Friday's With Fred-Fred the Analyst

In the following clip from 1938's Care Free, Ginger Roger's wears the most gorgeous Valentine's dress (I had a copy made I wrote about here) while telling her Psychiatrist, Fred, about a very strange dream she had:

Fridays with Fred-Vintage Style Icon Phyllis Astaire

Fred Astaire had a decades long career that famously defied initial Hollywood expectations, most Astaire fans have heard the story of the initial dismissive studio report generally quoted as "can't act, slightly bald, also dances." But Fred had another thing that lasted decades and defied Hollywood expectations, his marriage to Phyllis Potter which lasted from 1933 to her death in 1954.   Phyllis was a 25 year old socialite with a young son from a previous marriage when Fred met her.  However, she was not involved in the Hollywood scene and had little interest in dancing or movies and no desire to be in the media spotlight.   Despite of this, or perhaps because of it, Fred and Phyllis had a reportedly blissful marriage and Fred was devastated when she died at the age of 46 from lung cancer.   There aren't that many picture of Phyllis around, despite her famous husband she didn't necessarily seek the spotlight, but the ones there are show that like Fred, she had great style.   The images below are ones I could find on the internet of Phyllis looking lovely in understated fashions, she may not have been as stylish as her husband (or as in love with the camera), after all who could have been, but in every picture I've seen she embodies a comfortable, simple style, that suits her perfectly:

I love this dress and hat and the shoes!  A perfect combination, this is something I'd definitely wear

 

 

 

I like the socks and shoes combo here, and the cut of the skirt

I love the shape of the black hat she is wearing here

The above outfit is my favorite, the dots, the hat, the scarf, and how it compliments her husbands outfit.  This is one time Phyllis may have been as stylish as Fred

Fridays with Fred-Fred at Christmas

An animated Fred sings a children's classic from 1970:

Friday's with Fred: Let's Face The Music With The Irving Blouse From Jitterbuggin'

If you've followed this blog at all  you might know I have a bit of a thing for the incomparable Fred Astaire

 

 

He's my favorite singer, my favorite film star, and though he may be nearly thirty years in the grave my number one celebrity crush.   Basically if it involves Fred Astaire I can' resist it.   Fred Astaire introduced dozens of popular songs during his decades long career, many of them written by Irving Berlin.   

So when I first saw the aptly name Irving blouse

in Jitterbuggin's Etsy shop it was the Fred connection that caught my eye, Fred introduced many an Irving Berlin song in his films, but one good look at the lovely 1930s style blouse with a bow at the neck and the music note print and I was as smitten as when I first saw Fred and Ginger dance as a pre-teen.

 

 

I immediately ordered the blouse and like all my other Jitterbuggin' pieces its quickly become a favorite staple in my wardrobe.  This blouse looks equal good paired with jeans, skirts, or pinafores.  

 

 

It is a 1930s style blouse but I like to mix eras and my favorite way to wear it is with my 1930s style skirt from Time Machine Vintage and a red 1940s hat I got during an awesome clearance sale at Poppycock vintage.  To accessorize I added sparkly red miss l fire shoes,  some thrifted bakelite bangles and a lovely reproduction 1940s heart pin from MerriWeather.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a rule I won't dance

 

 

but in this blouse I can at least face the music!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Fridays with Fred-Cool Cats

It's been awhile since I did a Friday's with Fred post, so in honor of September being Happy Cat Month here is one of my favorite photos of Fred.  Taken in the early 1960s for Life Magazine Fred looks ever so dapper in his suit grey suit and white loafers, and his Siamese cat looks similarly elegant in complementary grey and black furs.  The cat, named Carlyle, was a gift to Fred from Kim Novak. 

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Sadly Carlyle did not live a long life.  He was killed by a pack of coyotes in Fred's back yard.  Fred never owned a cat again.

Friday's With Fred-Fred Astaire and Joan Crawford

A short while ago I wrote about Fred Astaire's first film, 1933's Dancing Lady.  Fred an established Broadway star at age 34 played himself in the film in what was little more then a bit part.   While its an interesting picture it is today, in my opinion, rather forgettable.  However, these set pictures, showing a fabulously dapper Fred and a sportily stylish Joan are definitely not.

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I love the undone button detailing on Joan's halter top blouse and the wide striped belt.   Fred looks a bit uncomfortable, it is after all his first Hollywood film.

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In this picture Fred looks quite a bit more comfortable.  I love Joan's clutch purse and low shoes, and the way Fred is holding his hat.  This is a duo who knows how to accessorize! 

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This picture is my favorite of the bunch!  Fred looks so exuberant dancing, and look at the perfect crease on his pants.  I love how you get a better look at Joan's shoes too, such adorable low dancing heels.   You can also see the cut of the blouse here, the bare back is perfect for showing of Joan's athletic figure.

This picture was taken over 81 years ago, but if their timeless summer style is as chic today as it was in 1933.  I don't have Joan's athletic figure but I can totally see myself having this outfit copied, perhaps for next summer!

Fridays with Fred-Fred's First Film 1933's Dancing Lady

 Fred Astaire made over forty films during his lifetime, but he actually came to movies relatively late in life, at the age of 34, after an extremely successful Vaudeville and Broadway career.  In fact film executives were so convinced that movie audiences wouldn't accept Fred as anything other then a Broadway star, that in his first film, 1933's Dancing Lady, they had Fred played himself.

Dancing Lady stars Joan Crawford as Janie Barlow, a dancer desperate for success, who due to the tough times of the early 1930s is reduced to performing in a Burlesque show.



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In the opening scenes of the film Janie, along with the other dancers, is arrested for participating in an indecent performance.  While Janie is arguing with the judge a millionaire admirer, named Todd Newton, convenient comes along to  bail her out.  

Newton takes Jeanie out for dinner over which she confesses her burning desire to dance. 


A smitten Newton decides to pull some strings and gets her an addition for a Broadway show.

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Janie tries out for tough egg director Patch Gallagher, played by Clark Gable, (and yes that is one of the three stooges on the piano), who despite his initial misgivings is impressed.  Janie gets the job and pretty soon she is spending days rehearsing with Gallagher and evenings being romanced by Newton.  Despite the fact that Newton is a millionaire with a fabulous deco pool:

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Janie has no interest in settling down as a society wife and her attraction to the equally stage obsessed Patch Gallagher is growing:

Somewhere amidst all this  Fred Astaire finally makes his first film appearance, introduced by Clark Gable with the line "Freddie show Miss. Barlow that opening number":

As Janie becomes more committed to the show, and to Patch Gallagher, Newton becomes jealous and secretly pulls his funding leading to the show being shut down.  With nothing to do Janie agrees to go on vacation with Gallagher, but she is miserable, spending the entire time pining for the stage and for Patch. 

A dejected Patch decides to fund the show himself.  Eventually he discovers that Newton pulled the funding for the show and he confronts Janie with the truth, Newton confesses, and Janie returns to  her star part in the show.  Then somehow, despite lack of rehearsals and limited funds, Janie and Fred are able to dance through the air in a technical marvel of a Broadway show, and of course pull they pull of an enormous success.

The film ends with Janie and Gallagher declaring their commitment to the stage and each other:

In all Dancing Lady is a somewhat forgettable film, but it does have some fabulous 1930s fashions.  I particularly love the tartan trims on some of Joan's dresses:

and some amazing stars.  It is definitely worth a viewing for any fan of classic films, particularly fans of Fred Astaire, Clark Gable and Joan Crawford.