Phosephene Dream

We have been wearing out this CD in my house lately.  I have loved the Black Angels for a long time and am looking forward to seeing them for the third time in Seattle on Nov. 29 at the Showbox at the Market.  The lead singer, Alex Mass, is the brother of our beautiful and talented friend Jennifer Mass who produced an excellent documentary on Seattle's 70 funk music scene called Wheedle's Groove: http://www.wheedlesgroovemovie.com/  That will be a separate post later...

Click link for video:
http://www.theblackangels.com/

The Swimmer

This is one of my favorite movies from the late 1960's.  I remember watching this movie as a kid on Dialing for Dollars while I was home sick from school.  It was as eerie to me then as it is now.  Based off of the 1964 short story by writer John Cheever, it follows the trials of suburbanite Neddy Merrill as he tries to traverse a Westchester County valley by swimming across it via all of the neighbors' swimming pools.  Along the way, the story deals with issues of aging, privilege, the generation gap, alcoholism, excess, mental illness, loss, and basic unconsciousness  Neddy is expertly portrayed by Burt Lancaster and one of the scenes includes the beautiful late actress Janice Rule.  I highly recommend it.  Also, you get such a great glimpse into upscale mid-century architecture and interior design - not to be missed!

 

Janice Rule

The GTO's

I love reading Pamela Des Barre's books about being a rock groupie in the 60's and 70's.  Her stories are so much fun and you always learn something new about the rock gods of the time.  She and some other groupies started their own girl-group in the late 60's called the GTO's (Girls Together Outrageously ), under the watchful tutelage of Frank Zappa.  A mix of theatrics, singing, and dance were staples of their act. Their only album, Permanent Damage (Straight Records), was produced in 1969 

Their collective talent didn't result to much, but they sure were fun to look at.  I love their crazy get-ups - lace and chiffon, Victorian details, outrageous make-up.  Fashion is so boring these days.

Havana Nights

My mom and her family used to vacation in Cuba pre-Castro.  It was a relatively easy journey from the East Coast and fun place for both parents and kids.  She was too little to take in the nightlife, but I bet my grandparents had a hell of a time.  Check out the wild club scenes from the 30's and 40's.

Honky Tonk Wig Out

I have been obsessed with listening to my Loretta Lynn inspired station on Pandora lately.  The late 60's and early 70's was such a wild years for country music - the ladies reigned supreme and were enjoying their new found freedoms through the women's liberation movement.  Part of this was reflected in the more sexulaized images these singers manifested.  And, there were wigs - very, very big wigs - with curls, and bumps, and falls.  God, those were the days - where you could wear a wig, everyone knew it was a wig, and you were all the more glamorous for doing so.  Here are a few of my favorites:





Tammy Wynette

Grease Machine

We love eating Izakaya food - Japanese pub grub. We went to our friend's birthday party at Waan and had, amongst many things, Kurobuta Sausage, Deep-fried Takoyaki, and lots of sushi. Best of all, they have excellent shochu drinks. We were crazy for grapefruit and shochu because they bring you the grapefruit to squeez yourself.

Zen Garden





Sushi





Shochu and Grapefruit

We later went up to Capital Hill and visited Vermillion.  They had the craziest old jukebox full of 45's from Chess Records and such.  It was called the Greasemachine.  Each circle of light you see is actually a translucent image of a 45 and that's how you find the code to choose your song.

Later that evening, we all got hungry again and wound up in the International District at Purple Dot.  It was totally uninspired food.  I got the Lo Mien with Shrimp Dumplings and Won Tons.  Mediocre at best.  My friends got a vegetarian noodle dish that was literally served  in a pie dish.  What the hell?  

Pie Dish

Lo Mien

Chillaxing w/Bobby

Vintage Car Show

Wow - what a great vintage car show today at the Shanty Tavern in Lake City.  Here are some highlights:

Ford Rambler - so cute!

Plymouth Fury

Interior of the Plymouth Fury

Bobby and Cookie in front of the
Chevy Nova

My dream car - Chevy Camaro

Trying to look cool...

Greasers and Bombshells

I am not a huge fan of Rockabilly, but I can certainly appreciate their love of roots music and passion for vintage style. The whole look seems like so much work to me! My favorite Seattle radio station, KEXP, is hosting the 2010 Rockabilly Ball this weekend.  I most likely won't be going to the shows, but I will be going to the classic car show today at the AWESOME Shanty Tavern - I LOVE me some vintage cars.   I thought I would pay homage to them with a few fun pictures.

My Monique

Monique is my trusty mannequin.  We had a pajama party today and took a bunch of new nightgown pics.  I LOVE 50's & 60's chiffon nightgowns and have a bunch of them in my shop.  Here's a taste:

Lucky Clover Cotton and Chiffon Housecoat

60s White Chiffon Robe with Tiered Sleeves

60s Full Length Pink Chiffon Nightgown

Tiffany Blue 60s Chiffon Negligee Robe

Tame Impala

Maybe I am late to the game here, but I think I found my new favorite band.  These cute Aussies have a great vintage vibe, psychedelic sound, and fun sense of humor.  I can't wait to see them when they visit Seattle on Dec. 10.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_s1_VjM344

Autumn on Acid

Anyone who knows me knows that I love psychedelia.  The crazy swirling colors must appeal to my inner child or something.  I also used to love spinning myself dizzy in my dad's office chair as a kid, so let's just say that I have always had a penchant for "altered states".  I highlighted this love affair in another Etsy treasury called Tripping Through the Leaves: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c9aa292f3d86d91465e6c95/tripping-through-the-leaves?index=0 

Some of my favorite items from the collection:


Abstract Op Art fitted
Ski jacket by ReallyTruly





Rising Sun Belt by viciouscyclevintage



60's wig case from vintagemimosette





Vintage Computer Geek Porn

I was originally looking for photos for a post about hairstyles in academia (the world in which I work) and came across this little beauty.  I could not resist, I had to share.  It's looks like an early 1970's honky tonk angel caressing a state-of-the-art-for-the-time first-generation home computer on the floor of a random office somewhere.  Perhaps that's what admin assistants used to look like and that would be the new fangled digi-box that they converted to after the death of the typewriter.  What was the premise for this photo?  I can only wonder.  And don't get me started on the two-toned hair - it's just too much!

Etsy Treasury Posts

I made two Etsy treasuries tonight.

One is called Starlight Cowgirl:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c99820c94f06d9167caafff/starlight-cowgirl?index=

The other is called Woodland Wonderland:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c9991530e488eef76d8ad91/woodland-wonderland?index=1

So much fun!

New Horizons

Hi - some of you might know me from my Etsy store www.cookiekvintage.etsy.com  I have so many thoughts, opinions, observations, critiques, compliments, and muses about vintage fashion, the trends I see around me, people's aesthetic choices, and how fashion inserts itself into generational divides, that I thought I would try to share them with others.  If not for feedback and connection, then at least for a few good laughs.

In addition, I would like to shamelessly promote my Etsy shop, so you will see my favorite items posted here.  I am also a foodie, a wine-drinker, and a music fan - so I am sure those things will come up as well.

Speaking of a few good laughs - while treasure hunting the other day, I found an original pair of LA Gear sneakers.  I have to admit that I snapped them up with a thumping heart because I know a Gen Y'er out there would covet them as a relic of the long-ago late 80's.  They weren't there for the first go-round!  Isn't funny how the fashion horrors of the late 80's and early 90's are now considered cool and ironic?  What are your thoughts on the 90's coming back?  These will posted in my shop soon.