The 1940s Woman

Another fab magazine, with some delightful ads and comments from a bygone era, but first - the answers from the last magazine's quiz!

 Adverts

Somehow I don't think we can promote smoking like the forties did!

Another advert to help promote a perfect sleep, I'm guessing everyone was over stressed and unable to sleep back in the war - mostly women feature in the ads!

A bit of tonic wine and women can survive anything! But the poor animals also needed some help with stress and hysteria...

A problem shared...

Think there's a few men out there who could use this sort of encouragement...

Beauty

A constant battle for women to look good, stay young and loose weight! Here's some advice 1940s style!

The smaller photo...I just wonder is it just the way her head is positioned that makes her look bigger round the face? I can't say that she's a large woman just by that photo!

Fashion: knitting, back then it could be cheaper to make then buy, not quite the same these days, but we shouldn't loose these skills!

DIY: short on space? Need to let the delivery man know what you need...here's how

Home Cooking: How about this for something different!!!

Really not tempted by this - bananas and sausage??? Besides, bananas weren't that easy to come by during the war

 Finally, a bit advice on interfering mothers and boys!

Poirots Last Cases

Well, after years of watching David Suchet as the unforgettable Hercule Poirot, the last few cases are approaching.

After watching the last episode- 'Elephants Can Remember', I was caught by the fashions of the time (although the novel is based in the 70s), the 20s/30s feel does suit Poirot.

The very distinctive Hercule Poirot - photo: carnival films

Whilst the novels are great to read, the production of Poirot in tv and film has been very popular - not beating her record as the best selling novelist of all time (quite a feat!), but equally they should be noted for the deadication and attention to detail that specifically the tv series has continued to show.

Die hard Agatha Christie fans may well question its translation from novel to screen (as any books moving to screen suffer critical analysis) whilst some changes can be seen as unnecessary, the changes in the latest episode fitted in keeping with the original novel.

I literally finished the novel on Sunday, just with hours to go before the episode - it was a challenge set to me to read the last few novels before the episodes air, we then heard the first episode was on Sunday so I had a week to read it. I'm not the fastest reader, unless a book grips me! And I'm usually reading several books, but I put them to one side and completed my challenge. I could then compare notes with my sister on its translation to screen (just as my mum would.) Overall - storyline and the characters and of course the setting, worked well together.

The fashions do stand out, I think more so nowadays with the increased interest in 'vintage'.

So looking at some 30s fashions -



Smart wear was the style of the day, no casual hoodies back then!

 

Miss Lemon always looks very smart and elegant

 

 

 The styles had begun to change in the 30s from the shorter flapper style dress to longer fitted dresses and collars were very popular too.

 

 

A fabulous 1930s fashion tale comes from Wallis Simpsons wedding dress which you can find out more about at Madame Guillotine. It's not quite what you might deem a wedding dress to look like...

Wallis' wedding dress 1937 - but don't be deceived - the dress was originally blue! Photo from Madame Guillotine


You might want to try this great blog post I found on Poirot from Diamond Stash

Vintage Tips

Over the years I have developed a great fondness and admiration for vintage items and the 'vintage' way of life, nowadays, whilst the revival of vintage/retro items, especially fashions, is at a high, it is not always possible to 'pull off vintage'. Some things are just not practical for our lives today.

My Vintage Love page has sadly been neglected, but I am reviving it (hopefully) with tips, online findings, my findings, pictures and various other ideas. I hope it will be a collection of useful and quirky information that can help the novice, or those interested in vintage, but unsure of how to 'use' or collect vintage/retro items.

Please take a look at my page.

Weddings

I've just updated my family history page with some more information on looking at weddings through your families history.



Please take a look here

Fashion Through The Ages

Over recent years I have become more and more interested and drawn to vintage fashions. Yes some clothes/styles just don't suit, but you can always add a little modern twist to make them more suited/practical.

I thought, since we are building up to the new series of Downton Abbey and since doing some family history research and looking back over old photos I'd take a look at some vintage styles and fashions. This is an ongoing theme and I'll update with various images and descriptions, any good 'where to buy' locations and my own purchases and finds.

You'll find more about the fashions here, but as a quick taster here's a few images.

The 1900s

 The Dowager Countess Outfit - handmade, original period lace was used.

Corsets - all women of this period were expected to wear a corset, no matter your social standing, it was a staple part of everyday outfits.

Who Do You Think You Are?

With the new series on TV I was inspired to get back and update my family history page.

Please take a look here.

Or simply click on Family History page link at the top of my blog.

I have added information regarding marriage.

Here's a few images of past weddings:

Left: Original photo of what we have deduced as my great great uncles wedding c.1921. I'll be coming back to this in a later post on 'mystery weddings' ...some mysteries over this one!
Fred Schulze - m - Marie Rieziska

 Right: My grandparents wedding copy photo.
1938 John Lovelcok - m - Florence Johnson

 Left: My great grandparents original wedding photo 1904
Henry Edward Smith - m - Emma Schulze

Right: Original photo. We had no notes as to who this was, but from deducations and little help we now believe these are my great great grandparents and this is an engagement photo, taken in Germany.

Bruno Schulze and Marie Justine Siebe c.1878




One thing I love about all these photos is looking at the fashions, the different styles over the years and any cultural influences/differences. It's also fun trying to see family resemblances or traits!