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thirties
Olivier de Havilland
Remember this photo of Dita’s stunning hair that I posted a few days ago? Well I just stumbled across an image of Olivier 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 Olivier 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).
Categories: Celebrities, Hair, Vintage PhotosTagged: 1930s, 1940s, Dita Von Teese, forties, gone with the wind, Hair, hairdo, olivier de havilland, style, thirties
Alexander McQueen Retrospective Part 1: Fall 2001
In tribute to 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…
Tagged: 1930s, 1940s, Alexander McQueen, catwalk, fashion, forties, retrospective, show, style, thirties, tribute, vintage, wartime, wwii
Taking Fashion Inspiration from Dolls
I wasted a whole lot of time on this doll blog, so that you don’t have to! Check out these retro doll fashions, can you believe it? The downside is, you can’t buy any of these outfits… you know, unless you’re 6″ tall. I’d wear all of these outfits! If anyone out there is a wizz with a sewing machine and wants to recreate one of these for me, just let me know!!
Categories: ClothingTagged: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, barbie, doll, fashion, fifties, forties, retro, sixties, thirties, twenties, vintage
1930s Fashion Illustrations
Fashion illustrations, mostly from Simplicity and Butterick dressmaking patterns, from the 1930s….
Categories: ClothingTagged: 1930s, bias, butterick, cutting, dressmaking, fashion, illustrations, patterns, simplicity, thirties, vionnet
New Zealand’s Fashion Quarterly Spring 2009
Behind the scenes photos care of Lotus Notes
Categories: In Magazines, On CatwalksTagged: 1930s, 1940s, 2009, dress, fashion quarterly, feminine, floral, forties, new zealand, retro, spring, thirties
Vintage Costumers, Seattle
Another great reason to live in Seattle! Costume shop Vintage Costumers specialising in authentic vintage styles to hire. Here’s a sampler, I think I’ll post some more later, there’s so many great things to hire!
7011 Roosevelt Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
Monday to Friday 11am - 7pm
Saturdays & Sundays 11am - 6pm
Tagged: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, beaded gown, Clothing, costume, fashion, flapper, forties, hire, men, seattle, suit, thirties, twenties, women, wwii
Emma Watson in Ballet Shoes (2007)
Set in 1930s London, plenty of costume inspiration to be had…
Tagged: 1930s, ballet shoes, Emma Watson, thirties
2nd Annual Seattle Vintage Fashion Runway Show
Well, the 2nd Annual Seattle Vintage Fashion Runway Show and Lecture just happened on December 4th as part of the Killer Diller Weekend, and here are some snaps of the gorgeous vintage clothes, circa 1920-1950, that were on display. If you’re a swing dancer, you’ll recognize some familiar faces strutting their stuff on the runway, and some of you may also know the mastermind behind the event, Lorraine O’Neal. Photos are by Jared Luxenberg. Click on the photo to see it larger. Enjoy!
Categories: On CatwalksTagged: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, fashion, forties, Jared Luxenberg, Killer Diller, Lorraine O'Neal, runway, seattle, show, thirties, twenties, vintage, weekend
African American Vernacular Photography
Some gorgeous black women of the 1930s and 40s, on Omega418’s Flickr stream…
Tagged: 1930s, 1940s, african american, antique, black, forties, photography, thirties, vintage, women
Eva Green stars in Cracks (2009)
The painfully beautiful Eva Green (yes, THAT Bond Girl), has been frocked up 1930s style to play a seductive teacher at an all-girls boarding school, for the new film Cracks.
And what did she wear to the premiere? Oh just this old thing…
Enjoy the trailer:
Categories: On FilmTagged: 1930s, Cracks, Eva Green, schoolgirl, thirties
Beautifully styled shoot by Julia Galdo
Photography and styling Julia Galdo.
Source: Nadinoo Blog
Categories: In MagazinesTagged: 1930s, 1940s, car, fashion, forties, thirties
David Beckham suits up for GQ December 2008
Categories: Celebrities, In Magazines, Men's Fashion
Tagged: 1930s, 1940s, David Beckham, forties, gangster, GQ, suit, thirties
Tagged: 1930s, 1940s, David Beckham, forties, gangster, GQ, suit, thirties
Christian Dior Spring 2010 Ready-To-Wear
Red lipstick, side-split hair falling in long shiny waves (oh so Lauren Bacall), trench coats, platform heels, ruffled skirts, cinched waists, lacy lingerie details and flimsy feminine fabrics… love it! God bless John Galliano…
Categories: On CatwalksTagged: 1930s, catwalk, Christian Dior, fashion, Galliano, lingerie, Ready to Wear, red lipstick, RTW, show, Spring 2010, thirties, trenchcoat
The book every swing girl should own
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:
Click here to buy ‘Vintage Hairstyling: Retro Styles with Step-by-Step Techniques’ on Amazon.com
Tagged: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, bang, bob, fingerwave, flapper, forties, Hair, hairdo, marcel, pincurls, retro, style, thirties, twenties, updo, victory rolls, vintage, wave
Vintage Hair Styling

Click here to buy ‘Vintage Hairstyling: Retro Styles with Step-by-Step Techniques’ 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 Debutante Clothing:
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 ToTagged: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, bang, beauty, bob, fingerwave, flapper, forties, Hair, hairdo, marcel, pincurls, retro, style, thirties, twenties, updo, victory rolls, vintage, vintage hairstyles, vintage hairstyling book, wave
Peter Som Spring 2010 RTW
Categories: On Catwalks
Tagged: 1920s, 1930s, Peter Som, Ready to Wear, round sunglasses, RTW, Spring 2010, thirties, turban, twenties
Tagged: 1920s, 1930s, Peter Som, Ready to Wear, round sunglasses, RTW, Spring 2010, thirties, turban, twenties
Ralph Lauren Spring 2010 Ready-to-Wear Collection
It seems Ralph Lauren’s take on the recession involves some neat references to the 1930s Depression, and I’m not complaining.
Paperboy caps, worn denim baggies, ladies in pinstriped three-pieces and plus fours… ring-a-ding-ding!! There were also a few pretty florals, if you care to look.
Photos care of Style.com
Categories: On CatwalksTagged: 1930s, 1940s, cap, denim, Depression, forties, hat, pageboy, paperboy, plus four, ralph lauren, Ready to Wear, RTW, Spring 2010, suits, thirties, women in suits
Dorothea’s Closet Vintage: Top Picks
A few top picks from one of my favorite vintage clothing stores, Dorothea’s Closet. Everything below is in the range of US$50 to $250.
















Tagged: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, closet, Clothing, dorothea, dress, fashion, fifties, forties, online, retro, shop, store, thirties, twenties, vintage












































































































































































































































