Soft Lightning Touch

Hooray for spring!

It's Friday and I'm so happy. Not sure what I'm doing this weekend, but I'm definitely looking forward to whatever goes on. Thank you all so much for your super nice comments and emails here on my blog and my facebook page.

I appreciate it very much dear followers!

Every change of season is a bit bittersweet for me and always nostalgic. Spring is no exception. I'm in love with the hilly mornings and evenings either side of sunny, flower-filled afternoons, romantic nights...

I like to wear soft nude colors in spring. Love the nude tones in clothing. I find it very classy and elegant when mixed with just a simple strand of pearls.

Lately I've been more attracted to softer pallettes and colors, maybe it's the warm weather that's got me dreaming of vintage lace, ivory/white dresses, flowers, soft lightning, picnics, me and my darling with the sunset behind us on a lake...

I'm wearing my 1950's spring dress (full skirt and knee lenght), pleats from waist with hidden stiff mesh for exaggeration; zip from bottom to back of neck and my waist is "highlighted" with the 1950's style white smocked, elasticized stretch cinch belt with three silver metal closures 2" wide.

The texture is flattering and distinct without being ostentatious. What more could you ask for in a spring season that’s all about showing your soft side?

Horray for spring.

The polka dot circle dress.

I've been hunting for the perfect pair of nude T-Strap shoes.

I finally found them!!! You like these shoes?

T-strap shoes in nude color

I love to make some of my own hair accessories. I am showing you my handmade nude flower. The earrings are a gift.

Handmade hair accessories

For this soft look - I'm wearing soft make-up with a blend of cool and neutral colors. My eyes are played up with heavy-dark eyeliner on the top lids and matt nude rose lips. It's a beautiful soft baby pink matt finish blush.

The make-up must also be soft.

Okay, now back to the point of the post.

Lately, I received a lot of comments "Where do you find all your unique clothes etc. etc.?".

 

I get stopped all the time by friends and other people who ask me where do I buy my vintage fashion. I guess there’s no single answer to this and I can’t say it’s easy. But it is a lot of fun and I feel tremendous accomplishment when I find something perfect. What makes it difficult? Well, you don’t just go to a single store and expect to find exactly what you’re looking for. It takes a lot of hard work and time.

And...now my secret. I spend many a day going back and forth between flea markets, vintage shops and garage sale. I spend hours pouring through clothes and driving from one place to another looking for gems that will make me happy. At the end of the day, sometimes I come home with absolutely nothing to show.

I buy everything that's vintage. It may not be just clothes. I like the romance of all old pieces.

Well, I hope this article has helped you understand my process. I would love to hear about your adventures in vintage hunting.

Let me know!

Now I'll show you what I found lately that's - soft, romantic, nostalgic...

Romantic describes my style perfectly.

Floral vintage scarves.

Vintage postcards

...and look, what a handwriting. So beautiful!

More postcards.

A sweet vintage handmade collar.

Your romantic lingerie story is not complete without the perfect corset, bustier, waist cincher, girdle, or shaper.

Bullet bra full body shaper with garter hooks.

This wonderful vintage soft rose dress was a gift.

While I was writing this post, I made pancakes and cleaned up my messy room.

It's finally Friday today and I have a lil bit time for me, because during the week I'm always so freaking busy.

Can't wait to enjoy the holidays!

What about you?

Lots of love,

Idda van Munster

Rosie the Riveter hairstyle: We Can Blog It!

 "Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels." ~ Faith Whittlesey

Hello ladies!

Today, you often see bandanas used as a symbol for certain gangs, but back in the 40's, bandanas were a popular accessory for women. They provided a stylish way for women to hold hairstyles in place while going about their business. While bandana trends have evolved over the years, the 40's style of folding and wearing a bandana is still a stylish option that can be used today to create a chic, vintage look.

Who’s Rosie the Riveter?

Rosie stands for those women who stayed home during World War II and worked in jobs that were used to be for men, leaving the kitchen and the mop aside for the massive production of munitions and other war supplies in many manufacturing plants.

The truth is that after the war ended and soldiers returned home, many “Rosies” returned to be who they were before the war: house keepers and family figures but with that defying and resolute gaze in her eyes, her working clothes and proudly showing her strong right arm, the image of Rosie and of all the women behind her nowadays are considered as symbols of women’s rights and of the changes in women social conditions.

Rosie is a cult image, a reference in American History, a feminist icon and one of my favourite images of all time.

A story about Geraldine Hoff Doyl

For just a simple square of cloth, the bandana enjoys a long and storied history. Far from being a mere fashion statement, its uses are as varied as the palette of colors and styles that are readily available. Today, we take a look back at this versatile cloth that has served the masses so well over the years. 

This is my inspiration picture: We Can Blog It!

The bandana first came into renown in the Old West, where the cloth was used as a neckerchief, pulled up to cover the mouth and nose as protection against the dust and dirt of the as-yet uncivilized frontier. Unfortunately, this led to outlaws using the bandana to cover their faces during robberies and crime, and the bandana quickly became associated with the wrong side of the law.

Later, the bandana became fashionable as a hobo bag, tied to a stick slung over your shoulder, and holding all your belongings as you rode the boxcars. This romantic notion gave kids the inspiration to use this method of packing when they planned to run away from home. The bandana was also just the basic necessity of sweat rag and nose tissue for the common working man, stuffed into back pocket of dungarees. But, it was also fashionable for ladies in the 40's to tie their hair back with this otherwise macho-style do-rag.


Depending on your haircut and length, the quintessential rockabilly Rosie the Riveter hairstyle can be done in a few different ways.




Supplies Needed: Bandana, hairspray, comb, optional curling iron or hot rollers, bobby pins, pomade.


The headband bandana look:
1. You'll want to fold the bandana first. Fold the bandana in half and then into thirds, leaving the bandana to be about 5" wide.
2. For easy wrapping, ensure that the longest side is at the bottom of your head while wrapping.
3. Bring the ends to the front of your head, just above the bang-line or where your bangs would start. Tie them into a double-knot.

Step 1 and 2

Step 3

Successful bandana wear is simple yet so effective. Bad hair day? Not a worry.

The bandana will fix it!

The pin-up bandana look is just one famous hairstyle worn in the pin-up era which is gaining popularity ever so rapidly right now.

You can wear it with anything!

Here are some of my looks:

And now back to the history - to the inspiration lady:

Geraldine Hoff Doyle (pictured) died in Lansing, Michigan on December 26th at the age of 86. Nearly 70 years ago she was working as a 17 year old in a metal pressing plant during World War Two.

How the Rosie the Riveter poster came to be was that in 1942, a photographer representing United Press International came to the metal factory where Geraldine Hoff Doyle worked (for only two weeks!) and loved her subtle beauty. She wore a red and white polka dot scarf as she worked. The photo ended up being the inspiration for the Rosie the Riveter poster, made by artist J. Howard Miller.

Geraldine Hoff Doyle

Interestingly, the history of the image isn't as straightforward as it seems. For a start, Doyle only worked in the factory for a couple of weeks. And the poster itself had a very limited local distribution during the war - seemingly hardly anyone saw it. It wasn't until the 1970's and 80's that the poster was rediscovered and became an icon of 'Rosie the Riveter'. In recent years for instance, Christina Aguilera („Candyman“), Pink („Raise your glass“) and Beyonce („Why don't you love me?“) have all recycled versions of this image in their music videos.

"Candyman"

„Raise your glass“

„Why don't you love me?“

Rosie the Riveter was originally named in a 1942 song, with various versions recorded including this one by the Four Vagabonds:

"Rosie The Riveter by The Four Vagabonds" 

If you are pro equality then you are pro true feminism.

Some indeed have taken feminism to the extreme, but true feminism is simply this "men and women are equal". Those that say that women are better than men are not feminists.

Makes me proud to be a woman

We can do it!

With love,

Idda van Munster

How my love affair began. Lost+Found!

"I love vintage clothes because they seem to make extravagance less costly to obtain, and I like to imagine the story behind each piece. Who wore it, where did she wear it, and who did she meet? Was it her favorite hat? Did she save up for it? I love the mystery of vintage clothes." ~ Dita von Teese

As you might have noticed I am crazy for old and unique vintage clothing. I'd say at least 90% of all me clothing is gathered from vintage shops from all over. A vintage shop is kind of like a forest to paramores, hunting for the craziest and coolest pieces. It is a little adventure, you never know what you find, where it comes from, where it was made and how it made his way to the shop you find it. The greatest thing about vintage is that you can be pretty sure to be the only one wearing it and if you come home showing your mom what you just acquired she will pretty sure tell you ''how funny, that's exactly what we've worn ages ago when we were about your age''...

Vintage clothing does get marked up over standard used-clothing prices, and some of it can be downright expensive. But in most cases, it’s still cheaper than new clothing.
Some people enjoy trying to keep up with the season-to-season fashion trends, but if you don’t feel like messing around with all of that, just get yourself some nice, always-fashionable pieces from your local vintage store.

The use of all the vintage talk is that I want to post photographs of all the nice pieces I have lately found in vintage shops I've been to.

Ivory vintage blouses

1950's bubi Peter Pan collar

1950's jacket

I'll show you only the details of my new pieces, because it will not be interesting after to see me wearing these wonderful vintage clothes.

Now, before you go telling me that vintage clothes are just old rags that smell bad, let me school you a little. Vintage, TRUE vintage, especially if it's been well preserved through the years, is quite the opposite of that.

Black 1940's transparent blouse

 

At this point, I've been wearing vintage for most of my life, and I'm not here to tell you that it's because I'm cooler or more vintage than you. "Free Dress" days are a pretty huge deal when you spend most days of your life wearing the same exact thing as the few hundred other kids you're constantly surrounded by. I discovered and became a fan of vintage because it was my way to stand out. If shopping at the mall meant looking like everyone else in non-uniform clothes.

I found individuality through wearing vintage, and it is why I still wear it today. When I saved every time I had to buy myself a 1940's black satin gown for my prom, there was absolutely no fear of running into some other girl wearing the same exact dress. And on that note, don't think that vintage is so outside of the norm that it can only be outrageous or wacky. Although there are certainly many pieces that lean toward the more unique end of the spectrum, vintage can also be very simple and classic.

Whirlaway Frocks dress from the 1940's

I'm in love with this collar

 

If you're new to the world of vintage, I understand that it can feel somewhat overwhelming. Simply put, if you get to understand the different eras and fit, vintage clothing starts to become a lot less intimidating. The first thing you should know right off the bat is that modern clothes are made to look good on hangers, whereas vintage clothes were made to look good on PEOPLE. Most vintage garments really don't come across so hot when they're just hanging in a shop or closet, so it's very important to give stuff a chance even if it looks stupid or unflattering. For the most part, it's impossible to tell how most vintage pieces are supposed to fit or lay until you literally put them on.

1960's green jacket

1940's sailor jacket

1960's red jacket with an interesting bow

Vintage brooches found. Adore them!

1950's circle skirt

Mark Farrel 1950's jacket. I love those old patterns! I think people were so creative and imaginative in those days to come up with them.

1940's straw hat

I like to collect all antique/vintage things and I like to think about the way people lived in the past.
I try to copy their style and I love vintage things so much!

I'll show you in this post what antique things I lately found!

 

I love bringing beautiful, whimsical and useful vintage things back from the forgotten corner of the attic. I don't know if it's as I've got older but I'm starting to appreciate things with a little bit of history behind them.

The structure of an elephant's family.

Porcelain antique doll

Although, to many people, porcelain dolls can be some of the scariest dolls that one can cross paths with, you will find that there are so many other people that find porcelain dolls beautiful and near one of a kind. I’m a lover of these dolls!

Dolls are definitely not just for children. Grown-ups also have this fascination towards porcelain dolls because having these dolls transport us back to their childhood – back when everything seems to be a lot less complicated. Seeing these dolls displayed in our homes would definitely bring back the genuine smiles that we once had when we were still young.

These beautiful porcelain dolls are great for almost all special occasions and makes a perfect gift for the special person you love. Last weekend my boyfriend bought me one and he made my day!

I love vintage porcelain cats.

Nefertiti & a Victorian posy.

Old German bottles.

Vintage baby pillow from Grandma. Love it!

Bowl for pralines

 

All of these treasures have stories behind them, I may not know what these stories are but I love that they have a history. I often wonder if once upon a time, a girl of my age from a century ago owned any of my treasures, if they sat on her dressing table while she brushed her hair and was bound into a corset that gave her a waist so teeny. I only hope that these treasures stay in my family for generations and maybe my great-great-great grandchildren will wonder the same thing...

Do you ever go antiques hunting or do you prefer everything more 21st century? Are there any treasures in your family that have been passed down through the generations? 

I have always had a never-ending respect for the older...

However, antique things became a passion of mine since just one little bottle inspired me...

Hope you enjoyed this wonderful little things.

And don't forget, it's the little things in life that make us happy!

All my love,

Idda van Munster

One swallow doesn't make a spring.

"True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings"

~ William Shakespeare

I feel like it's been forever since I blogged. It has been a very hard week for me, but it has also been filled with great love and many miracles. Spring is in the air and with that comes all the pretty flowers along with being able to hear the birds sing. It is a beautiful time of the year. I hope everyone is doing well.

 

A pin up girl has clean skin. I’m not just talking about washing with soap and water but clear of any tattoos.  True pin-ups from the 40’s and 50’s were not tattooed. They were the girl next-door image. We have changed a little bit from then. What is hotter than hot now is rockabilly girls with anchors and cherry tattoos and a swallow mixed in there some where as well.

I can't imagine me ever getting a tattoo (the worst thing in the world is a pretty girl getting a tattoo and ending up looking trashy), but I love the symbols: anchors, cherrys or swallows as vintage inspired broches.

My boyfriend bought me this sweet gift last year. Gorgeous vintage-silver metal swallow brooch. The tattoo-style swallow has been silver-plated and then given a matte antique finish which enhances the details. The textured bird has one wing tucked in and one wing spread. The brooch has a metal brooch pin secured to the back.

My boyfriend bought me this sweet gift last year.

I am wearing blue, blue, blue the color of the sky.

Adore swallows.

 

Something else about this birds. Superstion runs with everything and the sailors from the 40′s and 50′s believed that (and probably still do) since these little birds can’t fly long distances that when they saw one of these they figured land was near and they would soon arrive home safely. I just think this vintage postcard is pretty and love the flowers incorporated in. I always thought that two swallows seen paired together symbolized freedom.

Adorable Vintage blue polka dot shirt. Swallow brooch and a white flower.

Swallow souvenir from Germany.

From last Saturday my mom is in Germany. She stays with her sister (my aunt) for about 2 months.

It's very difficult for me, because I have a lot of to do at home after my lectures at the university.

At the airport. Mom is flying to Stuttgart.

My everday starts with: sitting alone in the morning and having my cup of NESCAFÉ.

Magical moments with my darling.

Waiting for mom on skype.

I'm so so happy!

Today I received a call from my lovely aunt (and finally I talked with my mom for hours on the phone). She bought me a gift and guess what!?

The first perfume by "the Queen of Burlesque" - Dita von Teese.

First of all: The bottle is beautiful. Love the black glass bottle with the black cord. Dita wanted it to represent the glamorous 30's. The fragrance itself smells very glamorous, mystical and beautiful.

Her new perfume is just like she is as a woman: glamorous and mysterious, self-confident and seductive. Dita Von Teese created a scent for the type of woman that she embodies like no other: the Femme Totale. She is a vamp and an innocent beauty, provocative and unattainable at the same time. She knows what she wants, and how she will get it – with style, class, and elegance. The elegant upright bottle features a ball atomizer as the perfect finishing touch to its seductive silhouette. The extraordinary perfume amphora fits perfectly in one’s hand, and is the ultimate accessory for the Femme Totale’s evening bag. Completely burlesque, full of glamour, and every bit Dita Von Teese – the neck of every bottle is adorned with a silk cord with a nail polish-red pearl, which flows into a long black silk tassel.

Thank you aunt, thanks mom!

Happy Easter!

With love,

Idda van Munster