PASSION FOR 1950's FASHION

(Scroll to end of blog to learn about winning the February BLOG GIVEAWAY)
I’m not sure if it’s more about my pursuit to stay cool and comfortable in the Orlando heat (even in the winter – it's supposed to be 80 tomorrow!), anticipating the next season of Madmen, or just a general obsession with vintage clothing, but I’ve really developed a passion for 1950’s “shirtwaist” dresses.
Dress styles of the 50’s fell into two general categories.  There were the provocative pencil dresses and skirts; these skimmed the body to the knees with a small slit at the back hem that didn’t allow for a very long walking stride so women tended to wiggle when they walked (picture the character Joan from Madmen – very sexy).  Then there was the dress that was fitted through the waist and fell into a wide skirt from just above the hip -- the shirtwaist style.  Though the shirtwaist design was based off a menswear staple, the dress’ emphasis was on the waist and bust and was anything but masculine.  Both casual and dressy versions of the shirtwaist dress were staples in a woman’s closet, and were sometimes worn with petticoats or crinolines underneath to increase the skirt’s volume and make the waist look smaller.  Without petticoats, shirtwaist dresses were more casual and most often referred to as “house” dresses.

Working at my business and tending to the farm I do wear shorts and jeans but more and more I’m finding comfort – literally! – in my vintage dresses.  The housewives of the 50’s were on to something (minus the heels and pearls while vacuuming –ha!) because wearing a cotton shirtwaist dress is much cooler and roomier than pants, and come on – so much prettier!  Here are a couple of my favorites:

 I found this dress on Retro Dress (http://www.retrodress.com/); I love the lightweight cotton fabric and the pretty embroidery at the left shoulder.

This darling carnation pink dress with a print resembling hankies is also from Retro Dress – check this site out for an amazing collection of wearable vintage clothing and acessories 1930’s to the 90’s.

Another excellent source for wearable vintage clothing is Dorothea’s Closet Vintage (http://www.dorotheasclosetvintage.com/) where you can find treasures from 1820 through the 80’s.  I found this lovely cornflower blue and white eyelet shirtwaist dress at Dorothea’s:

Speaking of vintage dresses, check out this fabric I found!  I’m loving the ladies in their wiggle and shirtwaist dresses and am thinking I’ll make some shower caps from this material.
On the rare occasions when a cold blast hits central Florida I reach for my leopard print coat from 2 Swans Nest (www.Etsy.com/shop/2SwansNest).  This is another marvelous vintage find; the empire waist, three quarter length sleeves and tiny black ruffle around the collar are wonderful details and every time I wear it I feel so chic!

RETRO REVIVAL BLOG GIVEWAY
Knowing that there are a few blustery, wintery months ahead for many of my blog followers, I thought this would be the perfect February blog giveaway:

I picked up this vintage, 1950’s neck wrap several years ago at an antique store somewhere in Georgia. Sadly, I’ve never worn it because it’s just not that cold here.  I think it is real fur but if not, it’s a good imitation.  It’s in mint condition, braided and secures at the neck with a fur button. For a chance at winning this absolutely fabulous neck wrap, comment on this blog (include your email so I can notifiy you of winning) and on February 28th I will randomly pick the winner from all those who comment.  Good luck!

Random Acts of Pieness

January 23rd is National Pie Day so in anticipation and celebration of this “holiday,” I baked a cherry pie for my husband Paul yesterday (so Betty Crocker of me!).  Although I love to cook I’ve never been much of a baker but have learned over the years to make a couple of delicious baked delights.  Here’s my simple cherry pie recipe:

1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 bags frozen sour cherries (I like the Dole brand)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream


In a medium sized bowl, mix together sugar, corn starch, salt, cinnamon and vanilla.  Next, add cherries to the bowl and toss well then add lemon juice and toss some more.  Pour cherry mixture onto pie crust, place top crust on the filling, then brush top crust with cream.  Cover the edges of the pie crust with foil and bake on 375 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and return to baking for another 20-30 minutes, or until pie is bubbly.  Let pie sit for at least an hour before serving. Enjoy!

Here is the finished product.  Fittingly, I’m wearing the “Cherry Pie” Retro Revival apron.  I’ve gone “pie crazy” and sewn up lots of pie aprons -- here are a couple more:

My cherry pie is in a beautiful, ceramic pie plate given to me by my friend Melanie and the pot holders were handmade from a couple of my vintage, 1950’s tablecloths by my friend Renee. Here’s a closer look at the potholders:

The American Pie Council (www.piecouncil.org) suggests many ways to celebrate National Pie Day; here are a few:

1. Perform random acts of pieness by baking a pie for your loved ones.
2. Eat pie.  Whether you make it yourself, buy it at a supermarket or bakery or order it at a restaurant, eat some pie on National Pie Day.
3. Share pie.  If you make or buy a pie, share it.  By its very nature, pie is meant to be eaten with others.
4. Hold a pie night.  Gather family and friends for a pie celebration.  Everyone should bring one homemade pie for the pie buffet.
5. Hold a pie-making contest.  Invite the best pie-makers in town to compete for prizes in various categories and be sure to include the kids.  Ask cooking teachers, pastry chefs and pie lovers to be judges; contact the American Pie Council and receive a sample APC pie judging sheet.
6. Hold a charity pie-throwing or pie-eating contest or a pie auction and donate the proceeds to your local community food bank.
7. Stage kid's pie activities.  Have kids compete in pie-making, pie poetry and pie art contests.
8. Publish pie memories and recipes.  Make pie often and serve them to the next generation.
9. Join the American Pie Council.  Contact the American Pie Council, the only national organization devoted to eating, making, selling, promoting and enjoying pie!

My thanks to one of my favorite customers, Sara Courtemarsh from Santa Clarita, California, for sending me this picture:

How cute is Sara?!  She’s wearing her “Hello Hello Birdie” Retro Revival apron, designed with a nod to the 1940’s; it slips comfortably over her neck and ties at the waist, behind her back.

RETRO REVIVAL’S FIRST BLOG GIVEAWAY – WE HAVE A WINNER….

Thank you all for becoming followers of this blog and many thanks for your comments –I really enjoy hearing from you!  I wrote down the names of all nine participants, placed them in a bowl and Paul drew the winner for me…Congratulations to "Just Mimi"!  Mimi: please email me your address to cindymolitor@yahoo.com so I can ship you this pretty little number this week.

And everyone, please check back next week when I’ll announce the February Retro Revival Blog Giveaway – it’s really cool but will keep you warm (hint, hint).

Unique & Whimsical Pincushions

I picked up a couple of little vintage tins recently at a flea market and finally decided what to do with them – I crafted them into pincushions!  Here’s how I did it...First I cut out a 6” circle of fabric

Then I hand stitched around the edge of the fabric circle, making a knot at one end of the thread so that I could gather the fabric into a bowl shape, leaving an opening.  I didn’t tie off the thread and left it hanging from the needle.

Next I stuffed the “bowl” with batting…

…and stitched the cushion closed.

I then glued the cushion to the tin and viola!

My completed pincushion.  I think it’s pretty cute and have been using it for a couple of days now – it’s very practical.

So, really, what's the point of a pincushion and can't we just keep our pins in the boxes we bought them in?  Well sure, but why not find a unique and whimscial way to display and keep our pins handy?  Although I made my pincushion just for fun, I found a couple of crafters who are making them for sale.  Check out this pretty little creation from Liz at www.etsy.com/shop/RecycleRabbit.  I love this little chicky!

And here's another darling handmade pincushion designed and handcrafted by Beth at www.etsy.com/shop/BethsBagz.  It's Alice in Wonderland and it's delightful!

DON’T FORGET to leave a comment about last week’s blog, “Why I Wear a Shower Cap” and you’ll automatically be entered for the drawing to win the Retro Revival Pretty Purses shower cap.  I will draw the winner next Monday, January 18th.  Thank you to Debby Girvan, Susan, BB, Shandell’s, Nat, Donna K, Just Mimi, and Anonymous for your comments; I’ve enjoyed reading every one of them.  Good luck everyone!

Why I Use a Shower Cap

My hair is naturally curly and a bit frizzy, especially when it’s exposed to humidity (did I mention I live in Florida where it’s almost always humid?!). Straight haired people have always told me, “You’re so lucky to have curl in your hair,” but like so many people, I want what I don’t have – sleek, shiny, straight hair and I work hard to achieve it. After an hour-plus of shampooing, conditioning, blow drying and flat ironing my hair, it will usually look straight for at least two days so I use a shower cap to keep it dry when I bathe. A well made, waterproof, washable shower cap is an essential part of my beauty routine and I’d really be a frizzy mess without it!

This leads me to think back to the “old” days…remember what our mothers did? Women of that generation would visit their beauty parlor once a week to have their hair washed, dried, set and styled. They’d wear a hair bonnet or shower cap to bed each night and while bathing so that their hairstyle would last all week before going back to the beauty parlor the next week to begin the process all over again! Back in those days, including many years while I was growing up, most households didn’t own hairdryers, electric rollers, and certainly not flat irons. I remember as a very young girl my mother washing my hair in the utility sink in the basement every Saturday then sitting me at the kitchen table under a giant hair dryer like the one pictured below – this was high tech!

It wasn’t until I was a teenager in the late 1970’s that handheld hair dryers became commonplace and I received one for my 15th birthday – what a treat! The first hand held dryer was invented in 1971 and revolutionized the hair industry. No longer did we have to sit under a dryer for long periods of time.

So back to shower caps…how many of you have taken the complimentary shower cap from a hotel stay? And how many of you are embarrassed by how ugly these clear plastic things are? For years I searched, unsuccessfully, for a pretty shower cap until one day I decided to make one for myself. Attacking my unruly stash of fabric scraps I found the perfect, floral cotton material. I cut the fabric into a big circle, lined it with a plastic shower curtain, added coordinating bias tape, a pretty bow and voila, the perfect shower cap! I sewed a couple more models, shared them with friends and family and soon realized, if we all loved these waterproof, washable caps, others would too! Five months later, my Retro Revival shower caps are my best selling product. If you are searching for a pretty and practical shower cap check out the options I offer at www.RetroRevival.Biz. And in the meantime, leave a comment on this blog about why you use a shower cap or your early hair (retro hair dryer products, for example) experiences and you’ll be entered into my first ever GIVEAWAY. I will enter each of your comments and pick one randomly on January 18, 2010 to win this fabulously chic shower cap! If you're not a shower cap user remember that these make excellent gifts.  Can’t wait to hear from you and send you this cap (I only made two of this model from a gorgeous black fabric covered in pretty purses – fabric is long ago discontinued and I can’t buy any more)!

Vintage Apron Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to

Christy (Lil Bit Brit)!

Christy is the winner of my December 2010 blog giveaway (the apron I made from two vintage tablecloths) - yay!

Christy, please email me your address so I can ship you the apron.

For this month's blog giveaway, I thought some of my Retro Revival handmade, lavender-infused bath salts would be nice (2 vials that'll give you 8 baths).  Who doesn't like the idea of soaking in a warm bath after all the hubbub of the holidays?

I'll randomly draw a winner from all of your comments to my January 2011 blogs; the more times you comment, the more chances you have to win!  Drawing is January 31st.  Good luck!