I Have a New Obsession

Article Posted on Friday, December 16th, 2011 at 2:11 am

I adore the archive of Life Magazine photos any day of the week, but this latest find has me over the moon! The Queen at Christmas! Need I say more? Click here to view the full gallery.

Article Posted on Thursday, December 8th, 2011 at 10:30 pm

Yes, I am still fixated…

Article Posted on Thursday, November 10th, 2011 at 1:06 pm

I know–The obsession continues. I just can’t help myself! Have you ever seen Sabrina? It came out in October of 1954 so I thought a little Style File would be quite appropriate this time of year. But first, I have always been especially in *love* with this particular scene… just a little something to put you in the mood!

And now for the main event–there are quite a few things we can learn from
Sabrina…

1.) Smile like you mean it! And remember, you are never too old to jump on a bike and go for a ride to brighten up your afternoon.

2.) However, Sabrina was a girl of many faces, and when she needed to be quiet, demure, and let those doe eyes do the talking, she did.

3.) One brother? Why not 2?

Fun Fact: Audrey actually fell in love with costar William Holden during the filming but broke it off when she found out he couldn’t have children.

4.) A little black dress is essential, but don’t forget the accessories: gloves, head dress, cocktail!

Fun Fact: There was quite a bit of drama surrounding the costumes for this film. Hubert de Givenchy was actually responsible for the clothes, which Audrey herself hand-picked from his latest line prior to filming. However, Paramount designer Edith Head won an Oscar for the costume design–the name “Givenchy” was nowhere to be found in her acceptance speech.

5.) It’s not just about accessorizing the little black dress, what about the little black weekend wear? Well, for starters, you could certainly pick up a pair of embroidered slippers!

6.) However, as every Belle knows, your most important accessory is always your pup… or pups as the case may be!

In lieu of today’s festivities…

Article Posted on Monday, October 31st, 2011 at 3:42 pm

Since I’ve been on a bit of a Breakfast at Tiffany’s kick, and by a bit of a kick I mean an all-out obsession, I couldn’t resist using Halloween as an excuse to post some of my favorite *glam* photos of Capote’s Black and White Ball. In November of 1966, after the success of his novel In Cold Blood, Capote decided to throw himself a little party at The Plaza. The irony was that while he invited his closest –the rich, the famous, the elite–guests were asked to wear masks, which needless to say did not go over well with the paparazzi of the day. Still, as you can see, some of the most gorgeous photographs of the stars of the era emerged from that night.

P.S. Just in case you’re still on a Candice Bergen trip from yesterday, I think the most stunning photograph from this little collection is the last one of her. She was 20 when it was taken.

As Promised: My Vintage Earbob Collection

Article Posted on Tuesday, August 30th, 2011 at 10:00 am

Last week I mentioned the vintage jewelry collection I’ve been growing that was started by my grandmothers. I just love wearing these little gems because they are just so over-the-top and different from today’s styles that they never fail to garner compliments. One thing I’ve had to research since gaining these pieces are how to care for them. It’s really fairly simple but there are so many different things I’ve learned that I couldn’t resist sharing the wealth.

A Few Things I’ve Learned About Caring for Vintage Baubles…

• Most importantly keep it in a dry, safe place. I have an old jewelry box that was my mother’s. It’s lined with soft fabric and is perfect! Also along these lines, if you aren’t transporting your baubles, it is not a good idea to store anything in ziploc bags as those will hold moisture.
• NEVER submerge your jewelry in water. Ever. For serious.

• For rhinestones, spray a little Windex on a soft cloth (never directly on the stone) and then clean the stones.
• For those painted, solid-color discs you see, I use vinegar. It’s less abrasive than the Windex used for rhinestones which can remove some of the paint.

You see that green stuff? That’s verdigris, which is kind of like a jewelry disease that can cause corrosion. From what I understand, brass and copper are especially susceptible, especially if they’re unfinished. If you see this on your jewelry make sure that you get the affected pieces away from everything else in your collection because verdigris is actually contagious. So what do you do?

Some sites have said to soak the jewelry in vinegar but unless the piece is severely affected, I think it’s easier to soak a paper towel in vinegar and then hook your earrings onto that. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes and then wipe off the gross-ness. Q-tips are your friend, and you may want to soak longer if the damage is bad.

A Random Note:

Remember that these pieces were costume jewelry when they were created way back when so repairing them will often be necessary. When it comes to the repairing part, I am a novice. I always have super-glue on hand–remember it’s not real jewelry, it’s mostly rhinestones, glass and plastic–Never use super glue on the real stuff. Take real pieces to people that know what they’re doing. Anyway, here are a couple of things I’ve found that work well…

• If the smooth part of the ear piece on your clip-on earrings is rough or chipping, I’ve made the rough surface smooth again with hot glue. Also good if your clip-on clasp has come off.
• If the metallic part of your earring is peeling off, I’d treat it like a pair of pantyhose and use a little clear nail polish to stop the peeling.

Hope this info helps you enjoy your super *chic* vintage pieces even more too!
xo~ Hannah B.

“Thursday! It can’t be! It’s too gruesome!”

Article Posted on Thursday, June 16th, 2011 at 9:00 am

If you’re like Holly and find Thursdays a little too much to bear, you may want to grab a pair of these shades to brighten your day and make you a little more mysterious/glamorous! Oliver Goldsmith, the company that made the original oversize shades Holly Golightly wore in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, was revived in 2005 after a 20 year limbo by Goldsmith’s granddaughter, Claire Goldsmith. Now, for the 50th anniversary of the iconic film, they have also replicated the classic shades. The new specs will be call ‘The Manhattan’ and will be available at NYC’s optical boutique Artsee. I have to say that after skimming through the rest of their designs, I’d take any their quirky shades myself!

Here’s to a relaxing, summer weekend…

Article Posted on Saturday, June 11th, 2011 at 1:23 pm

Carefree Vacation a la 1960

Article Posted on Friday, May 27th, 2011 at 5:01 pm

{ from this lovely magazine }

What are your tips and tricks for a carefree vacation? Anything you can’t live without?

Spring is Here!

Article Posted on Sunday, April 10th, 2011 at 2:17 pm

Spring is *finally* here and to get the week started off right here are a few things to get you in the Spring spirit…

First of all, I should tell you that the Harper’s Bazaar cover (circa 1955) was found via Nifty Fifties. It’s one of my very favorite sources for inspiration.

:: Listen ::

One of the perfect spring songs to get you in the mood happens to be from an unlikely source. You wouldn’t think that Queen would get you in the mood for bicycle rides in the park or sipping lemonade on the front porch, but I find this song does the job quite nicely!

:: Read ::

I am so terribly excited about the Great Food series from Penguin books (as if you’re surprised). I’m pretty sure I’m going to use some freelance money to order the entire collection this week. This book in particular will especially get you in the spirit because Elizabeth David is known for bringing A Taste of Sun (quite literally) to Britain after World War II by introducing many Brits to Mediterranean flavors with her recipes.

:: Dress ::

Wear bright colors… That’s really all there is to it! This particular purse is from Kate Spade and I just love the mixture of a bright, solid green with that *beautiful* woven texture!

:: Live ::

I make it a practice to always have fresh flowers around the house. It encourages me to keep my home tidy, which it almost never is (things to work on) and it adds life to the room. Especially this time of year when all of the windows are open and we’re spending lots of time on the front porch, it’s yet another way to bring the outdoors in.

Happy Spring to all!
xo~ Hannah B.

A Pleasant Surprise

Article Posted on Monday, March 28th, 2011 at 1:05 pm

On Saturday I was in the grocery when I walked by this adorable, quirky-looking (I always mean ‘quirky’ as a compliment!) girl about my age  in the organic aisle who had vintage magazines sticking out of her bag. I couldn’t resist. I stopped to ask her where she’d gotten them, and she couldn’t have been nicer! Her name was Samantha and she offered me one. At first I said no, but she was so sweet I, again, couldn’t resist! So I came home with this *Beautiful* copy of Ladies’ Home Journal from June of 1960, and I’m pretty sure the cover will be framed and hung on the wall once we redo my home office. Isn’t it just lovely?

One of my *favorite* things so far has been this article on an issue that is near and dear to my heart: “When is Casual Too Casual?” I must admit that while I love my skinny jeans, I am sort of a stickler for always trying to be the best version of yourself. You can buy nice clothes anywhere and at any price point, but the key is taking pride enough in yourself to not look sloppy. Anywho, here are a few examples from the magazine.

Oh, if only we had the problems in 2011 that they had in 1960!  One trip to our local WalMart, and I’m pretty sure the writer of this article would spontaneously combust. Enough ranting for today. I’m not the only one who feels this way, right?