Andi B. Goode

Pink and black on Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Sun, 27 May 2012 12:20:00 +0000

Today I went to a going away do for a friend I haven't seen for a while and I felt like wearing my new pink skirt so I just went from there with my outfit. My stockings have the honour of being the only vintage I am wearing in this outfit but the crossover style of my top and the cut of the skirt are not entirely un-vintage in inspiration, I think.

Outfit details: cardigan - gift; top - Target; belt - gift; skirt - gift/Harris Scarfe; vintage stockings - ?; bangles - Salvos; shoes - KMart.

I've been enjoying just letting me hair do its own thing, lately, and leaving it in its natural state

Pink and black is one of my favourite combinations - as much as I love entirely pastel outfits, I often feel like I need a bit of black when I'm wearing this kind of pink.

Sorry for the sparse text - I've had a busy day, today, and these seem to be all the words I can muster!

Love,

Andi B. Goode

New Hair, Old Top

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Mon, 21 May 2012 03:59:00 +0000

If you follow me on Instagram (I'm andibgoode there, as well) you'll know that I went and got a fringe cut the other day...it's something I'd been thinking about for a while, now, but I kept putting it off for various reasons (I dislike going to the hairdressers a whole lot) until finally I went to get the chop, as it were.

I love my new fringe. I think I'll get it cut a little thicker and maybe ever-so-slightly shorter next time, though. This photo is after not washing my hair for a few days so it's not quite as nice as it was when it was first cut. I haven't got used to the physical feeling of having a fringe again, though, but that's not surprising.

And I don't think I've ever showed off this top! This is one of those items of clothing that I loved then put in the 'get rid of' pile, oh, about five or six times? Before deciding it was staying for good. I think it's from the '60s or '70s and I found it in a Goodwill op-shop years ago, now. It's perfect for my pedal pushers and one of my go-to pieces for the shops or something like that.

Outfit details: 1960s top - Goodwill years ago; pants - Miss Hussy; shoes - KMart.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Musical Interlude {Lesley Gore}

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Thu, 17 May 2012 06:56:00 +0000

I must admit that I just haven't been in the mood for blogging, lately. I feel like I have a lot of great post ideas but I can't seem to pin them down and work out exactly what they are. The ones I can work out seem like just a little more effort than I am willing to put in at the moment. Ha. But I've got a little post for you, today, on one of my favourite pop singers...

This morning, on Tumblr, I came across a great playlist of '60s songs put together by someone I don't follow and it spurred on the '60s kick I've been on lately...which eventually lead to me listening to nothing but Lesley Gore for most of the day. So here are a few fantastic photos of Lesley and a couple of my favourite songs of hers. If you want to read a bit about her, start with the wiki article, but I basically just want this post to be about images and sound.

{Source}

How perfect is her flip? Sigh.

{All images were found on the first page of google image search}

{Lesley Gore as Pussy Cat in That Darn Catwoman and Scat! Darn Catwoman, 1967}

I can tell you, now, that I would gladly dress like Lesley Gore as Pussy Cat! She's also wearing pink tights and just-below-the-knee pink boots.

A fantastic video of Lesley singing You Don't Own Me live in 1964. This is one of those songs that are great to put on really loud and belt along to. Very therapeutic!

A colour Scopitone of Lesley's song Wonder Boy which features some very cute and colourful outfits. And Lesley's even cuter short do! This is one of my favourite of her songs.

And another favourite: Maybe I Know. I adore her flip and eye makeup and the gorgeous smile she gives at the end!

I suppose this is a bit of a filler post until I feel up to my regular content again but she was on my mind today...I'm sure there are many other fans of hers who read my blog, too.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Ukulele Sheet Music Challenge Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:23:00 +0000

Quite a while back, now, I shared photos of part of my vintage sheet music collection and I mentioned that one of my plans was to learn some of the songs that had uke accompaniment and make videos of them as a challenge. And then I never did anything about it. But I've finally recorded the first video for my 'challenge' and I wanted to share it on here.

I'm not what you'd call a fan of Al Jolson but this song, written by Billy Rose & Dave Dreyer in 1928 is very cute and sweet. Despite the sad state of the sheet music itself, I love this particular piece for its bold orange background, the variety of fantastic typography and, in fact, even its shabby state is appealing.

As you can see from the text, this song was recorded for The Singing Fool (which I've not seen) which you can read about here. I couldn't find footage of the song in the film, though, but there is a recording of it below my own video.

Without further ado, here is my own rendition of There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder...

And, for reference, one of Jolson's recordings of the song (I believe this would be his original recording from 1928). It has a really great whistle solo.

If this challenge idea is interesting to anyone else, I might continue posting them here. And maybe think of a more concise name for the challenge as well!

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Friday (Links) On My Mind #7

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Sat, 12 May 2012 03:34:00 +0000

Anna Arena via Least Wanted on flickr

♥ Charlotte started a series sharing vintage ads - the first lot of ads are for 'underarm freshness'.

♥ Jessica shared some great tips for vintage shopping online & which keywords to use.
♥ The latest photo shoot on the Jitterbugdoll's blog is right up my alley! Some 'recruiting posters' and I can't wait to see the rest of the project.
♥ Gaby has started up a few new features on her blog and I'm particularly excited about Art School and Friday Night Movie Night.

♥ An interview with Christian Broutin who designed this great poster for Jules et Jim, amongst other films.
♥ Solanah's photos from 'Reichenbach day' had me just a tad green with envy...and her outfit is stunning!

♥ The Catalog Sunday posts on New Vintage Lady are always excellent but I was particularly taken with the images this week.

♥ Leave Her to Heaven (1945) was the Saturday Editor's Pick at Alt Screen - the post is well worth checking out if you're a fan of the film.
♥ Is it bad form to share a post that I made on my other blog? Because I posted my top 5 Hitchcock films & thought some of you here might be interested in reading it.

♥ And, lastly, I was taken by these great images of the Women's Timber Corps shared at Land Girl 1980.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

PS Apologies for getting this up a day late this week!

You Spin Me Right Round #2

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Wed, 09 May 2012 09:48:00 +0000

I'm finally getting around to posting the second part of my record collection. Today, I bring you my picture sleeve 45s (though I do believe 7" is the term more used, now, referring to the size rather than speed) - some were bought because the covers were neat, others because I love the song.

This was one of the 'this cover is neat' buys - I loved her hair and the simple graphic layout. I was pleased to find out she is an Italian pop singer I'd never heard of as I'm quite fond of Italian pop music of the 1960s (such as Rita Pavone, Mina, Adriano Celentano, et al) - the songs on this EP are in Italian, English and German I think.

This was another 'neat cover buy' which then inspired one of my musical interlude posts once I listened to the record. I still haven't hunted down more of their music, yet, but I do love what I've heard. I suppose it fits in with the folk revival of the 50s/60s that I love quite a lot.

I only enjoy a handful of Belafonte's recordings but I think he had a gorgeous voice (and face) and this pink cover with yellow and white writing is incredibly pleasing to me, aesthetically.

I like The Mills Brothers a lot. That's the only story I have for this one.

I love the endearing goofiness that many early 60s vocal group record covers seem to have. Maybe goofy isn't quite the right word but there's something about this that tickles me. I don't mind their music, either.

This one belonged to my uncle's first wife...somehow it ended up in my mum's collection and I slipped it into my own collection a few years ago. (Mum doesn't mind...I've done this with a few of her records, now.)

Now I think this one is definitely on the goofy side of things...

A Swinging Safari is one of my favourite pieces of music and I just have to giggle at this cheesy cover.

This is an EP from Toldi Maria and all I can find out about her is that she's Hungarian. She seems to have a site but it's all in Hungarian...I picked this one up because I loved her hair/dress/guitar. And ended up enjoying the songs a lot. Unfortunately it has that ugly brown tape on it...luckily it seems to be coming away without ripping the cover!

This is one of my all-time favourite finds in terms of the cover. I've always loved hearts so I snatched it up as soon as I saw it. The songs are pretty cute, too.

How amazing is everything on this cover?! I'm coveting her hair and all of the furniture. A great '80s tribute to the '60s, I think. The song is cool, too.

I'm not keen on the '88 remix of Downtown but I do love the cover.

Again, the top two were bought for cover design (songs are great, too) and the bottom two were bought because they are two of my favourite songs.

And I thought I would end on another prized possession: my signed Wanda Jackson 45 from when Wanda did a signing after her concert here a few years ago. A fantastic experience.

Once again this is some but not all of my collection of picture sleeve 45s. You can see some more in this flickr set but I've probably got at least 20 or 30 more than what is pictured in the set, as well.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Jeepers Creepers!

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Mon, 07 May 2012 05:57:00 +0000

I haven't much felt like taking outfit photos lately (when I've actually been getting dressed, anyway) so today you only get some not-so-great iPhone photos. I wore this to town on the weekend for Free Comic Book Day - it's not entirely different from an outfit I've worn in the past but my hair is not styled as much and I'm wearing my new creeper style shoes.

Outfit details: 1950s cardigan - etsy; vintage brooch - etsy; singlet - Target; belt - gift; pants - Miss Hussy; socks - Rubi Shoes; creepers - Rubi Shoes.

I've loved creepers for longer than I can remember though I've never owned a pair of them. Creepers must be in style a bit right now? Because these were from a cheap chain shoe store...I'd still love a nicer pair but between trying to find something I love, that's vegetarian/vegan and affordable (for me), well, it might be a while before my feet slip into another pair besides these.

Blurry. Oops.

As well as getting free comic books (and buying one), I did a little bit of record shopping...and found one of the most amazing picture records ever:

Yep. This is undoubtedly the best record in my collection now.

I also picked up this Eruption LP. I've always loved I Can't Stand the Rain but had never heard any other songs. This album is brilliant. I do love a good disco tune!

Apologies again for the slight lack of quality in this post...but I think the RuPaul record makes up for it.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Friday (Links) On My Mind #6

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:09:00 +0000

Family Outing via vivienne_strauss on Flickr

♥ Hannah shared these divine hand-painted blouses she found on etsy. I'd seen them earlier but nearly forgot about them. Once you see them you'll wonder how they could ever have left my mind!

♥ Miss Rayne has done a great review/comparison of Gio stockings to Aristoc Harmony stockings. Well worth checking out!

♥ I loved this round-up of prettily painted nails at Diversions. I envy those who do fancy things to their nails but with strumming my uke every day there's not much point for me.

♥ Charlotte shared some photos of a lot of pulp novels that she bought on eBay...I just love all of the cover art.

♥ Amber is looking for people to contribute to a week long feature about loving and accepting yourself. Check out the details here and here.
♥ Julia has a zine up for sale - it's about stepping away from the internet once in a while and looks pretty cool.

♥ Not at all vintage but the editor's pick on Alt Screen this week made me happy as My Own Private Idaho is one of my favourite films.

♥ And check out Vaein Zine a new local online magazine project thing that I've been asked to be a contributor for...this describes the project better than I could!

Thank-you to those who left kind words wishing me a better week on my last round-up - I've definitely had a better one, this time, but as you can see I've not had a lot of time for reading online! I'm trying to balance writing two blogs as well as other things so the link list this week is a little sparse again.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend...

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Keen on red and pink

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Tue, 01 May 2012 02:04:00 +0000

When I went in to town the other day, I took the opportunity to wear the pink pants I mentioned in this post...they're not exactly what I've been looking for but they're very close! I had a lot of fun trying them on with different tops - for now I like them best paired with this red sweater. I felt like this was a little bit Emma Peel and a little bit Ann Margret.

Outfit details: scarf - ?; 1950s sweater - etsy; belt - Valley Girl; pants - op-shop; shoes - KMart.

Red and pink is one of my favourite colour combinations.

Usually I won't comment on my non-smiling face and I will certainly never apologise for it but this particular facial expression is the result of trying not to squint with the sun in my eyes. It is so incredibly difficult to do! Next time I'll just wear my sunnies or find a better spot to take the photos. I've also just noticed it looks like I've got a kookaburra sitting on my shoulder...

When I was out I got some photos done in a photobooth. Sadly, the price is up to $8 so I'm not sure if it will be a regular occurrence though I would like it to be.

Oh, and be sure to take a look at the guest post/interview I did for We Heart Vintage.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Silver Screen Sunday {The War of the Worlds}

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:06:00 +0000

As you may have noticed in my latest 'finds' post I bought myself a copy of the 1953 The War of the Worlds. I then promptly watched and fell in love with it. I am by no means a sci-fi aficionado but I do love 1950s and 1960s sci-fi films (even though I sometimes forget which ones I've seen when the plots/titles are very similar...oops) so this was right up my alley. Plus it's in glorious Technicolor.

The War of the Worlds directed by Byron Haskin, 1953

Oh and there are some pretty cute outfits, too! Which is why I'm posting about the film here.

I don't like wearing brown all that much (or at all, really) but I loved this outfit that Ann Robinson wore at the beginning of the film. I especially love the contrast detailing on her turtle-neck sweater. I also love the casual clothes that Gene Barry (who is quite the dish) wears in the movie, too.

There were some great western-styled fashions in the square dance scene! Looks at these shirts!

And there was so much plaid. I approve!

You can't see it too well but check out the print on that pink dress! I couldn't tell if it was of bows or stylised butterflies.

Ann Robinson's blue and white square-dance outfit was very cute. And I love the yellow and black plaid shirt the fella in the front is wearing.

I love the pale pink number in the background. This was the only decent shot I could get of it, unfortunately.

I loved Ann Robinson's make-up in this, especially her pink lipstick as I'm looking for the perfect shade of pink to adorn my lips at the moment. I went out to find one the other day but forgot and bought comic books instead. Hmmm.

This blue dress is probably my favourite piece from the film - unfortunately this is the only decent shot I got of it! I think the blue looks lovely with the brown of her scarf tucked into the pocket and her brown loafers, just barely visible here. I'd also love to do this as a costume one day...especially as I'd wear the dress anyway.

You can read my general review of the film at The Sofa Cinephile - I'm not sure about doubling up on posts like this but I feel like it might be a nice way I can focus on the clothes of the film as well as other elements without either post getting too long (though I've just realised how wordy my other post is...eep!). It probably won't be too often that I double up on posts but hopefully it's not annoying.

Love,
Andi B. Goode
x

Friday (Links) On My Mind #5

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:20:00 +0000

I haven't had the best week...it hasn't been terrible but it wasn't what I'd call good, either. I've been trying to blog through it but the real reason I'm telling you all this is as an explanation for why there aren't so many links on this week's round-up!

Still from The Lady Eve directed by Preston Sturges, 1941 via bswise on Flickr

♥ If you've ever had an online friendship (and chances are, you have!), you should read Julia's love letter to internet friends.

♥ Laurence shared some photos from her visit to the Neon Museum in Las Vegas which looks like heaven to me!

♥ One of my favourite artists, Caitlin Shearer, has made some dresses out of fabrics with her work on it that she will eventually be selling.

♥ A little bit about pomade over on the Lady K Loves blog - I've never used it so I'm always interested in reading what others have to say.

♥ I love these 1968 photos of an arcade on Flavorwire - can I move in there please?

♥ One of my sweet flickr contacts posted a photo of an outfit inspired by me! Very chuffed.

Hope everyone who is reading this has a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Op-Shop Adventure Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 03:23:00 +0000

On Tuesday I went on another op-shopping adventure with my dad - this time we went to Noarlunga so I could finally check out the Savers there. I must admit that, whilst I was impressed by the size, I wasn't overly impressed by the stock or the price-tags. I suppose like most op-shopping you have to go constantly to find treasures and it's too far away for me to go very often. As for the pricing, some of it was reasonable, some seemed exorbitant, which happens all too often, now. Despite all of that, I still managed to find a few goodies for myself...

This is the amazing print of a (modern but with a vintage feel) jacket that I was instantly drawn to. I can't wait to wear it!

Vintage Little Golden Books always have the best illustrations - they're great to look at but very inspiring, too. This is a 1980s reissue of a 1950s book and it looks largely untouched.

Look at all these snappy dressers! I love the variety of domestic, farm and wild animals.

Two new LPs for my collection. I adore the covers for both of these - I may have to put the South Pacific one up on my wall!

A deliciously 80s knitting pattern booklet. Mum said the cover is her favourite but...

This two page spread is mine!

Oh, and I forgot to take a photo of a pair of pink high-waisted pants that I found at a little church op-shop for $1! They're from the 80s or 90s but I've been searching for some for ages and these will suffice until I find the perfect 50s (or repro) pair.

These aren't vintage or secondhand but they are two new additions to my classic movie collection: The War of the Worlds 1953 and Kiss of Death 1947. I've been asked a few times in the past where I get all of my old movies from and I suppose I'm lucky that I have access to stores here that have decent, though by no means exhaustible classic sections (which are sadly getting smaller and smaller)...I also acquire a lot of them online when I just can't find them on DVD here (either legally or...otherwise).

Speaking of movies, I've started up a film blog! I've only got one introduction type post there at the moment but I'm spending the day writing posts for it (and for this blog, too) so if you're keen on knowing more about my taste in cinema then please keep an eye on it. I know I've done movie posts here in the past and I may continue to do them, but I wanted to post a bit more widely than I had been here.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

PS: I keep forgetting to tell you all when I've updated my etsy shop!

Musical Interlude {The Brother Sisters}

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:18:00 +0000

It makes me happy that my readers enjoyed the first glimpse at my record collection and I shall definitely be doing more installments in the future (am trying to think of how to organise the rest of the posts, though...would you be interested in seeing any of my 70s & on collection as well or just the earlier records, which I don't have as many of?)

For now, though, here is a 45 that I picked up at an op-shop once because it was old and I was intrigued by the name of the group: The Brother Sisters.

As much as I love picture sleeve 45s there is still something so gorgeous about the design of these paper sleeves - though I think this must not be in its original sleeve (I don't think Parlophone and Mercury are linked but they do look rather nice together, regardless.)

I couldn't find either of the songs online so I recorded them with my iPhone - the recordings aren't that great but I wanted everyone to be able to hear them!

Side 1: Alone

This song was originally recorded by the Shepherd Sisters and this version seems to be quite similar but I can't really find any information on The Brother Sisters at all! I just found a few listings for the record on different websites and that it was released in 1957. If anyone else was able to dig anything up or knows anything about the group, I'd love to know. I found a mention in an old magazine online when I first bought it but I can't find it now, unfortunately.

Side 2: Pass Me the Mustard

This song is so silly and cute, which is probably why I love it so much.

I know Vimeo doesn't always work for everyone but I am keeping my YouTube account solely for ukulele videos so I apologise if anyone can't watch these.

I'm a wee bit busy, right now, hence the brief post but I am trying to write up some more to queue so it won't be too dead around here.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Friday (Links) On My Mind #4

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 03:44:00 +0000

Doing these round-ups has really helped me keep up with the blogs I read but it's also made me realise that I might not be reading as widely as I'd like to. Though, I was kind of overwhelmed by all the great posts this week and it was hard to whittle the list down so it wasn't too long for anyone else to go through!

181 via EspressoBuzz on Flickr

♥ The photo for this week comes from this set on Flickr - I think I found it via Tumblr and it's worth checking out!

♥ Kate made a DIY tutorial for making your own 3D embellished dress (or any other article of clothing, I guess).

♥ I am by no means a horror movie aficionado but I had fun going through this list of the 100 'best' & counting how many I've seen: 23 (including some of my all-time favourites). How about you?

♥ Aimee of Bright Young Twins contemplates the question 'what has made vintage so popular?' with some interesting thoughts in both the post and the comments.

♥ Check out these gorgeous movie posters by Anselmo Ballester of Märta Torén.

♥ This post on Aelita - Queen of Mars has made be determined to track down this Russian silent film. And by determined I mean I almost forgot about it until I started writing this post. Oops! (It's up in 9 parts on YouTube and there are probably other places to find it, too.)

♥ A neat post on the Fashion of Doctor Who from The Frog's Eyebrows.

♥ Stephanie points out some neat, but not necessarily practical things, seen in vintage home interior advertisements.

♥ Thanks to Natasha I now know about the (yet another photo) book, Marilyn by Magnum. I can always do with more coffee table books of gorgeous photos!

♥ Stumbled across a Tumblr dedicated to Katy Keene - there's not a whole lot on there but it's a nice showcase of Katy's style through the years!

♥ And finally a great round-up post on Busby Berkeley's The Gang's All Here from alt screen.

I think this might be a little heavy on TV/movie related posts and just a rather long list in general. Let me know if it's maybe a bit too long...but hopefully it's a case of the more the merrier!

Love,

Andi B. Goode

I never wanted to use macramé to kill!

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 05:38:00 +0000

First of all, thank-you again gorgeous blog readers for all the lovely comments on this post! I'm really loving my new red hair and it makes me happy that so many people think it suits me so well. Secondly, here is another outfit post (the subject of this post may seem a bit odd but I am wearing a polyester dress...)

Outfit details: 1970s/80s polyester dress - community op-shop; belt - Valley Girl; shoes - K-Mart.

I was initially going to sell this dress on as I don't wear polyester often but I like the almost 50s-esque (but still very late 70s/early 80s) style of the print and the subtle colours, too, so I decided to keep it. Plus, it's a really great simple style and the polyester is very light-weight so I didn't find myself getting as warm as I usually do when I wear polyester.

A lot of my favourite photos from my favourite photographers are self-portraits using mirrors - I even wrote an essay last year focussing on some photographers from the '30s who did mirror self-portraits and it won me a prize. So, obviously, I'm really fascinated by them...in this case I used the mirror because I was feeling too lazy to set up the tripod, timer, etc., but the mirror can be such a powerful visual symbol (sometimes even without intention) in a photograph...but I have too many thoughts to sum up concisely, right now, so I shall leave it for another time or place.

Oh, and I love the pretty shadows that sheer dresses make as well as the varying degrees of transparency in this one.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

x

PS If you like my uke covers I've got a new one up today...

I've Told Every Little Star

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:16:00 +0000

I recorded this a few weeks ago and forgot to share it on here! I don't usually do posts that are just ukulele videos anymore because I feel like they get a bit dull without other content but I'm making an exception for this one as I forgot about it. It's my cover of Linda Scott's I've Told Every Little Star. David Lynch fans will probably know this tune from Mulholland Drive, others will just know (and love) it. And hopefully enjoy my version, too!

I've Told Every Little Pumpkin from Mashed in Plastic on Vimeo.

And here's a neat mashup of the song (with video from Mulholland Dr) and Smashing Pumpkins' 1979. I love Melissa George's sparkly pink outfit in this scene. (The video possibly contains NSFW bits, actually...)

And Linda Scott on her own for good measure! It's such a cute little song.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

x

PS Thank-you for all the lovely comments on my new hair (in the last post)!

A little red here, there and in my hair.

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:47:00 +0000

Last night I went to the opening night of Club Burlesk, a new monthly burlesque show presented by Peaches 'n' Gin Burlesque, and decided to wear my Trashy Diva Sweetie dress in the turquoise birds print. I've actually worn this a couple of times before (and I love it though it creases far too easily for my liking) but never taken photos for the blog! Whilst it's not the best dress to go out to sit down in (because of the creasing factor) I did think it was a good one for a burlesque show. It's such a great print and I adore the cut of this dress!

Outfit details: hair flower - ?; dress - Trashy Diva; belt - vintage fair; brooch - etsy; braceletes - op-shop; stockings - Love Kylie; shoes - KMart or Big W.

Oh and my hair is red now! I've been wanting to go red for so very long but I had been dyeing my hair black for a few years and I just couldn't stand the thought of bleaching my hair as much as I'd have to...so I just let it fade/grow out. (As well as a couple of bleach baths just to lighten it that little bit more before I dyed it red.) I'd be more than happy to go through the whole process if anyone wants me to but, to be honest, it was mainly just having patience. Not entirely though.

I clearly don't believe that redheads ought not wear red but I was still surprised at just how much I loved the red flower on my red hair! I'm pretty sure this is nearly the exact same shade of red that my hair was when I first ventured into the world of red hair in...2006.

Oh and I shan't be matching my eyebrows to my hair, either - I love having dark eyebrows too much.

And the show was absolutely amazing. If you are in Adelaide or planning a trip that coincides with one of the performance dates (you can see the dates on the facebook page) and you have $15 to spare then you definitely should go along. I suppose burlesque isn't to everyone's taste but I always have a great time and I love being able to support local talent as well.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Friday (Links) On My Mind #3

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 06:59:00 +0000

Scene from a Country Club Costume Party, 1955 via What Makes The Pie Shop Tick? on Flickr

♥ Take a look at the amazing Marlene Dietrich inspired suit that Debi made and shared on her blog, My Happy Sewing Place.

♥ Kate listed these adorable Flapper Doodle sweater clips in her shop that I'm in love with.

♥ Kate also shared her top 5 cheer up movies - go take a look at her list and share yours with her, too, if you feel so inclined. I did! And noticed 3 out of my 5 starred Tim Curry.

♥ Miss Rayne shared a knitting pattern for a super cute sailor sweater.

♥ Quincy announced the launch of her own handmade clothing line - I'll have one of each, please!

♥ Mary Deluxe shared the recipe for some home made ritz style crackers that sound quite tasty.

♥ Darshana posted a beautiful art deco inspired poster she designed for Chelsea Piers in NYC.

♥ Thanks to Cee I found this post on Retro Renovation on one of the most amazing living spaces I have ever seen. If you're into mid-century furniture, collectibles, etc., you have to see this post.

(It was very hard to choose the photo for this week as so many of my Flickr contacts were sharing great things - I suggest checking out this stream and even going through my favourites (lots of kitschy goodness amongst the Barbie and Monster High doll photos, I promise!) for more of what my contacts have been posting.)

Love,

Andi B. Goode

You Spin Me Right Round #1

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 06:06:00 +0000

Sometimes, when I'm not sure what to blog about, I throw some ideas around on twitter...usually even just one enthusiastic response is enough for me to go ahead with the idea which is why I now bring you a series on my record collection. Now, I don't want to give the impression that I have a gigantic collection but it is a bit too large for just one post. So, I'm going to break it up a bit (into three, maybe four posts...or would that be too many?) and start with my soundtrack records. (Apologies for the title...couldn't think of anything else and I do love that song...even though that's not its exact title.)

I love a good soundtrack or cast recording - I have playlists in iTunes dedicated to both - so it seems only natural that, as a part-time vinyl collector, I would have a few in my vinyl collection. I'm not a particularly discerning collector and will tend to gravitate toward the bargain bin more often than not and my record player isn't all that great, either. But collecting records is fun, which is what I feel all collecting should be. I think there have been times when I've nearly squealed or jumped up and down in excitement at what I've found in the record racks at times.

So, without further ado, here are a few of my soundtrack related vinyl records...

This LP was in a whole heap of records that my dad gave to me. It is now one of my prized possessions. I remember Kate saying she'd just found the same record in her dad's collection when I posted a photo of this to instagram months ago, which was a neat coincidence!

I haven't seen this film since I was a little girl but I usually can't resist a soundtrack when I find it amongst the Liberace and Kamahl records that are found in almost every single op-shop.

I think I got this from the Salvos store that's really close to where I live. Whilst I find it nearly impossible to find really great clothes at op-shops, I still find quite a few great (in my opinion) vinyls at them.

South Pacific 45s: Broadway & Movie (I also have the movie LP)

How great is this cover?

Found this LP just the other day (along with the soundtrack for Hair!) at a stall that had some records for half price. So this was only $1.

LP/45

LP/45. The LP cover is gorgeous.

These don't exactly fit in with the theme of my blog but they are my two all-time favourite vinyl soundtrack finds thus far:

I'm not sure I could top finding the soundtrack to Xanadu for $1! Almost all of my favourite finds come from the bargain bins because, I guess, no one else wants them.

And I haven't even seen this movie but the soundtrack is just so good!

I do have more soundtracks but not all have exciting or interesting covers. Other soundtracks I have include: Bridehead Revisited (TV show - I'm not sure why I bought it to be honest); Oliver (a stage recording); Porgy and Bess (stage recording); Kiss Me Kate; Fame; Beaches and at least a few more.

I'm pretty sure that I haven't spent more than $5 on any one of these - usually I spend around 50c on a 45 and $1 or $2 for an LP. I also find that the soundtrack records tend not to have been played very much!

You can see some more of my records that have been uploaded so far in this flickr set. And now that I have the photos side by side you can see that I didn't quite match the colour cast on all the photos. Oops!

Aside from scouring op-shops, some great places to get records around Adelaide are: Title Records (only new); Clarity records (new & secondhand); Fishermen's Wharf Markets (a few decent record stalls); Mr V which is now only at Semaphore and there are often record fairs on throughout the year.

Now, I just know there will be other record collectors reading this but do you have a method to your collecting or will you just collect anything that takes your fancy (which is pretty much my method)?

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Lady K Loves Hello Sailor Shorts

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:19:00 +0000

My lovely sponsor, Lady K Loves, sent me a pair of the Hello Sailor shorts to review and, luckily, we had a few rather warm days that gave me the perfect opportunity to both wear the shorts to run some errands and take photos for the review at the same time. I chose the stretch denim with red buttons as I don't tend to wear a lot of black anymore (they also come in red with white buttons but check the site to see what's in stock) and felt they would be easily integrated into my wardrobe. I think I was right!

Outfit details: top - Valley Girl; bangles - various op-shops; shorts - Lady K Loves; shoes - KMart.

This was also the first time that I've ever worn this top - I bought it ages ago as I thought it had a very 30s/40s feel to it (I feel like it has a bit of a chorus girl vibe to it) and it looks perfect with these shorts.

I asked for a size medium which is actually slightly smaller than my own measurements but because it's a stretch denim they're not uncomfortable (and will probably stretch a little the more I wear them) - plus, I like this style of shorts to be tight.

They look great as they are but I later paired them with a belt and that looked really great, too. I like the contrast stitching at the waist and button holes. I did find the top rolled down a little from time to time but that could be because I'm a sloucher - that's really the only 'issue' I had with wearing them and it's not a big deal at all.

I think these would be quite versatile, too - like this they have that slight '30s chorus girl vibe I mentioned earlier (though tighter, of course, than the typical chorus girl shorts of the 30s) but would still work well with any number of different tops, blouses, etc.

The sizes run from an XS to an XL - you can read the Lady K Loves size chart for more information and accurate sizing. Oh, I will add that in terms of sizing, they run true to the size chart.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Friday (Links) On My Mind #2

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 06:20:00 +0000

Thank-you for the response on my first weekly roundup! I've decided to stick to Fridays and with the title "Friday (Links) On My Mind" - I've called this one #2 just as I already did a weekly roundup. The Easter weekend may not be the best time to blog but I already had this set up for today so I may as well post it!

"So Many Girls" by Mabel Brown Farwell, as it appeared in a 1951 issue of The Woman's Home Companion; illustrated by Perry Peterson; via PopKulture on Flickr

♥ Franca talks about one time wear as part of a Friend Friday challenge - like me I'm pretty sure she doesn't think wearing things more than once is particularly out of the ordinary!

♥ I saw the trailer for the restored version of Yellow Submarine at the Mubi Notebook - I can tell you I'm certainly excited and hope I get to see this wonderful psychedelic cartoon on the big screen.

♥ Raquelle shared a really neat time-lapse video, that she found, made from footage from Hitchcock's Rear Window.

♥ Julia writes about being unapologetically vain, something that doesn't seem to come up much in the blogging world despite the number of bloggers whose main content revolves around themselves.

♥ Natalie has some new things up in her shop like these gorgeous flower crowns I'm drooling over. This fits in well with Julia's post because Natalie sells really great 'Vain' necklaces!

♥ I happened upon a great new-to-me Flickr stream with lots of interesting vintage snapshots and other things I think is worth taking a look at.

♥ Fiona takes us on a trip down memory lane with some gorgeous photos from when she was in a band.

Hope you all have a safe and happy long weekend whatever you may be doing! I'll see you on the other side of it all.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Leopard print, polka dots...and a scorbster

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:04:00 +0000

Gosh, this week just got away with me - it's nearly the end of the week already and I've not really posted anything. Luckily, I went out to dinner last night and remembered to take photos before I left so here, at least, is an outfit post for you all. I was going to wear a dress but I really wasn't in the mood so I thought I'd try something a little different with my leopard print pants and see how a sheer polka dot blouse would look. I don't usually do ruffly blouses but mum bought this and didn't want it anymore; I'm glad I took it off of her hands as I ended up completely loving this outfit.

Outfit details: necklace- won from Leopard & Lipstick; blouse - op-shop; belt - gift; pants - Miss Hussy; bracelets - op-shop; shoes - KMart.

I finally got to wear the necklace that I won from Hannah which was exciting. Both Hannah and I were calling it a lobster but others said it was a scorpion. After a lot of discussion on twitter I decided that it's a scorbster (thanks Amie!) which is a mix between a scorpion and a lobster; an insect/crustacean hybrid (thanks Claire!). I've completely made up my mind that this is what it is, now, (true to my rather stubborn fashion, I'm probably not going to be open to any further interpretation now that I've made my mind up. Oops.) and I'm very happy with my scorbster. You can read what lead me to the hybrid conclusion on Tumblr.

A scorbster is an amphibious creature; it has the tasty flesh of a lobster that so many non-allergic carnivores desire but the deadly sting of the stingiest scorpion (hidden stealthily in its fan-like lobster tail). So it goes about it’s life relatively un-harassed by predators in such a way as an insect/crustacea hybrid is wont to do.

I'm not usually one for necklaces at all but I am very much in love with this one!

Oh, and I forgot to say that I've updated my 'About Me' page so it's a bit more filled out.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Review {Wearable Vintage Fashion}

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 04:13:00 +0000

When I wrote the review for Vintage and Secondhand London I alluded to having been asked to review another book which, indeed, I had. I received my copy of Wearable VintageFashion by Jo Waterhouse and Claire Bridge from Vivays Publishing a few days ago and excitedly sat down and went through the entire book at once and was very pleased with what I saw. You won't find pieces by big name fashion houses that you may see in other books but you will find a whole heap of gorgeous pieces selected from the authors' own vintage shop and some borrowed from friends.

The intent of the book is to showcase vintage fashion from the 1920s through to the 1980s with a chapter dedicated to each decade as well as a 'vintage street fashion' section at the back. The emphasis, of course, being on vintage as wearable fashion.

As you can see from these photos there are coloured tabs for each chapter/decade so it's very easy to look up what you want without having to scour the book.

The layout design of the book is very pleasing to the eye and makes it easy to flick through at one's leisure as almost every page has photos of gorgeous pieces, mainly selected from the authors' vintage boutique Second Hand Rose, to look at. Each chapter follows a similar format with a written introduction of the typical fashion of the era followed by sections such as daywear, evening wear (with look-books for each toward the end), icons and get the look. I love the idea of 'get the look' as they have taken vintage snapshots of everyday people (family photos, etc.) and picked vintage items that match the essential features of the outfits. It's done very cleverly, as well.

In the introduction Jo and Claire state that their intention with the book was to fill the gap that they saw when trying to provide their customers with inspiration with other books: plenty of information but not enough photos to illustrate. And I think they've achieved exactly what they intended to. The information provided may seem sparse, then, in comparison to other texts but gives a great overview. Coupled with the well-picked photos, this book makes an excellent illustrative summary of the fashion of the twentieth century that would be very helpful for someone just starting out in the world of vintage and wanting to get to know their eras. And it was still a lot of fun to read through for me (I've still a lot to learn but my point is that I'm clearly not a newbie, as it were.) Oh, it is all womenswear, as well.

Jo and Claire have also done a great job of illustrating how styles are recycled throughout the eras covered within this book and how they are still being recycled now, which I think will help their readers cultivate their own eye for pieces that will suit a specific era whilst not necessarily having been made at that time.

I loved the addition of the street style section at the back as well (not pictured), which really brought home the idea implied by the title: that is, of vintage as wearable fashion (as I think other books often present the pieces like they would be in a museum setting). Also, you may just find a picture of yours truly wearing one of my favourite dresses in this section (I was asked to be in it long before I knew I'd be asked to review the book) so receiving the book was extra exciting for me.

The book is currently available on Amazon, for pre-order on Book Depository and possibly elsewhere.

Vivays Publishing | Wearable Vintage Fashion

TL;DR: a valuable, colourful and fun addition to a vintage lover's book collection, especially those just starting out.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

First Weekly Round-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:09:00 +0000

I mentioned on twitter that I love when bloggers do weekly round-ups of interesting things they've seen out and about on internet-land and had been toying with the idea of starting my own up. I got a bit of encouragement so I thought I'd give it a go. The links won't all be vintage related but will hopefully still be interesting regardless - I'm also trying to figure out the best day to do this kind of post on but I've started with a Friday and I shall see how it goes. (I'm also trying to think of a nice snappy title - I was thinking of Friday (Links) on My Mind if I stay with Fridays. Shall have to ponder!)

All Five Alzanas via What Makes The Pie Shop Tick? on Flickr

♥ Mermaidens shared her latest project with us: a really beautiful printable paperdoll that you can purchase from her new shop

♥ Hannah of Leopard and Lipstick alerted me to the BBC film The Girl, which is about Alfred Hitchcock and Tippi Hedren - I'm intrigued!

♥ The Vintage Baroness shared some great photos from a Renée Perle inspired spread she found in an issue of Vogue Germany.

♥ Shona showed us what she did when she lost one of her favourite earrings - a pretty great way to lessen the heartache.

♥ garçonnière shares her affection for designer Elsa Schiaparelli full of great photos of Schiaparelli's work and links to other posts about her (I also suggest checking out her post on photobooths, too!)

♥ Get some tips on how to do your own clone photos at Diversions from the queen of clone shots.

♥ One of my Tumblr pals started up a blogspot blog so go check it out and read the about page if you want an idea of what you might expect.
♥ Solanah of Vixen Vintage shared some gorgeous '50s Montgomery Wards catalogue pages that almost make me wish we weren't going into Autumn/Winter here. Almost.
♥ Two gorgeous watercolours from Caitlin Shearer that appeal to the lover of 'redundant technology' in me.
♥ Jessica wrote up a thoughtful post on dressing for both comfort and style when living with a chronic illness.

Love,

Andi B. Goode

Finds from a day with Dad

noreply@blogger.com (Andi B. Goode) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:26:00 +0000

From the super descriptive title I'm pretty sure you can guess what this post is going to be about! During the week I went for a country drive (well, we were only about an hour away from the city) with my dad and, because we don't see each other very often, he treated me to a couple of things I saw on our day out. I had some loose change of my own so picked up a few things, as well. They're from various op-/secondhand/vintage shops from along the way (a couple at Mannum and one...somewhere else that I honestly don't remember).

This dress is very lovely but too big for me so it might make its way into my shop (which I've been sorely neglecting - I'm hoping I will get an update done either later today or sometime tomorrow so keep an eye out, though it'll be a little while before this makes it into the shop).

A mohair blend coat from the 1960s in a really great shade of green!

I love the double row of buttons.

And the goodies I bought for myself! There was a bag like this in blue, as well (which had nicer handles) but I liked the way the red looked and thought it might be more serviceable for me so I just got this one.

I'm sure these bangles aren't any older than the '80s but they're cute and only cost me $1 all up.

This little camera dates to 1971 - I have to run a roll of film through it to see how it works but it looks to be in really nice condition. Another one for my collection! So, it was a fairly successful day and a very nice drive, to boot.

Love,

Andi B. Goode