Wintersun Review

Oh boo hoo !!! It's over again for another year !! 360 sleeps till the next Wintersun !! But what a wonderful time it was in 2010!! Here is my 'review' for this year - but remember, this is just my opinion....would love to hear what you thought too !!

Best Band

This was a toughie ! There were three bands that I simply couldnt decide between for second place, so I have given them all second place billing !!

Equal Second Place Favorite - the much adored Rechords from Melbourne !! Hubba Hubba guys !! Keep those terrific original tunes, fabulous harmonies and Leo's great yodelling coming !

Equal Second Place Favorite - The wonderful Bellfuries from Texas...oh Joey, your voice is amazing especially when you sing Sam Cooke !

Equal Second Place Favorite - Hank and the Cosmonauts who kept us dancing on the final night of wintersun...... such great stage presence and songs....my kiddies sing "King Kong" all the time - we love you Hank !

Best Band at Wintersun 2010 - Men Into Space. Oh you guys are not only hilarious, quirky and talented, but you look hot in your space suits !! Love your music, love the quirky 50's space spin on what you do, and love your special guest alien !! I will be shakin my ass-teriod to all your tunes as soon as you get a CD out !!!

Best Solo Performer

Ok, so I am biased in my choice of favorite solo performers, but I am also honest, which is why....

Best Solo Performer Equal Second Place - is my hubby, Scotty Baker!! I was as proud as punch of Scottys performances at the Rockabilly Headquarters and on Sunday morning on the Press-tone Stage in the street - I think he melted a few ladies hearts, including my own !!!

Best Solo Performer Equal Second Place - Danny and the Cosmic Tremors were simply fantastic on Saturday night. I was particularly moved by Danny giving the background to a couple of his songs - it made them so meaningful and utterly beautiful - Danny, not only are you a wonderful performer, but a great songwriting poet too !

Best Solo Performer - I dont think there are any ladies out there who would argue with me putting Nick Willet in this spot !! We were all eating out of his hand - what a talent, what a voice, what a honey ! The fact that Scotty agrees with me on this also puts my mind at ease !!!! (Pictured above with the adorable Carly and enchanting Candice)

Best Event

Best Event Second Place - Was undoubtedly the fantastic cake bake off !! What a sensational idea this was - to bake a cake and present it in best 50's flair !! Here are a couple of photographs from the delightful event, and I am looking forward to seeing this again at Wintersun 2011 !! Yum !!

Third place getter Vicki Martin with her lime green marshmellow cake !

Best Event - The fantastic Circa Vintage swimsuit parade ! Held on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons, this event drew huge crowds and was informative and entertaining - for both participants and viewers alike ! Gorgeous costumes, stunning models, a wonderful compare, beautiful dressing assistants backstage and co-ordinated by the ever stylish and lovely Nicole Jenkins of Circa Vintage. What an amazing job Nicole did of orchastrating this event, providing the swimwear and props, fitting the models, detailing the informative narration, and ensuring everything ran smoothly on the day! Bravo to you Nicole - this event was a HUGE (and extreemly fun!) sucess !!

         

Best Dressed Gals

So sorry people - this catagory is totally impossible to give a winner or place getters to - the calibre was so very outstanding !! I am just going to post photographs of how totally stunning the girls looked all wintersun long...........

  

Best Dressed Guys

And ditto for these most handsome, suave and sophisticated of men.....

So as you can see, Wintersun 2010 was totally fantastic in every aspect ! A big thankyou to those who have allowed me the use of their photos here - Vicki, Danny and Clare, Jodie, Candice, Robyn and Nicole. We are looking forward to next year and counting the sleeps already !!! Till then, hope to see you all at Greazefest in August !

Movie Club - June 2010

This months movie is the film noir classic "Laura" staring Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Vincent Price and Clifton Webb. Released in 1944, it is based on the book of the same title. It was nominated for 5 Academy Awards, (Bestr Supporting Actor, Best Director, Best Black and White Art Direction and Interior Decoration, Best Adapted Screenplay) and won for Best Black and White Cinematography.  As it is a murder mystery, I dont want to give even a snippet of the plot away here - you will have to watch it with us to find out more !!! :o)

We will be enjoying this one on the 17th June, please enjoy it with us and leave your review here !!

From Wikipedia:

"In 1999, Laura was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". In 2005, the American Film Institute ranked its score #7 in AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores, and in 2008, they named it the fourth best film in the mystery genre in AFI's 10 Top 10."

Living Dolls - Miss June 2010

Just in time for Wintersun, allow me to introduce the adorable Miss Chrissy - our Living Doll for June !

What does 'vintage' mean to you?

This word is used a lot these days in our world/circle in particular, but I like the real meaning of Vintage (other than its use for Wine which is where it originated) “A year in which something of outstanding quality was produced or that was an especially happy or successful time” 1930-1935

My era of Vintage has a window from 1930 to 1955. To me it epitomises Style, charm, promise, growth, change, simplicity, practical, industrious, history and a snapshot into a world long gone.

What was it that first prompted your interest in vintage culture?

It started with Swing Dancing through my friend Jamie Suppa who introduced this world to me which quickly led to (through research of the dance & music) to the glamorous fashion.. From there, with my husband Ray through our dance school , and with dressing the part daily, I came across so many girls that were like minded, some knew more and some knew less and I enjoyed the family/community spirit of sharing with others on the same quest to learn more. This gave me a new appreciation and respect of our foremothers and I couldn’t take in and learn enough of the original ways so I visited and talked to as many as I could and over the years perfected my own look/life and also willing to impart what I had learned along the way. At the closing of our dance school I ventured further into what’s now known as The Lindy Charm School for Girls, a one stop shop for those starting out to learn all that has taken us years to learn in a very short time.. God I wish the Lindy Charm School for Girls was around all those years ago but then I would not have had the same amazing journey of discovery that I have had.

What is your favourite era, and do you 'live it' every day? In what ways?

My favourite era would be between 1940 & 1955. I try to live it most days and even if I am not 100% vintage every day I am always vintage inspired in my look. Our house is full of old wares which we use as every day utensils so I generally cook with the same items my grandma would have used.

Tell us about your favourite item of vintage clothing, kitchenalia, music, furniture or whatever !

I have many favourite dresses but today my favourite dress is a mid 1930’s Green & White pin stripe dress with bottle green glass buttons down the front (Bought from Circa Vintage in melbourne), accessorized with a pair of 1930’s bottle green pumps and velvet hat I feel so glamorous…. Another new acquisition which is so clever I just love wearing it, It is a 1940’s crepe Navy & White frock that when I wear it just looks like a wonderfully fitting and flowing number BUT its actually a maternity/nursing dress and when you unwrap, unfold and let the draw string out it becomes a dress that can be worn by a 9 month pregnant lady and then a week later turns into a nursing dress with just unbuttoning the modesty bib to reveal to slits for feeding… so so clever I can hardly believe it…My favourite kitchen utensil is a late 40’s hand held whisk with wooden handle and also this neat vege strainer you hook onto your saucepan also with wooden handle but probably more late 50’s as I remember my Mum using it..

Can you share with us why vintage culture continues to hold such appeal for you?

I am all about style & glamour and feeling good about oneself.. I still believe there hasn’t been an era since that encapsulates true style, the empowerment of being feminine and glamorous while still being real… our foremothers did it with such class and I see in the current vintage scene so many other women achieving great things in life while still remaining real and possessing huge quantities of class & style.

Do you have any tips for anyone starting out in the vintage scene?

Come and see us at The Lindy Charm School For girls…. But apart from that, I offer the following tips:

Don’t be so body conscious. Find a look that suits you, your body, your hair, your skin and your lifestyle, don’t try too hard at what doesn’t come easy to you. If you look and feel uncomfortable then look at another style for you that does come easy.

Make the effort each and every day to spend a few moments on yourself with yourself and for yourself. If you want to be subtle about it, you can decide upon selecting one piece which may be the feature of your outfit i.e. a gorgeous blouse from the 40s, a statement hat from the 20s, a swanky pair of gloves, even a jewel encrusted brooch. Or if you are wanting to go from head to toe, I think it is most important to pay attention to detail! The style of the clothing and accessories you select, are indicative of what look you are trying to achieve. Watch some old films, search the Internet and fashion archives for some inspiration! You will be amazed with what you find! Don’t forget the importance of hair and makeup as well. Thou shall always endeavour to wear red lipstick.

If you can’t find true vintage originals then find a vintage inspired look that suits you.

It’s OK to blend a bit with the old and new but make sure they do blend and go together.

And lastly, carry with you in your day to day life, a bit of the innocence and modesty that our foremothers possessed and Ladies remember… Always be Charming…

Now is your chance to provide us with an overview of who you are and what you do. Tell us as much or as little as you like !!!!

The Lindy Charm School for Girls is dedicated to reviving the golden age of glamour and etiquette of the early 20th century, by introducing girls to red lipstick, Bullet Bra's, girdles, Seemed nylon’s, sky high heels, sexy garters, pin curls, victory rolls, finger waves, eyeliner and a wiggly walk to boot. TLCSFG workshop’s are about keeping the traditions of our foremothers alive.. We are passionate about educating women that glamour and vintage glamour is an art form and needs to be carried on. Too many people have stopped us over the years and told us we reminded them of their grandmother/ mother/ aunty or a film star’s from a bygone era, and how much they love the look. We are here to show women they too can achieve their own look and feel good about themselves.

Our workshops are divided into sections to cover how to recreate hair styles from the 30’s to the 50’s firstly the traditional way and then the newer version using modern styling tools. How to apply make up to give a classic beautiful finish, just as they did back then. Do’s and don’t when it comes to vintage fashions and how/ what IS vintage, and finally a large chunk of time is dedicated to assisting student’s to achieve their own hair and make up style using the information imparted to them.

You can email me if you would like to subscribe to our monthly newsletter: christine@marinaoceanus.com.au or visit our new website that will continue to grow and improves I learn new tricks: http://www.thelindycharmschoolforgirls.com/

Finally, what or who inspires you and why?

My Mother, because of her generosity to society and those among us less fortunate, she would have been the one in the soup kitchens of the great depression.. I also admire women of strength who make a difference in people lives however small, My heroes are my husband and children and family for their love and support and bringing joy constantly to my life. I also admire those girls that have come to the Lindy Charm School for Girls, nervous and unsure of themselves, lacking confidence and belief in themselves and then gone out and defined who they are, have grown in confidence and self esteem to then shared with us their stories, this always make me feel warm inside. Finally I am in constant awe of our foremothers for their ingeniousness and stoicism in what would have been a very hard life for some.

 

 

Who is Alice?

Alice May Jones, age 23

Vivacious. Spirited. Generous. Kind. Fun-loving. My Nanna. Alice May Jones. If there is any one person I have known who is my inspiration in life, it is my Nanna Alice. How I love her and miss her still.

Baby Alice, 1916

Born on the 14 June 1916, Alice was 5th in a family of 11 children, born to tobacco and dairy farmers Thomas and Elizabeth Jones in the picturesque King Valley of north eastern Victoria. From all her many delightful memories, it was a wonderful childhood, full of hard work, but plenty of play and fun with her large and much adored family. I remember Nanna saying how she envied her brothers being able to go off and swim in the King River on hot summer days, but the girls were not allowed to join in as swimming was done in the nude ! How times change, in this case for the better !!

What a total cutie !! Toddler Alice with her Aunty

Along with the hard work of farm life, there was time for picnics and dances, romance (I understand Nanna had many would be suitors, and at least one fiance in her youth !!) and friends. Nanna Alice was a keen photographer and I have albums of beautiful black and white images of the King Valley and her early life. Nanna loved the natural world and the photographs show a pristine King Valley environment with rivers and mountaintops, newly opened railway lines cutting through the landscape, flowers and ferns, and tobacco farming life in every aspect. Like me, she was fond of capturing memories and adored family history. When I was researching my family many years ago, Nanna was my number one alie, providing me with stories and details, photographs and contacts galore. Family and friendship were of tremendous importance to Nanna, and we both believed in valuing people now, and preserving their memories always......I wear a beautiful ring that belonged to Nanna Alice's own grandmother, Elizabeth Bartrop, and through that I feel Nanna Alice is with me every day.

Funloving Alice in King Valley (3rd from left)

The second world war was very unkind to Nanna. She lost a dear brother - Douglas - killed in Papua New Guinea. Also during the war there were a number of American/Canadian soldiers based in Australia, and it was at this time, while she was working at a munitions factory, that Nanna met a young Canadian soldier with whom she fell in love, and he with her. Tragically, this young man - whose name I do not know - was deployed overseas and killed in action. Nanna kept his picture for a number of years and wrote to his mother who lived in New Zealand. To my great sadness, Nanna, in a pact with my Pop many years later, burnt the photograph. We never knew about her soldier boy until after Pop had passed away and I was about to embark on a trip to Canada. Nanna remembered her soldier very fondly.....how sad.........

Alice (centre) with sisters Jean (left) and Belle (right)

But fortunately for me and my family, Nanna did fall in love again with my 'Poppa Mick' (Albury was his real name) and they were married in 1946. Their new life together entailed stints on a dairy farm in Myrtleford, living in the inner city at Fitzroy/Brunswick, before they settled on a farm of their own at Koroop, near Kerang in Northern Victoria. Two little boys came along and life settled into the simple joys of family, farm and community life.

Picinic in King Valley - Alice is second from the right

My Nanna was a very big hearted woman, and when her nieces and nephews ran into trouble, Nanna Alice was always there to lend a hand. When her nephew in Melbourne was 'getting in with the wrong crowd', Nanna took him in for a year or so, giving him the chance to redirect himself by a break in the country. And when three little nephews were left orphaned, Nanna took them in as her own. She was always someone to dig in, work hard and get on with the job, doing so with a smile and a laugh that endeared her to other people!

Wedding day in 1946 - Nanna was 29

Nanna Alice had a number of interests - photography and family history I have mentioned. But she also loved to garden and had the most amazing fuchsia hot house full of colourful blooms even in our winter frosty northern Victorian climate. She enjoyed cooking and entertaining, and would always make me my favourite childhood dessert - trifle - whenever I came to stay.....not always omitting the brandy I might add !!! She loved to travel and explore new places seeing much of the South Pacific with Poppa Mick in their retirement (Nanna loved Tiki and Polynesian style!!! Awesome !!) And Nanna loved bowling, knitting, music, playing cards, dancing and being with her friends - the "Koroop Gang' as she called them.

Alice, Mick and their children Doug (left) and Ken (right)

Nanna Alice was so much more than a grandparent to me. I consider her a true friend and soul mate, and I long to be able to phone her up and talk, or pop in for a cuppa. She passed away in 2003, and the ache of her loss in my life has never really dimmed. Now that I have become so involved in vintage culture I have so many questions I would love to ask her too ! She really enjoyed popular culture - I recall her wanting to get her ears pierced when that became the vogue - she would have been in her 70's I think !! Way to go Nan! Nanna loved all sorts of music, from Hawaiian instrumentals, dance-hall bands, to Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Foster and Allen, and Slim Witman. She dressed in a vivacious style suited to her personality, loved movies and good TV, and particularly liked Harrison Ford after seeing him in the remake of Sabrina, followed the Saints (we wont hold it against her) and promised us ardently that she would take all 7 of her grandkids to Disneyland when she won tattslotto !

Always a happy couple, Mick and Alice

There are so many words to sum up my Nanna Alice - vivacious, generous, warm-hearted, outgoing, loving, kind, hard-working, fair, fun-loving, happy, easygoing, joyful. But I guess when I think of my Nanna Alice, the word beautiful always comes to my mind. Nanna was so beautiful - her smile, her spirit, her presence, her warmth.....Alice was a woman in a million. I am so looking forward to the day when I will see her again and we can go on a picnic or a  photographic expedition together, or simply have a cuppa and laugh over old memories.  You are beautiful Alice May, in every possible way, and your spirit, I hope will live on with me, through the pages of this blog, and in the joyful laughter and happiness of your descendants. XX

Mick and Alice with 5 of their 7 grandchildren - I am sitting betwen them with my arms around Nanna and Pop