6 Ways to Make Your Legs Look Longer

Long legs have always been considered a beautiful attribute, since they show a girl's physical development and entrance into adulthood (biologically speaking).  However, not all of us are blessed with long, twiggy model legs!  I, for one, am five feet tall and my legs never appear very long without using some wardrobe manipulation tips...

Does taking tips like these make us someone we aren't or show that we conform to society?  No way!  By choosing and manipulating our wardrobes to fit us, we are no longer have to fit ourselves into trendy styles or be at the mercy of ready-to-wear designers.  We can dress ourselves to accentuate the natural beauty God has given every woman and to communicate the message we want to send to the world!
Flashback Summer: 6 Ways to Make Your Legs Look Longer
From Vogue, March 1938
Vertical Stripes
Use vertical prints and seams to elongate your body and draw the eye in a continuous line from top to bottom.  This will create a longer look.  However, avoid doing this with tight clothing.  The lines will no longer be straight and vertical but will curve around your curves instead, breaking up the top-to-bottom motion of the eye.  (Not to mention this 30s outfit is UH-MAY-ZING.)


Flashback Summer: 6 Ways to Make Your Legs Look Longer

Trouser Fit Jeans/Trousers
This is the same idea as the vertical stripes.  The jean edges create a smooth line, and the fullness at the bottom can also help balance out hips.

Flashback Summer: 6 Ways to Make Your Legs Look Longer
I love Stacy!
Pointed Shoes
Pointed shoes, whether flat or heeled, will lengthen the leg by literally making the foot a bit longer and the point creates a longer line (unlike platform rounded toe shoes).  Though flat shoes with points will work, heels will still elongate the most. By putting the foot on a heel, it makes it appear longer from the front.  (Compare Stacy's heeled foot with Clinton's flat one.)

Flashback Summer: 6 Ways to Make Your Legs Look Longer
from here
High Waisted Bottoms
An easy way to make your legs look longer?  Make it look like they start higher than they actually do with high-waisted shorts, skirts, dresses, etc.

Flashback Summer: 6 Ways to Make Your Legs Look Longer
Stacy London
Above or Below the Knee Skirt Length
Wearing skirts/dresses that land right above or right below the knee bring attention to the thinnest parts of the leg.  Other lengths bring attention to bigger parts of the leg.  Above the knee emphasizes the thigh, below will hit the calf at its thickest part, and right on the knee divides the leg in an awkward place and shortens it.  So.... right above and below the knee will be your best friends if you'd like your legs to look longer.

Flashback Summer: 6 Ways to Make Your Legs Look Longer
Pic from here
Skin Colored Shoes
Wear shoes that match your skin tone (or is close), or the same color as your tights if you're wearing those.  These make the leg into one contiguous line without any horizontal breaks on it caused by a color difference.

Quick Rosie Hair Tutorial

Hey friends!  Today I've got a five minute tutorial video on how to do quick "Rosie" hair (as featured in this 1940s outfit post).  This hairstyle is GREAT for bad hair days or days when I'm in a rush.  (I'm in college, those days are..... often.)  It's also a fun way to showcase any fun scarves you have in an easy intro-to-vintage look.

If you try this hairstyle, post pics or links!  I'd love to see your take on it!

Music:
"I Got the Sun in the Morning"- Les Brown
"That Ole Devil Called Love"- Billie Holiday

P.S.  If you have any questions or run across any troublesome spots, let me know and I'll try to help!

Couture Allure Costume Contest Entry

Flashback Summer: Couture Allure Costume Contest Entry, 1920s photo shoot, outfit
Flashback Summer: Couture Allure Costume Contest Entry, 1920s outfit

Flashback Summer: Couture Allure Costume Contest Entry, 1920s outfit

Yesterday I entered the Couture Allure costume contest!  I wanted to do a no-buy costume since I'm on a budget, so I dressed as a 1920s vamp (think Theda Bara sort of influence, see pics below) and sent in the picture.  It would be great to win; it's a great store but definitely out of my price range at the moment....
Flashback Summer: Couture Allure Costume Contest Entry, 1920s outfit, theda bara

vamp- short for "vampire"; a woman so cruelly attractive that she could ensnare any man, exploit him, trample him, and walk away with an enormous grin on her face (definition from here)

Theda Bara is the iconic 1920s vamp, and her characters in silent films made characters like Cleopatra and vampires possible for women in the future.  (Read a great article on it here.)  In one of her movies, Theda Bara has a scene that perfectly epitomizes a vamp.  A man walks into a room and wistfully smells some roses (he's in love!), then walks out.  After him, Theda the vamp (his love), walks in, smells the roses as well.... then tears them apart and walks out laughing.  Scary ladies, these exotic vamps.

Of course, I don't condone the character issues of a vamp..... But it's pretty fun to cake on the makeup and be mysteriously dark for a little bit.  

shoes- vintage 1920s
fur stole- from MJ

Flashback Summer: Couture Allure Costume Contest Entry, 1920s photo shoot, outfit

Flashback Summer: Couture Allure Costume Contest Entry, 1920s outfit

Flashback Summer: Couture Allure Costume Contest Entry, 1920s photo shoot, outfit


Bikes and Blue

Flashback Summer: Bikes and Blue, 1950s hat and sweater outfit

Flashback Summer: Bikes and Blue, 1950s hat and sweater, 1960s skirt outfit

Flashback Summer: Bikes and Blue, 1950s hat and sweater outfit

Flashback Summer: Bikes and Blue, 1950s hat and sweater outfit

Flashback Summer: Bikes and Blue, 1950s hat and sweater outfit
              Flashback Summer: Bikes and Blue, gray heels
Flashback Summer: Bikes and Blue, 1950s hat and sweater outfit

Flashback Summer: Bikes and Blue, 1950s hat and sweater outfit

I found this vintage 1950s sweater this past weekend at a small town flea market.  It looks like someone painstakingly sewed all the trim around the neckline. I was surprised; it actually fits me perfectly!  I NEVER find anything small enough to fit me perfectly!  So I took it home, washed it really well, and wore it today.  I also didn't have a skirt that would go color-wise or pants (it's short and meant for vintage high-waisted pant styles.... which I currently don't have), so I whipped up a charcoal pencil skirt to go with it from a 1960s pattern I love.

Then my friend Maureen and I took my sister's and my bike to Walmart.  We ended up going by car 'cuz one of the bikes had some issues...... but it was an adventure!

P.S.  Excuse the crazy hair in all the pictures.  It's quite windy and cold today.


sweater and hat- thrifted
skirt- made by me
shoes- Payless, I think...
bike- vintage 1970s from my uncle's garage!

1920s Photo Shoot

Flashback Summer: 1920s Photo Shoot

Flashback Summer: 1920s Photo Shoot

One of my bff's, Noor, is an AWESOME photographer, and we like to combine her sweet photography skills with my vintage style on different themed shoots.  Here are some photos from a 1920s themed outfit, never released to the public!

headband- gift (but it's new)
dress- F21
shoes- original 1920s from Decades
photography- Noor Renfroe


Flashback Summer: 1920s Photo Shoot

Flashback Summer: 1920s Photo Shoot, shoes

Flashback Summer: 1920s Photo Shoot, lace dress

Flashback Summer: 1920s Photo Shoot, lace dress

Flashback Summer: 1920s Photo Shoot, lace dress

New Pink Hat

Flashback Summer: New Pink Hat, 1950s vintage hat outfit

Flashback Summer: New Pink Hat, 1950s vintage hat outfit

Flashback Summer: New Pink Hat, 1950s vintage hat outfit

Flashback Summer: New Pink Hat, 1950s vintage hat outfit

Flashback Summer: New Pink Hat, 1950s vintage hat outfit

Flashback Summer: New Pink Hat, 1950s vintage hat outfit

Today I wore my new, now-lovely-smelling pink hat!  I found it at a flea market over the weekend, and I like that though the top is pink, the base it's built on and the net in the middle is a dark blue color.  Thus, I wore my blue hooded dress.  I don't wear it much because it wrinkles almost immediately.  (Believe it or not, I ironed it all this morning!)

Over the weekend, my friends Danielle, Laura, and I also did some hair-dying experimentation, and you can kind of see the underlayers of my hair in the last picture that I dyed black.  I also dyed a middle layer a brighter blonde, but for some reason (I think 'cuz my top layer is too long), it's not usually visible.  Oh well.  It was a $7 investment for fun and memories with friends.

dress- Max & Co. (From some store in Italy... This is what the tag says.)
hat- flea market
shoes- JC Penny maybe?  Some department store?

The Smell of Smoke and Grandmas

The past few days have been my fall break from school (long awaited and much needed!), and my dad, sister, and I went on our annual father-daughter camping trip.  It was a LOT of fun, and very rejuvenating.  I'm ready to start the last half of the semester off well!

On the way back we stopped at a flea market (yes, I chop wood then buy girly stuff at flea markets without blinking an eye; it's weird), and I found this pinkish-maroon 1950s hat for five bucks!!!  While not perfect, it's a unique color and definitely in my poor college student price range.

However, after being with my camping stuff and in a flea market, the hat smelled like wood smoke/grandmas/flea market musty.  My mother, a basically professional hospitality/creativity/homemaking lady, had a solution that I'm sure you will all find useful:



How to Remove Icky Smells From Items You Can't Wash


Flashback Summer- How to Remove Unwanted Smells From Items You Can't Wash






Needed:
- smelly item
- paper bag
- newspaper
- Febreze (optional)






Flashback Summer- How to Remove Unwanted Smells From Items You Can't Wash








Take your smelly item and place it in the paper bag.









Flashback Summer- How to Remove Unwanted Smells From Items You Can't Wash
Wad up sheets of newspaper and spray Febreze on them.  (The spray is optional, but it will give the item a clean smell.)

Put the newspaper wads in the paper bag with the smelly item and leave it for a day or two.  (I left my hat overnight.)  The newspaper will absorb the smell and your item will smell great, and you don't have to worry about ruining it with cleaner or water stains!  

*Additional tip:  If you're afraid the newsprint ink will rub off on your item, wrap the item in white tissue paper for one layer, then surround with newspaper.

(My smoky-smelling backpack or other such items can be filled with newspaper wads, and this gets rid of the smell for bigger items.)

Etsy Hat Craze

Flashback Summer- Etsy Hat Craze
Oh my word.  I recently started wearing more blatantly vintage hats (got the courage, finally!), and a whole new world opened up to me on Etsy..... These hats above are some of my favorites!  Some of them are old, but some are new with vintage styling as well.  I dream of a large hat collection.  I dream, I dream.  Enjoy!


1|2|3|4|5|6|7

1940s Casual

Flashback Summer- 1940s casual outfit

Flashback Summer- 1940s casual outfit

Flashback Summer- 1940s casual outfit

Flashback Summer- 1940s casual outfit, modern wedge heels

Flashback Summer- 1940s casual outfit

There are some days that I don't have a lot of time to get ready (because an alarm doesn't go off at the desired time for various reasons...), and this hairstyle is one of my favorites for a quick vintage look.  It's also good for second-day hair or when my very straight hair has "dents" from a previous hairstyle (like a ponytail).

Today was also the first day I tried out a new lip stain.  I have an ongoing battle with lipstick (it just gets everywhere when I wear it; probably a user error, I know), and this stuff is GREAT!  It has two steps (stain and gloss), and I drank coffee and brushed my teeth before taking these pictures... and it still looked good!

I like my look to be inspired by vintage fashion, but sometimes I like throwing in modern elements.  (I love the platform heel fad going on right now, what can I say?)  Hence, this outfit is a mosh of old and new.

Then, my sister and I tried beating the mid-semester study apathy by going to a coffee shop to study.  It helped a little bit.

sweater- F21
scarf- thrifted
shoes- Target
lipstick- Maybelline Super Stay Color (First time I've used it!  I highly approve!)
necklace and earrings- 1950s, inherited from my great-grandmother

Salute to Jackie


Salute to Jackie- 1960s vintage style retro outfit


Salute to Jackie- 1960s vintage style retro outfit

Salute to Jackie- 1960s vintage style retro outfit
I did cat-eye make up!  It's still a bit of a process to get everything even...

Salute to Jackie- 1960s vintage style retro dress

The photographer behind the lens, my sister, Aria!

Today I wore a hat my grandmother found for me at an estate sale this summer.  She got it wonderfully cheap and it's in perfect condition, so I was super excited.  However.... it's a pillbox hat.  I literally had to look up different ways to wear it (via Jackie Kennedy pictures!) and figure out which looked best on my round face!


Before today, I didn't really like pillbox hats, but I really like this one.  With the faux fringe and bun hairstyle, it would be a perfect bad hair day accessory, much easier than a 40s or 50s style which requires curling, bobby pins, etc. (or more complicated updo's, which are not time-friendly for my current skill set.... working on it).

I also have gloves in the pictures, but, I'll admit, I didn't wear them to classes.  A hat is strange enough, and I don't think Springfield is quite ready for gloves that aren't worn solely for warmth, yet.  However, I'll definitely be working up the courage to do it eventually!

hat- estate sale
shoes- Payless (one of the few carriers of size 5!)
dress- Vera Wang (from Kohl's?)
jacket- borrowed from my sister's closet (huzzah dorm life!)