Modish

Miss Modish Muses: Funny Face

My new favorite cheer up movie of all time (even surpassing Amelie I think) is Funny Face! An oldie but a definite goodie. We rented it from Netflix and it's been sitting on our coffee table for a couple months- are you in the mood to watch a musical from 1957? Uh, no, not really.

But this past Sunday night we finally gave it a chance, and had I known what was in store for me I would've watched it long ago and many many times since. It's pure fantastic. Pure happy. Pure entertainment in so many ways! Both the mister and I sat with big silly grins on our face the entire time!

For those who don't know the story (I didn't before I watched) it about a fashion magazine (love it already?) and Fred Astaire is a photographer bored and uninspired by the usual dimwitted pretty models he shoots. The whole crew heads out to a little bookstore in Greenwich Villiage to try to add some life to their photoshoot, and there he meets the bookstore beauty (Audrey Hepburn) who's obsessed with philosophy and is very intellectual and thinks fashion is trivial and silly. She catches his eye, being so different from all the usual girls, and he convinces her to try modeling and come to Paris with them. She agrees because she wants to meet a French philosopher she idolizes and can't afford a trip to Paris on her own so, the plot begins...

{all images from Fanpop}

What ensues is funny, adorable and engaging and all the singing and dancing along the way is unbelievably entertaining, by everyone. Fred Astaire dancing is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen, Audrey dancing in a little 50s French beatnik club is quirky and magical and made me love her even more. And the fashion! And Paris! It felt like we were transported into a whole new world and were almost sad to leave when it was over. It's my new favorite old movie, for sure :)

What's your favorite old movie or movie that is without a doubt sure to put a smile on your face?

Portraits of Intriguing People

{all photos are autochromes from the George Eastman House circa 1910-1920s! Linked to thier individual pages}

I've been stubmling upon lots of incredible vintage portraits lately so this may become a semi-regular column. I just love looking at old photos of people, imagining their stories and what their lives were like...and all of these people above sure look like they have some stories to tell! And the colors are killing me, so gorgeous! It's amazing to see photos this old in full color, they look modern almost!

I would like to steal the peach silk dress and necklaces off that girl in the throne (3rd photo down) and I think the lady in the greenhouse (just above) seems like a woman after my own flower-loving heart. I love looking at all of these tho, truly- it's so easy to start creating stories from them all. Which photo intrigues you the most?

I Scream, You Scream

My make/do post will be up Wednesday this week instead, and if this gorgeous sunshine continues today, it'll be of the digging in the dirt variety!

For now, I think the double decker ice-cream cone I had before bed last night (Three Twins' Mocha Difference + Ben & Jerry's new Red Velvet- woah!) was haunting my dreams, cause I woke up hungry for more! I scream, you scream, we all love ice cream! Even for breakfast? Hmm...

source:: Nationaal Archeif

source:: John McNab

source:: Nationaal Archief

source:: New York Public Library

source:: Cross Duck

source:: Yvonne Thompson

source:: Claremont College Library

source:: Library of Congress

source:: chuckp

source:: US National Archives

source:: JC Burns

source:: Ed Yourdan

source:: Banksider

What's your favorite ice-cream flavor? Cone, spoon or ice-cream sandwich?

Miss Modish Muses: Peggy Moffitt

I stumbled upon this photo of Peggy Moffitt on Pinterest and knew instantly that she had to be my next Miss Modish Muse.

{Below is an amazing little fashion vid from the 60s featuring her- see her move and groove, man!}

Not only does she have some seriously amazing make-up going on (which I'm totally into at the moment) but she just seems so cool and confident and quirky. And isn't her hair amazing? Dang! Married to photographer William Claxton, she became a model and muse for his friend, designer Rudi Gernreich. When she modeled his "monokini" in 1964 (a bikini with no top) it catupulted them both to stardom and she became a total icon of the 60s. I love her edge and her personal style. She definitely has a little up-to-no-good in her eyes- hah!

Miss Modish Muses: 70's girls

Inspired by the 70's styles that are creeping back into contemporary collections this season (which I'm kinda excited about) I thought it'd be fun to look back at the source and see how those high-waisted flares and maxi dresses and turbans were rocked by stylish ladies back then. 

Click images to go to source- found in the 70's fashion, That 70's style and Lovely 70's girls groups on flickr.

Loving the striped tube socks over bright tights, the long skirts, chevrom patterns, big hats and high waisted pants- not sure I could do really flared out ones, but I do want some with a wider leg. How bout you? Think any of these 70s trends are going to make their way into your wardrobe this season? 

Miss Modish Muses: Vintage Photobooth Solo Pics

I'm kind of obsessed with these vintage photobooth photos, all found in the aptly named flickr group. All these people are so stylish in their own unique ways, reflecting the time they lived in- I could look at them for days and days.

photo 1 : photo 2 : from Akrausha's collection

photo 1 : photo 2 : photo 3 : photo 4 : from Snapatorium's collection

photo 1 : photo 2 : from My Darling Dinosaur's collection

photo 1 : photo 2 : photo 3 : photo 4 : from loveday lemon's collection

photo 1 : photo 2 : photo 3 : photo 4 : from Atypical Art's collection

photo 1 : photo 2 : photo 3 : photo 4 : more from Snapatorium's collection

It seems I'm most attracted to the pics with just a solo person in them, which is funny because I've never gone into a photobooth by myself. It seems a bit scary to me, being alone in there with a camera- I'm not sure why. Perhaps I should add a solo photo booth trip to my childhood wonder must-do list!

What do you think of these? Have you ever taken a photobooth photo alone? And why don't we have awesome backgrounds in our photobooths anymore? They're so great!

Miss Modish Muses: Louise Brooks

Our first Miss Modish Muse of the New Year!

I was initially looking for some vintage photos of women wearing menswear (I still may do that post later) and I stumbled upon this photo of Louise Brooks in a suit:

and I just couldn't stop there...

She strikes me as such an individual- a trend-setter, not a follower. She popularized this bob haircut of hers- women just had to have it after seeing how alluring she was on screen, wanting to be like her. I've really never been interested in watching a silent movie for some reason, but I'd give it a shot to see what she's like- to see what woman caused such a stir in society back then. 

{can you spot her in this one?}

 

So gorgeous. I wish I could see her in color. I bet those lips are painted red, red, red. Have any of you ever seen a movie of hers? Which would you recommend? Have you seen any silent movies before? My interest is piqued. 

Oh and look? She wrote a memoir called Lulu in Hollywood. Another thing I have to check out!

Miss Modish Muses: Snow Bunnies

Love these snowy-fun-having, vintage ladies! I hope we get some snow this winter, it's so much fun- even if it does seem to shut down the whole city for a few days (that's the fun part, really) Well that, and running around in it in your underwear (not that I've tried), snowball fights, sledding and snow-dogs, of course.

{all images linked to their original sources}

Miss Modish Muses: Vintage Valentino

We watched a fantastic documentary last weekend- Valentino, The Last Emporer (thanks Netflix instant watch!) It's a really compelling look behind the scenes of the Valentino label as he ramped up to his big 45th year collection, and celebration. If you're at all interested in fashion design, even just from an obsessed with project runway point of view (which is where I'm at) then you'll love it.

I really enjoyed the glimpses it had into his history and some of his collections from 30+ years ago. There weren't hardly enough peeks in the movie, tho, so I hunted some down to share here! (which turned out to be quite the difficult task, I tell you what)

{all images linked to their sources} And yes, that's Angelica Houston up there in a couple shots- doesn't she look incredible?

Oh, Freaks & Geeks

We just got done watching the entire, sadly short-lived tv series, Freaks & Geeks and it was SO GOOD! I had never even heard of this show until Ronit lent us the dvd box-set of the series (one little lonely season only, boo) It's Judd Apatow's version of high school life in the 80's, and it's SO funny and super endearing. It was cancelled after only one season, perhaps because it was too realistic? (talk of drugs and sex, oh my!) Anyway, it's awesome, and I want to spread it's awesome gospel just in case I'm not the last person on the planet to have seen it.

Any Freaks & Geeks fans out there? Who's your favorite character? I kind of love them all, but the geeks are my fave- little Sam is so cute and Haverchuck is so awesome and genuine. And I was a little like Lindsay growing up- straight A's geeky girl who started hanging out with the "burn-out" kids for awhile (mostly because my best friend was dating one) And Daniel (James Franco), god, major swoonfest! Plus he has the coolest clothes of the whole cast, by far.

I seriously wish they'd bring it back to tv! :(