strawberry dangle on the buckle and gingham fabric on the accent bow and piping through the shoe. The ric rac seams remind me of popular 50s styles such as colourful circle skirts, and I coordinate these with just about anything. I paid £28.05 with free registered postage on Amazon.co.uk and couldn’t be happier with them!

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2. Lauren Boot

These boots were pretty much a case of love at first sight when they came out in the Miss L Fire Fall/Winter ’11 Collection, and I had been waiting to find them on sale ever since. These are the ultimate retro 50s boots, and just happen to be in sync with mainstream fashion trends aswell. Luckily enough, I found them on sale in my size for an amount I could pay in the Miss L Fire website, at a jawdropping £59.99. Although international postage was a bit steep (£15.95) having tracking information does make one feel a lot safer. Now these boots are a dream in person; butter-like suede and endurable leather, soft fur all the way down the ankle and the most flattering shape to make you look classy too. The size is a bit smaller than other Miss L Fire shoes but they fit perfectly over silk stockings, and why would you want to wear them with anything else? The only flaw to note is that, as visible on my picture (below), my fur is a slightly different shade on one of the boots. Having emailed costumer support about it, I was promptly offered a 30% refund (£20,99) which I accepted, being sure I love them and would prefer to keep them with a flaw and an even more attractive price than not have winter boots! In total, I paid £75.94 which later became £54.95 (including postage) – a great difference from the original £135,94 total!

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3. Gabriella Heels in Blue

Last year’s Fall/Winter really checked all the boxes for me. And I wouldn’t mind having bought both the Gabriella and the Gabrielle in all the colours, but it just so happened that I could only get my hands on the Gabriella in Navy blue on Amazon UK’s sale final stretch. Even for my usually high expectations, now this is an evening shoe. The suede is lush and the mid heel ensures you can dance and prance around all night without getting sore feet. The detailing on this is also fabulous – from the punchholes through the edges to the piping and rhinestones at the front and heel, these are real showstoppers. An incredible bargain, I paid £22.72 with free registered postage for these! (Which I later decided to wear for Vogue Fashion Night Out with matching jewellery)

Needless to say both the wedges and heels came with the typical shoestring fabric Miss L Fire logo bag to carry them around, amidst the printed silk paper. Can’t resist attention to detail!

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Note: This post is in no way endorsed and these are my own views and opinions. Ta!

Looking for some marvelous Miss L Fire models too? First place to go is their website’s fabulous online store.

Do you like Miss L Fire? What are your go-to brands for repro, retro and vintage shoes?

Sarah’s Doo-Wop Dos was born out of a love of all things vintage and a fondness for rather outlandish hairstyles! I have always admired the complicated and intricate styles of bygone eras, and traditional techniques such as finger-waving and pin curling fascinate me. As a bit of a history lover, I really enjoy researching the history & origins of styles too.

It’s really hard to pick the period I like best though, as there are parts of each that inspire me. The short, boyish, finger-waved hair of the 1920s & 30s has recently caught my eye but over the years I’ve drawn inspiration from eras such as the Victorian and even 18th Century, alongside the 1940s, 50s & 60s, which are the decades I specialise in.

The styles of the 1940s are a great source of inspiration to me. I love victory rolls, a style worn throughout the war years and believed to be named after a manoeuver fighter planes would perform after a victory. I tend to wear this style as my everyday look and its something I am asked for a lot in the parlour. I enjoy the fact that you can wear this style in so many different ways (see fig 1.) A lot of 1940s styles were often born out of necessity when women, working in the factories as part of the war effort, would roll their hair up to protect it from becoming tangled in machinery or would cover it with a bandana to protect it from dirt. Although very practical, these styles still look great when worn today and bandana styles are still very popular.

Victory Rolls: How do you wear yours?

Example of 1940s styles:
Model: Francesca Love
Photographer: Jez Brown Photography
Hair: Sarah’s Doo-Wop Dos
Hair flower: Lil Mischief Retro Clothing & Accessories

1950s styles are another firm favourite, whether it’s the traditional pin-curled hair sets reminiscent of Elizabeth Taylor or the pin-up style barrel roll fringe known as ‘Bettie Bangs’ (after the world famous pin-up model Bettie Page.) As well as working from the hair parlour, I also work with Jez Brown Photography on various vintage style photo-shoots, and it’s always fun to create bold, striking styles for the models. The 50s are a great source of inspiration for this and, as a collector of Tiki mugs and Americana, I often draw on these to create eye catching pin-up style hair with a 1950’s vibe.

Pin-up shoot:
Model: Lil Mischief
Photographer: Jez Brown Photography
Hair: Sarah’s Doo-Wop Dos

Then there’s the 1960s with it’s big backcombed styles such as the beehive. This style is still very fashionable today and I love creating it and it’s a regular request at the parlour for ladies going to proms, weddings and birthdays. The styles of the 60s are so fun and playful and I love how dramatic they are. They remind me a lot of the incredible styles of the 18th century (another favourite decade of mine) with Marie Antoinette-like piles of curls high on the head, decorated with, flowers, ribbons and bows.

Examples of 1960s style, The Beehive:
Model: Miss Lily Stark
Photographer: Jez Brown Photography
Hair: Sarah’s Doo-Wop Dos
Hair flower: Lil Mischief Retro Clothing & Accessories

Sarah’s Doo-Wop Dos is a small hair parlour based in the Rose-tinted Vintage shop in the heart of Bedford town centre. I can also be found out and about at various 1940s and 50s events with my pop-up vintage hair parlour. In addition, I run workshops where I teach basic vintage hairstyles so people can learn the art of styles like victory rolls on their own hair.

Post by Sarah’s Doo Wop Dos! Find her on…
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sarahsdoowopdos
Website: http://sarahsdoowopdos.wordpress.com

Today, I’d like to share some of the fabulous tips I received from Twitter – and some of my own.

Miss Sailorette ‏@Sailorettes
I know y’all get Primark etc in UK, but how does one stay on budget buying vintage? I clearly need @Retrochick_uk’s thrifting skills!

• Gemma Seager ‏@Retrochick_uk · http://www.retrochick.co.uk
  @f8andbethere @Sailorettes eBay and a lot of time in charity shops! Also a bit of imagination!
  I buy a lot of 70s and 80s stuff that has the right style!

• Perdita ‏@Perditaspursuit · http://perditaspursuits.blogspot.com/
  @Sailorettes @Retrochick_uk For online thrift, I stick to @Vintage_Vix66′s Ebay Rules! http://vintagevixon.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/ebay-rules.html

• Darlings Vintage ‏@darlingsvintage · http://www.darlingsvintage.co.uk
  @Sailorettes Always keep your eyes open. Be prepared to haggle and put some time in. Also eBay can be quite good if it ends daytime!

My advice:

• Plan ahead. Look through your cupboard and think what you need by order of priority – if you can only invest in one or a few items for a certain period, might as well get the most pluck for your buck.
• Ebay and Etsy are fantastic, but buying local can be even cheaper. Be in the know about estate sales, flea markets, car boot sales and thrift shops. Ask friends or research about them before to prevent disapointment.
• If buying on Ebay or Etsy, bare in mind you’re not the only person looking to buy 1940s/1950s/19?? vintage. As so, items that are correctly tagged, well photographed and thoroughly described will most likely come with a matching price tag. Try to research with fewer key words, use the “Order by Price: Lowest to Highest” tool and don’t diss the least well presented items – you can always contact sellers for more information and photos! Same goes for sellers who don’t have worldwide shipping quotes included – many will be willing to post to your country upon request.
• From my personal experience, research time pays off. And by this I don’t mean just hours trawling your favourite haunts; the more you read up and flick through era catalogues and pictures, the more prepared you’ll be to identify hidden gems or possible “80s does 50s”/high street reproduction style bargains.
• If you’re looking to buy for less, it’s likely you can’t afford customs. Always be in the know about your country’s restrictions (some European countries may confiscate real fur items from outside Europe, for instance) and charges that may be applied in order to receive the item. This will prevent a lot of headaches and disappointment as this process is never quick and easy.
• Mind the details. It’s hard not to get extatic when you find a designer dress in a thrift shop but you might want to check thoroughly for wear and tear, stains, smells… It’s also important to remember to have a measuring tape at arm’s length at home (buying online) or when out shopping, so you don’t have to try on every single frock. Knowing your size well is important to ensure fit, and you might avoid ending up paying more than you’d like to alter the piece, or not being able to get in it!
• Quality does win over quantity. Some eras were more extravagant than others as far as closet consumerism goes but creativity was present in all of them. And that you must have to ensure you can coordinate most your pieces among each other so you never tire of them, and don’t have to shop as often. Of course a well made piece, even from an off the rack collection, will have you feeling like a million bucks when compared to a remotely similar thread off H&M’s latest collection for a similar, if not higher, price. This also means its likely a 50s piece is made better than an “80s does”, and that leather, silks and other natural materials will not only endure time’s trials better than their man made fibre counterparts, but also very likely feel different.
• Quantity may mean quality bargain when combining postage on cheaper items, or looking for smaller things such as jewellery, though. A lot of sellers put together lots of the same type, colour scheme or era which sell for fairly cheap in comparison, and you don’t have to be a shop or merchant to buy them. Do remember to check for size, condition and other relevant features!
• Patience is key. Its unlikely you’ll find a $12 Swing Coat in December, but why not try in August? Buying off season means there’s a lot more items available at appealing prices and a lot less people buying them, so you have more time to weigh your options.

• Have fun! Isn’t that the whole point of fashion?

I’d love to know your own tips and suggestions, how did you come to build your own vintage closet?

What is Coro, some of you must be wondering. It’s one of the most sounding names in 50s fashion jewellery, having been founded in 1901 and lasting through 1979 – you can read more about Coro and their history here. Being recognized as a desirable brand to women through the 20th Century, even if by their ominous advertising presence in magazines, signed pieces ranging from affordable to very steep collectible prices today, especially full sets. Here are some brilliant Coro/Corocraft ads that portray the glamorous brand’s style in the 1950s.

Do you wear costume jewellery? What are your favourite styles and brands?

My bag’s on the left, I had to downsize after my usual vintage one broke days earlier – I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t eyeing his 50s Samsonite!

What I wore:
Hair comb: 60s Vintage (family heirloom)
Dress: Vivien of Holloway
Handbag (not in pics): 50s Vintage (black enamel)
Shoes: Miss L Fire – Betty
Cardigan (not in pics): 50s Vintage (British Vogue)

50s 60s Old Stock Diamante Rhinestone Silver Hair Clips Grips Barrettes (pair)
The swankiest deadstock diamante hair barrettes by Suzy, made in France and sold in Lisbon between the 1960s and 1970s. Due to their classic style, they’ll accent a 40s, 50s or 60s do beautifully Each pair comes with original paper packaging.

60s 70s 80s Charles Jourdan Cream Perforated Leather Peep Toe Heels
One of the most sounding names in vintage footwear is the great french designer Charles Jourdan, the swift hand behind this lovely model. If there ever was a comfortable peep toe low heel, it’s this perfect perforated number in smooth cream leather with a statement 2 inch wood heel. Marked as Made in Portugal, probably in the 1970s to 1980s, this lovely pair seems to have left the house but once, remaining in excellent condition with impeccable heel covers.

60s Old Stock White Gold Woven Leather Peep Toe Kitten Heels UK3 US5
These are just the kind of shoes that turn heads either paired with a nice day dress or even a cocktail number. These incredible Black Bottier new-old stock white leather and gold woven peep toe kitten heels feature spanking new leather soles, and are ready for a night on the town. Their condition is fabulous, considering their 50 years of age, and they have only the faintest storage marks to tell for it.

50s 60s Navy Leather Peep Toe Heels UK3 US5
These navy leather peep toe heels are real showstoppers, which is probably why they have been well loved before I acquired them. They could use new heel caps and sole reinforcement, but the original leather sole is still in good condition despite wear.

50s 80s Grey Envelope Leather Shoulder Bag
Stylish and practical leather handbag in an envelope shape with gold tone metal accents. Its crafted in a great shade of grey, so it’ll match everything and anything for day or evening wear. The roomy inside is in fantastic condition, and the leather has but a few scuffs to tell for its age.

Get 20% off any of these items from Homeward Bound Vintage using discount code code SUMMERHOLS until September 15th. Enjoy!

I have always loved the 1920s. As a young child growing up in the North of Scotland, I was always the odd one out in ballet class and piano lessons, in ballet I was obsessed with the Charleston from the age of 4, and in piano lessons, my teacher grew increasingly frustrated as I refused to learn the classics but sprung into life when I was able to improvise jazz music and play Gerswhin from the age of 6. So you could say it is in my blood somewhere. My grandfather was quite the eccentric and always played music from the 20s-40s in his house in Edinburgh, wear a kimono and cravate and regale me and my sisters with tales of China and other far off lands. As a teenager, in the 90s UK teenagers loved Blur or Oasis. Not I, I bought the entire collection of Jamiroquai albums and singles and saw them in concert four times! On my wall, I had posters of Oscar Peterson, Marlene Dietrich wearing her suit in Morocco and Sarah Vaughan in a jazzy nightclub. My all time favourite movie from my childhood was Bugsy Malone, Jodie Foster playing Tallulah rocking my world!

My love of Art Deco design, architecture and style developed throughout the years as I travelled to places like New York and Paris. I lived in Paris and Stockholm for a while and fell in love with these two cities, their history and the likes of Greta Garbo and Josephine Baker.

I have always felt like I was born in the wrong era. I met the love of my life who proposed to me in Paris in 2010 and this spurred me on to create the wedding of my dreams, incorporating Art Deco style, my love of Paris, French and Jazz as well as out Celtic heritage. (My husband is Irish and I am Scottish). I loved planning the wedding and the day was amazing. I wore a long gold gown, had peacock feathers in my bouquet and wore my great great aunt’s pearls and a feather hairpiece. I got lots of compliments after the wedding on the styling and have since helped others plan their own big day.

This experience led me to Art Deco Gal, and my blog. I had a dream one night about having a website called Art Deco Gal, and the next day, I made it a reality. It began in October 2011 as a wedding planning guide and soon grew arms and legs. I have since been nominated for an award, run monthly competitions, have had numerous mentions in magazines other great blogs and have written guest blogs and articles for online magazines, Vintage Life and online wedding magazines such as De.Lovely affair. I love engaging with readers through my facebook page too and have lots of fun selecting images and quotes for this daily.

I have always loved drawing and painting too and used to sell paintings as a student for wine money. I now have an online print gallery for readers to buy a piece of Art Deco Gal art or order a bespoke piece themselves. I have had such a great response to this, it is lovely. I love meeting other like-minded creative individuals and fans of Art Deco, vintage and particularly the 20s and 30s. I recently went to London and had an amazing weekend soaking up the Art Deco architecture, having coffee and cakes at Claridges and meeting lovely ladies I have befriended through the blog.

My own style is quite eclectic, I love leopard print and black, and believe in investing in good staple pieces, then accessorising the hell out of em! I love Marion Cotillard, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Louise Brooks and Clara Bow. My other hero is Patsy from Ab Fab and I have been compared to her often!! (Can’t think why? :))

I look forward to an exciting new future now- I am emigrating to Australia with my husband in a couple of months and will continue with the blog, the art and with teaching French. I also look forward to visiting Napier in New Zealand, the Art Deco capital and visiting more deco-dent gems such as Miami, Shanghai and Sydney.

Art Deco Gal

Blog: http://artdecogal.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ArtDecoGal
Art Gallery: http://artdecogal.com/myar/

It’s been ages since I’ve posted outfits so I thought if any occasion justifies a comeback in my Daily Glamour feature, it’s a wedding. Well I was the skirted equivalent to a best man at friends’ wedding, which I was thrilled about, just a month ago. Being the next day after a day’s work and a college exam, I didn’t get a lot of time to prepare properly but I was overal pleased with my look. Had my curls set for a few more hours and the wind blown a bit more gently, or I not forgotten my gloves at my in-laws before we left, and it’d have been just right. But we all know how things never go according to planned. So here are a few snapshots from a lovely day with a lovely couple at their fabulous japanese themed wedding!

The bride’s dress was designed by herself, in a mix of Disney Princess with japanese Kimono inspiration. The sash was lovely and so was her headpiece, it’s a shame I don’t have detailed photos of her look for the day.

Yours truly and Mr. Sailor on the sides. We do stand out a bit, but doesn’t the couple look simply stunning?

This is the only shot I have showing my whole look – me & the groom. I was wearing Ray Ban sunnies (seeing glasses are by Epos), a vintage peach, green and yellow floral printed chiffon dress, a vintage black enamel bag and black heels from H&M. My white cardigan is a vintage beaded white British Vogue, and jewellery is vintage deadstock too – all vintage is original 1950s.

Mr. Sailor and I. He may have had a few drinks too many at this point.

Yes, I think we can be sure of it! Sorry, just had to bring a bit of silly into the post.

What do you think of my wedding look? Are you attending a lot of weddings and other dressy events for the summer? What are your dream coordinates for dress events in warm weather?

One of the key features of any vintage look is the way in which eyebrows are shapes. Many people associate vintage make-up with bright red lips or artificial beauty spots, but the shape of the eyebrows can have a significant impact the rest of your face, and can be key in achieving an authentic vintage look. With this in mind, here are a a few tips on how to shape your eyebrows for a typically vintage look.

Although trends in eyebrow style tended to change from era to era, one thing that most vintage styles had in common was an exaggerated arch. This was particularly noticeable throught the 1930s, where eyebrows were also plucked to be especially thin. At this time, hairstyles weren’t like those which you might encounter today on salon sites such as RushHair.co.uk. Instead, they tended to be short or cropped and heavily curled – meaning that the eyebrows were a focal feature. Greta Garbo is a prime example of actress exhibiting vintage Hollywood eyebrows, which show a highly defined arch. Joan Crawford was also a fan of this look at the beginning of her career, where she can be seen to have much thinner eyebrows that those which she later wore, demonstrating the change in the trend for eyebrow thickness.

If you want to go for the fuller vintage brow, then it can be a good idea to use an eyebrow pencil for extra definition. You will still want to pluck the brows to give them the desired shape, and then fill in the browline using a pencil which is a similar shade to your natural brow colour. Another key feature of vintage brows is an elongated style – that is, brows which continue slightly past the outer edge of each eye. Ava Gardner was a big fan of this look, with her highly defined brows playing a key role on in creating her striking Hollywood look.

This is a guest post.

As many of you may have noticed, the amazing DeCulto shop has recently launched with a variety of deligtful beauty products that are just as good for your look as they are for your body. One of those products was a real novelty to me, when I first received it in an adorable package from DeCulto HQ – Scotch Naturals Nail Polish. This adorable baby pink polish is, according to package note, free of harmful chemicals and made to protect your nails as well as strenghten them.

The lovely packaging! I swear I can’t get enough of shops that put so much effort into packaging their goods, doesn’t it just make a world of difference?

The polish and note about its benefits and characteristics.

The complimentary tote bag! I love this print, have been wearing it daily. It also came with a few samples of other products available at DeCulto.

This is from the WaterColours line, which is very light if not a bit see through, and interestingly enough, exudes a black chocolate or whiskey scent. Still, the first impression is that the scent doesn’t make you nauseous like many chemical polishes do. When applied, it’s very light and fine, besides drying slowly – this is a water based polish, which means you’ll need to wash your nails very well before painting them too. As you may notice, my nails were very damaged (marked red up to half from not using a bottom coat, dry) but I gave it the benefit of the doubt, even though it didn’t look as appealing as I could’ve made it look if I were better at water based nail polishes and my nails weren’t as beaten up! I do have to say – after wearing it for a few days, I could feel the difference. My nails do feel a lot more hydrated and soft after I wear it, which has made me question a lot of the products I’d worn before. And this looks pearlised after the 3rd layer, almost like a cute lucite effect! At 16,95€ it’s not a drop-dead bargain, but it’s definately worth the investment for what it does to your nails. Buy it here.

To know more about DeCulto and their stock, check out their website: http://www.deculto.com/

I like to keep up with novelties at my favourite repro and vintage shops, so I was looking forward to sharing these lovely updates from Heyday with all of you. They make marvelous reproduction clothing from the 1940s and 1950s (though less of the latter) but, as many other reproduction stores, tend to explore the same styles changing fabric patterns and introducing new pieces now and then. The last of those was the gab jacket, which looks like a dream – scroll down to see what prints they’re now made in!

Blogger Fleur de Guerre has her signature wrap dress style reproduced in Heyday’s Fleur Dress, and after the embroidered solid colour versions come the darling new prints – these are an absolute must have for daily 1940s style.

You may recognise the classic Mary dress, made of rayon in a selection of colours that would make a darling evening outfit. It’s now made in leopard too! Against popular belief, leopard was worn as early as the 1930s in coats, and would make occasional appearances in clothing until its peak of popularity in the 1950s. This will definitely add va-va-voom to your look, if you like full on animal print.

And finally the gab. Oh the gab! I cannot express how much I wish I had one of these for daily wear, they look brilliantly made and I was never lucky enough to find a decently priced vintage version (or a 49er, for that part – jackets!). The new daring and colourful prints add charm and a unique flair to this classic style.

What do you wish Heyday would make different versions of? What are your favourite items from this brand?

I’ve been sitting on this review for weeks while thinking of an exciting project I’m planning with Kessie from Lady K Loves as time has been short! Blogging is still a passion and I won’t go away any time soon, so stay tuned for more lovely reviews (did anyone say cosmetics? ;) ) and updates very soon!

The lovely flyers and magazine Kessie included in my package

Onto the amazing skirt. You can’t call yourself a retro gal without a pencil skirt in you closet, can you? It’s that one piece you buy before anything, even if it’s a badly fit H&M number, because it’s the staple item you associate with 1940s and 1950s looks. Everyone did it, from Gene Tierney to Marilyn Monroe to Doris Day, and did ladies rock these back then. I used to have a lovely black pencil skirt I loved, but got too big as time went by and I lost weight so when I found Lady K Loves had a new pencil skirt design coming I couldn’t be happier. (Please forgive my photography skills!)

It’s made of a very smooth satiny stretch cotton that fits like a dream, so you really shouldn’t worry about going one or two inches down – just don’t take it too far. I ordered a size M (29” waist 36” hip) although my usual measurements are 28”-36” and I will have to have the waist tucked in (my bad, I didn’t think it should be that skin tight!)  but I love how it feels on.

The pockets are a lovely finishing touch and the back zipper and lenght are era accurate, which I love too – this works for vintage or retro looks alike!

It has a modest rear opening to ease walking, and it doesn’t feel as if you’ll fall flat if you take a step too big, unlike some repro pencil skirts I’ve owned – it’s made for reasonably comfortable wear. This makes it all the more versatile; I can see myself wear this with a beaded cardigan to work in daytime, and with a more appealing top, jewellery and heels for evening.

That said, my only question now is wether to get the red one in a smaller size or have the waist done in too because I want this in all the colours I can get!

Note: this is not a sponsored post, rather a review from a product I received as part of my ad/sponsorship programme. All views are my own.

Although I am aware many retro girls keep their records separate from their frocks, being the vintage music peg (and lady DJ) I am, I’m always on the look out for new artists, sub-styles and compilations for rare tracks. So here are a few suggestions of killer records with great music from jazz to blues boppers to classic rockabilly that don’t break the bank.

Jazz Noire: Darktown Sleaze from the mean streets of 1940′s LA

This great release by Future Noise/Fantastic Voyage was a recent purchase of Mr. Sailor’s that would otherwise have taken me a bit to find out. It’s precious even for the utmost rare tracks such as Julia Lee’s infamous “Marijuana”, and has a great swinging beat to dance to, amidst instrumentals from brilliant film noir scores and soul-wrenching vocal tracks from reference artists of the era.

Routes of Rockabilly

Meet the compilation that got me into country and eventually western swing! Featuring from early Elvis recordings to Ernie Chaffin’s Feeling Low, it’s an all-in-one compilation for original tracks famous by covers, unmissable country, blues and R&B artists and tracks that built up to the 50′s rockabilly we know and love.

Girls Gone Rockin

Named after Ruth Brown’s 1958 hit song “This Little Girl’s Gone Rockin”, this compilation features R & B, Rockabilly and all the love songs with a hard hitting rythm you can take on a triple CD. The design isn’t too vintage, but it shouldn’t mislead you as this is a female vocal rock n’ roll dream featuring some rare tracks.

Rockin’ Bones

I got my copy years ago and can’t say enough good things about this compilation. It’s all rockabilly, lots of rare and plenty of raw tracks with a few teen delinquent audio film trailers on the side. It’s the 1950′s rock n’ roll bible, with a booklet to match with lots of saucy details about artists.

About deCULTO:

“There are thousands of beauty products and brands in the market so it is increasingly complicated to distinguish between the good and the very good products out there.
From our professional experience, we know the anti-aging and skincare world very well and have grown increasingly convinced that beauty buying is not about spending more but investing better. It’s all about smart beauty shopping.
The deCULTO universe is full of unique products, many of which have not had a presence in the Iberian Peninsula until now, and we want you to be at the centre of it. Help us shape the deCULTO universe!”

Goody bag up for grabs:

Product 1. Olivella Body Lotion 100% virgin olive oil 200ml
Product 2. Zoya nail varnish (Edyta)
Product 3. Mini Supersmile Professional Whitening System

Conditions:
- You may only enter once
- This giveaway is open worldwide
- The winner will be picked via random.org
- The giveaway ends on April 16th, 12:00pm
- To enter, simply leave a comment stating you’d like to win this prize (and why) with your email

If you want to be kept up-to-date with deCULTO’s latest news and participate in future giveaways, be sure to like their facebook page. You may also find DeCULTO on their website.

Note: This giveaway is not endorsed in any way. I’m only collaborating with a brand to give  away some lovely products!

Thank you for reading through and good luck!

The Giveaway is CLOSED! The winner is…

I took the oportunity to sit and talk to Marta, wanting to know more about her and the salon. It was interesting to find out how the salon stemmed from her love of vintage hair; “although you don’t learn how to create specifically vintage hairstyles, you learn all the necessary techniques for them”. But the shop isn’t just a salon; how about the clothing? “I have always liked a lot of brands and styles that weren’t available in Portugal, so I mostly stock what I’d like to find for myself, like Freddie’s of Pinewood dungarees and jeans.”

Coming from the same viewpoint, I can’t help but wonder how the feedback she’s gotten since commencing her vintage venture; “It’s been great! I have a lot of different costumers, not just the retro crowd but also people looking for a 180º change, or wanting to try out retro hairstyles.”

So, what would you say is your favourite thing about having the shop? “When I create a hairstyle for someone that blows them away; I’ve had ladies completely surprised and delighted with the end look, that always makes my day.”

What about your personal style – do you relate to the rockabilly or vintage look? “I change daily; at times I may be more rockabilly, on others even freak! Sometimes I style my hair with curls and a retro feel, others I keep it simple as I’m always busy.”

And finally, any advice for retro loving girls looking to try retro hairstyles? “You can be surprised with how different you look, but it’s always best to have a professional’s help!”

Find What The Hell on Facebook.

Their tag design is lovely, and the rose and bow details on the girdle won me over.

I bought this in a Medium (27-28 waist) and it’s true to size; it sits on my waist without forcing it in and pulls my hips in. If you’re looking to reduce waist size, I recommend you go a size lower than your actual waist. It stretches vertically and creates a lovely elongated look, while holding your stockings up very effectively. It also allows leg movement quite well, so although you may end up with light elastic marks from the bottom at the end of the day, you don’t have to worry about walking around. These roll on girdles were essentials for 1950s ladies, and this being so comfortable, it’s become one of my current every day closet staples too.

This is tighter on the waist, although it’s the same size (Medium, 27-28 inch waist) & holds up stockings very well while not hurting your waist. It’s adjustable with three double clasp hooks in the middle back so you can go an inch bigger or smaller, too. The fabric is stretchy thick black lycra that seems to last a while and the garters are excellent – thick enough to hold your stockings and well built with metal pieces. It allows a bit more movement than the girdle, and feels very light under your clothes even though you may not want to go skin-tight with metal hook garters!

Overall apreciation
Packaging: ♥♥♥
Product quality: ♥♥♥♥♥

Although the plastic bag wasn’t something to write home about, the products were great and that’s what counts, at the end of the day. I did apreciate them coming in pink silk paper and having confetti, though – but that was the Ebay stockist. All in all, I’m extremely happy and will be using these to hold my What Katie Did stockings everyday, if not even buying more of the colours available at Kiss Me Deadly!

“Our new pencil skirts have just arrived, with pockets on the hips and a high
waist band, chose from red, black or super cute limited edition blue and
cream dog tooth.”

Cigarette Pencil Skirt £38

Bernie Jumper £35

“Rodeo Queen shirt, cute and fun with 4 inch fringe and contrasting collar,
they’ll be available in, black with leopard yoke, red with white/red star
print yoke and green with green gingham yoke, with pearl finished snap
fasteners. Our circle skirt has had a revamp, slightly longer to cover your
knees and in lovely table cloth ginghams for a real Southern Belle look.”

Rodeo Queen Shirt Coming Soon!
Circle skirt £30

“The Verity style keeps with the country feel… cute pencil skirts with
rear vent and metallic ric rac detailing, with matching strapless tops.
Named after Verity from beauty team The Vanity Box, all we can say is these
are going to be just darling!”

Verity Top & Pencil Skirt Coming Soon!

Networking is key for bloggers; connecting to other bloggers and brands can help you grow in so many ways. A recent situation with Jayne from Jayne’s Kitschen ended up proving just that; she was facing problems with website security and needed help, so I fixed her website with a few hours of hard work, and it has been safe ever since. To thank me, she was so kind to send me this box full of goodies I love from UK!

Thank you Jayne, this was very sweet of you.

~~~

Thinking how being there for each other even if just to check other blogs and commenting makes a big difference, Jayne started a #BlogLove initiative.

I really wanted to put these sentiments down in words, I hope that you will like them and that you might agree. Over the past few months, I have become more involved with the blogging community, mostly via Twitter. The community at it’s best offers support, encouragement and words of advice, whether that be with regards to which nail polish to buy or with regards to how to deal with illnesses.

However, not everyone in the blogging community is nice. There seems to be a pocket of bloggers who are either in it for the freebies or money and view their blogs as in competition with others. There have been some incidents of what I could describe as bullying, bitchiness and a never ending trail of complaining.

To counteract this negativity I thought I would dedicate a few moments a day to spreading some much needed #bloglove. We all write blogs because we choose too, we all have our passions and this should be something we should share with each, rather than viewing it as a competition to see who has the most GFC followers or unique visitors.

Let us support our fellow bloggers, here are a few things that I am going to do to spread #bloglove that I hope you might do as well.

• If you read a blog post and enjoy it, leave a comment! It will make the blogger happy and will show support.
• If you find a new blog or read a post that you love, why not share it online? This could be via Twitter, Facebook or even on your own blog, this will help that blogger to grow.
• If you feel like you want to say something negative, think before you speak, is it worth it? I always say, if you have nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all.
• Engage with each other, we are lucky enough to be in a digital world, where we can reachout and connect with people in ways never possible before, if you see a tweet that you have an opinion on, respond! Encourage conversation.

Think of it as a pay it forward or Blog Karma situation, if you do something friendly, helpful or supportive for one blogger, chances are they will return the favour at some point.

Want to spread the love on Twitter? Use the hash tag #bloglove so we can follow your blog finds!

I think this is such an amazing initiative, I can’t stress it’s importance enough. Always remember, going that extra click for your fellow blogger can really help make their day.

What do you think of #BlogLove? Will you start sharing blogs and posts you like?

Cat eye glasses are such a signature vintage eyewear look! I think we’ve all craved them, and if you’re anything like me you might even have spent hours browsing through vintage cat eye frames online. While you can still find dead stock frames in pristine condition, their prices are somewhat steep, and these frames’ age usually makes them more fragile which may be a nuisance. All considered, I decided to have sunglass lenses put in my vintage frames for now, and to buy a pair of modern frames to wear everyday. So for this week’s feature, I thought I’d share a few top vintage stockists and retro brands/their stockists you may be interested in.

Vintage by Robert Roope

They stock retro eyewear looking 1930s-1980s from a number of brands. My favourites are Black Eyewear and EPOS, both producing beautiful vintage-style frames that are borderline reproduction.

Collectable Spectacle on Etsy

This Etsy shop is the place to go if you’re looking for a special type of frame and won’t mind paying a little extra. They specialise on cat eye frames, and stock very special vintage brands now and then.

Dead Men’s Spex Vintage Eyewear

This shop is the UK retro/vintage community’s lifesaver, or so I’ve heard! Their vintage collection ranges from the basic NHS glasses to unique frames that will surely make you stand out.

Vintage 50′s Eyewear on Etsy

Almost every listing on this 1950′s frames shop looks like a one off. These may not be on everyone’s price range, but the excellent condition and extraordinary design makes them worth it.

RetroFocals on Ebay

This Ebay shop is a dream if you’re looking for a wide selection of cat eyes with mostly affordable auction starting prices

As for mine, these were the frames I got! Although they are a bit bigger than the original vintage frames they’re inspired by,  I like how they fit my face. Besides, these will coordinate a million times better than standard frames!

I will share photos of my vintage frames when I do get the new lenses put in.

What’s your favourite style of cat eye frame? Do you wear cat eye glasses? What’s your favourite stockist?

This week is full of exciting updates, so I decided to do a single post for the announcement of my giveaway winner and a stock update for my vintage boutique Homeward Bound.

My glamour giveaway was a way to reward one lucky reader for following the new Sailorette’s, and I had 80 entries from 60 ladies which was pretty exciting. You could enter up to five times to win this outstanding prize including red nail polish & lipstick, a fascinator, velvet gloves, deadstock vintage brooch and diamante hairclip and 20% off any purchase at Homeward Bound Vintage!

The winner was…

Susan from Old Fashioned Susie! Congratulations doll, I’ll email you with the coupon code and the address request to ship all of these lovelies to you.

As for Homeward Bound Vintage, I’ve some incredible vintage apparel at very invitative prices, and recently invested in a deadstock accessories lot to stock up the store for Spring. They are all so amazing I couldn’t resist keeping one of each to myself.

Deadstock 1960s 60s Black Leather Mod Point Toe Heels 4 or 5 €20

Deadstock 1960s 60s Emerald Green Lucite Hair Accessory Up Do €5

Deadstock 1960s 60s 3 pairs of French Barrettes in Pearl, light and dark Tortoise €3,50

Deadstock 1950s 50s Set of 24 Black Hair Clip Bobby Pins Pin Curl €1,50

See more at Homeward Bound Vintage on Etsy!

The Style Me Vintage book collection has aroused some controversy in the past; while some swear by the previous vintage style source books in the same title, the reviews were mixed. For those who haven’t heard about it, this volume is the third in print, and focuses on Clothes while the previous two featured hair and make-up. The buzz for this book launch was beyond prediction, considering how it was written by vintage star stylist Naomi Thompson. I for one was ecstatic to even hear of it, and every retro blog on my list was publishing great reviews it even before the grand launch party which only built up my expectation.

The hardcover has a fabric-like texture that reminds me of my vintage paperbacks a bit and the cheerfulness of the cover is so appealing. The fact that Jeni Yesterday, one of my favourite bloggers, is modelling on the cover and many others in every other page was also a nice surprise.

The book design is very interesting; the different pages and chapters are layed out in a most beautiful way, using fabric and fashion plates as background for photographs and text. After the introduction, the golden rules of vintage shopping are layed out in a few pages. These are standards to live by when buying frocks from yore, or you may very well find yourself disappointed in your purchase soon after you’ve made it.

The core part that follows highlights day and night looks per decade from the 1920s to the 1980s. These include a shopping list of the must-have items in your closet, catalogue images, model photographs and a summarised explanation of the era’s context and how the most popular styles related to it.

There is also further explanation on each type of look and the avant-garde introductions to fashion in each one. This is of key importance to understand the era in full, rather than picking up bits and bobs from photographs and prints.

The final chapter, “Useful Extras”, explains some things you’re not necessarily versed on when you start wearing vintage and make a world of difference; starting with lingerie and foundation garments and going through swimwear, how to get into your frocks and how to wash, repair and maintain them. These particularly are things you don’t necessarily want to learn by trial and error, but the final reference of historically important labels, shops and blogs suggestions are simply a treat.

All in all, Style Me Vintage: Clothes is the best sourcebook you can have at hand when browsing for clothing or before a shopping trip – from what’s from when to how to coordinate it, every question you should have is covered in this glossy 112 page book.

Buy Style Me Vintage on Amazon (it’s on sale!)