Warby Parker Glasses

A few days ago I received an email from Warby Parker glasses asking me to do a post on their new collection of summer glasses.  In am honored to be asked to write about this company because Warby Parker is unique.  I addition to their fantastic classic glasses and sun glasses, which would look lovely with any vintage or modern outfit,  

they have a strong social commitment.  For every pair of Warby glasses sold a pair of glasses is donated to someone in need.   The gift of glasses to a person who need them can have enormous impact, providing the recipient with the ability to work, learn, and enjoy life.  

Warby Parker glasses are perfect for vintage aficionados because the frames are based on classic styles and hand crafted for durability and style.  Plus Warby Parker must be one of the few places, if not the only place, where you can get a monocle today!

I really like all the Warby Parker glasses but my particular favorite are the quimby's in absinthe green.  There round shape reminds me of the 1920s and 30s frames I have long admired.

The best news is that Warby Parker has a new line of summer shades, nine new styles which reference the past.   My favorite of the new summer styles are the

mid century style tortoiseshell frames.  I think these would look amazing with any vintage or modern outfit!

Happy Cinco De Mayo! (With an Outfit Post and a Recipe)

I thought Cinco De Mayo would be a good time to share a recent vintage purchase, and one of my favorites: My 1950s Mexican tourist jacket.  I've wanted one for awhile and this was a steal for $30 on Ebay and its in terrific condition.

I'm not sure why but there seem to be almost no photos of actual mid century women wearing these jackets BUT there are a plethora of them available.  They are one of the easiest vintage items to find and available in a wide range of colors.  (The following jackets are for sale on Etsy)

Cream

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Lime

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Turquoise


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and Emerald

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  Prices vary widely so its a good idea to keep a look out, I personally found better prices on Ebay then on Etsy.

I had originally wanted a turquoise jacket, but I'm quite happy with my red one.  I particularly like the embroidered village scene on the back:

and I think it goes nicely with my Weasley's chili pepper neck scarf:



and my luxulite chili pepper hair clip and bowling pin brooch

Casual, sturdy vintage items are my favorite, and a Mexican tourist jacket is perfect for everyday wear.  Vintage blogger the  Atomic Red Head has a particularly impressive collection that you can read about here. 


I couldn't write a Cinco De Mayo post without including a recipe for Tres Leches cake, which is my husbands all time favorite cake.  This is the only cake recipe I have every made in which I used a mix, but trust me it still tastes amazing.

Tres Leches Cake

1 box moist yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines moist deluxe)
eggs, milk, and oil depending on cake mix directions
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup rum
cool whip or whipped cream
sweetened flaked coconut
 
Prepare the cake mix according to box directions but use milk instead of water.   Let the cake cool.  Whisk condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, and rum together.  Poke holes all over cake and pour the mixture over.  Cover and leave in the fridge for a few hours to absorb.   Frost with cool whip or whipped cream and coconut.  (Note: this cake is pretty hard to cut as its very moist.)

Silent Film Sunday-Early 1900s Fashion Film

Cinema Spotlight-Clara Bow in Parisian Love

Parisian Love, 1925, is a silent film starring legendary flapper actress Clara Bow.   Made before Clara's big hit, 1927's, It, it was never the less an important film in her career.    By the time she made Parisian Love, Clara already had a few hits under her belt with Down in The Sea of Ships and, Wine (1924) and Poisoned Paradise (1924).   At a time when most American's went to the movies several times a week Clara Bow was a major star gracing the cover of quite a few photo magazines.

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So audiences would have flocked to Parisian Love.  

In the film Clara plays a more serious role then she does in later comic pictures like It (1927) and Hula (1927).  Her character Marie a member of the Apaches, a Parisian street gang, 

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who is deeply in love with Armand, another gang member.  

 Armand and Marie participate in a robbery of the house of a famous scientist, Pierre, and during the course of the robbery Armand protects Pierre from being stabbed, who in turn shelters the injured Armand from the police.  Pierre begins to make over Armand, attempting to turn him into a member of polite society. 

 

 A jilted Marie vows revenge and hatches a plot to seduce Pierre and then break his heart, as hers' was broken. 

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The plot is very heavy on the melodrama and it doesn't endure the modern age as well as Clara Bow's comic films in my opinion.

The film does have some fantastic 1920s fashion though.   In the early part of the film when she is playing the role of street tough Clara smolders in beatnicky bohemian fashions with a masculine edge.

In the following clip she dances wildly in a smoke filled Parisian café.



When Clara later cleans herself up to charm Pierre she wears more glamorous flapper dresses:

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At the end of the film Clara wears an amazingly frothy wedding dress:

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That really captures the beauty of  1920s bridal style.

  I'd say this might not be the best silent film for beginners to the genre to start with.  The melodrama elements will seem strange to people unfamiliar with silent films and it is a little long with an imperfect print.  In general I think the silent comedies age better, but I still think this is a fascinating film particularly from a fashion perspective and I don't believe in ever missing a chance to see Clara Bow!

A Brief History of The Central Park Zoo

The history of the central park zoo begins with the establishment of the park 1853.  The first animals displayed in the parks menagerie where gifts given to the park.  One of the first animals displayed was a bear cub left in the care of a messenger boy.  In 1861 a portion of the park was turned into a zoological garden where bears, swans, elephants, monkeys and lions where displayed.

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The zoo was very popular but many of the animals where kept in inhumane conditions in tiny cages and the smell of the zoo drew complaints from park goers and wealthy residents of fifth avenue.   In 1934 the zoo was reopened with supposedly better conditions and in 1961 a children's zoo was added:

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However, the zoo still drew criticism for its cramped conditions.  By the 1980s it was in serious need of repair and attendance had declined sharply.  A five year remodeling project involved removing the old fashioned cages in favor of more natural settings and repairing and modernizing the buildings.  Most of the larger animals where moved to the Bronx Zoo.  Today the zoo is still small but very popular, with the highlight being the sea lion exhibit.  My husband and I visit regularly and it is one of my favorite places in Manhattan:

 

 

 My favorite part of the zoo is the animals that would naturally be in the central park environment, the turtles, farm animals, and swans.

 

 

There are also more parrots and monkeys and some snow leopards, which where hiding on the day I visited.

 

The most famous part of the central park zoo is the sea lion pool.

 

 

 

Its certainly not on the subject of the zoo but I wore one of my favorite vintage outfits to visit, proof that vintage can be comfortable and practical.  The skirt and blouse set I am wearing is a hand made piece from the 1930s that I got from Adelines Attic on Etsy.   The coconut purse is 1940s and from ebay.   My hat is a reproduction.  I got it on sale from Anthroplogie but I think it really looks like an authentic 1920s hat.

 

If you are ever in Manhattan I thoroughly recommend a trip to the Central Park Zoo.  Its a get site with adorable animals and a bit of history and its a quick visit!