Planning a 1940's bedroom

A little over a year ago we found our dream apartment. Five rooms, if you say it in Swedish, a three bedroom apartment if you say in English. Built in 1954, it has two floors- the upper floor is one giant living room with a window in the ceiling, bay windows and a fireplace. Unfortunately it’s only the living room that has all its original features intact, though throughout we still have the original radiators and windowsill in green marble. Needless to say, perhaps, we plan to change things that are far too modern for our taste. Luckily, when it comes to the bedrooms and dining room, it’s just a matter of new wallpapers and a few odds and ends when it comes to details. You have already, I’m sure, guessed that we are going to turn back the dial a decade or so, and do our bedroom in a 1940’s style.

How does your wardrobe grow?

The original purpose of this blog was to build a 40’s wardrobe and of course I’m steadily working on it. However, I am not at all so far gone as I had hoped by now. Partly because I have made some clothes that I have worn this summer that is just summer clothes, partly because this first year needs more clothes to be sewn or purchased than the next three. So here is a little overview on the autumn/winter wardrobe status, so far. Perhaps this is also a good opportunity that when I have bought or finished and I have showed it here, then I link to that post in the static year-posts at the top of the blog. So you can easily check there to see what is still missing.

Grey wool shirt dress
I decided a long time ago that I would use the long-sleeved version of this pattern:

Lovely lipstick ads

Wasn’t make up ads lovelier back then? Some of these I could happily frame and hang on the wall. And some I would love to try out, like this liquid lipstick.

Brox Sisters

Thanks to one of my workmates who has a wonderful knack of finding old music on YouTube (He once spent a whole Saturday when we worked playing only different versions of Plaisir D’Amour), I discovered an American group called Brox Sisters, who had their heyday in the 20’s and 30’s. Working first on Broadway and later in Hollywood, evidently doing a good job in both places. They were sisters, Bobbe, Lorayne and Patricia, though they were born Josephine, Eunice and Kathleen Brock. They last sung together in 1939, but I feel they can fit into this blog anyway, as people in the 40’s didn’t stop listening to music just because it was recorded in another decade.

Those Verney Girls

I hope you don’t think I’m too odd if I recommend you to read a girl’s book, but that is exactly what I do here. This is one of my ultimate comfort books that I always rerun to when I need a bit of cheering up. Gwendoline Courtney (1911-1996) wrote several girl’s books that I have been told are all very funny, but I have only ever read Those Verney Girls. It was translated to Swedish, but I would probably never have read it had not my Mum had a copy. It was first published in 1948 with the title Stepmother and have also been released under Elizabeth and the Garret Theatre.

The best pin curls

The best for me, that is. I’ve been doing pin curls for a couple of years and read up on tutorials all over the web and in every book I could find. There are a lot of opinions on how to do them the best way and I don’t think any of those are wrong. They just didn’t work so well for me. I came up on the way that suited me best quite by chance and perhaps some of you will find it useful too. It depends, of course, how you want your final “do” to look. You may not like the effect that I prefer. Hair quality is another factor. My hair is fairly thick and with a natural wave and reaches just below my shoulders in the back. It is also cut in a middy- the best haircut I ever had and one that really makes it easier to curl your hair.

I start with my hair wet, but again, that is a matter of preference. My hair dries overnight, but you may have better result with only damp hair. I don’t use any setting lotion, but that’s because I never get around buying some. I probably will one day and be converted, but with this method my curls lasts three days, which I’m fine with. I use a rat-tail comb, booby pins, hairclips, a brush and some pomade. Setting and lotion and hairspray could be used too, even if I don't.

New sweater

I recently bought another sweater from Rocket Originals as I was so pleased with the red one I bought. The cut is the same, but this one has a fairisle pattern. I did a little change of colour as my list says a white jumper, and this one is in "stone", which is a pale grayish beige. A bit more practical than white. The pattern is in green, cream and brown, so it will work well with the wardrobes colours.

I know, I know, horizontal stripes are a big fashion no-no when you have a well-developed chest, but I like this sweater anyway.



For once I thought a little before and took photos when I rolled my hair. I know everyone make a post on their pin-curls, but we all do it a bit differently, so perhaps it will be appreciated anyway.