New Pinup in Retro Lovely #190…

Yeah, I’m still alive. I recently shot with the wonderful Marilee Caruso, with makeup and hair by my favorite beauty goddess, Rockwell DeVil. The fruits of our labor appear in Retro Lovely #190, freshly minted just this morning! Note that instead of publishing under my real name, I now go by the nom-de-pinup Catherine Morland. Because I like Northanger Abbey, of course.

Kali by Marilee
Photo by Marilee Caruso, MUAH by Rockwell DeVil.

There’s more new pinup to come, but for now, enjoy these nice pics, some of which appear in Retro Lovely, and some that don’t. Just click “read more” to get to the other side… Continue reading “New Pinup in Retro Lovely #190…”

Unique Vintage Kamehameha reproduction Hawaiian dresses

I collect vintage midcentury “Hawaiian label” clothing from brands like Alfred Shaheen and Kamehameha. Unfortunately, none of my real vintage fits at the moment due to health issue-related weight gain. Fortunately, Unique Vintage has licensed the Kamehameha and Shaheen names, labels, clothing designs, and fabric prints to bring us reproductions of some of these great labels’ most popular styles (swing and sarong). Even better, everything in these lines is on closeout, so if you can find your favorite style and print in your size, you’ll get a deal.

Kamehameha UV Dress
Bolero by UV/Kamehameha, vintage bakelite necklace and earrings, and hairflowers by Nicoco Creations.

Continue reading “Unique Vintage Kamehameha reproduction Hawaiian dresses”

Nineteen tips for vintage-inspired weddings

I was recently asked to participate in a blog post all about vintage-inspired weddings, presented by Lady Vintage (AKA “Lady V London”). Since I admire Lady V’s beautiful made-in-England vintage repro dresses, I was excited to collaborate!

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Retro from Head to Toe: 19 tips for vintage-inspired weddings via Lady V London.

My tips dealt specifically with incorporating real vintage jewelry into your wedding, but there’s lots more advice from a variety of great vintage bloggers worth checking out in the piece!

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Retro from Head to Toe: 19 tips for vintage-inspired weddings via Lady V London.
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Retro from Head to Toe: 19 tips for vintage-inspired weddings via Lady V London.

Check it all out!

BLACK FRIDAY IS NIGH!!! Save at Heart of Haute…

So Black Friday is almost upon us! Heart of Haute is having a 20% off Black Friday sale – which goes live Thanksgiving Day (tomorrow) at noon PST and ends Black Friday night (11:59pm PST) – and a Cyber Monday sale.

The Black Friday code is, unsurprisingly, “BLACKFRIDAY” – quotation marks are mine. The images are links, so just click on through once the sale is live…

 

The Cyber Monday sale will be live on November 26. It’s a “buy any one item and get the second item for equal or lesser value for 50% off” sale. Use code “CYBER” – quotation marks mine.


Heart of Haute Beverly dress in Sage Pincones
Heart of Haute Beverly dress in Sage Pinecones print.

These are affiliate links, BTW, but I wouldn’t recommend you shop anywhere that I don’t shop. Have FUN shopping all the sales this weekend and let me know what you picked up. 🙂

Tiki, vintage Shaheen, and pinup with Holly West

So I have fun tiki-themed pinup photos by Holly West Photography to share, this time from Skipper World Headquarters.

The Skippers have added a beautiful tiki lounge to their home, complete with huts, outrigger canoes, a bar, and a swanky seating area. It went perfectly with my vintage Alfred Shaheen bombax print dress, bakelite tribal necklace, and Dixiefried leopard-print Glamor swimsuit. The lovely and talented Rockwell DeVil did my makeup and hair.

Kali in Shaheen, with parasol. This sounds like one of those super-literal impressionist painting titles.

More photos after the jump!

Continue reading “Tiki, vintage Shaheen, and pinup with Holly West”

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!

I haven’t been as bloggy as I would have liked this year. Part of that is due to the fact that I just haven’t been feeling well. I’ve been dealing with chronic eustachian tube dysfunction since December of 2015 (it’s supposed to get better, and it has, but I’m not yet back to right). That means it’s been uncomfortable to exercise, which – coupled with the general anxiety that comes from weird ear sounds and bouts of temporary hearing loss (every time I get sick) – means I’ve also gained weight. So, you can see why I haven’t really been motivated to blog a lot of outfits lately.

All that said, I haven’t been completely out of it. I can say that I’ve been using that Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade pot I’d been wanting to try, and I’ve been enjoying it so far. I’ve also been trying some new hair products that I’ll be sharing with you guys in the new year.

I’ll also have some fun tiki-themed pinup photos (by Holly West!) to show you.

So. Even though I may not seem like I’m here, I am and I’d love to chat on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Those links are in the navbar to the left! Stop by and say hi, and have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Here’s hoping 2017 is better for all of us, in every way!

~ Kali 🙂

 

Shark Week: Hawaiian sundress by Hearts & Found!

Sponsored Link: Pure Costumes is ready for Halloween!

Not too long ago, my friend Jessica recommended the retro designs of Hearts & Found, an Etsy company offering a vast array of pretty vintage styles in pretty prints. While perusing the shop, I found a lovely Hawaiian sundress (similar to a Shaheen design) with shoulder ties and a full skirt. Even better, it was pictured in a soft black-and-white cotton fabric featuring great white sharks! While not exactly a shark fan, I found the art charming and the color scheme bold and attractive – perfect to combine with colorful cropped cardigans and bakelite jewelry!

Hearts and Found Shark Dress
Hearts and Found Shark Dress

My boyfriend purchased the dress for me for my birthday. We chose the standard XL size because it was close to my current measurements, and it ended up being the right choice. That said, you don’t have to settle for the standard sizes. In general, the options offered seem limitless. You can get custom sizing. You can choose to combine elements of more than one standard dress design. You can pick any fabric listed at the storefront (and there are dozens of options to choose from!). Best of all, the prices are reasonable and their labor practices are fair. Continue reading “Shark Week: Hawaiian sundress by Hearts & Found!”

A Marilyn Monroe-inspired 1950s pants outfit from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

My Marilyn outfit
My Marilyn outfit

I’m a natural brunette with black hair, so I don’t necessarily share the title sentiment of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, but I do love Marilyn Monroe and enjoy her William Travilla- designed wardrobe from the 1953 film. Recently, Esther of MorningstarPinup on Etsy made me a custom version of the green-top, dark-pants, lavender sash outfit Marilyn’s character, Lorelei Lee, wears in the movie. Continue reading “A Marilyn Monroe-inspired 1950s pants outfit from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”