Vintage

Vintage circus: strong men and contortionists

Vintage circus: strong men and contortionists

As a treat today I thought you might like to see some taut buttocks, rippling muscles and incredible bygone bendyness. Enjoy! [4 photos] Portrait of strongman Don Athaldo

WW2 factory girls

WW2 factory girls

WW2 factory girls working on military aircraft in 1940s America. [4 photos]

Naked girl a box of rabbit fur, 1920s

Naked girl a box of rabbit fur, 1920s

I’m not entirely sure why there is a naked girl in this box of rabbit fur. Do you think it was a promotional photo, or is she just a girl who likes feeling fur against her naked skin and got snapped in the process..? I prefer to think it’s the second option 🙂

Book Review: 1940s Fashion, The Definitive Sourcebook

Book Review: 1940s Fashion, The Definitive Sourcebook

1940s Fashion: The Definitive Sourcebook is the most wonderful book! It’s packed with nearly 500 pages of 1940s fashion photos and illustrations which take you through the whole decade: from wartime austerity and fashion influenced by the war effort and rationing, to Christian Dior’s iconic ‘New Look’ from 1947. If you’re fascinated by vintage fashion(…)

Miss Bobbed Hair, 1925 (and all the other contestants)

Miss Bobbed Hair, 1925 (and all the other contestants)

The winner (above) and runners up of the Bobbed Hair contest held in Coral Gables, Florida in February 1925. That’s a big old cup for a hairstyle isn’t it? Coral Gables,Personally I think the lady 4th from the left should have won… Source and copyright: No known copyright restrictions  | Source and copyright: No known(…)

Guest post: 1960s shopping and the catalog culture

Guest post: 1960s shopping and the catalog culture

Before online shopping, high streets and malls, there were mail-order department store catalogs. In 20th century America, department stores like Montgomery Wards, Sears and Macys were every family’s one-stop shopping destination. From clothing for the fashionable lady to tools for the handyman and toys for the kids – plus furniture for the home, appliances for(…)

1930s Actress Mary Maguire

1930s Actress Mary Maguire

Australian actress Mary Maguire (1919-1974), photographed some time around 1937. Does anyone know anything about her?

Vintage baking: a 1950s stained glass cake

Vintage baking: a 1950s stained glass cake

I’ve fancied making a retro stained glass cake for a while now, ever since stumbling across different photos of it online. Apparently it was a recipe which was printed on the back of jello packets in the 1950s, it’s also sometimes called a broken glass cake but I think that sounds a lot less appealing(…)

Vintage ghost photos and the invention of spirit photography

Vintage ghost photos and the invention of spirit photography

I don’t know what to make of these vintage ghost pictures. Spirit photography was ‘invented’ in the 1920s and made possible by the long exposure needed to take a photograph at that time. It meant that if somebody walked into the photo briefly a ghostly shadow image was created. I’m assuming these photographs are fake(…)

1940s Cole of California advert

1940s Cole of California advert

Another beautiful Cole of California advert from the 1940s.  I don’t know why more people don’t wear high-waisted bikinis, if this one is anything to go by they look fabulous! This ad was shown in The Californian, May 1947.

Vintage tennis fashions

Vintage tennis fashions

As I’m sitting here waiting for the Wimbledon final to start, I thought I’d browse around and look for some vintage tennis fashions. You can certainly why tennis has become a much more physical game when you look at what they wore to play in 1900! Which decade had the best outfits? I love the 1920s(…)

A gorgeous 1960s bikini

A gorgeous 1960s bikini

Isn’t this a pretty bikini? I’m reveling in the weekend of sunshine we seem to be having (has the  British summer finally arrived I wonder…?) so I thought photos of girls in sunshine and bikinis would be appropriate! Have a lovely weekend everyone!

What a great view!

What a great view!

This photo was taken in Panama City, Florida in 1966. The model is Melody May. Fabulous bikini, fabulous view!

1960s-inspired red and white sketch

1960s-inspired red and white sketch

I did this sketch a while ago and forgot to post it. I love the combination of red and white, so clean and vibrant, but difficult to wash without colour-run in real life! Both of these dresses are sixties-inspired and I’d love to be able to make them myself, but sadly I don’t really have(…)

Win a £50 voucher for Revival Vintage

Win a £50 voucher for Revival Vintage

This week I have a fantastic competition to share with you: the chance to win a £50 voucher to spend at Revival Vintage. About Revival Vintage: Established in 2003 we live and breathe our unique fashion business at Revival. We are a small team but what we lack in size we make up for in(…)