Guest Post on Va-Voom Vintage: 7 Ways to Spice Up a Pair of Vintage Gloves

Hey friends!  Today marks a milestone in my blogging career.

I did my first guest post on another blog!

When Brittany of Va-Voom Vintage asked if I'd be up to do a post, I said, "HECK YES I WOULD!"  (Actually, I didn't tell her that in the reply email, but I definitely said it out loud to myself, haha.)

I posted a tutorial on 7 ways to spice up a pair of plain vintage gloves.  It was a lot of fun for me to do, and I think you guys will like it!  Check it out here!

Flashback Summer: Guest Post on Va-Voom Vintage- 7 Ways to Spice Up a Pair of Vintage Gloves

My Etsy Shop Is Officially Open!

Alright, drumroll please.......

My Etsy shop is now officially open!!!

It's the same name as this blog, but without the spaces (as Etsy shops do, you know): flashbacksummer

The shop is made of vintage and vintage-inspired accessories.  Some things I've gathered, and some things I've made (they still resemble vintage styles or to add to them).

I photographed things and edited all day today, so the shop will be updated often!  Check it out; I'm sure you'll find some things that will suit your style!  You can click this link or use the "Etsy Shop" tab at the top of my blog!

Also, check out my Etsy "About" page to learn more about why I started the shop, more pictures, etc.

Here are peeks at some of the items that are available now:
Flashback Summer: My Etsy Shop Is Officially Open!
Flashback Summer: My Etsy Shop Is Officially Open!
Flashback Summer: My Etsy Shop Is Officially Open!
Flashback Summer: My Etsy Shop Is Officially Open!
Flashback Summer: My Etsy Shop Is Officially Open!
Flashback Summer: My Etsy Shop Is Officially Open!
Flashback Summer: My Etsy Shop Is Officially Open!
Flashback Summer: My Etsy Shop Is Officially Open!
Flashback Summer: My Etsy Shop Is Officially Open!

"The Lampstand" Fascinator Sale!

Blogger friends, my friend Laura just informed me of a GREAT fascinator sale at The Lampstand!  It's a locally based company, and they have a boutique called Maceo's here in my town.  They're closing out the line, and the toppers are 85% off!  They all range from $2.09-$5.39!  RIDICULOUS, right?!

I just wanted to give you guys a quick heads up!

Check 'em out:

Breaking the Fashion Rules

I've heard it said amongst fashion rule-followers that one shouldn't wear black and brown together.

I really feel like that is ludicrous and definitely one of those rules that is meant to be broken.  I LOVE black and brown together.  Like, LOVE it.

Aria and I did a mini photo shoot in a park near our school, and she did a great job taking and editing the photos!
Flashback Summer:  Breaking the Fashion Rules

Flashback Summer:  Breaking the Fashion Rules

Flashback Summer:  Breaking the Fashion Rules

Flashback Summer:  Breaking the Fashion Rules

shoes: Target kids' section
tights, skirt, cardigan: department stores, I think.
hat: Relics Antique Mall
purse: Dolce and Gabbana (but possibly a knock-off...)
gloves: MJs
antique button pin: made by me!
fur collar: gifted

Flashback Summer:  Breaking the Fashion Rules

Flashback Summer:  Breaking the Fashion Rules

Flashback Summer:  Breaking the Fashion Rules

Flashback Summer:  Breaking the Fashion Rules

Flashback Summer:  Breaking the Fashion Rules

Flashback Summer:  Breaking the Fashion Rules

So what do you think of the black and brown combo?  Does it work for you?  Why or why not?

International Vintage: Egypt 1920s-1940s

Flashback Summer:  International Vintage- Egypt 1920s-1940s
Movie poster for the movie "Berlanti" (1944)
Today I have the first "International Vintage" post for you guys!  I especially want to highlight the countries I've lived in, Egypt and Sudan, so I'm starting with Egypt today.

Egypt was controlled by the British until the 1950s, so it was influenced by the West, though mostly in metropolitan areas where foreigners tended (tend) to live.  Early on, Egypt took hold of film-making technology and made it its own.  Even today, Egypt is one of the strongest influences on Middle Eastern and Arabic-language media, especially movies.

The 1930s-1950s are considered the "Golden Age" of Egyptian cinema.  Music has always played an important role in the Egyptian culture, and this was reflected in the fact that during this period, 50% of the films produced were musicals.

Personally, I love seeing old Egyptian films with the mix of traditional clothing and Western-influenced wear.  They had victory rolls, wiggle dresses and lipstick like westerners, then other characters wore traditional abayas and hijab (modest dresses and the veil).  It's also great to watch the videos of old movies and hear them speak Arabic.  I miss that.  I miss Egypt and its beautiful people! 

Egypt also inspired plenty of Western fashions, especially in the early 1910s to 1920s when westerners were fascinated with exotic places and intrigued by the discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1922.  Ancient Egyptian motifs adorned clothing and inspired movies such as Theda Bara's "Cleopatra."

Now that you've got the info, check out the eye candy!


"Al Azema" (1939) starring Hekmet Fahmy, a dancer, actress and WWII spy


And more of the same movie.... Great outfits!

Here are some pictures of western-styled singers, actresses, and dancers from Egyptian cinema's "Golden Age"
Flashback Summer:  International Vintage- Egypt 1920s-1940s
Hind Rostom (Talk about bombshell!!!) and Farid Al-Atrash in movie singing "Ya Mgabbel Youm el Leila".  Hind is known as the Marilyn Monroe of Egypt, and for good reason!  She's got the build of Marilyn, with the addition of belly dancing skills!
Flashback Summer:  International Vintage- Egypt 1920s-1940s
Amina Rizk
Flashback Summer:  International Vintage- Egypt 1920s-1940s
Oum Kalsoum, an extremely famous singer.  It is common to hear people still listening to her songs today, and every Egyptian (and most of the Middle East) knows who she was!
Flashback Summer:  International Vintage- Egypt 1920s-1940s
Leila Mourad, a Lebanese singer often starring in Egyptian movies
Flashback Summer:  International Vintage- Egypt 1920s-1940s
Faten Hamama, an actress (isn't she GORGEOUS?!)
Flashback Summer:  International Vintage- Egypt 1920s-1940s
Movie poster for "Yahya El Hob" (1938)
Flashback Summer:  International Vintage- Egypt 1920s-1940s
Samia Gamal (dancer)

Although upper-class and urban Egyptians tended to adopt Western clothing, during this time (and to this day!), many Egyptians still wear traditional clothing influenced by Middle Eastern and Islamic culture.  In a later post, I'll highlight the traditional clothing worn in this time period and how it's still worn today.

What do you guys think of the Egyptian-Western style?  Have you ever looked at other countries' vintage style?

Rose Red and Victory Rolls

Flashback Summer:  Rose Red and Victory Rolls

Today I wore a more vintage-inspired outfit and focused on trying a new hairstyle.  I didn't have much time (as usual... classes cramp my style sometimes), so I tried out this 'do that wouldn't involve a whole lot of curling.  It worked!  I am getting a lot better at doing rolls quickly, so that definitely helps!

And in these pictures, yes, I'm sitting on a utility locker.  I thought it looked fun.

Flashback Summer:  Rose Red and Victory Rolls

shirt: DAV thrift store
jeans: American Eagle?
shoes: Payless
flower: gift

Flashback Summer:  Rose Red and Victory Rolls

Flashback Summer:  Rose Red and Victory Rolls

Flashback Summer:  Rose Red and Victory Rolls

Hospitality: Teavana Tea Review

Flashback Summer:  Teavana Tea Review

Edit 1/23/2018: Teavana has shut down and been replaced with The Republic of Tea.  Links have been changed to reflect this and there are now updated suggested flavors chosen from what is now available on the Republic of Tea site to coordinate with the previous Teavana products.

It's been a bit of a rough week for my family and I, and in addition to prayer, a fabulous boyfriend that takes me to see "Les Miserables", and good friends, you know what helps in such situations?

Tea.

So I whipped out the green teapot and Teavana looseleaf teas that my boyfriend's family got me for Christmas.  (Thanks, Julie!)  First of all, the teapot is microwaveable and matches the green in my dorm room perfectly.  Secondly, I've never tried Teavana teas, so I thought I'd share my first experiences with you!  Tea is a HUGE part of hospitality in many (dare I say most?) places in the world, and of course it's comforting in all situations, so I always like to have a good stash on hand.

I also had my friend, Amber, and my sister, Aria, try a couple of the teas and got their opinions on them as well.

The flavors we are reviewing:
Flashback Summer:  Teavana Tea Review

First, let's go with the classic Earl Grey. (Republic of Tea - Earl Grey)
Flashback Summer:  Teavana Tea Review
Aria tasted the Earl Grey, a black tea.  She said the looseleaf tea takes a bit longer to get as strong as a tea bag version does in less time.  (I'll add the reason why this is:  Oftentimes the tea that is put into tea bags is the leftover tea leaf dust.  It's a finer texture, of course, than the larger leaf chunks of looseleaf, and it has more surface area, therefore steeping faster because more tea is exposed to the hot water.  Make sense?)
She also said this Earl Grey had a very nice smooth texture, and she enjoyed the classic taste a lot!

 Now to my favorite, Peach Tranquility. (Republic of Tea - Peach Blossom Oolong)
Flashback Summer:  Teavana Tea Review
First of all, isn't it beautiful?! It's an herbal mix with dried fruits, rooibos, chamomile, petals, peels, herbs, spices, etc.  My first discovery in opening the bag is that not only is it beautifully colorful, but it smells INCREDIBLE.  Its peachy, tangy goodness made my mouth water to smell it.
The taste was more subtle than the smell but still quite good.  The combination of subtle taste with delightful smell was a clean, springy, refreshing sort of tea.  I highly recommend it!

Imperial Açai Blueberry came next.  (Republic of Tea - Wild Blueberry)
Flashback Summer:  Teavana Tea Review
First, let me answer the question that always runs through my head when I see "açai":
It's pronounced "uh-sah-ee."  As confirmed by my Brazilian-American friend, Kelly.
Now to the tea itself.  Something I really liked- when I noticed it- is that I knew the ingredients list was legit because I could see the actual dried blueberries, hibiscus flower petals, raisins, etc. that were listed on the label.  Woooo for natural and not-so-processed!  However, I think I steeped it a bit too long the first time, so I had to try again later.  It's a black tea and it was just too bitter to enjoy.  (My fault.  I had gotten distracted.)
On the second try I opened the bag and was once again salivating from the tangy berry scent.  I let it steep about 5 minutes (the average time between white and rooibos brew times), and the result was, for me, mixed.  It was extremely subtle with a black tea taste and a very, very light berry aftertaste.  I like very flavorful teas, so I'd probably be putting some sugar in this to make it my kind of tasty, but the health benefits of a blueberry, açai, white/rooibos tea can't be denied!

Lastly, the Sevenberry Sangria. (Republic of Tea - Blackberry Sage)
Flashback Summer:  Teavana Tea ReviewThere's no alcohol.  Just wanted to calm any misgivings from the name "sangria," haha.
This rooibos tea is also very pretty with its light shades and dark crimson contents, including grapes, elderberries, black currants, and blueberries.
Upon opening this bag, the scent was a very sweet berry smell.  Amber reviewed this one for me and remarked that it was quite fruity and light, with just a bit of twang to it.  She rather liked it and said she'd drink it again.

The final word:
Teavana tea is good.  It's really good!
Looseleaf tends to be made of higher quality tea leaves (when it uses actual tea), and I could definitely taste this in the teas we tried.  All the ingredients were natural; I knew what pretty much everything was, no hard, scientific names!

The tea also came in resealable, opaque bags that keep everything fresh.  Ingredients are all listed on the front, and tea type-specific brewing instructions are included on the back.

On the logistics side, the Teavana site is GREAT.  It has all the teas organized for easy reference, gorgeous pictures, detailed taste descriptions, and even a digital "tea wall" for quick reference.  They sell all kinds of tea by the ounce (black, white, rooibos, mate, etc.) (usually in 2 oz increments), along with tea accessories, containers, sweeteners, and tea-themed gift sets.  The prices were also good with more common teas (such as Earl Grey) for $3.80/2 oz. all the way up to specialty teas (like Thai Mountain Oolong) for $22.00/2 oz.  However, most of them seem to be under $10.

I highly recommend you tea-lovers (or potential ones!) check out the Teavana teas!  They're both enjoyable to drink and look at and offer a huge international variety that should please anyone!  If any of you order up some of this deliciousness, do your own tea review and leave me a comment telling me what you think of it!

Happy sipping!

I did not collaborate with Teavana for this post.  I bought all the tea myself and all opinions are mine.  Though if Teavana would like to send me free tea... I'm open to the idea.

International Vintage: Intro


While I definitely love vintage and vintage culture, I sometimes feel that it sucks people into a European-American vacuum.  The 1940s were, for Americans at least, pretty much the first time that large-scale travel occurred and Americans got to experience other cultures (due, of course, to WWII).  Allied troops were all over the world, including in North Africa, the Pacific, and Europe.  For many (possibly most) of the American troops, their deployments were the first encounter with people from other cultures. 

As troops travelled, they often gathered souvenirs and gifts for loved ones at home, thus introducing bits of foreign culture to normal American citizens in a way that had never occurred before.  This exposure to foreign cultures, lands, and people were reflected in fashion, such as these popular trends from the 40s and 50s:

Cheongsam dress pattern from the 1950s

1940s Mexican Tourist jacket
1940s vintage kimono robe

When the boys (and ladies!) came home, they brought a new wealth of world experience that continued the process of opening up average America's worldview to other peoples.

Not only did other cultures affect American style, but Western style also affected other cultures.  I'm introducing a new category of post I'm calling "Intercultural Vintage".  I'll be highlighting vintage foreign looks, starting with Egyptian and Sudanese fashions and stars.    Since I've lived in these other countries, they're near and dear to my heart.  It's all to remind us that there were things going on in the rest of the world during these times, too!  I've discovered some vintage-Western/traditional fashion blends that I think you guys will really enjoy and perhaps take some inspiration from!

Sneak Peek!

Even though it was frigidly cold outside today, some girls from my dorm floor (shout out to Felicia, Joy, Jesse, and Amber!) graciously agreed to help model some of the items I'm preparing for my new Etsy shop!  It was so amazing to have their help, because then I could focus on the styling, keeping everything organized, and helping Aria get the photos I need for the shop.  

Although none of these ladies would say they dress vintage every day, they had a lot of fun dolling up and embracing the retro style!  (Spreading the vintage love, a little at a time....)  They hung out in the photo shoot's "base" coffee shop, Big Momma's (one of my absolute favorites!) and took turns braving the cold for a few hats, then rushing inside to regain feeling in their appendages and sip delicious beverages.  They're such troopers.  And they looked fabulous while they did it!  No pained expressions or anything!

My sister, Aria, was the photographer, and she did a great job, don't you think?  She has a great eye and helps me out of sisterly love.  :)

So here are a few sneak peeks from our photo shoot of some of the items that will be coming soon!  Once I get my shop a bit more stocked with vintage and vintage-inspired accessories and totally set up, you guys will be the first to know!



Alert, A Snood Giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed.


I heard of this fabulous Arthelia's Attic snood giveaway on Chronically Vintage, and I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited.

I've been thinking of snoods a lot, amazingly, just as Jessica of Chronically Vintage has been too.  They just seem like such a fabulous way to look vintagely adorable without a whole lot of work.  Since I'm still getting into the routine of waking up early after a glorious Christmas break full of sleep..... getting ready quick in order to secure more sleep time has been a priority, and I could use a snood.

I'm sure many of you feel the same way, so check it out here!  Entries will be accepted until January 14, and the drawing will happen the 15th!

Get the Look: Theda Bara

"The reason good women like me and flock to my pictures is that there is a little bit of vampire instinct in every woman."
- Theda Bara
(quoted in Clark's Women, Women, Women: Quips, Quotes, and Commentary)

Flashback Summer:  Get the Look- Theda Bara

One of the greatest icons of silent film, Theda Bara has disappeared into history for all but 1920s lovers and film students, but she had a huge impact on the craft of film and acting.

She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1885 to immigrant parents.  Her first Broadway debut was in 1908  in the play The Devil.  She moved on to silent film, and she made over 40 films in her movie career from 1915 to 1926, but only 6 remain intact.  The rest were destroyed in a studio fire in 1937. (Noooooooooooo!!!!) 

Her most famous roles were those as a "vamp", short for vampire.  She was dynamic, exotic, and mysteriously alluring.  She did not totally fit the "beautiful woman" mold of her time, but her acting skills and smoldering, dark sensuality made her one of the biggest movie stars of her day, only behind Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford.

Flashback Summer:  Get the Look- Theda Bara

Clips from "A Fool There Was", the 1915 movie that made Theda famous

Theda was also known for her eyes.  Often framed in smoky, thick makeup, her large brown eyes could look innocent one moment and maniacally alluring the next.  They were immortalized in songs from her day, such as "If I Had a Man Like Valentino" ("Theda Bara sure would die, /she would never roll another eye") and "Louisville Lou" by Yellen and Ager ("Oh, what that vampin' baby can do!/ She got the meanest pair o' eyes,/ Theda Bara eyes, that the world ever knew!")

Flashback Summer:  Get the Look- Theda Bara

Flashback Summer:  Get the Look- Theda Bara

Her most iconic role was as Cleopatra in 1917.  Sadly, only 16 seconds of the film exists today, but there are plenty of pictures of her in the costumes from the film.  Her costumes were very revealing (especially for that day!), and this helped solidify her spot as the first Hollywood sex symbol.  Such costumes were common in her films but were later banned in the 1930 Production Code that censored movies.

"Cleopatra" footage

Flashback Summer:  Get the Look- Theda Bara

Flashback Summer:  Get the Look- Theda Bara

Flashback Summer:  Get the Look- Theda Bara

Theda Bara later married Charles Brabin in 1921 and retired from acting.  She is one of the most famous silent film-only actresses, and she has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Her image as the epitome of vamp, the first temptress, the exotic "daughter of an Arab sheik and a French woman, born in the Sahara" helped mold the new film media and set the standard for generations of actors afterward.

While I wouldn't recommend going out in a snake bra, you can still get the mysterious vamp look of Theda Bara into your wardrobe!