Introducing.... Pam in the Sand!

Hey friends!  I wanted to introduce a new blogger to all of you: my mother!

She has recently taken some of her old Facebook notes and put them into a blog called "Pam in the Sand", and she's been adding new posts all the time.  The description of her blog is, "The life, times and musings of an American Midwest woman who moves to Northeast Africa".  

Seriously, you will LOVE the stories she puts up.

She's a brilliant writer, and her posts are often hilarious with great application to life.  I know you'll all enjoy them!

So go, read a bunch of her posts write now and check it out!

20s/30s Palazzo Pants and Fingerwaves

Recently, I acquired some wave clips from a flea market and decided to try my hand at fingerwaves for the first time!  Although, granted, they didn't turn out as a stellar example, they do resemble fingerwaves, and that's a successful first try in my book!

I wore them with a late 20s/early 30s look inspired by a picture I saw of an Italian actress/model from the 30s.  She's, you know, gorgeous, and has on a simple white blouse, large sunhat, and palazzo pants.  But for the life of me, I can't find it anywhere or remember her name!  If anyone has an idea of what I'm talking about, let me know!

Edit:  I FOUND IT!  It's actually Renee Perle, and I was wrong; she's Romanian.  Here's the picture I was referencing:

Anyway.... It's such a comfy, easy look, and I do love the swishing sound of the pants.  It makes trousers feel much more glamorous!

shirt: handmade by me

pants: resized old F21 pants

bangles and barrette: gift

shoes: department store

wave clips: Relics Antique Mall

Honor Them All

Today I inadvertently ran across a documentary entitled "The Negro Soldier."  I discovered the documentary is a War Department film made by Frank Capra in 1944 that highlights the role of black soldiers in America's World War II efforts.  Below I've included a synopsis and some of my thoughts about it.  I know that all of this can be a sensitive subject for many people, so feel free to read what I have to say and give me your input, and please assume the best of me if something I've said is unclear or seems unkind.

Here's the documentary:

Disclaimer:  Yes, I realize this isn't a politically correct film all the time.  It's from 1944 and entitled "The Negro Soldier", come on.  However, I do think it's a good snapshot of a propaganda film of the time, remembering that oftentimes such films were the only sources of news that many Americans would see, and whether PC or not, it's a piece of history.  Though some parts are questionable, I believe the overall spirit of the film is to uplift and honor African Americans.

I appreciated this viewpoint of the war.  While obviously propagandistic and emphasizing the positive, how often do we get to hear or see anything about African Americans in the 1940s?  We have movies today about black soldiers and their families, but this is the first period film I've seen.  It not only talked about the men, either!  African American women in the military are highlighted a bit as well!  

The documentary covers all aspects of a recruit's life, their families' responses, and the history of African American contributions in the U.S.  Not to mention, usually only white people are represented in the fashion information we vintage lovers reference.  It was wonderful to see all the African American ladies dolled up!  (It is narrated from a church service, so everyone is dressed to the 9's!)

The narrator, a minister, also points out that African Americans had much more to lose if the Nazi regime were victorious.  Hitler said despicable things about black people, and African Americans faced potentially more cost than whites when captured, or if the Nazis were to win.  In the film, defeat of Hitler is also treated as a defeat of racism, a step toward real equality and opportunity for black Americans in their own country.  Undoubtedly, the courageous service and sacrifice of black Americans during World War II broke down more barriers, stereotypes, and expectations that had existed before and opened the minds of many, planting more seeds of civil rights and equality that would come to fruition later.

The people of the U.S. have prided ourselves on the idea of "equality for all" since the birth of our nation, though we have not always represented that ideal in our actions.  All groups have been guilty; no one people, ethnicity, or gender is fully to blame.  We still have a long way to go in defeating racism in our country, but we are closer than we have ever been.  Every day, it is becoming more and more the norm to accept people for who they are, not for the color of their skin or culture they come from.  That is progress.

desegregation of the armed forces

Personally, I am so impressed with these black servicemen and women of World War II.  Serving in war is hard enough without the sideways looks, comments, institutional barriers, and outright prejudice I'm sure these men and women faced.  From their own countrymen.  That, to me, shows more dedication to one's country when you choose to honor it and protect it even when it mistreats you, believing that someday in the future your work will make it better.  That is character and sacrifice.

And while, yes, this documentary is idealistic in many ways, it seems to me that it is an honor done to black soldiers of World War II.  Here is a film in which African Americans are depicted not in the stereotypical roles, but as men and women of honor who stood for freedom with their countrymen when they were needed.  They were officers, infantrymen, mothers, WACs.... Americans.  We remember and cherish their contributions with pride!

What do you think of the documentary?  Do you find it respectful and honoring, or the opposite?  Do you think we vintage lovers tend to sugar coat some parts of the past out of nostalgia?

While I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this, please keep your comments respectful and dignified!

Sewing Camp

I am currently in the throes of "Sewing Camp" at my grandmother's house.  She has an amazing sewing room and sweet skills, so she's helping me make lots of shirts and wardrobe staples for the fall.  I'll show you guys soon!

Barring one weekend in the fall, I've committed to a no-buy semester.  I'm going to save money for big life stuff coming up.  This will force me to use the things I have in my stash, come up with new outfit combinations, and repurpose what I already have.  I will allow myself to buy notions, however, because I don't have a lot of this in my stash.  I think it will be good for me!

Lucite Tips and Discoveries!

As you read on my last lucite post, I'm on a lucite kick because I found such a purse myself last Sunday!  I was wandering my favorite flea market, and I looked again at the purse.  It's in one of my favorite booths (It's really cute and has lots of vintage feminine stuff like shoes and parasols), and I've continued to pass by it for months.  Apparently so has everyone else, because it was still there, and the price was lower!  It was only $30, and as I had no idea what lucite would usually go for, I figured that wasn't bad for a purse and bought it.

Boy, was I pleasantly surprised when I started researching and looking up comparable pieces.  That was quite a deal!  So, I also researched how to shine her up a bit, for she was dusty and tarnished after being in that booth so long.  Let me share my knowledge with you guys!

Tips For Cleaning Lucite

On the actual plastic part of the purse, certain things can be done to get her back to her original awesomeness.  The best thing to clean Lucite is simply some water with a mild soap or detergent in it.  Lucite doesn't discolor, so any stains are probably on the surface.  You could probably use Windex or a glass cleaner as well to get a streak-free shine.

However, not everything can be fixed.  Any cracks or warped pieces can't really be patched or fixed.  However, some sources say that scratches can be buffed away, though I can't find too many specifics on that, and I would imagine it would require special tools.

Tips For Cleaning Metal Accents

Many Lucite purses, like mine, have metal accents.  Oftentimes they are gold in color and tend to be brass or brass-plated metals.  To clean them off, here are a few tips.

1.  First, test the metal to see what kind it is.

A good way to do this is to put a magnet to it and see if it sticks.  If it does, you know it's not pure brass and it's likely a different metal all together or just brass plating.  

A magnet stuck to my purse, so I looked for other clues.  I looked on the bottom where the purse gets a lot of wear, and I could see a bit of a coppery shine coming through, so I'm guessing my purse has copper accents that are brass plated.

2.  If you have a plating on the purse, be careful.

Plating is often thin and can be easily rubbed off with abrasive materials.  It may be best to apply some elbow grease to remove tarnish as best you can, then leave the purse as is.  After a couple scrubbing tries, this is what I decided to do.

3.  For copper and *sometimes* brass...

You can remove tarnish with:

- ketchup (works best with copper)

- lemon juice

- 1/2 c white vinegar, 1 T salt, and hot tap water (or rub the solution on the metal parts and let it sit for 15-20 minutes)

- metal polish (duh)

Lucite Love

I apologize in advance for what may, perhaps, be an infrequency of posts in the near future.  I'm having some internet troubles, so when I want to get online I have to sit at Panera.  And eat this asiago, bacon, egg, cheese sandwich with acai berry iced tea... Darn, I know.  But I try to roll with the setbacks.

Yesterday I picked up a purse I've been eyeing at Relics flea market for a while now.  While I don't have a picture of it for you today (another purse-themed post is to come!), I am going to share with you the research I did on lucite last night.  I'll admit, the first time I saw a lucite bag, I thought the barbie-like, plastic lunchbox purse was strange, but the more I research and discover.... the more I love this lucite stuff.  Let me get you hooked too.  (Peer purse pressure.)

source

What is lucite?

Lucite is a lightweight, odor-free plastic also called acrylic glass.  It isn't technically a glass, but it can be used as a substitute for it (aka, plexiglass).  Lucite began to be mass produced and especially popular in the 1940s and 50s, with some companies even recycling old WWII plane parts to create fun handbags, shoes, jewelry, etc.

Although we don't consider plastic to be a high-quality material these days, the lucite products were well made and functioned as little works of art to incorporate into every day life.  Early products were even handcrafted, before they developed machinery to create them.  Because I found a lucite purse myself, I'm going to highlight those specifically.

What kind of lucite bags were made, and which ones are rarest?

Lucite bags come in nearly any shade including green, pink, blue, turquoise, clear and red, with red being the rarest and most expensive collector item.  They may also have glitter, confetti, flowers, fabric, or other items put into the plastic as well.  There are as many varieties of lucite bags as one could ever want!

A plus of a plastic bag is the huge number of shape options.  Lucite purses can come in trapezoidal, rectangular, round, beehive, and cylindrical shapes, along with many others.  They are often held together with brass fittings and decorations.

source

Why is lucite so special?

Lucite arrived after bakelite, and it was practical for hundreds of uses for a few reasons. It is much lighter than bakelite, and it is also odorless.  It will not shatter and is very durable.  It also wears well and does not yellow over time like other plastics, and scratches can be buffed out.

source

Is there more than one type of lucite?

Yes, it comes in six effects/colors:

solid color, moonglow (resembling a moonstone), confetti (glitter), granite (looks like the rock), embedded (has pieces of other things, such as shells or fabric, inside), and molded/ thermoset (made from any of the other types and most often used for jewelry)

Is there a "lucite test" like there is for bakelite?

Not particularly, there isn't.  When doing the hot pin bakelite test, lucite will melt.   This is not a recommended test, however, since it will damage the piece and lessen its value. As well, it is lighter and smoother then bakelite, so this could be useful in comparison testing.  Since lucite is odorless, it is often best to depend on look and shape to determine if an item is legitimately vintage lucite.  

Lucite jewelry is still made today, but it may be called resin or acrylic resin.  Learn the common looks and trends of the 40s and 50s to differentiate between modern and vintage lucite.

How can I restore and clean lucite pieces?

Stay tuned for the next post!

Other resources:

Lucite Jewelry: Valuable and Collectible Plastic From the Past

Lucite Purses: What is it?  What is it Worth?

Vintage Lucite Purses Make Dazzling Accessories

How to Value a Lucite Handbag

Vintage-Modern-Desert Fusion

For part of my travels the past couple weeks, my parents and I flew to Arizona to visit my sister, Aria, who is working in the Grand Canyon.  I've never been to the southwest area of the U.S. at all, and I've certainly never been to the Grand Canyon!  It's something I've always wanted to see, and "Grand" is really the perfect name for it.  Though we stayed on the rim because of a lack of time and didn't venture to the bottom of the canyon, the views were magnificent nonetheless.

(Also, this song was in my head the whole time, and you really should play it while you read for the full experience!)

It's so strange to feel so small.  The Canyon blurs time and space in a way I've not experienced before.  From the rim, I could look down and see a trail, but I didn't realize how far away it was, actually miles and miles, until I saw the little t-shirt specks moving along it!  I also got to see a condor (an endangered bird as tall as I am just sitting with a 8-10 foot wingspan!); that was pretty exciting.  It was incredible to see it fly upward, so high that the massive bird became only a black speck over the canyon.  I've never wanted to fly so much myself!

My father and I! 

I was surprised to find that the canyon is not all orangey desert as I thought it was.  It was actually very forested, mostly with pine trees!  (At least where I was at.)  However, it was still very hot.  I combined a wonderfully cool and comfy dress with some victory rolls, shades, and cowboy boots for what I'm calling a vintage-modern-desert fusion.

High fashion pose.  Hahaha.

dress and sunglasses: Kohl's

boots: flea market

Keep Your Eye on the Grand Ol' Flag!

Here is my last patriotic outfit for the 4th of July/ American Independence day!

(Just a side note, Americans pretty much always say the month first then the date, as in "July fifth".  Except with the 4th of July.... Tradition, I suppose?)

I'll be celebrating the day in the pretty typical American way.  Good food, good friends and family, sweet iced tea, swimming, and fireworks.  We'll think about what this whole idea of American freedom really means, what it has cost, and how it applies to us today.  Hopefully people will also consider how to protect it and the other values America has held dear from its conception.

One of my family's traditions is to watch James Cagney in "Yankee Doodle Dandy", but, alas, I don't have it here.  Very sad.  But it's the PERFECT 4th of July movie, so someone watch it!  Here are a couple clips:

Also, sometime today I should have a guest post on Lovebirds Vintage you guys may wish to check out!

.... For the Red, White, and Blue...

Continuing the theme started Monday, I've got another patriotic outfit for you guys!

I really love this one.  It's super comfortable, practical, and still cute.  Plus, with red, white and blue it can be patriotic for a number of countries!  The UK, France, Australia; it still applies for you peeps in other places. :)





The only thing that could make it better would be a little patriotic brooch.  Any of these would do:

Click here if you'd like to drool over some more amazing bakelite.  WOW.  I'm melting inside looking at it now....

blouse and trousers: flea markets

belt: resized by me (tutorial here)

shoes: Target kids

For My Heart Beats True...

In honor of Thursday being the 4th of July, America's Independence Day, I have a few patriotic-inspired outfit posts for you guys this week!

First up is this outfit with a red hat I've braved wearing only a couple times since I got it. It's just... very bright and large.  I LOVE it, don't get me wrong, but it really calls for the right place to wear it.  I say that, but I'll wear it to class this fall now that I've worked up "giant vintage hat confidence".  (Any vintage ladies know what I mean?  Cough*bird hat*Solanah*cough sort of "giant vintage hat confidence"!)

I really felt quite glamorous in this outfit.  Curls and red lipstick and giant hats do that to me.

sweater: revamped by me (check out the tutorial!)

skirt: handmade

belt: resized by me (tutorial here)

gloves and hat: flea markets

shoes: Payless