Monday Mischief: She-Aviator

Do you ever have one of those weeks where it seems that a random theme emerges again and again? The past week or so has definitely taken on an aviator theme for me: at a party last weekend, I donned my friend Ryan's aviator cap and goggles [he wears them to ride his scooter], and I felt they added a certain je ne sais quoi to my ensemble...of course, I was also just being a goofball. That same night I heard that an Amelia Earhart film is in the works, starring Hilary Swank. If you ask me, Amelia is one of the most amazing [and often underrated] people who have walked the planet, so I'm truly excited about this film!

Then...Refinery29 had a Trend Watch report that featured...you guessed it...aviator caps! How cute is red-headed Coco Rocha in her be-jeweled cap!!?? What do you think -- is this going to be the next fedora?

I am already thinking Amelia would be a great Halloween costume this year. If you're interested in Amelia, you should definitely check out the official website. Did you know she was:

♥ The first person to solo the 2,408-mile distance across the Pacific between Honolulu and Oakland, California; also first flight where a civilian aircraft carried a two-way radio

♥ First person to fly solo from Los Angeles to Mexico City; 13hrs 23min
♥ First person to fly solo nonstop from Mexico City to Newark; 14hrs 19min.

AMAZING!

Lydia, Being Dead Doesn't Make Things Any Easier

It's really no secret that my aesthetic sensibilities started with Lydia.

Have a relaxing weekend everyone -- curl up with a favorite film [you know, the one you know every line of], and relaxxxxxxxxxxx...

Beetlejuice, from Film Stills

Channeling Maria Bonita Extra

As I've mentioned before, I have a bit of a weakness for Latin designers -- I feel they are able to capture a certain quirky, breezy, yet easy-to-wear look that is sometimes missing with American and European designers. Brazilian designer Maria Bonita Extra is a perfect example of this, and her summer collection for 2009 is absolute perfection in my humble view! I just adore her little details: ruffles, ribbons, flowers, folds, and sheers...subtle, exotic, and pretty as a picture.

Ideas for pulling off this look...

♥ Flower and leaf details ♥ Touches of gold ♥ Flowy Sheers ♥ Chambray ♥Black ribbons ♥Floral prints ♥ Girly Oxfords ♥ Flounces and folds

What is it about Spring that brings my girly side out?? Does that happen to you?

[Click on the image for details]

The Brinkley Girls

Nell Brinkley in her studio.

I'm trying to work my fashion-mojo back up [it is hard to feel snazzy when you've been wearing nothing but leggings, T-shirts, and fuzzy socks around the house for weeks on end...], so in the meantime, I thought I would share these amazing images by an artist I recently discovered. Her name is Nell Brinkley, and she created the "Brinkley Girl". The Brinkley Girl came to replace the iconic Gibson Girl in America the early 20th century...

She became an artist for Hearst syndicate in 1907 and her drawings of fashionable, curly-headed beauties became all the rage in New York. She was dubbed the "Queen of Comics" by the media...

According to the Nell Brinkley Archives, "Within a year, she had become a household name. Flo Ziegfeld dressed his dancers as “Brinkley Girls,” in the Ziegfeld Follies in 1908. Three popular songs were written about her. Women, aspiring to the masses of curly hair with which Nell adorned her creations, could buy Nell Brinkley Hair Curlers for ten cents a card. Young girls cut out and saved her drawings, copied them, colored them, and pasted them in scrapbooks..."

The Brinkley Girl was feminine, fun-loving and independent. One of Brinkley's cartoons that was syndicated nationally, The Three Graces, helped establish this character as an icon. The piece, displaying three women singing the praises of suffrage, preparedness and Americanism with regards to love of country, was one of the first to link young, attractive women with the concept of suffrage [Wikipedia].



For more info on Nell, check out:

OSU Archives of Nell Brinkley
The Brinkley Girls by Trina Robbins
American Beauties from Library of Congress/Swann Foundation

Monday Mischief: I'm Back!!

Thanks for bearing with me during my dry spell these past few weeks! My written exams are over, but I don't find out until next Monday if I passed, so I still have a bit of that sick, anxious feeling... I feel so out-of-touch with the world, so it might take me a bit to get back in the swing of things! What did I miss???

I was like a lost soul this weekend -- I actually had time to do whatever I wanted, but I could barely remember what it was like to have freedom. My boyfriend and I did a bit of shopping [I have to break myself in slowly...], and I found this gorgeously embellished copy of Tennyson's poems from 1882 in a used bookstore. It was a complete steal...I think no one loves poetry anymore!?! It is in such lovely condition and there are delicate, romantic etchings on the inside.

I did a bit of online shopping -- I always manage to convince my self that when I've been working hard, I deserve to treat myself...do you guys do that? I am hoping my package will arrive today with these three things from Urban Outfitters: A biker jacket that doubles as a sweatshirt, a stretchy-sexy-but-not-too-sexy bustier top, and a 50's inspired bathing suit...

For me, bathing suit shopping is like the 7-levels of hell, so we'll see how this fares on the scale of bearably awful [which counts as 10 on my scale] to just-kill-me [a definite 0 on my scale]...