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Tag Archives: vintage girls

Monaco Beach Vintage Swimwear


Hello Catnips!

I’m was looking for a vintage inspired swimsuit online that would suit my curvy figure. Being a size 14 means that you can either look like an hourglass siren or a beached whale depending on the cut.

I saw a gorgeous tie front swimming costume called Red Swoon at Monaco Beach. With retro ruching it looked just right, but you never can tell whether the photos are deceptive! Well, the costume arrived and I can categorically say that this one did not disappoint! I am a 38DD and found the busy area very comfortable and supportive. The body hugs you in all the right places, whilst the ruching softens your shape and hides lumps and bumps. This is ideal vintage swimwear for a 1940’s or 1950’s look and will definitely get appreciative looks!

As you can see, the way you pose can create a very retro shape. Pushing your pelvis out will actually FLATTEN your tummy in photos, whilst keeping shoulders down, but stretching your body up will give you a flattering chest and taller stature.

PHOTOGRAPHERS!!! Shoot from the belly button! This is a more flattering angle as it lengthens the legs.

I was also lucky enough to receive an early Birthday gift from Monaco Beach, in the shape of a scrumptious black mesh and leopard print swimsuit! This 60’s style costume looks like a 2 piece, but with black mesh on the mid section! Such a great look and BOTH ARE CURRENTLY IN THEIR SALE!!! I am wearing a size large of both. These will comfortably fit a 12-14 figure.

Scandalous Leopard Swimsuit

Johnson’s Originals


I had a lovely email from someone yesterday saying how much they enjoyed the old fashioned advert in my previous post, so I thought I would share another I created for a repro vintage shoe company!

kitten von mew johnsons originals shoes

Kitten and Johnson’s Originals. Photo by Richard von Mew, graphics by Kitten von Mew

I took inspiration from a few shoe and dieting adverts in my 1940’s magazines to come up with the above! The photo was taken just after performing at Wartime in the Vale last weekend.

More about Johnson’s Shoes can be found here. The 1940’s styles they do are gorgeous and they also do men’s wing tips as well as women’s platforms and wedges!

1940’s Style Hair Snoods


arthelias attic hair snood kitten von mew

Kitten von Mew modelling a custom hair snood and matching bag by Arthelia’s Attic. Photographed by Richard von Mew

Hair snoods are the perfect head wear for vintage events, bad hair days and when you are pin curling your hair!

Most are available in the Medieval and Civil War styles,which were popular in WWII thanks to the Gone with the Wind and Robin Hood movies. Crocheted hair nets became popular for factory workers, especially those who fashioned Veronica Lake’s flowing tresses, only to end up with them caught in a machine. Snood stopped such awful accidents from occurring and became a fashionable and useful item for war work and beyond.

There are still a lot of people who recreate these hair snoods today, but not many who also focus on the more unique styles!

Naomi at Arthelia’s Attic on Etsy makes her snoods from original patterns and can even custom make them with crocheted flowers or a matching purse!

kitten von mew 40s hair snood

Check our her beautiful designs and treat yourself to something a little different but 100 times more stunning than a standard knitted snood. Check our her swell online store!

Kitten von Food


vintage seaside humour

I HATE diets. Im not a fan of exercise either. I think being someone who’s weeks and weekends are so jam packed (especially with wedding stuff on top!), I am mentally exhausted at the end of it and it takes all my will power to get on that stepper machine.

I don’t want to crack nuts with my thighs, I just want to get them back into my trousers!

To help me along a little with trimming my muffin tops ready for the wedding, I decided to be a good girl and curb my nibbling, eating a bowl of cereal in the morning, raw veg and humous with a glass of chocolate Soya Milk (Im allowed a treat thank you!) for lunch and then some kind of equally dull dinner.

I don’t know what I was expecting to see in the longest 4 days of my life…maybe for my body to eat my bum fat like a cannibal on an all-you-can-eat nudist beach…but nothing, not even a wobble waving a white flag.

Im still struggling with my trousers and willpower. Why is it that when you need to be good, fresh tiger bread twirls it’s fragrant tassels at me and chocolate souffle’s give me a ‘come hither’ smile through their foil topped lids. The cullinary cads.

STOP PRESS!!! Kitten’s New Burlesque Act


kitten von mew as lili marleenThis is an exclusive look at my new costume and act ‘Lili Mewleen’, which will be released from it’s burlesque shackles at the War and Peace Show 2012!

A nod to one of my favourite female icons Marlene Dietrich, this act features a 7 ft lampost made by Mr. Mew and a STUNNING Vollers corset that has a ‘quick release function’. I got to try on this stunner of a corset when I did the interview for The One Show and met the gorgeous Corina and her fabulous group of ladies in the factory. Knowing how much work goes into these British made corsets has given me even more faith in the UK industry!

I made the fascinator, garter and bustle. The dress was once a rather black lacy and frilly affair (once owned by a drag queen) of which I stripped down to the basics and started again with electric blue!

This fun act will also be staged at Twinwood Festival this year in a brand new entertainment hall, which will also house my swoon-fest Max Raabe!

Handmade Boudoir Dolls – Mae Day


I have always longed for a vintage boudoir doll. Some people find them deeply disturbing and something of horror films, but I find most rather charming and even the smoking bed dolls make me smile. It is something about dolls made for grown women that makes the fact I still have my teddy bear seem acceptable…

Anyway, because of the price of the nicest examples of boudoir doll, I decided to try making my own. I adapted a pattern I found online for the limbs and torso, creating the alien-like body from felt.

I had great fun doing the face and used a doll face mould and cotton wool pads dipped in watered down PVA glue! Once dried I painted with acrylics. The texture of the cotton wool pads has given the face a wonderfully old look. I didn’t want this doll to look brand spanking new, I much preferred a more ‘look what I just found in this old attic trunk!’ look.

making boudoir dolls

Creating the limbs and sticking on the face of the Mae Day. I later shortened the neck a little! Photo by Kitten von Mew

boudoir-doll-faces

2 Boudoir Doll faces I created and painted. The 2nd one will be used for a wedding themed doll! Photo By Kitten von Mew

I originally wanted her to be lounging in lingerie and a Chinese silk robe, but unfortunately we mislaid the bag of silk remnants! I managed to create some French knickers out of two tone silk with old lace trim and a bra top to match. Because these dolls have iconically long limbs, she looked a little disturbing with no hair and more like something from Close Encounters as opposed to Brief Encounter.

After checking my scrap fabrics, I came across an old dress of my sisters with a great crochet overlay and tassels, which lent itself beautifully as a flapper dress! I used an uphostery tassel and beaded trip as decoration and made a long necklace out of some 1930’s and 50’s beads I had lying around. The choker is the clasp from a pearl necklace that exploded a few years back.

boudoir-doll-side

Taken by Kitten von Mew

flapper-boudoir-doll-kitten von mew

Taken by Kitten von Mew

The stockings are made from one of my own seamed nylons that laddered and look aged and tattered as if she has been dancing all weekend!

The hair made all the difference and is beautifully soft alpaca!

vintage-boudoir-doll-kitten von mew

Taken by Kitten von Mew

As a finishing touch I made her leather shoes from a sample swatch and a couple of antique pearl beads.

boudoir-doll-shoes

My Boudoir Doll Shoes made out of leather swatches. Taken by Kitten von Mew

Her hair is slightly more ‘poofy’ than I originally wanted, but as my first try, I am very proud of her!

She reminds me of Virginia from the 1971 Upstairs Downstairs. What was it with 1970’s period dramas where they would sneak in the bouffant hair do wherever they could get away with it?!

Upstairs Downstairs

Upstairs Downstairs 1971

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Episode 12


For those who didn’t get to watch it, I got a ‘good airing’ with Katherine Higgins yesterday! Although they didn’t use the singing clips (wow…NOT a good hint huh?!) or me pulling out my money from the bra, there was a short clip of my fan dance before we got down to the deal.

On a plus note, the 3 pairs of stocking I bought ended up being 4 pairs! The pink packaging holds 2 pairs with a little motif on the ankle, so a definite bonus. Very pleased that my money is off to a good charity and the experience was well worth it.

Below are a few screen shots of the programme and you have 6 days to watch it here.

Kitten von Mew on Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Episode 12

Performing for Katherine Higgins!

Negotiating a price for the vintage stockings

Katherine Higgins wearing my Pincushion Corsage!

Blowing kisses with our fans!

Enchanted Burlesque – Believe


Kitten von Mew, Enchanted Burlesque 2012

On 31st March I performed at Enchanted Burlesque at The Old Rep Theatre in Birmingham. The theatre itself is lovely and the staff are incredibly helpful. I was able to pick my lighting colours and sound check with ease!

Mr. Mew and a stage hand helped me erect my giant birdcage and then I had a chance to meet up with Angel, James, Courtney Blush and Romany before getting ready.

I had a super time and performed my Songbird act and Carmen Mewanda. The stage got a little slippy because of glitter, but these things happen when there is so much glamour in one building!

I had a real giggle with Romany and her magic acts were hilarious. I also really enjoyed Satine Di Monte’s act, which featured her dance partner and silk fan veils. Absolutely stunning! I missed Bam Bam Blue’s unicorn act, which was mortifying as I longed to see it, but hopefully the Enchanted Burlesque videos will be available on You Tube, so I can watch it then!

Mr Mew and I being silly in the dressing room

Enchanted Burlesque


Enchanted Burlesque Poster March 2012

 

On 31st March I will be performing at Enchanted Burlesqueat The Old Rep Theatre in Birmingham! It will be great to see Lola Pops again and I am looking forward to Mr. Mew getting to see me perform in a theatre setting as he is so used to seeing me in a field set up.

I will be performing Carmen Mewanda and Songbird, so come along and enjoy all the acts!

Time: March 31, 2012 from 7pm to 11pm
Location: The Old Rep
Street: Station Street
City: Birmingham
Website or Map: http://www.oldreptheatre.org
Phone: 0121 245 4455

 

Kitten von Mew as Carmen Mewanda - Taken by Lee Parker, War and Peace 2011

Kitten von Mew performing 'Songbird' at Vintage at Goodwood 2010 by Papa Mew

THE FACE OF ‘FRIENDS OF THE 40S’!


Friends of the Forties - Kitten von Mew Banner

Well if the banner isn’t a hint enough for you then I will try another tactic…”JEEPERS CREEPERS, YOU MEAN I’M THE FACE OF AN INCREDIBLE WEBSITE DEDICATED TO 40’S EVENTS AND LIFESTYLE?!” Yes indeedy.

From entertainers to venues, attractions and traders, Friends of the 40’s is the source of all your vintage needs…and I’m the lucky girl who’s mug will be glamorously slapped all over their scrumptious pages! Mwuah ha ha ha!!!  Thank you for all your kindness and support team! Also a huge ‘WOOHOO!’ to Candee who’s images they are using!