Bonnets

I wish I knew the details... but it looks like Jenny, Hiedi, and I will be on TV modeling wonderful vintage bonnets for Easter/Spring tomorrow morning. Hollywood Regency is going to showcase a lovely assortment of vintage hats just in time for the warm days ahead.

I know I will be wearing a fantastic white netted wide brim sun hat from the 30's. I am really excited to wear it.

Tonight however I have to do my roots... Yay!

I will edit this post with any further information I receive.

Sunset Blvd. How could I deny you?

What an amazing movie. It is such a shame I have denied myself the pleasure that is this movie! I never watched it as I thought it was a musical production -- like White Christmas or any of the old Elvis flicks. I did not know the power of that movie.

Any lover of Hollywood or classic films, no matter the era, should see this tale of opprotunity and distortion. Truly a magnificant film that is just as powerful today if not more than it was during it's original release.

This movie is like pouring salt into the wound. How much it hurts.

Besides... any movie that starts out with a dead monkey is bound to be a good movie!

Grand just grand.



William Holden. My newest ghost lovah... No fears about Cary Grant... he is still my number 1 deadman crush, but William Holden is closing in... surpassing Arnaz, Power and Navarro. William Holden is delicious... reminds me a bit of a softer Robert Michum.

Everythings better with a Coke. "Stockings"

I suppose I should have posted this photo a bit back, but ah well... I am posting it now. A couple of weeks ago Phoenix was having a street fair so I gussied myself up (not really) and decided to head down and support Hollywood Regency and The Jump Back Brothers. While there, I had my friend Doc take a fun photo of my stockings and Coke bottle. Little did I know the dog sitting on the futon was looking up at me completing the photo.


There was a cute conversation my friend CC overheard about my stockings. A young boy about 10-11 took noticed of my stockings and pointed them out to his Pa. Trying to be subtle the Dad kept quickly agreeing and trying to hush his son as the kid said things like, "Dad, look at her stockings" and "They have a line up the back". You could tell the Dad was admiring the stockings as well, but was trying to be less obvious than his son! :-D

I really do love wearing stockings and now that I have a decent garterbelt and girdle I can wear them with confidence as opposed to the cheapy garterbelts that are sold for fashion rather than function from places like Fredericks and Victoria's Secret.

For those who are concidering wearing stockings (seamed or not) for daily wear I really recommend investing in a good garterbelt, one with metal clips and not the plastic ones. It may be more expensive, but you will have less wardrobe malfunctions. Also make sure there is some material to the actual belt itself... those horrible "belts" that are an inch thick with straps attached are a waste. They are pulled down too easily by the stockings and won't support the stockings.

To aid in the shape of the stockings spray a quick burst of areosol hairspray over your legs once you have the stockings on. This helps them from sagging and giving you "old lady ankles".

I prefer nylon seamed FF stockings as opposed to lycra stockings one can find at VS. I have to order my stockings online, so if you do too be prepared to pay on average $20 a pair. You can find them for less and you can find them for WAY more as well. For the most part modern or "newly manufactured" stockings will run in 3 sizes S, M, and L in too lengths reg and opera length. Opera are a bit longer for tall ladies or heavier ladies. If you choose to buy vintage stockings know your size. For example I am a size 8 in shoes (10 inch insole) and in stockings I am a 10 1/2. This will make a difference... as my feet won't fit in a 9 1/2. I unfortunately don't know any size charts. Vintage stockings like shoes were made with a more varied range in sizes... unlike the generic size matches we have today.


I also like to carry a small bottle of clear nail polish with me just in case of a run. I believe Bon Bons carry a clear polish and the bottles are tiny and an usually be found under a buck.

If they don't have clear, just use up the color you get or dump it and put some clear in it.

I wish I could offer more care on washing and care of stockings, but quite frankly I usually end up running them and have to get a new pair before I get to washing them.


Here are some more vintage ads for stockings that I really enjoy.

Pot O' Gold (1941)

I just rewatched a movie that I have had on hand for sometime. I bought it at the dollar store for, you guessed it, $1! It is actually a Jimmy Stewart double feature. I haven't watched the other movie and can't recall it's name, but Pot o' Gold is a wonderful lighthearted ditty. It stars Jimmy Stewart and Paulette Goddard. It's a cute story about a music store owner (Stewart) that reluctently takes up his rich uncle's offer to move to the big city and keep on running the family business in health foods. Upon his first day there he meets a cute little songstress (Goddard) and the rest of the boarding housemates who are in a band. He quickly discovers that his uncle, who hates music, is at war with the boarding house mistress and is trying to get their property. After realizing this battle he tries his best to conceal the fact that he is the nephew of that old music hating grouch. Comedy ensues and fun musical numbers are performed. This movie will leave you smiling and happy feeling. It isn't an emotional jerker, but it is definately fun and happy. Great movie if you can get it. Even better if you can get it at the Dollar Store still.

Vintage Book Club

Just a heads up. My friend and I thought it would be fun to do a vintage book club. We don't have the date or location chosen just yet, but we do know what book we want to read. This is just a little bit of pre-planning for anyone who is interested in joining us. This is open to everyone male and female over the age of 18 and live in Phoenix metro valley or are willing to travel.

Since neither of us has done a book club get together before we are assuming it is just a get together to discuss the book... Questions and answers, sharing one's favourite parts, comparing it to the movie or musical if anyone has seen either or both.

So if this sounds like something you are interested in, grab a copy of 42nd St and keep an eye out in this blog for details of the official get together.

Email me at LolitaHaze1@gmail.com with any suggestions or questions.

The Genius that is Busby Berkeley

My friend Dori introduced me to the name Busby Berkeley. While I was familiar with his work, I didn't know that his vision belonged to one person. I didn't know he had a name. Dori had purchased a Busby Berkeley DVD Collection and invited Alicia and me over to her house to watch the extra special DVD devoted to nothing but Berkeley's musical numbers. We all fell in love with the cinematic origasm that he produced. A kelidoscope of scanty girls and dreamy guys was something Alicia and I wanted to own. I am a bit short on funds at the moment, so I still have to wait to order my set, but Alicia bought her's right away and for the last week, every night we'd sit and watch one of the movies from the box set.



Gold Diggers of 33 and Footlight Parade are my favourites from the set. 42nd St was nice and we plan to do a book club on it real soon. Unfortunately I thought Gold Diggers of 35 and Dames were just dumb. Dames had me a bit "eh" due to the fact that the main characters were 13th cousins and in love. I don't care if it is 13th or 1st... cousins are cousins. Alicia and I had a laugh about it when she said, of all the scandalous and immoral things you do, 13th cousins is what offends you? Hahahaha




I really enjoyed what Berkeley put on film for us to cherish as movie goers.



I am looking forward to when I am able to get my set and other movies that he choreographed for.

The Ghost that haunts me: Norma Shearer

Almost two years ago I went through a bit of a rough patch, boy troubles naturally. It was during this time that I was haunted by Shearer, of the Norma variety. Everywhere I went there she was. Prior to this I am not even sure if I knew who she was. It was this constant reminder of her that made me build a distaste for her. I didn't find her particuarly attractive and I never saw any of her movies, so she became the symbol of a rather putrid time in my life of drama.


Just the other day, however, my friend and I watched The Divorcee. A fantastic pre-code film staring Norma Shearer. Perhaps it was her character or even her hair (yes, hair again), but something happened. She grew on me a bit. I warmed up to her and found the movie to be quite clever. Although the ending was a bit predictable and less than desireable in my modern mind, the rest of the movie was fantastic!

I even found myself crushing a bit on one Robert Montgomery (father of Elizabeth Montgomery). It could have been his character I was attracted to. Don. A fun loving cocky fool. A bit arrogent at times, but while he didn't go looking for trouble, he would welcome it when it came to him.


Back to Shearer... she grew on me. The next night we watched A Free Soul. Not as good as The Divorcee, but I didn't find myself hating Norma Shearer again. Perhaps my liking of her is symbolic. I let go of the anger that has been holding me down for a while now. Or maybe I just replaced one heartache with another.

Her crystal gaze and sleek hair is a favourite look of mine. If my hair would behave this nicely when cut this short, I would most certainly wear it like that always! But alas... this sleek bob is just a pipe dream for me.

Here are some of my favourite looks of Mrs Shearer.

Just My Imagination...

Wowzas! I hung out backstage with the Temptations tonight! How fantastic is that? Otis is the only original member, but Ron has been there almost as long! Weee!! I blurred my friends faces because I wasn't sure if they wanted me to post them. :)

30's inspired

Here is a goofy photo of me, but shows off my 30esque hair the best. Being a blonde with thicker dark eyebrows, I wonder if the look comes off more Marilyn than Ginger. I don't much care for lighter thinner brows... even if it means acheiving the 30s/40s look more authentically. I can't help it, I love blonde hair and dark eyebrows.

My hair would have looked nicer with a wave in the main side, but I didn't set it for that... just for the curls. Like usual for my hair I sleep in perming rods. I used the purple ones for this set. I actually set my hair on a cold or wet set on Wed at 9am and took my hair out at 4pm Thursday. A day and a half total. Most people won't have to set it this long.. overnight should suffice. I didn't have much of a pattern set... I just rolled the rods to the nape of my neck and up along the sides lining the face. Brushed and shaped it out pinning some of the main part away from my face.

William Powell

Prior to today, I have never seen a William Powell flick. I know his recognizable mug from many old Hollywood photos. I can't say I am much of a fan of his... I don't find him really attractive. Today I caught the end of Liable Lady where Powell co-stars with Myrna Loy and Jean Harlow. Perhaps it was his character in the film or something has simple as his hair, but I found him to be quite sexy in this film. I adore Jean Harlow, but don't know much about her... so finding out that she was dating him at this time and that he never got to propose marriage to her before she died made him just that more handsome. Cause he loved her and she is one of my favourites. :)