Friday's vintage finds

Exciting news! From now on Friday is going to be 'Vintage find day' which is going to be a day where I will gather up all my photography, music etc that I have come across throughout the week or that I already know and present them on here for you all to see! So stay tuned to You had me at Vintage!

Photographs of the week:

1940's girls being snapped on a lovely summer day. 

Photo taken in 1955, a couple kissing. How romantic!

A lovely photo of the late Lauren Bacall who died earlier in the week. Rest in peace.

A photo of New York City in the 1930's.

Songs of the week:
Give them a listen!

"This will be our year" The Zombies

"Out of Time" Chris Farlowe

"The Clapping Song" Shirley Ellis

"Pride and Joy" Marvin Gaye

Films of the week:


"To have or have not" 
An 1944 American romance-war film starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. 

In honour of the late Lauren Bacall, one of the last remaining stars of Golden Hollywood.

Vintage news of the week:


Friday 8th August marked the 45th anniversary of  The Beatles album cover 'Abbey Road.' On this day in 1969 photographer Iain Macmillan captured what is the most recognized album cover of all time.


Lauren Bacall, an American actress and model from Hollywood's Golden Age, has died on August 12th from a stroke in her New York home. Rest in peace Lauren.

+ I do not own any of these photos 

What decade are you?

Take the test, and find out what decade you are!

What is your favourite type of music?

a) rock and roll

b) new romantics

c) jazz

d) big band

e) disco

f) blues

g) british invasion

Who's your iconic woman?

a) brigitte bardot

b) madonna

c) greta garbo

d) rita hayworth

e) debbie harry

f) katharine hepburn

g) jean shrimpton

What song would you be most likely to dance too?

a) rock around the clock - bill haley and the comets

b) wake me up before you go go - wham

c) the charlston

d) boogie woogie bugle boy - the andrew sisters

e) night fever - the beegees

f) in the mood - glenn miller

g) twist and shout - the beatles

What's your favourite film?

a) singing in the rain

b) E.T

c) the jazz singer

d) casablanca

e) star wars

f) gone with the wind

g) psycho

Who's your iconic man?

a) james dean

b) michael jackson

c) rudolph valentino

d) humphrey bogart

e) robert redford

f) fred astaire

g) john f kennedy

Favourite fashion style?

a) teddy boy / poodle skirt

b) skin heads / new wave

c) the dapper gent / the flapper girl

d)  utilitarian / "New Look"

e)  hippie / punk rocker

f) london drape / hollywood glamour

g) mod / the mini skirt

Who's your favourite duo?

a) dean martin and jerry lewis

b) jason donavon and kylie minogue

c) flanagan and allen

d) humphrey bogart and lauren bacall

e) morecambe and wise

f) laurel and hardy

g) john lennon and paul mccartney

if you chose mostly (a) you should be: from the 1950's!

Think dreamboats and petticoats! Full circular skirts and slim drainpipe trousers are on the check list of your favourite clothes, and stars like Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry are on repeat! 

if you chose mostly (b) you should be: from the 1980's!

Big, permed hair, crazy mullets and huge shoulder pads are what you're looking for! With styles like preppy and new romantic, and the music so cheesy and electro you can't help but move. The decade of excess, it was bold everything!

if you chose mostly (c) you should be: from the 1920's!

The 20's were all about the new levels of affluence, everything was unique due to previous years. Jazz music highlights the decade, with the famous dance move 'The Charlston,' people were becoming brand new versions of themselves. Drop waist dresses are a must, and a cloche hat to match every outfit. 

if you chose mostly (d) you should be: from the 1940's!

The 1940's was a patriotic decade, and that was epitomised in the fashion, cinema and music throughout. The clothing was very masculine, pant suits or tea dresses were worn everywhere and the music became bigger; big band and swing became popular.

if you chose mostly (e) you should be: from the 1970's!

How groovy! Bell bottoms, tie dye galore and an overload of stuff in your hair. With music along the likes of The Jam, Sex Pistols and The Specials and fashion style trends such as Punk and Skinheads both the music and the fashion were protested against the government.

if you chose mostly (f) you should be: from the 1930's!

The decade of Glamour! The whole world became influenced by Hollywood, and it's stars. Clothes became more sophisticated with butterfly sleeves and the outlines became more feminine compared to the boyish look of the 1920's. Blues music is a must on your playlist!

if you chose mostly (g) you should be: from the 1960's!

Bold eyes and beehives. Mop tops and Jukebox! The 60's was the big change, in all aspects of life. It was the decade for the youth, music and fashion became younger. Hemlines got shorter, and things began to swing!

+I do not own any of these photos

Famous artists and their muses

There are thousands of songs, paintings, films out there all created by some of the most influential and successful artists. But their inspiration has to come from somewhere? Some are inspired by personal events or feelings, and some come from another person. Most artists are infatuated with this other person, so much that they discover the highlights and bring them to life in a way so that everybody else can see. Sooner or later every piece of art they create are focused on their "muse." 

Coming from Greek mythology, muses were the goddesses of the inspiration of literature, science and the arts. From Alfred Hitchcocks obsession with Tippi Hedren to David Bailey's affair with Jean Shrimpton, here are some of the most famous artist's and their muse. 

Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgwick

photo: pinterest.com

"I thought she was just magic and very imaginative."

In march 1965, Edie Sedgwick met Andy Warhol, an artist and avant garde filmmaker. Andy found Edie's background and beauty impressive, he decided to cast Edie into many of his short films. Edie became fascinating to mainstream media due to her unusual fashion sense, but her fame was long lived when she died from ethanol intoxication in 1971.

Alfred Hitchcock and Tippi Hedren

photo: pinterest.com

 "He ruined my career, but he didn’t ruin my life. That time of my life was over. I still admire the man for who he was."

Tippi was a successful model in the 1950's and early 60's, and on the night of October 13th, 1961 she recieved a call from an agent who told her a producer was interested in working with her. That producer was Alfred Hitchcock, and Tippi signed a 7 year contract. Throughout their years together, their relationship caused too much controversy and Tippi admitted Alfred was too possessive. He was isolating her from others, advancing sexual aggression and controlled her career. 

Bob Dylan and Suze Rotolo

photo: pinterest.com

"Right from the start I couldn’t take my eyes off her."

Suze Rotolo was 17 years old when she started dating Bob Dylan, and is reportadly said to be the inspiration behind many of Dylan's early love songs. She was best known for being photographed alongside him on his album cover "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" in 1963.

Robert Mapplethorpe and Patti Smith

photo: pinterest.com

"The artist of my life."

Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe created art together in a small New York apartment from 1967 to 1974. Robert being the photographer, used Patti as his model and created provocative pictures with nudity and sexuality. Their relationship struggled due to poverty and his sexuality. 

George Harrison/Eric Clapton and Pattie Boyd

photo: pinterest.com

"I'd say I had the greatest passion and chemistry of my life with George. I think I was a romantic inspiration to Eric and George because I gave as much as I could to them both, to the detriment of myself. I was always there for them. Which I think is really what a muse is. You are living your life for somebody else."

Having met Pattie Boyd on the set of "A Hard Days Night", Beatle George Harrison fell instantly in love with her, even asking her to marry him whilst on set. The couple married in 1966, and Pattie became the inspiration to many songs such as 'For You Blue', 'It's All Too Much' and the most famous love song 'Something.' However in 1974, Pattie and George split, due to repeated infidelities. Years before the split however, Eric (friend of George's) fell deeply in love with Pattie, stalking and persisting her with letters and visits demanding she leave George. The song 'Layla' was wrote for Pattie as a sort of plea for her to leave her husband. Eventually in 1979, Pattie and Eric married but their marriage was filled with alcohol, drugs and physical abuse she divorced him in 1988. Without inspiring another two songs such as 'Wonderful Tonight' and 'Bell Bottom Blues.'

David Bailey and Jean Shrimpton

photo: pinterest.com

"She was magic and the camera loved her too. In a way she was the cheapest model in the world – you only needed to shoot half a roll of film and then you had it. She had the knack of having her hand in the right place, she knew where the light was, she was just a natural."

David Bailey helped create and capture 'Swinging London' with the help of model Jean Shrimpton in the 1960's. His photographs represented the youth of that era, in comparison to the boxy, stiff models in the 1950's. Bailey made Jean Shrimpton one of the world's first supermodels. Although Bailey was married to former girlfriend, he and Jean had an affair from 1960 - 1964. Jean often states she owes Bailey her career, as he discovered her and influenced her. 

Fashion in French Films

The style and colouring of old French films have always been an inspiration to me, especially in the early 60's where they captured the eccentric 'Parisian Chic' look that became so popular. With stars such as Catherine Deneuve, Anna Karina & Jean Seberg, the whole world became inspired by their fashion style and movement. Some wardrobe classics that surfaced from French chic were nautical striped t-shirts, oversized sunglasses, trench coats and the ever so famous pixie crop that arose from star Jean Seberg in film 'Breathless'. 

Below are just a few of my favourite styles. 

"Belle De Jour"

"A bout de souffle"

"Pierrot Le Fou"

"Une Femme est Une Femme"

Le petit soldat

Anna Karina and Michel Subor, 1963. 

Promotional shot for 'The Little Soldier'

Feeling Vintage at the Oscars

It's that time of year again, the night we celebrate the talent of old and new actors that entertain us along with reducing us to laughter and tears on a daily basis. The most glamorous night of the year with the awaited 'best dressed at the Oscars' chat. Some of the most amazing dresses are worn at the Oscars that you find yourself drooling over them whilst watching. Here are a few photographs I have stumbled upon taken 50+ years ago. 

Audrey Hepburn clutching her Oscar.

Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly before presenting an Oscar. How beautiful does Grace Kelly look in her dress?

Grace Kelly and Natalie Wood

Marlon Brando and Grace Kelly

Vivien Leigh

Cary Grant and Joan Simmons

Elizabeth Taylor

Mary Pickford

Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman

Marilyn Monroe

1952

Allie: The Notebook - Style Inspiration

Possibly my most favourite film when it comes to the fashion worn! The character of Allie's wardrobe is so perfect I want to buy every single item of clothing that she owns. Set in the 1940's, the first half of the film is very young, colourful and bright when it comes to Allie's outfits. With cute mini dresses, bright whimsical playsuits and vibrant cosy cardigans!

(The above is my favourite outfit of hers, if anyone comes across something similar please do not hesitate to show me...)

The second half of the film, 7 years after Allie & Noah separate, Allie's outfits are more mature and sophisticated. Still coated in bright colours, the hemlines are now longer and the blazers and hats have surfaced!