Cats and Shades

Who invented the Cat's Eye Style of Shades?

Have you any clue? Would love to hear what you know of this typical 50s style of sunglasses.

See more of this fantastic pair of Cat's Eye Sunglasses here

 



De-Clutter

A McCall Homemaking magazine cover 1942

Everybody used to call it spring cleaning. Now the hip word is de-clutter. 

Twice a year, when I have to change all the ingredients of my wardrobe, pack up the wintry clothes or the summery clothes and replace with the summery clothes or the wintry clothes, it's my time to take stock of what I have accumulated over the past season.

I find that more often than not I have loads of items which I need to keep but also quite a handful of items which need to be removed as they are either 'mistakes' that never got used, things which are simply not being used for a variety of reasons, and others which are simply obsolete - soiled, torn, mis-shapen, completely boring according to my current frame of mind.

Does it happen to you also that one thing which seemed to be so very special when you bought it, is something you wouldn't look twice at today?

Over the years, I've learnt to gauge better what I buy and very rarely make impulse buys.

Then again, since I love to add a dash of vintage to my stock of clothes, the vintage must be just so because it's not something that can be found easily and neither is it something that can be used easily, unless you plan for it properly or unless it just happens to fall on your lap as a blessing.

Every time I go through this exercise I remind myself of how much I would really desire to have a walk-in wardrobe.

It's been the dream of my home for years on end but never materialised so far. It's not like we havent' got the space....

It would be the perfect place to have an all-round dressing experience without having to go to another room to get my larger coats or jackets, without having to ferret in trunks and drawers to get at my bags and without having to hop downstairs to try on the shoes with the outfit.

Sigh.....!

The Perfect Shoes

by Oana Fuica - Shoes Designer

What is your idea of the perfect shoes?

I am still looking out for the perfect pair that will match most outfits, will feel comfortable, will be supremely fashionable, will be stylish and fun.
Perhaps that is why most women have dozens on shoes in their closet and they are never enough.
You can't solve the dilemma by having one black pair. Unlike the little black dress, that one black pair won't match everything in your wardrobe. You need a black pair for work, another for the evening, one with heels, a pair of flats. Then you probably need a pair that is good enough to endure water when it's raining so suede and soft leather are out.
You need black boots for when it's really cold and one flat pair is not good enough because then you can't wear them with your longer denims can you?
And what about the style? Hunky wedges won't match that dainty number you're wearing out to dinner tonight and those stilettos are too high to totter into town for your next shopping spree.
Vintage fashion came up with the shoe clips.
I guess that was one quick-fix solution to re-create the black shoe into something different every day.
What is your idea of the perfect shoes?
Is there a brand you prefer to others & why?

Visiting Mucha

I made it to the National of Museum of Archaeology in Valletta, Malta

to view the exhibiton about Alfonse Mucha entitled

In Quest of Beauty: Alphonse Mucha 1860-1939.

(mentioned here)

You cannot begin to imagine how beautiful it all was.

The stupendous Grand Salon of the museum was transformed into a living space of colour and beauty. I was there for close to an hour.

There is something from each of Mucha's special art forms exhibited -

line drawings, sketches, paintings, posters, books, documents, photographs, postcards, biscuit tins.... There is even a film documentary with authentic period film material and photographs showing Mucha at work. The film is a very clear-cut and concise re-telling the story of his life, his passions, his creations.

His name became the talk of Paris when he first created a poster for Sara Bernhardt, and from that day onwards he never looked back.

Portrait of  Sarah Bernhardt by William Downey

Sarah Bernardt as Empress Theodora. Photograph by William Downey.

Sometimes referred to as the father of Art Nouveau, Mucha had a knack of turning the ordinary into the extraordinary and making the beautiful into an aesthetic delight to excite the senses.

The photograph hereunder shows a model in Mucha's studio standing against a poster of Sarah Bernardt's role as Gismonda.

I was especially inspired by two of his quotes:

"The aim of art is to celebrate beauty..... Beauty is the projection of moral harmonies on material and physical planes."

and

"Black is the colour of bondage, blue is the past, yellow the joyous present, orange the glorious future."

If you're interested in receiving a complimentary copy of an exhibition brochure, send in your comment and you may be the lucky one getting it in the post. Remember to leave me a contact email or a link to your contact or otherwise email me so I can contact you for your postal address.

Easter Treasury and my new Etsy look

Vintage Yellow Bandana-sized scarf

Yesterday I dedicated an Etsy Treasury to some exceptional gift ideas with budget-proof prices. It's amazing what fantastic items you can find on Etsy for under a tenner. Find these great buys here and do leave your comment when you pass through. 

  

Meantime, I loved the mimosa flower pictures I took recently so much, that I decided to use one of them as my new Etsy shop banner... Visit here and let me know what you think.

Incidentally I love the colour yellow and although I don't wear it much, I like to be surrounded with it. What's your favourite colour?

Seeing Green - Remembering St Patrick's Day

Remembering the 17th of March means remembering my mother's birthday. She would have been 85 today and although she was not a showy kind of person, she taught me all I know about elegance.

To all of you who love green, who enjoy to celebrate St Patrick's Day or who are connected to the Irish in some way or another,

I am dedicating this post in green.

All the vintage items shown were sold, are on sale or will be on sale through Fairyfiligree, mostly here.

 



Sarah Coventry Fashion Colours

If, like me, you love vintage costume jewellery, you will have heard of

Sarah Coventry.

This brand was born in 1949, as part of the Emmons Home Fashion  company and became a well-appreciated brand for its wide variety of jewellery designs.

Highly collectible today, the Sarah Coventry range is vast.

These great turquoise Sarah Coventry clip-on earrings are in great vintage condition and whilst I'm tempted to keep them for myself, they are up for grabs, along with a lot of others..... here.

Dedicated to Margaret

The Scarf

The Bag

Purrfect cat co-ordinates

The Cats

Happy Birthday Margaret!



Reclining Beauties

Endymion by Godward

Sleep - it's been depicted by so many artists in so many different ways. I came across these three sleeping beauties and thought I'd share....

Sleeping girl by Tô Liên. Silk painting.

Photograph dated 1897 by Constant Puyo

 



Some pictures I like

Pink and Colourful Mediterranean Stripes

As you know, whenever I come across an artist whose works entice me, I like to feature here on this blog.

Meet the art of Shell Sherree whose shop on Etsy is so very delightful.

This Australian artist creates some especially whimsical and delicate artistic renderings of what inspires her about special locations.

More often than not you will find soft coloured flowers, animals and peculiarities that create that certain characteristic air about the place she has been visiting. whether it's a street in a foreign city (Paris is a strong favourite!) or a comfortable living room she'd like to spend more time in.

Paris Bicycle Romance

Date With a Stack of Light Reading

 

(Images have been used with permission)

A Special Day

The Mimosa in our garden is looking especially spectacular this year. I thought I'd share it with you all on this commemoration of Women's Day.

Enjoy!

Parisian Folies

In my last post I mentioned Paris and quite by chance, I came across this lovely semi-coloured vintage postcard from Paris. It shows a dancer with a Folies Bergères costume, dating back to circa 1900.

The picture was taken by Walery, a French photographer who lived betwee 1863-1935. This box costume has the dancer wearing a box attached to her outfit - perhaps it was placed strategically to encourage Folies Bergères patrons to throw in their tips or to drop their payments for the popcorn!!?