All Things I Love Retro

I’m lying in bed as my back reminded me today that I cannot always be Wonder Woman. As a result, you are getting a long post today, my dears.

If there is a style I love, that is everything retro. Am I retro gal? not entirely, but lately I have began wearing eye-liner in a very retro way, for instance. Although childhood was in the 80s, I always believed my teenage years should have occurred in the late sixties, early seventies. A comeback trend, flared jeans, I have never ceased to wear, and I always lusted after Dita Von Teese’s hairstyle.

Being retro can become an entire lifestyle. It can mean be limited to dressing and styling your hair in a vintage manner, but it can also extend to having your home full of retro furniture, vintage music players, etc. You are retro if you drive an old motor, beautifully restored or not, and refuse to sit behind the wheel of anything produced after the 80s.

You can be a real old-school retro and reach far back into the last century to choose your style, or wear outrageous shoulder-pads and listen to Dead Or Alive on repeat. However, in terms of dressing, I personally favour those inspired in the 50s and 60s. So let me tell you what I like about this style and where to find these things I love. This is a fun post.

I love Mad Men. Words cannot describe how much I love January Jones (pictured below). I’ve only started watching the show and I’m not really into the actual story yet. I just enjoy watching it for the clothes, the expressions characters use (loving “swell” so much I’m wondering whether I could pull it off), the sets, the props, etc.

I also love this girl’s take on retro fashion – Retro Chick is by far my favourite blogger. Her site is full with fun hair tutorials I really must attempt. She reviews some interesting places to hunt for anything vintage, and to top it all, she has a great ebay store with is worth checking
out.

I love old phones like the one below. This gorgeous little piece can be found at a great online store I recently discovered, Notorious Kitsch. Their catalogue is quite impressive – mugs, purses, posters, stationary, vintage phones, shower curtains (either someone buys this one or I will) … need I go on?

I love the look of retro sweets. Funnily enough, my fondest sugar-related childhood memories have me holding a 99 Flake ice cream, not stuffing myself with sweets. However I am now a pretty good cupcake baker, and love to visit old school sweet shops just to browse. One shop to find some great retro sweets in Belgium, Holland, France and even Germany is Hema. Otherwise, there are countless online stores to find real childhood memories, such as A Quarter Of, or  Chewbz.

And we end with one of my favourite pieces of retro love, and a fond childhood memory – Madonna’s 1986 True Blue video (yes, I’m a Madonna fan, but it really doesn’t show much, does it?

Countdown to the Bright Lights, Baby

In less than a month, and with the permission of an erupting volcano, I will hopefully realise one of my life-long dreams – visit New York. To mark this amazing chapter in my life I have decided to clean out my wardrobe completely and will be giving most of its contents to charity. However, some of the items, including an Insight dress, some Karen Millen heels, the craziest Miss Sixtie platform sandals and much more, will end up on Ebay. All cheap and all fabulous. Watch this space as I will let you know very soon where to find the items.

There are so many things I simply don’t wear anymore, or maybe wore only once, or not even that. I am sure a lot of you have a wardrobe full of clothes you never use but feel bad about getting rid of it. Personally I cannot bare the sight of piles of clothes unworn.

I had a day off today and decided that it all needed to go. That I won’t wear all of this abandoned items and that is a fact. I already feel lighter and happier. They are now neatly packed and ready to be re-homed.

Image: vitasamb2001 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Zara For The Best Casual Look

May is finally here, the countdown to summer officially ticking and Zara are teasing us with a look that we simply wish we could wear every day. Casual yet prim, pretty yet bold. Full of soft colours, light pinks, pale greys, fresh greens etc.

Guys are given light pastel shades and some comfortable military-style shirts. Jackets are sporty and hardly heavy or dressy.

And we simply adore the gladiator sandal/boots on show in the picture below.

See more here.

Pictures: Zara

2010 Met Costume Institute Gala – For Inspiration

Another year and another fabulous Met Costume Institute Gala. One of our favourite looks is the one above by Blake Lively wearing Georgina Chapman. It reminded us of this other short and fun dress pictured below by H&M.;

Rachel Bilson went for a retro look with a dress by Louis Vuitton. While it may not be as spectacular as some of the other dresses seen at the event, it really suits her and is an example that sometimes less of a fuss over a dress and more of an effort in creating a naturally styled hair and make up is all you need to stun… well, especially if you are as naturally pretty as Rachel.

A sixties look that can be achieved with this gorgeously fun dress by Karen Millen. Not as long, and with a balloon skirt, but we simply cannot resist talking about it. It’s fabulous and will look great on curvier frames.

Model Coco Rocha brought some printed madness with this colourful gown by Vera Wang.

And we found a great version of this dress at BCBG Max Azria, pictured below. Yes, not as spectacular, but you won’t be sweeping the streets of your town with it.

Alexa Chung opted for a different approach to the evening with a tuxedo-like attire, androgynous and sexy.

Trousers are ever so lightly cropped and the tuxedo jacket is worn over her shoulders making it a fresh and original fashion statement at the star-studded event.

Pictures: via Trendencias, fabsugar, ny.com, H&M;, BCBG

Madonna’s Striking Pose

Madonna graces the cover for Interview‘s May 2010 issue. The magazine features a photoshoot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot, and a chat/interview with Gus Van Sant. To see more pictures and read the feature click here.

Picture: Interview