Tuesday 31 December 2013

Made with Love.

 While in Darwin last week my mother suggested we head down to Spotlight during the boxing day sale and she would make me some circle skirts using novelty print fabric. Unfortunately due to me having exceptional taste, all the fabric I liked didn't have enough on the role to make a classic circle skirt, so in the end we bought what I wanted and improvised the pattern. Lucky for me my mother is a sensational sewer so she can think on her feet pretty well.
 
 
 
 

 My mothers cat Bandit helping with the cutting out process.





 
The finished product. 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
Gotta love the print, reminds me of the Dior designs.
 
 
 
 
 

 
 She even added pockets, what a champ.
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 


The black and white print goes very well with my Vamp top. 






 
 
 
 
 


White all this hot weather we're expected to get I have been practising different updo's I can quickly put together. This is just to flat Victory rolls at the side with Bettie Bangs at the front. The back is just rolled into two big pin curls. It takes me about 5-10 minutes to do it so it's great for days when I really just can't be bothered.
Well, that's all from me folks.

Until next time,
Your friendly neighbourhood Red Velvet Rosie.

Saturday 28 December 2013

Christmas in Darwin

Having just got back from my 4 day world wind trip to Darwin I thought I would share with you what I got up to during my Christmas break. I had a lovely time with family and eating my body weight in Pavlova and prawns. I also got some quality kitty time in as my brother had his girlfriend's cat Minchin staying with us so many pats were given and many photos were taken.



 
Working on the 23rd before getting on a plane that night.





 
 Arriving in Tropical Darwin and marvelling in the tree that was decorated with my brothers cigar tubes
 
 
 
 


 On our way to do some last minute Christmas shopping. It was the wet season at Christmas so driving in the crazy rain was a constant occurrence.






 Minchin helping me wrap.






 
 Reading my mums copy of Advanced Style that I got her for Christmas last year.
 
 
 
 
 

 
 Minchin staying cool in the heat.
 
 
 
 


 Christmas morning and Minchin being amused by tinsel. Apparently he ate some as it was found a day later in his litter box. Weirdo.




 
My Christmas score including nearly 50 Spider-man comic books, Spider-man chronicles and the Carnage collection as well as a vintage hat and some Rita Hayworth films. Spoilt rotten I was.
 
 
 


Drinking Pauls Iced Coffee which you can only buy in the Territory. It is the best Iced Coffee (or Scoffee if you're a local) and I hate that I can only have it in Darwin.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Minchin reading comics with me.
 
 
 
 

 
Sewing skirts with my mum, her cat also insisted on helping.
 
 
 
 

Playing Spider-man Operation with my brother. After the first round we concluded it was too easy so with decided to make it harder by introducing alcohol to the game. After 3 rounds I won but standing became difficult. I guess this was what it was like for Hawkeye Pierce on MASH.
 
 
 
Well, that's all from me folks. I hope you enjoyed your Christmas as much as I did.
 
 
Until next time,
Your friendly neighbourhood Red Velvet Rosie.
 

Friday 20 December 2013

MITIFOTITW

Like any good Gen-yer I spend a fair amount of my free time online, either shopping or generally trawling for entertainment or the current news and pop culture. I thought the amount of information I absorb was normal but lately I have noticed that when I start a question off as "have you seen that clip/link/page about (insert topic)?" I am met with a lot more no's than yes'. A classic example of this is my weekly meet up with friends that we have dubbed "Pho Monday" (we eat Pho every time we meet up, which is on Monday, genius name I know) where I we seem to end every meeting with me sending my "Pho folk" the latest youtube video or link I have found and have spoken about over dinner. Because of their enjoyment of this tradition I thought I would open it up to you folk and begin a weekly post on Most Interesting Thing I Found On The Internet This Week or MITIFOTITW. I can't take all the credit hear, the impossibly talented and handsome Mr Jack Heath used to do something similar on his blog. If you have no heard of him check out his work HERE, he is a wonderful writer and a very entertaining human being. I do believe Messy Nessy also do something similar with 13 Things I Found on the Internet this Week, but 13 seems like a lot for me so I think one item is enough.
So without further adue I present to you MITIFOTITW Volume I



I love this clip so much. Jack Nicholson is just sensational and Jennifer Lawrence is always good for a giggle. If you can't quite make out what Jack told her was that she looked like an old girlfriend, and well you know, you get to hear her reaction. So nice to see someone so young and so down to Earth be successful in the entertainment industry.
Well that's all from me folks.

Until next time,

Your friendly neighbourhood Red Velvet Rosie

Saturday 14 December 2013

Missing the Shoe Gene.

As you all know I'm kind of what you would call a shopping addict with Pinup Girl Clothing and Bettie Page pretty much knowing my shipping address off by heart. And I do adore scouring online boutiques looking for cute cropped cardigans and novelty print dresses, but it seems there is one item that never really seems to pry open my wallet, that item being shoes. Currently I own 5 pairs of shoes in total, a pair of knee high boots for winter, smelly court shoes for work, purple flats one size too big for me, a pair of kitten heels from Target with holes in them (still wearing them) and a pair of runners also from Target. I just can't seem to want to spend money on shoes and because of this I go for cheap and boring options which ultimately end in me wearing them out within a couple of months. With all this in mind I am going to make one of my new years resolutions to invest in well made and multiple pairs of shoes so that I am not walking about in shoes with holes in the (I should really throw those kitten heels out). And me being the planner that I am I already have a few pairs I intend on investing in in the future.



 
 At about $50 Australian these babies wont be breaking the bank and they are perfect for running around town without the dread of sore feet that a higher heel might cause.
 
 
 
 

 
 Normally I would say these are a bit loud for my taste, but there's something about the combination of gold and the high platform that appeals to me. And being the massive sook that I am, the platform will give me height without me crying in the middle of the street like a toddler, refusing to take another step due to me sore arches.
 
 
 
 
 




 
 Come on, how can I not get these? There's a freaking gnome holding up the shoe. A GNOME!
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 These babies I plan on buying first. I have a lovely discounted pair sitting in my ebay watch list waiting for me to pull the trigger on buying them. Hasbeens are quite a popular brand amongst my vintage loving friends as they have the quality and aesthetically pleasing features of reproduction shoes without the high price tag. Don't get me wrong I adore Re-Mix shoes but I just can't justify sometimes over $200 AUD price tag for a pair of sandals. I have been looking for a pair of supportive and pretty sandals since the weather started warming up and I think these will be a welcome addition to my modest (more like shit) shoe collection.

Well that's all from me folks. Oh and a quick mention that if you don't already you can follow me on instagram and twitter at @redvelvetrosie, and I promise not to post pictures of my food, well not all the time...

Until next time,
Your friendly neighbourhood Red Velvet Rosie.

Thursday 12 December 2013

Tis the Season with Trashy Diva

And now for another instalment of Tis the Season, I could practically hear you all waiting with baited breathe so I thought I would put you out of your misery and present to you my gift giving (well receiving if I'm honest) list from one of my favourite brands Trashy Diva. It seems it is your favourite brand too oh loyal readers as my first post on Trashy Diva still remains my most popular. So with out further adue I give you my lust list for this sensational New Orleans brand.







Oh yellow, how you strike fear in the hearts of some and joy in the hearts of others. I understand this is a hard colour to pull off but just take a looksy at that divine floral trim and flattering pleating on the bust. How can anyone say not to that?





 
 
 
This beauty caught my eye last year but has been out of stock until recently (it seems others share my impeccable taste). I just love the sequined peacock detailing on the bust and the 40's silhouette of the black fabric, defiantly a firm favourite.









 Trashy Diva 1940's Dress

I've spotted this marvellous creation on quite a few vintage blogs due to it's beautiful 40's style and the ability to dress it up or down. I envision it being worn with a lovely novelty brooch and seamed stockings during a mild Summers day.






 
 
 
 
Finally I present to you the crowning jewel of this lust list, the Lena dress. Released only recently as a limited addition item, this dress raises that bar for the Holiday season party dresses. Featuring a full skirt and beaded bust, this dress is sure to look amazing on a variety of sizes making you the bell of the ball no matter what your event. And being over $200 US dollars you'll be sure to wear it time and time again to get that cost per wear down to something that doesn't make your credit card cry and beg for mercy.
 
 
 
Now there are countless other items on Trashy Diva that are sure to make that special vintage loving someone in your life swoon, I have just shown you a mere taste to help with the inspiration process. And if any of you are inspired to send one of these dresses my way, well let's just say I wont say no.
 
Until next time,
Your friendly neighbourhood Red Velvet Rosie.
 

Saturday 7 December 2013

Clowning around in Pinup Girl Clothing

Greetings and salutations,
Sorry for the lack of posting last week loyal followers, I really don't have much of an excuse except for the fact that every time I went to take some outfit photos my neighbour next to me could see into my lounge room from his bathroom window. He just happened to be in the shower during my last 2 attempts at photographing my posts which is why is decided to just call it quits. However it seems we had conflicting bathing/photographing taking schedules this week which has allowed me to present a fresh outfit post.

During the past week I went a little crazy with online shopping on Pinup Girl Clothing. First there was a 20% off sale to celebrate their new website (where I brought the skirt featured below) then there was 30% off the same week for Black Friday. And then on Monday another 24 hour 20% off sale where I managed to grab the Mint Vamp top. So my poor account balance has taken a mighty beating but hey, I will look fabulous.







 
Outfit:
Jenny Skirt in Harlequin from Pinup Girl Clothing
Vamp Top in Black from Pinup Girl Clothing
Red Cardigan from Target
Tea Brooch was a gift.
 
 
 The first of my orders arrived this week which contained this lovely Harlequin print skirt. I fell for the print when they released it earlier this year and snapped up the Jenny dress in the print. After wearing it to death I thought it was time to introduce the skirt to my wardrobe to give the dress a rest.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 This skirt is gathered at the waist with a very fully circle skirt giving you the perfect opportunity to spin around in, or if you're like me, have it blown up around your ears during gale force winds.
 
 
 
 
 

 
 The skirt I found did run a little bit large and kept sliding down my waist a bit, next time I think I will size down to avoid this occurring again. Or eat more frozen yogurt so my waist expands to fit the skirt correctly, what ever is easiest.
 
 
 


Such a stunning print. If you're not a fan of the white Pinup Girl is releasing it in darker colourways in the new year.
 


 
This is one of my new favourite brooches given to me by my colleagues at the costume shop. I love a good swear word on cute novelties.





 
Having had for too much time on my hands I also attempted a beehive. I can't remember the last time I wore my hair like this but the volume was a welcome change from my 40's and 50's hair.
 
 
 
 
 
Well that's all from me folks, I'll be sure to share with you my other Pinup Girl goodies when they arrive. I also have another Tis the Season post coming soon featuring Trashy Diva.
 
Until next time,
Your friendly neighbourhood Red Velvet Rosie
 
 
 


Sunday 24 November 2013

Stage Door: A film review.

 Last night I finally got my hands on a copy of the 1937 film Stage Door, and boy was it worth the wait. Set in New York in the 30's the film follows the lives of a group of young actresses who live together in a boarding house as they fight and struggle to get jobs in the theatre. What originally drew me to the film was all the stars that it features like Katherine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers and my favourite starlet Lucille Ball, but what kept me interested was the fantastic dry humour that all the characters seemed to have which caused quite a few chuckles from my end. The costumes are of course beautiful with the ladies wearing suits, high waisted trousers and some stunning furs. But don't take my word for it, take a looky loo at some of the photos of the film.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




 
The dingy bedrooms and cramped space really gave off that struggling actress feeling that a lot of us creative folk can relate to.
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 


 I completely love this polka dot romper that Ginger Rogers is wearing, I would love one for myself for Summer. Just need to find the right pattern.













 There is defiantly a plethora of outfit inspiration throughout the film. I mean look at that coat, my God.




 
 
 
 
 













 
 
 
 
 
 

 Lucille Ball being a total babe.




 Having since left uni after finishing my performing arts degree two years ago I have to say I really related to the women of this film and what feels like the constant waiting for jobs. The running gag of the film is that the women are constantly going on dates with horrid men so that they can get a free meal and miss out crummy stew that the house matron serves them.
All in all I would highly recommend Stage Door to all the retro film lovers out there, especially the sarcastic ones.

Until next time,
Your friendly neighbourhood Red Velvet Rosie

Franny Lou Frocks

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of doing the hair and makeup for a new reproduction brand based in Melbourne called Franny Lou Frocks. It is owned and run by the lovely and talented Francesca who makes all of the clothing herself as well as managers the Etsy stall. After getting to have a sneak peek of the clothing during the shoot I have to say the range is adorable featuring bright colours, vintage patterns and light weight fabric, perfect for the hotter months that are starting to creep in at the moment. Here are some of my favourite shots of the day:
































 
 
 
 
 
 








 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
My favourite item from the range was definitely this green wiggle dress. I just adore the colour combo of emerald green with the blue belt. I think I may need to order this one for myself for Christmas since it would be perfect for the festive season and the hot weather. Who knows maybe the fitted style of this dress will stop me from eating my body weight in turkey and prawns (ha, who am I kidding?).
 
Franny Lou Frocks are available via their online store on Etsy here, you should also check out their amazing Pinterest page for outfit inspiration and beautifully styled men.
 
 

Me in my trusty styling apron with the beautiful Kathy.
 
 
Until next time,
Your friendly neighbourhood Red Velvet Rosie