~OLD IS NEW ONCE AGAIN~

 ~VINTAGE VICTORIA CHRISTMAS BOOKS~

1998-1999-2000-2001-2002

I had a little bit of down time over the weekend and decided to hunt down my vintage Victoria Christmas (Magazine) Books and retrieve them from their hiding place!  Even though I continue to hear the familiar sound of hammering (bang! bang! BANG!) from our on-going master bath remodel (YES!  It's STILL underway!) I was able to steal away a few moments and gather some inspiration while thumbing through all five of my now aging books...

~ORIGINALLY PURCHASED AT TJ MAXX for $3.99~

One of the things I loved most about the ORIGINAL Victoria Magazine was their timeless approach to decorating.  Long before Rachel and the Shabby Chic (TM) craze, the editors and decorators at Victoria successfully merged the old with the new...  I've been a huge fan of it ever since!

How about you?

 

 ~BEAUTIFUL WHITES CAN BE FOUND IN EVERY ISSUE~

~FABULOUS STOCKINGS~

 ~HUNG BY THE CHIMNEY WITH CARE~

 ~CREATING WITH ANTIQUE BUTTONS~

 ~WRAPPING WITH OLD BOOKS AND AGING BUTTONS~

You didn't think this idea was something new, did you?

 ~EMBELLISHED WITH VINTAGE KEYS~

How about this one?  Done before...and still breathtaking!

Timeless, classy and forever lovely!

 ~BEAUTIFUL HAT BOX DRESSED TO THE NINES~

 

 ~BERIBBONED DOOR WREATH~

 

 ~FILLED WITH WHITE PRETTIES~

This old china cabinet reminds me of the one I have minus the scrolly accents!

 ~CHAIRS WITH WHITE LINEN FLOUNCES~

Earlier this year I bragged about making new chair skirts for my dining room chairs.  I knew this idea had been around for a long time...just wondering what TOOK ME SO LONG to get with the program...

Bah!  I'm always running late for the party...

 

 ~OLD CREAMWARE and VINTAGE MITTENS~

~THE DELIGHTS OF SOFT WHITE~

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas!

So...do share!

 What will you be using for inspiration this year for your Christmas and Holiday decorating?

As you can tell I'm not looking too far from home...

Blessings for a lovely Monday!

Love to you...

~VINTAGE SEVENTEEN MAGAZINE - Sweet-but those pointy bras must go~

~AUGUST 1950 SEVENTEEN~

A few years ago my daughter graduated from high school and we celebrated by going antique hunting (she loves old jewelry!). While shopping together at a local Antique Mall I happened upon this fabulous vintage 1950's Seventeen Magazine. Since Adrie's Grandmother (my Momma!) graduated from high school in 1952 I thought it would be a sweet gift for my girl. I wanted her to see what life (and clothing) was like when her Gramma was her age. My girl was 17 at the time and I was quite sure she would be both surprised and amused at both the articles and the pictures.

~LOTS OF SUITS~

The Magazine has almost 300 pages and is filled to the brim with pictures of the most fabulous fashions. Can you image that today? Three hundred pages? Skirts, sweaters, dresses, stocking, lingerie and shoes filled almost every page...guess what was missing????

PANTS!

~SKIRT AND SWEATER COMBOS~

I'm quite sure my Mother wore a little duo such as the one above. She loved skirts and sweaters and she is wearing a sweet little set in her high school graduation picture...

~LEATHER HEELS MADE IN THE USA~

I would soooo wear these shoes today....

~MORE FABULOUS SHOES~

And any of these as well!

~BE STILL MY HEART~

As much as I love PINK (Yes! Yes I do!) I would absolutely pass on this little number! I'm so grateful for Spandex!

~NO THANK YOU!~

I thank God every single time I see these pointy BRAS that the fashions changed BEFORE I required such a device!

When I watch old black and white movies I'm amazed at the teeny tiny waists of the women, pencil straight skirts and those chests that seem to scream out "LOOK HERE! LOOK HERE!"

~NO FOOLERS?~

Check this ad out! No kidding! Look close! "No Pads - No Puffs - No Foolers".

Hysterical!

~WAS THIS APPEALING?~

I distinctly remember my Momma looking exactly like this (Hi Mom!) :). By the time I got myself OUT of this little contraption it would be time to get back up again and put it all back on for the day....

No thanks!

~CREAM SHAMPOO~

Fairly inexpensive shampoo...even for 1950's standards! Wonder what those young girls would think about my $10.00 per bottle of shampoo???? I betcha they'd FAINT!

~GORGEOUS FORMAL FASHIONS~

Everything the magazine showcased was ultra feminine and tasteful. No raunchy clothing and certainly no thongs peeking out of extra, extra low blue jeans.

Surprisingly, there were articles written about attending college (yes!), decorating a dorm room on a budget, as well as advertisements for engagement rings and Hope Chests.

Tupperware Parties, too!

~CASHMERE BOUQUET~

I love this sweet Ad for Cashmere Bouquet Body Talc. You wouldn't even believe the number of articles for deodorants and creams! So many names I've never heard of before... Guess they were all surpassed by SECRET, SURE, RIGHT GUARD, etc.

~THE MOST REVEALING AD ~

I look like this when I put on my Antiperspirant... (I do!) :)

~LEG CREAMS AND SHAVING~

And I look exactly like this when I shave my legs and apply lotion!

Aren't you jealous???

~ENID, OKLAHOMA MENTIONED BY NAME~

Just MAYBE the reason this Magazine was still in one piece and found in Oklahoma is because it contained an article about teenagers in my very State. It was a sweet read about the band class of 1950 in Enid, Oklahoma.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of yesteryear. Isn't it amazing how far we've come? We've certainly made progress in many things that have indeed made our lives richer, better...

Still...can't help but wonder (the girdles and pointy bras aside) where we would be in 2009 had we not abandoned some of the values of the 1950's for the ones we choose to embrace today...

Something to think about~

Love and Blessings...Rebecca