Disney Haunted Mansion cosplay in Retro Lovely’s Mousequerade

I love pinup, I like cosplay, and Disney theme parks have been my jam since I was a lazy-eyed baby in an eye patch singing “A Pirates Life for Me” like a drunken sailor. So it isn’t a stretch (haha, just wait for this pun payoff!) to assume I’d want to submit something to Retro Lovely‘s Disney-themed Mousequerade special edition.

Catherine Morland's Sally Slater Haunted Mansion Cosplay
Catherine Morland’s Sally Slater Haunted Mansion cosplay, photographed by Marilee Caruso.

Since the Haunted Mansion is my favorite Disneyland/Magic Kingdom attraction, I decided to go with a Sally Slater-themed cosplay. In case you didn’t know, that’s the “new” official name used for the slackrope-walking girl perched above the hungry crocodile in one of the stretching room portraits (see? I got PUNS).

More after the jump… Continue reading “Disney Haunted Mansion cosplay in Retro Lovely’s Mousequerade”

Early 1960s pinup inspired by the golden age of Playboy in Retro Lovely #211

Everything happens at once, it seems! Back in September, Marilee Caruso and I shot a set of images inspired by the October, 1962 cover of Playboy magazine. Today, they became a six-page pinup spread in Retro Lovely Issue #211!

Our version of the October 1962 Playboy cover
Our version of the October, 1962 Playboy cover.
October, 1962 Playboy Cover, featuring that month's centerfold, Laura Young
October, 1962 Playboy cover, featuring that month’s centerfold (aka “playmate”), Laura Young.

Marilee did the fabulous early 1960s makeup and hair (and lent me those awesome vintage earrings!), and I supplied my own clothes and vintage copy of the magazine. The playmate necklace (crystal pave bunny head) is a cheapie I got years ago on Ebay, the velvet dress is the olive green velvet Starlet Wiggle from the Vixen line by Micheline Pitt, and the shoes are my old reliable Christian Louboutin Piou-Piou patent stiletto pumps.

Catherine Morland posing with the magazine that inspired the shoot
Catherine Morland posing with the magazine that inspired the shoot. That centerfold is apparently VERY spicy.
I love the simple set Marilee created for the shoot
I love the simple set Marilee created for the shoot. It mimics the original while also adding texture.

As always, you can get the issue straight from Magcloud (when you order a hard copy you get a digital copy for free, immediately). For all of my recent pinup publications, see my Linktree.

More photos from the shoot after the jump!

Continue reading “Early 1960s pinup inspired by the golden age of Playboy in Retro Lovely #211”

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”

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. 🙂

I’m back with midcentury home furnishings: Oceanic Arts lamps, Joybird, and my grandmother’s Heywood Wakefield

2017 was the year I finally replaced my old Ikea sofa with some midcentury fabulous Joybird reproduction furniture (I loved that Ikea sofa – it just wasn’t me anymore) and realized my dream of some SWEET OCEANIC ARTS LAMPS! In bittersweet news, our beloved family realtor and friend Florence Trelford passed away, leaving me the Heywood Wakefield bookcase and  round coffee table that had previously belonged to my grandmother.

Yiayia's Heywood Wakefield bookcase and table
Yiayia’s Heywood Wakefield bookcase and table. Thank you to Mrs. Trelford and Linda for bringing me back together with these beauties!

Continue reading “I’m back with midcentury home furnishings: Oceanic Arts lamps, Joybird, and my grandmother’s Heywood Wakefield”

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”

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!”

Hawaiian vintage dress for Spring!

I recently received this beautiful vintage Hawaiian dress by Kamehameha, worthy of an immediate walk around the block. Literally, as I wore it to see President Bill Clinton speak at a Hillary Clinton organizing event down the street from my house. I figured the blue and white cattleya orchid print offered the correct partisan colors. To finish the patriot look, I added bakelite in red, black, and yellow plus a red MAK cardigan to match the small red accents in the print.

Kamehameha Vintage Dress
Kamehameha Vintage Dress
Kamehameha Vintage Dress
Kamehameha Vintage Dress

This specific style and print have been favorites of mine for awhile now. Special thanks to Erika of Frosted Kookie Vintage for letting me take it off her hands!

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