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inspiration
Anita Berber – Priestess of Depravity
“Her face was a somber and vicious mask. It seemed obvious that the strongly curved mouth was not her own but was a bloodred concoction out of a little pot of rouge. The chalky cheeks had a violet shimmer. The eyes required at least an hour of work every day—she talked incessantly and lied terribly.” [...]
Artists of Weimar Berlin
Here is a sampling of three of our favorite artists who created groundbreaking artwork in the Weimar Berlin era (1918-1933). While we usually like to present you with actresses and other style icons to emulate at our parties, the art, cinema and music of this era demand their own spotlight! This slim decade was a [...]
Brigitte Helm
Our first inspirational post about Weimar Berlin, which is the next Vintage Vivant, on January 29th. Brigitte Helm was a German actress, and perhaps best known as the Maschinenmensch (machine-human) from Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927). At first, I wanted to concentrate on images of Helm just from the film, but I found so many incredible [...]
Driskill Hotel Photoshoot
Photographer John Leach took our portrait for the front of The Chronicle this fall for the “Best Of Austin” edition. The out takes from the photoshoot at the historic Driskill Hotel downtown were just too good not to share! Here’s our cover, and our award, “Best Reason to Learn the Charleston” took us by surprise! [...]
Ukulele mania!
Ukulele Lady, 1925 ukulele sweeties in 1926! Buster Keaton with uke & wooden statue The Boswell Sisters Johnny Marvin sings “Crazy Words, Crazy Tunes,” a song about how he hates his neighbor’s ukulele playing. This is one of my most favorite songs, and favorite performances ever! Watch for the musical saw! Shirley Temple and ukulele [...]
Forbidden Vices: Reefer Madness!
Have you ever met that funny reefer man? As we all know, in the old days, marijuana only affected one sector of the population favorably: Hot Jazz Musicians. They wrote love songs to it while swaddled in its smokey embrace. Those vipers! Let’s listen: Cab Calloway – Reefer Man Fats Waller – Viper’s Drag Harlem [...]
Tallulah Bankhead
To kick off our inspirational posts for the next Vintage Vivant theme, “Forbidden Vices” we feature Tallulah Bankhead, silent film star, romancer of both men and women, and remembered today for her outspoken personality. “Say anything about me, darling, as long as it isn’t boring.” “My father warned me about men and booze, but he [...]
Sexy Witches
Sexy Witch costumes with tons of Halloween costume inspiration for the next Vintage Vivant!
Sideshow & Curiosities
Freaks from 1932, a preCode classic directed by Tod Browning. Fan-made movie trailer for the film. The limbless Prince Randian (aka “The Human Worm”) lights a cigarette. This clip stars conjoined twins, Daisy and Violet Hilton
A Night at the Circus: The Clowns!
This post contains hilarious images of clowns & harlequin folk. Please don’t click if you’re coulrophobic.
Femme Fatal: The Vamp
Kiss of the Vamp One of the first fashion communities that I joined in my early Livejournal days in 2001 was a community called “Gothic 1920s.” It hadn’t occurred to me that the aesthetics of gothic fashion was something that had been brewing in early cinema! As I combed through the posts of Pola Negri [...]
Charlie Chaplin Inspiration
To play the Tramp, you need baggy pants, a tight coat, a derby hat, a large pair of shoes, a cane and a moustache. Remember that the awkward fit of the garments should add to the exaggerated walk, and be sure to use the cane in as many creative ways as possible – from picking [...]
Clara Bow
“’It’ is that quality possessed by some which draws all others with its magnetic force. With ‘It’ you win all men if you are a woman – and all women if you are a man.” - Elinor Glyn This month, Vintage Vivant is so excited to announce that we are teaming up with the Alamo Ritz [...]
Alice Prin – NSFW
Alice Prin. You know her, yes? Ernest Hemingway once described her as “a woman who was never a lady at any time.” Like many of the Parisian belle fleurs of this era, she was born into miserable poverty and was raised in the streets. Alice began posing nude for a sculptor at the age of 14. [...]
Brassai
To me photography must suggest, not insist or explain. – Brassai Brassai, born in 1899, was a Hungarian photographer who immortalized Parisian nightlife in the 1920s and 30s. He was a friend of Henry Miller and Jacques Prévert. Cafe nightlife: A prostitute waits on the corner: Now for the elaborate costumes!
Jacques Henri Lartigue
“Je ne suis pas un photographe-écrivain-peintre, je suis empailleur des choses que la vie m’o ff re en passant “ “I’m not a photographer-writer-painter, I’m a taxidermist of things that life offers me on the way.” - Jacques Henri Lartigue Jacques Henri Lartigue (1894-1986) is considered to be one of the leading photographers of the twentieth century. [...]
Feedsack Frocks
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 [...]
Choice Bit of Calico
The wilting force of summer is upon us in full force – 104F today, kittens! When I’m not doing the kangaroo cool-down, I’m splashing in Barking Springs with Natalie Ribbons, put-putting at Peter Pan mini-golf, and watching that insano moon-rise yesterday over the pond in the park near my house. This week, Angeliska and I [...]
Great Depression Inspiration
Hard times, hard times, we sure got hard times now! Times is hard, y’all – and plenty of folks are feelin’ the pinch. Recession’s a word that thankfully, we’ve been mostly protected from – Austin has retained a blessed bubble of prosperity through a rough spell that has affected many nationwide, but given this scorcher [...]
Stockings & Garters
If you’re too timid to flaunt a lacy step-in, or modest about your dress, vintage styled stockings and garters are a perfect way to pepper up the sex appeal of your outfit! See how the simple addition of patterned stockings can really punch up the look of an outfit: Clara Bow in ornate flowered garters: [...]
Lingerie Inspiration
Vintage lingerie makes us swoon in delight! It’s no wonder there is so much of it around nearly 100 years later: beautifully crafted, it’s delicate but strong, and it makes the wearer feel extra naughty knowing she has these secrets hiding beneath her smart dresses! There are so many different types of underthings to consider, [...]
Erotica Inspiration
Here’s a bit of NSFW eyecandy, featuring French postcards, photos of Ziegfield girls, and girls from naughty stories.
Storyville Photos & Music (NSFW)
On May 29th, Vintage Vivant will present an evening of Hot Jazz, sex and sin inspired by Storyville, vintage lingerie and secrets of the boudoir. Before we get to the eyecandy of inspiration posts, we present a little history lesson about New Orleans and it’s infamous Red Light District. In the early 20th century, photographer [...]
