A stunning vintage bracelet & pin set with red rhinestones — with coordinating Marvella rhinestone earrings, also with red rhinestones and pearls. The bracelet has a few missing stones, but at that price, I’d risk that the seller’s assessment that it’s not noticeable is correct.

Vintage Rhinestone Jewelry With Pearls & Red Rhinestones

If you love red, this vintage silver tone filigree deco ring is a big bold statement in red with a large emerald cut red rhinestone in the center and a very small chaton cut on each side.

Vintage Red Rhinestone Deco Ring

For more sparkle, set this grand vintage bracelet, signed “Original By Robert”, with huge bright red glass cabs and sparkling prong-set red and pink rhinestones on your arm — maybe even over your opera length gloves!

Vintage Red and Pink Rhinestone Bracelet

This vintage Juliana style red rhinestone necklace, with stones set in gold tone metal, is like a tiara for your decolletage.

Vintage Chunky Ruby Red Rhinestone Necklace

These vintage Hollycraft earrings have the red rhinestones dripping for three inches!

Vintage Red Rhinestone Earrings

This eclectic vintage necklace by Mastercraft has large rhinestone “flowers” attached to a silver tone chain.

Vintage Mastrecraft Red Rhinestone Necklace

Tags: bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rhinestones, vintage glamour

Digging ’round for those non-existent photos of Ann-Margret, I found this photo of her with a leopard.

Ann Margret With Leopard

I thought how very much leopard print is so very vintage glam, suitable for all sex kittens — and since she’s just wearing that black catsuit (or, perhaps, a bodysuit and tights?), she’s just begging to be dressed — why not go shopping for leopard print?

First, the foundation garments: vintage Vanity Fair bra and half-slip set in leopard print.

Vintage Vanity Fair Foundation Garments

An amazing 1930’s crepe suit-styled dress with faux leopard fur trim.

1930s Crepe Dress With Leopard Print Fake Fur Trim

If you can find a place to wear it, how about this incredible 1940’s silk velvet leopard and golden silk chiffon hostess gown by Dorian?

Vintage Leopard Print Hostess Gown

More retro than vintage? You’ll love this very mod 1960’s faux leopard fur trench coat!

Retro Mod 1960s Faux Fur Leopard Coat

Of course, when we dress, we must remember to undress… This black vintage Vanity Fair nightgown has a pretty leopard print bodice.

Vintage Vanity Fair Black and Leopard Print Gown

And underneath everything here (and anywhere), how about these Pussycat panties? They’re modern made by Cameo Intimates, but so cute you’ll want to slip them under your vintage fashions — and with those garters you can wear real stockings!

Leopard Print Panties With Garters

PS I’d like to express a word of caution regarding this post about selling your unwanted jewelry. While it’s true that gold is seeing record highs, I, like Val Ubell (cute pen name!), worry about the amount of vintage jewelry which will be lost. So please, think twice!

Tags: coats, Jewelry, Lingerie, mod, retro, seduction, slip, vintage fashion, vintage glamour

Bogart and Bacall in To Have and Have Not

Recently I joined The Golden Age of Hollywood group, and, upon seeing that he had listed Casablanca as one of his favorite films and was a huge Bogart fan, I began a discussion with Michael B. Druxman.

I probably should have read his profile a bit more closely — seen the “Screenwriter, Playwright, Novelist, Hollywood Historian” bit — before I blundered on in and babbled my question; but hey, I didn’t. And so, Jaynie, the not-a-film-critic-but-a-fan found herself discussing debating film with a person certainly more suited to the role of film critic than herself.

While I was/am admittedly out of my element, I thought the conversation was worth sharing here.

It began innocently enough, with me, a person who favors To Have And Have Not, asking, “I’d be interested to know what you think of To Have And Have Not v. Casablanca…”

He replied, nicely, but showing his greater film education:

CASABLANCA is my all time favorite movie, but I’ve always considered TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT to be one of Bogart’s lesser films. It’s okay…but it’s not in the same league as CASABLANCA, THE MALTESE FALCON, KEY LARGO, etc.

Although the scenes with Bacall certainly sizzle, they also slow down the forward movement of the story, which takes the title from Hemingway’s book and little else. The remake with John Garfield (i.e. THE BREAKING POINT) was much closer to the book and, I think, a better movie.

To which I replied:

I’m sure my ignorance to the book puts me in a weak position overall for debating/defending To Have And Have Not, but…

I’ve never been a real fan of Casablanca. Bogart is excellent, but Ingrid Bergman, while beautiful, has a coldness and is so passionless that frankly, I’d have put her on the plane and been relieved to see her go. Without that tension, there’s no dilemma, no story. However, in To Have And Have Not, the sizzle as you call it (and the characters) drive the action for me.

Again, the book v. film perspective I lack — and addressing that might then very well change my views — but I think it’s at least interesting to note that you, a man, watch/address/see Bogart, while I, a woman, watch/evaluate/respond to the female leads. On the surface you could just say I’m reacting to them as ‘chick flicks’ but I think there’s something more to it…

In any case, I very much enjoy the discussion.

He replied, likely sensing my intimidation, including his more personal reactions on becoming a fan:

The first time I saw CASABLANCA was at a revival theater when I was in college…and I didn’t like it. In hindsight, I realize that the reason I didn’t like it was because I was expecting an action movie, and this was a romantic drama. However, upon a 2nd viewing (on TV) it started to grow on me and every time I see it (20 times?) I see something new. The characters. The situations.

I must disagree with you about Bergman’s performance. Why shouldn’t it be on the cold side. This woman has been running from the Nazis. Her husband has been tortured by the Nazis. Yes, she has feelings for Rick, but she’s torn. This is not a happy woman.

Regarding TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT, this is generally considered to be one of Hemingway’s weaker novels. In fact, I believe that director Howard Hawks bet Papa that he could make a movie out of the book when Hemingway bet he couldn’t.

He also added that he’s sure the conversation will continue. I’d like to, but I’m a little less sure how to continue…

Nothing against him — he’s been very nice dealing with a movie fan whose ignorance is pretty clear — but how do I better articulate my thinking that our perceptions may be, at least in part, influenced by our genders (and related expectations, emulations, and emotions) without sounding like a silly girl? Or worse yet, some foaming-at-the-mouth feminazi?!

I suppose the first step is getting my hands on (and nose in) a copy of Hemingway’s book; and the second step is to watch The Breaking Point.

But then, assuming my thinking about the films (that To Have and Have Not is better than Casablanca) and/or our gender reactions remain the same, I’m still stuck on step three: How to say it without sounding like an off-putting (and female) idiot.

Tags: classic film, Films, gender

Today’s shirt tales feature Marilyn Monroe.

Here’s a not-oft shown photo of Marilyn wearing a crisp shirt with monogrammed initials:

MM Marilyn

It’s a classic — and you can’t say it’s not sexy, just subdued. We all have times we need to dress more tailored, and I like this look. Of course, you’ll have to iron — but that’s coming back ‘in’, or so they say.

In this photo, Marilyn poses playfully in a classic pin-up style wearing Western garb. Her shirt is tied in the front — and look, you can see a glimpse of her floral panties!

Cowgirl Marilyn

Tags: dress shirts, seduction, shirt tales, vintage glamour

Last night I was watching The Pleasure Seekers (1964 remake of 1954’s Three Coins In The Fountain, in which three women try to find wealthy husbands) on television and found myself thinking that Ann Margret was so sexy and stunning wearing men’s shirts that “women wearing men’s shirts” was the fashion find in the film. There’s just something so sexy about seeing (and being!) a woman casually wearing a man’s shirt — our curves sure make us look different in them. But this form of dress (or undress) certainly was new and risque for the 60’s.

Of course, if you love scarves, you’ll be thrilled most by them — these light bits of fabric are heavily worn in this film. In fact, fashion — and Ann-Margret singing — is about all you can really enjoy in this predictable film. But that’s enough for me!

I searched for hours & hours last night, and couldn’t find any photos of Ann in a man’s shirt other than these video clips — none of which have my favorite scene with Ann-Margret in wearing a chambray shirt, answering the phone. (Though I have put a call out to my peeps and we’ll see if any of them have an image in their stashes; if they share I will too)

Anyway, in all my searching I did a ton of great images of other women in shirts (men’s or women’s, crisp or rumpled) and I’ll be posting them this week.

Tags: retro, seduction, shirt tales, video, vintage fashion, vintage glamour

I’ve never seen Kid From Spain (1932), but this photo makes me yearn to see it — as soon as possible!

Toby Wing in Kid From Spain

Who cares about the film’s plot when there’s such style!

This image, and 12 other photos of women wearing lingerie in vintage films, here.

Tags: Lingerie, seduction, vintage glamour

I saw this photo and while I don’t know who the pretty lady wearing the fishnets is, she reminds me of Lee Grant (not Lou Grant lol).  I’d be surprised to find it it wasn’t her.

May Be Lee Grant Wearing Fishnet Hose

Thinking of Lee Grant got me to thinking about Shampoo…

A few weeks ago the movie was playing on television and my husband said, “Ooh, let’s watch Shampoo!” I replied that I didn’t know if I felt like watching a sad movie.

“It’s not a ’sad movie’, it’s funny! See, Beatty is this hairdresser and all the men think he’s gay — meanwhile, he’s banging all their wives and stuff.”

“Have you seen it?” I asked.

No he hadn’t. Which is precisely why he didn’t know that Shampoo is truly a “sex comedy” — and like Stephan Jenkins said, “Sex is funny and love is serious.”

Simply put, while George (Warren Beatty) & Lester (Jack Warden) run around with women, they each miss out on real love. George isn’t faithful to his girlfriend, Jill (Goldie Hawn), and one of his casual sex partners is the wealthy Felicia (Lee Grant), who is married to Lester; Lester has a mistress, Jackie (Julie Christie), who is a former girlfriend of George’s.

A Scene From The Film Shampoo

The fact that they all (sometimes unknowingly) make a sexual daisy chain (George has even done the deed with Felicia & Lester’s daughter, played by Carrie Fisher) is the comedic set-up for situational comedy of errors, eventually culminating in George and Jackie being discovered having sex at a party by both Jill and Lester. The result are both funny and heart breaking.

Jill dumps George…

Goldie Hawn In Shampoo

Lester looks like he’s without both wife & mistress…

Lee Grant Won The Oscar For Shampoo

And by the time George realizes he loves Jackie, she’s going off with the newly divorced Lester — but he’s not really the winner either, for it doesn’t look like either Lester or Jackie is in love and those old bad habits die hard, you know… It’s very likely that Jackie will be the new Felicia.

And while the future isn’t clear it’s not hard to see that as everyone ages, those not actually alone will still find themselves lonely.

Warren Beatty At The End Of The Movie Shampoo

That, my friends, isn’t as simple comedy about hedonistic sex in the 70’s.

As far as the fashion & beauty in this film goes, I sum it up in three words: Bobs, Bangs and Backless.

Lee Grant As Felicia In Shampoo

There are lots of miniskirts and even some risque body paint scenes, but once you see Shampoo, you simply cannot get the image of Juli Christie in this deep-V-backed sequin dress out of your mind.

Julie Christie Backless in Shampoo

PS If you can identify the woman wearing fishnets in the photo, please let me know!

Tags: Films, Hairstyles, retro, seduction, Shampoo

With a new year comes thoughts of the future — and futuristic fashions.

Jane Fonda as Barbarella

But you needn’t dress like Barbarella to get a fabulous mod fashion look.

Like Princess Leia’s metal bikini, such a costume is best left for sci-fi conventions — or the boudoir. *wink*

So instead, opt for more practical mod fashions which won’t get you booted out of the PTA, arrested, or just left with neat stuff in your closet that you complain you never have any place to wear. This lovely mod faux leather silver coat is super — and it’s a plus size (or, more accurately, at a size 15, an average size garment), so you needn’t have Jane Fonda’s figure either.

Silver Retro Faux Leather Coat

The ultra mod coat is sold by The Mad Fashionista, who specializes in plus size vintage fashions; she also has an hysterical blog.

Tags: coats, futuristic, mod, vintage fashion

I wish you a safe and wonderful Happy New Year!  If you plan to party this New Year’s Eve, perhaps play the wicked femme fatale like Ann Margret…

Ann Margret

Be careful you don’t end up hungover! (Poor Sandra Dee!)

Sandra Dee

Whether you are over-served or just up too-too late, Josi has some great tips and product recommendations to help you recover and look your best on New Year’s Day.

Hey, there’s plenty of time to go out and grab these goodies, so no excuses now!

Tags: beauty, vintage glamour

Here Margaret Lee wears chic red gloves with winter white.

Actress Margaret Lee

Little red accent gloves will take you just about anywhere — but most of those places will require that you wear pants *wink*

Tags: gloves, vintage fashion, vintage glamour