Cathy's Survival Kit

This is something that has been on my wish list for quite some time. In the 1960's Cathy McGowan, mod icon and British dolly who is most famously known for presenting the popular music show "Ready, Steady, Go!", launched her own product. This was "Cathy's Survival Kit"; Cathy's own cosmetics case for busy girls needing a touch-up on the go. It looks to me like the kit included two lipsticks, a mascara, eye pencil, concealer and either a blush or eyeshadow.

I am an absolute sucker for cosmetics with colourful and groovy 1960's designs, so this is right up my alley. I'd carry Cathy's cosmetics with me everything, feeling oh so mod!

Images: (1. 2. 3.)

Ruby Red Shoes in a Hot Air Balloon

Outfit:

Ruby red blouse with black tie collar

1960's 267 Chalmer's Street vintage grey skirt

Black kitten heels with bows

1950's vintage black handbag

This morning my boyfriend and I went to our local pancake restaurant for breakfast. And really it is a lovely place. The inside is themed like a hot air balloon. The entire restaurant is lined with wicker basket. The walls are painted with clouds upon a beautiful sky blue and the ceiling is covered with rainbow canvas, all to give the impression that you are floating in a hot air balloon. We ordered two delicious iced chocolates in milkshake glasses, lemon sugar crepes with vanilla ice cream, double chocolate pancakes with chocolate ice cream and I ordered the Vegetarian breakfast. It consisted of a potato pancake, three hash browns, grilled tomato, mushrooms in butter sauce and scrambled eggs. 

(Source)

I also wore my new suede ruby red shoes for the first time. I bought them yesterday for a steal, and they are incredibly comfortable. It is almost like wearing a pair of slippers. As you can tell I felt very inspired by the colour red today. Here are some nice red images from the 1960's that I quite like.

Images (1. 2. 3. 4. 5.)

Local Marketta Launch

On Saturday night my sister, brother and I went to the launch of a local Marketta that will be held weekly. It was jampacked with stalls promoting local food, art, music. You name it. The food was great. I tried German Kasespatzle for the first time, which was very delicious. But what I liked most about the evening event was the atmosphere. There were dining areas in small warehouses that comprised of old tables with wine lists written directly onto them, metal vintage chairs and stools that were all different and old coloured fairy lights and vintage chandeliers. Tables were lit by soft shaded lamps, wall length mirrors and illustrations of hot air balloons covered the walls and scattered around the place were vintage hotel receptionist desks. Definitely my kind of scene.

My sister took quite a lot of photos from the night as she was reporting the event for a University project. Hopefully I'll be able to snatch some off her and post them up here for you all to have a look. I certainly hope I'll be able to attend again, but this time tag my boyfriend along.

This is what I wore to the night, and looked quite odd amongst the crowds of families and young people. Not to mention, my oddness was only increased by the fact that I tripped over twice in the same place.

Outfit:

White baby doll mini dress.

1960's vintage white heels with bows

1960's vintage green scarf

Vintage white purse

I was inspired by Miss Marianne (as you can tell I take a lot of style inspiration from her) in the film "Anna" (1967) starring Anna Karina. Marianne is seen singing "Heir ou Demain", written by Serge Gainsbourg, and I think she just looked stunning. You can see her in the film here.

Edit:

Finally! I have been reunited with the camera! 

Here are some of the pictures from the night.

I looked like a complete nut trying to take this picture. I ended up tripping over in the exact same spot twice. That lady in the picture knows what I'm talking about.

They took long enough!

Bluebird

Yesterday evening my boyfriend rang me up and said to get all dolled up. He told me we were going to dinner with someone, but he wouldn't tell me who nor where. This is the outfit that I came up with.

Outfit:

Blue Dress with matching belt

1950's vintage black handbag

Black peep-toe heels with bows

Princess Diana signature replica earrings

My collar makes me think of these:

After he picked me up and we arrived at our destination I soon found out that we weren't going to dinner but getting take-out from out favourite Indian Restaurant with a couple of friends that we hadn't seen in a while. They were running late so we decided to have a little wander. We bought ice-blocks and Dr. Pepper flavoured bubblegum from the convenience store and walked through the park by the beach. I struggled as my heels kept sinking into the grass, not to mention it was difficult to walk in them anyway as I'd stuffed them with stockings so that they'd fit me better. First time that I'd worn them. Afterwards we decided to take a look in the local Surf Club for a game of pool. Once in there we found that there were no pool tables, but the pokie machines caught my eye. I had never gambled before, or felt the desire to, but I wanted to try it that night. I won 20 cents for putting a dollar in. Was not thrilled. But the lights and colours very pretty.

Here is a picture of the earrings that I wore: a gift from my boyfriend for our first anniversary. They are replicas of the signature earrings of Princess Diana. Made of diamond and pure sapphire, I adore them and always feel very elegant wearing them. He certainly knows what to buy!

Backcombing: It looks great but what will it do to my hair?

One of my lovely Tumblr followers difference-is-gr8 asked me for some advice about backcombing (or teasing). Though it does look fabulous, can give you dollies a really authentic 60's look as well as open up a whole new world of brilliant hairstyles there are some realities about it that aren't what you'd hope for. Unfortunately you could almost call this a situation where you can't have your cake and eat it too. 

Yes, frequent backcombing can damage your hair. Dragging the comb backwards against the hair weakens it, making it brittle. Eventually the hairs will weaken to the point where there is frequent breakage. And of course, all of you dollies who have tried it will know that backcombing can create A LOT of knots in your hair, especially near the root where they can be very difficult to remove. Trying to untangle this nest of nasty knots weakens, breaks and pulls hairs out. Frequent application of hairspray, which most often goes hand in hand with backcombing, also has its disadvantages. It works to dry your hair out and clump it together, making it difficult to comb out. This also creates knots which as mentioned previously damage hair.

However, if you care for you hair properly you can reduce the damage that backcombing (and hair spray) can cause. For starters, never never NEVER go to bed or hop in the shower (unless you're wearing a shower cap) without combing it out first. Though a lot of girls would leave their teasing in for a few days back in the 60's by wearing a snood or curler cap to bed, I would not recommend it. When brushing out the knots I personally find it easier as well as less painful to use a paddle brush with beads on the end of the bristles. Believe it or not, much more effective than trying to use a comb. Whilst in the process of backcombing try and use gentle strokes rather than big, forceful strokes that travel through large portions of hair at a time. Though this will take longer, it will not damage your hair as much and it will also make the backcombing appear neater.

If you have worn hairspray that day or night, make sure that you wash it at as soon as you get the opportunity to do so with a good conditioner to help strengthen your hair. Investing in a better quality hairspray can also help protect your hair.

Another way to help reduce damage caused by backcombing is of course to not do it so much. Have a look at some other types of hairstyles that were present within the 60's. There is so much out there. Take inspiration from your favourite 60's dolly. Though if you want that height that backcombing so fabulously creates, there are alternative ways of achieving it. What they call "Quiff Combs" are now available in some hair and accessory stores. I personally feel these don't work for me. But they could for you! There are other methods where you create a  bun at the upper back of your head and cover it with hair from the top of your head and fastening it at the back with pins.

"Quiff Comb"

Images (1. 2.)

Dynel Dolly

I thought that I might just make a quick post of a few pictures from the 1967 photo shoot of the lovely Twiggy wearing a long Dynel hair piece as she poses in a variety of cute hand knitted outfits.

In the later 1960's in order to assist in gaining height in beehive and bouffant hairstyles, many women wore Dynel hairpieces. Dynel was a synthetic hair that was originally used for Barbie Dolls. The product could be bought from large department stores and there it would be dyed to accurately match the buyer's hair colour. It would then be pinned to the woman's head in a way that it would appear as natural hair. It could be disguised by braiding it, hiding the pins with strands of natural hair wrapped around them, or by using a pretty head band or ribbon, as Twiggy has done so for this photo shoot. 

Dynel was also used to make faux fur in the 1960's.  It can be seen used in many vintage coats and handbags.

New 'Do

Outfit:

- New 'do

- Black singlet top

- Red 60's inspired mod skirt

- Black tights (that have been in the presence of Ringo Starr might I add)

- Black block-heeled Mary-Janes
- Vintage white purse

Though this may sound quite unbelievable, today I got my first ever professional haircut. 

All my life I have had my hair cut by family members, or have merely just cut it myself. I achieved this through a process of scrupulously studying the fringes of Marianne Faithfull, Pattie Boyd (and Brian Jones) and copying them to the best of my ability. So, this was a big thing for me! For the past year I have let my hair grow, and grow, and grow. Including my beloved fringe, until I no longer had one! At last I decided it was time to get the old 60's 'do back again. So. In I took my picture of Marianne and the lovely lady did her best to replicate it.

Please do excuse the dreadful quality of my picture. You see, in the past year I have also bought my first laptop, which I have christened Lovely Rita. We seem to get along alright, but the inbuilt camera isn't too keen to become too well acquainted with me yet.

Also today, on my way to the hairdressers, by chance I came across a Car Boot Sale. Fantastic! Looking rather out of place on one of the clothing racks was a big, black, beautiful 50's style petticoat. I have been looking for one that I can afford to buy for a very long time to wear under my 50's style dresses. I cautiously asked the woman at the stall how much it was. $2.00. Lucky me.

Moving on I found one of the most beautiful pairs of shoes that I have ever seen. Bright red, original 60's mod style and with a big gold buckle on them, I had to have them. But alas they were the tiniest bit to tight for my tootsies. You can imagine how disappointed I was. Though the owner found out that I collected 1960's vintage she was kind enough to let me have them for free to add to my collection. 

What do you think? Should I sell them?

(Don't mind the price stickers. I couldn't get them off.)

"Long, Long, Long"

In the words of George Harrison, it's been a long, long, long time.

For a year now, my blog has been quite unactive. And there is much reason for this. In the time that I've been gone much has occurred. I became partnered. I turned 21. I moved home...twice. I now have my own unit. I've begun a new degree at University. I went on three big trips to places that I've never been before, and I was lucky enough to see Ringo Starr live in concert.

The reason why I am now back dollies? At last, I have access to the Internet again. And this means that The Carnabetian Army still marches on. I shall be making posts much more frequently, and I hope to hear from you all in time!