Finally got some Freddie’s!

Hey there friends,

I’ve been on the hunt for a great pair of vintage or reproduction jeans for quite a while. I am happy to say that I have found the perfect pair:  Freddie’s of Pinewood Jeanies!  You may have seen me wearing them in my last post that featured photos from my trip to Bodie, Ca.

I just love these jeans. They are comfortable yet totally adorable. The shape is so flattering but not at all fussy.

I love the look of a cropped & cuffed jean and was happily surprised that the Jeanies were the perfect length on a short gal like me (I’m about 5′).  These are a 26″ waist, which is very true to size for me.

I was worried before trying these jeans that I would have to settle for the “long butt” or “saggy butt” that many high waisted jeans seem to give. However, I think that these actually give quite a cute shape to the rear view area!

I was hesitant about ordering Freddie’s jeans online from the U.K. because I wouldn’t be able to try them in advance. I thought all hope was lost until I found out that local  shop owner Marissa of Chick-a-Boom Vintage (in Petaluma, Ca)  carried a full range of the jeans in her shop! I couldn’t wait to get over there & try on some Freddie’s!  She was super sweet and helped me choose the perfect pair.  Oh, and to top it all off, they were considerably cheaper than the online plus shipping price I would have paid otherwise!

I highly recommend Freddie’s of Pinewood jeans and I know a lot of you gals are already believers too. However, if you’re still on the hunt for the perfect pair of vintage style jeans: Freddie’s may be your answer!

until next time! xoxo, Tina

Vintage Lovin’ Gal

Vintage photos of fashionable folks!

I love gawking at the clothes of glamorous movie starlets in black and white and models in vintage magazines, but seeing photos of “regular” people of the era really sends me.

I bought these lovely photos recently at an antique shop and just adore them! The clothes are fantastic and the people are just adorable.

aren’t they great?

These folks were the first to catch my eye, they seem so happy and in love! The photo is undated, but judging by her hairstyle and clothing I’d say it’s definitely from the 1940’s. Her dress is gorgeous and has some great ribbon detailing.

the happy couple

Next is a family photo that is also undated, but I’m guessing forties. Her outfit is a dream! I love the coordinating separates and her hair bow. Her husband is a classic workin’ man with great suspenders. The twins are a bit creepy, but cute in their matching outfits. My favorite part is the shadow of the photographer in the bottom corner!

Glenn Bentzer/Bentzen (?), Marion, Frances, Patricia

family close-up

Next is this gorgeous thirties gal! Her floral dress, white shoes, sun hat and finger waved ‘do are to die for! I like to believe that she’s on her way to a glamorous lawn party.

springtime beauty

Finally, my favorite of the bunch is this photo of young gals at a High School graduation in 1941. Every one of these ladies has their own unique style, from demure to chic. Check out the shoes! *sigh*

The back of the photo reads:  “Alice Pelter, Anita Block, Meriam Cadish, Anna May. Dorsey High School Graduation- June 1941.”

graduation gals

The two girls on the right are my favorite! That matching set on the far right is a dream, I wish I could see it in color. The gal next to her has wonderful shoes & an adorable button down dress. Here’s a close-up on them:

simply gorgeous!

The final photo is a landscape shot that reads:

“371 Imperial Limited, in Fraser Canyon.”

“June 10 ’36”

Hope you enjoyed checking out these great photos, I know they sure make me smile.

Until next time, friends…

xoxo,

Tina

Vintage Lovin’ Gal

Rose Garden Gals

The ever lovely Mary Van Note & I had a wonderful day picnicking in the springtime sun and taking in the sights of the Berkeley Rose Garden!

The Berkeley Rose Garden is a gorgeous garden in the Berkeley Hills that features 3,000 rose bushes and 250 varieties of roses! It was completed in 1937 and was one of the first Civil Works Progress Projects built under the WPA.

Mary wore a gorgeous lavender 1940’s floral day dress with off-the-shoulder ruffles and a button back,  white espadrilles, adorable wicker purse shaped like an umbrella, cute vintage sunglasses and an AMAZING magenta felt hat!

I wore a lovely 1950’s floral day dress that I bought years ago at a little vintage shop in Hawaii; 1940’s navy peep toe shoes, my 1920’s/1930’s sunglasses and a white wicker purse that was a birthday gift from my mom.

peek-a-boo! Mary’s hat helps her to blend into the floral surroundings…

I had such a great time frolicking around with Mary, wearing our pretty dresses and smelling roses! I can’t think of many better ways to spend a beautiful spring day!

xoxo,
Tina

Vintage Lovin’ Gal

(Thanks to Mary Van Note for these photos!)

A nite of feathers, art deco and film noir: Maltese Falcon at the Paramount

This past Friday I attended Classic Movie Nite at the GORGEOUS Paramount Theater in Oakland. The movie of the month was the fabulous film noir The Maltese Falcon.

I was joined by the wonderful and glamorous Mary Van Note and our gents (you can spot a quick glimpse of Derek below, but Mary’s fella Ben stayed behind the lens).

We gussied up in gorgeous feathers, provided by Mary (you can buy the one I’m wearing in her etsy shop!) and our forties best. It was great fun and the movie was wonderful! Humphrey Bogart can do no wrong in my eyes…plus he’s a total dreamboat.

Enough blabbing…..feast your eyes on the jaw-dropping beauty of this theater!!

If you ever have the opportunity to visit the Paramount Theater in Oakland, don’t pass it up! It is truly breathtaking. They offer tours as well as events such as the classic movie night.

What a wonderful night!!

Thanks to the lovely Mary Van Note for these photos and her boyfriend Ben for graciously photographing us in a crowded theater!

xoxo,

Tina

Vintage Lovin’ Gal

The most amazing blouse ever made.

Vintage lovin’ friends, be warned.

You may faint or at least swoon a great deal at the sight of this glorious blouse.

Isn’t is lovely?

I tried this blouse on at the San Francisco Vintage Expo & it was love at first sight. I had to have it.

Luckily, the price was reasonable so I jumped on it.

I love this double collar. It’s so interesting! The bottom one is tacked down & the top collar is free.

Those bows! Those buttons! Oh dear….

Check out the lovely matching belt…sigh.

Now for a peek at the back! (via horribly lit photos…..)

The back buttons all the way up & this is the only way to get into the blouse! I amazingly buttoned myself into it one day, but  having an assistant is quite helpful.

Here I am wearing the blouse on the second day of the expo with my lovely pal Mary Van Note!

(Thanks to Christina of Skirt Chaser Vintage for this photo!)

Until next time friends, keep your eye out for those special vintage treasures…you never know when you’ll find the perfect piece!

xoxo,

Tina

Vintage Lovin’ Gal

A peek into a traditional Sign Painter’s shop.

Hello friends,

I have the pleasure to live with and experience an age-old trade on a daily basis.

That trade is Sign Painting.

Before the time of computers, all signs were created by hand, by a sign painter.

My boyfriend, Derek, is a talented sign painter that runs his own business called Golden West Sign Arts. I assist in the shop & help with anything and everything.

Isn’t he handsome?

Everything in our shop is done the old fashioned way, without the use of computers (aside from email). All signs are painted by hand, from drawn patterns. Derek is also a specialist in the art of gilding with genuine gold leaf.

Our shop is an interesting place that I thought some of you may like to see. Here are tons of photos…

that’s 23 karat gold!

Bob & Derek: best pals.

such a handsome pair.

Now, let’s have a peek at the inside of the shop!

Dandy? It sure is! Works like a charm.

the shop counter houses our collection of crazy knick-knacks

vintage matchbooks

hi-di-hi-di-ho!

Here are a few more shots of the dashing Sign Painter for your viewing pleasure.

Check out our website to see examples of the sign work we’ve done!

Here is a wonderful video shot for Jack Daniel’s Whiskey of Derek painting for their ad campaign this summer. It turned out great!

xoxo,

Tina

Vintage Lovin’ Gal

Shorpy: Historic Photo Archive

Hello readers!

I have a favorite website that I want to share with you. If you don’t know about Shorpy, boy are you are in for a treat!

This site is a gold mine of amazing historic photography. Most of the photos are from plate negatives and are therefore extremely high quality. You can click on any photo to enlarge & look at the tiniest details. It is truly wonderful…and addictive. Prepare to go on an extensive photo-saving spree once you browse their collection.

Looking at these photos gives you a feeling of really knowing the people in them and experiencing what life was like in their time.

Below are just a few of my favorites.

Washington Hot Shoppe Restaurant. 1941.

Nancy Hamilton. 1926.

WWII Aviation plant clerk. 1942.

Saratoga Springs, NY. 1915.

South Side Chicago. 1941.

Lanier Hotel, New York. 1921.

Detroit Yacht Club, “Venetian Night” Party. 1940.

Chicago cabaret. 1941.

Goodyear Aircraft Corp. employee. 1941.

Coney Island. 1905.

Lumber worker and wife. 1939.

Crowley Milner Department Store, Art Department. 1941.

United States Marine. 1942.

People’s Drug Store, Washington D.C. 1909.

Crowley Milner Department Store, Detroit. 1941.

Marilyn Miller. 1921.

Louisiana musicians. 1938.

San Francisco. 1941.

Metal Salvage Plant worker (and crafty gal, I might add). 1942.

There are so many more wonderful images on their site, I truly hope you all enjoy them.

xoxo,

Tina

vintage lovin’ gal

Queens of Vintage!

HOORAY!

The lovely folks of Queens of Vintage have graciously named me as the last queen of 2012! I’m honored to be chosen & to be among such lovely company!

Their website has so much great content & I just love getting lost in it, I’m sure you will too!

Click here to read my little write-up: http://www.queensofvintage.com/vintage-queen-no-103/

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

xoxo,

Tina

Vintage Lovin’ Gal

 

Golden West Trio with Kay Marie

As I mentioned before, I just returned from a road trip with my boyfriend’s band through Southern California & Arizona. The band is called the Golden West Trio with Kay Marie. They’re a great band & I suggest you check them out if you’re a fan of early rock n’ roll & blues!

www.goldenwesttrio.com

Here are some photos I took of them while we were on the road:

** That’s my honey on the drums! **

Click here for a little taste of their music!

xoxo,

Tina

Vintage Lovin’ Gal

Gloomy Weather Style

Hello,

Today is another gloomy day in the East Bay of California, which calls for a sweaters & tights! Since it’s rarely cold here, there is still some allure for me in wearing tights and bundling up.

My silk shirtwaist dress is from Betsey Johnson , who I worked for in NYC for a few years.

{Wow, I could have ironed my dress. That’s pretty telling of my personality…I love dressing up & looking put together, however I’ll go out with a wrinkled dress on. Silly, I know.}

Sweater is a vintage cashmere, beaded gem given to me by my sweet pal Brittany.

Tights are also Betsey Johnson.

1940’s oxfords are from a seller on Etsy a few years back.

I decided to get fancy with my hair today, just for fun!

Hope you’re all staying warm!

xoxo,

tina

vintage lovin’ gal