A Little Face Time

It has been, perhaps, too long since my last outfit post. What with work being so crazy for the last few weeks I couldn't find time to stand in front of my camera.
I figured I owed you one!

Plus I had to show you my new haircut! I've been wanting bangs for a while now and finally took the plunge last night! And I couldn't be happier! I feel like a whole new girl!

My work attire has been some variation on this for weeks now. T-shirt, pants/jeans (or in this case, shorts and tights), a cardigan and of course vintage jewelry. Gotta have a little vintage! As much as I love wearing skirts and dresses they are just not practical when I'm Apprentice Stage Managing. I am lifting furniture and climbing on stuff all day.

Red Cardigan: Thrifted
Leopard Print Scarf: Ricki's
Bird Necklace: Forever 21

"Bow" Tee: Joe Fresh

Black Patent Belt: Laura

High Waisted Polka Dot Shorts: Thrifted
Socks: Joe Fresh
Flats: Joe Fresh

Lisa.xo

Inspiration: Sally Field in Forrest Gump

Doesn't inspiration come in the strangest places? Forrest Gump was on tv the other day. It happens to be one of my favourite movies; I've seen it a million times. I only sat and watched the first 20 minutes, but for the first time ever I was struck by how amazing Sally Field looked at the top of the movie.

Perfect 40's outfits. The hats, the dresses. Perfection.

Look at how sweet she looks here.

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This is such a terrible screenshot, but it was the only one I could find of this particular outfit. You get the idea... 

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Lisa.xo

Back to Normal

The craziness is over. Last night The Fighting Days closed and we had an awesome closing night party afterwards in the green room. For the moment, double duty is officially over. It was a long week.

I've got the day off, The Boy and Dave are out at the lake ice fishing and I've spent the morning watching movies on tv, catching up on the phone with my family and drinking coffee. It's been wonderful!

So as a little send-off to The Fighting Days I thought I would share this video I found the other day which interviews the director and designer. It's a great video with some fun behind the scene shots and it outlines a little of what we do in rehearsal and how a play comes to take life on the stage (if you watch closely you might catch my back in the background of one of the shots! It's quick!):



And share a few photos I took yesterday in my dressing room.

Where I did my hair and make-up:

And the only shot I could manage to get of my costume:

That apron is not part of my costume. It's my Assistant Stage Management apron. I wear it backstage. It holds all of the supplies I need when working. I have every thing at hand no matter where I am backstage. 

Thanks for bearing with me last week! I'm glad that things are getting back to normal. A girl can only work around the clock for so long. 

Lisa.xo

Theatre Confessional

Well my friends...I'm sure some of you have noticed how sporadic my posting schedule has become of late. And if you are observant you'll notice the late time that I am posting this...I'm not sure where I was going with that sentence, but it's late.

Oh ya! I was going to tell you why my posting schedule has been so sporadic.

I am working around the clock.

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This past Monday marked the start of rehearsals for my next job. I'm Apprentice Stage Managing for Winnipeg Jewish Theatre again for one of my favourite plays: Angels in America: Millennium Approaches. The only issue with this is that my last job has not finished.
What this means is that I am at rehearsal all day and then I drive to MTC  for performances of The Fighting Days in the evening.

Just to break that down a little further:
8:00am - Wake up
9:00am - Arrive at Rehearsal Hall for Angels and prep for the day
9:30am - Rehearsals for Angels begins
5:30pm - Rehearsals for Angels ends
5:40pm - Drive to MTC (pick up food on the way)
6:00pm - Arrive at MTC and begin prep for performance of The Fighting Days
8:00pm - Curtain rises for performance
10:00pm - The actors take their bows as I b-line for the dressing room to change (remember, I'm in costume for this show!)
10:12pm - I''m in my car and start to head home (yes, I get there that fast. I'm tired!)
10:50pm - Arrive home, get ready for bed, check my emails for the next day's rehearsal and go to bed
Rinse, Lather, Repeat.

See why I'm tired? And why there have been no posts this week? Nothin' but work.

I may be exhausted, but I'm certainly not unhappy. That's the thing about doing what you love for a living. You can put up with a lot more when your heart is in it.
I've had a lot of different jobs in my day and I can tell you that when you do not love your job even good days can be hell on earth.
Somehow I can work 14 hours a day right now with few breaks and not hate my life. Not be angry. It's a good tired I'm feeling right now.

And I do this to myself. I take these jobs fully knowing that I will be working night and day for a week straight. And I do because I love it.

I'm not sure what I'm getting at again...I hope I'm making sense as my brain is starting to shut down. This post made so much more sense to me as I was thinking about it backstage tonight and now it looks nothing like I thought it would.

Maybe it's another gratitude moment...maybe some part of me just wishes that every person on the planet could do what they loved for a living because maybe the world would be a better place...too much like an after-school special for you? Sorry, I love my job and I love living in a world that I get to do this to pay my bills and I wish everyone could work 14 hours a day for weeks a year and still love what they do.

It must be time for bed...I can't think anymore. Thanks for reading this post. I hope it makes sense in the morning. I'll be back to myself next week after The Fighting Days closes this Saturday night.

Till then!

Lisa.xo

Show and Tell: 1950's 'Young Modes by Claudia Young' Peach Lace Prom Dress

Hello! Here's the second instalment of Show and Tell!

I can tell it's going to be difficult picking what to show you for a while. I stood in front of the closet for about 20 minutes before deciding on this dress.

I'm not quite sure why I picked this dress to follow up on my 40's Plaid Suit. There is just something so sweet about it. The colour, the lace, the velvet detailed neckline...

(Click on the images for a larger photo!)

The lace on this dress is sweet, but my favourite part, by far, is the beautiful neckline. I love the little cutout details created by the velvet.

The back neckline of the bodice is also quite pretty. The two points above the zipper were tacked down when I received the dress. I always wonder when it was done. Did the points bother the original wearer? Or was it worn later and tacked down then?

This dress also has a subtle, but pretty slightly dropped waist seam.

And, of course, the inside construction of the dress:

Close ups of the front of the bodice:

And the back of the bodice:

And a close up of the hemline:

You can see in the next photo that the hem had fallen at some point and was tacked back up in pink on the left. The original thread is on the right in the lighter colour which better matches the lining.

And the tag:

I've had this dress in my collection for years. So long I've kindof forgotten how I got it. I either bought it while I worked at Ragpickers or it was given to me by someone.

This dress fits me, but I have never worn it. I guess it's just waiting for the right party!


Lisa.xo

Fur Alternative

I've been enthralled by the conversation over at Tuppence Ha'penny regarding the virtues/vices of fur: vintage and new.

I personally love my vintage fur stoles. But for those who may not love fur at all, but crave some of the glamour fur can offer a vintage outfit I have a solution.

While browsing Etsy (my new favourite place for online shopping!!) I found these cute guys at celapiu:

Handmade, felted fox stoles!!!



And my personal favourite:



Are they not awesome!? I am honestly trying to find a little cash in my budget for one of these guys. I am smitten.

Lisa.xo



Beautiful Cuticles for under $7

I have never done a product review. I don't usually like reading them.

But I had a problem which needed a solution. I had dry cracked, icky cuticles.

I have always envied and admired women with nice nails and beautiful hands. And for some reason I always picture those 50's housewives working in the home with impossibly perfect manicured hands.

Ya, like those...

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So I bought something which I should have ages ago:

I noticed the results instantly! Plus it smells amazing! The package says it's apricot, but it smells like yummy sweet candy to me. I keep the container on my coffeetable and put it on at night while we watch tv. Be warned though, if you stop applying it your cuticles will revert back to their dry, cracked, icky state (at least mine did...).

Best of all, a little seems to go a long way and it only cost $6!

Lisa.xo

Inspiration: Southern Retro Portrait

I recently received a link in my inbox from Queens of Vintage directing me to Southern Retro. The website tells us that its:

 An on-going photographic project about individuals for whom reviving the past is part of their daily lives. 

I am in love with the subjects in these photos. So inspiring! And one woman in particular has be looking at her photo again and again.
Check her out:

I just love her hair. And to me it looks like she's mixing eras a bit. The dress feels 50's/60's to me (although it may not be) paired with the 30's/40's tilt hat. Plus the glasses...just awesome. I'm so close to having my prescription put into my own vintage glasses. Can't wait!

This is a look I'd like to rock and she looks stunning!

Lisa.xo

Hm.

Today as we were sitting on the couch drinking coffee and watching tv and The Boy asked me if he'd told me how one of our friends described me to his neighbour (who had been asking The Boy what I was like). I said "No! Tell me!"

Here's what our friend said to his neighbour:

"Lisa is Flo from the Progressive commercials."

This made me laugh pretty hard. I immediately Googled a photo of Flo.

Hm. What do you think?

"Flo, do we look alike? Am I you? Long lost sisters, maybe?"

Maybe this is this years Halloween costume...

Lisa.xo

That Was Quick! Found Some High Waisted Jeans!

Holy Cow! That never happens! It's not often I post a Wishlist post and mere weeks go by and I've got it checked off my list!

I was seriously debating buying Bernie Dexter's 50's Style Skinny Jeans. I had a few readers tell me they had bought  Bernie's jeans and they thought the price was a little high for the quality so I was hesitating. Lucky for me I did, because I found a pair at Forever 21 last week! For $27.50! Yes, I know, F21's quality probably isn't much better, but the price sure is. And unlike a lot of F21's denim, which I find to be quite thin and very stretchy, these jeans are thick and sturdy. I like them so much I'm considering buying a second pair and hemming them into capris.
My only complaint (as usual) is that these jeans don't quite hit my natural waist. I'm very high waisted and this tends to be an issue, but they are high enough to give my casual outfits that much needed and desired retro look. Plus they don't gape in the back. The fit overall is as perfect as you can get for off the rack. So I'm a happy girl.

I might still be thinking about a pair of Bernie Dexter's Skinny Jeans in Black because they're super high waisted. They might be high waisted enough to hit my actual waist...we'll see what happens...

White cotton Cardigan: philosophy, Winners

Apple Print Blouse: Thrifted

Vintage Lucite Bird Brooch: Mike's General Store

High Waisted Skinny Jeans: Forever 21

Mary Janes: Bleka, The Bay

Lisa.xo