Old Hat Movie Afternoon: “The Big Sleep”

In the tradition of Old Hat retro fun, the lovely Emma hosted a film noir movie afternoon, featuring “The Big Sleep” (1946). ’tis a curious film, no doubt. Despite the complex plot that required Wikipedian assistance to follow, it was all rather captivating and sexy. Over a spread of scones and champagne, we ogled Humphrey Bogart and tried not to weep over the aesthetic perfection of it all. Oh, the fashions. Let’s not even talk about the fashions.

The film noir shrine.

I will, however, show you the Old Hat fashions. You could say we were a tad overdressed for a casual two o’clock in the afternoon movie viewing, but overdressed shmoverdressed, I say.

Our host Emma, looking all mysterious under a fabulous hat (and omg, tiki bar).

Jesse and Tim, looking très adorable.

Et moi.

Frock Bettie Page | Capelet Gumboots | Shoes Wittner | Gloves remnants of a 90s tap dance costume

More Old Hat frivolity is in the works as always. You can check us out on Facebook for les details.

Un Séjour à Brisbane

Circumstance sent me to Brisbane a little while ago, and whilst illness is no happy reason to be travelling interstate (hi Grandma!), this jaunt to Queensland did happen to coincide with my girl crush Em’s 30th birthday soirée. So Saturday night found me in a whirlwind of well-dressed vintage ladies and generally dapper party guests, alternately swing dancing and fangirling.

Some photos from the evening:

Avec Em, the birthday girl.

The petticoat-ed vintage ladies running amok.

Em et moi avec one of the lovely ladies of Instagram looking all 60s mod and great: Sarah, aka @missmatchbox.

And here I am with Jason, in all my amateur lindy-hopping glory. Some quality twirling.

Twirly vintage love, until next time.

Fifties Fair Magic

All the Sydney vintage aficionados I know have been all aflutter this week preparing for the HHT Fifties Fair. It’s Kind Of A Big Deal, and it’s totally tomorrow. It’s like the prom of the Sydney vintage world. My hair is pin curled, my outfit is assembled, and I’m mentally prepped for some hardcore swing dancing.

Of course photos will make it onto the blog after tomorrow, but here’s a flashback to last year’s fair:

Now, to await the magic.

Vintage Road Trip

I’ve been away a little while, meaning there’s a wild backlog of fabulous vintage outings to blog about, and piles of photos to feast on. Johnny and June have already blogged about it, but I have snaps to share from the road trip we took a few weeks back, documenting the séjour in all its pasta-eating, cider-sipping, kitten-petting, vintage-wearing glory.

This all came about as we piled into two cars and drove seven hours to a curious beachside town in rural NSW for a few days. There, we bonded, rendezvous’d into town, visited the beach by both day and night, and partook in some classic tomfoolery whilst fabulously-frocked up.

The country, apart from being picturesque, was also a hilarious place to be a group of vintage-dressed youths. Locals alternated between asking if we’re a band, and whispering as we walked by that we must be “movie people”. I daresay it was all Tim and his high pants’ doing.

Voilà, snaps:

Me: just a bundle of tweed, gingham and red hair flowers after the long drive.

Kitten: being adorable.

En route to the beach on day two.

Tim and Jesse sexing up the beach in their retro swimwear.

Me: protecting my fragile skin, reading feminist literature.

Pork roast.

Vintage shopping in Bellingen.

Furry hat: totally purchased.

Tim and Jesse, in their natural habitat.

Rachael: bringing some much-needed tartan to the excursion.

Tim: making VERY DIFFICULT decisions.

Vintage ensemble du jour.

Tasty, tasty carbonara on the last night.

GROUP PHOTO: aww.

FASHION love to you all.