Cookie K's Vintage

Etsy's Front Page

2011-02-16T06:20:00.000-08:00

This beautiful treasury made it to the front page of Etsy early this morning - so glad to be included! My item was the vintage camera case. Thrilled!

Vintage Purse Give-Away Feb. 15 - 21

2011-02-15T11:26:00.000-08:00

My friends as Lulu Letty are hosting a Cookie K's Vintage purse give-away. Enter by leaving a comment on the give-away post. The winner will be selected by random on Feb. 21. Good luck!

Enter here

Hugs and Kisses to XO From Seattle

2011-01-27T10:12:00.000-08:00

My buddy Sweet Melissa contacted me earlier this month about her January feature of Beards and Bangs on her Seattle-style blog http://www.xofromseattle.com/ I must say, it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to take a good pic these days - with all the double chins and crow's feet that pop up in your 30's...but I jumped at the chance to be part of such a fun site. The pics are up today - check 'em out! Thanks again Melissa - can't wait to see your mug up there next! :)

Das Boots

I'm a Little Bit Country, I'm a Little Bit Rock n' Roll

2011-01-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

I love music and the fashion that comes along with it. I thought I would share some of my favorite musicians and what I love about them.

Singers
I love Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden - he has a classic rock falsetto and literally is an opera singer. Not to mention how awesome his spandex, sweatbands, and frickin' high tops are - this is a serious lung workout.

Bruce Dickinson

Who can deny the talent of Robert Plant. Love him or hate him, he was one sexy mother in his time and had a sound all his own.

Robert Plant

Tammy Wynette and George Jones are some of my favorite singers - as individual artists and as a duet. They both have unique phrasing and use of breath. Both have beautiful, haunting voices that literally give me goose bumps when I listen to them. Not to mention the crazy 70's clothes and wigs - oh, so good!

Tammy Wynette and George Jones

Bass
This is a tie between Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. Geezer just rocks and he looked awesome doing it - handle bar mustache, crazy hair, and bell bottoms. John Paul Jones is so talented and the brains behind Led Zeppelin.

Geezer Butler

John Paul Jones

Keyboards
Hands down, this one has to go to Brian Eno. He is a genius and no one could touch his crazy 70's style.

Brian Eno

Guitar
This one is nearly impossible, so I have a crazy mix of people. First up, Johnny Marr. His jangly style is so unique and the stuff of team dreams.

Johnny Marr

And I have to admit, that I also love Jerry Garcia. He had a signature sound that always reminds me of good times growing up. Certainly not a stylish person later in life, but he did sport the crazy hippie circus look back in the day.

Jerry Garcia

I am crazy for lap steel guitar. One of the finest steel guitar players is Tony Farr who played in the Jones Boys band with George Jones. He's a master.

Drums
In my mind, John Bonham invented hip-hop drumming. Have you listed to "When the Levy Breaks" lately? Lord have mercy. He hit so hard and was his own wall of sound. Not a very sexy guy, and not much of a dresser, but drumming is sweaty work!

John Bonham

Tell me about some of your favorite musicians....

Etsy Treasury Alert

2011-01-17T08:39:00.000-08:00

I am so happy to have today off - I feel like I get so much more accomplished on the weekend with that extra third day. I built a new treasure for my treasury team - Treasury Friend Team. It's called Purple Heart and includes lots of fun purple gift ideas for Valentine's Day - take a look!

Purple Heart Treasury on Etsy

Couture Arabesque

2011-01-13T14:45:00.000-08:00

The wonderful Leah featured one of my purses on her blog today - Couture Arabesque She has great posts on there about vintage fashion, lifestyle, and the art of being fabulous. Please visit her site and give it a read - you'll love it!

Mod Purse

Etsy Newsletter

2011-01-12T22:08:00.000-08:00

I could tell something was up when my page visit numbers spiked tonight. Turns out a pair of my boots that I lovingly refer to as "Early 90's Versace"were featured in an Etsy fashion newsletter about celebrity style.

Etsy Fashion Newsletter - Celebrity Style

I'm floored and honored! What a treat. What do you think of 'em?

Das Boot

Pink Treasury for Valentine's Day

2011-01-09T11:25:00.000-08:00

As part of the Treasury Friends Team, I am tasked with building an Etsy treasury each month that features at least eight of my teammates. Today I created "Gentlemen Prefer Pink Martinis" - a pink collection inspired by the glamor of Marilyn Monroe. Great gift ideas for Valentines Day - check it out!

Pink Love

My New Obsession

2011-01-07T09:31:00.000-08:00

My husband bought me a candle in this scent last year for my birthday. He such a sweet guy. For Christmas, I got a gift card to Nordstrom from my mom and vowed to use it for something special that I would covet. The best gifts are those that you might not ever purchase for yourself. I bought a small bottle of this cologn and I just can't get enough! It has such a wonderful vintage smell but with an unexpected twist. The gal at the counter also threw in samples of Red Roses, Orange Blossoms and French Lime Blossoms - I'm such a lucky girl! Next time you are by the Jo Malone counter, take a sniff and let me know what you think.

White Jasmine and Mint

New Etsy Treasury Alert

2010-12-21T07:35:00.000-08:00

I was in a bohemian mood yesterday and made a new treasury called
Magic Carpet Ride....check it out...

Magic Carpet Ride

Some of My Favorite Etsy Shops

2010-12-08T20:26:00.000-08:00

I thought I would profile some of my favorite Etsy shops - for kicks and giggles....

Marie's Vintage - bought a great purse from here. They have great items, true to description, and fast shipping.

Ink Painter - they have all kinds of paper ephemera. I use vintage travel postcards as thank you notes for my customers. I often buy them here. They are awesome and I love their quirky collection of stuff.

Sweetheartsinner Creations - totally weird and awesome stuff. I discovered them through a treasury we were both in. I bought a necklace from them that had a pendant of Divine in John Water's Girl Trouble. Brilliant.

The Bag Basement - I bought my husband an electric guitar tie here. I love their choices of neckties - very original and perfect for the non-conventional man.

Evil Eye Vintage - a great shop for vintage menswear. Great sunglasses and accessories. And the owner is a swell guy.

Midweek Special

2010-12-07T07:47:00.000-08:00

I hate Tuesdays - and Wednesdays aren't much better. So, to make the week a little lovelier, I am offering 10% off anything in my shop! Just enter the coupon code MIDWEEKLOVE at checkout. Happy Shopping! (offer ends on Friday, Dec. 10, 2010)

The Original It Girl - Jean Shrimpton

2010-12-03T15:37:00.000-08:00

My all-time favorite model from the 60's is Jean Shrimpton. To me, she was hands down one of the most beautiful women in the world. She epitomizes London's swinging 60's as she helped launch the mini skirt, dated photographer David Bailey and actor Terrance Stamp, and helped set the style for all mod girls to follow - including Twiggy. Take a look....

Etsy Front Page!

2010-11-28T09:43:00.000-08:00

Yeah! My men's pink topsiders made it to the front page of Etsy - 2,000 page views yesterday and not one sale - maybe soon to come??? :)

Vintage Gift Ideas

2010-11-20T14:22:00.000-08:00

Check out my new treasury on Etsy: A Very Vintage Christmas

I Loved Them So Much, I Bought Them...

2010-11-07T21:09:00.000-08:00

New treasury on Etsy - "Tally Ho!"

Click here to see it

I loved these earrings so much, I bought them myself...

Shadow Moon Designs

Mad Men Via Etsy - Joan Harris

2010-11-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

As for most of the characters, Season 4 was a challenging season for Joan. We see Joan in a transitional phase of her life. No longer the young ingenue, Joan has settled in to a less than perfect married life. Her husband, now enlisted in the army, is shipped off from basic training straight to Vietnam. She has found herself unexpectedly alone, childless, and forced to continue working. She tries to recapture the exciting days of her youth through a brief affair with Roger which leads to an unplanned and ill-timed pregnancy. Although not in her plans, this pregnancy may be the best thing to happen to her - as long as she can convince everyone it is from a legitimate source. Coupled with the failings of SCPD, her bogus advancement which requires more responsibility and no extra pay, and feeling isolated at work from the other women by her perceived authority (which has little true meaning), Joan is cast a drift into a world of lonely uncertainty.

As with all good art direction, her wardrobe reflects her mood and where she finds herself in her life. The shape of Joan's figure forces her to wear structured clothing. She could not pull off the more relaxed lines that are slowly becoming popular during this time period. She sticks to her familiar wiggle dresses, which truly show off all her assets. Her figure-fitting clothing acts as a generational dividing line. Joan's identity was previously wrapped into being a "bombshell" - a sex kitten if you will. This is in stark contrast to the a-line dresses we see on the younger, more modern Peggy. Peggy's dress reflects a move closer towards an androgynous aesthetic in an attempt to blur the lines with her male colleagues. Joan's entire sense of style is wrapped into the idea that she must be an object of desire for men - a notion that is becoming increasingly outdated as we move towards the late 1960's and the women's movement. It's also a notion that would seem desperate at the time considering her age and marital status.

We see more separates introduced into her wardrobe this season - less of the clingy sweaters from the 50's and more structured rayon blouses with high necklines and small details. She keeps on with her iconic pen necklace and rotates a variety or brooches near her bust and shoulder. As with all characters, the staples of her wardrobe get recycled through the episodes with the exception of purses and smaller accessories which would be more affordable for her to update frequently.

Her color pallet for the most part remains in bold jewel tones and feminine hues, but we see black introduced into her wardrobe in a more prominent way - perhaps a harbinger for things to come. We see the introduction of some of the more busy 1960's floral motifs - bold patterns with an oil pastel quality which at times can look chaotic and messy. They are used with restraint, presenting themselves at moments in the storyline where her life reflects this type of chaos and uncertainty.

Let's take a look.

Office Dresses

Floral Wiggle Dress

Red Abstract Wiggle Dress

Black Wiggle Dress

Office Separates

Brown Herringbone Pencil Skirt

Accessories

Vinyl Structured Purse

Pen Pendant

Mad Men Via Etsy - Dr. Faye Miller

2010-10-30T10:44:00.000-07:00

This season, we were introduced to Dr. Faye Miller. Dr. Miller was a consultant for a consumer-research firm, hired by Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce to provide insight into their clients' customers.

I loved the Faye character, but I had some issues with her as well. Thus far, on Mad Men, we have only come in contact with women who chose one of two paths - marry someone rich or solidly middle class, so you could raise children or work on your interior design skills (Betty, Trudy, Jane), or work at a menial secretarial job with the hopes of one day moving up to your next professional advancement (Peggy and Joan). We really have not seen any other alternatives for women.

Enter Dr. Faye Miller. She was relatively close to the age of the other female characters, yet she is a doctor with a PhD. She was first to admit that she put her career ahead of family, but she was an anomaly, and the show did nothing to explore her story in any great detail. I was bothered by the cavalier way that such an interesting and potentially deep character was overlaid into the story with no explanation.

Faye was mainly used as a vehicle for the other characters. She was a love interest for Don, which challenged him to expand his notions of intimacy, trust, and gender roles. She was his female match - smart, tough, sexy, and mysterious. He had to set aside his typical tricks to bed her, and engage with her intellectually. The only other time we saw this was perhaps with his artistic, beatnik paramour, Midge, during the first season.

She also forced the show to explore issues around maternal relationships in a different way. Don tried to use Faye as a surrogate mother for Sally when he found himself in need of a babysitter. Faye relented to his request and we saw an uncomfortable, yet tender, attempt by this tough career woman to fit into that maternal role, even if it was only temporary. We see Faye struggle to articulate her choice not to have a family in order to have a career, and the classic push-pull of competing priorities is brought to the fore. It also forces Don to admit to himself that he is just better off married - to anyone really - just to bring order to his life (a fait we see fulfilled by another at the end of the season).

Faye was also a vehicle for the show explore the relationships between professional women at the time. Peggy was impressed by her. Faye was a women with power, who was taken seriously by her male colleagues, and who was respected for her expertise. We saw Peggy reach out to her and ask that they continue their relationship socially when Faye's services were no longer needed at SCDP. Faye didn't see the point and declined Peggy's offer of friendship. This was an important scene to show the audience that in 1965, before the women's movement, women did not instinctually ban together to further a cause - instead they viewed each other as competition for the few opportunities where their work and their minds would be taken seriously by their male counterparts. Mentoring was not a value.

Faye's character needed to demonstrate poise, power, intellectual prowess, and professionalism. At her career level, she would have been able to afford high quality garments, and her relative youth lent her towards more modern cuts and prints. Let's take a look at examples of her style.

Graphic Office Dress

Graphic Silk Blouse

Graphic Purse

For work in the office, Faye was typically dressed in strong graphic prints. Usually, she wore black and white, but sometimes, her graphic prints were in bold colors like red or yellow.

Yellow Work Suit

Graphic Print Scarf

Faye also wore coordinated suits to the office, and wonderful graphic print scarfs.

Chiffon Date Night Dress

For date nights with Don, we saw Faye dressed in softer dresses - chiffon numbers with watercolor prints in blues and greens.

Office Party Dress

Faye often wore black evening wear for corporate or office parties. Her cocktail dresses usually had details like sheer chiffon sleeves, or bejeweled necklines.

Mad Men Via Etsy - Betty (Draper) Francis

2010-10-26T11:44:00.000-07:00

This season, we saw a very tumultuous Betty. She was trying to settle into her new life with all of its unique imperfections. Her new husband, Henry, is about 10 years older than her and has a very conservative job in the Governor's office where he must keep up conventional appearances. Gone are the days of glamour and glitz that Don’s advertising job offered to Betty, and so is the excitement, unpredictability, and drama that his infidelity brought to the marriage as well.

We see Betty revert to childlike and childish behavior as she is confronted by Sally’s rebellious behavior and her new-found friendship with neighborhood boy Glen. Glen represents not only a catalyst for Sally’s budding sexuality, but also as a reminder to Betty of her own vulnerability. She sees herself as an aging housewife with few if any prospects beyond her husband, her three children, and the things they own.

We see her color pallet turn to cold and icy blues, as well as conservative neutrals. There are almost no opportunities for her to dress up, so most of her clothes are utilitarian this season.

In scenes where her behavior mimics that of a child, we see her in dirndl style dresses with old fashion full skirts that hearkens back to her 1950’s wardrobe.

Dirndl Day Dress

In situations where she needs to appear to be in control (visiting Don’s office, in Sally’s psychiatrist office), we see conservative tailored suits.

Conservative Tailored Suit

Around the house and running errands, she gravitates towards cropped, high-waist wool pants, sleeveless blouses, and casual car coats and capes. We also saw Betty’s cat eye sunglasses, structured purses ,and silk scarves play a role in her everyday wear.

Wool Cape

Cropped Wool Pants

Casual Plaid Day Dress

Cat Eye Sunglasses

Structured Purse

Equestrian Themed Scarf

Like all characters in the show, we see selected pieces from her old wardrobe recycle through each season. I really appreciate this small detail as it lends authenticity to the characters. Although society was moving towards a more disposable attitude towards their possessions, at this time, people still worked hard to preserve their clothes – they darned sweaters, replaced buttons, and made garments last years rather than mere seasons.

Mad Men Via Etsy - Peggy Olson

2010-10-24T09:51:00.000-07:00

Now that the fourth season of Mad Men is over, I am going through a little bit of withdraw. Therefore, I am going to continue my obsession by styling each female character from items found on Etsy.

Spoiler alert - I will make references to the 4th season, so if you haven't watched, don't read my commentary.

First up, our career girl, Peggy Olson. Peggy has had a double life this season - we see her rising in her career as she breaks new ground and finds a new personal friendship with Don. We also see her expanding her horizons - hanging out with the Warhol crowd, dating activist Abe, and paling around with lesbian Joyce. These different activities have required different clothes - of course! So, let's get started.

Work Dress - Peggy

Peggy has been wearing a lot of bold vertical stripes this season. Some would say that she has been choosing from military inspired pieces as a way to "armor" herself against the unpredictable and somewhat hostile work environment she finds herself in. She is has been veering away from her signature Peter Pan collars and choosing more sophisticated styles. She is still fairly young, so she does not choose styles that are overly conservative for the office, but appropriate nonetheless.

Casual Dress Peggy

Peggy has been hanging with a fun crowd this season. Her newfound friendship with Joyce has opened her up to a different scene socially which includes artists, activists, and musicians. They are also single and her own age, which is new for her. In the past we have seen her hanging around the married men she works with or other men who were moving towards a very domestic life. Polyester, nylon, and other synthetic materials were new in 1965 and considered very youthful - she would have taken advantage of these new wash-and-wear options, which any frugal working girl would do at that time.

Swing Coat Peggy

We saw a few different coats for Peggy this season. All of them were swing coats and most likely left over from her 1950's wardrobe as they would accommodate the full skirt of a crinoline. Coats were a big ticket item in the 60's and most working girls would probably not update them every year. It makes sense that she would have older ones in circulation. She usually wore neutral colored coats, like this camel one, and would wear a more youthful style like a toggle, rather than a double breast.

Structured Hats - Peggy

We saw Peggy wear a lot of structured hats this season. Although the 60's youth culture was bringing new more casual styles to bear, women still wore hats and gloves in 1965 as they did in the 50's. Peggy's hats always tended to be structured pill box style hats with grosgrain ribbon or bows. They also tended to be in browns and yellows or other neutrals.

Structured Purse Peggy

Women did not use purses in 1965 as we do today. Back then, the most they carried around was their compact, lipstick, cigarettes and lighter, small wallet, one or two keys, and their gloves. Smaller structured purses in new manmade materials were common and worked nicely to keep their smokes from getting crushed. These days, the only thing missing from our purses is the kitchen sink!

Peggy Office Shoes

It was still required of women to wear heels in the office. In the 60's, we see shoe styles for the working woman become more practical with an emphasis on enhanced comfort. We see heels widening and toe boxes becoming more square. A girl like Peggy would have taken advantage of the youthful turn toward multi colors in shoes in interesting materials like patent leather, but would have to remain conservative enough for the work environment. Open toes, sandals, or boots would not be appropriate - the closed toe pump was the only shoe for the office.

Vintage Scream Queens

2010-10-14T23:30:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Halloween, I thought I would post some vintage scream queens....including Vampira vs Elvira - which one do you like better? I'm leaning towards Vampira...

Vampira

Elvira

Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween

Alexis Carrington's Many White Hats

2010-10-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

I think Joan Collins is...er....was a very beautiful woman. Frankly, I am a little creeped out that from the neck up she looks just about the same as in 1985, but we won't go there. My older sister and I used to gather together to watch Dynasty. I loved it because I was pretty young at the time and spending time with my super cool teenage sister was such a treat. We loved the clothes and the cat fights - oh so much drama! Alexis always had the most wild outfits and loved to wear hats. I am surprised how many of them were white - pretty strange twist for the "bad girl". Check it out...

Cilla in the 60's

2010-10-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

I have always been fascinated by Priscilla Presley's 60's style. For me, I think she encapsulates the mood at the time.

Throughout the 1950's. women had been constrained both physically and aesthetically by fashion. Dior's cinched waist, large skirt silhouette was the standard of the time and did not leave much room for function or personal expression. The way the underpinnings and clothing literally controlled a woman's physical movement reflected women's place in society - you were meant to play your role, remain weak, and take orders.

The social and political changes in the 60's, and the rise of youth culture, opened the door to creative thinking when it came to appearance. The removal of the corset and crinoline allowed physical liberation of women's bodies which coordinated with their potential to become more active in society and the social movements of the time. A true time of liberation. We see wild prints, crazy hair and makeup, and an overall visual explosion in fashion.

Priscilla and Elvis met in 1959 when she was 14. They dated for 7 years and wed in '66. She transformed from a girl to a woman in the spotlight of the media and found her way through many looks. Beyond her journey into womanhood, the context of the liberation of the 60's played a big role in her overall style - take a look.

1959

Early 60's

Elvis makeover

1966

Early 60s

Mid 60s

Late 60s

Our Vintage Wedding

2010-10-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

Now that the wedding is over, I can't say that I miss the planning! It couldn't have been better - a truly lovely gathering of friends and family, all with a vintage touch. Our theme focused on our love of international travel and each table represented a favorite place. I spent hours in thrift stores trying to find vintage travel guides. My grandmothers were with me every step of the way - one's ring and one's dress. I expressed my love of all things vintage through our dress and decor. Our photographer, Jenny GG did an excellent job. Here are some highlights...

I finally got a drink!

My beautiful sisters Susan and Molly

Sake ceremony

Vintage dress for dancing from my friend's store - Empire Vintage

Centerpieces and cakes (coconut cream cake and chocolate orange - Madre's Kitchen)

60's Eyeliner

2010-10-04T13:14:00.000-07:00

I continue my quest to master the perfect 60's liquid eyeliner job. How did they do it? These photos really make it look easy and effortless. You really can't have the shakes in anyway - i.e.; no coffee before lining thy eyes!

Edi Sedgwick

Marlo Thomas?

Twiggy

Glam Rock Etsy Treasury

2010-10-02T11:14:00.000-07:00

This one was really fun to make - enjoy!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4ca690e963448eefe20d96c7/ziggy-stardust

Dusty

2010-10-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have a term that encompasses all things earthy, western, brown, and 70’s – “dusty”. The term “dusty” covers quite a bit and can be applied as a descriptor for people, styles, and elements of pop culture from the 70’s, as well as, the rebirth of the western-DIY-wilderness-pioneer -chic which has surfaced in places like Portland, Seattle, and New York in recent years.

Dusty in the 70’s

There was a weird obsession with “country” in the 70’s. The sphere of country was vast in that it included all things western, southern, pioneer, and the back-to-the-land. In addition, pop culture at the time did not seem to make distinctions between the different factions of country as seen in TV shows like the Duke’s of Hazzard or movies like Smokey and the Bandit– you have Southern friend hicks styled as western cowboys.

This certainly qualifies as "dusty”.

Dukes of Hazzard

Smokey and the Bandit

Allman Brothers

John Denver

In addition, you had the Earth Shoe-wearing, sprout eating, pure country types like John Denver which was almost a hippie-western crossover. Throw in the popularity of spaghetti westerns (which border on psychedelic), shows like Little House on the Prairie, and the rise of Southern Rock via Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers, and we are literally covered in dust.

Dusty in the 10's
Over the last few years, in urban communities like Brooklyn, Portland, and Seattle, interest in all things made by or with your hands has dominated the style scene. This sensibility has lead to a hearkening for a simpler time, a more analog time, a time when craftsmanship was valued above mass production. We see this reflected in places like artisan food movements, boutique brewing and distilling operations, the DIY and vintage fashion movement, gardening and food-raising, the new wave of folk rock bands, etc. Low and behold, we have a new era of ”dusty” .

Bands like Spindrift, Fleetfoxes, and the Moondoggies pull from the 70’s folk and southern rock sensibility.

Moondoggies

Spindrift

Fleet Foxes

Beardos are everywhere and the men’s fashion in particular has a beatnik-meets hippie- meets southern rocker mix. People are driving 70’s “super-vans”, if not their bikes. Almost everyone I know is raising their own chickens and trying to move off of the energy grid. No, the dust has not settled, but instead, it has reformed itself in a new era.

Super Van

Dusty Hipsters

Phosephene Dream

2010-09-30T18:02:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-30T09:56:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-27T15:38:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-26T23:37:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-23T15:56:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-21T22:28:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

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.