January 29, marks 137 years since my favorite comedian WC Fields
entered the world. It is certainly a testament to his unmatched hilarity that nearly a century and a half later people are still watching his films. So far on the blog I have written about It's A Gift, It's The Old Army Game, Pool Sharks, and fashions in Fields films. This year I want to focus on 1934's You're Telling Me!
This isn't one of Field's most famous film, but it is, in my opinion, one of his best. As in most of his other classic 1930s films Field's plays a relatively ordinary guy. A hapless inventor named Sam Bisbee
with a wife and daughter
and of course a weakness for strong drink (in the clip below you can see him using one of his inventions a key hole finder for use upon returning late from the bar).
Sam is convinced he is on the verge of major success since he has succeeded in inventing a puncture proof tire which he believes will make him millions. He arranges a meeting with an auto executive to show off his new tires, but naturally it doesn't go as planned. Bisbee's idea is to shoot at his tires with a gun, demonstrating the impenetrability, but unbeknown to him a police officer has moved his car and an identical car with normal tires is in its place.
Bisbee returns home distraught about his failure but his wife and daughter are completely unsympathetic. His daughter Pauline, played by the lovely Joan Marsh ( I love her adorable tie neck sweater)
has gotten engaged to the richest bachelor in town Bob Murchison, played by Buster Crabbe,:
but her intended mother in law, Mrs. Murchison, played by Field's film regular Kathleen Howard is so disapproving of Sam that she has sworn to disinherit Bob if he marries Pauline.
Pauline, too proud to marry into a family that doesn't want her, ends the engagement and everyone is furious at Sam. Depressed by his professional and familial troubles Sam resolves to kill himself. He books a one way train ticket and carries some poison along on the ride. However, at the last minute he changes his mind and decides to live. Meanwhile, also riding on the train is a beautiful women, the Princess Lescaboura, played by Adrienne Ames, (take a look at the amazing carved bangles she is wearing.)
Bisbee mistakes a bottle of iodine on the Princess's table for poison and tells her not to kill herself. He also tells her his entire story and his own recent plan to commit suicide. Lescaboura is touched by Sam's kindness, and moved by the story of his daughter's recent heart break. She decides to help Sam out.
Without telling him her true royal identity the Princess Lescaboura comes to Sam's town on a royal visit. Mrs. Murchison as the towns leading citizen is beside herself with the idea of entertaining a royal.
However, the Princess makes it clear that she is in town to see only her old friend Sam Bisbee. An elaborate party is held at the Bisbee's home and Mrs. Murchison is forced to see Sam as her social equal.
By the end of the film Sam has sold his puncture proof tires for millions and Pauline and Bob are once again engaged.
People are rightly concerned with warmth and safety and if your like me and bike or walk every day you need clothes you can move in. Also if your like me then your clothing choices are pretty central to your identify. I'm just not willing to give up my vintage style in the winter, and so I'm always on the look out for practical vintage winter style inspirations and I found a stunning one in the 1934 Hitchcock Film The Man Who Knew To Much.
Most viewers are probably more familiar with the 1956 version starring James Stewart and Doris Day, but if you ask me the 1934 version is far superior, and not just for Peter Lorre who is amazingly creepy as the vilian:
The entire look of the film is better, and that includes the fashions. The film takes place in Switzerland and the look that really got me swooning was worn by the young girl, and kidnap victim, Betty played by Nova Pilbeam. While she watches her glamorous mother Jill, Edna Best, participate in a clay pigion shooting contest. Betty wears some kind of adorable wool suit, maybe a ski suit, and the cutest crochet tam hat and gauntlet gloves I have ever seen.
(I also love the monogram or insignia on her father's scarf and bonus points for the cute dachschund, but I do wish he had a sweater too.) Though Betty is obviously a young girl I definitely think this look would work on a women of any age and it certainly looks warm. One of my most treasured items of clothing is my own 1930s wool ski suit:
and I can attest to the fact this it is very, very warm. The gorgeous fashion doesn't stop in the shooting scene though, the movie is choc-a-block with beautifully shot noir moments.
I am also in total awe of Edna Best's hair, it might just be the most perfect 1930s hair I've seen.
What are your favorite things to wear in the winter?
I wasn't the biggest fan of 2016, so I can't say I'm sorry to see it go.
But I'm starting out 2017 the right with a beautiful addition to my vintage wardrobe, a 1930s style hooded negligee robe. Stars in the 1930s really new how to do negligees to there full glamour potential.
However, despite how glorious they are I could never have really imagined myself in such a garment. I mean first off where ever would you find one? And how exactly would you wear it? Enter my vintage fairy God mother my beautiful friend Krystle Snook.
Krystle is a vintage expert who truly lives her life as if its 1932 and she is an incredibly talented designer and seamstress, one of many, many talents. She also occasionally blogs at Krystle! Couturiere and Schneiderin Chatting with her on facebook we started to dream up a 1930s style negligee that would work for me. I wanted something that would be comfortable, glamorous and covered up so a robe was the obvious choice. In addition to 1930s negligees like the ones I pictured here I was also thinking about a dress worn by Katherine Hepburn in one of my favorite movies, 1938's Bringing Up Baby (I did a cinema spotlight post on it here):
I love the fabric of this dress as well as it's easy tie on style. The third inspiration for my robe was hooded evening wear and robes of the 1930s and 40s.
A look I've always loved. Put those three ideas and you come up with my perfect 1930's style negligee: a hooded robe with simple fluid lines and a tie back made of a shimmery fabric. Since Krystle is a genius she had no trouble drafting a pattern, sourcing fabric and buttons and getting my robe to me promptly for New Year's Eve. It's so beautiful I just love it!
Krystal even used authentic vintage buttons on the robe.
The fabric shimmers and flows beautifully, and the robe is very comfortable.
In fact the only problem is it's so beautiful and I only wear it to lounge about at home! Happy New Year, heres to a wonderful 2017!
When it comes to movies I generally prefer films made before 1970, but of course there are exceptions. One of my favorite films is the 2012 Dark Shadowsstarring Johnny Depp. I love its humorous take on the cult tv series, and I love the costumes. The clothing in the film is a brilliant meld of Victorianna and early 70s that perfectly matches the story. This is best represented by the character of Victoria Winters, a girl out of her time.
I love the ruffley dress, high neck blouses, and prim pinafores and sweaters:
My favorite of Victoria's looks though is a 1960s meets Victorian cape and pinafore combo.
I loved the outfit so much that about three years ago I had my vintage seamstress friend Kim Clark make me a copy.
She did an amazing job! I actually like my version better then the one in the film. I have no idea why it took me so long to feature it on the blog. In these pictures I paired it with a 1940s hat from Lady Eve's Millinery, 1960s gloves, and 1940s style spectators from Remix Vintage shoes.
I really feel like a cape is one of the nicest things to wear in the fall.
On the day these pictures where taken we took the Bob, Weasley, Fry and Mr. Tuvok to the Watchtung Reservation. A nice big park with trails, a lake and a historic cemetery.
It was a really lovely afternoon a perfect fall day!
