Dita Von Teese Winter Fashion Picks

Hi, ladies and gents.

Today I'm going to look at a couple of my favorite Dita Von Teese outfits catered towards cooler weather. I don't think I've talked much about Ms. Teese on here, so to begin I absolutely love her sense of fashion. I love that she is confident enough to completely immerse herself in retro-eclectic fashion, even though she probably gets stared at all the time. I have to admit that my style is more on the conservative side with regards to vintage fashion (I like to mix it a lot with more modern pieces), but every now and then I love to rock something more bold, and more Dita-esque. So here are a couple of my favorite looks:

I am absolutely obsessed with this jacket. The fur trim, buttons, length, and shaping detail are incredible. I love that the ruffle detail on her shoes matches up with the slight ruffle detail towards the bottom of the jacket. My only issue with the outfit is with the fur (if it is real). I will admit that fur is one of those issues where I tend to veer away from the mid-century thoughts towards the more hippie/save the animals outlook. I don't eat meat, and I certainly wouldn't wear fur. However, if this is faux fur then I adore everything about the jacket!

Where to start with this lovely ensemble? First off, I have to confess that I have a strong preference for velvet. It doesn't matter what color it is or how much of it there is, my eye is always drawn towards it. Having said that, her form-fitting black velvet skirt is the first thing that caught my eye. It pairs perfectly with her ruched red top and ruched gloves. To cap it off, she added this amazing head piece which is perfect with the rest of the ensemble.This is why I adore Dita's style so much; it just works.

I chose to add this outfit because of the circle skirt. It really is a work of art, flattering on every figure. Futhermore, Ms. Von Teese paired it with that cute bow belt which makes this conservative retro look a bit more fun. 

I was just writing about velvet, and look what popped up! This dress is magnificent; it truly speaks volumes. I love how she kept her accessories simple to let the dress be the focal point. Lovely.

I had to add this plaid coat to the list to wrap up this post. The colors are beautiful together, and of course her red lipstick matches perfectly. Her hat is quite interesting, probably one of the more edgy pieces that I would be willing to give a go if I was feeling bold.

Are you a fan of Ms. Von Teese's style? Who are some of your modern-day fashion icons?

Cheers. 

A Vintage Christmas in Photos

Hello, everyone!

My favorite holiday is less than a month away! I am beyond excited. Today I am going to post a few pictures of Christmas in the past to help us all get into the Christmas spirit. But first, I want to add a quick note about the holiday itself.

I think one of the interesting things about Christmas is how highly popularized it has become with regards to people decorating, giving out presents, seeing plays and shows, etc. In my opinion, that might not be such a bad thing. People that celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, myself included, know how important this holiday is for us and for everyone. If you don't celebrate Christmas as something religious, then at least you are enjoying the festivities that have become associated with it. I think that Christ would be happy to know that many people are basking in the peace and happiness that Christmas brings with it.

Now, for some photos:

I could go on and on forever with Christmas pictures, but I think that these are a good start. Do you have any favorite Christmas pictures? I hope everyone has had a wonderful start to the holiday season! Cheers. 

Combating the Common Cold

Hello, dears!

Unfortunately I have fallen ill with the notorious common cold. What is really troubling about the common cold is that there is no cure-all; you can only treat and soothe the symptoms. Thus, today I am going to give you some of the ways that I bounce back from this pesky sickness. These are not medical recommendations, just things that have helped me feel better in the past.

Hot Chocolate and Tea

One of the really unfortunate symptoms of the common cold is often a sore throat. I find that drinking hot chocolate, tea, or coffee really eases the pain that comes from the sinuses running. While I'm talking about liquids, make sure that you also drink a lot of water. Hydration is key to my speedy recoveries.

Spices

When I'm sick, I like to eat a lot of spicy foods like foods with chipotles, black and red peppers, or even foods with a touch of curry. These spices help to open up the nose so that you can breathe easier.

Bed Rest

This concept is often very difficult for us because we lead such busy lives. However, if you don't rest when you are sick, I guarantee that you are slowing down your recovery. You don't have to lie down all day, but you certainly need to lie down long enough to let your immune system properly fight off the cold. 

Take a Hot Shower

This is one of my favorite things to do when I am sick. I find that it provides almost instant relief to the pent up congestion in my head. Furthermore, I love that ultra clean feeling that you get; this feeling is especially apparent when you shower when you're sick.

Cough Drops

I love cough drops; my favorite are the Halls cough drops with menthol. They ease the throat, stop coughing, and open up the nose. I highly recommend Halls (any cough drops are a good option though) for more instant relief. 

Afrin

And finally, for my drug of choice, I select Afrin. I know that nasal sprays are not for everyone, but I really appreciate how quickly they are able to alleviate the congestion build-up in my head. If you want more immediate gratification AND long term relief, I highly recommend trying Afrin. 

That's a wrap for now! There are some that I didn't include such as light exercise and soups, but I find that the ones that I did include are the methods that help me recover the fastest. Let me know in the comments if you have found any miracle products for "curing" the common cold!

Cheers.

Amazon's "The Man in the High Castle" Review

Hi, everyone!

I am on Thanksgiving break for a few days, and boy is it much needed. Of course, I managed to fall ill the first day of break, so it was bed rest for me for most of the day! As a result, I was able to marathon Amazon's new series The Man in the High Castle. This series is very different from any series I have seen before.

Amazon's The Man in the High Castle is actually based on the novel by Phillip K. Dick. I have not had the pleasure of reading the novel yet, but I am going to pick up a copy sometime this week (and I will review it later down the line)! The setting of the book and TV series is a world in which the Axis powers won World War 2. The Nazi regime has control of the eastern United States, and Japan has control of the west coast. To put it super briefly, the premise of the TV series revolves around the uncovering of tapes which reveal a world that could be if the Nazis and Imperialist Japan were not in power. I'm not going to give away any more information for fear of spoiling the series.

Here are some pictures so that you can get the aesthetic feel:

I'm writing a review of this series not because I loved it a lot, but because I think that it is important. I think that it is critical to realize that a society like this is not impossible; it isn't impossible for people to accept something truly evil as the norm. And I find that to be quite terrifying and relevant to today's current events. 

Anyway, on to my review of the show. Aesthetically, the show is beautifully done. The costumes are fantastic, and the backgrounds look so real that it can be quite unnerving at times. The American flag flying with a swastika in place of the stars? Very scary, but sensible in the context of the show. In the category of costumes, props, and scenery, I would certainly give this show a 10/10.

Furthermore, the show would also get near a 10 for its plot. It's difficult to imagine what society would have been like had the Axis powers won World War 2, but this show allows your imagination to run wild.

In terms of acting, this is where I find that the show suffers a little. After the first episode, I almost stopped watching. For some reason, I found the whole first episode to be extremely cheesy in terms of acting. I'm glad that I continued on because the acting definitely picks up, so don't stop after the first episode! Along with this, I found some of the character development to be either non-existent or very little at all. When I watch a show or movie, I definitely need to see some sort of depth in the characters. I found some of these characters to be flat and a little bit boring. Thus in terms of characters, I would give this show about a 6/10.

One other thing that I craved from this show but didn't really get was fear. Whenever I watch a movie or documentary about the Third Reich, I feel truly terrified. I always wonder how such evil could and can exist in the world, and it brings me chills. Here, I had a few instances of chills, but not enough. I wanted to feel really scared about what could have been, and I didn't really get that from this series.

Overall, I recommend watching this series for plot if nothing else. It is extremely relevant to the world's current events, so if you have time on your hands check it out! Sorry for the long review.

Cheers.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my lovely readers who celebrate it!

I am very thankful for each and every one of you, and I hope that you stuff yourselves silly with food tonight.

Tomorrow we can all be rest-assured that the Christmas explosion is going to happen in my house.

See you all soon! Cheers.

Home Fires Review

Hello, everyone!

Today I am going to write a review about PBS's recent World War 2 based series called Home Fires (part of their Masterpiece collection). I am very excited to be penning this review because the show is just so fabulous!

To begin, here are some pictures from the show:

I am going to start of by saying that I absolutely love this series. It has drama, action, a fantastic plot line, and a whole lot of character development. Thus, it has a little pinch of everything.

The show is based on the "The Women's Institue" (WI), which is a social organization that formed in response to the outbreak of the war. Based on the book by Julie Sommers (Jambusters), this show stays fairly true to costumes, events, locations and the institution of the WI in general. One of the main reasons that I enjoy Home Fires is because of its focus on women's contributions to the war effort.

Another factor that makes this series so great is its strong actor and actress selection. The series features Samantha Bond, Francesca Annis, and Ruth Gemmell, just to name a few. Every single actor and actress plays his/her role brilliantly, and that is one of the primary reasons that this show is so compelling.

I could go on and on about this program for who knows how long, but I don't want to give everything away! My rating as of right now would probably be around an 8/10. I highly recommend that you check this show out; I promise you won't be disappointed!

Cheers!

Photographs 2

Hi all,

School has been very stressful this past week, so I apologize for not posting on the schedule that I normally post. Today I am going to post some of my favorite pictures as of late.

Clearly, I am ready for Christmas in November! Don't you just adore the red velvet dress on the right? I love how she paired it with a light tan belt and shoes. Very chic. 

I found this picture off of Tumblr from vintagegal. This shot was so elegantly taken; I love how the photographer faded out the background to focus on the handsome gentleman and the lovely lady in red.

This picture is promo for a post I am going to write in a few days. These ladies were members of the WI, which was a great effort to help the home front during World War 2. My next post is going to feature more information about the WI and a new television show I discovered called "Home Fires."

I hadn't seen this picture before today, but I absolutely adore it. Two legends having a drink. Plus, look at Sinatra's face; he clearly enjoyed whatever joke was being told.

This is one of the last photographs ever taken of Ms. Monroe. She really was beautiful, wasn't she? This just makes me think about how happy I am to be studying in the discipline that I am, and I cannot wait until I can officially help people overcome their struggles.

I love that Ms. Loren is still modeling, even at the ripe age of 81. This just goes to show you that beauty and elegance are timeless. 

I hope that everyone is doing well! Thanksgiving is next Thursday; isn't that crazy? The holidays are approaching so fast. Have a great rest of the week, everyone. Cheers.