Our very own “Hot Girls of Weimar Berlin” were provided by Coco Coquette and Charm School Vintage!
Helga, Tati und Ulrike here (aka. Erin Freeman, Hailey Tuck & Tracey Abrahams)
worked that stage like nobody’s business!

Silky Shoemaker set the stage on fire with her uncommonly magnetic allure
and incredible garter/suspender magic contraption!

Well deserved beatings were administered by Frau Mistress Ilse (aka. Blakesley King)

Mistress Stephanie and her Melodic Cat wrote and performed a very special ditty just for this very
special night, entitled “Weimar Vivant!” The full lyrics are quoted below, for your pleasure…

Blue Angels in the front
Foxtrots in the back
the bon vivants are here tonight,
there’s nothing that we lack!
A most distinctive vintage
so please hold your applause -
this singer needs to linger
a little while because….

Weimar Vivant we want you
to keep this act repeating!
Why mar a perfect evening,
now that the drums are beating…?

Here’s to good livers wasting
their livers no need to play it right,
so sing along, dance along, play how you want,
it’s Weimar Vivant tonight!

Weimar Vivant we want you
to va va va voom our night
why march along in goose step
when these boots were made for two-step?
Here’s to good livers wasting their livers
no need to play it right, so sing along, dance along,
play how you want it’s Weimar Vivant tonight!

Achtung! Hotness ahead!

Miss Allyson of Coco Coquette was joined by local danceuse darlings Lise + Raven
to perform “Mein Herr” from Cabaret! The video is below, and it’s amazing – so do go enjoy!

Kitty and the Gorilla her dreams! Miss Kitty also performed a fabulous burlesque for us!
Video of that is below as well, do take a peek…

Shari of Charm School Vintage, baby vamp extraordinaire!

Norah + Drew, two hot dames in the coatcheck!

Oh, what cuties!

Lise (aka. Hipnaughtica) did a wonderful rendition of
Madeline Kahn’s number “I’m Tired” from Blazing Saddles!

On of our very favorite photographers and dear friends, Miss Darla Teagarden came dressed
in the most buttery soft lederhosen as an Otto Dixian nightmare madchen, and stole our hearts
with her impromptu rendition of “Maybe This Time” that had us all shaking our jazz hands at the moon…

Encore, Darla!

Mistress Stephanie does not mess around when it comes to giving it her all!
(& boy do we mean alllll!) The woman is an amazonian powerhouse made of
lungs, lace, whiskey and wicked, wicked intentions! She is utterly irresistible!

Don’t say you weren’t warned! It was THAT kind of night…

Shari + Amelia say goodnight… For now!

Please enjoy these videos of some of the wonderful performances at Weimar Vivant!:

The Kit-Kat Dancers doing “Mein Herr” from Cabaret!

Miss Kitty performs a scandalous Max Raabe version of “Oops…I Did It Again!”

Küssi + tschüssi!

La Belle Oren

Drew proving that mimes are not in fact, loathesome – they are adorable!

Amelia as Josephine Baker! N’est-elle pas adorable?

Alex shakin’ a tail feather…

Elle a son oeil sur vous!

Brandon – The BAR BAT! His photos from the evening are coming soon!

Miss Jen Delk looking fabulous, as always!

Allyson of Coco Coquette + Shari of Charm School Vintage

Christopher + Natalie Ribbons

Drew + Oren, pas de deux!

Sara Stark + our (very French!) DJ, Shorty Stump!

The amazing Jen Vu + her incredibly French-looking fellow, Mulloy Morrow (who definitely has the best name, ever.)

Two Josephines?

Mais oui! Deux est meilleur qu’un, non?

Did you know that Josephine Baker + Frida Kahlo had an affair? C’est vrai!
I think this picture pretty much says it all – I interpret their expressions as reading
“Yeah, that’s right – I tapped that!” And how! Pretty much the best combo I can imagine. And I do!

What cuties: Christopher + Adam

Adrian Nichole White + Donna Mossholder on a sightseeing tour of the Left Bank -
I think they’re passing by the place in France where the ladies wear no pants!

Sans culottes toujours!

Colin + Angeliska

Mr. Golden + Blue Madrigal

Quelle jolies filles!

Lucky man, eh?

Moonlit serenades – très romantique!

Olivia Pepper, Del + Angeliska

Jane of Amelia’s Retrovogue + Relics, Aidan and his finely feathered friend!

You’re the tops, kid!

Angeliska + Mistress Stephanie

Nous aimons ces visages doux!

Et voila! Quel amusement nous avons eu!

Ladies showing off their feedsack frocks.

Liza Ferneyhough’s (aka. Stellarbaby) wonderful illustration and post about feed sack dresses

“the great depression is so visually interesting. feed sack dresses! flour sack undies! cardboard insulation!
flattened tin can roofs! dugouts! canned veg! people were so resourceful.”

I get so obsessed with the inventive and colorful prints from feedsacks of the era.
My great-grandmother’s quilts have snippets of some of the very best ones ever!

It’s almost as if the psychedelic cheerfulness was meant to directly combat the dreary dustiness of everyday 1930′s life.

Jill from Tea with the Vintage Baroness lookin’ sweet in her floursack dress.
This lady has some really wonderful 20′s and 30′s dresses, and a great sense of style! Love her photos!

Nothin’ beats a little flowered feedsack in the summertime, y’all! I love this one Miss Anja (Clever Nettle) found.

Love this pretty pinky number worn by The Snail and The Cyclops
Dirt roads and bare feet, indeed!

♥ History of Feed Sacks

♥ Style on a shoestring: thrift tips from British Vogue during the Great Depression

♥ Topman LTD launches its latest range ‘Dust Bowl‘ inspired by the drifters that built America’s railroads, resulting in vintage inspired garments in denim, twills and heavy washed jersey. A nod to native American styling is offered in the form of embroidery and patch-work.

♥ Darla at Retro Ways Dustbowl Dames

♥ Jay Watson’s Dust Bowl themed shoot for Garage magazine

♥ Great Depression Fashion from Chi-chi and The Greek

♥ Shorpy’s Image Gallery from the Great Depression – the photograph we used for the poster came from here!
Thanks Shorpy! We love you so!

I say, there’s one way to wear it! Lawdy!

The following photos are from the Library of Congress photo archives on flickr:

Jack Whinery, homesteader, and his family, Pie Town, New Mexico, 1940

1941 – At the Vermont State Fair – a family in feed sack dresses
Let’s Go! World’s Fairs of the 1930s

Orchestra at square dance in McIntosh County, Oklahoma, 1939 or 1940

Sugar cane worker and his woman, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, 1941 – Notice her shirt, made out of sugar cane sack!

Bayou Bourbeau plantation, a Farm Security Administration cooperative, vicinity of Natchitoches, La.
Three children sitting on the porch of a house, 1940.

Are you feelin’ inspired yet? I know we are!

Your loving hostesses in our Sunday best!

This picture just melts my heart into marshmallow goo!

I think the bunny might’ve been proposing to me – but it was too hard to hear what exactly he was proposing behind that fuzzy mask!

Norah, our adorable door-bunny!

Suzie + Sarah, the sweetest flowers in the garden!

Lynne Koehlinger gettin’ cozy with Mr. Bun-Bun + a dapper young fella

Kick up your heels, y’all – Spring is here!

What did that naughty rabbit whisper in Sassy Delure’s ear? Oh lawd!

Jenny Woys, cute as a bakelite button!

Pretty in pink!

Lookit this cute Bunny Warbucks we found! Hope he’s got some lettuce lining those pockets!

Amelia and Erik of Djamberry Caravan, who play the sweetest Django Reinhardt ditties – we love them!

Fine as hell, and twice as dapper

Kissin’ Mr. Bunny like that might get you some goodies in your basket!

Babes in blue, and Stefanie in the best easter bonnet ever!

Could we get any cuter here? I hardly think so!

Rabbity hijinks! Yowza!

Our wonderful DJ for the evening, Mr. Dennis Campa was clearly egg-static to be posing with the bunny!

Cute critters in fine apparel populated our soiree. I have a feeling some bestial acts may have occurred! Oh, Lambie-kins!

Maybe your vintage style is more inspired by 1983 than 1923? That’s cool with us, especially if you are a bunny or a lamb!

Anyone who know Angie (in the turban!) knows what a big deal it was for her to get dolled up all fancy,
in a fuschia dress, no less! Hopefully it was the first, but not the last time! Whatta buncha cut-ups!

Megan + Fiona, pretty as a picture!

Aidan definitely wins this prize for most-dapper, best-dressed – and all the rest! So good!

We’ll have to have this gang back for our “Vamps + Tramps” party! “Tramps” as in Charlie Chaplin, hey!

Ty, of Fatbottom Cabaret (who were absolutely amazing!)

Devi + Jackie did it again! These girls are the greatest -
we look forward to the joy and energy (and awesome props!) they bring to the photobooth everytime!

See Devi’s full set of photos from the night on flickr:
Vintage Vivant Bunny Hop Bash

To my Sweet Fluffy Ruffles! Is this not the very best postcard ever?
A gift from a long-lost friend, recently found again – I treasure it!

This one’s from the same friend, found at the same estate sale.
What a sweet hand-tinted photo! I love the painted parasols!

Load those bonnets, ladies!

Happy Easter from your hostesses! Hope to see you out on Sunday!

Please meet Ms. Natalie Ribbons, the flame-haired front woman of Agent Ribbons whose pipes are lined in silver & gold.

Maybe you own this outfit: black dress, black stockings, black shoes? You do? Fabulous! Using this as a base, one may use accessories to project oneself into the realms of It Girl, flapper vamp, 1930s secretary, or gangster moll. Let’s proceed!
Lu Lu (see also Louise Brooks, Colleen Moore)
Beret+Beads+Gloves+Lipstick
It’s truly remarkable what transformative properties berets have. In this case, we slouched the beret low on the head, about halfway down the bangs, so that it takes the shape of a helmet cloche. If you’ve got longer hair (as Natalie does) you may tuck the back part of it under the beret for insta-bob. We’ve added three longer strands of necklaces, white gloves with embroidered detailing, and a slouchy beaded bag. Now where’s that man with my drink?!

It Girl (see also Clara Bow, Clara Bow holding a Stuffed Puppy)
Beret+Scarf+Shawl+Bangles+Long Necklace
In 1927, “It Girl” was the term coined for actress Clara Bow – a term that bent Bow into the categories of part ingenue, part femme fatale, part je ne sais quoi. For this outfit, we’ve made use of a versatile 1920s embroidered scarf that can be moved from hips to shoulders with a simple undoing. Also, the beret is moved back on the head & decorated with a coral scarf. We’re just silly for coral & black together!
We’ve updated the flapper look here with layered tights that pop: underneath is a pale purple, and layered on top are hot pink lacy stockings from Urban Outfitters. The lipshape here is the iconic Cupid’s Bow shape of the 1920s. Here is a fantastic tutorial for sculpting your own beestung lips.
Secretarial Sweetie (see also Red Headed Woman, Wife Vs. Secretary)
Beret+Brooch+Shrug+Necklaces+Gloves
We’ve taken our trusty black beret, jerked it to one side and decorated it with a flower brooch. The long necklaces from the Lu Lu look are doubled around the neck, and the sequined bolero sweater has been secured with a gold feather-shaped brooch with tiny pearls. White crocheted gloves and a pearl bracelet punctuate this 1930s look.
Gangster’s Moll (see also Barbara Stanwyck & Roxi Carter of Persephassa)
Tilt Hat+Fitted Jacket+Gloves+Envelope Purse+Open Toe Platforms
Our 1940s gun-toting moll tilts her hat at an angle and wears a fitted jacket with rhinestoned buttons that nips in at the waist. Light purple gloves are an important accessory for wiping off fingerprints from murder weapons.

If you’re in the market for some fancy new dresses, take a peek at what Amelia’s Retro-Vogue & Relics has in stock:
1919 to 1926
We’ve updated this late ‘teens dress by adding a belt and folding over the layers of velvet into a snappier length. A velvet hat adds a black halo of color over ringlet curls.
Green Hawaiian Dress
This green floor length gown features chartreuse piping and frog closure at the neck. It was made in Hawaii, most likely in the 1930s.
A Day at the Races
This early 1930′s, two piece outfit has the men lining up. Art Deco roses boldly pattern the draped neckline and artfully placed ruffles. 100% silk, the dress itself is crepe chiffon, and the jacket is a plain tabby weave. We have dressed up this outfit with six strands of pink pearls, brown gloves and a large brimmed hat. We suggest mojitos and opera glasses if you’re attending the derby. Just don’t bet all your winnings on Man O’War.
$40 for the Powder Room
With the jacket removed, this 1930s dress transforms into evening elegance, defined. Top it with a brown velvet 1930s hat and a gold evening bag, and we’re ready to foxtrot!
Collegiate Sweetheart
Boy, are we nutty for plums & lilacs together. This 1930s knit dress has a deco stair-step pattern on the front and pleats at the bottom. We like this dress because it’s soft, stretchy and not as delicate as some evening gowns. A 1930s ribbon hat is worn at an angle on the photo to the left, and a 1940s brown beret on the right.

Vintage Vivant is incredibly lucky to have Jane Clarke from Amelia’s Retro-Vogue & Relics as our sponsor! Amelia’s Retro-Vogue focuses on items and clothing dating from the mid-1800′s to the mid-1900′s. Well organized, well lit, and well edited, Amelia’s enjoys an ever expanding international reputation for the quality of it’s stock. It’s one of our favorite places to shop in Austin!

When in Austin, pay them a visit at:
2213 S. 1st St.
Austin, TX 78704
512.442.4446

Those shopping for a Vintage Vivant event may enjoy 15% off their purchase of $15 or more! Just make mention that you’re attending our event.

If you cannot make it to Austin, but still want to shop, Amelia’s has an etsy store! Check out some of our favorite dresses online, with more to come in the following weeks!

Juliet Wedding Dress

Ceil Chapman Dress

I’ll leave you now with Agent Ribbon’s surrealistic music video, Dada Girlfriend. They play in Austin next with Girl in a Coma on February 11th at Red 7.

See you all on Sunday beneath the Paper Moon!

Yours ’till the kitchen sinks,
Amelia

What a lovely little frock I’ve found! At first, I was drawn to it because it looks like a pinafore apron, especially because of the ruffly shoulders. It has little purple and teal flowers ribbon trailing out of baskets. And ric rac! I’m such a sucker for ric rack. Unfortunately, we were hit by a giant thunderstorm this evening, and as I was running to my bus stop with my bike in a downpour, I slipped and fell with my bike on top of me. I suffered a scraped shoulder and arm, and my dress was crushed with dirt and blood. I also had my millinery violets in my front pocket, and they bled a huge purple stain down the front of the dress. As soon as I got home, I soaked the stain in my own personal savior, Biz Laundry Stain Fighter and the stain has nearly disappeared! I first found out about Biz when I worked at the Antique Expo in Portland, during a conversation with a woman whose hobby was to restore Edwardian linens. She swore by it, and now that I’ve been using it for two years – I do too!
My tattoo is now two years old, and I’m still smitten by the design. My friend Grace drew the bunny and the hand is based off of Victorian mourning jewelry. Annie Mess is my artist for this piece and my Valentine leg pieces, and if you’re in the Austin area I highly recommend her. She likes to brought cupcakes to tattoo appointments