Vintage on non-vintage TV

A little while back on twitter I mentioned the idea of a blog post (or maybe very short series) about some of my favourite TV shows that have done episodes set in the past. I love a good costume drama as much as the next person and I'm also excessively fond of murder mysteries set in the 20s, 30s and so on but I also love a lot of TV shows that are set in the present day, so when 'vintage' somehow pops up in them unexpectedly? I often nearly explode from glee. Especially when it's actually done pretty well in terms of costumes, hair, etc.

Oh, and apologies in advance if I start writing about the shows as though I assume everyone will know the characters, premise etc. Let me know if you think there needs to be more explanation - I've linked to wikipedia articles for each show/episode. Er, and for the not-particularly-creative title!

Roswell Season 2, Episode 4: Summer of '47

Even before I was really into the styles of the '40s, this episode of Roswell was always one of my favourites. (I think I have already done a post on this episode at some point, actually.) This is more of a flashback than a time travel episode - Michael (played by Brendan Fehr, pictured top centre) has to interview a WWII survivor/soldier for a school assignment. As the episode unfolds the soldier tells Michael how he was in Roswell when the crash happened; the story he tells of his time there is played out by the regular cast in place of the people he knew.

The costumes and sets are actually done quite nicely and I love that each character is given very individual looks, some of which seem to mirror aspects of the original/present day characters themselves.

Flickr set | Wikipedia

Supernatural Season 7, Episode 12: Time After Time

I felt like a good deal of season 7 was filler but when filler looks this good how can I complain? In this episode Dean (played by Jensen Ackles) accidentally 'hitches a ride' to the 1940s with what is believed to be a time-travelling demon (it's actually the...fourth time Dean has travelled back in time, I think). In 1944 Dean meets Elliott Ness (yep, the same one) and they go hunting for the demon...but not before Dean is hooked up with some era appropriate threads.

There wasn't a whole lot of women's fashion in this episode but getting to see Jensen in a three piece suit, a fantastic coat and a very nice hat for most of the episode certainly didn't have me complaining. And I wasn't just impressed by the costumes but the thoroughness of the sets, extras, everything; I don't know why I was quite so surprised by the details, to be honest. I also love how Dean still thinks it's going to be like he'd seen in the movies (even after being disappointed that the 'wild west' was not like a 1950s western).

There's also the added bonus of Jason Dohring as the time-traveller who is in two of my other favourite TV shows (Veronica Mars and the unsurprisingly short-lived Moonlight, which, yes, is terrible hence my love for it.)

(Sorry about the watermark. I didn't feel like photoshopping all of them out.)

Flickr set | Wikipedia

Charmed Season 2, Episode 14: Pardon My Past

Once again, this was always one of my favourite episodes, even before I had a big interest in the fashion of bygone eras. The premise of this episode is that the soul of Phoebe (played by Alyssa Milano) is sent back to one of her past lives (when she and her sisters were cousins) as the path she took then could affect her current life. OK, so this episode may not get top points for period accuracy but for Phoebe's hair, make-up etc. alone? I can forgive them a dodgy wig and a little excess fringing on some of the extras' costumes.

Flickr set | Wikipedia

Hopefully I'll have time at some point to do a second and maybe a third for other TV shows if anyone is interested. Now, I know some of you also have watched/loved these shows and I'd love to know what you thought of these episodes (even if Roswell and Charmed have been over for years)! Or if there are any other shows you love that have done episodes set in a past decade.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

x

An outfit and a look at Adelaide

In the past some of my readers have said they'd like to see more photos of where I live but, to be honest, I'm usually quite forgetful about taking photos of my own city when I'm out and about. However, I've just bought a new camera and, wanting to test it out, took some snaps around the town when I went to the movies on Monday. I'm still getting used to it (the photos show up brighter on the display than on my computer, so I should pay more attention to the exposure settings onscreen than the image itself) so the quality, etc., of these may vary! (I did study photography I just feel like I've become forgetful of what I learnt.)

Not quite awkward mirror shot.

Outfit details: beret - gift; sunglasses - Dangerfield 1950s cardigan - etsy; top - Target; belt - gift; tartan pants - made by my mum; shoes - KMart.

Entrance to Palace Eastend cinemas.

View of Rundle Street, with construction/road works.

Some street-art on the wall of The Exeter.

Very grainy photo taken in the low light conditions of the cinema foyer.

Adelaide Library and Institute building on North Terrace.

Testing out the 'self portrait' setting.

Hopefully that was interesting! I'd like to try to take more photos where I live but I have to get in the habit of taking my camera (and not just my phone) out. But here's a little view of my city for those of you who have never seen any of it. Hopefully the extra photos make up for the lack of text in this post!

Love,

Andi B. Goode

x

The photos of Gjon Mili

Hello, lovely readers! I must apologise for the silence here over the past week. I've been sorting out things for a trip I'm going on in less than a couple of months and in the midst of making plans, booking things and queuing up posts for while I'm away, I completely forgot about posting while I'm still here! For now, here is a post I've had saved in my drafts for one of those 'rainy days' and I will be back to regular (by my standards, anyway) blogging, soon.

I was searching through the LIFE archives for a photo I could use for the cover of a mix that I made (I was searching for photos related to 'dance') when I noticed these gorgeous photos by Gjon Mili of a Caribbean dance contest in the 1950s. (The captions on all of the photos are taken directly from the LIFE Archive pages & the photos all link back to this source.)

Two unident contestants dancing dancing in Caribbean dance contest, New York, NY, US, 1950

Two unident contestants dancing dancing in Caribbean dance contest, New York, NY, US, 1950

I think this one (above) is my favourite - I wish I could find more information on them.

Two unident contestants dancing dancing in Caribbean dance contest, New York, NY, US, 1950

When I decided I should look at more of his work I found all of these gorgeous stroboscopic images - it's clear that he was fascinated by movement and capturing it in his work. What I love most is that it's evident not just through these images below but through the ones I showed above as well.

Dancer Gene Kelly showing off his balletic grande jetee in this stroboscopic studio study, New York, NY, US, 1944

Stroboscopic image of ballerina Nora Kaye performing a pas de bourree, New York, NY, US, 1947

Stroboscopic image of model lying on back & dropping arm w. hand & fingers in relaxed position during sleep, New York, NY, US, 1943

It was also pleasing to find out he was responsible for one of my very favourite photos...

Professional dancers Willa Mae Ricker & Leon James show off the Lindy Hop, New York, NY, US, 1943

And I thought I'd finish off with a cat photo...

Gjon Mili's cat Blackie being hugged by nightclub entertainer Maune de Revel, New York, NY, US, 1946

It was quite difficult to not include every single photo that I found of his, I must admit. Not only are the stroboscopic images somewhat hypnotic but the lighting in all of his photos is quite exquisite. You can see more of his stroboscopic images here and a quick google search will bring up more of his other work, as well.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

x

Red, grey and plaid

I've been having a lot of trouble deciding what to wear, lately, and I seem to be defaulting back to these pants that I found at an op-shop a few weeks ago. I nearly didn't try them on because they looked like they'd be too big for me but they're actually just the right size. I've mainly been wearing them with a red jumper but decided to wear something at least a little different (but still some red)!

Outfit details: 1950s cardigan - etsy; 1950s top - etsy; brooch - gift; hair bow - ?; 1980s pants - op-shop; socks - We Love Colors; shoes - Payless.

I've had this tartan bow for years - so long that I don't even remember where I got it from. It makes me think of something I would have worn when I was in primary school but  I decided plaid pants weren't enough so added a little more in my hair. Last week I wore these pants with a plaid blazer, as well.

It was also the first time I've set my hair in quite a while - since before I got my fringe cut. I used bigger rollers so I could get looser curls that were easier to brush out but still gave my hair enough bounce.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

x

Lady K Loves Bernie Jumper

Every now and then my lovely sponsor, Lady K Loves, will send me a piece of clothing from their range for me to review on my blog (always something I've chosen myself and only if there is a piece I'm interested in or have been eyeing for a while) and this time I was sent one of the Bernie jumpers in gold. 

As you can see I've made the jumper look a lot more casual with these plaid pants but with different pants or a skirt it's just as easily 'dressed up' - versatile pieces are my favourites. Speaking of versatile, I like that I can also make it look either a little 50s or 60s, depending on my hair, etc.

I tried to capture the lovely lurex thread that is woven throughout the jumper but these photos make it look like the jumper is decidedly less sparkly than in real life.

The fabric isn't overly thick but I like that it's relatively lightweight - it means I can layer without feeling too uncomfortable and that I can wear it on a winter night when I might be going somewhere that's a bit warmer inside. (Does that make sense?) It's an acrylic and elastane blend with lurex woven through.

I love the boat neck and that it sits in the perfect place on my waist (for me, anyway).

Love,

Andi B. Goode

x

Ukulele Sheet Music Challenge, Second Song

Well, it's been a while since I posted the 'introduction' to my ukulele sheet music challenge idea and, though I didn't get much interest (my ukulele posts aren't as popular as others), I decided to keep going...only I forgot to record another video. So, I've done one today - I really wanted to get dressed up in a cute little '30s-esque outfit but I've deemed it too cold so you get un-styled hair and a turtle neck instead!

The second song is from this gorgeous piece of sheet music: I "Wanna" Sing About You written by Cliff Friend and Dave Dreyer (who also co-wrote the first song I did). It's another cute little song and I just love this cover - I've always loved yellow and black together. And I also love that shortened or slang versions of words, like 'wanna' are put in quotation marks in these old pieces of music.

Here is my rendition of this lovely little song...

And a much nicer version from 1931 by Paul Tremaine!

Hopefully that was enjoyable! My voice is still recovering after a yucky cold and the worst cough I've ever had so I'm still a bit rough. But this is a very fun song to play.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

x