Vintage Outfit Post-1950s Casual With Freddie's of Pinewood

One of the misconceptions of vintage style, at least from my perspective, is that many people think that dressing vintage means dressing up.

However, mid century women had casual moments too and there are plenty of every day looks to emulate.  This is particularly true if you look to the real women of vintage eras, rather then movie stars, for your style inspiration.  One decade that really embraced casual style was the 1950s.    The 50s where in many ways the era of the American teenager, and when they weren't dressing up for dances

they wanted to be casual

 

which meant blue jeans.   While jeans had been worn by women as work wear in the 1940s, they really came into their own in the 1950s and young people where their biggest champions.   While its true that many adult women wouldn't have touched them, for the younger generation jeans began to be an element of style.   There was still something a little rebellious about jeans in the 1950s which of course was a giant part of their appeal.

Today women of all ages wear jeans constantly so vintage lovers like myself who are well past their teens can feel comfortable looking at mid century photos of denim clad young people for style inspiration.  We can also turn to Freddies of Pinewood.  

Freddie's specializes in real, proper 1940s and 50s style denim and casual tops. These jeans are just like the 1950s originals, high waisted and well cut.  There's no danger of your jeans sliding down to reveal your underwear, or worse, as so often happens with modern jeans.  Plus, since there was a wide range of denim styles and the 1940s and 50s and Freddie's makes plenty of different cuts, so there really is something for everyone.

The jeans I am wearing in these pictures are my second pair of Freddies, I wrote about my first pair here.  The jeans I am wearing in these pictures are  the 1950s button jeans.  I ordered a 32 instead of my usual 30 so they are a little loose.   They are also long but I didn't bother to hem them I just cuffed them 1950s style.

 

My top is from Freddie's too.  It is one of their 1950s style sweatshirts.   I've had my shirt for quite awhile and the color combos have changed.  They are all cute, comfortable tops though based on an authentic 1950s sweatshirt     These tops run a bit small when compared to modern clothes.  I am wearing a large here and I probably could have gone with an extra large.  1950s tops where fitted though, so tight is part of thr look, they also had high waists just like the jeans.   

I really think this shirt is a good backdrop for novelty brooches.   I usually wear it with my pink poodle felt brooch from Wacky Tuna  (nothing better then a poodle ) but recently I wore it with my Luxulite Audrey II brooch, based on the super cute Little Shop of Horrors film,  and I like that combo a lot too.  

This is definitely one of the most practical, easy to wear vintage outfits I've ever put together.  Its fun and simple, perfect lazy day wear. Thank you Freddies!

Outfit Details

Jeans: Freddies of Pinewood

Sweatshirt: Freddies of Pinewood

Poodle Brooch-Wacky Tuna

Audrey II Brooch-Luxulite

Poodle Purse-Etsy (I can't remember the seller)

Cat's Eye Sunglasses-A gift

Cinema Spotlight-1958's Kitsch Classic Queen of Outer Space and A Vintage Outfit Post

For Christmas this year my lovely husband gifted me with one of my favorite films.  1958's camp classic Queen of Outer Space:

I only recently discovered this film, but its brilliant, an absolute monument to kitsch.  The unintentionally hilarious plot centers on a group of manly astronauts  who travel to Venus only to discover its ruled  by an evil mask waring,  man hating  Queen.   

The astronauts use their best 1950s seduction techniques, but come up short with the Queen:

Luckily for them the non-mask wearing Zsa Zsa Gabor, playing head Ventian scientist Talleah, and her friends are sick of the feminist rule and longing for some hunky men, so they decide to help out the astronauts.

The film was made in 1958 but it has some truly fabulous  fashions that  predict some of the Space Age looks popular in the early 1960s.

I've written before about how much I love the crazy spacey 1960s fashion on Star Trek: The Original Series and after seeing Queen of Outer Space I really think Star Trek's original costume designer the briliant William Ware Theiss may have been inspired by this film.  You can really see the similarities in the uniforms:
                                                 

Lately I've been appreciating the fun kitschy looks of the 1950s and 60s more for my own wardrobe too.   I've only really been into vintage for about four years and initially I was pretty much only interested in looks from the 1920s through the 1940s.  I still love those eras, but as I get older and acquire more wrinkles, I think I get sillier too.  These kitschy fashions seem a good fir for my personality, and while I certainly don't plan a style overhaul I want to incorporate more 1950s and 60s looks into my wardrobe.

My  favorite look from Queen of Outer Space is the sparkly pants worn by the man hating Queen.

They left me really wanting a pair of sparkly capris of my very own.   

I was pleasantly surprised when I found a very similar pair of pants in the Etsy Outer Limitz  .   The seller was really wonderful and eve altered the pants to fit my short frame, free of charge.  I paired the pants with a black beatnik top from Freddie's of Pinewood.  

It is hard to see in the pictures but the pants are super sparkly.



I also added jewelry from Etsy shop the Alamo Basement (fabulous name)

and my favorite novelty purse.  

It's a really fun outfit, just like the film is a really fun film.

PS-Thank you all for your well wishes for Bob.  We are going back to the vet Saturday to try to figure out the source of his issues.  Sadly we can't see our favorite vet as he isn't available.   

Alice Austen House Pug Meetup

This Sunday the pug dog club of greater New York had its annual pug fun day at the Alce Austen house for pugs and other small breeds.  I'd vaguely heard of the event before, but we never attended. This year Frys breeder made sure to tell us about it.  She is very active in the pug club and helps organize the event. It was a great event a truly perfect summer day.  

Alice Austen was one of Americas earliest female photographers. Today her home and museum. Alice was a life long pug lover, hence the reason for pug fun day at her house.  

The house is truly beautiful 

With gorgeous views of the Manhattan skyline 

And the Verazano bridge 

Pugs are allowed all over the lawns 

And near  the beautiful gardens 

The weather was perfect not too hot with a nice breeze. We didn't bring Ping because we were afraid it be too hot for her, I know wish we had. All the pug people sit outside on blankets and lawn chairs and chat and snuggle their dogs. 

I got lots of comments on my 1960s folding beach hat and 1950s play suit. Sure it looks like a lampshade, but I love it.  I need to do an outfit post on it.  Tuvok got a lot of comments too. The event is open to all small breeds so he wasn't the only non pug there, but he was one of a few.  He was very popular though. One lady held him for awhile and decided she wans a toy poodle!  He's a breed embassador. 

It was a bit of a family reunion for Fry his breeder was there and several of his relatives. The black pug is his dad 

This little 8 week old puppy is another relation. 

They had events too, canine good citizen testing and a fun match.  I entered Weasley in the fun match 

He went first prize for fawn adult male 

And best in breed! Which was first place for the whole match 

He got a ribbon and certificate 

I can't wait to return next year. A perfect pug (and poodle) filled day