Va-Voom Vintage

Vintage Dancer Style Guides

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Vintage Dancer is a blog and shopping portal written and curated by Debbie Sessions. I first heard of Vintage Dancer when I reviewed her 1940s Style Guide ebook, now in print as well. I am such a fashion history nerd, I was in love with her ebook. She teaches the style of the decade by explaining the social and political reasons behind fashion changes of the time. She covers the details used in garment construction from fabrics to cut and embellishment, making it easy to learn about these styles and replicate them.

Check out my review here. Since I read the 1940s Style Guide, she has also written the 1940s Fashion Guide for Your Body Type, which I've been enjoying this afternoon.

Debbie started writing her ebooks and blog to help other vintage enthusiasts to find information and proper costuming sources for events and clothing for daily wear. Today, along with being a stay at home mom, Vintage Dancer is her full time job!
Vintage Dancer is an aggregate site, curating all of the best vintage inspired clothing from major retailers and small businesses in one amazing shopping portal. Debbie sources collections from the the Victorian era to the 1960s.

I have never seen an aggregate site quite like Debbie's before. It's such a blessing when you're looking for something specific for a special event or for building your vintage wardrobe for a certain era- everything you need in one place! She offers loads of research and information on fashion history in her blog posts and ebooks so you can apply what you learn from her articles to find the perfect era specific garment from her shopping pages.

With all of the 1920s revival going on this spring, she has been working on some really exciting Gatsby themed ebooks, articles and clothing collections.

Read her fantastic ebook, 1920s Fashion for Your Body Type

Check out her amazing huge list of 1920s reproduction patterns

Debbie sent me a copy of one of her newest ebooks, The Great Gatsby in Fashion. I read the Great Gatsby in high school and re-read it again a few months ago, before beginning work on the Gatsby Issue of Hey Doll. Since reading it without a test looming over me, I enjoyed it much more this time and it has become one of those books that I run around telling everyone that I know to sit down and read it. It's so beautifully descriptive of the time and tragically romantic- all the things I love in a book. So, if you haven't read it yet, sit down and read it!!

The Great Gatsby in Fashion is the full original novel by F Scott Fitzgerald with annotation by Debbie Sessions. It includes 33 additional pages of fashion history insights complete with original color illustrations and photographs throughout.

"Two years ago when I heard about all the upcoming movies, TV shows, and mini series set in the 1920′s, I started to dig into researching the twenties. Previously I researched the 1940′s, but this time the 1920′s started calling my name when I bought a house built in 1920. I thought that annotating the Great Gatsby was a good starting point to share some of what I learned about REAL not Hollywood 1920′s fashion. I hope through the book, readers will once again (or for the first time) enjoy the classic novel while learning something new. This is just one more way to share my passion for 20′s fashion."

The Great Gatsby in Fashion is available for a limited time for 99 cents. I'm curling up with my Nook and this book this afternoon. Stay tuned next week for my review!

Vintage Dancer is a sponsor of Va Voom Vintage. Please read my Disclosure Policy images and sample pages used with permission from Debbie Sessions

Top 10 Picks and Passes from E.L.F.

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:19:00 +0000

After mentioning ELF makeup in yesterday's vintage eyebrow post, I wanted to share some of my favorites from their line and some of the ones that missed the mark for me.

I've always been a drugstore makeup girl. Most stay at home moms don't have the funds to buy a $20 eyeshadow and when we do, we'd rather buy a new pair of shoes or have a thrift store shopping spree.
E.L.F. has a huge line of super cheap makeup and is sold at Target, Walmart and online. At prices ranging from $1-5 for a single product, why not try a few? I think a lot of people think that "you get what you pay for" when it comes to makeup but I have found a lot of really amazing makeup products that do the job just as well, if not better than higher end brands. Right now, E.L.F. is having a Memorial Day sale on their website so you can really snag a steal

Get 33% off products $3.00 and up with a minimum $25 purchase now through the 27th

Pick the e.l.f. Studio Eyebrow Kit -Again, as I mentioned yesterday, I love this kit! Such a fab little compact with two shades of brown- one in a creamy pigmented wax, the other in a setting powder. I've been using the darker wax of the medium palette for over a year and love it to pieces. I use a small angled brush to apply and it fills in like a charm and looks very natural. The compact has a small mirror inside so you can get up close. It comes with a small angled brush but I pitched it and use my own. It's not waterproof but I've never had it run down my face in the rain or heat either.

Pass on e.l.f. Mineral Lipstick
So far, I am not at all a fan of ELF mineral lipsticks. Ones I've tried have been super greasy and heavy, sometimes lumpy in application and just blah. I tried a red that was so dry I had to use olive oil to get it off, followed by loads of chapstick. A pink that actually went on kind of chunky and looked like Pepto Bismol. If you want a really good cheapy lipstick, try Wet N' Wild's Mega Last Matte range. I wear them almost daily and love 'em.

Pick the e.l.f. Essential Waterproof Eyeliner Pen
I am head-over-heels for my NYX The Curve Liner but Rhys busted into my makeup one day and came running into the living room stark naked, covered in black eye liner. So, I had to order a new one. While I was waiting for my NYX to arrive, I ran to Walmart for a new liner to use in the mean time. I picked up the ELF waterproof eye liner pen for $2 or $3 and it's a great little product! It has a felt tip applicator, which makes application a breeze. This liner doesn't allow for a super thin line like my NYX but for the price, it's a pretty good liner to play with. The formula is smooth, jet black and stays put. This pen is a 2010 Siempre Mujer Makeup Award winner

Pass on e.l.f. Studio 100-Piece Eyeshadow Palette
I used to think "eyeshadow is eyeshadow" until I tried E.L.F palettes and what a bummer. There's like...no color in them and they don't blend if my life depended on it. I guess it's okay for a quick slap of color before going to the grocery store but for the price, you might as well get some really kick ass NYX shadows.Can you tell I'm a NYX fan?

Pick the e.l.f. Studio High Definition Undereye Setting Powder
I have always had under eye circles, even as a teenager but being 27 with two toddlers, I can use all of the help I can get. I picked up this under eye setting powder, a little skeptic about it. They claim that it's a light defelecting It's a super fine powder in a very pale pink hue with tiny glitter added. "Glitter under the eye? Yeah... bad idea." I thought but I gave it a shot and wow, it really does work and the glitter isn't noticable! It's not a miracle powder, erasing 10 years from your under eye area but if you do a before and after look, you'll notice the difference!

Pass on These Brushes
e.l.f. Studio Fan Brush
Okay, not a "fan" of this one at all. The bristles are cheap and plastic feeling. I know, they -are- plastic but it feels like a little girl's play makeup brush.
e.l.f. Studio Angled Eyeliner Brush
Again, I'm not crazy about the fibers on this brush either. It's a very strange brush to use. Seems like the fibers are too long and sparse for the task and it creates a really thick, chunky messed up line.

Pick These Brushes

e.l.f. Studio Small Angled Brush-this is the one I use for my brows and I really love it. It's $3 and does a beautiful job of creating a sharp line and keeping a thin line when I need it. It's so perfect, I've even started using it to do that Marilyn style lower lash wing- and it's vegan friendly

e.l.f. Essential Foundation Brush I've tried higher end brushes for foundation but this little gem works a charm, applies smooth and has lasted forever!

Have you tried e.l.f. products? What are your picks and passes?

Please view my disclosure policy

A Vintage Guide to Eyebrows- 1950

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:15:00 +0000

I thought you might enjoy these pages on how to shape your eyebrows, use eyebrow pencil and get the right brow shape for your face. This is from The Standard Textbook of Cosmetology from 1950. Although it has a lot of textbooky stuff in it, it has some really good information on beauty basics that you can do at home. I'll be posting more from this book soon!

I've been using the ELF brow kit for ages and really like how natural it looks. It's a combination of creamy pigmented wax on one side and powder on the other. The wax keeps hairs in place and fills everything in but doesn't look so penciled in and sharp. I usually use only the wax but sometimes I do use the powder which gives a lighter, more softened look.

What kind of brow filler do you use?

For more on brows, see my post on How to Achieve Vintage Eyebrows

Click here to read larger pages

Lewis and Clark Heritage Days

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Sun, 19 May 2013 13:51:00 +0000

What a gorgeous day to get out and play! This morning, we took the kids down to Historic Main Street for the annual Lewis and Clark Heritage Days, which is something Pj looks forward to every year. St Charles is the site of the beginning of the Lewis and Clark expedition to explore the west. They set out from this river front area and headed all the way to the Pacific. Clark wrote in his journal of St Charles, “...at 12oClock a number Spectators french & Indians flocked to the bank to See the party. This village is about one mile in length…and about 450 inhabitents chiefly French, those people appear pore, polite & harmonious.”

The weekend includes fife and drum corps, canon demonstrations, military camps and food, music and games from the period.

In May, this tree produces puffs of seed pods that float through the park and cover the ground in snowy cotton. The kids and I had fun catching them.

It was a warm day but nice and breezy by the river, as always so I decided to wear my tiki dress that I made last summer (which I haven't worn since!) I used Mrs Depew's beach bustier pattern for the top, a pencil skirt that I had in my stash for the skirt and a long rectangular sash attached only to one side of the skirt that I can drape across and pin at the hip. I also made a matching bolero since I'm not much of a halter top girl. I found this rayon tiki print fabric at Hancock Fabrics on mega sale last summer. I had great plans to wear my carved fish shoes but since we planned to walk all day, I opted for the crocs flats instead.

Hello, May Sponsors {with coupons for you!}

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:55:00 +0000

Whoopsie! I usually post the sponsor roundup on the 15th but one of the side effects of being a housewife is that you have absolutely no idea what day of the month it is. I also got distracted by the possibilities of sewing, which for me, often gets me so excited that I forget to eat! So, today's the 16th and here we are with our monthly sponsor spotlight and some coupons and sales for you guys
Hello, May Sponsors!

etsy pinterest

Lady Eve Millinery carries handmade vintage inspired hats, made using authentic millinery techniques. Here's a sampling of some of Aimee's beautiful 1920s head wear and do check out our interview for a peek at her process.

etsy facebook blog website

Mrs Depew Vintage specializes in rare print-at-home sewing patterns. She has the most amazing collection of 1920s dresses, vintage lingerie, swimwear and more. Anna also stocks pdf vintage fashion catalogs, crochet patterns and sewing booklets. Anna is moving from Norway to California so use code PACKITUP for $5 off your purchase of $20 now through June 1st

See my tiki dress and swimsuit using Mrs. Depew patterns.

Etsy Blog Facebook

Fellow blogger, Emily stocks her shop with the best finds from Michigan and beyond. From dresses to swimwear to separates, she carries a lot of wearable sizes too! Check out the new Sale Section and snag a steal!

etsy

Urban Vintage Flaire is an eclectic selection of vintage home decor, clothing and accessories. She currently has some really cute midcentury home decor treasures, which has been my recent topic of obsession.
Save 10% off your entire purchase with code UVF10B

Etsy Website Blog Facebook

Hex Potions is my newest sponsor this month, cooking up spell-binding selections in gloss, lip color and bewitching eye shadows. All natural, handmade and not tested on animals. Pop over to Hex Potions and sit a spell.

etsy facebook twitter blog

Trunk of Dresses never fails to make us swoon with her bedazzling array of vintage dresses, which seem to be straight out of those dreamy fashion catalogs. Hurry! Save 15% at Trunk of Dresses with code VACASALE until May 19th!

1940s Cold Weather Wardrobe Sewing

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:42:00 +0000

For Mother's Day, Pj ordered a copy of the new Wearing History trouser and overall pattern, which will arrive this afternoon or tomorrow. I desperately need to sew some pants for this fall and winter. I really wanted some more swing trousers and I needed the durability of jeans too so this pattern has everything a girl needs, all wrapped up in one!

I wore my Heyday trousers constantly this winter and am really surprised at how well they are still holding up after all of the washing and wearing. They still look brand new! However, a girl really needs more than one pair of pants and since I'm such a funny shape, I decided to sew my own stock pile of jeans and trousers this summer so I'd have plenty of options when the weather gets colder.

To go along with my trousers and jeans, I want to sew a fabulous 1940's jacket. I already have a couple of originals that I am madly in love with but most of them are lighter fabrics. After seeing Tasha's stunning Sew for Victory jacket, I decided to finally take on the project and sew my own jacket too!

I ordered this pattern from lisaanne1960 this morning. Sewing wintery things in the summer is a great idea because fabric stores have all of those beautiful (and expensive) woolly fabrics on sale when it's 90 something degrees out.

Here are a few more gorgeous jacket patterns currently available on etsy

here

Do you like to sew your own hard-to-find wardrobe staples? What projects are you working on this summer?

Shop Art Deco Dame

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:21:00 +0000

I've been loving Art Deco Dame's Shop since I found her blog ages ago. Desiree stocks everything a vintage girl could dream of-- home decor, accessories, clothes and jewelry- even dressings for the fella, all very reasonably priced as well.

I really had fun writing this post, picking my favorites but it wasn't easy narrowing it down to four from each category because there's so many pretty things to see! Check out Art Deco Dame on etsy for all of the lovely things. For the latest updates and Desiree's adventures in vintage, see her elsewhere. Also, readers save 15% this month with code "vavoom"

Blog Pinterest Twitter Shop

one two three four

one two three four

Art Deco Dame is a sponsor of Va-Voom Vintage

Planting a Victory Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:02:00 +0000

For Mother's Day, all I wanted to do was be with my kids and dig in the dirt. There's something so relaxing and wonderful about pulling weeds and getting grass stains on your knees.

We started the day with breakfast out, followed by a visit to a new hardware store. I picked up a cart full of flowers, herbs and vegetables that were all on sale and a few bags of mulch. I also bought a hummingbird feeder to hang outside the kitchen window to match my daily chore of washing dishes more enjoyable.

I taught Olivia that slugs are nice and taught Rhys how to drink out of the hose.

We planted a big flower bed in the front yard with herbs and veggies in the back.

My kids are such fruit and veg eaters, I will be thankful we did all of the work with all of the money we'll save this summer. Although I hadn't planned on watermelons, we put some in last minute since our lettuce seeds didn't take. I think I got impatient and planed them too soon! We live two blocks from the Missouri River, which has given this area the richest most wonderful soil.

And look what else happened for Mother's Day! This little mama built her nest on top of the light outside my kitchen door a few weeks ago. She was not happy about our gardening all day but that's life when you live outside my kitchen door.

This morning I went out to water and she was gone so I held my camera high above the nest and clicked and when I looked at the picture I found....

a pile of fluffy hatchlings. I latched the door so she can be undisturbed and enjoy her 5 little Mother's Day gifts in peace.

Read The Gatsby Issue of Hey Doll! Vintage Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Sun, 12 May 2013 02:29:00 +0000

Phew! I finally finished the last bits of this issue of Hey Doll, all about the 1920s and The Great Gatsby, of course. It's out a week later than expected but we hope it's worth the wait.

We have some truly fantastic articles from our contributors this month, sharing their knowledge on topics that I had never even heard of. The best part of doing this e-zine is learning so much from my fellow vintage enthusiasts. This zine is a whole lot of work- more than I had anticipated so Bunny and I are both so thankful to have all of your photo and article submissions as well as reader feedback. Each issue we learn something new that we can carry on into future issues.

On Monday we begin working on issue 5. If you would like to send in an article or photo for our dolled up section, take a peek at the Hey Doll Blog for submissions info and send submissions and inquiries to us at heydollvintagemagazine@yahoo.com

Anyway, enough blabbing, here it is- enjoy!

Click to view Issue Four: May {1920's/ Gatsby} on GLOSSI.COM

1920s Party Planning and Needlework

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:30:00 +0000

Hello everyone! Long time no post, huh? I had this awful plaque of a cold all week, teamed up with pink eye running through the house and remnants of last week's discovery of my mango allergy so I've been basically useless all week. Thankfully, I went to bed super early, woke up revived and am ready to clean this house, blog and work on projects again.

I've also been working on finishing our Gatsby issue of Hey Doll all week, which is turning out to be absolutely fantastic! Our magazine host, Glossi added a bunch of new features recently and I've been figuring out how to work all of them. I'm so pleased with this issue and although it'll be a week later than promised, I think it will be well worth the wait!

This issue, we have some knitting patterns from my 20's magazines and I added an excerpt from one of my 1920s books, Parties that Are Different, which you can read and download for free, here.
I have one more article and the contents pages to add to this issue and then it will be ready to publish. Keep your eyes out for it here in a day or two!

Anyway, last weekend I bought a really awesome Canon printer/scanner combo thing from an estate sale for $10! My old scanner was nearing death for a long time so I'm really happy to finally be able to share all of my gorgeous vintage books and magazines with you guys! I have a huge tote full of old magazines to scan so I hope to pick a few to do each week.

Working on the e-zine has me still Gatsby mood so I wanted to share some scans from The Modern Priscilla that I posted about a few weeks ago. Today, we have some beautiful instructions on using bias tape as applique on different accessories and home linens. This is a great way to jazz up a boring dress or blouse, make unique gifts for friends and family and use up those funny little scraps of bias tape.

{Click the link below each to view the full size image}

view full size

Blog Tip- Improve your traffic with alt text

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Sun, 05 May 2013 17:36:00 +0000

There are some things that I really wish I would have learned in my early days of blogging and one of them is how to improve blog traffic with alt text. Why, oh why did I not learn this -before- I wrote 635 blog posts?

Anyway, one great way to increase your blog's traffic and search engine optimization (SEO) is to tag all of your images with alt text. What is alt text? Glad you asked!

What is alt text?

Alt text is applied to an image when the image cannot be seen.
Some people call it alt tags, some call it alt text. Whatever you call it, alt text is basically a description of your image that allows people to easily find you when they look for images on google. People who use screen reading softwear need alt text to tell them what the pictures are.

What does alt text do to help you?

If you're looking for a photo of Salem North Star china on Google, Google won't find my photo if I name it "img00378" but if I use alt text "vintage Salem North Star dish collection", this photo, from my post on My Mid Century China Cabinet has a chance of showing up in your search. You might even decide to click it, find my blog and become a regular reader.

Even if people don't stick around to read all of your posts, you're still increasing those page views, which is a good thing. If they don't subscribe, they may still pin your image to Pinterest or share on another social network.

Get credit to your work

If you use alt text on an image, that text is filled in when someone pins something to Pinterest. We Pinterest users are generally lazy and we don't bother to change much of the alt text. This is especially important for artists and photographers out there. Add your name to your work and hopefully, that will help your work to be easily credited when shared by others. In this example, I might add "via Va-Voom Vintage"

How to add alt text to your images

Adding alt text is very quick and easy. You can add it to posts as you write them and you can go back through old posts (like I'm doing to all of mine) and add alt text to old pictures. Remember, those old posts still bring in traffic and readers if they can find you in a search engine so that old content is worth gold!

Alt Text Cautions

* When using alt text, be careful to not cram a bunch of keywords in. It's ok to use a keyword if it pertains to the image but Google will pick up on excessive use of keywords and can hurt your blog's SEO

* You don't need to use your blog's name in all of your photos. You can if you like, but it will take up valuable use of space that may be used more efficiently with other words. If you're posting an image of your art or something of that nature, always add your name and your website.

* Always use alt text! Even if you think it's not important. Any image should really have it.

Okay, back to the grind of adding alt text to old posts. It's going to take forever to finish but in the end, I think it'll be well worth the effort!

Do you use alt text? If so, how has it worked for your traffic?

Advertise on Va-Voom Vintage in May

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Fri, 03 May 2013 00:41:00 +0000

Last month, Va-Voom Vintage page views hit over 93,400. Grab your May ad space for your blog, website or business with rates ranging from $10-$35 for the month. Ads sell out quick so if your ad size is booked, you can reserve for next month.

In March, I started a new sponsorship program. Each ad size now has its own package with details on what I do to promote your blog, business or website.

................. About Va-Voom Vintage.......................................................................................................

Over 93,400 page views last month

Recent daily high of 3,525 page views

7814 combined subscribers from Google, Facebook, Twitter, Pinteret and other social networks

Reviews, Reader Discounts and Outfit Posts
In the past, I have posted product reviews, tutorials featuring sponsored products and outfit posts. If you have a special discount for Va-Voom Vintage readers, I can announce that in your sponsored post.

The Details

Ad buttons rotate with every page load within your size group to ensure that everyone gets an equal spot near the top

Monthly sponsor roundup posts are posted on the 15th of the month and include information and links about your blog, business or website. If your ad is purchased after the 15th, your spotlight will be included in the following month's roundup

Ad space may be purchased through passionfruit ads by clicking the by now button below or email me if you prefer a paypal invoice.

For Inquiries, ideas or assistance creating your ad button, email me at
va_voomvintage@yahoo.com

Thank you for flying Transversion

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:57:00 +0000

When I was 16, I bought this hilarious tote bag by Transversion from the mall. It was kind a splurge but I'm 27 and still carrying it all the time so well worth the splurge, I think!

Two weeks ago, Pj, Rhys and I popped into an estate sale down the street and I was lucky enough to find two more of these adorable bags! I assume that the woman who owned the estate worked for an airline due to a scattering of TWA pins, notebooks and such. Either that or she just liked to travel.

Sitting on the floor by my desk at school, I often caught my classmates hanging their heads, trying to read the funny little notes and figure out what the heck was on my bag.

My Vintage Bullet Bra Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Wow, what a wonderful response from yesterday's post on my bullet bra pattern! I worked out cup sizes B-DD yesterday and YES, I will be doing the biggest cup sizes that I can, for all of my "heavily blessed" sisters out there. This pattern will be a little unique too, in that you will be able to choose your cup size and band size separately so if you have a small rib cage and big girls, or vise versa, you can get a perfect fit. There's some extra math involved and since I have the math capacity of a kindergartener, I'm doing my best to make it simple.

I have always said that the single most important garment that a woman should have is -not- a little black dress but a perfect fitting bra. A great bra makes you look good and feel good inside and out. When your girls are perky and lifted, you walk taller, smile bigger and feel fabulous! Since I started this blog, it's been all about embracing your body for what it is and understanding that we all come in different shapes and sizes. It's funny that we are all completely different sizes and shapes but we all share the same problem- finding a perfect bra!

My sister, sister-in-law and mom have generously agreed to let me borrow their boobs so I can test out different cup sizes before I post this thing. Thanks, family!

Anyway, while I was working out sizes yesterday, I sat in bed in a pile of my vintage bra and girdle collection and wanted to show you all of my bullet bras from simple cottons to embroidery and sheers. I hope that these original bras inspire you in your bullet bra sewing! I always love to check out vintage lingerie to see how it was constructed and all of the little details.Although I wear this stuff all the time, I'm not in the habit of showing off my undies until now! I'll be going over instructions on how to create these unique stitching patterns, using lace or sheers and all the details that make a handmade piece of lingerie really special. Although they look quite complex, bra sewing is very easy and fun! Once you get your size correct, you can knock out a few of these in an afternoon with very little fabric.

For the Love of Bullet Bras

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:41:00 +0000

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Yesterday, I finally sewed a bullet bra- something that has been on my must do list for years. I created the pattern, cut the fabric and completed the whole bra all in about an hour. It's my first attempt and needs a few more small changes to make it perfect but I am so pleased with it! I used this silly fruity print cotton from my stash. I love this bra to pieces. It's so comfortable, I could sleep in it! As you can see by the wonky center seam, I'm still playing with it.

I fell in love with bullet bras the first time I put one on. I think I actually said "Where have you been all my life?!" They're comfortable- with no under wire or modern bra nonsense, they support even a larger gal like myself and they look great under vintage clothes.

A few months ago, I bought my first What Katie Did bullet bra (the Harlow). It's a gorgeous bra in peachy satin with all of the vintage details that I wanted but still, it wasn't my dream bra.

The strap placement creates this awful back fat bulge and they feel like they're going to slip off my shoulders at any moment. I also prefer a thicker strap to support heavy breasts and a higher rise at the sides so there isn't any spillage. It seems like the cup size isn't full enough for me, even on the larger sizes. They did a beautiful job on it, honestly. It is a very comfortable bra (strap issue aside) and very well constructed
but I feel like if I need to make adjustments to a garment to make it perfect, I probably don't need to be spending $55 on it in the first place.

I'm sure many people wonder, why on Earth would a woman with an already prominent bust want to wear something that pointy? This is why I am madly in love with a nice pointy bra...

❤ Bullet bras provide amazing support to very heavy breasts, relieving back pain without the need of under wire
❤ with modesty in mind, a bullet bra provides complete coverage of the breast. No spilling up top, no side-boob, everything is neatly lifted and held in place with light fabric and spiral stitching

❤ Women with heavy breasts have a problem with sagging- I'm only 27 and they droop! A bullet bra lifts the breasts off of the torso, giving a longer, slim look to the whole body.

❤ You know that squished feeling you get with a flimsy modern bra? Like you might just spill right out the bottom? A bullet bra's stitching around the entire cup supports from the bottom as well: no fall-out

❤ Without clothes over the bra, they do look abnormally pointy but with a vintage dress or sweater over the top, it's not as pointed as you think. I stay away from padded bullet bras, which look like road cones under my blouse but a simple cotton or satin non-padded bullet like the one I made is lovely. I wear bullet bras or some other variety of a pointy vintage bra every single day!

❤ Don't they make a big chest look bigger? There's something quite magical about a bullet bra. Maybe it's just me, but I feel like they make a smaller bust more prominent while minimizing the look of a larger bust. I've tried this on myself with modern and vintage bras and I actually have an easier time buttoning blouses with no button gap while wearing a bullet bra. Maybe they squish a lot of the fat closer to the body? I don't know what it is, but I love it!

I'm working on perfecting my bullet bra pattern and making it in other sizes so I can show you ladies how to sew your own amazing bullet bras. Stay tuned for the free patterns and instructions as soon as I can get them just right!

Have you ever worn a bullet bra? Did you like it or not? What is your problem area with bra fitting?

Regency Era Shoes from American Duchess

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:47:00 +0000

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I love a fabulous heel, a flirty wedge, a sturdy boot- but the one shoe I wear more than the rest is a durable basic flat. You can walk all day, dance all night and maybe play and run a little in between with a perfect pair of flats and I'm sure everyone is excited about the newest addition to the American Duchess line- the Highbury Dyeable Satin Regency Flat

The Highbury is made with American made satin, which dyes to a rich, vibrant and even color. Highbury is the first in the American Duchess line to use this fine satin. The shoe is lined in leather with a flat man-made sole and subtle spring heel. For information on how to dye your Highbury shoes, see Lauren's video below.

The Highbury is such a versatile shoe, with interior loops to add lacing ribbons, which can be changed out to suit your dress. This shoe is historically accurate for costumes from 1790 through 1810 with its pointed toe, side seams and high vamp.

Highburys have been on pre-order this month and will be available in the shoe shop this summer but if you absolutely can't wait for a beautiful regency shoe, also check out the Pemberley Regency Slipper in fine dyeable leather with a comfortable low heel, currently on sale.

How to Decorate on the Cheap with Vintage Ads

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:10:00 +0000

Vintage advertisements often include gorgeous artwork. Some are funny or reflect the state of society during that era. They're colorful, unique and really should be displayed! I always buy old magazines when I find them, not only for the reading and inspiration but for decorating.

Some of my local antique malls sell vintage ad pages for a buck or two per page so I can stock up on a bunch of colorful pieces for less than the cost of a burger and fries. A single magazine or catalog is loaded with beautiful pages so if you can score one online or out shopping, you can decorate the whole house!
This 1940's lingerie ad is my absolute favorite. She adds some color to the bathroom.

Trim the ads or if they are already small, lay them out on a background of pretty vintage wallpaper, wrapping paper or scrapbook paper.

I use garage sale or dollar store frames throughout my house. You can also find really cheap frames at thrift stores. If you don't like the color, a coat or two of spray paint does the trick!

Make collages in a single frame or group similar ads together on a wall. Line the kitchen with funny food and drink ads and deck the bathroom with cosmetics and lingerie pages. I hang a few of my favorite makeup and fashion ads in the bedroom for inspiration while I'm getting ready for the day.

Vintage ads bring color and kitsch to a room and those who visit your home will enjoy your gallery of life in the past.

Other Ideas for Vintage Ads

Mod Podge them to a jewelry or hat box, wooden bangle bracelets, table tops, etc.

Scan them and print on iron-on transfers for tee shirts and tote bags.

Make greeting cards for birthday, baby and wedding showers and holidays

*if an ad is really special, make a color copy so you can save the original for framing*

The St Louis Dress and Other Treasures

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 00:03:00 +0000

This morning we had some errands to run and while stopping at a small neighborhood grocery store, I spotted signs for garage sales all over the place. I was almost able to contain myself when I saw a sign on the same street that I bought my 1950's china cabinet from last month.

I remember going inside and seeing all kinds of kitchen pretties, vintage figurines and furniture that were being prepared for an estate sale in a few weeks so my heart skipped as I saw that the china cabinet house was now holding a garage sale!

The first find was this awesome vintage dress with a full skirt, red piping and a large Missouri patch with the words "St Louis" embroidered on it.

What a strange dress, right? Well, I later found a pattern in a box of craft books for a square dancing dress so I'm guessing that this lady was a competition square dancer or something of that nature.

I desperately wanted to get my hands on some of the glass figurines, of which I found a few!

Also among the pretties was a box of craft books- mostly The Teddy Bear Review and other old lady craft books from the 80's but I did find three late 30's and early 40s quilt pattern books and two late 50's Christmas booklets. I will be scanning the books, especially the one on how to wrap presents to post for you here because there are some KILLER ribbon how-to's in this book and I must share it with you guys!

I also left with a vintage peachy lace shower curtain (background above) for my pink bathroom and a very pretty mid century bowl with lid. I've seen this pattern online before but now I can't seem to find it and there are no markings. Does anyone know what the pattern is?

And finally, the most awesome thing to come into my house today was my little niece, Miss Junebug, born less than two weeks ago! She did a whole lot of snoozin' and being held and kissed by her cousin, Olivia.

Gorgeous Vintagey Fabrics Haul

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 19:30:00 +0000

I went to JoAnne's this morning to pick up fabric for a 1920's dress that I'm making for the next issue of Hey Doll! and I came out with 3 beautiful cotton prints that I had to share. They're having the Daffodil Dash Sale this weekend so these were all 30% off.

The one on the left was the last bit of the bolt. I was hoping for enough yardage for a whole 20's summer dress but sadly, just under two yards on this one so it will probably become a hat and scarf or blouse. I really love this print and the colors- so Art Deco!

The one on the right is down right fabulous, I want to reupholster every piece of furniture in my house, including the curtains, bed spreads and shower curtain in this fabric. Am madly in love!

to the left: 2012 DS Quilts Collection for Fabric Traditions
to the right "mercer" De Leon Designer Group * The Alexander Henry Fabrics Collection 2012

This gorgeous mid century inspired fabric on the left was an accidental find. I was just moving down the remnants aisle to keep the cart moving so Rhys would chill out and I saw this for $7 a yard plus 50% off. Crazy in love with it as well. This print is going to be throw pillows for my living room...and perhaps a few for my bed.

The one on the right will be my 1920's summer dress from a pattern that I am drafting based on a 1920's pattern from a book. Stay tuned for the pattern, instructions and details of the finished dress in the May issue of Hey Doll Vintage Magazine.....Now what has Beetsie Wan done with my presser foot?

To the left "composition: coral" The Alexander Henry Fabrics Collection 2010
To the right 2012 DS Quilts Collection for Fabric Traditions

Beetsie Wan

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:02:00 +0000

Today, little Rhys is two years old! He's turning into such a cool little dude and we call him "Beetsie Wan"

It all started when he was a tiny baby. Olivia called all babies "Beets" because she couldn't say Rhys and "Beetsie" as her little nick name for him. So we had Beetsie cats, Beetsie bears, Beetsie babies...all things Beetsie, including a little family of toy swans. And since she couldn't say "Swan" they were "wans" Mommy wan, daddy wan and Beetsie wan. We thought it was so funny, we called him Beetsie Wan or just Beets and the name stuck.

Over the past two years, Va-Voom Vintage readers have seen me through my pregnancy with Beets, his birth and growing up into a tough little man.

He's very into chocolate, watching Backyardigans or "gins" and calling me and his father both "Daddy". He is very much not into having his hair washed, being still or potty training.

He has a really badass scar on his forehead from where he crashed a few months ago and although I cried my eyes out when they glued his noggin back together, all he wanted was a sticker from the nurse. Yep, tough guy!

He likes tattoos, pirates and growling like a monster, yelling "win-o, win-o" when he wants the wind in his hair and being in every single photograph for this blog because he cannot be away from mommy (the daddy lady) for any period of time.

Happy birthday, Beetsie Wan!

Tutorial: No-Tease Beehive

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 02:38:00 +0000

In this month's issue of Hey Doll I wrote a tutorial for my no-tease beehive, which has been my new favorite go-to style. It's very quick and easy and looks cute with any outfit. I don't like to tease my hair if I don't have to. It's not great for the hair and if you want to do a next-day style, without shampooing, forget about it! I'm also not crazy about beehives that have so much backcombing that they look like a bird's nest. The no-tease method can be as tall or toned-down as you like, just use bigger rats for taller beehives. I like a moderate height for daily styles. I'm pretty tall and anything taller hits the roof of the car!

All you need for this look is a hair rat, a ton of bobby pins and a coat of hair spray. I started with curled hair but if you're in a rush, just pin it up, tuck the ends in and you're ready to go! If you don't have bangs, sweep them up as part of your beehive or side part them and pin up. For a more woven look, use smaller sections of hair, wrapped in opposite directions.

See my article in issue 3 for the full how-to

Brittany and Bunny: Supamodels

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:06:00 +0000

On day two of my weekend with Bunny, my mom watched the kids all day so we could play dress-up and goof-off with photographer, Monica Moore.

We covered the 20's-60's in about 5 hours, I think. Most of our pictures will be featured in future issues of Hey Doll. We shot inside and all around the outside of my house. We did some of this

and a whole lot of this

We had so much fun. Monica is such a cool, funny and talented gal.I could hang out with her every day!

After the photos, we planned on cooking but were beat so we went down to the street for some dinner. We took Bunny to Lewis and Clark's down the street, which is always very yummy.

When we left, I spotted the horse and carriage parked across the street. I've lived in the area all my life and have never gone on a ride. Bunny said "You only live once. We're doing it!" So we hopped on and took a 20 minute ride through town, with Arthur, the dog for company.

Outfit Details

Brittany's 40's outfit                                                         Bunny's 30's outfit
40's dress- The Vintage Haberdashery St Louis              30's style dress- Brenda Sue's Warrenton, MO
40s Jacket- private estate                                               rhinestone clip- borrowed from Brittany
40s corde bag- private estate                                         vintage rhinestone drop earrings-garage sale
40's brooch- borrowed from Bunny

Brittany's 50's outfit                                                       Bunny's 50's Outfit
50's purple shirtwaist dress- garage sale                             50's blue shirtwaist- from Brittany
lucite "B" brooch etsy                                          lucite "D" brooch- handmade by Brittany

Brittany's main street outfit                                               Bunny's Main Street outfit
1940's sailor playsuit-handmade by me                   40's cotton dress- etsy
using Wearing History Pattern                               1940's brooch-etsy
40's sailor brooch-borrowed from Bunny                 assorted plastic and bakelite bangles

April Sponsor Spotlight

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:42:00 +0000

This month's sponsors include several fantastic blogs and beautiful etsy shops....

etsy pinterest

Lady Eve Millinery specializes in stunning handmade vintage inspired hats and headpieces. All hats are designed and made by Aimee using vintage millinery techniques. Aimee showed us a peek at her process in our interview a few months ago. See all Lady Eve designs in her etsy shop and follow her inspirational pin boards on etsy.

etsy facebook blog website

Now that I'm a full time blogger, I can't wait to spend more time this summer with some of my patterns from Mrs. Depew. Mrs. Depew Vintage carries a large selection of rare reproduction vintage patterns in PDF format for home sewers. Some vintage sewing patterns can be ten times more expensive than the fabric used to create the garment so it's such a blessing to have affordable options from Mrs. Depew. See her blog for updates on new patterns and sew-a-long projects and check out her website and etsy shop to get copies of her fantastic patterns.

See my tiki dress and swimsuit using Mrs. Depew patterns.

etsy facebook

Global vintage shop carries jewelry, home decor, accessories art and all sorts of vintage treasures from around the world including vintage wedding rhinestone jewelry fit for a spring bride. See the shop for the full selection and follow on facebook for new listings and updates

etsy facebook twitter

Breck's Vintage is a colorful collection of vintage clothing, accessories and home goods. Since my sister had a new baby girl last week, I've been really loving looking at all of her adorable vintage baby clothes and I think Aunt Brittany may need to buy the little lady her first vintage dress! For updates and new arrivals, see Breck's Vintage on facebook and twitter

etsy facebook twitter blog

Trunk of Dresses carries some of the most amazing vintage clothing and accessories on the web- with selections of Little Black Dresses, Bridal, Separates and everything in between! She always has something truly unique with an amazing print or spectacular details.

For more on this fabulous etsy shop, see the feature po st .

blog etsy facebook bloglovin

Flashback Summer is a vintage blog written by a fellow Missouri gal, Emileigh. Emileigh blogs her personal style through vintage and vintage inspired outfits, lifestyle and wonderful words of advice and encouragement in her tips and tutorials. Her recent sweater makeover has me searching the thrift stores for some knits to bring back to life. Also see her awesome guest post on Va-Voom Vintage on 7 Ways to Spice up a Pair of Vintage Gloves

blog twitter pinterest facebook

Collar City Brownstone is one of my new favorite reads, written by Xenia who has a passion for historic restoration, romantic films, home decor and the beauty in all things vintage. I know that a lot of blogs tend to stick to one topic but I love when blogs like Collar City Brownstone (named for Xenia's gorgeous Queen Anne Victorian Brownstone home) aren't afraid to be eclectic and they do it well! Xenia's blog truly has something to inspire everyone from vintage and historic home decor, beautiful foods, vintage fashion, movies and books....and don't forget a nice dash of actor, Richard Armitage!

blog book pinterest facebook twitter

We enjoyed my feature on Lexi's blog, Voluptuous Vintage Vixen in February. Every day, Lexi features one amazing plus sized woman on her blog, showcasing curves and inspiration for a "love yourself" attitude. When she's not blogging, she's working as a hair and makeup artist in Paris, encouraging women to feel beautiful and rock their curves. See my review last month on Lexi's book, Decades of Style: A Step by Step Hair and Makeup Guide- 60s and 70s.

The Someday Dress

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:45:00 +0000

Pj had to work yesterday but as soon as he got home from work, we went to my favorite produce market that opened a few weeks ago. I love spring time, when the fresh fruits and veggies are ripe and beautiful. I've been eating vegetables like they're going out of style and those green smoothies for breakfast must be slowly paying off because I finally fit into this 1940's sheer dress today!!!

Lately, I've been eating with a "What would Dita eat?" mentality. I read her week long food journal a while back and thought it all sounded so yummy, exotic and energizing. I've been absolutely exhausted lately and I think the diet soda, fast food and pasta has probably has a part in that. I'm such a foodie so I've had a lot of fun checking out health food stores and the global foods market for some exotic seasonings and veggies and seeing what local markets have to offer. I may have to share some recipes later! Although a normal Midwestern mom doesn't often have access to sea urchin and squash blossoms (except from her garden), a dinner of roasted squash with smoky sea salt and drinking fancy tea all day sounds divine.

I bought this dress over a year ago on etsy but when it arrived, it was too snug so I never got a chance to wear it. I could have sold it but I decided that one day I would wear it. It sat in my closet since I bought it until yesterday morning when I thought "I wonder....?" I slipped it on, zipped it up and resolved to not have a bowl of banana pudding ice cream for lunch, in favor of a spring roll wrap with carrots, peppers, zuchhini, spinach, avocado, and cucumber.

1940's sheer pink dress- etsy
1950's pink beaded earrings- antique mall
straw embroidered handbag- estate
pink Crocs flats- Famous Footwear

Brittany and Bunny Eat, Thrift and Get Pretty

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany_Va-VoomVintage) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 14:25:00 +0000

Last Thursday, the kids and I got ready and went to the airport to pick up Bunny. Olivia asked over and over "Is she here yet? How did she fly here?" and all questions of an excited three year old.

We picked her up and since we were all starving, we dropped off luggage at my house and headed to Magpie's on Main Street, which is the best place in town for a couple of gals in need of lunch.

They have the yummiest quiche, sandwiches, desserts and appetizers set in a beautiful and cozy building built around 1812, which was built by Charles Tayon, the Spanish governor of St Charles. At its construction, it was one of the largest homes in the settlement. Since it was sunny out, we enjoyed a corner of the patio. We devoured the baked brie, which has almonds, dried and fresh berries with bread on the side to scoop up that melty goodness. I had the hearts of palm salad with a slice of quiche, which is missing from the photo because I was famished!

After we had our energy restored, we jetted off to the local thrift stores. We hit 3 thrift stores in about 2 hours and pretty much conquered all three! I bought a whole shopping cart full of vintage dishes and Glasbake, along with a green pitcher for the kids lemonade and a 69 cent bag for my new camera. I really wanted something smallish but with a long strap and in a color or pattern that Pj wouldn't mind hauling around so that was a score! Here are all of my finds for the day....

Glasbake is like Pyrex but often more colorful and more affordable. Lately, it has been cropping up all over my local thrift stores and I was able to nab a collection of casseroles and bowls in this pretty pattern for less than $10

a lonely blue pyrex bowl and tiki cup from a Salvation Army

Next, we took the kids to my mom's house so they could enjoy some non-shopping down time and we went to see my amazing hair stylist, Nikki. It's so hard to find someone who knows how to cut a proper vintage style and she really knows her stuff! My gorgeous Rita Hayworth style cut, my Marilyn cut - all the work of Nikki. So, when Bunny said that her Latina hair is causing her problems and she doesn't know what to do with it I said "Girl, call Nikki!"

See Bunny's post on day one on her blog, Bunny's Victory.

Bunny's Outfit                            Brittany's Outfit                     Nikki's Outfit
40's repro dress- etsy      1950's gingham dress - Va Voom Vintage Shop           1940's dress- ebay
cardigan- thrifted                     1950's cardigan- thrifted                   40's repro peep toe pumps- Aris Allen
beaded necklace- etsy              baby carriage brooch - Broesj on etsy
brooch                                  Crocs flats- Famous Footwear