Hair Roundup...

As this week is coming to a close I thought I would share a few styles I have been wearing since the heat has decided to stick around for..so…damn…long! I am most definitely an Autumn/Winter girl that’s for sure, saving me from that awful “soaked hair on neck” situation I have been throwing it up in either a Gibson Tuck or Chignon Bun, which are both so easy and quick to do, then I decided to wear a bunch of flowers in my hair and lay on the floor too…which is perfectly normal…right?

I am thinking an easy video tutorial for the Chignon Bun is in order so I will get on to that soon!

On a similar note I am so happy to announce I will be styling tresses at this amazing event at the Flyby in Fremantle, you do need to buy tickets but once your in the doors there is a free swing dancing class, live jazz bands and of course you can get your hair styled by me!

I hope you all have an amazing weekend, I will be stopping by Fringe Festival for a show tonight and then lots of projects to conquer! Xx

Rolled and Ready...

I thought i would do a small post today about one of my favourite hairstyles this week, i knew i was going to be heading out on a boat all day for my work christmas party so i made sure it was up and solidly hairsprayed, just so you know it was even still in place enough to teach a lindy class afterwards so..huzzah!!

Just a slight description would be a vintage fringe roll and Lucy rolls, its such an easy style i think i even may have to do a video tutorial for you all! I also wanted to show off my amazing magazines my love came home from Melbourne with, they are so hilarious to read i just love vintage articles!!

I hope you all have amazing plans for this weekend, i have lots of dinners and dancing and im sure lots of gin to be drinking too!!

Floral Swirls...

At times this week i could have sworn Summer had been long forgotten about, aside from a few moments of sun and warmth we have been having the most incredible thunderstorms it almost feels like a tropical island, steam rising from the ground as the cold rain splatters the dreary looking plants! The smell of rain always makes me think of when i was young, growing up on a farm in the hills..when it would rain my sister and i would run outside to our verandah and listen to it hitting the tin roof and watch it pour down our long winding driveway, it would always move the rocks apart so driving back down it the next day was always an (seriously bumpy) adventure).

This is today's outfit one of my favourite op shop finds, a handmade 1950's dress with the most incredible collar. I was also having a pretty good hair day too (at times it just drives me nuts) so much swirly goodness!!!

I hope you all have an amazing weekend planned, my love is finally home so im sure our few days off will involve christmas tree decorating and a few adventures!

(Wearing: Vintage 1950's dress)

French Roll With A Twist..

A cute interpretation of the classic French Roll today which as most of my hairstyles are was a complete fluke. I had previously curled hair and did a simple roll at the back sectioning a piece from the left hand side to sweep backwards to join the roll, as it was already curled the little pin curl made its own formation to which then i just tucked in a few little flowers! Viola!!

A perfect little number for about third day hair as it has a little more grip and staying power, no need for hairspray really as a fixing spritzer should do the trick!

I hope you all have an amazing weekend planned, im hoping to cram in quite a lot even a trip to this is on the cards! Happy Friday! Xx

Products of Choice...

I have had a few lovely readers ask me what products i use on a daily basis both on my face and hair, i have a very select range as i try not to overload my body too much and i always try and pick brands that are either organic or shy away from chemical content. This of course is just a personal preferance but i figured i would share my picks with you!

Face Products 

I wash my face with a soap free product, but sometimes i even just use bi-carb soda and a little water, it makes an amazing face scrub and lifts the day off your face easily. I then swap between the two products below on my face after i have washed it so one day oil, next day moisturiser.

SUKIN FACIAL MOISTURISER 

It smells divine and absorbs amazingly i also use it as a hand moisturiser too. Plus they only use essential oils and 100% natural botanical extracts which means its Paraben free!

ANTIPODES ORGANIC AVOCADO OIL & ROSEHIP 

I cant express my love for this product enough, all i can say is get it and put it on your face, you will love me for it!! I had such a fear of slathering oil on my face before bed thinking my pillowcase would absorb it all, but take the plunge i urge you! It absorbs quite quickly and has an easy applicator it clears your blemishes, fixes dry patches and balances your oily sections too. It quite literally is a fix-it oil for your face and you will never look back!

Hair Products 

 As i am lucky enough to be surrounded by hair products every day it took awhile but o eventually found a cleansing set that i really do love and feel good about putting in my hair, i stress to you all its not just about the delicious smell your shampoo provides the nutrients and repair agents are so important too especially if you are using heating tools and putting your hair through rough elements on a daily basis!

PUREOLOGY PERFECT 4 HAIR SHAMPOO 

Its quite a concentrated shampoo so you only use a small amount (which means it last longer hooray!) but it really clenses the gold tones out of your hair and cleanses it thoroughly too!

 PUREOLOGY PERFECT 4 PLATINUM CONDITIONER 

I dont go too crazy on the conditioner, i just use it on the ends of my hair and sparingly through the roots, i find if my hair is too soft after washing my sets wont work as well and its difficult to style for a few days, this conditioner is great for that as it does wonders with a small amount.

 PUREOLOGY PERFECT 4 PLATINUM MASQUE 

Once in a blue moon i treat my hair to a masque, it helps my poor disheveled ends with some nutrients and i usually leave it in for a good half an hour. You can almost hear my hair singing in glee, this one smells incredible too!

 CEDEL HAIRSPRAY 

This is the only hairspray i use, its a strong hold and dosent get all up in my throat and chest when im spraying, its a tried and tested brand that has lasted the years. I have attempted to use others but i always come back to this one! Its also great for keeping those pin curls in place.

 BONA FIDE POMADE 

After my pin curl sets i will always spend time brushing out the curls, in the final stages of the brush out i apply an amount of pomade to my hands and work it through the sections, it tames the fly aways and frizz that always comes with a set and always gives it a beautiful shine. There are many pomades out there but i do like this brand in particular as it holds well.

 TECNIART L'OREAL 

The setting agent that i love the most..da da dahhh!!! I love it...it won't turn my hair crispy, it holds without being too obnoxious and it smells pretty too. When applying it to my set i spray from roots to ends and roll the pin curl. It also lasts quite well, i go through a bottle once every three months which is pretty good considering!

I always love reading what everyone else uses, so if you have any recommendations feel free to pop them in the comments! Xx

Hair Roundup...

Last week i was on a roll with my hairstyles, so much so i thought i better take photos of a few of them just to store in my "good hair day" file. When i have a frazzled hair day its always helpful to look back at previous styles to get a little inspiration!

On Saturday morning i was so happy to run another Vintage Valley hair how-to class, we had a good giggle and perfected our pin curls while surrounded by the amazingness that is Many6160 in Fremantle. I always love doing these workshops i end up meeting some pretty wonderful ladies. I Also managed to pot some new succulents that hopefully i dont kill too quickly and delved into the new Peppermint Magazine over a hot coffee, not a bad weekend i say!!

Image 1 - Betty Grable Inspired Up-Do

Image 2 - Vintage Wave with a Gibson Tuck and 1950's headpiece

Image 3 - Secretary French Roll with Pin Curl Detailing

Vintage Hair Inspiration...

Yesterday i was so excited to see Vintage Valley was featured on Buzz Feed alongside 26 other incredibly inspiring vintage lasses and their hairstyle tutorials!

Click HERE to have a browse and see if you can spot me (pssst...im number 21) Xx

Vintage Valley Hair Workshop...

Can you believe its almost time for another Vintage Valley Hair How-To Workshop!!! I am so super excited about this one, i have more tricky bits and bobs for you to tackle and plus we all get to hang out at Many6160. Once again i am so generously being hosted by the incredible Studio Bomba who also offer a mind blowing amount of workshops that include vintage makeup, letterwriting and even making paper posies, so if you have idle fingers get to booking!

Vintage Valley Workshop

Date: 30th August 2014

Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm

Location: Many6160

Secure your spot HERE! 

(Also if you are up for learning vintage makeup there is a class straight after my workshop, a whole day of vintage goodness oh my!!!)

Something Old & Something New...

Life seems to be so busy lately, having a moment to just sit down and try out a few new hairstyles seems like a luxury, my fingers were getting antsy! So this week i decided to make an effort to try at least one, and ta daaa....the tousled double gibson tuck (top image) was conquered! Its extremely easy and i am thinking a video tutorial is in need very soon!

I was lucky enough have an amazing op shop find last week, an original square pattern 1950's dress in perfect condition! It was two sizes too big but it was nothing a little taking in couldnt fix, i have a feeling its becoming a fast favourite! I also finally finished reading The Diary of Anais Nin for the second time around, i just love her writing style...the way she depicts a scene always makes me feel like i am right there with her (possibly loitering in the background..but still there) a woman truly ahead of her time! If you havent come across her books yet...do yourself a favour and find one! Xx

(Wearing: Vintage 1950's wiggle dress, Stop Staring Jacket)

Book Review: Art Deco Hair

Inside my small apartment I have hoards of vintage hairstyling books and manuals, all of course claiming to be authentic to the era, the majority of them I have looked at once, thought ‘oh yeah, so easy’ put the book down, made a cup of coffee, settled in front of the mirror and attempted the style multiple times only to end up hurling my comb across the floor in defiance loudly stating ‘what a load of nonsense’

So when i found this Art Deco Hair book by Daniela Turudich tucked away on the shelves of my local bookshop I swear to you time may have stopped for a while, I sat in that book shop trawling over the pages and muttering to myself like an absolutely loony! And so I determined it simply had to come home with me.

Like all the books claiming to be era authentic this book actually is, it provides the history and methods behind each style and puts it in terms that anyone can understand! I nailed a 30’s soft finger wave first try (I may or may not have washed my hair for a few days just to keep the style, I was so happy with it..TMI? haha)

So i thought i would share a few pages out of the book and these don’t even do it justice (it is 320 pages long) I have been told also that it is a little difficult to find this book loitering around a bookshop so if you see it online jump on it!

I simply can’t begin to express my love for this book and so all I can say is if you are a 20’s – 30’s hair enthusiast…buy it!

Bright and Shiny...

At last i can re-introduce my hair to the world and stop wearing hair scarves to cover the (shield your eyes..its too hideous to look directly at)regrowth, i can also now stop starting conversations with...ohhh..if your looking at my hair, i have just had to save the world, wrestle a jungle cat & make an emperor some new pants??? and just...havent...had...time to get my roots done! (phew)...but i swear everything always feels new and amazing with fresh hair, styles just seem to work better and my outfits come together a little easier.

I purchased a book called Art Deco Hair that i promise to share with you next week, it has a few finger waving techniques that i am in love with, this is one attempt at a more relaxed 30's finger wave and im pretty happy with how it turned out! I have a long way to go with really mastering all the different types and styles, that is one thing i love about vintage hair styling you are constantly learning!

I hope you all have a fab weekend! Xx

Pleats & Teal...

Last week while rummaging around my local op shop i found this gorgeous raw silk teal dress lurking amongst the clothes in the dress up rack, although it needs a little work with possibly some darts, and the sleeves are a little worse for wear, it still has retained its charm and those pleats just kill me....too much to handle!

I wore it out over the weekend to a Nanna and Grandpa themed 30th (hence the glasses and french roll) and since it survived a few rounds on the dancefloor i think its a keeper!I do get dissapointed sometimes when i find the vintage dresses from op shops are beyond repair or are just not practical to either sit down in or do rapid movements in (just in case you split your seams) But Huzzah! not this time.

I also spent the rest of my weekend eating a copious amount of pastries and catching up on a little bit of writing! Have a fab week!

(Wearing: Vintage teal silk dress, op shopped glasses)

Easter Weekend...

My Easter long weekend was both eventful...and super lovely and lazy! Aside from a few car troubles (an exploaded tyre on the freeway) i managed to do everything i had hoped to tackle with a few extra days off, hemmed a few dresses, visited friends, read the end of a few books and had a night a dancing! I may have also eaten my way through a bag of shortbread bunnies! (guess where thats going straight to) I hope you all had a fab long weekend too.

I thought since i didnt get to manage any outfit photos over the weekend i would show you a hairstyle i went out to drinks with..it all started with one pin curl and then before i knew it..my whole head was almost done haha, thats what i love about vintage hair styling, you can be as creative as you like....and still want to leave the house wearing it!

Also if your not done reading just yet, pop on over to Menina Maca to read an interview i did for her Top of the Vintage Style feature on her lovely little blog, she is such a gorgeous vintage darling! Xx

Pin Curls and Pastel...

Today has been filled with double shot coffee and listening to The Ronettes over and over,  for some reason i have been sleeping in in the mornings (not hearing my alarm...at all) & have been in a mad rush to get ready in the mornings, sometimes i look rediculous with a mish mush of pieces but today it all worked perfectly, this makes me feel like sometimes there is a method to my madness...and accidentally sleeping in on a Friday isnt as bad as i thought it would be.

This white skirt is actually a dress which i bought many..many moons ago from French Connection (when i was 17 and thought it was amazing) it has been a reliable staple though and has survived plenty of eratic clothing culls...i always pair it with a cute tie top...perfect!

I have promised myself i am going to master the art of making the perfect circle skirt over the weekend! I am not the best seamstress so fingers crossed! I hope you all have a few fun projects to tackle over the next few days!

Happy Friday!!!

(Wearing: Vintage tie top, FC dress, Sportsgirl Sunglasses & Modcloth shoes) 

Put a bow on it...

So my day has consisted of waking up at 8:20am (had to be at work by 8:30am) setting a new record for fastest shower and frantically throwing on clothes and praying that they weren't inside out...between throwing coffee down my throat and apologising to Duke for my swearing (i possibly talk to that little guy a bit too much) i was pretty happy to realise that my Sunflowers were still going strong..nice to have something cheery to look at on the way out the door!

In all the madness i didnt have time for a 50's hair-do today so i threw it up in an old faithfull hair bow, still happy that my hair is long enough (just) to have a low sitting one. Still such a cute way to throw your hair up instead just a bun!

I hope you all have had an amazing day, i am dancing a Charleston routine on Saturday night so tonight i will be practiscing till my feet drop!

 Xx
(Wearing: Vintage 60's dress)

Hair Care...

So after goodness knows how long i have finally made another video but this time it is not a tutorial! I have been asked a few times by a few amazing readers about which hair care products i use on a daily basis, and also what i use to set and curl my hair too!

Unfortunately it seems i have a have a habit of filming in poor lighting which i am beginning to think has something to do with the fact i live on the bottom floor of an apartment block that lets little..to no light in! Its almost a dungeon haha.

If you have any questions after viewing please just ask away in the comments section Xx

Lately...

1 - Finally found a gorgeous fan to take dancing! It has the most amazing gold detailing!!

2 - The girls i work with! They are the most wonderful people, so lucky to have them as friends!

3 - Cleaning the apartment last weekend, Duke was being a complete distraction, Cheeky bugger!!

4 - The coffee shop near my apartment sells the most amazing Pech iced tea, completely addicted.

5 - Small corner in my bedroom, slowly im getting it to the way i want it..one piece at a time.

 6 - My hair before dancing one evening, have finally figured out a way to hide the pins on the 'S' Huzzah!

7 - Dinner date at West End Deli, the food and decor is divine!

8 - Australia Day in Kings Park watching the fireworks with cider and good company.

9 - A good hair day, nailed my Betty Grable rolls before Swing Smackdown a week or so ago, sometimes i wish i could sleep in it and it still stay put for the next day, but all those pins makes for a horrid sleep (yes i have tried before haha)

If you dont follow me on Instagram come say hi! @allyvintage

I hope you all have an amazing weekend planned, i am hoping to do some solid dancing, lots of eating and coffee catch ups and hopefully getting to a hair tutorial for you all!! (fingers crossed)

Xx

Casual Capri...

Its safe to say i own..hmm...one and one pair only of pants in my entire wardrobe! It's not entirely intentional but i always feel much more comfortable in a dress or skirt as it suits my figure a little nicer.

I do however love these capri's from Dangerfield...they have the right amount of stretch and fit..well..like a glove! If im in the mood for pants..these are my go to!! I have tried to locate a nice fitting vintage pair but i always find the ones with a baggy crutch or too much gap in the legs (darn it) why is it i have so much luck finding vintage pieces im not necessarily on the hunt for, but when i want something specific..no can do!!!

I hope your all having an amazing week so far, my poor camera has decided to go to camera heaven on me so i have been struggling to get outfit photos for you all, i am sorry to subject you all to cruddy iphone photos but its only for a few more days i promise you!

(Wearing: Dangerfield Capri's, Vintage Clutch, Sportsgirl Sunglasses, Op Shopped Top)