Thursday, December 31, 2015

Happy New Year!

Sari Maritza, circa 1930's.
Photo courtesy Sheris-Musings.

Monday, December 28, 2015

What Will the Stars Wear...

to those New Year's Eve festivities? Whether celebrating at home or out on the town, you can be sure our favorite stars will be attired in glamorous style!


Claudette Colbert, circa 1939.
Photo courtesy Vintage Everyday

Madra Lord, circa 1940's. The jacket & halter from Ashton Drake's "Song of Spain" ensemble
is layered over the under-dress from Integrity's "Dream Sequence" costume.
 Jewels are from Ashton Drake.

Irene Dunne, circa 1940's. Photo courtesy whosdatedwho.com

Eva Peron, circa 1940's. Photo courtesy cometoverhollywood.com

Rita Hayworth, circa 1940's. 

Susan Hayward, circa 1940's. Photo courtesy film-classics.com

Jane Wyman, circa 1940's. Photo courtesy acertaincinema.com

Let the New Year's Festivities begin!


Thursday, December 10, 2015

Pincushion Dolls

Hertwig Art Deco half-doll pincushion.
Photo courtesy thedollworks.net

China half-dolls, also referred to as pincushion dolls, are not really dolls at all. These delightfully coquettish figures often adorned dressing tables as merely decorative objects of desire as early as the 1900's through the 1930's.  The best quality came from Germany and were intended to top utilitarian objects such as powder boxes, perfume bottles, and of course pincushions. Glazed china legs with painted gold slippers were sold separately to be sewn onto a pincushion underneath the dolls skirt.

Spectacular Art Deco half-doll with attached legs courtesy indulgy.com

A wonderful German 1920's flapper pincushion doll..
Photo courtesy dollshopsunited.com

A Dressel & Kister porcelain half-doll based on a portrait of Mme. Mole Raymond
by Vigee-Lebrun, which hangs in the Louvre, Paris. Photo courtesy prices4antiques.com

An Art Deco half-doll from my personal collection. Her original skirt was replaced
utilizing a satin dress from Integrity.

A German porcelain "Pierrot" half-doll.
Photo courtesy theriaults.com

A fabulous Marie Antoinette German half-doll.
Photo courtesy wanelo.com

Phoenix Gene Marshall looks perfectly divine as a half-doll.
Don't worry, her legs are still attached, hidden beneath the vintage fur muff.
Top and hat were borrowed from Madra's "So Evil My Love" ensemble.


Bibliography: China Half-Figures called Pincushion Dolls by Frieda Marion, J. Palmer Publishers.

Phoenix Gene Marshall doll is from Mel Odom and JamieShow.


1920's Japanese porcelain pincushion doll.
Photo courtesy rubylane.com



Thursday, December 3, 2015

An Inspired Holiday: Vintage Window Displays

From a mannequins perspective. 1940's Life photo of a NYC Fifth Avenue
fashion store window display. Courtesy Greg Beam/inuwindows & blog.johannaost.com

A fabulous Christmas window from Wertheim Department Store, Berlin, circa 1925.
Photo courtesy iheartberlin.de

A delightfully cozy Holiday window from Sibley Department Store in Rochester, NY, circa 1940.
Photo courtesy rochestersubway.com

Simple yet elegant window from Daytons in Minneapolis, circa 1959.
Photo courtesy collectorsweekly.com

A festive idea for decorating your mannequin for the Holidays.
Oscar de la Renta window photo courtesy blog.mannequinmadness.com

A marvelous millinery shop window in Newcastle, England, circa 1947.
Hollywood Fashion Limited Milliners photo courtesy newcastlephotos.blogspot.com