The coolie hat

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The coolie hat is an English name on a conical hat worn in several Asian countries for protecting from sun and rain, often made out of straw.

My hat blocks

It's perfectly possible to make hats without hat blocks, you can knit and crochet them and you can make them out of flat pattern pieces. However, if you have a hat block your shape possibilities increases. Sadly hat blocks are quite expensive, but you can block hats on other things as well, like a bowl or pan- anything that has a shape you can turn into a hat. You can also make hat blocks yourself. Below is one a friend's husband made for me by glueing layers of plywood together and the cutting it into shape with the help of a bandsaw. This one has a very nice shape for a larger pillbox hat. Beside it is a large Styrofoam ball which you can use to shape a fascinator base.

How to choose a flattering cut

I apologise for the lack of posts. I have been feeling very un-inspired lately, paired with lack of time for taking photos of some of the things I do want to show you. Luckily I can always fall back on Alla kvinnors bok and thought these advice on how to choose the most flattering cut for your figure could amuse you. Just decide if you are young or older, then if you are slim or Junoesque and last, if you are short or tall, and you will find what is right for you.

Shoe dreams

I have said it before, but I will repeat myself- dance shoes are the vintage woman’s friend. Suitable models that are comfortable even when they heels are high. Dance Store sells some really nice Aris Allen models and I want too many of them. Taking a more practical view to what I actually need, then my list says a pair of black pumps and a pair of brown walking shoes. They are not cheap and you have to add the cost of having the re-soled, but they are not overly expensive either. There are certainly more expensive reproduction shoes out there.

These 1930s Black & Silver Faux Ostrich Heeled Oxfords will probably be mine as soon as I have decided if I think the silver add too much bling or is just an interesting detail.



You can get them in white and black too.

Pink Martini

Tea With the Vintage Baroness. brought my attention to Pink Martini last year and now I pass that attention on. Pink martini is a 13-man band with 16 years and four albums’ under their belt.

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To quote them:
“Pink Martini draws inspiration from the romantic Hollywood musicals of the 1940s or ‘50s … with a more global perspective. We write a lot of songs … but we also champion songs like Ernesto Lecuona’s “Andalucia”or “Amado mio”from the Rita Hayworth film “Gilda”or “Kikuchiyo to mohshimasu (My name is Kikuchiyo)”made famous in the 1960s by the great Japanese group Hiroshi Wada & His Mahina Stars. In that sense we’re a bit like musical archeologists, digging through recordings and scores of years past and rediscovering beautiful songs.”

The practical suit

The suit was very much a staple in the wardrobe of women in the 40’s, as it had been in the decades before and after. You got married in a suit, you worked in a suit, and you shopped in a suit, travelled in it or took a country walk. It could be dressed up with a hat and jewelry, thus stretching the wardrobe for those on a meager budget. In short, it was a very practical combination of garments, the most common combination being a jacket and a skirt.

Coco Chanel in the 1940's.

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A suit can also be in three pieces, with a matching coat. (Add a waistcoat and you get four...)

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Of course, it doesn't have to be a jacket with a skirt to add up to a suit, it can be with a dress too, like this lovely design from 1951 by Mollie Parnis.

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And, for a woman, a suit doesn't have to be made in the same fabric top to bottom, like this one by Balmain in 1949.

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The most classic of suits. With small variations, this style can be found in most decades.

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A more outrageous design that probably wasn't worn by the average woman. It's nice, though.

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Grey and pink is a lovely combination.

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But so is navy and grey.

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And pink and black is a rather classic combination too.

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New Look

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More famous women in trousers

Not much to say, really. Generally better photo quality and a more elegant flair than the photos of more ordinary women.

Marlene Dietrich, of course.

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