Some things that are just the cat's meow...

We have been knee-deep in research of a piece we found back in the fall, and we're sinking deeper and deeper every day -- it's almost like we have fallen down the proverbial rabbit's hole with this thing!  We promise we'll spill the beans on that soon, when we feel like we have a better grasp on it.  BUT -- what we can tell you right now is that it has plunged us further into our love of 1920s fashion.  The dresses and various accoutrements are just dreamy.  So in honor of our newest madness, we're sharing a few items from our favorites list of 1920s loveliness!

A 1920s cloche by Gage Brothers, in our Etsy shop, here.

1920s diamond ring from Fergusons Fine Jewelry on Etsy.  Here.

Silk velvet cape from Dear Golden on Etsy, here.

1920s silk floral dress from Raleigh Vintage, here.

An amazing wax blossom headpiece from Vintage Gown, here.

Carved jade, diamond, and black enamel earrings.  Found at JewelsduJour.com.

From FuzzyLizzie.com

French silk evening dress from the Met Costume Institute's collection.  Here.

Circa 1925 heels.  More about them, here.

On the Radar -- The Word Necklace

So we've all seen the classic name necklace, made famous again in more recent times by the beloved icon, Carrie Bradshaw, played by SJP.  What would Carrie be without her "Carrie" necklace?

This idea was taken about a gazillion steps further in Lanvin's Fall 2013 show, with their line of wordy statement necklaces.  They used words like "happy" and "cool" in a script font, and scaled the proportions way up. I really like the look:

 

Is this cool?  Yes.  Is this a new idea?  Not really.  Look at this Chanel necklace from 1994:

There are some options if you don't want something quite so large, like this sweet necklace from Dior, in white gold with a diamond:

Or if Dior is out of your price bracket (or on another price planet, as it is in my case), there's tons of reasonably priced options from the handmade side of Etsy, like this sweet "happy" necklace from Piano Bench Designs, available here.

On the Radar -- Woodn't You Like to Have One?

Lanvin Necklace

We both of us, the Blackbird girls, each have a different ring that is a security blanket of sorts.  Mine is a silver ring that is fashioned with working hinged jaws accented with long, monster-like teeth.  I got it when a local jewelry store was going out of business for $7.  Someone offered me $50 for it once -- but I would never sell it.  Never.

Jewelry design is where, I think, designers get to let loose and have some fun.  Clothes can be amazing, but the moment you meet that certain necklace, that special ring -- that's the moment of total magic.  Accessories and jewelry are fun, easy to change around, and can be as delicate or as bold as you want them to be.  But jewelry can be sentimental, special, and family heirlooms, even if they are not that valuable.


I'm loving that designers went for wood in their designs this season.  Lanvin made stunning paneled cuff bracelets and necklaces.

Lanvin cuff bracelet

Marni also did a collection of wooden bug like pieces.

This minaudiere by Givenchy is STUNNING!

Even our First Lady Michelle Obama wears wooden jewelry, like this bangle made for her by Kara Ross.

Wood is an interesting material for jewelry, and it's something I've just started noticing.  I have lots of vintage rhinestone and enamel pieces, but I don't have any wooden pieces.  Might have to change that!  Look at these vintage pieces, available on Etsy:

1970s cocktail ring, available here.

1950s brooch, available here.

On the Radar -- Wear Your Hardware

Cartier white gold and diamond Love bracelet

One of the things I love most in this great big world is when new and old design meets -- and makes wonderful new little design babies.  Everything old can be new again -- because where we have been in our life and culture directly influences where we are and where we are going.

For example, the Cartier Love bracelet was created in 1969 by Aldo Cipullo.  It's still in production, and it is more chic than ever.  It is a classic.


But how do you twist a classic?  Embrace the hardware aspect of the bracelet and toughen it up.  Like so:

Railroad Spike bangle by Giles and Brother, available here.

Or expand on the form a little bit:

Ruby Cuff by Alice Menter, available here.

Maybe take the hardware aspect and make a necklace?

Made by Alita's Jewelry, available here.

Or a ring?

Made by Andy's House, available here.

Fab!  But, you can always just buy vintage, too...

Brooch available from Fagin's Daughter, here.

The Skinny -- Eve Arden and Cover Girl

Who, me?

We Blackbird girls watch a lot of classic films. Robert Osborne is our hero. We live for technicolor, and die for black and white.  It's not uncommon for one of us to mutter to the other some obscure line from an old movie -- to the confusion of the people around us.  There was a time when, out of curiosity, I asked everyone I came across to tell me where the line, "Moses supposes his toeses are roses, but Moses supposes erroneously," comes from.  And then I was shocked when no one knew.  It's "Singin' in the Rain," people!  Isn't that required viewing?

Alas, no.  I thought people were just born with an appreciation for Gene Kelly movies, but they're not.  So therefore, I sometimes feel like I'm privy to a wonderful secret weapon -- an endless chain of inspiration and ideas.  And I'll share it with you, dear readers.  Beyond the wonderful acting and storytelling, classic movies' sets and costuming are chock full of ideas for the taking.  Want to decorate your house? Want to see some amazing clothing?  Just turn the TV to TCM and leave it there.

So, speaking of Gene Kelly movies, how many of you have seen "Cover Girl?"  Yeah, yeah, Rita Hayworth is gorgeous.  Gene is as sexy as he ever is as Danny McGuire...maybe even more than usual.  But who do we talk about?  Eve Arden.  Know her?  Of course, you do -- you know her as the principal of Rydell High in "Grease."  But when we think of Eve Arden we think of two movies -- "Stage Door" (fab movie, too, with Lucille Ball, Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, and Ann Miller) and "Cover Girl".

Yeah, I know I'm the shizzle.

Eve Arden's career was wide-ranging, from movies to radio to theater to television, and spanned almost 60 years. She played the title roles in "Hello, Dolly" and "Auntie Mame" on the stage, and had many movie roles, like "Grease", "At the Circus" (with Groucho Marx), and "Mildred Pierce" (for which she was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar).  Her largest body of work was for "Our Miss Brooks", a radio program from 1948 to 1957, a feature film in 1956, and a television program from 1952 to 1956, about a teacher.  She has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame -- one for radio and one for television.

Let's get back to "Cover Girl", though.  Made in 1944, Arden plays Cornelia "Stonewall" Jackson, assistant to magazine publisher, John Coudair.  Coudair sees Rusty (Rita) at Danny's (Gene's) nightclub, and remembers his long ago love for her grandmother, Maribelle (also Rita).  Drama ensues.  Cornelia perfectly captures the character of the often put-upon, ill-used, overworked assistant with a witty comeback for everything.  Personally, I think she steals every scene she's in -- if it's not her zingers, it's her FABULOUS wardrobe. Designed by Travis Banton, Muriel King, and Gwen Wakeling, all of the costumes in this movie are crazy awesome. But Cornelia's costumes, combined with her amazing accessories, are our favorites.  Brooches, hats, large Lucite ball buttons (be still my heart!), bracelets, and color.  Lots of color.

Yay, Eve!

That's how I think of Eve Arden.  Colorful.  Bold.  With her signature voice (think deep, raspy), and her smart-ass comebacks, she puts the "character" in "character actor".  She may be a background character, but she's memorable.  And she's got the personality to carry off the costumes.  I mean, it takes quite the lady to pull off those hats in the movie -- and not just anyone can wear three large brooches and a chunky bracelet and those huge ball buttons on her jacket!

I need those Lucite balls!

So, if you haven't seen it, you should.  Put it on your calendar -- I checked, and it's coming on Turner Classic Movies on April 7th, at 1:30 pm.  We'll be watching it...

Notice the matching buttons, bowtie, and hat.  <swoon>

John Coudair:  What would you do if your youth should walk in that door?
Cornelia "Stonewall" Jackson:  I'd put braces on its teeth.

You've never seen "Cover Girl"???

I need another brooch!!

They should pay me more...

On the Radar -- The New Filigree

For today's On the Radar, we thought we'd talk about about what we call "new filigree."  We call it filigree for the openness and lace-like quality of the work, and we love that the design is created from what are, essentially, scribbles.  I mean, these people know how to scribble -- I couldn't do it at all -- and that's what makes it true art.  They possess the natural ability to just know what works, and the skill to create such beauty.

By Angelika Arendt, from here.

I love the intricacy and delicacy of these designs, but don't think they are fragile.  These patterns are bold, and in your face, modern and fresh.  They can be totally abstract or, like the one above, can include realistic elements.

from emilylynchart on Etsy, here.

There's more to it than just art for your wall, though.  The new filigree translates into many different mediums:
 

Scribble Sketchbook by Maroon Lagoon on Etsy, here.

Sterling necklace by Helen Bunch, here.

Bracelet and ring set by Rich Made on Etsy, here.

And, everything old is new again...this vintage dress from our Etsy shop!

1960s dress from our shop on Etsy, here.

Junk Love Monday: It's Personal

We've established a reputation for loving a lot of junk, in many shapes, colors, and styles, but one feature that elevates our junk love to near-ecstasy is the presence of a monogram on the piece. It can be clothing (especially on the silky lining of a vintage fur piece), jewelry, plates, linens, cigarette holders, vanity sets--as long as it has a pretty letter, we are all for it.

from igetakickoutofyou.me

So can you actually collect monograms? Of course you can. We consider the monogram an almost-lost art form. Modern versions are never as good as the ones from the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

1930s monogram letters, from igetakickoutofyou.me

Our pieces represent many styles and stories, even if they originally belonged to other people, and we love them all. The newest additions are a pair of engraved plates from a jewelry store, with samples of different styles that were available for a customer's initials. We plan to frame them:

Some of the old monogrammed jewelry is gasp-worthy. We buy lockets and watches, in particular, but love pretty much anything with great initials.

treasurebooth on etsy.com

from victorianbuttons on etsy.com

Dior brooch, rubylane.com

The thing that changes a $50 fur from "I don't really need it" to "Help me find a place in the back seat" is a beautiful monogram in the lining. We're suckers. It's true.

1860-1960.com

We always swoon over monograms in the movies. Robes, sweaters, smoking jackets, dresses...we'd die to have them all. Katharine Hepburn can often be seen sporting her character's initials in a bold way:

 And we can't leave out these beauties:

thegetupvintage on etsy.com

etsy.com

20thCenturyFoxy on etsy.com

redangora on etsy.com