So, more to update on my "crusade"! I just got the next reply, which turned out to be a two-in-one! It came from the shop chain from whose shop we'd picked the magazine up. Again, a very nice message, apologizing for the content and that they had no influence on the content of the magazine, but that they distance themselves from this and don't approve of such things. Also, they had taken consequences, which I guess refers to withdrawing the magazine from their shops. What's even more interesting, she was able to forward to me copy of e-mails that the publisher of the magazines had sent to me in reply to my two messages!
I swear, I never received them, they never landed in any of my spam filters, and I couldn't find that e-mail address in any of my blocked lists! But the only explanation is, that they got stuck somewhere in some filter - be it from the sender's side, or be it from Yahoo on my side, though I was able to check that! So, without further ado, his reply:
He apologized for the "unfortunate word-play" (well, that's putting it a little mildly in my eyes...), and said that they distance themselves from any such ideas or ideology. They had also already taken consequences (not further explained - did they already have the mag withdrawn everywhere? That would explain why it seems to not be available anymore), and that they were going to publish a statement in their next issue. Well, I'll be very interested to see that, and I hope I can get it!
I'm still wondering how that thing flew by everything, if the publisher has classed this as a no-no too. I mean, this must have been written by someone and certainly been approved by someone else, so at least two people thought this was quite okay? Questions, questions...
2012-08-05
Cut 'n slash your t-shirt for a hot day!
This is just the ticket for hot and humid days - a loose-fitting cotton top with a too-cool-to-leave-it-there motif! When I found it though, at the Caritas shop, this was a large-sized T-shirt, ca. early 90s, decorated with rhinestones and sequins that all still looked good.
Loose-fitting is good, but a bit of shape is still needed. It was definitely too big as was, but I didn't want to do anything to the motif either. The solution? I got my scissors out! Basically, I shortened the sleeves and made a band from the cut-off sections. At the back, I cut slits to thread the band through, giving it a slight peplum effect and bringing it into shape at the waist. Thanks to that, nothing else needed to be done.
Loose-fitting is good, but a bit of shape is still needed. It was definitely too big as was, but I didn't want to do anything to the motif either. The solution? I got my scissors out! Basically, I shortened the sleeves and made a band from the cut-off sections. At the back, I cut slits to thread the band through, giving it a slight peplum effect and bringing it into shape at the waist. Thanks to that, nothing else needed to be done.
Capris: H&M, shoes: Charles & Keith.
2012-08-03
Update on my "crusade" - part one!
So, today I got the first serious reply back regarding the article I posted about yesterday here.A chain of higher end fashion stores that operates in several countries, they replied very nicely, saying that of course they couldn't know what's in the free magazines they have at their stores, but of course such an article is indiscutable, and that they are going to remove all issues of this particular magazine from their stores. Well, it's definitely an improvement to what I got yesterday! My letter of complaint is still on the magazine's Facebook page - it really seems they don't give a care on what's being published on their page - or nobody is actually checking it. Well, that says a lot about them too...
On another note, a dress I bought in Vienna two years ago, and that I like very much, has gotten a few comments here, and now I actually know when it is from exactly! This is ever so cool - there really seem to be collectors of this label around. Check it out here: http://dollsfashionart.blogspot.ch/2010/08/super-dresses-from-vienna.html
On another note, a dress I bought in Vienna two years ago, and that I like very much, has gotten a few comments here, and now I actually know when it is from exactly! This is ever so cool - there really seem to be collectors of this label around. Check it out here: http://dollsfashionart.blogspot.ch/2010/08/super-dresses-from-vienna.html
2012-08-02
Unsavoury... fashion magazine extolling the coolness of the "fascist look"
This is not a political blog, however, here's a story that I just want to put out there as it has angered me so much. Besides, it does have something to do with fashion as well, but in a very unsavoury way. And I feel it puts anybody who likes the 1940s look in the wrong place too.
Whilst I was on my holiday in Vienna, my pal and I picked up a free fashion magazine at a cosmetics store. It looks like any mainstream fashion mag you can get at the news stands, minus the stories - so it's just fashion - and lots of ads. How to wear this trend and that etc. The intellectual content is about zero, I'm not kidding myself there. However, I think this doesn't mean whoever publishes it shouldn't show a bit of responsibility and a minimum of political correctness, or at least common sense.
There was an article in it about the comeback of the 1940s look. From my perspective, it was a piece of fluff and they could have shown better examples, and been more precise about style elements etc. But nothing to offend anybody. Only, on the next page, there was a separate text insert titled "Cool
im Fascho-Look" (Cool in the fascist-look). That boxed text
basically implicated that since World War II "is so long ago", it' ok to find the Nazi-Look fashionable, and that Nazi uniforms
look ever so dashing on men - even today. Therefore it mentions a German actor and an actress in Nazi roles as looking so elegant, and also claims
that all that is needed for the look can be found through the "well
sorted specialist trade". That really only implies one thing to me, and that is unsavoury to say the least.
This is a spit in the face of anybody who survived that time, and completely irresponsible, misguided and wrong. I was disgusted to say the least, and so was my friend. It's one thing to like the look of 1940s fashions, which I do too, but it doesn't mean I condone anything the Nazis did, or that I would even think of finding their uniforms something to copy! And no, it is never too long ago to not remember! There are countless wonderful 1940s Hollywood films that show the fashion of the time off to it's best that they could have cited.
Anyway, I was so put out by this, that I sent the magazine's publishers an e-mail. It's now a good two weeks since I did that, and they haven't replied. Well, I thought it's been long enough, and I'm still angry. So I sent another message to them, then I wrote to the Austrian press council to alert them to this, to the cosmetics chain where we picked the mag up (who would want to be associated to something like the?) - and all the other cosmetics or fashion shop chains, airlines, café chains and more that are listed as partners where the mag is available. Some of them are even international companies.
I see this now, besides working of my anger and disgust, which I think is the only thing one can feel in such a case, as a kind of experiment - who will reply, how fast, and what.
So far, one e-mail has come back, claiming I was sending spam. Well, any client of theirs who has a Yahoo e-mail address will be very happy then!
The press council has replied, thanking me, and saying they'd like to look into this, however they needed the article. Of course I don't have that anymore, we threw the mag out. And they say they can't get it anymore anywhere near them. Oh dear!
One of the distributors has replied, basically telling me that I shouldn't have gotten myself so worked up, since this was obviously a magazine of not very intellectually highstanding content (really? I wouldn't have known...!). At the same time he admitted he hadn't read that (of course). And that was from the company's CEO. Very reassuring! Well, I'll make sure never to set foot into any of their outlets anymore.
So this is where we are at the moment. I will keep posting further developments.
2012-08-01
Sew retro - and some scarf ideas
As you may have noticed, I've been posting lots of sewing patterns on my Etsy shop lately. Most of them are Vintage Vogue sewing pattern re-issues. Ca. 1999 Vogue started re-issuing sewing patterns from the 1920s to the 1950s roughly. In case you ever wondered if they really were the "real deal" - meaning actual re-issues, yes, they definitely are! For example, Vintage Vogue V1043:
Now, check out the original at the Vintage Pattern Wiki - it was originally Vogue Special Design S-4382 from 1953: http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/Vogue_S-4382
Vogue did obviously not reproduce the exact illustrations one to one, but kept the poses, colors and fabric prints from the original illustrations. Going back a little further, there is Vintage Vogue 2495:
Originally: Vogue 6111 from 1947: http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/Vogue_6111. Again, they "fleshed out" the drawn models a bit more, but kept the other details "as is", even down to the accessories. The drawing of the back view seems to be the exact same.
One of the first Vintage Vogue re-issues to appear must have been a particular favourite of whoever decides which patterns they choose. Before the "real" re-issues, way back when Gene doll ruled the world of 16" fashion dolls, Vogue started issuing sewing patterns for Gene and her pals (or enemies... as if Madra would ever accept anything but her own sewing patterns, which she did get from Vogue!). Some of them were quite intricate and not too easy to execute. They were not simple "doll clothing" but really miniature versions of real clothing, and made in that way. One of the first patterns issued was Vogue Craft 7106:
It's identical to View A of Gene's outfit (sorry, these are not for sale...)! The cut is exactly the same, down to the darts. I guess they invented the second version for Gene's pattern to give people a little more "value for money". Gene's pattern also includes the bag, snood and gloves, so that one could make a complete outfit. And now, for the original: that was Vogue Special Design S-4765 from 1947: http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/Vogue_S-4765
Fascinating, isn't it? The Vintage Patterns Wiki certainly holds many treasures, it's a little hard though to find something without knowing the original pattern number. Being a bit of a nerd, I would generally have appreciated it, if Vogue would have mentioned the original pattern number somewhere on the envelope of the re-issues. It would also make searching easier for those who, say, maybe have a vintage one or seen it somewhere and wonder if there's a modern re-issue. The advantage of the modern ones of course is that the instructions are probably a bit more detailed, the instruction sheets aren't crumbling, the patterns are printed - and they come in several sizes. Vogue seems to issue most of them in size ranges 6-8-10, 12-14-16, 18-20-22, which of course offers more possibilities to modern-day sewers.
Speaking of doll sewing patterns, you'll find some of those in my Etsy shop too under http://www.etsy.com/shop/willynillyart?section_id=10828918 , as well as some modern "real life" sewing patterns at http://www.etsy.com/shop/willynillyart?section_id=11912447 . All are uncut and have at best been used to copy a pattern. The thing is, if you are planning on using a pattern more than once, or may have to use a pattern piece more than once, you're always better off just copying it, which is what I do with all commercial sewing patterns. It also makes small variations in size easier, as you can first trace it and then make the changes before cutting out the copy.
Since I've been talking about scarves a lot here last year, for those looking for a way to make something out of that big scarf (or maybe two) , this blouse/top pattern is just the ticket:
I do have a lovely, sunny 1970s silk scarf on offer as well at the moment. It's top quality, beautiful heavier silk, made by Kreier - I would not suggest cutting this one up though!
Vogue did obviously not reproduce the exact illustrations one to one, but kept the poses, colors and fabric prints from the original illustrations. Going back a little further, there is Vintage Vogue 2495:
One of the first Vintage Vogue re-issues to appear must have been a particular favourite of whoever decides which patterns they choose. Before the "real" re-issues, way back when Gene doll ruled the world of 16" fashion dolls, Vogue started issuing sewing patterns for Gene and her pals (or enemies... as if Madra would ever accept anything but her own sewing patterns, which she did get from Vogue!). Some of them were quite intricate and not too easy to execute. They were not simple "doll clothing" but really miniature versions of real clothing, and made in that way. One of the first patterns issued was Vogue Craft 7106:
A long evening dress, in two versions, the main one having an Asian-inspired look about it, with a long self-shawl thrown over one shoulder. Pattern's copyright year is 1998, so it came out that year or in '99 latest. Soon after that, Vogue started with their "real" vintage re-issues, and lo and behold, one of the first ones was Vintage Vogue 2494:
Fascinating, isn't it? The Vintage Patterns Wiki certainly holds many treasures, it's a little hard though to find something without knowing the original pattern number. Being a bit of a nerd, I would generally have appreciated it, if Vogue would have mentioned the original pattern number somewhere on the envelope of the re-issues. It would also make searching easier for those who, say, maybe have a vintage one or seen it somewhere and wonder if there's a modern re-issue. The advantage of the modern ones of course is that the instructions are probably a bit more detailed, the instruction sheets aren't crumbling, the patterns are printed - and they come in several sizes. Vogue seems to issue most of them in size ranges 6-8-10, 12-14-16, 18-20-22, which of course offers more possibilities to modern-day sewers.
Speaking of doll sewing patterns, you'll find some of those in my Etsy shop too under http://www.etsy.com/shop/willynillyart?section_id=10828918 , as well as some modern "real life" sewing patterns at http://www.etsy.com/shop/willynillyart?section_id=11912447 . All are uncut and have at best been used to copy a pattern. The thing is, if you are planning on using a pattern more than once, or may have to use a pattern piece more than once, you're always better off just copying it, which is what I do with all commercial sewing patterns. It also makes small variations in size easier, as you can first trace it and then make the changes before cutting out the copy.
Since I've been talking about scarves a lot here last year, for those looking for a way to make something out of that big scarf (or maybe two) , this blouse/top pattern is just the ticket:
2012-07-31
Weird & wonderful things abroad and share your books!
Back again! Sorry for the wait, which was a bit longer than just a couple of weeks. Just too busy! And no vintage finds from Perth either. But beautiful views from the plane taking off...
Though I had a good poke around Perth's Northbridge, which has lots of second hand and vintage shops, I didn't find anything exactly vintage.
But there was also no time to visit all such shops. However, Fi & Co in William Street had super-cute dresses by Elise Design, who do very cute retro inspired dresses, and one of those went home with me! Northbridge has lots of restaurants, bars and old-fashioned or strange little shops:
The Butcher Shop - it is an old butchery, but now sells, (spray) paint, clothes, cards, small art works and other things.
But the CBD has interesting - or weird - things too if you keep your eyes open - even in busy Hay Street Mall:
Or of course the monument to Percy Button, which you can barely photograph without people though. I got lucky on early Saturday morning.
Read this one carefully... someone must have had a good laugh when they put it up!
Fish or sausage, anyone?
One thing I particularly like in Vienna is the Offener Bücherschrank - literally an "open bookcase" where people can leave their old books for others to take - and of course take books for free. Don't ask me how many times we stopped by there! Its's just fascinating to see what might be there. I must say though, it is also being well run. It's obvious the books are being sorted regularly (as in at least once a day) and stamped, so that nobody gets the idea to sell the books on. I think it's a great idea! This time I picked amongst others two trashy-looking books that may be interesting or not, but their covers already looked so great that I had to take them:
Not so trashy, but unusual was this book of what seemed to be Arabian stories or fairy tales, and which was printed in 1942 in Munich (which I find most remarkable as a fact!).
I researched the author's name, and her story is one of those that sounds more incredible than anything you'd think Hollywood could dream up - check it out here: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djavidan_Hanum .
This place is also being used by Bookcrossers, which is how I was introduced to that great idea! I have since released a book that my friend had picked up for me there, and one of mine that already has an interesting story! Zurich sadly doesn't have an open bookcase, but it has an official BookCrossing Zone and some it seems quite active Bookcrossers, so I'll be paying a visit there soon. But I admit, a whole case ful is more fun. The thrill of the hunt is a big part of the fun, no question!
Well, that's all for today. Lotsa vintage fashion coming up soon!
But there was also no time to visit all such shops. However, Fi & Co in William Street had super-cute dresses by Elise Design, who do very cute retro inspired dresses, and one of those went home with me! Northbridge has lots of restaurants, bars and old-fashioned or strange little shops:
Kakulas Bros. - the old-fashioned way to shop for imported food and spices of all kinds. Loved it!
But the CBD has interesting - or weird - things too if you keep your eyes open - even in busy Hay Street Mall:
Or of course the monument to Percy Button, which you can barely photograph without people though. I got lucky on early Saturday morning.
St. Georges Terrace holds quite a few interesting views... like the oddity that is London Court. It's been there for a long time already, and remains one of the things I clearly remember even from my first trip to Perth as a kid - 21 years ago now!
Yes, the flowers are all plastic, and most shops in there are souvenir shops - and it is "just a façade", it's been kept in good shape and I kind of like it. If this were in England, I'd call it cheesy, but in Australia, it's something else. Also, seeing how it's surrounded by high-rises now. I hope they never get the idea to tear it down!
Speaking of St. George's Terrace, just a two blocks further on, there is another small oddity between all the glass and concrete. It's so small, you might in fact even overlook it, but if you're looking for a nice breakfast around there, this is the way to go: the Greenhouse! They serve beautiful, thick home-made toast with raspberry jam.... yummy!
Note the façade is all covered in small planting pots! Water is being served from watering cans, and the door pull is made from a spade!
Over the last four weeks, I have acquired more vintage though than I ever thought. Quite a bit of it has made it to my Etsy shop
now, so check it out! One of those weeks I spent in Vienna, and our
scouring of six different Humana and a few other thrift shops brought
even more success! I'll be blogging those as we go a long. But speaking
of oddities, Vienna is of course a pretty good place for those too!
This place is also being used by Bookcrossers, which is how I was introduced to that great idea! I have since released a book that my friend had picked up for me there, and one of mine that already has an interesting story! Zurich sadly doesn't have an open bookcase, but it has an official BookCrossing Zone and some it seems quite active Bookcrossers, so I'll be paying a visit there soon. But I admit, a whole case ful is more fun. The thrill of the hunt is a big part of the fun, no question!
Well, that's all for today. Lotsa vintage fashion coming up soon!
2012-06-10
A short round-up
Just a quick one today... in a few hours, I will already be on my way to Frankfurt and from there on to Australia, on my second trade conference trip. The reason you haven't heard from me for so long was that I was on a 2-week trip to New Zealand, and then doing all the follow-ups on that and preparing for Australia took just too much time. Still, I like it, I admit, and I love traveling. Okay, unless a plane gets into violent turbulences, as experienced on an A-380 on the last trip. That's no fun, I admit.
Though I had some free time, there was no vintage shopping over there - though I did pack some vintage to wear, like my grey "power"-jacket, which I think still makes for a nice piece of business wear. I did spot some secondhand/charity shops though, that certainly looked like good options if you're looking for well-known brands for less. Queenstown has a very nice and well-stocked Salvation Army store that sells mostly clothes and shoes, but also books. There was also what looked like a consignment store in a small shopping complex on Shotover Street, but I can't remember the name of it for the life of me!
Napier, the Art Deco City, didn't yield and vintage shops either, though I admit, there wasn't much time to poke around there on my own. It is a sight to see though and one that I would recommend to everybody to visit! The buildings are so beautiful and decorative, and there is so much imagination that wen into all the decoration. I really loved it. The culmination was of course to be driven around town in a 1939 Packard as part of my Art Deco tour. The volunteers giving these tours are all locals, and they all dress up in 30s style for work. Not kitschy, but fun. The second night in town, at a small tourism networking function at one of the hotels, two not-so young gentlement turned up in dark blue pin-stripe suits and hats, looking like they could give Al Capone a run for his money - what a sight to see! They looked so sharp!
Art Deco Napier.
The town's most incredible building, the National Tobacco Company. Lots of Art Nouveau decorative features as well!
Otherwise, the Hawke's Bay region surprised me with the great variety of wine and produce they grow, it's general green-ness, everything being close by, stylish accommodation, incredible restaurants - it is a gourmet's slice of heaven, no question!
I've also made it to the African art exhibition at the Rietberg Museum. I know very little about African art, but it was stunning - and quite interesting. The variety of styles was pretty big, and it was very well set up, giving even people like me a good clue about traditions, meanings etc.
I have also been to the opera again, probably the last time for some time, as it looks like the new intendancy starting soon is going in quite a different direction. Lots of singers that we enjoyed here will leave from the look of it. Anyway, I enjoyed this Die Entführung aus dem Serail a lot. Okay, the music is... not always "mine", but it was so well acted, and well done in a more modern way, and with a lot of humour, without veering off into kitsch. Long-time ensemble member Alfred Muff certainly got the "star" part as Osmin. Michael Laurenz as Pedrillo looked like Waldo with his nerd-glasses and beanie hat, but he too was exceptional - a natural as a comic actor - and making it all seem so natural not like he was acting.
As it was so hot the other week, I took the opportunity to wear one of my fave vintage cocktail dresses, which is so light that it takes temperatures like that to wear it. It would just be too much of a shame to cover this up with a jacket!
The dress is from Bonwit Teller originally, 60s for sure. The delicate fabric is shot with golden threads that make up flower shapes, and the gold braid is set with three rows of Aurora Borealis rhinestones. It glitters all the way! Shoes are as usual, S.Oliver sky-high heels, and my fave evening bag by After Five.
Good news - but not so good news for my wallet... the Caritas store around the corner now takes credit cards. Oh dear! And to top it all off, I found two great vintage dresses there yesterday!
This early to mid-60s dress might have been a bridesmaid's - or just a formal for a young lady. The label it seems is from a shop and which is still in existence - at least this Schellenberg boutique in Winterthur has almost the same logo! I love the simple shape with the pleats in the back that creat a bit of a bustle effect. There's also a stiff tull layer under the skirt, giving it a nice shape.
The second dress is a bit less dressier and more boho:
It's a fully lined, floate acetate-poly mix dress, almost floor-length, with a beautiful print. I haven't been able to find out anything about the label either, except for several hits on auction sites, showing dresses with the same label ranging from the 60s to the 80s.
So, this is it from me for the next couple of weeks!
Though I had some free time, there was no vintage shopping over there - though I did pack some vintage to wear, like my grey "power"-jacket, which I think still makes for a nice piece of business wear. I did spot some secondhand/charity shops though, that certainly looked like good options if you're looking for well-known brands for less. Queenstown has a very nice and well-stocked Salvation Army store that sells mostly clothes and shoes, but also books. There was also what looked like a consignment store in a small shopping complex on Shotover Street, but I can't remember the name of it for the life of me!
Napier, the Art Deco City, didn't yield and vintage shops either, though I admit, there wasn't much time to poke around there on my own. It is a sight to see though and one that I would recommend to everybody to visit! The buildings are so beautiful and decorative, and there is so much imagination that wen into all the decoration. I really loved it. The culmination was of course to be driven around town in a 1939 Packard as part of my Art Deco tour. The volunteers giving these tours are all locals, and they all dress up in 30s style for work. Not kitschy, but fun. The second night in town, at a small tourism networking function at one of the hotels, two not-so young gentlement turned up in dark blue pin-stripe suits and hats, looking like they could give Al Capone a run for his money - what a sight to see! They looked so sharp!
Otherwise, the Hawke's Bay region surprised me with the great variety of wine and produce they grow, it's general green-ness, everything being close by, stylish accommodation, incredible restaurants - it is a gourmet's slice of heaven, no question!
I've also made it to the African art exhibition at the Rietberg Museum. I know very little about African art, but it was stunning - and quite interesting. The variety of styles was pretty big, and it was very well set up, giving even people like me a good clue about traditions, meanings etc.
I have also been to the opera again, probably the last time for some time, as it looks like the new intendancy starting soon is going in quite a different direction. Lots of singers that we enjoyed here will leave from the look of it. Anyway, I enjoyed this Die Entführung aus dem Serail a lot. Okay, the music is... not always "mine", but it was so well acted, and well done in a more modern way, and with a lot of humour, without veering off into kitsch. Long-time ensemble member Alfred Muff certainly got the "star" part as Osmin. Michael Laurenz as Pedrillo looked like Waldo with his nerd-glasses and beanie hat, but he too was exceptional - a natural as a comic actor - and making it all seem so natural not like he was acting.
As it was so hot the other week, I took the opportunity to wear one of my fave vintage cocktail dresses, which is so light that it takes temperatures like that to wear it. It would just be too much of a shame to cover this up with a jacket!
The dress is from Bonwit Teller originally, 60s for sure. The delicate fabric is shot with golden threads that make up flower shapes, and the gold braid is set with three rows of Aurora Borealis rhinestones. It glitters all the way! Shoes are as usual, S.Oliver sky-high heels, and my fave evening bag by After Five.
Good news - but not so good news for my wallet... the Caritas store around the corner now takes credit cards. Oh dear! And to top it all off, I found two great vintage dresses there yesterday!
The second dress is a bit less dressier and more boho:
So, this is it from me for the next couple of weeks!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)