Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland - 1939 Newsreel

Just think, in 1939 you could go to New York City for the worlds fair and stay in a safe, sanitary, inspected room for 50 to 75 cents a night!!!

Three adorable little newsreels from 1939 with the cute, young Judy Garland and the hilarious Mickey Rooney~

Be Optimistic!

Hey guys,
I apologize that i haven't made a post since spring.   There was just so much going on that i felt like i didn't have the time it takes to make a proper post.
Thanks to all the wonderful folks that have followed me since then and the ones who havent booted me off their reading list!
I don't know about you, but summer has been crazy with lots of ups and downs and maybe a little tragedy thrown in. So while i have a few minutes, i wanted to post this cute little Shirley Temple song, appropriately titled: Be Optimistic!
It feels good to be blogging again, (like a strange, yet easygoing kind of therapy) so i WILL post soon!
Love ya'll!
Beth


From the 1938 movie, Little Miss Broadway

Good Morning!

  Here's a little morning cheer to help you start your day from Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.
  For some reason i woke up singing this song.  Its from their 1939 movie 'Babes in Arms'.
  The sun is shining and the sky is blue and its cool and breezy outside, the perfect morning!
  I hope you have a wonderful Monday morning!

                                          (Please remember to turn off the music player at the
                                                 bottom left of the page)

Isn't Judy's outfit so cute?

Until next time,
Beth

Crazy People

The Boswell Sisters  were were the most popular singing sisters of the 1930s.

Martha, Connee and Helvetia had a startling close harmony and interesting rhythmic  way of singing that has captivated listeners for years and years.

Although i have not found any official information to confirm this, I have watched and listened to the sisters quite a bit and have come up with this conclusion. 

In the video i have posted below and in the top right picture,  Martha (the oldest) is sitting at the piano and singing lower harmonies.

Connee, (changed her name from Connie in the 40s  and went on to have a solo career) is singing lead and sitting with Martha on the piano bench.

Helvetia is singing higher harmonies and is standing behind them.

It is to my knowledge that this is the parts they sang whenever they sang together.

Today i have one of my favorite Boswell Sisters songs, Crazy People, which always makes me smile and marvel at they way they can easily slide from one time to the next, slowing down and speeding up, it just sounds perfect.

Be sure to watch Martha, she appears to be having a wonderful time at that piano.

Enjoy.

(please remember the music player at the bottom left of the page)

Easy, Authentic, Everyday 1940s Hair

Hello there everyone!  I hope you all had a good Easter.  Now its Monday and after a 3 day weekend its a little harder to go back to work but it helps if you have a not only easy and quick, but authentic vintage hairstyle to brighten up the day. 
Its so easy and it keeps my hair out of my face.  Sometimes i use a snood, sometimes not.  Usually i just leave it plain or use a pretty headband or something.  It's so 40s!
Here i have a video by Ashely from LisaFreemontStreet on YouTube and a link from Solanah at Vixen Vintage  to help you get the basic idea of how to do it.  I have been doing this style for a while now and i will probably , sometime down the road, post a little tutorial on how i do it.
TIP: It helps to hold the side sections straight out from your head, twist a couple times and then pin it. 

~Snoods on the Job 

~ How Solanah Does 1940s Hair

1940s Pageboy

Ok, i know i just posted like 15min ago but i JUST came across this video by Ashley of LisaFreemontStreet on YouTube and i am in love.   She shows how to do an easy Pageboy style that is going to work with me because i am getting my hair cut soon.  I can't wait to try this!
Is is defiantly worth your time to watch this quick video.
Enjoy.

There's No Place Like Kansas

  Really good vintage hair is hard to do in Kansas.  Some days it's hot, others cool.  It's almost always windy.  There's weeks without rain, then a sudden outbreak of severe weather.  Sometimes it rains for days in a row.  Oh yea, and let's not forget the wind.  And then there are the days when its perfect outside.  And did i mention the wind?
  You probably get the point.
  Most of the time its windy and there my perfect Rita Hayworth hair goes down the drain. Er, out the door. (blown out the door by the wind, get it? Never mind)
  Most of the time i just put up with it, but it all but ruins the curls and i have pin it up away from my face or something. 
  I was on YouTube yesterday and i found a gal called LongHairedFlapper.  She does a lot of 1920s hairstyles with REALLY long hair.  Mine isn't that long, but I'm no Joan Crawford either.  She recently did a cute little video inspired by Dorthy in Wizard of Oz and i love it.  It looks more authentic on her because her hair is longer but i can do it and it still looks darling.  ( i think)
  So... windy day? Never fear!  Up dos can get old but add this to your list of must try vintage hairstyles.

  ~Enjoy

 

So long,
Beth

A Vintage Guide to Glamour

 I came across this video and just had to share it.  It's from YouTube and called: 1940s Fashion - A Vintage Guide to Glamour. Its six minutes long but is really worth your time!  It is full of wonderful tips and advice that is still needed, even in today's world.  I think I'll watch it another time and take some notes :)
Enjoy.

Chattanooga Choo Choo!!!

One, if not the most popular song in the early 40s, Chattanooga Choo Choo was a cute little song about a train (more or less) and Glen Miller made my favorite arrangement of this song.  Please watch entire video.  It is part of the 1941 movie Sun Valley Serenade featuring Glen Miller and his Orchestra. I've heard this song since i was young and it was wonderful to get to see them perform it and the black folks at the end made me smile more than i already was.  I wish i could dance like that!
Anyway, i hope you'll watch and enjoy this as much as i did...

Isn't it swell?
So long,
Beth

Veronica Lake

  Veronica Lake, an actress who was very popular in the 1940s, signature style used was what is commonly called the Peek-A-Boo bang.  She had little or no layers in her mostly long hairstyle (as far as we can tell), making her style unique.  After looking at popular pictures of Veronica Lake, i noticed the straight part, hair that was mostly flat on her head then feathered out into a wave, and of course, the famous eye covering bang. This is the result of Water Waving (or Water Styling, Wet Styling, etc.).  This means you do it wet wet/damp hair, most usually after a shower.

   This look is very easy if you have grown out layers, no layers at all, no bangs or just longer hair in general.  I then found a video on YouTube (by Lisa Freemont Street, one of my favorites) that explains this technique using easy, old-fashioned methods that are not hard or damaging to you're hair.  In fact, all you have to do is some large pin or rag curls at the bottom ( I've seen some use foam rollers), usually to your chin, let it set or go to sleep, then brush them out in the morning and make a VERY EASY, FAST peekaboo type wave.  It goes like this...

NOTE: You CAN do this style if you have layers or bangs as Lisa shows us here, but if helps if you don't.

  This technique is a basis for lots of different vintage styles, especially if you don't have bangs(like me) and need some 'around-the-face' volume.  
   To beautiful Veronica!