I don’t think I’m alone when I say that the 50’s  are my all time favorite era for fashion. It was a time when women really embraced being women. Some substantial effort  was put into looking beautiful and feminine.  Women could throw on a flirty dress, smear on some red lipstick and easily hoist themselves in sex symbol status. The style was simple, but incredibly flattering, comfortable and sexy. I love the 50’s because it had a certain energy to it, people seemed to finally be enjoying life and making the best of times. Maybe its  just all the twirly skirts.

Clothing

Skirts galore! Women of the 50’s embraced their femininity with flirty high-waisted skirts paired with blouses or cardigans.

Shirtwaist dresses – This iconic 1950’s dress was worn with a girdle and petticoat to really emphasis a women’s curves!
*image from Blue Velvet Vintage -A lovely vintage shop.

Circle skirts-  Or the “swing skirt” was a breezy item that could be paired with any type of blouse or cardigan for a feminine and easy outfit.
*image from Countess De Vintage – another great place to shop!

Pencil skirts – For those sexy and daring girls, pencil skirts were all the rage.
*image from ReVamp Vintage

Cardigans- These fitted, button up sweaters were perfect to transition dresses from day to night, and to cover up when appropriate.

Cigarette pants – Those stylish women that dared to wear pants and look stylish at it, opted for the ultra-slim fit cigarette pants

Shoes

Mary Janes and saddle shoes were worn by younger girls and for casual daytime style, pointed or square toe heels were worn for a more glamorous style.

Hair

Women were open for more hair experimentation than they were in other eras. Most coifs were wavy or curly and sported short bangs, pompadour type styles or intricate up-dos. I think that 1950’s hairstyles are the funnest but most challenging to recreate.
This adorable and simple up-do is super casual and cute.  What a gem of a hair tutorial!!

Makeup

Women of the 50’s made  sure their skin was as smooth looking as possible. At this time Max Factor’s “Pan-Cake” makeup was developed and widely used by women trying to achieve flawless skin. Eyes had liner that flourished out at the end creating a “cat- eye” effect. False lashes were a must-have. And of course, bright red lipstick reigned supreme.

Style Icons

Brigitte Bardot

Sophia Loren

Marilyn Monroe -of course!

Happy Friday indeed! I hope everyone had a mind-explodingly exciting week. Mine was jam packed full of To-Do lists, an amazing Muse concert, my 3rd Avatar viewing,  and some serious packing.

Can you believe I am leaving in almost 2 weeks?  Packing up a whole house, and selling all of your belongings is an arduous task to complete in a month, but we are slowly getting it all together.  Regardless of the minor and MAJOR (anybody know how to get sugar gliders 3,000 miles  across the country?) hiccups, this whole mission will pay off immensely once I am in Portland nomming on vegan doughnuts and reading endless amounts of fiction in fair trade coffee shops. Right?

Oh hey guys, I need some

Guest Bloggers!

Chic Vegan is looking for some stellar bloggers to add some flava to our humble little blog here.  We are looking for posts pertaining to the vegan lifestyle (duh), fashion, food, health, self improvement, inspiration, eco living, environmental issues, or anything else your witty little brain can think up.  If you have a blog and are interested in writing a  guest post, then please email me at mandi (at) chicvegan (dot) com.

Blog Love

• Add Some Spring To Your Step: Shoes For Spring 2010
• Get Inspired: Resources to Fuel your Fire
• Retro Style Series: The Swingin’ 40’s
• Recipe: Polenta Lasagna with Portabellos and Kale
• Primal Strips: A Prehistoric Party In Your Mouth
• The Retro Style Series: The Glam 30’s

Link Party!

• Check out this new shop loaded with vegan friendly bags and shoes!
• Polenta with Lemony Asparagus and Chickpeas – Delish and Simple!
• Solar powered bags.. charge your stuff on the go!
• Crystalyn Kae bags are on sale!
• Redefining Success: A great post for workaholics.
• Awesomely obnoxious knitted headbands
• Coconut Muffins with Orange Glaze – Yum!
• This great article about the Sea World tragedy questions the supposed benefits keeping animals in captivity.
• Jean Paul Gaultier + Melissa = hawt vegan shoes!

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Get it? SPRING to your step? .. Anyway, sandals and open toed heels are filling all of your favorite stores and online boutiques with their refreshing, airy and super cute temptations. It seems like everywhere you turn this time of year, there is a blatant reminder of how cold it still is. Am I the only one who seriously considers wearing open toed espadrilles in the middle of March?

While we all secretly weep in longing of those strappy sandals and flowered dresses, lets buck up and simply just embrace the beauty that is warm weather shoes – even if we can’t squeeze our pale numb toes inside of them yet.

I know I talked about these incredibly versatile shoes last year. But just a reminder that you need them.

Mohops (starting at $146)

Delicious  Strappy Platform Wedge ($25)

Chinese Laundry, Sweet Caroline ($37) These are jellies with bows. Seriously, what is not to love?

Criss-Cross Espadrille Sandal ($48)

Spiral Heel Sandal ($79)

Olsen Haus, Balance 2 ($220)

Beyond Skin Flower Ruby Pump ($215)

Are you a creative spirit, wanting to break free but you just don’t have the any fuel for your fire? Maybe you’re an aspiring photographer or fashion designer that just doesn’t know where to start?  Lucky for you, my friend, this beautiful thing we call the internet is loaded with resources to get your creative juices flowing. You really just need to know where to look.  Her are some great resources for almost every creative endeavor you can think of.  Ready… Set… Make!

Fashion & Style

The Sartorialist -  Good ‘ol high street fashion at it’s best. Take all of these unique style ideas and make them your own.

Street Peeper – More worldly street fashion to marvel at.

Style.com – well..yeah!

Food

All Recipes – You can find a recipe for anything here. Just make sure recipes labeled as “vegan” – really are!

Epicurious – Another  cornucopia of recipes. Delicious and reliable.

101 Cookbooks - Gourmet veg but without all the time involved.  Some recipes are vegetarian but can easily be veganized.

Interior Design

Design Sponge – Probably the best site ever for anyone that’s even slightly domesticated.

Fresh Home – More architecture-centric but very nice to look at.

Decor 8 – Great product suggestions and ideas.

Graphic/ Web Design, illustration

Behance – A portfolio network of some of the best people in their respective industry. Browse through and be amazed!

Smashing Magazine – Mostly for web designers but an amazing resource for all digital artists alike.

Photography/Images

We Heart It – Enchanting images for any topic you can think of.

Flickr – All of the photos in the whole world are stored here.

** Also see the “best all around” section of this post **

DIY

Instructables – Learn how to make everything you can think of.

MAKE – a great little site for people who like to make stuff.

CRAFT - a great little site for people who like to craft stuff.

Existential Inspiration

Soul Pancake – Interact with a community of respectful soul searchers. Love this place.

Activism

Care2’s Petition Site – Get active.  Sign and start petitions for just about everything.

Change.org – smart and sassy people making progressive changes.

Stay informed - The best way to be any kind of activist is to be knowledgeable. Follow reliable, unbiased (well.. as unbiased as you can get) news sources like WikiNews, The Huffington Post, and BBC News. Then decide where and how to place your active energy!

Writing & Blogging

Problogger – The king of all blogging blogs (blog blog).

Daily Writing Tips – Just what it sounds like. Very Helpful.

Copyblogger - A perfect compliment to problogger. Great ideas without being redundant.

Living Fabulously

Gala Darling – She is fabulous, smart and charming. Her blog is amazing. Read it!

Miseducated – A blog for lovely girls with unconventional lifestyles.

Charade – A fascinating style, living and inspiration blog.

Productivity & Self Improvement

Zen Habits – probably the first blog I ever REALLY got into.  Simple productivity – whats not to love?

The Art of Non Conformity – Chris Guillebeau is a globe trotting, down to earth, unique and passionate  individual. His blog is great too.

Illuminted Mind – Simple, honest tips on how to make your life better.

Best All Around

A lot of sites showcase inspirations for practically every creative genre. Here are some gems.

FFFFFound – image bookmarking at its best

Deviant Art- Old school and still pretty great. A community of artists.

Graphic Exchange – highly recommended!

Design Flavr- Constantly updated. Great resource.

Wallpaper - On the forefront of all things design.

image by kelsmith1992

This is the third part in the “Retro Style Series“.  Each week I’ll be counting down the style eras from the 20’s  to the 90’s. I’ll be outlining the key fashion elements in each era, and how you can recreate them to work seamlessly with your current style.

The 1940’s were a serious redefining period for women. A “woman’s place” long was in the home: cooking, cleaning and taking care of the children. However, with most of the country’s men being away at war, women had to go to work.

Obviously, some women were thrilled about this while others were upset and found it unfeminine. Either way there is no denying that this period had a huge impact on the US and like anything, huge change is always reflected in fashion.

Working Class Style

1940’s fashion featured simple tailored styles and multiple pieces that offered women more variety in their dress. Instead of the prototypical one piece dress there was now separate skirts, shirts, pants and shorts! This was all very exciting to women who now had much more selection in what they could piece together and wear.

Skirt hems remained right below the knee and blouses and jackets had large shoulder pads  and sharp angles. The womanly hourglass figure was really accentuated and embraced.

Active wear for women first appeared in the 40’s. Shorts and blouses provided a nice look to stay comfortable during an active day.

The Dawn Of Pin Up

Although pin up girls had been around since the dawn of the 20th century, the term “pin up” was officially coined in 1941. The Hollywood sex symbol was becoming more relevant in society and actresses like Rita Hayworth and Veronica Lake were worshiped by men and women alike. Pin up art was also made popular by Alberto Vargas who created of iconic World War II era pin-ups for Esquire Magazine.

Hair

The short cuts of the 20’s and 30’s turned into long loose waves or curls. Hair became higher from the head, and was styled in intricate waves or pompadour-type styles. To create a geniune 1940’s style you really should embrace those hot rollers!

Makeup

Makeup in the 1940’s took a break from the previous contrived applications. Now natural beauty was embraced and enhanced – not forced. Creamy skin, pink or red lips and subdued eyes were most common. The super busy lady of the 1940’s did not have the time to spend hours on her makeup, but she also wanted to look beautiful.

Style Icons

Rita Hayworth (my lady crush)

Veronica Lake

Judy Garland

Swingin’ Times

I am actually taking swing dance lessons as we speak. While I am still working on the bare bones basics, one day I aspire to be as awesome as these crazy cats. This is some serious Lindy Hoppin’!

After chocolate chili, this is probably my favorite recipe, like…ever. Believe it or not this dish is simple to make and requires minimal cleanup. All the meat-eaters in my posse love this dish too. It probably has something to do with the fact that it is filling, hearty and oh yeah..delicious! Could you ever doubt that an amazing recipe like this could come from anyone other than Susan V over at Fat Free Vegan Kitchen? Of course not! She is the queen of innovative and healthy recipes that are realistic for people with not much time on their hands.

Behold, the most delicious creation that will ever depart from your oven:

Ingredients

1 18-ounce package prepared polenta or 1 recipe of Quick Microwave Polenta
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 large portabello mushroom, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 2 cups, chopped)
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 bunch kale (about 8 ounces after trimming), center rib removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces (may substitute spinach or other greens)
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
Cheese sauce (below)
1 1/4 cups marinara sauce (homemade or in a jar)
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
vegan soy parmesan

“Cheese” sauce:
1/2 cup extra-firm silken tofu
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp. cashew butter or tahini
1 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
1/8 tsp. white pepper
2 tsp. corn starch

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 8×8-inch baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.

Place the cheese sauce ingredients into a blender or food processor and puree until completely smooth. Set aside.

Sauté the onions and portabellos in a non-stick skillet until the mushrooms begin to exude their juices. Add the garlic and sauté for one more minute.

Add the kale, basil, and 1/4 cup water. Sauté until the kale is wilted and tender and the water has evaporated. Add the cheese sauce and cook, stirring, until thickened. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Remove from the heat.

Cut the polenta into 1/4-inch thick slices. Line the bottom of the baking dish with half of the slices, overlapping slightly if possible. Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce over the polenta, and then spread the kale mixture over the sauce. Sprinkle the chopped olives over the kale and top with the remaining polenta. Spread the remaining marinara sauce over the top and sprinkle with soy parmesan.

Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 or 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings

*Recipe and images property of Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

Now I’m going to preface this review by saying that to me, free stuff doesn’t automatically equate a review. It has to be a really high quality product coming from an ethically sound company.  A product that I would happily purchase on my own. That being said, I was lucky enough to get a HUGE box of delicious, protein-rich goodies in my mail box the other day. Primal Spirit Food’s Primal Strips meet all of the review requirements and oh-so-much more. These strips of deliciousness are particularly special to me because they arrived at a time when I needed them the most. They have literally helped me survive the past week. Let me elaborate.

For Betches on the go….
I’m  currently working two jobs, getting ready for “the big move“, and keeping up Chic Vegan, so needless to say – I don’t have time to breathe let alone eat.  Primal Strips are PERFECT for me right now because they are healthy, loaded with protein and keep me satisfied until I can squeeze my next meal in. All I do is throw a few in my bag and I’m set!

Delicious and Nutritious
Not only are these bad boys yummy, they are loaded with protein, and have a great texture (although not as tough as traditional jerky). Primal strips are also made sans preservatives, GMOs, cholesterol, and saturated fat. You can’t say ANY of that about your gas station beef jerky.

Try the Thai Peanut…
It’s delicious.

This is the second in the “Retro Style Series“. Each week I’ll be counting down the style eras from the 20’s  to the 90’s. I’ll be outlining the key fashion elements in each era, and how you can recreate them to work seamlessly with your current style.

1930’s Style

As quickly as it disappeared in the 20’s, form in women’s clothing returned in the 1930’s. Waistlines and busts were accentuated, and glorious curves were loved and embraced. The 30’s also marked the beginning of the world’s obsession with Hollywood stars. As this developed, a glamorous evening style was highly coveted and “evening wear” emerged. This yearning for a glam look and lifestyle created a strange dichotomy between those few upper class individuals and those in the middle and lower classes struggling with the great depression.

Day Wear

Tailored and simple dresses were favored for day garb. Since women were becoming more active members of society, they needed functional clothing to compliment their lifestyles. Hemlines were typically below the knee and the adventurous women would sometimes wear (gasp!) pants. Cloche hats were replaced by large brimmed, pin cushion, and asymmetrical hats.

Evening Wear

The 30’s wouldn’t be the 30’s without uber glam evening gowns. Satin and shimmery lame materials were choice fabrics.  The  glamorous Hollywood elite didn’t shy away from white.. they embraced it. Gowns had simple flowing shapes with cutout backs. Evening dresses typically rocked trains, for maximum glamor!

Modern takes on 30's glam elegance

Faux Fur

Unfortunately, fur was a huge staple of fashion back in the 30’s, but now – we know better, don’t we ladies? Instead of supporting a horribly cruel and evil industry.. lets recreate it with faux fur.  Trimmed hats, stoles, and jackets compliment day and evening attire alike. Just make sure to buy from a reputable company that doesn’t try to pass off dog fur as “faux”. (seriously.)

Hair and makeup

Makeup was a more subtle variation of the makeup popular in the 20’s.  Dark eye and lip colors were still popular, but slightly more natural. The lip shape was less contrived and full lips were embraced. Eyebrows were thin, rounded and highly arched. Lets thank Youtube again or this great video.

Hairstyles hadn’t changed much from the curled and waved do’s of the roaring 20’s. Longer hair and looser curls were embraced. The faux bob (ala Bette Davis) is probably my favorite, low maintenance do from the 30’s.

Style Icons

Mae West <3

Marlene Dietrich

Bette Davis

Retro Futuristic

Did you ever wonder what the people of the 1930’s imagined we would dress like nowadays? Well… wonder no longer, my friends. Imagine.. a world with the possibility of…pants!

Pretty snazzy, huh? Check out this juicy list of  30’s slang!

Hooray! It is finally the most coveted day of the week.   Did you have a fulfilling 7 days?  Or have the drab days of winter got you down?  Don’t worry, it’s almost over, I promise!

My week was amazing! As you know, I made it out to the Vaute Couture fashion show. I also have been enjoying the Olympics, namely figure skating and curling. Yep…curling.  I’ve also been developing a new found love for the art of fashion and have been diving deeper into eco and ethical possibilities!

I have to tell you guys, I am so overwhelmed at the moment. Why, you ask? Well…. big news!! I am moving to Portland!! That’s right, I am moving 3,000 miles from Philadelphia, PA to Portland, OR.  Doodlebug and I decided on a recent trip to Stumptown that we are destined to be there.  Now,  in a little over a month – we will be residents! This is the biggest, most extreme decision I have ever made, and I am reeling with excitement.  Have you ever made a big move? Please share some experiences with me.

umm.. hello? Have you signed up for our newsletter yet? If not, you’re missing a whole lot of awesome. Look at the top right corner of this page… see it? clicky clicky.

Onward to some linky goodness.

On the bloggage:

• 9 Deliciously Hearty Breakfasts
• Big Day Out: Vaute Couture Fashion Show, NYC - a sneak peak of the F/W 2010 line!
• The Retro Style Series: The Roaring 20’s -stay tuned for a breakdown of each decade!
• Hello, I Love You (or True Love, Barnyard Style) – a heartwarming tale straight from Farm Sanctuary
• Let’s Talk Biotechnology! -Learn more about where your food comes from.
• 5 Unconventional Ways to Say “I Love You”

Elsewhere on the interwebs:

• Cookies and Cream Cupcake…yes, please!
• Linda Loudermilk, Spring 2010
• Endangered Species Condoms: Show You Care, Down There
• Why Your ‘Green’ or Vegan Shoes May Be Neither
• Inexpensive Home Built With Recycled Containers
• 100 Ways You Can Start Loving Yourself Right Now
• Raw Chocolate Recipe Round Up!
• Imposter Faux Fur benefits animal organizations.
• Eco Friendly Sales this Week
• Whoever can find me this dress… wins a prize. seriously.

Photo source

Yes, its still cold.  In most parts of the country, there is still snow on the ground. But, there are good things about a never-ending winter..right? right?  Lets think about something that makes us all happy – food! My favorite thing about cold winter mornings is preparing a big yummy, hot breakfast! My Saturday morning tradition is to wake up late and prepare stacks of pancakes and other miscellaneous  goodies and have a delightful brunch with my Doodlebug.  Do you do the same? (sans the Doodlebug, of course.)

Here are some delicious probablybadforyoubutwhoreallycares breakfast ideas from all over the interwebs. Make this weekend one of indulgence and enjoy a feast of the world’s most neglected meal! Enjoy with a loved one or by your very self (the best type of indulgence IMO).

Vegan Omlette

Coconut Chai Breakfast Cake

Easy Weekend Pancakes
or Gluten-free Buckwheat Pancakes

Blueberry Waffles with Lemon Icing

Polenta French Toast

Potatoes Roasted with Rosemary and Sea Salt

Quinoa Porridge

Vegan Crepes

Yummy Granola

*All images property of their respective recipe*