The Best Tips for Collecting Vintage 1950s Spaghetti Poodles

Yasmina Greco Spaghetti Poodle Collection 1950sToday I am thrilled to share one of my passions with you all – collecting vintage Spaghetti Poodles! These little guys are positively precious, and they add a wonderful sense of cuteness while perfectly fitting into my mid-century modern aesthetic.

My favorite pieces from the collection have got to be the 1950’s Norcrest poodle trio in glasses & bows on the tray plus Lipper & Mann’s ‘NOEL’ set for Christmas time. Also included in this beloved assortment is an array of delightful lipstick holders, planters, vases – it just can’t get any better than that!

UPDATE: You can ready about my collections on a recently published piece in the Antique Trader

Norcrest Napco Lefton Spaghetti Poodle Collection 1950sTake a step back in time and revel in the kitschy cuteness of 1950s poodles! Back then, these furry four-legged friends were everywhere – from classic Poodle skirts to intricate spaghetti art ware figurines. Ceramic artists crafted unique pieces using a special technique that mimicked the pup’s fur and sparked an excitement for all things “spaghetti” poodle!

Spaghetti art wear is made from clay, porcelain, and ceramic which is applied as “fur” to form various textures of a poodle’s hairdo. To accomplish the spaghetti look, ceramicists and designers would have different techniques like using tea strainers to push the material through to form strands that were then attached to the poodle giving it a pom-pom look or they would swirl it onto to the poodle for a curly look. The spaghetti is very fragile and tends to break or chip over the years.

Norcrest Napco Lefton Spaghetti Poodle Collection 1950s Yasmina Greco

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Heart of Haute Betsy Blouses so Sweet and Chic

Betsy Blouse Pink Plaid Heart of Haute

Heart of Haute is known as the voluptuous gals best friend when it comes to clothing that perfectly fits curves. Heart of Haute is also very well known for their Estelle, Elsa, and Giselle blouses of which I own several. Today I am super excited to share these new Betsy blouses with you all!!

Dressing for summer has never been so easy and the Betsy blouse in Pink Plaid just screams sweet and chic!! I am wearing the blouse in my standard 2X size and it is 100% cotton with a bit of stretch and as you can see from my pictures there is absolutely no gaping, puckering, or pancake effect. The waist is fitted but not tight. The blouse has princess seams to add shaping and a tailored fit that closely follows a woman’s curves. There is also plenty of room for my arms.

Betsy Blouse Pink Plaid Heart of Haute Gucci Hydrangea Continue reading

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Lindybop Corinna Dachshund Print Swing Dress

Lindybop Corinna Dachshund Print Swing Dress

Hello sunshine!! It has been raining so much here in California that the minute it stopped hubby and I ran outside to snap some pics in this absolutely adorable dress “Corinna” Dachshund Print Swing Dress from Lindybop.

This was my first Corinna style and I loved the adorable print of Dachshunds and flowers. The dress had a bit of a homespun look with the mint colored rickrack and Dachshund patch pockets making it that much more adorable. The fabric is so light (97% Cotton 3% Elastane) with some stretch that this will be a go-to summer dress for sure. I also love the button detailing on the bust. I really like the smocked elasticated back that vintage style summer dresses have. The full skirt is fantastic so you can wear a petticoat if you want for additional fluff and I am wearing one in these pics.

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Pinup Girls and Poodle Skirts

Yasmina Greco Pinup Poodle Skirt

                      Yasmina Greco Pinup Poodle Skirt

Pinup girls and Poodles are quintessential of the 1950s so I wanted to do a post for you all about the origins of the Poodle skirt and showcase one of my all time favorite Poodle skirts made by a brand you might not be familiar with – Dangerfield Clothing.

Yasmina Greco Pinup Poodle Skirt

                            Yasmina Greco Pinup Poodle Skirt

Rockabilly gals, Pinup dolls, and retro/vintage fashion enthusiasts can thank Juli Lynne Charlot for the Poodle skirt. Per Wikipedia –  Juli Lynne was a young woman who wanted to be in fashion but she had no money for the new styles. In 1947, at the age of 25, Charlot was invited to a holiday party in Los Angeles and wanted to create a dress especially for the event. Not having money at the time Charlot decided to make her own skirt for the Christmas party. Charlot stated in an United Press International article of February 25, 1953 that, “If I had known how to sew, or had the money to purchase better materials, I would have never made the circle skirt.”

Yasmina Greco - Pinup Poodle Skirt and Purse

                  Yasmina Greco – Pinup Poodle Skirt and Purse

Today, when we think of 1950s clothing, the image that most often pops into our mind is the poodle skirt. Most vintage collectors know Charlot as the designer of some of the very best and most clever circle skirts to come out of the 1950s. It was quite fashionable at the time for women to be accompanied by dogs on leashes so Charlot decided to make a dog-themed skirt. And thus the iconic poodle skirt was born. Charlot’s creations were more than clothing – they told a story – and became conversation starters. Read more about Charlot and her company on Wikipedia

In these pictures taken by my hubby Gary I am wearing my favorite Poodle skirt by Australian brand Dangerfield Clothing

Yasmina Greco with Luna Pinup Poodle Skirt

                          Yasmina Greco with Luna Pinup Poodle Skirt

The skirt is incredibly well constructed with a built-in petticoat hem and the white Poodles are adorable with red flowers and bows and they really pop against the fabric making them standout beautifully. This is such a great novelty print skirt!! I am wearing my Heart of Haute Lily top in red and added my vintage Poodle purse and red heels. This outfit is perfect for the Autumn and winter and not too heavy as all the fabrics breathe. Even my my fluff ball Bichon Frise puppy dog Luna decided to join in for some pictures!!

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Review: Bernie Dexter Chelsea Red Dog Bombshell Dress

Yasmina Greco - Bernie Dexter Chelsea Red Dog Pinup Dress

Yasmina Greco – Bernie Dexter Chelsea Red Dog Pinup Dress

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In a recent post I wrote about my visit to the Bernie Dexter pinup rockabilly store while on a trip to Oregon and shared how I’ve never had good luck fitting into Bernie Dexter styles. My very first photo-shoot was in a Paris style and it was tricky getting my breasts into it so, I didn’t think Bernie Dexter dresses were made for serious curves and large breasts. I was always a bit saddened because the prints are stunning and so many gals gush over their Bernie Dexter dresses but, they didn’t work on my body…until today when the awesome and helpful lady working at the Bernie Dexter store handed me a rare gem to try on in a magical style called Chelsea!!!

Yasmina Greco - Bernie Dexter Chelsea Red Dog Pinup Dress

Yasmina Greco – Bernie Dexter Chelsea Red Dog Pinup Dress

I had come into the shop wearing a vintage style dress with poodles on it so the print of this Chelsea was perfect; it was the Red Dog dress with many dog breeds as the print. The lady at the shop told me the dress came from their London location recently. I slipped the Chelsea on and my-oh-my was I pleasantly surprised. The fit was the very first thing I noticed…. especially the part that my well-endowed bosom fit into the dress. Next, I noticed that this dress reminded me almost immediately of the Jenny dress from Pinup Girl Clothing of which I own several. The Chelsea dress is made of a very light weight cotton fabric and I found the very lightness of it to be fun and flirty and with the addition of a petticoat perfect, the dress does not loose shape or structure. The fabric lightness is ideal for summer. Next I noticed the dress has an attached tie-belt, which is fabulous for nipping in the waist. I am wearing the Chelsea in a size 2XL and although quite roomy in the waist, the belt takes care of it. The dress was incredibly comfortable and I did not feel like my breasts were squished at all. I could easily spend an entire day in this dress. I felt like a bombshell!! My only wish would be the addition of adjustable straps and then you could decide how much or how little breast would show.

Yasmina Greco - Bernie Dexter Chelsea Red Dog Pinup Dress

Yasmina Greco – Bernie Dexter Chelsea Red Dog Pinup Dress

Bichon Frise Brooch

Bichon Frise Brooch

Here are some pics of me with my puppy dog Luna, how fitting right, since the dress pattern is all about dogs, yay!!  I styled the dress simply with only a petticoat, cropped black cardigan, red shoes and my sparkly rhinestone Bichon Frise puppy dog brooch because my Luna is a Bichon Frise. For a day to evening look I would add a lovely vintage purse with Poodles on the front. Adding a lovely vintage mustard yellow cardigan and pair of shoes would look fabulous as well.  I look forward to adding many more figure flattering Bernie Dexter Chelsea’s to my wardrobe and I am confident I will be Pinup perfect!!

Bernie Dexter Red Dog Pinup Dress

Bernie Dexter Red Dog Pinup Dress

Bernie Dexter Red Dog Pinup Dress

Bernie Dexter Red Dog Pinup Dress

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A Pinup Girls Classic 1956 Nash Metropolitan

1956 Nash Metropolitan Hardtop Berkshire Green

1956 Nash Metropolitan Hardtop Berkshire Green

It has been an incredible week, I will do a blog post shortly on all the fabulous things going on but here is one of the highlights – we got our 1956 Nash Metropolitan!! My hubby Gary and I are over the moon excited and it has taken a lot of restoration to get it to this point with still some  to go and we’ll write about it all on the blog. Gary really rescued this cutie and gave it a second chance for a new life with us!! Here is a pic of our Nash with our Bichon Frise puppy dog Luna guarding it 🙂 This is the perfect Pinup Girl car!! Stay tuned for lots and lots of pics!!
Here’s some information from Wikipedia on the Nash and you can read more here on their Nash Metropolitan page.

The Nash Metropolitan is an automobile that was sold from 1953 to 1961. Nash was positioning this new product for the emerging postwar market for “personal use” autos.These specific use vehicles were as a second car for women or an economical commuter car. On October 5, 1952, they announced that they had selected the Austin Motor Company (by then part of BMC) and Fisher & Ludlow (which also became part of BMC in September 1953, later operating under the name Pressed Steel Fisher), both English companies based in Birmingham, England and vicinity. Fisher & Ludlow would produce the bodywork, while the mechanicals would be provided, as well as final assembly undertaken, by the Austin Motor Company.

In May 1954, Nash-Kelvinator Corporation announced that it had merged with the Hudson Motor Company to form American Motors Corporation (AMC). Thus by August 1954, Metropolitans also became available from Hudson dealers. These Hudson Metropolitans carried a Hudson grille badge, hubcaps incorporating an “M” logo, a “bulls-eye” horn button design, and a plain spare wheel cover. The MSRP for Series III models was $1,527 (Hardtop) in Berkshire Green.

The Nash possesses an ageless, cuddly quality that has made it a perennial favorite of car lovers and car agnostics alike.

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