So after that rather down-beat last effort I thought it might be good to brighten the mood with something altogether happier. I've also decided that my boy deserves at least a little bit of coverage here, it would be a crime to hide away such a beautiful face surely. Here's a couple of pics from our recent family holiday to West Wales. Wales is our homeland and has poignance to me for many reasons, more than I'd like to say right now...it was windy and rainy and at times the sun shone on us as befits a September holiday. We stayed in a small fishing cottage where this vegetarian daughter of an accomplished fisherman caught salmon to his hearts content. It was an emotional trip but lovely too. I'll post some pics ASAP I promise...

the musings of a bygone gal: 'I'm just a bebop baby, & I don't take nothin' fro...

the musings of a bygone gal: 'I'm just a bebop baby, & I don't take nothin' fro...: Let me count the ways I love this girl. Ms Wanda Woodward, Cry Baby's ultimate lady drape (played by  Traci Lords who I also find eno...

The blogger doesn't blog

I started this thing up in 2011 yet in these past few years I've managed to seldom post or get into this blogging lark, despite my good and sincere intentions to. This thought occurred to me to to tonight. Amid the pain and joy of the past 2 years I've frequently lacked the time, topics and general motivation and opportunities to do so I guess, but perhaps more than that I feel an uneasy conundrum at which aspects of my life I really want to share.

My recent posts show a carefree girl with immaculate hair, an image I like to project but one that's so far removed from the real me. It's a rare and inspiring aspect though and the purpose of re-starting this blog was to remember the frivolities that I'd lost with everything else. Even so, i'm not entirely comfortable with projecting an image something far more fluffy than my life. My life is many things but fluffy it ain't.

I also struggle to know how much about my son I should be sharing with the world, would he one day thank or deride me for sharing his childhood moments with the world? And if I don't include him then that pretty much leaves me unpostable too as I'm pretty much a full on attachment mother and wherever I go my baby goes, quite literally. So I'm still debating where to go with this thing and when I get some ideas I hope to re-emerge with them.

Holiday hair, DIY victory rolls

Deary me. In typical Amanda fashion I go months without posting a thing then decide 1 isn't enough. I just remembered these photos from our family holiday tagging along with my folks to Crete. The sun was lovely, the tot had the time of his life & low and behold, grandparents on hand = my hands are free to do my hair for a change!

Hmm, DIY victory rolls versus the neaties I had done last week...x

 

 

(ps, the secret is all in the prep, a little backcombing & a lot of hairspray goes a long long way).

 

Hair victory & a fun little vintagey jaunt

The neatest victory rolls, (pre baby mauling...)

 

A gratuitous birds-eye view

 

 

Last weekend my husband, the tot and I made a little foray to a local Worcestershire vintage fair in Bromsgrove. It was just the perfect size for a local fair; neither too large/busy nor small & disappointing (like the time I convinced husb that our 30 mile trip promised 1950's motorbikes galore, only to see his face drop when faced with 5 lonely penny fathings on arrival. Oops, my mistake).

 

As a new(ish) family many of my old vanity treats are no more due to 1. expense and 2. lack of time/opportunity. (That said, the tot does detract all attention from me onto his utter cuteness so I doubt people notice anyway!). Popping to a vintage fair is the perfect way to get my retro vanity fix and is a nice excuse to get a little more dolled up than usual.

 

As a special treat I had my hair styled into the most immaculate victory rolls by the lovely peeps of The Hairdressers at Droitwich Spa www.thehairdressersdroitwich.co.uk/ who had a stall. So friendly and such authentic attention to vintage detail, I highly recommend. Many hairdressers look in horror/confusion when you request a less modern 'do but not these.

 

I also enjoyed a lengthy natter with pin up model October Divine, whom the tot took rather a shine to & vice versa.

All in all, last weekend was really rather lovely x

'I'm just a bebop baby, & I don't take nothin' from no one! See ya later, daddy-os!'

Let me count the ways I love this girl. Ms Wanda Woodward, Cry Baby's ultimate lady drape (played by Traci Lords who I also find enormously inspirational, this will be a whole n'other post but for now I urge young girls, feminists & misogynists alike to read her incredible autobiography. We had a twitter chat a few years ago on this very subject, such a thrill!).

Wanda however, has inspired my haircuts & sartorial choices for longer than I care to admit; a style icon since my first year at secondary school. She terrifies & enthralls in equal measure, pouting to lure the boys then snarling when they come too close.

 'I'm all talk and no action'.

Just can't beat a calf skimming polka-dot pencil halter.

Wanda 'wouldn't be caught dead in a full skirt' afterall.

Look out for midi length skirts/dresses to emulate this pin up style. A personal cheat to get just the right length is to but a modest & middle-aged style fuller skirted shirtwaister dress & simply use a sewing machine to pull in the sideseams to a wiggle style. Over the knee is key remember! Add a pair of white ankle socks & neckerchief & you're nearly there...

 

 

 High school hell cat.

'C'mon pick a fight, we wish you would, We love being bad 'cause it sure feels good.'

 

Drapes

'The woman want a Cadillac, she don't want no man'. Failing that a motorbike'll do nicely. Remember the ubiquitous multi zipper biker jacket.

 

'You mean you swapped me? For a milkmaid?'

Wanda's wears Bettie bangs well. Super short bangs are a style I have my own personal love/hate relationship with & return to when my hair bores me (as it frequently does). The look requires balls & a full face of makeup to pull off elegantly. Faux Bettie bangs made with a 'rat' or a small forward victory rolls are what I generally go for & to my view are a more flattering take on this look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Original 1930's Devorss art deco pin up print

How sublime is this? I was so tempted by this jazz age pin up calender print that was recently up on ebay in the USA. Those feathers, that scarlet cushion! I enjoy it's modesty by contrast to most pin up standards (gosh, I must be getting old...).

Alas, as expected the bidding got pretty crazy & it ended up selling for £118. A few years ago I just may have been decadent enough to place a bid, but alas the life of a newly humble & frugal stay at home mum is not one where such things are a viable option. I so love it though. 

When I get another spare moment i'll upload my own little compromised version that i've gone with to hang in my new bedroom. It's equally gorgeous but a mere fraction of the cost. Till then...Better dash, nappy change time beckons. Oh the glamour! x