Outfit Post

A rather bland outfit post, I should add, if only because I've been feeling a bit washed out and bland, myself, lately. I wasn't going to bother but I like to try to blog every few days, at least, and I've been in a bit of a funk lately and couldn't think of anything else to do. I just haven't been feeling very inspired, in general, lately (let alone sartorially) - maybe everyone could let me know what's inspiring them (even if it's not to do with fashion) lately! I'd love to see what everyone is currently into.

Outfit details: 1960s/70s polyester cardigan - Goodwill; belt - gift; pencil skirt - Harris Scarfe; shoes - Big W.

I never did think of another title for my outfit posts! Oh well. I shall think on it and take a look back at the suggestions that were left.

Also, I'm on the look-out for a vintage or vintage repro coat but I want a tailored/fitted one similar to the one I love so much from my post on Sam Stewart, so if anyone has any suggestions I'd be very grateful!

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

War Notes

On Saturday I went to the Garden of Unearthly Delights to see Lili La Scala's show, War Notes. It was such a beautiful show - Lili has one of the sweetest, loveliest voices I have ever heard. She, herself, is also absolutely beautiful and a lovely lady to boot (I spoke to her briefly after the show). I'd also like to mention that the venue itself is quite gorgeous - I think it was the 'Salon Perdu' tent, which I think is in place of the Spiegeltent this year. I'm not sure.

Anyway, not bad for what is essentially a tent, huh?

One man came over to me before the show started and asked if I'd dressed for the show. I told him I just dress like this all of the time.

Outfit details: sunglasses - Salvo's; 1940s dress - etsy; bracelet - Rubi Shoes; shoes - KMart.

As well as singing some absolutely gorgeous war songs - such as We'll Gather Lilacs, penned by Ivor Novello, We'll Meet Again, I'll Be Seeing You (which is definitely one of my favourites) and Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye - the show was highlighted by letters written by soldiers, who have died in Afghanistan, to their loved ones back home. I should add that if you go to see this show, take a handkerchief or some tissues. It's very moving.

Luckily, Lili lightened the mood a couple of times, like when she sang We're Going to Hang Out the Washing on the Siegfried Line and had a couple of fellas from the audience (who are in another show I really want to see) hold up a washing line and got members of the audience to pin up some unmentionables. I got to pin up a pair of rather large knickers!

Here's Lili with the washing basket, handing things out.

And a rather poor photo showing the finished line.

I managed to muster up the courage to ask her for a photo after the show and she was so lovely. She said she liked my dress and that it's always nice to meet another vintage lover.

(I need a new camera - mine is not dealing well in low light at all anymore.)

So, anyone who is Adelaide, please, please, please go see one of Lili's remaining shows. You can find details here. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

Style Icons {Samantha Stewart}

I had a few ideas in mind for my second Style Icon post but then I started re-watching Foyle's War, this week, and remembered how inspiring and lovely the character of Samantha Stewart is. Played by Honeysuckle Weeks, which is one of the prettiest names I have ever heard, Sam is a cheerful and enthusiastic young woman who joined the Mechanised Transport Corps (MTC) at the outset of the war and was seconded to the police force to become Foyle's driver. Wikipedia has a little write-up on her character here.

Apparently there are a few anachronisms in the show but the show's creator seems to have striven to keep it as historically accurate as possible - I couldn't tell you whether or not it was 100% accurate but the characters and the stories are fantastic and Sam is easily my favourite, not least because she's just plain adorable (and uses words like 'tickety-boo').

She also always has the cutest hair!

As well as looking fantastic in her uniform, she makes quite a few appearances in civvies.





I think I like that she never looks over-the-top glamorous, which makes her character all that more believable for me.


I still haven't got a snood - I really need one.




I love the detail of the embroidered flower on her sleeve.


You can just barely see that the embroidered design is picked up just above the hem, too.


I'm more than a little bit in love with this coat - it looks like a blanket...






But I think this dress has got to be one of my favourites from her wardrobe...

because look at the buttons sewn along the neckline! How gorgeous is that? (As an aside, the fella with her is Joe Farnetti, who is probably my favourite of her beaus because he's also a little bit adorable.)

I also think that Honeysuckle Weeks has one of the most beautiful smiles.

Sam isn't just Foyle's driver - not only does she help him solve cases (she goes undercover at least once) but she does other things to help the war effort, too, like helping out some Land Girls in one episode.

That would be the expression I'd be sporting if I had to do any of the kind of work Land Girls had to do, I must admit!

I love seeing strong and interesting female characters who can be a strong character without having to 'compete' with the male characters and Samantha Stewart is definitely one of those women. Plus, I really like her style - actually, there are a lot of very inspiring outfits in the series but I decided to focus on Sam for this post.

I hope this was as fun to read as it was for me to write/compile - if you haven't watched Foyle's War, I strongly suggest you do so (even if you have a strong dislike for detective shows/murder mysteries, at least give it a go!).

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

And just a reminder that I have a formspring account - it's only fun if people leave me questions to answer (unless, of course, I'm such an open book already that there aren't any questions to be asked).

Family Photos {Nonna}

I haven't quite been in the right head-space for blogging these past few days, so I bring you a few photos of my Nonna, Elena, in the 1940s, that I uploaded to flickr quite some time ago. I have quite a few more of her, as well as some wonderful photos of my mother, so if anyone is interested I shall share some more soon!

My Nonna is on the left. I couldn't tell you exactly where this photo was taken, but my guess is somewhere in Naples during the 1940s.


Nonna is on the right. As you can see, she was tiny - I believe she was 4'8".


Nonna on the left, again. I love photos of people walking - I don't know why but I just do!


Here's another walking shot. Nonna is on the left, again, her cousin is on the right and I don't know who the fella in the middle is.

These scans aren't as good quality, but I thought a few close-ups might be nice:

I'd just like to note that Elena was my maternal grandmother - she moved to England after WWII as she had married my grandfather, Oswald Charles (apparently most people called him 'Charlie'), who was a British soldier. My mother said Nonna cried when she had tinned spaghetti - perhaps it was because she was homesick or because it just didn't compare to the real thing.

I hope you all enjoyed these photos. My mother says she can sometimes see her mum in me - I suppose there must be a family resemblance, so what do you all think? And if you don't like to answer, please just enjoy the photos anyway.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

So ask me, ask me, ask me...

Just a very brief post to let you all know I made one of those formspring accounts. You can find me here. I also added a widget on the right side of my blog. Just for a little fun, here's one of my favourite songs (from my second favourite band) about being too shy to ask questions:

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

Silver Screen Sunday {Down With Love}

Now, I'm not a fan of Valentine's day - maybe it's the overpriced flowers, maybe it's the sappy cards, or maybe it's the fact that I've never been anyone's Valentine - but I'm a gal who loves a theme so, for today's Silver Screen Sunday (it's still Sunday somewhere!), I bring you Down With Love, which was directed by Peyton Reed and released in 2003.



Down With Love is a pastiche of the romantic comedies of the late 50s/early 60s starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson, most notably drawing influence from Pillow Talk and Lover Come Back. For a detailed outline of the plot (it includes spoilers) click here. This film is certainly a lot easier to appreciate if you have seen the Day/Hudson films, too. To read a little bit more about the film, there is an article on Bright Lights Film Journal and I've also found Roger Ebert's review.

Whether or not you think the film is successful as a pastiche, I think it would be ludicrous to say it isn't visually stunning - just take a look at these sets, to start with!

Top two images are Renee Zellwegger's apartment, bottom two are Ewan McGregor's bachelor pad. I love both but I think I actually prefer the bachelor pad!

Then, of course, there are the costumes, designed by Daniel Orlandi - he speaks a little about the costume design here.

You can find some more of my screencaps here.

I decided to stick to a pink theme and also found things that I thought not only fit this film, but would fit the Day/Hudson films it is modelled on, too.

Found here on etsy.

Found here on etsy.

Found here on etsy.


Found here on etsy.


Found here on etsy.


Found here on etsy.

A little something for the fellas, too:


Found here on etsy.

Found here on etsy.

Found here.

Last, but not least, is the title theme of the movie, as sung by Judy Garland (bits of this clip appear in the film):

I hope everyone enjoyed this - Down With Love is one of my favourite movies because it's so ridiculous and so colourful. I should also add that David Hyde Pierce is absolutely spot on in the Tony Randall role. He's amazing. I didn't truly appreciate it until I watched Pillow Talk and Lover Come Back and then watched Down With Love, again.

I do hope everyone is still enjoying Silver Screen Sundays; let me know if there is anything else you'd like to see in them such as my thoughts on the film, etc.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

Valentine's Lindy Lounge

Last night I went out to the first Lindy Lounge of 2010 - the theme was Valentine's so it was suggested that everyone wear something red. I took the opportunity to finally make up (or, rather, get my mother to make it for me) a suspender skirt like I've wanted for ages - we shortened a circle skirt pattern and basically just added straps to it. It was that simple! And in true 'make do and mend' fashion, we used a table cloth that was too big for the table to make it.

Outfit details: ribbon - ?; blouse - Big W; suspender skirt - made for me by my lovely mother; socks - Big W; shoes - Spend-Less.

It twirled out very nicely when I danced - unfortunately I felt very icky for most of the night so only danced once. After the dancing at Cushdy was finished we moseyed on down to the Garden of Unearthly Delights and danced some more after we got food and drinks (pizza and Coke for yours truly), of course.

The skirt is definitely more 1950s as it is a circle skirt but I think I'm completely in love with it and got loads of compliments on it, too. I've been wanting a skirt like this for ages - long before I started Lindy Hop classes - and it's just so much fun to wear! I can't believe how easy it was to make, either.

ReVamp Vintage has a very cute repro A-line skirt with suspenders (detachable) for sale, that I absolutely love:

Found here.

Hope you are all having fabulous weekends.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x