This blog is all about retro and vintage hair and fashion. Through out I will be posting pictures, articles and links of very cool vintage fashions. This will be fun and for others to be involved who share the same passion.
In love with vintage?
Revlon. Did you know?
Did you know that during WWII Revlon created makeup and products for the Army? By the end of WWII, Revlon was one of the top 5 cosmetic companies in America. Up until the 1940’s Revlon’s magazine ads were drawn by hand in back and white. In 1945 Revlon started to launch full color photographic ads. Revlon also introduced matching nail polish and lipsticks with unique and intriguing names. So there you have a household cosmetic company which started during the Great Depression and is still the most successful makeup company today.
Saddle Shoes
One of the few All-American shoe was originally created by Spalding in 1906 was the Saddle shoe.
Back then the shoe was worn for sports to to its secure and comfortable grip.In the 1940’s teens and college kids
turned the saddle shoe into a fashion craze. In the 1950’s Saddle shoes were worn more by teenage girls than boys.
The fashion then was to wear the shoes with white socks coming to just above the ankle. The shoe periodically comes in and out of trend but will always be associated with the 50’s era along with the Poodle skirts!
Tattoos of the 40’s & the 50’s
Between WWI and WWII patriotic tattoos of flags, eagles and sail ships became very popular. Around WWII pinup girls, traditional rose and banners with girlfriends names and “mom” heart was the style to get with thick outlines and bright colors filling in. By the 1950’s tattoos started to take on a negative image due to the street and motorcycle gangs, hoodlums and juvenile delinquents getting tattoos. From then on for the next three decades tattoos was not as popular as they are now. History repeats its self!
Bullet Bra
Designed By Howard Hughes for Jane Russell in her star roll
in The Outlaw, the bullet bra was a great trend of the 40’s and 50’s era.
Unknown to Hughes she declined to wear it.
The Stiletto Heel
Stiletto heels are often associated with the image of the femme fatale.
High heels in general tend to give the illusion of longer, slender and more toned legs.
Stiletto heels are considered to be a very seductive item of clothing.
Stiletto heels became known for their erotic nature rather than for their ability to gain height.
The stiletto heels hit a huge wave of popularity in the 1950’s. It wasn’t until early 1960’s that
they had reached their most refined shape. The stiletto heel is still very popular today whether
dressing for the office or adding a feminine touch to a pair of blue jeans. Long live the sexiest shoe!
Red Lipstick
During WWII, lipstick gained popularity due
to the movie industry, and it became commonplace
for women to apply makeup or “put their face on.”
ANTHROPOLOGY
The lips are similar in appearance to a labia
because they flush red and swell when they
are aroused, a possible conscious or subconscious
reason that women make their lips even redder with lipstick.
1940’s Stockings
1939 64 million pairs of nylon stockings were sold in America.
During WWII women were forced to “draw” on their stockings
due to the military needing the nylon to repair parachutes
and making tents. Black lines were drawn down the back of
the legs to give the illusion of stockings.
