Embracing Going Gray ~ Turbans

Turbans available Lacey Rose Creations 

Recently I shared needing to cut off my hair due to health issues and not being as comfortable with the look as I once was, especially in my retro look lifestyle... even tho Jean Seberg once made a similar crop very chic to have after she cut her hair off for Joan of Arc, as well as actresses like Audrey Hepburn and Leslie Caron to name a few who also went short, but not quite as drastic as Jean or myself. Health was the driving force, but I could have left the hair a bit longer, but was just not wishing to deal with the "skunk stripe" , especially with being in the public eye. I did not even consider how I would feel with a "buzz cut" however. So here I was, 90% of the colored hair was gone, but so was what was to me, a retro style identifier...but that is just rehashing my last post. I shared then that I was now wearing scarves and true turbans, and that even my entire family had not seen my hair. That continued for a week, even after revealing my new cut via my latest YouTube episode; they really do not watch. I finally decided to unveil it to them and it was a mixed reaction, not bad or negative, just maybe taken aback. I still have not posted photos to Instagram or FB, so unless you have seen my video.... OH and just two days ago I shortened the fringe so that it would be less whispy and it removed even more of my faux color, leaving me with just a tinge of blue black on the top. I am now obsessed with berets, scarves, and turbans even more! Especially during the colder months and well I am not ready to unveil to my nail gal either...sometimes it is easier to hide than explain. 

Short hair has me hiding....
*Jean Seberg 

Now when I ordered my turban from Lacey Rose Creations via Etsy, I was not too knowledgeable about them in 1950's or early 60's style, I had seen a few photos, but for the most part I thought of Turbans as a more 1940's style, and of course they were very popular then, they were bigger and elaborate and I often see many of the ladies on Instagram that do the more 1940's look using them to top off their look ....even when I received my turban in the mail in the note card it was mentioned that they were more 1940's. I was curious, so I started doing a bit of research on the subject and collecting images. Now I do not mind rolling in a bit of the 1940's to my look, you have all seen me with a scarf on ala "Rosie the Riveter" , but that seems more accepted and the norm and is done with a  chiffon scarf or bandanna style scarf. I was amazed at how many images I did find that was women from the 1950s wearing turbans. 

Wearing a chiffon scarf ala Rosie
*brooch and earrings from
Housewife Chic by Ruby on Etsy 

  

 

If you are not familiar with the definition of the turban, here is a break down.... The word Turban is a description of a millinery design where fabric is wrapped and twisted and secured to create a turban/head wear that is now closely molded to the head.  It usually covers most or all of the hair. Of course how it looks, how big, be it stuffed, stiffened or adorned depends on the era, or fashion choices or even  ethnic/religious groups that may be wearing one. Turbans have been worn by women since as early as the 18th century, perhaps even further back, and there has been varieties of turbans through to modern day and not just by retro/vintage women or by women forced to cover their head due to health, religious or cultural reasons. 

Examples of turbans over the years in Hollywood

So what about in my style pocket, the 1950's ? Well, draped turbans sbegan to regain popularity again in the mid 1950s .  The Times reported in 1955, upon a ensemble designed by Dior that was  compromised of a sheath dress created in brocaded silk, with a  matching jacket trimmed with sable fur and then as a finishing touch a brocade silk draped turban. Turban styles were adapted to accommodate more bouffant hair styles. There was also a report of  Milliner Claude Saint-Cyr , who was in charge of designing hats for the Queen. One that was mentioned within all my research was a soft "supple" felt turban created in 1956, that covered the ears and rose to a draped peak at the back of the head. Similar if not the one to the one in this photo from 1960/

The Queen with Harold Macmillan in November 1960
Photo found via google search and not owned by me. 

I can imagine that if the queen wore it, it would not be long before a style firestorm would begin and many a woman would work a turban into their wardrobe, much like how women in the states followed the starlets and first ladies to guide how they dressed in their own life. That has not changed, don't we all still look up to those in the public eye to inspire what we wish to look like and how we dress? But I digress. This is about the fact that I am now trying to embrace my grey, but getting started on that path ( yet again) and do it in a drastic way; by cutting off all my hair. The thing is I still want that feeling of being chic and retro ( in my own eyes), and avoid a lot of explanation when I go out and run into people I know, or when I post photos to social media. This is also about me trying to cope with how I feel when I look in the mirror having just recently having had hair and a hair color that inspired others, and was an instant visual that represented to others and even to myself that I was a retro/vintage lady, even if in just a pair of jeans and a T shirt. Having hair this short , although it being something women did have in the 1950's as photos ( all of starlets mind you) I shared in my last post showed , for me , in my eyes, when I look in the mirror does not scream 1950's. Askewed thinking, yes, but it is what bounces around in my head. So turbans and scarves ala Rosie it is, at least for a couple months when the buzzed portion lengthens and softens a bit. At least now know that turbans ARE something that was around and worn quite a bit in the 1950's so I can feel a bit more like myself while I follow this path of embracing grey and my new much shorter hair. 

Shades of Gray

It is that time of year when days are shorter and gray days out number that of sunny days, and that is applicable to many things, some days my temper is shorter, my patience, and often my mood is more gray. I hate to think I have seasonal disorder as I actually do not dislike that the days are shorter or more gray, but obviously it does play a factor into my daily life. But that is not the shorter or grayer that I am here to chat about today. Today I am here to chat about going shorter and grey AGAIN!

A couple of years ago I shared cutting all my hair off and going all natural ( and not for the first time in my life) and embracing it and loving the ease and never having to color again. That rarely lasts with me. Each time I tell myself all that and even last time I honestly think I believed it and flaunted my silver, till one day I dyed my hair, just in the fringe with a bit of pink, just for fun. Before I knew it I was doing my whole head in shades of purple....it was a hit with my fans, friends and family. I eventually decided over the summer to go more fuchsia and shades of deep ruby pink, but it began to become a really hassle to keep it looking fresh...and would fade to an ugly tone that made me just want to cringe. Then I discovered Overtone conditioner and I thought that would help, but no luck, not by fault of the product, just my hair, so on a whim I decided to go over it with a deep blue black....OMGoodness it looked amazing and I felt snazzy, and the compliments came flying. But it faded VERY quick and that sickly pinkish brown came through, so I decided to go over it with GHASP permanent blue black...which it turns out was more black than blue *SIGH* ....so I added more blue via ION brand ( my favorite) in a few shades mixed together...not helping myself, at least as far as I could see, but I did "bleed" blue each time I shampooed more than I had ever done . I ordered Overtone silver and deep blue conditioners hoping to create as my hair grew, a denim shade and blending out the black some, softening it. Before I knew it, my head began to burn, YES BURN! Was it the non stop playing with color? Was it the permanent color ? Or was I suddenly having a reaction to the dye components in the Overtone colored conditioners ( as I did not have any reaction to pink I feel that was the only thing it could be), I did not know, but what I did know was my scalp was on fire, daily, and all day! When it was not burning, it was itching and feeling warm and even hurting.

 Now I do have fibromyalgia and so my head, even my hair does hurt on some level, but my scalp has never itched or burned. Could this be a flair? Or as I stated above did the over use of coloring products do it?  I have never had a reaction to any hair coloring in my past, I have been coloring my hair since I was 12! No matter the reason, I made the decision to go get my hair cut, cutting off my signature "Housewife Flip" last week and I shared this fact and the new haircut on my weekly YouTube video. I did not cut all the hair off, instead choosing to go with an Elizabeth Taylor style choppy pixie cut. it did not really remove all that much color, but I figured it was a start, and hopefully within a few months and before my photo shoot in April when I will be going to Viva Las Vegas, would be a good length and color all gone by then. The hair cut was a hit, but I was not loving that I suddenly had to blow dry, flat iron and work against my cowlicks just to look decent....Ok before you roll your eyes as you all know I used to have to wet and set my hair daily, using curlers and clips, prior to the cut , but I never used heat or at least not often, and as I soon found out was that my hair quickly dried out, my arms due to the fibro and arthritis, holding the blow dryer was difficult and uncomfortable, and then my scalp stayed on fire due to the heat! So here I was, color not gone, skunk stripe emerging, scalp on fire and not really even totally loving my hair. I was no better off. 

As each day became torture over the last week, I did a spur of the moment thing. I drove, while out running errands for my youngest daughter's 25th birthday, stopped at a Super Cuts near where I needed to pick some things for her party, went in, told the Jeanette, the stylist there to cut it all off. I said " Just take it! She looked at me wide eyed. I clarified and showed her a photo f me taken the last time I cut off all my hair color, two years ago, clippered short on the sides and back, and scissor cut very short so the hair only goes forward towards the front of my head, leaving my fringe long. She was a bit timid and suggested first a 5, then a 4 setting on the clippers, but I said do a 3, tho I was tempted to do a 2. I then made her take the top even shorter and shape it with the clippers as well as I have a horrible cowlick that makes my hair stand up on the side of the crown of my head. She did the best she could do to make it all lay smooth. Not all the color was removed on the top of my head, I probably have one or two more rounds to go, but 98 percent is gone from the sides and back up to my crown in the back.  It was a relief but also on some level I lost part of my identity. My Ruby's Musings Housewife Flip was gone, my 1950's Elizabeth Taylor cut was gone.... How would I be "me"? Would when I dressed in my 50's esq wardrobe and go out, be looked upon as authentic, instantly recognizable as being a retro/vintage woman? I do not even have enough hair to wear my hats right now! Suddenly I plunged into despair and regret and even embarrassment. I came home and put a scarf on my head and three days later not even my husband knows what I have done, other than seeing the charge on the bank account because of wearing a scarf during the day and a sleeping cap at night.  I shared with my bestie who told me she loved it. I shared with my youngest as I knew if anyone would "get it" she would. A couple random Instagram friends know, but have not seen. 

Two years ago, when all the color was cut off ,
except fringe and so I bleached it and dyed it
bright blue till it grew out. 

With a scarf on you can not tell I have gotten another
cut as the fringe still has color. 

There are a few ladies within the retro/vintage/pinup culture that have short pixie haircuts, but nothing like what is under my scarf...which is like the one above with blue fringe. I shared in my YouTube video "Power of the Pixie" all the actresses of the 1950's and early 1960's ( my style pocket) who had varied lengths of pixie haircuts. some where very short, even dare I say as short as mine is under my scarf, and tho they were not the general populous, they still wore feminine clothing as I love wearing, with the skirts and petticoats, but not living in that era I have had thoughts of would I still be identifiable? Would my brand I have built still remain intact?

Jean Seberg queen of the very short pixie,
mine is shorter. 

Mia Farrow, still longer than what I have.

Audrey Hepburn at her shortest length

 Yes, hair grows and eventually I could have my flip back, and look like my banner at top, but that will take nearly a year or longer. Certainly will not happen by the time April rolls around , when Viva arrives and some of the most "famous" pinup and retro ladies gather all in one place and I have a photo shoot that I have already partially paid for... what then? Will I stand out for the wrong reason? No longer fit in because my look is incomplete. Irrational thoughts? Yes, maybe, probably, most likely , won't know until the time comes. Am I being silly? I am pretty sure my bestie would say so with the utmost love. I am sure my hubby could really care less, and I have had a few in the culture that I shared this with support and comfort me...but for right now, for this day, or for the next few days, maybe weeks, my mind is as in as many shades of gray as the strands on my head...and I will most likely be rocking a turban quite a bit. Have you ever had a crisis of identity, made a beauty blunder or changed your appearance in a big way and regret it? I would love to hear from you. Have you embraced the gray and never looked back? Did it take you several tries? Go back to color? Perhaps you grew it out and just lived with the roots etc or did you cut it all off and then grew your hair back? Again would love to hear from you.

Halloween Hodge Podge

Silver Terrace Cemetery . Virginia City , Nevada
* this photo not taken by me, found via google search 

 

Every year I try to do a Halloween themed post. I have shared all sorts of Halloween Ghost stories, legends, history and even my own experiences. After doing this for 6 years it is harder and harder to come up with new material. I had planned to go on a local ghost tour before it would come time to post this, but unfortunately that was not to happen.... maybe next year. I also had planned to get to a few of our local cemeteries and take different mini photo shoots and then tell of the lore associated with the location, but weather and my photographer ( aka my husband) having to work either at home or actually going in to his real job, also made those plans get set aside. So what is this post going to be about? Well, it is going to be a hodge podge ; a bit of everything. So up first a few fashion photos taken at the Silver Terrace Cemetery in Virginia City Nevada,  that I visited for the second time in the last 5 or so years during a recent mini getaway to Reno.

Dress is available through Le Bomb Shop , gloves are Amazon, shoes and petticoat are also Amazon, sunglasses and straw hat are vintage , pearls are Tiffanys . In the distance, you can
see the township of Virginia City a short drive from Reno Nevada.

Nestled in the hills above Virginia City, Silver Terrace is a mix of many different social levels and religious diversity and a combination of several cemeteries combined into one.

Graves like this is plentiful, but so are small wooden crosses and rustic wooden
picket fences with unmarked graves . 

You could spend an entire day exploring Silver Terrace, but if you plan to do that be sure that you
bring walking shoes, it is not heel friendly to say the least and some of the trails can be quite steep. 

The Silver Terrace is just one of many haunted locations in and around Virginia City Nevada. Explored by many a professional and novice ghost hunter ( get permission before you decide to have your own , as the cemetery closes at 8 p.m.) , and is rumored to be the home to not one but many spirits, some showing up as glowing orbs of light with no source, and the apparition of a young woman in a brown dress circa late 1800s. With so many deaths of miners, prospectors, ladies of the night, and even every day citizens from babies through adults that lead the tough lives that living in this remote western gold mining town dictated. Lives ended prematurely from disease, fire, and mining accidents to murder....perfect demises that might tie spirits to this charming western town. Read more stories here and learn more here. 

Have you ever felt like someone is watching your
every move?
* earrings are from Twinkleburst and the brooch
Housewife Chic by Ruby.... find links in the web version
of this blog in the side bars 

Next up in this Halloween themed hodge podge post, is a little spooky moment or two that I have had here at Muse Cottage. I have had many spooky experiences throughout my life, and quite a few I have shared here. I have always been very sensitive although I do not have control over it, as it is not like a light switch, I can not just turn it on and off at will. My most recent experiences began after having to put our dear Queen Bitty Kitty to sleep. I began to feel on occasion as if a cat was rubbing my ankles while at the kitchen sink, or a tiny fizzy paw touching the top of my feet when sitting on the couch and even stranger the feeling of a small animal jumping up on my bed, walking gingerly across and over my legs and finally settling down at my feet. Other times I have witnessed my grandpuppy Winston seemingly seeing something in the living room and then go looking for it under the furniture, specifically the couch Bitty used to sleep under most of each day, especially as she began to not feel so good. We see his reaction and body language change as well, much in the way that it did when Bitty was still with us and he was trying to make friends and she was having none of it. Muse Cottage before it became such, even while we were looking it over when considering purchase, had an odd feeling in parts of the property and I was not the only one who felt it...some spots, mainly our garage and storage sheds just had a foreboding feeling , they still do...and once again Winston's reactions to a few locations here make us wonder if he is not sensing something from the other side. Then there is late at night when I get up for one of many shuffles to the restroom and I feel as if someone is in the living room watching me, following me with their eyes until I close the door....I recently had a friend stay here and they too felt the feeling of not being alone and a presence or eyes upon them. It does not feel threatening, but it most definitely a regular presence that gives pause. 

Halloween is never complete without a visit to the Pumpkin patch! Here, my bestie @SweetStephStarr  on Instagram and Sweet Steph Starr on FB and myself stopped at  Boa Vista Orchards in Apple Hill area of California outside of Placerville
to take a few fun snap shots.

Sponsor mention....

Recently a lovely woman Jamie Corp aka Betties Beauty bar on Instagram and FB agreed to be one of my sponsors and also asked me to try and review products from the cosmetic company that she represents, Younique. She sent me a wonderful array of things to try, including a contouring kit, some skin care, and a great deep blue red pencil and lip stick....and later I also purchased one of the Splash liquid lipsticks also in the prefect blue red in Sizzling ( of which I am totally in love with) .... I have been doing mini reviews on Instagram and the liquid was part of the discussion on my FB fan page Live broadcast that I do each Monday afternoon. If you are interested in any Younique products visit the Betties Beauty Bar web page, and look for my mini reviews on Instagram and YouTube. 

Be sure to connect with me on my other social network homes Instagram, FB, Twitter and YouTube . Live broadcasts Mondays at 3:30 p.m. unless stated otherwise on the Ruby's Musings FB fan page and New Episodes of At Home with Ruby's Musings on YouTube every Friday. 

Magnolia Blvd AND Then some ..... A Ruby's Musings on Tour Post

Last week I shared with you my experience of having my very first pin up photo shoot with Dream Out Loud Photography, and shared a little video slide show over on my You Tube channel.  The day did not end there! Once we made the very long drive for a short distance from Anaheim back to Burbank, it was time for this girl to go on the shopping trip of her retro/pin up dreams! It was time to visit Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank. Located a short distance from the Safari Inn is a several block and really much more if you include the mall area at one end, of retro/vintage/pin up heaven. Many of the top shopped web site/ stores of retro gals are right there very close to each other. Unique Vintage, What Katie Did, Pin Up Girl Clothing, Besame Cosmetics, Audrey K and in the local mall, Sidecca.... I got to shop at them all!! Hubby had been saving up for some time it would seem to treat me to a very special (mind blowing) shopping trip and I took full advantage. My first stop was Unique Vintage. 

Located at 2013 West Magnolia, Unique Vintage is just that in the pin up world, as it carries fashion ranging from designs based on the 1920s through the 1950s , and everything you possibly would need to complete an outfit from head to toe. If you follow me on Instagram I did a little review/write up.  I was very pleased with the selection of clothing, many of the top brands including Bernie Dexter, like the dress that I am wearing in my shopping photos, and as mentioned their own house brand clothing lines. From floral to novelty, plaid to solids, it is all there. Tops, sweaters, skirts, pants, dresses and more. The prices are about what you would expect for the quality they carry, but good clothing is an investment  Their customer service was top notch . It was very hard for me to decide what to buy, so much to choose from and it being the fist stop, I wanted to budget myself. I had a few items on a list I was looking for and it came down to two or three items, but with a little input from my hubby and the sales girl that was working there, I was able to narrow it down and finally landed on a beautiful dress, which happened to be a UV design ... and I think I made the right choice and I can not wait until I can share it fully in a dedicated blog post in the future.  If you can not make it to their shop, you can visit their web site and sign up for their newsletter as well. 

This seemed the theme of the day...shopping can indeed
be exhausting LOL 

This pretty little number is a Unique
Vintage house design. Stay tuned to a
future blog where I share this pretty.

Can you guess what is in this bag? 

The next stop was to Audrey K. Located at 3414 W. Magnolia, a tiny hole in the wall shop exists and on this particular day the owner, Audrey K herself was behind the counter. A slender red head with a pixie hair cut, dressed in a most adorable drop waist sailor dress greeted me with a warm smile and offered to help me personally. I had my eye once again on several items, but landed on three dresses that Audrey thought might work for me perfectly and set me up in a dressing room, but all it took was trying on an Audrey K original and limited design dress in a beautiful pink plaid design. The first size was too big on me, even though it was my normal size that I wear, but I was in love with it and was going to purchase it and have it altered once I was home, but Audrey asked me to try the next size down, a size I have not been in years...asking me to trust her, I did just that and I tried it on and well to my delight it fit!! I explained to Audrey who I was, and what my trip was and asked her if we might film a little interview, and thus my first one I shared over on the FB page belonging to Pin Up the Movie as well as my own... and will be attached to this weeks YouTube episode. Audrey K carries as mentioned her own designs in limited numbers, as well as more common brands found at many similar shops. I could bore you with the list of brands, but if you are interested in top notch clothing and accessories and customer service, either pop in to their store or , you can go to their website just as you can to any of the stores that I am sharing with you. 

One of my choices ...but not the final purchase... it was close tho!

Audrey K and myself discussing fit of this AK original. 

I left a happy customer and know I will be shopping with Audrey K
online in the future too! 

Just a short walk down the block sits What Katie Did. Situated at 3420 W. Magnolia, this tiny shop houses a U.K brand that many pin up style ladies are very familiar with even those of us in the states thanks to their web site and word of mouth on social media. Home to bullet bras, silky stockings, waist trainers, and corsets and all things pretty that go towards making pin up/retro ladies properly outfitted UNDER their outfits. I was on a mission with this visit, I wanted a bullet bra. I had purchased one a while ago and it never has fit as properly as I wanted or needed, lucky for me they recently redesigned the BB and they had my size, so it was not long before I was in a dressing room trying it on, complete with cone shaped inserts that I needed to get the proper shape and out the door with my little bag... be on the look out for this gal to be looking like a 1950s sweater girl in the near future. 

From What Katie Did, it was across the street over to a company you may have seen me mention a few times, Besame. Located at 3505 W. Magnolia, this small cosmetics house is a magical place for many a pin up/retro girl, filled with lipsticks, facial powders, blushes, mascaras, perfumes and more, all designed, produced and packaged based on cosmetics from eras past, dating from 1910 through the 1960s... I know this girly girl was in her happy place. There is so much to see and to take in encased in these four walls from the owner and creator of Besame, Gabriela Hernandez 's own collection of vintage cosmetics and cosmetic containers, to the four walls filled with product artfully displayed and history of make up and the current products. I know personally I did not get to spend nearly enough time in this delightful store....but I did have time enough to purchase a few items for my growing Besame collection and to chat with the lovely ladies that work there. You can visit both the Magnolia Blvd. store or their new location on 3rd street in Los Angeles, but you can also visit their web site and social media sites including back ground and how to videos on YouTube. I can attest to the quality of everything I have ever bought from this company and that their customer service is top notch, be it via the store, the web site or even over the phone. 

The ladies at Besame really know what they are doing, and
know their product...they are there ready to help out
with all your cosmetic needs ...and what they
do not produce, they just might in the future! 

I could barely contain my giggles I was so thrilled to
be at Besame!!

Composure once again contained...

The next place on our tour, located at 3606 W. Magnolia and a shop that for many a pin up/retro gal is the crown jewel if they are lucky to visit, or shop from their web site and own one of their many original house designs, Pin Up Girl Clothing.  Now of course if you know me I often buy from small independent seamstresses and and I like to look a little more individual. There are a few exceptions to the rule.... on this day Pin Up Girl Clothing was not. I have heard mixed reviews about PUG, from quality to customer service... it seems in the pin up world you either are on one side or the other. A brand that has created FB buying and trading groups, lust lists and tears spilled if someone misses out on their personal "unicorn" and euphoria if that unicorn is finally found and owned. Pilgrimages are made to their store, lines stood in for hours at a chance to be a part of their "yard sales" ...I personally I know many friends who own quite a bit of PUG, I myself only own a pair of shoes... I had not actually had a chance to see PUG clothing in person until this day, though I am very familiar with their whimsical and often copied designs, and find they adorable, but just not for me over all tho I do admire them on others. Walking in, there was indeed a lot of visual eye candy, all the fun prints I have seen in my instagram and Facebook feed....every where you looked was a recognizable clothing item, very signature PUG.  I was very impressed with the product, it seems well made and the prices all fall in line with the vast majority of their competitors. The store was clean, decorated with a fun vintage vibe, and was well laid out. Customer service, was a bit lacking I must admit, tho I was eventually greeted and told if I needed help....but it just did not seem as if it was meant. I did not let it sour me however as I already knew what I really wanted, what my personal PUG desire was, a canvas, petticoat alternative to a petticoat under skirt.... lucky for me I was able to find my size and it was going home with me....along with a really pretty chiffon, lace trimmed pink petticoat.  I will not say that I won't every purchase one of the popular designs/prints, but it will have to be something that is just so "Ruby" that I can not resist. All that being said, I as I said know so many swear by PUG that I urge you to visit the store or their web site and decide for yourself. 

I admit I was tempted by the orange print sun dress.

The last shop on my shopping spree list has two locations, one just opened in Pasadena Ca., and the other is located in a mall there in Burbank at 201 E. Magnolia suite #234, Sidecca. I have long known of this small company selling budget friendly retro influenced designs. I discovered them on Amazon and most recently they have started selling on their own store web site. Sidecca was the company I first began to grow my retro wardrobe with. They carry a variety of brands that many other smaller online and brick and mortar retro stores carry so they are not unique in that, but their customer service has always been tip top and with great prices, and easy returns and exchanges it really has been a company I have enjoyed working with, because of this I wrote to Kim, the owner of Sidecca asking if she would be willing to sponsor me on my blogging tour.... I was thrilled when she said she would love to do so.  I was determined that I would not let that influence me on how my experience went within the store and sharing that with you here. Sidecca's mall location is like many mall shops crowded and filled to the brim, making it hard to see everything as there is just so much to see....but that being said it was like a kid in a candy store for me.... and the number one thing I was after was sweaters ...cardigans to be precise....they have every style, every length of sleeve from bolero to long sleeve and in almost every color...and I do love a good cardi! Of course I also went home with a couple simple A line daily skirts, slightly kitsch and yes I know what I said about PUG and their prints, but the two I bought are cute and well, I caved. Customer service at the Burbank location was friendly and helpful, and as I said the prices are affordable, and for retro style daily staples, that is a real plus. Visit their web site here.

The next two places I am going to share are not SHOCK places where I went shopping, instead it is where we ate and where we went for a late night snack, drink and to just have the experience of being there. First up, Bob's Big Boy! Bob's is a perfect example of a true 1950's coffee shop style eatery, the actual structure has not changed since 1949 and on the evening we visited it was packed and there was a waiting list! Being on assignment for Pin Up the Movie, I was determined to eat there and have a classic burger and that is just what I did. Despite being super busy, not an empty table or seat, our service was top notch and so was the food! I had a really great cheese burger and tho given a huge pile of fresh made french fries, I sampled only a few, but they were really good. The prices were moderate but appropriate for the amount of food and the quality and I left full, satisfied and two Bob's Big Boy mugs left with me. You can visit Bob's if you ever are in Burbank, you will not regret it. 

The next place and the last for both this blog and for that Saturday night was Clifton's Cafeteria in Los Angeles. Located in the downtown area at 648 S. Broadway, Clifton's is a throw back to a different era as well as happening night spot with their multiple bars on several floors. Opening in 1935 and redecorated in 1938, it reached a peak of popularity in the 1940's and sort of just got forgotten by all but locals and those in the know for decades, but recently it has seen a revival, with another remodel and the addition of the different themed bar/night clubs and with the help of retrophiles and swing dancers being drawn there like moths to a flame with a regular rotation of live swing bands and burlesque shows appearing, not to mention the travel and food networks doing spots on this "cabinet of curiosities". I knew it was someplace I just had to see for myself. I had heard mixed reviews about the food, but I was going for the experience, well and the jello! They are famous for the selection of jello and classic varieties such as stain glass.  It is hard to explain what this place is like from the opening of the door by a door woman to the dark interior that makes you feel like you just walked into a wooded forest, complete with animals and a tall as the building tree.... the food offerings made me think we might have thoroughly enjoyed the offerings, but as I said it was all about the jello and I was not disappointed! SO MUCH JELLO! It was so hard to decide, I wanted it all! After making our choices and "trying" to take video and photos..not easy in the dim lighting, we ventured upstairs, ordered a couple of glasses of bubbly, served in the classic bowl glasses and not flutes, we settled into our front row seats eager to listen to the live music playing in classic big band style and watch the swing dancing...let me tell you it was quite the show! If you ever have a chance to be in L.A on a weekend, I urge you to go!! And on your way out be sure you stop for a street taco as a late night snack from the food truck located on the way back to the parking structure across the street.  

So this brings us to the close of this weeks recap, be sure to tune into this weeks YouTube video for a video montage of this blog with not previously seen images. Also follow me on Instagram for more photos and information/reviews.