Vintage hair journey

Vintage styled hair is the first thing a passerby notices - I think only the fashion trained eye can pinpoint eras of clothing or even recognise vintage or vintage inspired outfits. But the hair and make-up is so obvious. It's also a great way to achieve a full time vintage look if the wardrobe is very limited. As I am only starting my vintage journey I don't have a lot of outfits to offer - I try to put together what can pass as vintage inspired. With the right hair I do look vintage even if I'm not really.

(click to enlarge pictures)




My 31st birthday back in October - an absolutely atrocious very 1st try on vintage hair. 10 minutes and not enough research is most certainly not giving you the right look. But never mind it was only a start.

 


A few days later and another try - I think it was not that bad considering I have dead straight hair and I did not curl it beforehand.



In preparation for Christmas I did a hell of a lot of research, I made a lovely snood (pattern to be found HERE), I got myself a nice little book (THIS one), I followed the advice of trusted vintage blogs and got a setting lotion (LOTTABODY as recommended by many) and did some pin curls the night before Christmas. Indeed this was very fiddly but I felt sort of glamorous sleeping on pin curls with a silk scarf around my head :-)

And et voilà:



Christmas Day: when I took out the pins I had an incredible full head of tight curls, after I brushed them out it was literally an afro. Incredible. My hair was so unruly it was quite tricky to smooth it down for the victory rolls. But I was still quite pleased with the outcome.




Boxing Day: the next day my hair had the most perfect beautiful soft curls, the victory rolls put themselves into place and looked lovely and smooth. I indeed loved my hair that day.




Day 3: there was still quite a curl to the hair though I did the updo in a rush - and that's how it looks. I should have taken more time. The back rolled up nice and easy and at first I thought - who needs a rat! Well until I saw the picture :-) It is quite droopy - I suppose a rat would make it nice and even. I shall whip one up for myself in the very near future!



Alright. I love vintage hair, I think I have quite established that. But do I want to pin curl my hair from now on every few days? Because let's face it - with my dead straight hair a vintage look is not done in a jiffy. It needs curls.

The easiest way is a Rosie Riveter style. I've been wearing a scarf in my hair since October 1-2x per week. A nice pompadour at the front and straight hair has a vintage make-over. But today I wanted to try this:



Most of my hair is pinned to my head, just washed and straight as it is. I left out a few sections at the front which I curled quite tightly with a curling iron. I then divided it in 2 sections and rolled them into victory rolls - the rest of my head is covered by a small scarf/bandana. I had to pin it down quite strongly as it was so far at the back. But I was really pleased with the outcome!
Still quite time consuming though....


I always enjoyed playing around with my hair. From age 20-25 I had fire engine red (and I mean fire engine red) hair that reached down to my waist - I loved all kinds of elaborate hairstyles. At 26 I chopped my hair off and ever since then I had midlength cuts, Liza cuts and even an Edie Sedgwick cut - I really enjoy having longer hair again - for now I'm actually letting grow out my trusted fringe (bangs)! Let's see how long it takes me until I go back to my Bettie bangs. Haven't had u-shaped ones in years, just plain old straight!

Vintage and me

I always had a strong affection towards vintage. I just never knew.

When I was little I would watch "High Society" over and over again - I just loved Grace Kellys hair and how her beautiful frocks swished when she moved. I've also always been fond of Elvis movies and old German/Austrian films from the 50s (Peter Alexander, Roy Black and the likes ♥).



Grace Kelly (in my favourite dress of the film) and Frank Sinatra in High Society.

Later on as a teenager I adored American diners and Grease - though I think the first has a lot to do with my strong affinity to the colour red and the latter with my little passion for John Travoltas blue eyes :-)

In my late teens and early 20s I admired and emulated mostly the 60s - Bardot was a great idol for me - big hair, smoky eyes and pale lips - to this day I think this is the sexiest and prettiest look ever.

My first flat at 19 was plastered with Vargas and Ramos (though those are 60s pin-ups) prints - I adored them. I also always felt quite partial towards Lucille Ball as I sometimes got told I look like her (my mimics and facial expressions).

Alberto Vargas Pin-Up





In my 20s then I had a revival of my love for swishy skirts, Carrie Bradshaw and Marc Jacobs are partly to blame for this. I think circle skirts are the most beautiful garment ever made for a woman. The epitomy of feminine clothing. Slowly I realised that I just LOVE the 50s, the dresses, the cardis, the make-up. Women were women and the tailoring actually fits and flatters me. They had boobs and bums in those days :-)

In the last few years I aquired quite a few 50s inspired items and I would dress up on special occassions.

And then I turned 31 and gave yours truly a little present - I told myself I don't need occassions to dress up and I also don't need to go vintage full time. I allow me at least one retro day a week, one day I dress up or wear at least partly vintage (or inspired) accessories. And that's how I discovered the 40s for myself. In my 20s when I had flaming red hair I would have made a BRILLIANT psychobilly but now it's the elegance that's luring me towards it. I feel grown up and demure in a very good way when I dress up in a 40s outfit. The hairstyles are so elaborate and so much fun to do. In a 50s outfit I feel more playful but equally beautiful. I recently started collecting actual vintage - I now own 2 genuine vintage dresses and quite a bit of jewllery. That's just the start!

So even though red lips on a daily basis are an impossible thing to achieve for me (not so kissable with a little toddler around) I am really looking forward to a new vintage year ahead!

Round two!

Nearly a year has passed and I have let my blog die down. Why? Well I don't know why exactly.

It became a bit of a chore, posting wasn't as much fun anymore. What started off as a pregnancy diary for my friends and family back home in Austria soon turned into quite a crafting blog with a pinch of baking in it. After a while I just couldn't keep up with other blogs I had the urge to compete with. Silly I know.

So what now? Now I will just go back to the original intention - my little self needs a vehicle for showcasing my vanity. Those of you who know me know I am an exhibitionist at heart and the blog is just the ideal tool for this, isn't it?
Here's my dilemma - do I post in English or German or both again? I tell you what I'll stick to English for now, you all understand and frankly I don't care much about writing everything twice again.

So what will it be about now? Didn't I make myself clear? Moi, it will be about moi! About the things I love, the things I do, the things I make and this time round I will incorporate much more vintage and fashion.

So on that note I'll promise you lot's of pictures and less waffling in the next post!