How NOT to do a 60s beehive

Try this at home, they said. It will look great, they said.

Aren’t you guys tired of all those beauty blogs showing you how to do this and that like it’s the easiest thing in the world?
I mean, I feel like hair tutorials should come with a difficulty warning. Like, don’t attempt this if you have two left hands. Or: only try this if you don’t mind people pointing at you in the street.
I feel like no one’s being honest about these things anymore!

To prove my rant is justified, I shall show you what happens when I attempt to copy a 60s hairstyle.
Being a massive fan of the 60s, I decided I will try to copy the famous beehive hairstyle. And so I found a hair tutorial that looked easy enough. (P.S. Shoutout to Tavi Gevinson for being hilarious). Here it is:

So far so good.

My friend Emma kindly volunteered to be my model, so we grabbed the camera, and exactly 5 bobby pins and proceeded with tousling her hair slightly.
‘I don’t wanna look like Amy Winehouse’ she warned me.
Halfway through the process I realised 5 pins might not be enough so we settled for half a beehive. And wouldn’t you know it, we managed to create a perfect one.

HA- HA! IF ONLY!

My failed attempt at the 60sbeehive hairstyle

My beehive would make most bees crawl out with embarrassment and most people laugh hysterically. Which is what we did. We laughed so much I cried a little.

Here’s Emma LOLing.

LOL

Have you had any similar experiences? Share them with us below 🙂

The best 80s fashion for boys

I realised I’ve selfishly been writing about vintage and retro fashion for girls and completely left BOYS out.

So here’s me sharing my invaluable advice on how to look great if you’re a guy and you’d like to spice up your wardrobe with some classic 80s fashion. Typical 80s colours include vibrant pastels and neon hues as well as washed out denim and light greys.

I will break the fashion down into stereotypical 80s cliques, so you can see which one fits your style best. Here are some 80s wardrobe essentials:

P.S. My insight is based entirely on 80s TV shows (I watch a lot of those cause I have no life).

The 80s jock style:

If you wanna pull off the 80s jock style, you absolutely need to have an 80s varsity letterman jacket. Here’s what I’m talking about:

You can also choose to wear light blue jeans and a white T-shirt underneath the jacket.

Another typical outfit 80s jock style involves the tight vest, like Slater in Saved By the Bell. If you’re brave enough, also go for the high rise jeans (“bell pants”) and the big 80s hair (mohawk not compulsory)

The 80s rocker:

If you want to pull off the 80s rocker/ bad boy look from The Breakfast Club, the most important thing you need is a baggy checked shirt, and a white camisole underneath.

If you wanna go full rocker, then be Charlie Sheen in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Look at that gorgeous leather jacket!

The nerd

Here’s how you can achieve the 80s nerd look in four steps: Close your eyes, open your wardrobe, pick clothes at random and put them on. TA-DA! You now look just like Screech in Saved by the Bell. Jokes aside, I’d definitely borrow some of those colourful shirts, at least for Halloween.

The preppy guy:

For the 80s preppy guy look, here are three iconic characters: Zach Morris (Saved by the Bell), Duckie (Pretty in Pink) and Ronald Miller (Can’t buy me love). Not only is their fashion sense awesome, but their on screen personalities are great. I am inlove with all three of them.

But that’s just me and my opinion. What would you wear? Or what would you like to see a guy wearing?

Top Five 90’s movies

It’s all about the tartan, and the daisy prints, and the jelly sandals, and…

I’ve been talking about 90s fashion for a while now but I can’t help mentioning it again, especially since 90s fashion is everywhere nowadays.

In my post about ‘80s movies for fashion inspiration‘ I listed all the best 80s, pick-me-up teen movies.

I have since had time to watch a few more movies, and since the 90s are pretty big now, I thought I’d list all the 90s movies that I love:

P.S. I’ve listed them in the order of best outfits.

1. Clueless (1995)

 

A quirky gem loosely based on Jane Austen’s 1815 novel ‘Emma’. And when I say ‘loosely’ i mean a completely modern interpretation – which includes filler words such as: ‘like, totally and whatever’.  Needless to say, the girl is anything but ‘clueless’ when it comes to fashion.

2. Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead (1990)

One of the few early 90s teen movies, this is one of my favourites. I’d been kind of holding back on watching this one because I thought it was going to be a kids’ movie but it’s so much more than that. Being a fan of Christina Applegate I especially enjoyed seeing her act in her early 20s and playing the big sister who’s trying to figure life out. Bonus points for her being a total fashionista. However, this being early 90s, the outfits reflect late 80s’ influence – which I personally think it’s great.

3. Never Been Kissed (1999)

Girl-next-door Josie Gellar is 25 and has never ‘really’ been kissed. I know what you’re thinking: ‘How is that even possible?’  I can’t comment but what I can say is that you will definitely enjoy this feel-good-movie.

4. 10 Things I hate about you (1999)

Best 90s movie.

5. Rushmore (1998)

This quirky comedy is loosely based on Wes Anderson’s highschool years. It’s about a nerdy entrepreneurial teenage boy who could talk his way into any project he wishes, and who ends up falling for the wrong girl.

Do you have any favourite 90s teen movies? Please recommend 🙂

Vintage vs. Retro

What is the difference between ‘vintage’ and ‘retro’?

For a long time I secretly didn’t know the difference between vintage and retro. I actually thought they were one and the same thing and I’m pretty sure I used them in a sentence at one point. Oops.

Now I am much much wiser; so wise that I feel I can teach you what the difference is.

What does vintage mean?

You may call ‘vintage’ anything that is older than 20 years (that includes me). So, if in 2014 you’ve found a really nice dress from 1995, it would be wrong to call it ‘vintage’. That dress, unfortunately, only qualifies as ‘old’. But keep it in your wardrobe for a year and you’re suddenly classy and sophisticated. But only if you wash it.

Vintage

What does retro mean?

Retro is something that imitates a style from the past. Like the recent flatforms, or the statement/slogan T-shirts imitating 90s and 80s fashion. Some people say vintage can be retro, but retro can never be vintage. But I think there’s an exception.

Imagine looking at an old picture of your grandma in the 40s and she’s wearing a low-hem skirt imitating 20s fashion. If you currently own that skirt, that means the skirt is vintage but it was also once retro. 

Retro

Use them in a sentence

If you find the above confusing, here are a few examples of sentences you could use to show that you know the difference between vintage and retro:

1. ‘Vintage means older than 20 years old, retro just means something that imitates a style from the past’ – This sentence will really prove that you know the difference.

2. Let’s go to Topshop! I want to get that 70s retro dress.

3. I was really disappointed with that vintage market. Most things were from the Noughties.

Hope this helped you understand all you need to know about vintage and retro. If I missed anything, please let me know in the comment section.

Top 10 Eighties Movies for Fashion Inspiration

There is nothing like coming home from a rough day at work and sitting down to watch an ’80s teen movie. There’s something about the way people acted and dressed back then that makes you escape the present and fall inlove with the Eighties.

Firstly, kids those days had no mobile phones or social media and that instantly made them cooler than a lot of teenagers nowadays.

Secondly, most of these movies treat the subject of love and friendship in a more genuine way than teen movies currently do.

Thirdly, teenagers and people in general were so daring with their outfits and hairstyles (read about Fashion in the Eighties) and it just seems as if they weren’t afraid to experiment and stand out.

At least that’s how it was in the movies. So here is a list of my top 10 favourite movies from the Eighties:

1)  Can’t Buy me love

I love this movie a lot! I didn’t think much of it as I started watching it, but as the plot unwrapped  not only did I get a lot of inspiration from Cindy – most popular girl in school, but also learned that no matter how cool you are, you still can’t buy someone’s love (literally or otherwise).

2) Loverboy

‘Loverboy’ Randy meets quite a few ladies during his summer vacation, all older than him and all with a unique sense of style. The outfits I like most in this movies are the frocks and vibrant two-piece suits worn by Randy’s ‘girlfriends’: 

  

3) Pretty in Pink

This is probably the best source for ’80s fashion inspiration; Pretty in Pink is the main reason I decided to write this post. There are many references to fashion and style in this movie, and the main character, Molly, and her best buddy Duckie are perfect examples of 80s fashionistas. Even though she gets mocked for her style, I think we can all agree she looks pretty darn cool. She also makes me want to wear more pink.

  

4) Fast Times at Ridgemont High

This movie is just crazy, the perfect example of 80s high school movie, it has every character from the stoner, to the jock and promiscuous girl. It’s based on a real highschool which the director of the movie attended undercover in order to represent teenage life accurately.

 

5) Girls just want to have fun

It’s great to see young, innocent Sarah Jessica Parker in a role so different to Sex and the City. The role suits her perfectly and she sure can dance! This film is very girly and a lot of fun. (I don’t want to give too much away)

6) Ferris Bueller’s day off

Ferries Bueller is a very cheeky teenager who tries everything possible in order to skip school. His techniques are hilarious and his luck incredible. He has a best friend who does him favours all the time, a pretty girlfriend with lovely style and everybody (but his sister) loves him! This film will cheer you up any day.

7) Say Anything

John Cusack is such a don in that long mac. And how romantic is the scene with the huge boombox? This is a movie about first loves and having to grow up. Diane’s style is classic and simple and I love that she wears a lot of pastels.

8) Heathers

All of the ‘Heathers’ in this film are slightly deranged (some more than others). What I enjoyed most are the preppy outfits and all the effortless chic when it comes to their outfits and hair.

  

9) Tuff Turf

Tuff Turf is about a guy who fails to make friends at his new school and gets in trouble constantly. Most of the characters in this film are unnecessarily angry. Apart from young Robert Downey Junior <3. Ok, I admit, I only watched the movie to see him.

10) The Breakfast Club

Molly Ringwald is again the girl with the best fashion sense (just like Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles – which I have yet to see).

What are your favourite ’80s  teen movies? Do you know any others that I haven’t talked about? Help me watch them all!

Fashion in the Nineties

90s Vintage Fashion

Having been born in the late ‘80s but growing up in the ’90s, I see myself as both of an ‘80s and a ‘90s girl. Music-wise, I prefer the ‘80s just because the music was cheesier and it sounds great at karaoke. But who can deny the awesomeness of the 90s with icons such as Fresh Prince of Bel Air, The Olsen Twins, and every boy band with a cute blonde guy?

The 90s weren’t vintage until 4 years ago if you think about it, and it makes me feel like I’ve lived a really long life when people refer to 90s clothes as ‘vintage fashion’. I swear I still have a pair of baggy jeans and a few pairs of tube socks in the back of my wardrobe.

Here is my top selection of trends from the Nineties:

1. Baby tees and baggy jeans

What do Drew Barrymore, TLC and Gwen Stefani have in common? They NO DOUBT know how to wear baby tees and baggy jeans! (awful pun, sorry)

2)      The Looney Tunes T-shirt

To qualify as one of the ‘cool kidz’ in the Nineties, you had to own a Looney Tunes baggy T-shirt with a cartoon character dressed in urban attire. Fact.

3)      Bandanas

Bandanas became popular towards the end of the nineties and were worn usually with dungarees and a T-shirt but some people soon found that bandanas could easily replace underwear.

  

4)     90s anti-fashion

The Nineties had their fair share of fashion rebels who refused to conform to ‘ridiculous’ fashion norms and came up with their own extreme trend. The only ‘extreme’ things about anti-fashion, however, were the ripped jeans and the double shirts – one long-sleeved unbuttoned shirt worn over another buttoned-up shirt. Also known as ‘grunge’.

5)     Fanny packs

Still a mystery to me why they were popular in the first place, they are now showing signs of becoming cool again. Only the other day I found myself in Urban Outfitters where a whole shelf was filled with fanny packs. Apart from sounding rude, they have the ‘unique’ functionality of keeping your money safe and making you look like a kangaroo mother.

   

6)      Flower Pot skirts

I remember my mum bought my sister and I a pair each back in the day when no one else in school had them. We thought we were very cool initially but after being asked 100 times why we’re wearing skirts on top of trousers, we decided that flower pots weren’t for us.

7)      Overalls/ Dungarees

These are definitely cool again; especially short ones, in the summer – complete with ankle ruffle socks and a miniature back-pack.

   

8) Miniature back-packs

Like, regular back-packs but small.

And the list goes on and on… jelly shoes, backward caps, tube socks, knee-length socks, slap bracelets…

Say what you want about the Nineties, but people back then knew how to have fun with clothes.

What did you use to own in the Nineties?

Fashion in the Eighties

Why I love the 80s

I could talk so much about the ’80s and still not cover how exciting a time that was for fashion. The ’80s are the most daring and experimental fashion era in my opinion, possibly more so than the Sixties.

     

Fingerless gloves, miniskirts, leggings, leg warmers, high waist jeans, the headband, acid wash jeans and denim jackets are all part of the daring ’80s fashion decade; The bright, heavy make-up, shoulder pads and neon leg warmers are just a few examples of how bold people used to be with their outfits.

Statement/Slogan T-shirts

One very important item of clothing in the ‘80s was the statement T-shirt. The most popular statement T-shirts revolved around social or political causes but eventually became means of expressing any type of message:

  

Shoulder pads

Another iconic feature of the 80’s (along with the wild haircuts and neon everything) were the shoulder pads. The eighties were definitely not the first decade the shoulder pads were popular. As mentioned in my previous post (Fashion in the Fourties and Fifties) shoulder pads had been around long before the 80s.

When I think of 80s shoulder pads I can’t help but talk about the denim and leather oversized jackets. Here are a few of my favourites:

  

The Loud, Slouchy Jumper

Who doesn’t recognise the iconic ‘80s loud (often neon) oversized jumper, worn over a mini skirt or a pair of leggings.

Speaking of leggings, the shiny leggings were another popular piece of clothing, as illustrated below by teenage boys and Madonna:

Needless to add, I absolutely love the 80s – especially fashion, music and movies. What’s your favourite thing about the Eighties?

Fashion in the Sixties and Seventies

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1960’s Vintage fashion

The 1960’s are probably the most iconic time in the world of fashion due to the diverse number of trends emerging at the same time. The ’60s provided a break from tradition and allowed many influences in women’s fashion, including ‘flower-power’, mod and the miniskirts. This is my break down of the Sixties:

Conservative ’60s

At the beginning of the 60’s fashion didn’t differentiate a great deal from the 50’s. The most predominant colours were: navy blues, tweeds and dark browns and pinks. Two piece suits were very popular and they consisted of pencil skirts and short tailored jackets.

 

The mini skirt revolution

As time went on, the conservative look and the defined waistline have started to shift towards a more relaxed trend with dropped-waistline skirts and dresses, like in the 20’s – only shorter…much shorter.

Mod

The mod look included miniskirts and cut-out low heeled shoes and androgynous jackets. Accessories included over-the-shoulder handbags and colourful jewellery. The Mod look was well-tailored with straight cuts and complemented by geometric accessories.

  

I absolutely love the mod look!

Hippies

The late 1960s were the exact opposite – with psychedelic, tie-dye shirts, floral dresses and skirts, long hair and beads and turtle necks all in bright colours. Women often wore short skirts and men wore capes and tunics.  Parents all over the world were driven mad by their rebellious, free-spirited teenage girls.

The Skinny Sixties

Towards the very end of the 60’s, the hippies ceased to shock society and women’s fashion adopted a mix of influences mostly characterised by the long, lean look which made women look tall and skinny.

1970’s Vintage fashion

Four things pop into my head when I think of the ’70s: Disco, ABBA, platforms, and that seventies show called…well, That Seventies Show!

1970s fashion started with a continuation of the mini skirts, bell-bottoms and the androgynous hippie look from the late 1960s but it soon gained its own characteristics, such as:

Platform shoes (worn by both women and men!)

High-rise flared jeans and trousers

High-rise skirts and trousers are already back in fashion, I wonder when flared jeans will return to our wardrobes.

Tie-dye Shirts

These were also very popular in the Sixties!

Mexican peasant blouses

Okay, these are not typical mexican peasant blouses but how cool are they (?)

The midi and the maxi dress

I have never been able to pull off a maxi dress. I blame my stick-like arms.

and my personal favourite: the pleated skirt

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Fashion in the 40s and 50s

1940’s vintage fashion

Following the gloomy depression era in the 30’s, fashion in the 40’s saw a time of hardship and lack of fabrics. Money was limited and women were encouraged to re-use items of clothing that they already owned.

The 1940’s saw a lot of women getting creative and re-cycling many of their clothes, something I currently love to do – DIY vintage fashion and making my outfits even more unique with a bit of stitching and cutting.

Colours in the 40’s were plain, characterised by deep maroons, gray and beige. Dresses and skirts became shorter and shoulder pads started to gain popularity as a way of enhancing the silhouette. Long hair and finger waves were the hairstyle of choice for many women.

What I love about the 40’s is the boom of creativity and the skill shown by women in customising their clothes. It’s a great example of how being original doesn’t have to be costly.

1950’s vintage fashion

I am a big fan of the 50’s and on many occasions I have attempted to look as elegant and feminine as Audrey Hepburn.

Me (showing way too much leg) 😀

50s fashion consisted of a wide variety of styles. Small waists, pointed busts, below mid-calf dresses and skirts formed the most popular outfits.

The tailored feminine look with gloves and pearls, fitted jackets and pencil skirts was another popular choice.

But most iconic were dresses with full skirts and low cut necklines or Peter Pan collars.

Little known fact about myself: I currently own a dozen shirts and jumpers with peter pan collars. I think they are a very cute addition to any top and can turn a plain outfit into a sweet, girly one.

Women in the ’50s were focused on wearing practical but attractive dresses and often the phrase ‘dressing for your man’ was used to encourage the wearing of feminine, figure flattering dresses. The Glamorous Housewife is great at helping you find your inner Fifties goddess.

This is also the controversial era of ‘pin-up girls’ – posters depicting women wearing waist-fitting and pointed busts clothing.

The sexiest pin-up girl, in my opinion – Betty Boop!

Fashion also saw a rise in ethnic influences such as Hawaiian summer dresses. Not to be confused with Hawaiian dad shirts, those came much later – in the 90s!

Iconic celebrities in the 50s include: Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot.

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1920’s and 1930’s fashion

How to dress like a 20’s or 30’s girl

If, like me, you often have trouble identifying what decade an outfit is from, this series of posts should help you know your fashion history, so next time you pick up a flapper dress you can proudly say to your friend: ‘Not for me, darling, I’m more of a 30’s kind of girl!’.

1920’s vintage fashion

The 20’s were a very important time in the history of women and fashion. Girls and women everywhere, encouraged by the end of the war and the right to vote, abandoned restricting corsets and started wearing trousers, shorts and generally much looser clothes.

The 20’s, just like the 60’s were a time of roaring change. Women in this era were described as ‘flappers’ because of the flapper dresses they used to wear – which were designed to flatten the bust line rather than accentuate it.

The ‘boyish’ figure became popular and hips were also hidden under low rise skirts and dresses. Women started wearing short haircuts like the cropped bob. Cotton and wool became much more widespread but satin, velvet and silk were preferred amongst the wealthier women.

Books and movies like The Great Gatsby and Chicago describe the 1920’s fashion and bohemian lifestyle in great detail.

Having had a bob for most of my life, I identify with part of this era and I love the idea of simple lines and breaking free from the norm. By wearing clothes that allowed free movement, women in the 20’s made a strong statement and, like them, girls wearing vintage nowadays are making a statement by wearing clothes that represent them – from whichever era they choose.

1930’s vintage fashion

Over the course of the 1930s, fashion began to considerably shift away from the roaring 20’s. The androgynous look worn by women in the 1920’s was eventually replaced by a more feminine style, with the re-introduction of the natural waist and longer skirts and dresses.

Women wore elegant, slender, form-flattering dresses and long hair started to be worn swept up.

Evening wear consisted of dresses with low or no backs.

My favourite way of getting vintage inspiration for my outfits is by watching movies from or about different influential eras.

Also, find out more about vintage fashion from these decades:

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