Showgirl

I had a wonderfull surprise in my mailbox this morning! Another photo from my shooting with Elisabeth Hackmann that we had about a year ago. I love it! Elisabeth made the headwear and the feather bustles herself!

Showgirls (not to be mistaken with the awful movie;-)

Photo, Retouch, Feather Fans and Head dress by Elisabeth Hackmann

Places I need to go to in Stockholm....

Hello everyone,

it is barely another week until I finally go to Sweden again (yay yay yay) and I can barely think of something else! It´s a little bit of Retro Wonderland - only that they are not aware that it is. So here are things I totally NEED to include into my travel schedule (and if you ever make it there you shoul keep those in mind). Considering we have been to almost every museum we are trying a few new things this time...

Tiki Room 

Yes, Stockholm has a own Tiki Bar and sadly I have never been there as of yet! But this might be the year!!! While alcohole is very expensive in Sweden, so I am sure this will not be an exception, how could I resist? There used to be a Tiki Bar in Düsseldorf but it closed some years ago. So imagine how much I look forward to re-visiting a Tiki Bar. The usual cocktail bars are just not the same thing!

Ghost Walk

I hope it won´t rain when I am in Stockholm because I booked the Stockholm Ghost Walk and if the weather is shitty they cancel. I would really love to find out about Stockholms spooky history! So far the only thing beeing scary about Stockholm is that way too many exes of mine live there. ;-) Think of me on the 20th October and cross your fingers the weather will be fine.

Burlesque Festival

I made a little happy dance finding out that I will arrive just in time to see the Saturday evening show! The announcement says:

Octbooberfest is back with a twirl and support for breast cancer research when the Tassel Twirling Championship will crown a new champion. Followed by two unmissable sets of Swedish and International stars compered by the incredible Laurie Hagen who will mesmerise and entertain you throughout the show. 

Fancy Chance (UK/US) - Lolou D'vil (Fin) - hosted by Laurie Hagen (UK) 

Octbooberfest Annual Tassel Twirling Championship (Cancer fund event) - A'dora Derriere (Aus/UK) - Apathy Angel (US) - Fräulein Frauke (SWE) - The Great Leo (Bel) - Knicker Kittens (Swe) - Lady Francescca (Swe) - Lady Lou (Aus/Ger) - Les Femmes Brachiales (Ger) - Miss Diana (Rus) - Peggy de Lune (UK) - Ruby Luscious (Swe) - Wrong Note Rusty (Can) - Yvette Les Fesses (Swe)

Sounds like me and John gonna have a loooot of fun! I still try hard to find a dirndl for Octbooberfest, but will probably have to consider another option.

Södermalm Shopping Marathon

Well, this is not an official event, this is something I pretty much made up myself (and it´s nothing new - I do that every year. But I love it so much I mention it anyway;-) It includes me running through the entire Södermalm district visiting at least 20 of the 30 vintage clothing stores there (or as many I manage to visit before John starts to cry). You want to go to the capital of Second Hand? Stockholm is your perfect destination!

Marions Gastro Diner

I just discovered this so I cross my fingers that I don´t forget going there. It´s a retro style bowling place and the food looks delicious, too! Usually John and me only bowl on his Xbox, but I am very tempted to try it in real life (and grab a milkshake and a burger!)It is definately something were we could spend a rainy afternoon :-)

I just remembered that I have a book on retro lifestyle in Sweden so I will check that out and possible add more destinations to my list ;-)

Oh, on Sunday I actually have a shooting, so hopefully I can add new photos to the blog soon.

Dear Fall Break, please come quick!!!!

Hello everyone,

I am planning to travel to Stockholm again and unlike the journey I planned last February it is going to happen. Yay! The flight is booked, the room is booked (we will stay in an ecological village just outside of Stockholm - whatever that is :-D) and I booked our tickets to go to the Burlesquefestival at the 13th of October. How lovely is that! This year I can actually go watch it (the last time I was so sad I couldn´t!) 

Those of you that know me know I already carefully plan my shopping route in Södermalm and select the museums we go to (basically we were in almost all museums so this is tough!). I have an eye on the ghostwalk and hope they do an English edition when I am there (I understand Swedish. But only if you talk verrrrry slow with me, John doesn´t. So it beeing in English would help a lot.)

4 more weeks to go!!!! I already buy my outfits for then. While I never managed scheduling a shooting there (and believe me I tried in the past, but found no one that wanted to) I am sure we will take a lot of candids while running around :-D

I am going! I am going! Yay!

Random things I bought for shootings....

Surprisingly cheap feather fans! We´ll see how the quality is once I get them. As long as they don´t fall apart during the shooting I will be happy. Plus there is a lovely pink petticoat I can match them with... still need matching heels and a fascinator and Iam ready to go!

 What´s more to add than that LOVE them!

I actually plan to use that Ukulele in "real life", too. I want to learn how to play "Happy Birthday" based on the fact that I had  my birthday last week and that there are 16 other January babies were I work! I´m zero musical, but I heard it´s the easiest to learn instrument. We´ll see...

 Corset Boulevard had a sale on ebay. Not comparable with a custom made corset, but hey, it´ll be nice for a shooting! I have the green version and I ordered a different blue one as well.

Extensions! If your hair colour is goddamnf*ckingred and you only find hair pieces as Karneval approaches go for it!!! I can extend my hair to almost Waist lenght now!

Only thing missing.... the photographer! All but my dirndl shooting got postphoned so far which is extremely boring and frustrating!

Ready for some Burlesque!

Hello everyone,

as we did nothing for our birthdays earlier this week we figured we go watch a Burlesque Show at Nomi Düsseldorf instead. Is there a better reason to totally get dolled up? If there is I don´t know it, yet...

I got the chance to test a new eye shadow (Groovy Pink) of mine as a blush which is from the recent P2 Cirque de Beaute Limited edition. Looks lovely on, so if the colour is too vibrant for you - just try it a s a blush :-) It gives a nice glow and is way stronger than you can see on the photos. Decidedly a new fave!

A close up because I find the dress colour and pattern just so damn cute!!! 

Things of beauty!

Hello everyone,

the new year started and I haven´t blogged for 10 days. Why? Sick and busy. It only took over two weeks to overcome the horrible cold I was having. And busy, busy work days in addition to that!

Well, but I won´t bore you with how busy and sick I was... I rather show you.... Some things of beauty!

I went to Stuttgart last weekend for a lovely Dirndl Shooting and I spent the night with the lovely and beautiful Ms. Lili Marleen! Technically we´ve known for 6 years or so - but only over the Internet. Considering how long we´re pin uping (and she: burlesque-ing) around we are Germanies Pin up Grandmas. It really was a great stay! And I hope to see her again soon!

Little me in big Stuttgart

 Enjoying a huuuuuuuuge and yummy breakfast in the Grand Cafe Planie, a verrrrry beautiful place!!!!!

 I attended my first fleamarket this year. I went over it once - found nothing. When I left I spotted this freaky green hat. I guessed it would be darn expensive, but asked for the price anyway. Only 10 €!!! Iam not sure it will actually suit me and I have nothing to go with it, but that was a bargain too good to resist!!! The sales lady said someone remarked to her he/she has seen Marlene Dietrich wearing a similar hat in a movie! If anyone knows the movie, please point me into the right direction! Would love to see. 

You just spotted something yellow? Those are ear rings one of my fantastic work mates gave to me. Have I lately mentioned that I have the worlds greatest work mates in my day job?????

Minus having been sick a great start for the year!!! :-)

I have the lovely book in my hands!!!

Hello everyone!

the past days were tough! yes, there was whit Monday so I had a day off, but yesterday and the day before I had to stay at work for 10 hours plus went to an short notice filming for the Dsigns store in my neighborhood (technically I ran home, because off course my train was late, smashed some make up in my face and tried to get some curl into my hair and ran off again. :-D) It was fun and we got it done quickly. I think we needed about 30 - 45 minutes to do my scene in it and it will be shown in a fashion show in Hamburg in July. I definately will get a hold of that video and share it on youtube <3

Anyway, today I had the first day getting home at my usual time and got to go to the Hairstyling salon André Cut Corner to pick up my copy of "Rock ´n` Hair"! Yay!!! It is very beautifully done and I heard it was already a big hit on Walldorf and the Petit Four Burlesque Show in Neuss. Next stop for the Rock ´n` Hair Team will be Custom Culture in Bottrop this weekend. If you can´t make it there you can still buy it on www.rocknhair.de It does not only feature 50s styles, but also 40s and 60s. Dont let the title fool you ;-)

Tearsheet Time!!!



AND: There are also 3 stylings for MEN in it. :-) Iam very very happy with the result and there are many beautifull and easy hairstyles in it.

The dresses worn in this book are by Dixifried, available at http://www.buy-unlike.com/ and Vivien of Holloway available on http://www.vivienofholloway.com/

Poker and other Girlie Fun!

Hi everyone,

it´s Saturday night and Jane McLane just send me the final photos from our shooting! I can´t keep those in the closet for long!

Strip Poker with Miss Mel (you can find more of her own modelling photos here: http://www.model-kartei.de/sedcard/modell/121437/) You can tell that we prepared for this game with additional pairs of undies and bras :-D

Thank god I allways have some Besamé cosmetic articles in my kit. I like that brand and their things are allways welcome acessoires, too.

My beloved pink nylon stockings!

Swingtime!

So you wanna see me undressed, you clicked this link so it´s confessed.

"A woman will sometimes forgive the man who tries to seduce her, but never the man who misses an opportunity when offered." Charles Maurice De Talleyrand

Photo by Der Sand

Panties, Stockings and Hairflower are available at www.gothesque.de

On the Road: Glammed up to go to "Petit Four Burlesque Show" in Cologne

Some asked me what I ended up putting on for going out Saturday... I decided for a What Katie did Corset that I bought loooooong ago. A lace blouse and a skirt by Bettie Page Clothing. And yes. That is a head decoration of Errol Flynn beeing Robin Hood hanging on my wall (and I´m aware my wall needs to be repainted). We were in a hurry, so we just made 5 photos and this was the most flattering one :-D

Time to play

Another one by Der Sand, boy, that man is FAST when it comes to editing!!!! Everything, exept the shoes is available on http://www.gothesque.de/

And a thought I had later that day: Love is war against yourself. But war itself is no love. Think about that one!

Just one more week working and I will have a few days off. I have no idea what I will do home alone, but it´ll be nice to sleep longer and do whatever I want all day long. John will be working so I have a complete choice on how to spend my day without taking anyone else into consideration :-) And this Friday I go to Cologne to see the Petit Four Burlesque Show. It´ll be a blast!

Good Girl - Gone bad :-)

Hello everyone,

after last weekends shooting break I was out and about again to snap new pics with Der Sand for http://www.gothesque.de

You wanna see more photos by Der Sand? Check him out on fotocommunity:

http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/account/myprofile/935855/profile/1

More photos that we made together will pop up here soon - I had a sneak preview and they are amazing :-)

Rachel Zoe, this is no Burlesque Look. Here is my advice on it!

Hi everyone,

the Burlesque Movie did not even officially start in Germany yet. From what I have heard it´s not too Burly anyway so Iam not sure whether I will give it a try. However what I do know for sure is this...

This is in no way Burlesque Style... Or Retro in any way. Stylist Rachel Zoe tries to give advice on Burlesque style:

Nice try, but in my oppinion a fail. One can tell she is not at all familiar with it. This is just one of the three videos and they all don´t look in the least burly. It´s just making cash on the burly craze.

Here is my cup of tea on what a Burlesque/Pin up Lady wears - and warning... It contains no studs or leather jackets or even too short skirts or dresses... And I can assure you I won´t make one cent with my advice ;-)

Keep it modest and classy for every day in this georgous dresses by Pin up Couture and Dixie Fried (available in Germany via http://www.buy-unlike.com) You will still turn heads, but in a work-safe way!

And the brave ones go Femme Fatale with Satin and Corsets in the evening! A nice skirt to go with it makes any corset wearable outdoors! Here demontrated with some pieces of http://www.gothesque.de

Throw on a black Satin Bolero, a fake fur stole, seamed stockings and you are almost done.

You just need to do your hair now. You can buy the perfect book for that "Vintage Hairstyling" at Ars Vivendi (linked at the left side bar of this blog ;-) I posted a detailed review of the book here:

http://retromodelsari.blogspot.com/2010/12/vintage-hairstyling-vs-style-me-vintage.html

Than put on your eyeliner, red lipstick and your highest heels and you are ready to go!

A hairdo I was sporting earlier this year when going to a Burlesque show. Basically I rolled all my hair and pinned it, put on a feathery decoration and added fake eye lashes with rhinestones for some extra glamour.

Optionally you can add a cute fascinator, feather piece and gloves. I find that etsy, dawanda and ebay is offering a huge range of those if you are not handy with a glue gun and can´t make a pretty feather headpiece yourself.

Exibition and my butt

Hi everyone,

yesterday I went to an exibition by Alice Zumbé (http://www.myspace.com/alice.zumbe). There you were able to see burlesque themed paintings and among the Burlesque godesses you found an old pin up, too. Me :-) Or better, my backside ;-)



This is the original photo made by Alinka (http://www.alinka.de/) for reference. It was a surprise to me, because I thought she was taking another photo of mine. Alice promised to me that next time you´ll be able to see my face ;-)



As there was also a Burlesque performance later that night we hang in the lounge area with a few drinks and had fun observing people. The exibition was hold in a club, so it´s an environment we usually do no go to at all, but it sure was worth it to see the pretty pictures and the show. Plus.... It was funny to observe the clubbing crowd :-D Especially some posers wearing their Dolce and Gabana sunglasses INDOORS kept us entertained while waiting for the hightlight of the evening - Marlene von Steenvags Burlesque Performance.


We had to walk home because there were no more trams, but it´s just a few stations from home. We passed by a alley with beautifull trees. They looked so pretty and sorta fluffy in the gas-lights so we made a photo of them.