Well, I’m in Argentina right now, so Modcloth shopping is out of the question. Boooo. But you should all go buy some delicious shoes over at , so that I can live vicariously through you 
Send me photos! Here’s a danceable selection….
A fun editorial with Audrey Hepburn influences…
Remember this photo of Dita’s stunning hair that I posted a few days ago? Well I just stumbled across an image of Olivia de Havilland sporting a similar ‘do in the late 1940s, and had to share. If anyone knows how to create a look like this, please do let us know!
You probably know Olivia de Havilland as Melanie in Gone with the Wind. She was a fairly serious actress in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, and often played in period pieces. She also happens to be Joan Fontaine’s older sister. She is still alive today (she is 93 years old).
In tribute to Lee Alexander McQueen, I am going to post a retrospective of past collections, from a SwingFashionista perspective. The best of Alexander McQueen for retro-loving folk. May he rest in peace. To start, my top picks from the Fall 2001 ready-to-wear show. More to come…
Via ; the caption reads “Washington, DC circa 1926. Marcel Beauty Shop, Connecticut Avenue.”
Click on the image to see a larger version, and all the glorious detail of those mannequins and their perfect Marcel waves.
The best bob hairdo in Lindy Hop without a doubt goes to the drop-dead gorgeous Katja Hrastar from Slovenia, and I just noticed on Facebook today that she’s gone from fiery redhead to femme fatale ebony black. Ooh la la! Either way, still the best bob since the 1920s. Luckily for us, one of her best buddies happens to be the brilliant photographer Luka Dolenc, so there’s plenty of documentation of Katja’s uber fabulous hair!
Come to think of it, Katja is a pretty smashing photographer herself. Check out for more photos. Anyway, check out these 1920s illustrations and you’ll see just how spot-on that ‘do is:
And of course, I can’t go without mentioning Louise Brooks, the 1920s and 30s actress who made this kind of bob iconic:
A lot of SwingFashionista.com readers have written in mentioning this book, so I thought I’d post it up, just in case any of you lovely ladies hadn’t heard about it. It’s called Vintage Hairstyling: Retro Styles with Step-by-Step Techniques, and it’s by Lauren Rennells. I wish I’d had this when I first started out! Here’s the blurb:
There was something very special and beautiful about women in the early- to mid-20th century. The way they dressed was elegant and the way they wore their hair was feminine. This book shows how to create so many of those hairstyles by taking hairstyles from the 1930s, 40s, 50s, and 60s and breaking them down into simple, easy-to-follow instructions. It uses brand new photographs and detailed directions. Not only a manual, it is also fun to read. The Finished Styles chapter of the book contains coffee table book quality images of models with their finished hairstyles. Sprinkled in introductions and throughout the book are interesting facts about the history of hairstyling, origins of styles, and information about starlets and performers who made the styles popular. This 200-page full-color book has 6 main chapters. The book begins with the basics of styling and works its way back to advanced techniques. It also provides information on makeup, nails, and accessories for a finished look.
You can pick it up for $36.95 on Amazon.com:
Vintage Hairstyling: Retro Styles with Step by Step Techniques is a guide showing how to create hairstyles from the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s using simple, easy-to-follow instructions. I have revised and revamped the book of worldwide popularity to be even more informative and fun. This 2nd Edition takes hairstyles and breaks them down so that the directions are clear. It uses over 750 brand new photographs and illustrations and detailed directions in a 200-page full-color book.
The book begins with the basic elements and works its way back to advanced techniques. It concludes with information on makeup, nails, and accessories to finish the look. No matter your skill level or hair type, Vintage Hairstyling has something for everyone.
A Review of the book from :
From cover to cover, the book is full of beautiful photography of vintage hair styling tools such as pink dryers and jars of Lustre-Creme. But this book is not a fluffy, pretty art book full of hair related pictures. The book is more instructional without being boring.
The beginning of the book walks you step by step through the necessary tools you will need and basic curl techniques in order to create a true vintage hairstyle. Then, Rennells leads you into the techniques for combing out the curls. Finally, you get into the actual styling.
I’m a very visual person. I have to see someone do something in order to determine if I am doing it correctly. The step by step directions with accompanying images are the next best thing to having Lauren right next to you. The steps are clear and concise.
I myself am thinking about getting the book. Perhaps it could be a Christmas or Birthday present?!!
Categories: Books, Hair, How To
Victory rolls are a favorite hairstyle for swing girls, but so often I see this little mistake. If you have a round face, be careful not to leave the rolls too loose, causing the hair to balloon out at the temples. This will just make your face look rounder. Go for fullness at the top, not at the sides.
Because Naomi here is cute as a button, she absolutely gets away with it, but you can see how tightening up the rolls at the side (done here with the help of handy Photoshop), makes the look more elegant.
Of course, the opposite is true if you have a long, narrow face – then if you have a lot of height at the top and nothing at the sides, you can end up looking a bit like a Praying Mantis…
Just saying…
Anyway, here’s Dita doing Victory Rolls in fine style, and a few vintage shots to inspire.
For a little inspiration, here’s a few recent photos of men’s fashion on the streets, with a retro vibe, from .
Leonardo Di Caprio (playing Howard Hughes), Jude Law (playing Errol Flynn), John C. Reilley and Alec Baldwin all get the vintage treatment in The Aviator. Slicked hair, red carpet-worthy tuxedos, 1940s suits and of course, plenty of leather aviator jackets.
