Wednesday 29 October 2014

Books for Christmas

As Christmas approaches (ridiculously quick), I thought I would recommend some books that I have read recently that would make great presents.

Recipes to Remember - The Australian Women's Weekly

The AWW never disappoint with their cookbooks.

The artwork in Recipes to Remember is retro gorgeous and the recipes will have your mouth watering.

A beautiful book for vintage lovers and foodies.




Only in New York - Lily Brett

Lily Brett hooks me in with each of her books.

I know that I may never get to New York (incredible fear of flying), but her observations of New York City makes me feel like I would know my way around if I ever did go there.



How to be Parisian - Anne Berest, Caroline De Maigret, Sophie Mass and Audrey Diwan

Karl Lagerfeld says, "You don't have to be French to be a Parisian". Thanks Karl.

This book is chic. Parisian chic. Book chic. it's just chic.

It has beautiful illustrations and photography, with a dose of humour thrown in.

Maybe if I read it over and over, I will start to look like Françoise Hardy or Brigitte Bardot. Nope, don't think so.



Beautiful Goats - Felicity Stockwell

This book features goats photographed just like the models in a high fashion magazine. They are the supermodels of the goat world.

The book delves into the history of goats - (gasp!) provider of skin, meat and dairy.

There is an increasing trend of keeping goats as pets - an idea that I love if only I had a little farm.




Wednesday 22 October 2014

Childhood memories of the 70s and 80s in Australia

My Facebook friends and I got all nostalgic recently.

It started when I said on my Facebook that I was burning a coconut melt and the scent took me straight back to being a teenager, coating myself in coconut oil to tan. Well, it was the 80s. Would never dream of doing that now - now it's all about the slip, slop, slap.

So, with my friends, we started reminiscing.

If you were around in Australia in the 70s and 80s, you are bound to remember many of the things I mention below.

Thanks to everyone that helped me with the list.

Sunnyboy ice blocks


Humphrey B. Bear
Rollerskating (my bestie and I would skate around thinking we were just like Olivia in Xanadu)
Penfriends
Firecracker night


Hypercolour t-shirts
E.T.
Collecting erasers
Page 3 girls in the newspaper
The soft drink man making deliveries on Saturday mornings
Dunlop volleys
BMX bikes
Getting home before the street lights went off
Coke yo-yos
Dressing like Madonna


Romper Room (waiting for Miss Helena to say your name, like she could really see you)
Commodore 64
Blue Light Discos
Little plastic toys in the bottom of cereal packets
Hot chips wrapped in newspaper
Knock and run
Cigarette lollies


Clapping games
Young Talent Time
Bull rush
Choo Choo bars that made your teeth green
Hearing the paper boy's whistle
Winding down the car window


Playing records
Sounds with Donnie Sutherland on Saturday mornings
Getting stuck in a phone box not remembering which way the door opens
Slamming the phone down when you hung the phone up
Playing Space invaders at the local milk bar or corner shop


Cabbage Patch Kids
Recording on a blank cassette tape your favourite songs, from the radio
Fat Cat
Atari
Elastics
Handball
Catch and kiss
Chiko rolls
Trying to do the Double Dutch
Breakdancing
1c lollies
Double decker buses
Finger buns
Using encyclopaedias to do assignments





Can you think of any other things that take you back to your childhood?

Sunday 5 October 2014

Vintage spotlight on...Shanna Moakler

Shanna Moakler is a mother, an actress, a model, an activist and a total glamour puss.

Vintage spotlight on Shanna Moakler. Rachel Hancock @retrogoddesses









Favourite couple: (Okay, I'm friends with Shanna and I already knew the answer to this one...)
Shanna: Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner 

Vintage spotlight on Shanna Moakler. Rachel Hancock @retrogoddesses Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner

Vintage spotlight on Shanna Moakler. Rachel Hancock @retrogoddesses Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner


Favourite decade?
Shanna: My favourite decade would be the 40's. I found the fashion to be so glamorous...women were women and men were men!

Favourite film?
Shanna: My favourite film would be the Easter Parade with Fred Astaire, Judy Garland and Anne Milller.

Vintage spotlight on Shanna Moakler. Rachel Hancock @retrogoddesses. Easter Parade

Okay, now let me rave on about Shanna's wedding dress.

Vintage spotlight on Shanna Moakler. Rachel Hancock @retrogoddesses

Vintage spotlight on Shanna Moakler. Rachel Hancock @retrogoddesses

Shanna wore a long-sleeved Monique Lhuillier lace gown to her wedding to Travis Barker in 2004.

This is my favourite wedding look (Grace Kelly comes a close second)

Her dress was elegant, not a dress we have all seen a million times before and she looked beautiful in it.


Here are some more of my favourite Shanna looks:

Vintage spotlight on Shanna Moakler. Rachel Hancock @retrogoddesses

Vintage spotlight on Shanna Moakler. Rachel Hancock @retrogoddesses

Vintage spotlight on Shanna Moakler. Rachel Hancock @retrogoddesses




Friday 3 October 2014

Vintage baby names - yes or no?

There seems to be a long lasting trend of parents choosing older names for their newborn babies. 

Names like Ava, Stella, Charlotte, Ruby, Jack, William, James and Jacob.

However, even older names are making a comeback...quite possibly the names of your great grandparents.



Lily Allen chose an older name for her first born daughter, Ethel. 

Likewise for Drew Barrymore - she called her daughter, Olive.

I have made a list of names that haven't been very popular for many decades (depending on where you live).

Boys

Cyril
Neville
Bert
Trevor
Godfrey
Rex
Cedric
Sidney
Bruce
Clarence
Reginald
Clifford
Gordon
Francis
Archibald
Wally
Walter
Victor
Gene
Jimmy
Bob
Ted
Lawrence
Bernard
Norman
Aloysius 
Bart
Kevin
Bertram
Ignatius
Kenneth
Colin
Seymour
Tyrone
Raymond
Sigmund
Milton
Frank
Gareth
Herman
Cordell
Keith
Barry
Alfred
Albert
Stanley
Cecil
Frederick
Ronald
Cornelius
Ned
Ernie
Herbert
Donald
Ebenezer
Clement
Roy
Horace
Roscoe
Harold
George
Arthur
Montgomery

Girls

Veronica
Dot
Lillian
Nancy
Laurel
Merle
Phyllis
Valerie
Margaret
Olive
Sheila
Dell
Bessie
Zelda
Myrtle
Betty
Frida
Narelle
Jan
Vera
June
Nell
Dolores
Carmel
Norma
Jeanette
Maureen
Helen
Berenice
Mabel
Ethel
Muriel
Florence
Henrietta
Harriet
Edna
Rosemary
Joyce
Dawn
Esme
Peggy
Maisie
Dulcie
Pearl
Maud
Thelma
Sybil
Joan
Bertha
Marjorie
Maggie
Winifred
Hazel
Beryl
Agnes
Shirley
Martha
Audrey
Mavis
Agatha
Hyacinth
Iris
Greta
Cecily
Ruth 
Eunice
Hortense
May
Jean
Gladys
Doris
Ada
Carol
Gertrude
Beverley
Dorothy
Lena
Edith
Marlene
Gloria
Barbara
Evelyn
Joy
Gwen

Can you imagine any of the names on the list having a revival? Do you like any of these older names?