Sailors and Sirens : June 2013

Wednesday 26 June 2013

Dita Von Teese for BWATT Magazine issue 3

Dita Von Teese poses for BWATT Fashion Magazine photographed by Anya Poulson. Make up by Kathy Jung and Hair by Danilo. Styled by Jessica and kelly. puchase this copy of Bwat at bwattmagazine.com

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Friday 21 June 2013

Beachwear and Marcel waves!

Beachwear of the Jazz ages: Sophisticated and classy one piece swimsuits and inspiration for a vintage nautical wardrobe.

I love the photos of Jean Harlow (above), looking so divine in her white figure hugging onepiece swimsuit, posing so elegantly in kitten heeled sandals(1930's)

The 1920's was the era that kick started the controversay of showing more flesh. So, not only the hems of womens skirts began to rise, so did the beachwear and bathing suits.

By the 1930's the onepiece swimsuits where in full circulation and the silhouette has remained to this day. especially with vintage reproduction swimsuits. By the 1940's to 1950's the bikini, although daring became more popular, as they where seen on Bettie Page and Marilyn Monroe.

(Above) Bette Davis wears a one piece with Deco inspired pannels. Like Typical swimsuits of that era, its longer/hotpant style in the leg. complete With feminine spaghetti straps and teamed with white peep toe sandels. Joan Blondell wears a gorgeous and elegant nautical inspired beach suit , with extra wide leg and highwaist slacks with a gorgoeus knit tank top with a nautical applique of flags on the bodice.

Mood board (above) my Polyvore slaramichelle www.polyvore.com

The Nautical Look is always in circulation within the fashion world for S/S trends. year after year, Its a look that designers of both high fashion and high street can not ignore. Its a style that never fails to be classy, yet Its vintage and aptly nostalgic with beach/sea side theme's. Pieces must include the White and Navy stripes, block colours of red, rope motif straps, anchors, Poker dots in pallettes of blues, reds, blacks, yellows and whites.

Check out the old-school candid photos of women in these vintage glamour era's. Whether it's normal candids of young girls posing on the beach, to pin up ladies, young starlets or Hollywood star, such as Bette Davis and Ava Gardner. All wonderful examples are dated from 1920's to 1950's.

1920's beach suit

Image source: blogs.smithsonianmag.com

7 female Swimmers at the tidal Basin Washington USA: pose in Not so sexy 1920's swim and bathing suits: A perfect example of how far swimwear has come, by the 1920's and certainly in the 1930's swimsuits became much more skimpier and figure hugging with all legs bearing.

Jean Harlow exercises by the Pool

(my polyvore slaramichelle:)

As of the 1930's (below) just look at those girls perfectly marcel ad finger waved hair with a full face of war paint. For the lady of the glamaour ages, whether she was an up and coming starlet like, Bettie Davies or Joan Crawford, or whether she was a regular Mill or shop girl, the beach was NO exception to discard the powder, lipstick tube or curling iron.

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Be a Beach Bettie

Bettie Page (above) to me and many will agree with me the ultimate beach Pin Up.

As Bettie has inspired me, I wanted to create a post to inspire you gals to create the perfect vintage Pin-Up beach look this summer.

Finally summer has started, So whether your a British girl like me and can't wait for the sunny days to set off to the coast? A girl with a booked holiday? or whether you just lucky and have summer all year long? It doesnt matter, This is for any of you, wanting some fuel for thought on how to create a gorgeous floorless pin up look.

Bettie Page mixed her beach outfits for several shoots throughout her career, whether proffesional or candid. In fact she was firsts spotted on the beach (Coney Island) by an eager amateur photographer and policeman Jerry Tibbs. At the time she was currently working as a secretary whilst she tried to get into acting. She obliged to pose for his photos and that opened the door to her modeling career in both pin up, and fetish modeling, and what would forever crown her the Queen of pin up.

I adore her photographs, with that killer body, with a perfect mix of seduction and an innocent smile and cheeky wink, is what makes Bettie so endearing. She proves its all about the posing for the perfect beach photo. Her bikini photos are certainly an inspiration for us to keep healthy and in shape. But she also teaches us to embrace our womanly figures. That curves are indeed, beautiful.

Betty Grable: 1940's war pin up has posed in one piece suits in many of her cheescake pin up photos. with perfectly pin curled hair (styled in victory rolls or bunched up into a poodle pomadour) and pristine make up. Its the perfect combination for an authentic glamour era beach or poolside look.

For a modern girl wishing to create perfect pin up style for beach photos. The prep is key! Plan or make the time and effort, Just like our true glamour girls did back in the day. Create your fave vintage hairstyle (waved or victory rolls) or even cuter and practical, keep your pin curls in their bobbi Pins and leave them settiing whilst wrapped up within a cute chiffon scarf and tied in a bow. This leaves them to set ready for your hair to style in the evening of your holiday.

Yes, It may seem like a heck of a lot of effort, but thats what the vintage look is all about. Women never left the house without a full face of make up and painted lips or perfectly set hair and the trip to the beach or a poolside lounge was no exeption to skip their glamour rituals.

Girls, imagine the confidence and how gorgeous you will feel sun bathing on that beach, and when you have that beach snap shot, it will forever document your inner Bettie Page.

Highstreet brands and high end labels always use vintage styles as their focal inspiration for their beachwear collections. Theres a reason for this.... especially when it comes to design, its because there is NO comparison for the amazing silhouettes, prints and colours that the vintage era had.

In an ideal world why shouldnt the beach look be about glamour? When you look at old Hollywood Photographs of Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Betty Grable, and even old vintage candid photos of normal girls posing with the latest swimsuit or romper suit. So, when your on the beach, why shouldnt it be all about glamour? Like Marilyn Monroe's beach photo sessions by Andre Des Dienes in 1949 (below) They where indeed some of her most glamorous, yet playfully beautiful photos that where ever taken.

Leopard prints is forever always in circulation in every highstreet and high fashion collection because the trend never dies, and thats thanks to Miss Bettie Page. Bettie poses in a one piece suit in animal print, posing seductiviely with leopards in a photoshoot, looking like a ferile jungle women and goddess-like. Dolce and Gabbana has a gorgeous Leopard print piece (for the girls with more high-fashion tastes) However they probably are not for swimming, maybe just for lounging and posing on the beach or by the pool.

Your one-piece swimsuits must be well fitted and constructed. On the highstreet you can find structured bra bikini tops with high waisted briefs. Note: high waisted briefs are extremely authentic to the vintage era's and also flattering and glamourous and create an instant Marilyn hourglass. Or most important a smooth stream lined onepiece's to create a clasy silhouette. Some come with belts to create focal point for the eye that instantly cinches in the waist. Standard straps, Halter neck or strapless. Some pieces made by Vintage reproduction labels such as 'Pin Up Girl' have gorgoeus rouched effects on their cuts where the curves lie, to add instant feminine flare. Kelly Brook a British glamour model famed for her beach photographs has created a capsual collection for UK brand NEW LOOK. Her inspiration for her swimwear are based from the likes of Bettie Page and Marilyn Monroe. See above image from my Polyvore mood board: Kellybrooks are the leapord print and daisy print skirted bikini's. www.newlook.com

Top 5 vintage Revival swimwear brands and designers

What Katie Did: Bow Bikini Top £34.75 bottoms: £34.75

Bettie Page romper suit www.bettiepageclothing.com

www.pinupgirlclothing.com The Bombshell Swimsuit in Green $88.00

Vamp Bikini: top: $64 bottoms: $48

Collectif: £55.00