Crochet Brassiere, from Stitchcraft 150 (Feb 1945)

Perfect for the cold weather - sensible and practical. Maybe.

I really don't think a crochet bra is going to give me enough support, but its tempting to try making one...

This darling is from Stitchcraft 150 (I believe thats February 1945) which i've just popped over in my Etsy Store. The brassiere was too fabulous not to share though.

Enjoy!
x

Some of these things a lot like the other?

Hmmm....
Do these patterns look familiar?

Thats because I've listed them here previously on my blog for free?

Looks like a seller on Ebay has got it into their head to appropriate my images and sell them to the unsuspecting public.
I have no issue with someone selling scans of originals (depending on the Copyright expiry) but have major problems with someone nicking images off someone's blog and making out they did the hard work - not to mention the cost of buying all those original patterns.

The thing about being a vintage pattern collector is that you scour Ebay and Etsy for knitting patterns - so listing them on those sites is probably not a good idea.

What a sad way to start the day...

Viva Las Vegas, here we come!

Its official - we're heading to Viva Las Vegas 15 next year!

I've wanted to go to Viva since I was 19 (wow, ten years ago), and four of us will be heading over next year!

We've just booked our rooms at The Orleans, and apparently its near capacity for that weekend already.

Now to plan out the rest of the journey - we'll be in the US for 4 weeks in total. I really want to see the Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon and of course the Neon Museum in Vegas.
We're still looking for must-see stuff in the US - any suggestions?
We're hoping to do San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York and Chicago.

Any suggestions for amazing vintage shopping would be much appreciated as well!

...and I know I keep saying I want to make a playsuit - but check this pattern out! Its a top, its a skirt - its a romper! I just got it in the mail today, and its plus-sized. I think i'm going to give it a go for VLV, but wait and see...

Some like it luke-warm!

Its still freezing here in Sydney, and its snowing up in the Bloue Mountains! Every year I say i'm going to drive up and check it out, and I never do. Maybe this year?

July 2nd-3rd is the Blue Mountains Antique Fair in Blackheath, so maybe that will be my chance!
(its at the Blackheath Community Hall, Great Western Hway 10am-4pm).

I finally watched 'Some Like it Hot', with Cowboy the other day - how does Marilyn's dress stay up?! (or, how does her chest stay put?)

Its gravity defying. I think I spent most of the movie looking at the fashions and not paying much attention to the story line.

Anyway, I loved the flapper-thirties finger waves some of the girls wore, so here's my first attempt at finger waves for a short haired grrl.

Crumpled, on the way to work.
Hairclip - Mimco.

I really need to invest in some pin curl clips, as I just bobby pinned them last night and the back didnt survive. ReVamp Vintage has great instructions on how to fingerwave, as well as authentic hairstyling from 1910- 1940 if you want some good instructions.

The tricky thing was trying to remember which way i'm supposed to wave the hair, I think I did it wrong but its OK for work today. (I try out my hair experiments at work, because no-one really sees me).

xxx

I

Tourmaline, from Patons No.458, c1950s

I'm really drawn to this tyrolean cardigan from Patons, it looks so warm! Knitted in an 8ply for speed, i'd love to see it in red with white embroidery...

 

Heteronormative Privilege and the Femme dilemma.

Ok, so in my last post I said that people are assuming i'm a 'straight girl', and i'm wasnt happy about it.
I should probably explain what that means for me as a Femme (ooh another class on Queer Stuff 101!)

I'm not saying being Straight (heterosexual) is bad, but when people assume that i'm straight I lose my Queerness and Femme identity.

Suddenly i'm dressing like this/wearing makeup/etc for the male gaze or to attract a male partner (or because of societal expectations), not because its a queer expression of femininity. (I dont presume to speak for all/any heterosexual women here either).

It makes me uncomfortable to have to come out ten times a day.

I hate having to justify being queer to people around me because I look feminine ("but you're too pretty to be a dyke!"). I really hate it when I have to justify it to other queers because I don't look like Justin Beiber.

I get discouraged because sometimes the only time people can read me as queer is when I'm walking down the street with my girlfriend.

It hurts when other queers bring up Heteronormative Privilege, and think thats why i'm looking the way I do. "Heteronormative culture "privileges heterosexuality as normal and natural" and fosters a climate where LGBTQ are discriminated against in marriage, tax codes, and employment". - Wiki.

So, if I act/look straight I get the associated privileges for aligning myself with dominant heteronormative culture. I also get shunned by my own community. Yay me!

The dilemma Femmes have is how to navigate this fine line. Its uncomfortable.

We're not going to get beaten up for looking 'butch' - but our partners have been.

No-one is going to question our right to use the women's toilet - but our masculine-female friends get it all the time.

On the other hand, our partners and friends see how we struggle with our invisibility (its an interesting mix, hyper-visibility and invisibility).

There is no easy way to explain what its like to be Femme, but I hope this ramble might explain the political reasons why i'm umcomforable with people thinking i'm straight.

But I do love you Straighties, my sister's one too!

*tongue planted in cheek*

x

Tartan-tastic!

My recent favourite vintage find - an early 60s wool tartan wiggle skirt, in my size! (size W)
I'm determined to wear it, so here I am going to work this morning (it started raining 30 seconds after the photo).

Skirt - Vinnies, Shoes - Bleyer, Scarf - Vinnies, Cardigan - self

I had to balance the camera on the cat ladder, so its a pretty 'special' shot.

The tartan is amazing, red and black with bright yellow accents.

The best part is the label, the pleats are 'Si-Ro-Set'.

Si-Ro-Set was developed by the CSIRO in 1957, as way of making pleats permanent. A brief history is here.

I'm still trying to work out what to do with my hair - its the longest its been for 10 years. Currently i'm doing the 5-minute wonder:

- pin back the sides

- curl fringe with one of those hot roller brush things

- pin fringe

- spray to death with Tresemme medium hold hair spray

I'm off to see my hairdresser tomorrow night, but have no idea what to ask for.

Oh, and apparently I look like a straight girl now.

Great.

Seamed Tights for the Win!

I was just thinking about seamed tights (or pantihose) this morning, and then Snoodlebug posted some great reviews of ones on her Blog!

Its pretty easy to get thigh high ones (Andi B. Good has mentioned Voodoo Killers Legs Vintage Stockings, which inspired me to get some), and you can always grab the Leg Avenue ones off Ebay for about $10.

Leg Avenue Cuban Heel






VooDoo Killer Legs

Has anyone had any luck finding some decent (and decently priced) ones over here in OZ?