If you don’t know already, I am a huge Disneyland nerd! I have gone to Disneyland every year since birth (and a couple of times a year in those really good days before adult status fully took effect and I had money to blow…ah, the days…) so for those of you keeping count, that’s a lot of trips to Disneyland! This year my son and I went to celebrate our graduations (kindergarten and college, respectively) and we had a blast.
Disneyland has so much fun history, and sometimes you can still see some pieces of Disney’s yesteryear. One of the attractions I truly miss is the Skyway. The Skyway carried guests between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland via hanging buckets that ventured not only through the sky, but also right through the Matterhorn. Not only was it a great way to travel across the park in style, but it was a fun adventure through the sky.
The following vintage images are courtesy of Daveland.
The Fantasyland Skyway station was styled similarly to the Switzerland fashion of the Matterhorn Bobsleds. Fittingly, a quote from the Dormouse in Alice in Wonderland could be seen under the eaves of the roof, reading “Up above the world you fly, like a tea-tray in the sky.” What a magical way to travel!
The Tomorrowland Skyway station was, in my opinion, much less magical looking. But then again, I am a sucker for Fantasyland. It just seemed kind of generic, but a lot of the architecture of Tomorrowland at that time was fairly blah… I enjoy Tomorrowland for the rides, not the looks.
The Skyway was closed in 1994 and the Tomorrowland Skyway was demolished (Innovations and the Tomorrowland train station are now in that general space), but the Fantasyland Skyway to Tomorrowland is still standing and visible (if you look for it). I always look for it, and this year I decided to snap some pictures (while my son complained that it was boring). If you want to see the Skyway station for yourself, it is between the entrance to Frontierland and the Casey Junior Train. There are souvenir wagons and food carts occupying the open space in front of the stairway. Ease around the wagons and you’ll have a fairly decent view of the station for yourself.
Here is what the Fantasyland station looks like today:
The Skyway station is currently void of all machinery, and I’ve heard rumors that they have staff meetings and feed the cats in there. I’ve also heard, unfortunately, that they plan to demolish the station soon. I had hoped they would re-open it in some capacity, such as a Merida/Brave attraction. Time will tell.
If you bring your car during your trips, save a contact number of a tow service near your area in case you encounter a problem with your car.
I’m totally fascinated by vintage advertisements, especially ads for beauty products (and anything involving mid-century kitchens, but that’s off-topic). So I loved searching the web for these great vintage nail polish ads from the 30′s, 40′s, and 50′s. Advertisements like these are a great way to get an authentic look at vintage nail shapes and colors.
1930′s Nail Polish Ads
{Images Source: Cutex Nails}
1940′s Nail Polish Ads
{Images Source: Cutex Nails}
{Image Source: Fifties Wedding}
1950′s Nail Polish Ads
{Image Source: Cutex Nails}
{Image Source: Nails By Stephanie}
{Image Source: Beauty Geeek}
{Image Source: The Nifty Fifties}
You don’t need to search just polish ads to find great examples of vintage nails. Check out these other vintage adverts.
The half moon manicure was a popular trend in the 1930′s that is making a comeback today. The typical half moon design consisted of a crescent shape at the cuticle and another at the tip. Modern versions of this look generally forgo the tip crescent, which looks just as stylish. These crescents could be bare, or colored with a contrasting polish. This style can be seen in most any nail or hand product advertisement from the late 30′s.
Half moon manicure on stiletto shaped nails
According to ad art from the period, it would appear as though manicurists and ladies at home accomplished this look free-hand. I, however, have never been one to have a steady hand with polish. If you’re like me, then this tutorial is for you.
What you need:
Hole reinforcement stickers (the circles you put around hole punches on paper)
Nail polish: your primary color and your crescent color
Clear coat
Here are 5 easy to follow steps for a single crescent look:
1. Prepare your nails; clean, file, and shape to your liking.
2. If you want your crescents to be colored, apply a single coat of paint to your entire nail. Allow polish to fully dry. If you’d prefer a bare crescent, disregard this step.
3. Cut hole reinforcement stickers in half (you can get these in the office supply section of any store) to create the half moon shape. Place one sticker half at your cuticle. Check to make sure you’ve applied the stickers evenly on all of your nails.
4. Using your primary polish color, paint your nail again. Apply a second coat, as needed. Allow polish to fully dry.
5. Remove reinforcement stickers (slowly!) and apply a clear coat to add strength and shine to your nails.
If you’d prefer the double crescent look (the more traditional half moon manicure) follow steps 1-4 as above, then follow these next steps:
1. Place another reinforcement sticker in the middle of your nail, leaving a crescent shape open at the tip.
2. Paint the tip with your crescent color, or if you left your cuticle crescent bare, use a small paint brush with polish remover to clear off your primary color from the nail.
3. Remove reinforcement stickers (slowly!) and apply a clear coat to add strength and shine to your nails.
There you go! Now you can do your own half-moon manicure at home (or expertly advise your manicurist at the salon).
Picking the right nail color is important to creating a truly vintage manicure. In general, I stick to bold reds but I have been known to stray from my tried and true from time to time.
These ads show what colors would have been available mid-century. They are mostly reds and pinks, but as you can see there are a few colors from the other side of the color wheel. A big trend of the day was for your nails to match your lips, so you’ll notice many vintage ads premiering nail polish and lipstick together.
{Image Source: Casey’s Elegant Musings}
{Image Source: Cutex}
{Image Source: Cutex}
{Image Source: Cutex}
{Image Source: Vintage Ads}
{Image Source: Cutex}
{Image Source: Bobby Pin Blog}
While many of these exact shades are no longer in production, there are some comparable colors currently on the market. These are some of my favorite modern polish shades.
Oh. My. God. I graduated!!!!!! Finally! Hooray for me! I finished my classes about a month ago, and a few weeks later I walked at the graduation ceremony. I am officially a college graduate! I can now put a B.S. in Psychology on my resume. Oh, and for those of you wondering, I don’t need to worry about updating my resume for a while, as I found another job. So yeah, things are going pretty good at the moment.
There were so many people at the graduation. They estimated about 750 graduates at the ceremony. We had to line up outside (luckily it didn’t start getting hot until we started going inside) and then enter through the back of the arena. This was my view of the line.
I wanted to share my excitement at finally getting my diploma that I used all of my cooking talents to whip up a special dessert of ho-ho diplomas. Did you know they individually wrap each ho-ho now? That was a pain.
As a graduation present my wonderful hubby bought me a vintage camping trailer. Check out my 1966 Aristocrat Land Commander! She’s functional as-is, although there are some aesthetic changes I am planning, to make her my own. I can’t wait to go camping!
It’s Halloween time, folks! If you’re like me, you’ve been thinking about your Halloween costume all year. And if you’re even more like me, you’ve changed your mind 19 times already. Coming up with great costumes is a must for my Halloween and sometimes my brain just won’t storm (brainstorm…get it…nevermind…). Of course as I have finally chosen my costume (its a done deal, purchased and hanging up in my closet already) I can now think of a million great ideas for costumes.
I like the idea of couples costumes, when possible, because its just one more way of getting close with your friends or loved ones. I’ve put together for you a collection of 10 great vintage inspired couples costumes, in case you haven’t found that perfect Halloween look just yet.
Everywhere you look there are rules to being Rockabilly. How to be Rockabilly is a hot topic, as there are constantly newcomers to the Rockabilly ‘scene’. Many people do not truly find their personal style until their 20′s, 30′s, or 40′s which means everyday there is someone out there searching the web for advice on how to embrace their new found passion and style. Luckily for many people there are dozens of websites devoted to the “rules” of Rockabilly. Unfortunately, many of those rules isolate people and are sometimes downright ridiculous. Here is my opinion on the 10 “Rules of Rockabilly” that you should just ignore!
Stupid Rule of Rockabilly #1: Tattoos are a must for Rockabilly girls (and guys).
Why it’s a stupid rule: Tattoos are painful! Tattoos are expensive! Tattoos are permanent! It’s bad enough that most of us with tattoos got our first one at a young age and probably no longer identify with the symbolism that it once stood for, but lots of people actually end up regretting a tattoo or two. Sure, those beautiful alt-pinup models covered in gorgeously colored tattoos may seem enviable, but for every lovely tattoo online there is at least 1 or 2 jacked up pieces of “art” walking around, hidden under a shirt.
{Image Source: Someecards}
Stupid Rule of Rockabilly #2: Real Rockabilly guys (or girls) should only have Old School American style tattoos.
Why it’s a stupid rule: First off, whose place is it to dictate what you put on your body? Any rule that limits your ability to express yourself is a stupid rule. Sure, some people opt to have only old school American tattoos, but that doesn’t mean they are the only people who get to claim Rockabilly.
{Image Source: Bring the Noise}
Stupid Rule of Rockabilly #3: Pomade is your best friend, use it daily.
Why it’s a stupid rule: To be fair, lots of people use pomade daily and enjoy the way it looks. But not everyone who wants a Rockabilly ‘do wants to hassle with pomade. I know there are ladies out there who swear by it, but I just don’t like the stuff. A big ole’ can of Aquanet is my hair’s best friend. There are so many different hairstyling products out there, so many more than were available in the 30′s, 40′s and 50′s. Why would you want to limit yourself to only what was available back then?
{Image Source: We Heart It}
Stupid Rule of Rockabilly #4: Rockabilly men always wear slacks.
Why it’s a stupid rule: Seriously?! Talk about limiting yourself! I love a man in a nice pair of slacks but my hubby looks equally good in a pair of cuffed jeans. Restricting your wardrobe to one type of garment is beyond silly, unless you want to wear only slacks.
{Image Source: The Comedy Scoop}
Stupid Rule of Rockabilly #5: If you like the Stray Cats, you’re not a true Rockabilly kid.
Why it’s a stupid rule: First, I like the Stray Cats. Second, music is a very personal thing. I don’t believe people should limit themselves to just one genre of music, let alone restrict the bands and artists within that genre. I don’t like every Rockabilly band out there, and I don’t only listen to Rockabilly music. Why would I want to? There are so many wonderful artists out there!
{Image Source: Slim Jim Phantom}
Stupid Rule of Rockabilly #6: Get a Rockabilly haircut; thick bangs and long curls.
Why it’s a stupid rule: Bangs are not for everyone. Long hair is tricky to manage. Some of us aren’t blessed with hair that curls cooperatively. And most importantly, there are so many other retro hairstyles that don’t require any of these components, you really don’t have to have the “vintage cut” to achieve a vintage or Rockabilly look. Betty Grable didn’t have bangs and Audrey Hepburn wore her hair short. Bettie Page is not the only fashion icon for a Rockabilly girl!
{Image Source: Pinterest}
Stupid Rule of Rockabilly #7: Vintage clothes are requires, or at least vintage reproduction.
Why it’s a stupid rule: Vintage and vintage repros are expensive, and frankly there are lots of alternative Rockabilly options at Target, Old Navy, and pretty much any other clothing store. The great thing about Rockabilly is that it gives a nod to the past, but it is also present. Buy the clothes that make you feel fabulous and put your own Rockabilly spin on your look.
{Image Source: Look Book}
Stupid Rule of Rockabilly #8: Psychobilly, Trashabilly, Punkabilly, and other ‘billy wannabes are lame, don’t lower yourself to their standards.
Why it’s a stupid rule: Who died and made you Queen of fashion! If you want to rock a psychobilly look one day (or everyday) it’s nobody’s business but your own. Every ‘billy should be welcome.
{Image Source: Radio Cibigibi}
Stupid Rule of Rockabilly #9: Even if you’re not into cars, you’re into cars.
Why it’s a stupid rule: Don’t pretend to be something that you aren’t. Be yourself, and if yourself happens to not be completely obsessed with hot rods and classic coupes that’s fine. I know lots of ladies who attend carshows for the shopping, and others who go to talk shop and look at some engines. I find myself in the middle of this spectrum; cars are pretty, now let’s buy shoes!
{Image Source: KittenVonBich}
Stupid Rule of Rockabilly # 10: You’re either Rockabilly or a vintage enthusiast. Pick one.
Why it’s a stupid rule: Because you can be both! Rockabilly is all about being a rebel, so rebel against this restrictive rule and opt for a classic vintage look whenever you feel like it. And then throw another curveball and wear something totally modern.
{Image Source: Digital Editions}
I’ve gathered these “rules of Rockabilly” from actual websites – although I am not linking to them, because that seems rude since I’m telling you to ignore what they are saying. What do you think about these rules? Are there any other rules you think should be ignored?
