Inside my vintage clothing collection there are a few prized possessions; this is one. This dress is an original 1940’s Pake Muu, designed for elegant holiday lounging. It is a cotton dress with a long zip up the back and is extremely fitted with no stretch. Sadly, this is the last time I wore it , as it is as the seams have become to old and fragile, the fabric is now tearing beyond repair. This illustrates one of the key reasons I buy such pieces in the first place; they are so beautiful that if I can own them and make patterns from them, then they can live on for many more years.
As a hostess dress, this is one of the most flattering and comfortable garments in my wardrobe. It has a simple elegance not seen in this century, the kind I always long for. Many of these original dresses can be seen for upwards of $300 online, but in my opinion, if you are a keen sewer and like to work from the detail of an original piece, they are a great investment.
Outfit Details
Original 1940s Pake Muu via Etsy
Yellow bakelite bangle
Leopard print Tiki heels – Pinup Couture
Lips- MAC Russian Red
Shot on location at – Porter Davis World of Stye Bali Room
Vintage dressing gowns form the backbone of my collection. There is nothing so glamorous and relaxing as having these to swan about in after work.
Pieces from the late 1930s through to the mid 1970s all have a home with me. Satins, silks, velvets, cottons and yes, even pretty polyester have their place in my wardrobe. You’ve seen my latest green velveteen find, so today is another great op shop discovery that is perfect for warm spring afternoons. Like good lingerie, good robes or dressing gowns, can transform the everyday into something very special. The feeling of slipping into something floaty or frilly, soft and feathered or long and silky after a hard day is simply transcendent. This is where that wonderful feeling of “feeling sexy” comes from; from inside. When you treat yourself like someone special, just for you and no one else, it springs from within and your mood lifts to meet it.
I went all out today and decided to get into the feel of the Trashy Diva Obi Dragon dress by playing the 1940’s lounge singer role in the studio with Helen. It was the perfect opportunity to road test evening looks for some upcoming Winter’s night events and see just how they’ll work. Often times I plan outfits to go dancing in and I usually sacrifice functionality for good looks. This is one perfect dress that doesn’t ask you to make that choice; just take a good jacket if you’re in Melbourne!
You saw the cute polka dot 1950’s style dress from Trashy Diva last week, well this week I wanted to play around with this new release of the Obi dress. You may remember I first found this style back when I was in New Orleans, and the decadent, floaty silk was too much to leave behind.
Not only is the fabric on these dresses simply gorgeous, but the sleeve design makes them perfect for dancing! No problems stretching, twirling or even over heating. The full skirt flows beautifully and the obi belt design forms part of the dress, so you won’t loose it on the dance floor.
Outfit Details
Obi Dragon Dress – Trashy Diva (kindly provided as a gift)
Red strap shoes – Tony Bianco
Drop earrings – Vintage
Lip colour – Mac Russian Red with Lime Crime Carousel gloss on top.
Swanky Photography by Helen McLean
If you have any questions about their dresses or other things you see on the website, like finding out about fit or care, feel free to ask away in the comments. I have loads of their pieces and have worn them for several years, so I can fill you in on all the little details.
Since 1997 I have been trying to get this hair cut. Like many of you I have all kinds of pictures, illustrations and even original cutting diagrams. So the questions is, after such a very long time, why have I never been able to get this cut to happen correctly?
Although I’ve had some fabulous hairdressers over the years, I now understand what the difference is. It is all in the training. The modern hairdressing schools teach a very different style of cutting than was taught in years past. There is a myth out there that hairdressers all know how to do the same thing, and nothing could be farther from the truth. They all have different skills and different specialties.
For instance, the hair styling that I provide in my Melbourne based Vintage Hair and Makeup company, is far more complex and time consuming than what most hairdressers have ever tackled. It it what I live and breath, as well as requiring a very different skill set than those skilled colourists for instance. But I don’t cut, I don’t colour.
Last week I was recommended to a career hairdresser (Maggie Timms) who has had over 40 years experience and was taught the Vidal Sasson way of precision cutting. She has an excellent understanding of the finished styling I want to achieve, and although this cut isn’t asked for by her day to day client, the core requirement of specialty precision cutting remains. In no time at all, (and without any diagrams needed), she snipped away and created my 6inch middy hair cut.
It is perfection.
Although my regular colourist is also an excellent cutter, the difference between the close approximation of a 1940s or 1950s style hair cut I usually sport and this new cut, has made an incomparable difference. How can I tell? This cut looks perfect set or unset, it brushes out into so many different styles with the one set, and it has cut my rolling time by more than half.
In a nutshell, if you’re looking for the key to a successful Middy Cut, it isn’t in bringing pictures and diagrams, but in finding a long term hairdresser experienced in precision cutting.
What do you think?
What are the biggest problems you have when trying to explain your hair cut requests?
Here’s the perfect vintage hairstyle for Christmas – our summer holiday season!
Christmas in Australia is often during the hottest part of the year, so choosing the right hairstyle to keep you cool and chic is an integral part of putting your look together.
This is a cute 1940’s hairstyle that involves pin curling and a roll at the nape of the neck. I’d suggest this as an intermediate skill level, or one you want to try a few times before the big day. It takes about 1 1/2 hours to do, simply because the pin curls need to dry in the middle of it. So this isn’t a last minute before you leave hairstyle either.
You could choose to skip the pin curl setting and shave off a heap of time by using a curling iron for those sections if you want to.
You’ll see for my Christmas theme I’ve used tartan ribbon and a (ridiculously oversized) holly at the back, but of course you can substitute these for the ornaments of your choice. In fact I quite like the idea of adding bells, but it may drive you crazy…
If you do decide to give this one a whirl, let me know how you go and maybe even share pictures of your ‘do’ on Instagram with me!
