Little Miss Bossy goes Facebook

I have made my blog alter ego a public figure on Facebook!
And no I haven't lost my sanity and no my 138 followers on my blog have not gone to my head. But after some timely consideration and an argument with Mr. Bossy I have come to the conclusion that I need a different platform than my private Facebook profile page to share my vintage adventures and Twitter is just not my thing. I was very lucky recently in gaining so much knowledge about what's happening in and around Bedford in vintage regards and I met - some only virtually - many new people. But that also meant that I have broken my rule to never add anyone I don't know personally (with very little exceptions I have stuck to this self applied rule for 4 years of having a Facebook account).
So there we go - I have created a public figure page which I hope you will all "like". Please do not think I have gone completely doolally in exploiting myself - it is the complete opposite I want to protect my loved ones!

The profile page is of course a brand new work in progress but to be found HERE!

How long do you take?

Now look into my eyes!

Look into my eyes and tell me how long do YOU take to get ready?

But seriously - this is a question every vintage gal is propably asked a zillion times at least. I certainly get it very often and the questions vary of course! It ranges from unbelieving exclaims like "It must take you hours to get ready!" to ruder comments like "Bloody hell how much time have you got on your hands!". My favourite ever was - "You clearly don't spend only 5 minutes in front of the mirror!".

No I don't, I never did and I certainly hope I never look like it.

But that doesn't mean that I spend hours of my day getting ready.

For absolute donkeys years I have always given myself an hour to get ready. This hour includes breakfast, shower, getting dressed, daytime make-up and hair. And this "rule" is still applied ever since I went into vintage mode on a daily basis. Of course I have days where I faff around for ages and I also have days where I am much much quicker. I also have a stropping toddler to dress - that sometimes takes way longer!

I still haven't quite gotten used to people now seeing me as "elegant" (that's a word I would have never linked with me when I was younger, it makes me very proud now), "glam" and "perfectly groomed". I am not always but I try and a few tricks of the trade help tricking people in thinking so!

Faux bangs and a ponytail are propably my favourite hairdo and also one of the quickest of my repertoire. How I do them I told already HERE! A pretty bow tied around my ponytail and a matching flower near the bangs and my hair is done in 10 minutes good to go!

 Even quicker is this quiff-roll. I shall do a  how-to tutorial very soon! This do takes me under 10 minutes!

Victory rolls of course take a tad longer but with some practice they just need double the time of the do shown above - but with the back shoved into a snood I don't even need to pre-set my hair!

And that brings me to the most tedious and lengthy part of vintage hair. The set! I like to wet-set my hair the previous night when my child is already asleep - so again not much time is taken out of my precious daytime. I do admit I am not great at setting my hair but here again - practice will make me perfect and more important: quicker!

Brushing it out in the morning takes no time at all - so actually pre-setting hair on a sunday night is good for rushed monday mornings! But with all that wind going on currently I prefer my barnet in rock solid faux bangs or victory rolls. Ah what would I do sans my hair spray!

 And quite contrary to popular believe I don't wear a lot of make-up. I love make-up and I enjoy applying it but ever since I had my son I use it very sparingly!

Tinted moisturizer, concealer, a dab of powder, brow pencil (why that one so obviously you can read HERE), blusher and lot's of mascara. Lippy I don't wear every day, some days I also use eye shadow and at night an eye liner. But that's it!  I've been putting my face on for a good 16-17 years - I have so much practice it only takes me a few minutes!

The end result does look well groomed but that is because vintage styling is perceived as very ladylike and elegant.

And I say thank you!

Which brings me to this mental leap!

Stepping out in vintage gear causes a lot of attention. No denying that and it would be a lie to deny that I enjoy the attention. I get a comment a day and nearly all of them are kind and nice. People at check-out tills or market tenders comment the most. But the other day I got stopped in the street by a random woman who actually made me blush because she was so sincere and nice in what she said. And all I was wearing was this measly unexciting outfit:

When I went to Austria a few months ago I was astounded by the hostility of people. I was so show stopping that I even caused a little accident on the road. But it was really striking how openly rude people stared, one woman even gaped with a kind of disgusted look in her eyes. Given that she herself was sporting a 80s short hair permed head and an upper-lip moustache it wasn't that offending but it still showed me how much different the polite English are. Here in sleepy little Bedford Vintage seems to be quite widely spread and as mentioned I get a nice comment a day.

I didn't take many pictures back home in Austria but above were all taken at my parents flat.

So tell me fellow bloggers - how long do you take and how does your envoirement perceive you?

The very beautiful Lindsay of Vintage Rose has asked a similar question HERE!

Feeling the 50s

In the winter months I found myself strongly favouring the 40s - high waisted trousers, woolly snoods and such! But now the weather is getting warmer - albeit the sun seems to be always accompanied by a frosty breeze - I'm really feeling the 50s.

Floaty skirts and high ponytails feel ever so summery to me!

 And I realised I had never tried a certain hair do. Whereas I've been living in rolled bangs and a ponytail in the previous month or two I now really discovered this hair style for me. Ever so easy and quick and I suppose I'd do Gwen Stefani proud!

My old school Gwen Stefani hair interpretation - though currently made popular by Imelda May.

I took these pics when it was getting a bit warmer - but I had just ran out of my last pair of intact natural tights so the dark ones had to make do. They came off during the day as it was really a bit too warm like this.
I really like this outfit - this is actually a long top (New Look) worn under a linen skirt (Primark) which I hoisted up and cinched in, the cardigan (French Connection)  is a sheer thin fabric and unfortunately I have broken my beloved sweater-guard! All the items I have owned for many years.

But actually I am living in this "uniform" - I totally adore my simple white shirt and I am combining it nearly daily (I do wash it inbetween!) with various floaty skirts I have. As I still haven't won the lottery I still have to be creative with my not growing wardrobe!



The shirt is from Primark, the skirt from New Look - both items I had for ages. Here again I have pulled the skirt up and cinched it in - it does fall nice and puffy but a little too short!



Different brooch but the same outfit in a yellow variation - skirt also from Primark. And a very weird grin on my son's face!

 I am absolutely no sun worshipper, I quite like my pale skin and I really don't like baking in the sun. But I do admit a few rays of sunlight in my face do make me happier!

So let's see what the English summer brings for us!

Home is where the vintage heart is - Rose-tinted Vintage Bedford

Finally I want to put the spotlight on a few local Vintage lovers and sellers. I've been keen to do this ever since I started up my blog again but as you know technology was not my friend recently (camera broke, computer broke, car broke...)

When I started researching for this series I found incredible sources in and around Bedford. Our little town is ever so vintagey, there is quite a lot going on. I embrace my mummyhood and I don't crave going out much but I do sometimes wish I had more energy and opportunity to actually check out the many vintage events at night!

But first things first! Let's begin with putting the spotlight on Kat from Rose-tinted Vintage in Bedford!

The lovely Kat manning her stall at a vintage fayre in Flitwick

Rose-tinted Vinatge is based in Bedford and they offer an array of affordable casual vintage clothing, handbags, jewellery, scarfs and lot's more!

Kat from Rose-tinted Vintage aims to make vintage clothing affordable! And it is!

You can check her events page to see at what market or fayre they are to be admired or you can also ring or e-mail and book an appointment - Kat is like Vintage on wheels, she brings it to yor house! And of course there's also Etsy!

I hope she can fulfil her dream one day and open a shop in Bedford! I'll certainly be a regular!

What are you wearing to the Royal Wedding today?

Mr. Bossy, who is 100% British, has been looking at me for the last couple of days as if I'd hit my head a bit too hard. But I don't care - I love revelling completely shamelessly in the guilty pleasure of the Royal Wedding.

Here I am all decked out in union jack colours ready to celebrate with the in-laws!

I also made some crazy patriotic cakes - yummy!

Have a fun weddingy day today!

Style Icon on screen - Sophie-Anne Leclerq

No post in April yet? Jeez Louise - how the heck did I manage that?

Never mind. Let us indulge in another style icon!

This one is inspired by my most favourite readable trash. I say trash very lovingly because I adore these books but to be honest - of course it's trashy. I am talking about the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris also known as the Southern Vampire Mysteries. I simply love them. Love with a capital L.

Currently I am reading the series again - for the nth time. The books - 10 so far - are fairly thin so I can easily finish one book a day or at least within 2 days - even read again and again I just can't put them down. I'm indulging in these guilty pleasures AGAIN because I'm eagerly awaiting book #11 which will be released on 3rd of May! 

The books were made into the highly successful HBO series True Blood - but to be honest I cannot stand the series. Yes it does have it's perks, it's very very funny moments, it's clever twists and certainly some eye candy but that's about it. I think I would have loved the series if I'd never laid eyes on the books. But I simply hate how they altered the characters. I am not talking about the plot, I understand some things do and some things don't work on the screen. But Alan Ball has altered the very heart of the charm of the books - the souls of the protagonists. I hate screaming Sookie in True Blood with a passion. A witty and funny heroine on paper but a stupid damsel in distress on screen. Awful.

But that's besides the point - let's focus on the perks. Sophie-Anne's wardrobe! Sophie-Anne Leclerq, the vampire queen of Louisiana, is well cast with Evan Rachel Wood and clearly sports a fantastic dress sense favouring the 40s and 50s. Though portrayed a bit bratty and less elegant than in the books she certainly looks elegant. She is not seen in many scenes but the ones she does star in make it definitely worthwile to watch!

 

 

The other perk in True Blood is the casting of Eric - vampire head honcho. Alexander Skarsgard certainly is cast more than perfect and very easy on the eye. To say the least. Though he's clearly my favourite character in the series he still lacks the charm of the same but oh so different character of the books.

Series 3 ended with a fight between the queen and Bill the vampire - when he opened the door to Sophie-Anne in THIS outfit I applauded. I absolutely love this ensemble - for a very short moment - just a glimpse - she reveals the inside - the tealength coat worn over a few petticoats is lined blood red - stunning!

Series 4 will also start soon - and even though I don't like it very much I do have to watch it. And drool over Sophie-Anne's outfits! And Eric.

And on this note I cannot leave unmentioned my old friend Petra, who is an Austrian Fashion designer.  Her label Pebelle will be worn by Tara in Episode 5 (she thinks). Here a little trailer with Tara in a Pebelle shirt (under her coat). I am very proud of my friend!

Check out her blog!

Outfits to fill the boring gap

It's gotten so boring on my blog it's sad!

I am back in the UK but my laptop is still down and no silver lining in these regards. That means hardly any online time and the little I get has to be divided between various course work, picture editing (a zillion pics I took in Austria), general chit chat and of course blogging. So first things first - a blog post! And as I have no time to research I'll delight you with two outfits! :-)

40s inspired playsuit by Jasmine Guinness

 I love this suit, it is the most expensive clothing item I ever bought or owned. But I bought it via Littlewoods which means no big amount of money all at once! Yay for deluding yourself! 

When it arrived in the mail order just before Christmas Mr. Bossy loved it so much on me he happily accepted the price. It is indeed quite short and daring (well at least for me it is) but despite the shortness it still has an elegance to it.

And please do not forget the true model in my house.
Le poser extraordinaire!

 Suit - Jasmine Guinness via Littlewoods (not available anymore)

Shoes - Peacocks (years ago)

Cardigan - Primark (dito)

Bag - Marks & Spencers (last year)

Sweater Guard - Ebay

Snood - homemade

I particularily like the Gerbera, my favourite flowers, print.
Very punchy colours!

And here a land girl inspired outfit.

I really like knitted tank tops - I've had a few sitting in my wardrobe for years but hardly ever wore them. They certainly get their wear now! I also do a similar version of this outfit in grey/pink.

Trousers - Marks & Spencers via Ebay
Shirt - Pimkie in Austria (about 10 years ago)
Tank - Primark (few years ago)
Snood - homemade

What a failure to try to photograph my hair and my black snood. Blame the toddler who made me laugh.

These little lovelies I bought in Austria (at Deichmann) a few weeks ago. I love them! They were cheap as chips, have exactly the look I wanted and the heel is so reasonably low that they are comfortable for the whole day!

You may have noticed my new brooch. This was actually a birthday present my great aunt gave to my mum many years ago. She doesn't know what era it exactly came from but it certainly matches my growing collection. I hope my great aunt doesn't mind - I love it and wear it a lot!

And talking about family heirloom - as you know my nan recently passed away and I brought a few treasures (treasured by my heart and by my vintage loving eye) with me. But this one is my true precious. I inherited her seal ring with my grandad's - her late husband's - family's coat of arms. My mother and aunts all have one as well and my nan would always say I'd get one for my 18th birthday. I suppose because suddenly so many grandchildren appeared in the family or maybe because my grandad got ill around my 18th birthday and died the following year we never talked about this again. So I was very touched when I inherited her very own ring. And it fits like a glove.

Which is a stupid saying by the way because I have such tiny hands - no glove ever fits me. Unless it's a child's glove.



My true precious



I have just discovered photoscape. Indeed I don't know what I am doing yet but you can see I already had some more fun with these pics than with boring old Picasa. It will take me a little while to get the hang of it but I'll get there!

Pop pop popppppp art

I am certainly no true aficionado of the fine arts but I am also no unaware rookie. I have grown up surrounded by art as my dad is a fine arts photographer and an amateur fine art historian (knowledge comes with the job). Art nouveau was the most appreciated art form and era in our house. I completely disregarded it as a child or a teen, my love for art nouveau awoke much later.

When I was a teenie I discovered pop art for myself and fell in love with it. The vibrant colours, the bold statements, the cheekyness - I admired everything about it and always considered it very me. These days I am much calmer and I like to spread my tastes in my house. It's not only a colourful explosion of pop art with some 50s pin-ups in between, I like to dabble in a lot of eras. I adore art nouveau, I like art deco, I adore pop art and I also really worship vintage kitsch and modern Kawaii. So a mix of all these is me or my interior!

And when I realised that there's currently a Mel Ramos and Roy Lichtenstein exhibition in Vienna I just had to go. No I ran. 

Both artists mean a lot to me and my personal history. Earlier today I stood in front of one of the nearly life size big candy coloured naked pin-ups of Mel Ramos and I just smiled at her. She really made me happy, I wanted to touch her, stroke her. I know that sounds a bit iffy but you know what I mean, don't cha?

Unfortunately two of my favourite Ramos images were missing in the exhibition. Amongst lots others, but those I personally missed as I had them up my wall in my very first flat donkeys years ago.

Roy Lichtenstein inspired art you can find everywhere all over the world. And I always loved him. I cannot tell you why but he is certainly amongst my top 5 artists.

Again my favourite work by him was not shown.

I had planned to elaborate much more on the two artists but quite honestly I am really beat. And I don't want to miss blogging all the time. So there you go. I had a lovely time today as my dad looked after my son and my middle sister accompanied me in enjoying the exhibition. Just the two of us. Great feeling!

I've been very lucky in recent years with exhibitions in Vienna. There are always tons all around the year but I seem to catch my favs. Last year I went to see Alphonse Mucha, another one of my top 5. How I loved it!

Evening - by Mucha. I bought a print in Muchas hometown Prague years ago and still haven't had it framed!

So next year I expect de Lempicka, Vargas or Elvgren. Got it? 

Tamara de Lempicka's self portrait

Pin-up girl by Alberto Vargas  

The Fence - by Gil Elvgren

             

And talking about Gil Elvgren - in the museum gift shop I snatched up the Gil Elvgren Taschen Anniversary book. It contains all his illustrations and frankly it left me speechless. I did not know all his work and it's beyond beauty. I love it. I was surprised by the size of the book, judging from the Amazon pic and prize I assumed it was pocket-ish in size!

I am already half in my pjs and I look quite  tired. But I really liked my hair today. And the book :-)

                                          

So people in Vienna - if you have not done so yet go and see Mel Ramos and Roy Lichtenstein at the Albertina. The're on until May!