WC Fields and Louise Brooks

Today marks the 136th anniversary of the birth of boozy comedy star WC Fields.  Known for his 1930s classics like My Little Chickadee and It's A Gift.  Fields started in Vaudeville and was already and experienced and established star by the time cinema came around.  In his 40s during the 1920s  he was older then most of the leading men of the period, but he was still a popular star.   In the 1926 film It's The Old Army Game fields worked with flapper icon, Louise Brooks.   Brooks and Fields  had worked together in the follies, and both being iconoclasts and something of outsiders in the Hollywood scene, they were good friends.   In the film Field's plays a put upon drugstore owner, and Brooks is his charming counter girl.

Luring customers to the shop with her charms.

It's a sweet film and fans of Field's will recognize many of the gags from his later works, like It's A Gift.   Field's is funny,  but I think he was still getting used to the new medium of film when this was made, and he is one star whose better, and funnier, with sound.  The best thing about the film is Brooks.  Its nice to see her playing a sweet small town flapper as opposed to a vampy one.    She's charming and adorable in her flapper frocks and I wish the film had more of her.

It's The Old Army Game can be seen in its entirety on you tube.  It's a good example of a silent comedy, with some big stars in the early days of their careers.  

Snow Day!!!

As everyone knows we had some major snow in the NYC area this weekend.  In fact this is the most snow we have ever had since moving to Jersey City,  it reminded me of the snow storms we used to get when we lived in Buffalo.

 It snowed all day and nearly all night Saturday so we where not able to dig ourselves out until Sunday.    Since we live in an Urban area where everyone lives very close together with tiny  yard and row houses there wasn't much space to put the snow.  So we got some impressive mountains and tunnels.

 Basically we stayed inside all weekend.  Spot was very interested in the storm and in the aftermath of everyone shoveling like mad.  He was glued to the window.

It's already pretty warm and I noticed this morning that much of the snow has already melted and our previously buried Pink Flamingo is almost entirely visible.  Looks like the snow won't be around long.

Sci Fi Saturday Wesley Crusher Sweater

As anyone who reads this blog I love all things Star Trek.   While my favorite series is by far the 1960s original, I discovered Trek through the Next Generation in the 1980s and early 90s.   I'd watch it nightly, either new episodes, reruns, or my huge cache of meticulously labeled tapes.   At the time I, like many other Trekkies, never liked the Wesley Crusher character.    As an adult though I have an appreciation for the dweebie boy genius.  I also love his graphic 80s sweater.  

While browsing Etsy looking for a baby gift for a coworker.  I saw a Wesley Crusher style baby sweater.   As I often do when looking at baby clothes, I immediately thought why not make it for dogs.  I asked Deb of Pug  Posessed if she could make a similar sweater for Fry and Tuvok and she did!   Here are some puctures of them playing with their Spock Bumlie from Melissa while wearing their sweaters on Tuvok's first birthday in November.  

Friday's with Fred-Fred in the Snow

Snuggies!!!!

I'm a big fan of the modern kitsch classic-the snuggie

While a blanket with sleeves is hardly vintage, there is something very 1990s retro about the commercial (and yes the 90s are retro now).  Plus the snuggy is really, really comfy.  Perfect for wrapping yourself in during Star Trek marathons.   When I heard there where snuggles for dogs I HAD to get them.

I started nabbing up snuggies for dogs last year and now I've completed my collection and all 5 dogs have their very own snuggie.

 I dearly love everything about the Snuggie including the package it comes in.  I saved one and added it to my kitsch display on the mantle in my living room.  The one and only "modern" item to make it there.

The kids seem to like the Snuggies fine:

Snuggies for dogs retail for between 5 and 15 dollars on Amazon and about the same on ebay.    The sizing is a bit confusing and there is really very info on the site.    Since its a blanket with sleeves that velcroes up  the back there is a lot of wiggle room with the sizing.   I got Mr. Tuvok an x-small, Fry and Ping smalls, Weasley a medium and Bob an x-large.  They all fit well.

Stay warm and toasty!

Vintage Outfit Post-1930s Ski Suit

When the temperature drops it can be very hard to decide what to wear, particularly if you are into vintage.  Dresses and seamed stockings are just not going to cut it.    I'm always cold and I've really struggled with what I can wear on the coldest days to keep my vintage identify intact without freezing.   While looking through my 1930s Fashion Source book I was particularly struck by the gorgeous ski suits.

Now I've been skiing exactly one time about 14 years ago and I spent nearly the entire time in the cabin teaching my pug Tubby tricks, but I certainly don't remember anyone wearing anything as chic as this on the slopes.  If they had I'm sure Im would have spent more time skiing.  So even though I knew I wouldn't be skiing it did occur to me that a vintage ski suit might well be the perfect thing for a vintage lover to wear on a blustery winter day, even if they had no intention of hitting the slopes.  I searched on Etsy and found the perfect 1930s ski suit in my size.  It was a big investment so I waited until I had my tax return funds to buy it.  

It's incredibly thick and warm and I love how it looks.  Unfortunately it really hasn't been very cold this winter so I have only had a few opportunities to wear it.  

Fry is wearing a new outfit in these pictures too.  Its a pug snuggly by yogi and was one of his birthday presents in September.  

I accessorized my ski suit with 1940s over shoes, a green knit hat from Chloe Hearts Owls that I won on instagram, 1930s sunglasses,  and a 1950s ski pin.  

It really is a fun warm outfit.  It almost makes me want to try skiing again.

Cookies with a Cat

I made the NY times recipe for perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies on Sunday and I  had a feline helper in Spot.  Don't worry I kept cat hair out of the dough.