Special Cinema Spotlight: Unbroken

December 02, 2015
A Vintage Nerd, Period Films, Unbroken, WWII Films

Unbroken is one of those films that you know is going to be intense because it is set during a tragic or stressful time in history. But what also makes it a possibly intense experience is that this particular film is based on a true story.

Right off the bat I knew that Louis Zamperini  grew to be an very old man. But knowing that he lived and had a long life didn't make it easier to watch some parts of his story. I actually found myself reminding myself that he lived an incredibly full life. And I also kept finding myself saying, how could anyone have survived all of that? By the end of the film, I asked myself what does it take to survive the impossible?

It is a film that raises powerful and important questions. It follows the life story of Louis Zamperini who hailed from New York then California. He went from potential street thug to track star to Olympian to World War II Hero. Watching the various stages of his life you can feel as though you are taking the steps with him. This film is personal and its intimate for all the right reasons. It wants to show you one person's journey through life-the ups and downs-and show you how you can be more of what you were yesterday.

A Vintage Nerd, Period Films, Unbroken, WWII Films
A Vintage Nerd, Period Films, Unbroken, WWII Films
A Vintage Nerd, Period Films, Unbroken, WWII Films
A Vintage Nerd, Period Films, Unbroken, WWII Films

Have you read the book Unbroken or seen the film adaptation? Did you know about this story before? If you know everything Zamperini endured during WWII, do you think you could have? What do you think it takes for a person  to rise above the suffering?

A Vintage Nerd Supplementary Reading:






November Links To Love

December 01, 2015
A Vintage Nerd, Midcentury Desserts, Links to love, Vintage Articles

To my surprise I have actually been looking forward to the winter months. I never do and I have no idea why I am now, but I think change can be good. This part of the world is at its final days of Autumn and prepping for the holiday season and I am honestly looking forward to it all. White Chocolate Mocha's never tasted better than in the colder months, in my opinion anyway.

Here I am to share with you my recent finds and I found some really good ones. I love reading articles about undiscovered or untouched homes that become these unintentional time capsules. I also am really digging vintage food articles just because they can be so entertaining. Every time I read one I can't help but wonder what those vintage recipes really tasted like. But overall, each one was real fun and informative to read. I hope you enjoy peaking at a few of these when you can.

A Vintage Nerd, Midcentury Desserts, Links to love, Vintage Articles







A Vintage Nerd, Midcentury Desserts, Links to love, Vintage Articles





I think my favorite finds were the 1960's secret affair and the classic tv history articles. Aside from the untouched homes and recipes of course.

What vintage reads have you discovered lately? Any of these peak your interest?

A Lovely Afternoon At The Manhattan Vintage Show

November 16, 2015
A Vintage Nerd, Manhattan Vintage Show, Vintage Fashion, New York Fashion Blog

Last month I attended the Manhattan Vintage Show for the third time. This time I did something a little different. The night before I was torn on whether I should wear vintage from head to toe or just go with my vintagey look instead. I decided to go a little more comfy with my look but I did manage to wear this great 1960's blouse I scored on Etsy that comes with a bow tie! It's just so cute! I paired it with a scalloped cardigan from Anthropologie, my Gap jeans, Boden jean jacket, and my 60's hair. It was new for me to go to this event dressed this way but I was so much more comfortable.

I know other bloggers have covered this topic but I do sometimes feel very costumey wearing vintage head to toe. Blending modern vintage inspired pieces with authentic vintage pieces has made me a lot happier, a lot more comfy, and I feel more like myself.

Before I drove away to the event my hubby surprised me with my first Adele cd. I know I am late in discovering her but better late than never. We played her amazing music in the car drive into the city and I "sang" the whole way over. Poor hubby!

At the show, I mingled and spoke to a lot of great sellers. I passed out my blogs cards and collected theirs. I met so many nice people. I typically don't spend more than $40 dollars at a show. I don't know why, I just don't go in there hoping to buy everything I see. I am just happy to get to touch a vintage Dior or Chanel outfit. By the way, they are divine!

Here is a little look to my lovely afternoon at the Manhattan Vintage Show:

A Vintage Nerd, Manhattan Vintage Show, Vintage Fashion, New York Fashion Blog
A Vintage Nerd, Manhattan Vintage Show, Vintage Fashion, New York Fashion Blog
A Vintage Nerd, Manhattan Vintage Show, Vintage Fashion, New York Fashion Blog
A Vintage Nerd, Manhattan Vintage Show, Vintage Fashion, New York Fashion Blog
A Vintage Nerd, Manhattan Vintage Show, Vintage Fashion, New York Fashion Blog
A Vintage Nerd, Manhattan Vintage Show, Vintage Fashion, New York Fashion Blog

I tried on a few fabulous coats but I only scored some rings and a pair of earrings. They are Lucite and I feel like they will add just the right dash that I am looking for.

If you are ever in New York for a visit I really recommend going to this show. Its wonderful to be around so many passionate vintage sellers and seeing so many incredible vintage pieces in person. The show happens three times a year and I included a link at the beginning of this post. If you do ever visit here, I hope you go and if you have been to this event, how did you like it?

Fascinating Upcoming Period Films

November 11, 2015
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films

Period films are my next favorite type of film next to classic films. I love seeing how modern film directors interpret other eras. I especially like looking at the masterpieces that so many set and costume designers create for a period film. Its like that little piece of time comes alive once again for all of us to see.

There are quite a few period films that are out now or are coming out within the next few months. Depending on what state or country you live in some of these may be in theaters already.

I'm eager to see quite a few of them in particular; Brooklyn, Suffragette, The Dressmaker, oh heck-who am I kidding. I want to see them all and if I can see them in the theater then great but if not with a little patience they will be available on the small screen in our own homes via Netflix or Cinema Now.

Here are a few to keep your eye out for:

A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films, Testament of Youth
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films, Brooklyn
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films, Suffragette
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films, Bridge of Spies
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films, Little Boy
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films, Tom Hiddleston
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Period Films, The Dressmaker

Have you seen any of these yet? If so, which ones? Do you highly recommend any of them? Many of them are based on true stories or based on a book, do you know of any of these stories? Have you read any of the books already? Let me know your thoughts.

My Evolving Everyday Vintagey Look

November 09, 2015
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Inspired Fashion, Vintage Blog, Casual Vintage Look
Everything evolves, especially fashion. So many of us love vintage because  modern fashions have evolved in a way may not always suit our tastes. Truthfully, I feel my most beautiful when I am wearing a vintage dress. I love the way it fits on me (when it does fit on me) and I love the way so many of them compliment my figure. My favorites are the shirt dresses that leave plenty of room for all the goodies that motherhood has given me. But finding them has been harder and harder to do so I was left with a predicament. Do I give up dressing up in vintage or do I allow my style to evolve?

I can share with you now that I have chosen to evolve and you are going to see a lot more of that here. You can also see more of it on my Instagram HERE. Please stop by and say hi!

So as much as I admire and drool over the vintage babes who dresses old school head to toe my current lifestyle demands something else. I may have said it before but practicality and comfort have to be in my style equation.

I think if you are trying to find your sense of style definitely think about the life that you lead at that moment and how your style can fit into it. Walking around like a 60's housewife in bouffants and cat eyeliner just isn't jiving with my day-to-day living. And although I may not dress up every single day I do still dress up,  just a little bit differently.

I have been experimenting with what aspects of vintage fashion that I love that I can acquire in order to create a look or looks that suit my life where it is as well as express who I am and display my lifelong passion for vintage.

A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Inspired Fashion, Vintage Blog, Casual Vintage Look
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Inspired Fashion, Vintage Blog, Casual Vintage Look, Bow Tie Fashion
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Inspired Fashion, Vintage Blog, Casual Vintage Look, Bow Tie Fashion

Cardigans, Collars, and Bow Ties. They make me happy, I feel really comfy wearing those pieces and I can wear them with skirts or jeans or dresses and oh my. You'll be seeing more of my experimentation in the coming  months as I am working on collecting the pieces I need to help me create the looks I desire.

The photos in this post are a little experiment I did with my Boden Peter Pan collar blouse, Maurice Burgundy Cardigan, and regular pair of jeans. I simply grabbed one of the hair bows I purchased at Claire's Accessories and clipped it right in. I added a pair of vintage stud earrings and a vintage plaid headband all from the 1960's and there you have it.

I felt comfy and cute and fancy free. What do you think? Any recommendations as I continue on my style journey?

And remember, you don't have to dress pure vintage or reproduction to be a vintage girl. Old fashioned values, appreciation for the past, and love for history are all inside of you.

Looking Back At Spooky Posts on AVN

October 22, 2015
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Halloween, Vintage Blog, Halloweens of the Past, Halloween Inspiration

Looking back is a good thing to do once in a while. Sometimes we forget things we saw or learned or did and looking back gives us a chance to take a peak at what was. I have been blogging for almost five years and I often forget to look back at old posts. Not just for my blog but for others as well. And not just to see how far I have come (or others) but to discover or rediscover some good reads.

So let's look back at some spooky past posts from AVN (A Vintage Nerd). I hope you enjoy them!







A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Halloween, Vintage Blog, Halloweens of the Past, Halloween Inspiration, Joan Fontaine, The Witches






A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Halloween, Vintage Blog, Halloweens of the Past, Halloween Inspiration,  Ghost Story

For an added treat, here are some Halloween posts from my former blog Bunny's Victory:





Any favorites from this list? Do you also forget to look back and admire the work you (or others) have done?

6 Things You Can Learn From Watching Audrey Hepburn Films

October 20, 2015
A Vintage Nerd, Audrey Hepburn Film, Lessons Learned From Audrey Hepburn Films, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Film Blog

Movies can without a doubt bring us into the land of make believe but I find that you can learn things from the characters that people play. Audrey Hepburn acted in some wonderful films where her characters were inspiring, funny, complex, and ambitious.

Here are 6 things that I think you can learn from watching Audrey Hepburn films:


Do something you have never done before and have fun with it! Roman Holiday (1953)
A Vintage Nerd, Audrey Hepburn Film, Lessons Learned From Audrey Hepburn Films, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Film Blog

Bagels, New York, little black dresses, and Tiffany's. These are all very, very good things. If you can combine them all into one day then it would be a good day indeed. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
A Vintage Nerd, Audrey Hepburn Film, Lessons Learned From Audrey Hepburn Films, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Film Blog

Paris can do wonders for a girl. Sabrina (1954)
A Vintage Nerd, Audrey Hepburn Film, Lessons Learned From Audrey Hepburn Films, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Film Blog


Kissing Cary Grant. Yes. Please. He was much older than Audrey in Charade (1963). So lesson learned. its perfectly fine to be kissed by a dashing older man especially if he looks like Cary Grant. Seriously.
A Vintage Nerd, Audrey Hepburn Film, Lessons Learned From Audrey Hepburn Films, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Film Blog

This is how you make an entrance. Bold colors, elegance, and with grace. Funny Face (1957)
A Vintage Nerd, Audrey Hepburn Film, Lessons Learned From Audrey Hepburn Films, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Film Blog

This is a film photo from My Fair Lady (1964). When Audrey's character Eliza makes an entrance in that dress she showed us that if you dress the part, act the part, and believe in the part then everyone around you will believe in it too.
A Vintage Nerd, Audrey Hepburn Film, Lessons Learned From Audrey Hepburn Films, Old Hollywood Blog, Classic Film Blog

What you learned from watching Audrey Hepburn's films? Which of her films do you find the most inspiring, moving, or entertaining?

Classic Cinema Spotlight: I Married A Witch (1942)

October 13, 2015
A Vintage Nerd, Veronica Lake Films, I Married A Witch, Classic Film Blog, Old Hollywood Blog,

Classic Spooky films are just the best. They are entertaining without being completely gross and in your face. One film I watched recently was I Married A Witch (1942) starring Veronica Lake and Fredric March.

It's not fast paced and it takes its time to tell the story well. Add a dash of comedy, a sprinkle of romance, and let's not forget a measure of magic and you have yourself one charming film to watch.

It begins in colonel Salem where we find a pair of witches, a father (Cecil Kellaway) and his daughter (Lake) being burned at the stake. As they are dying they curse the the Purtian who judged them and that all of his male descendants would marry horrible women. Many years later Jennifer and Daniel (the formerly dead witches) manifest themselves in order to torture the latest descendant of the Wooley family.

Things go awry when Jennifer realizes that she has fallen head over heals for her sworn enemy.

A Vintage Nerd, Veronica Lake Films, I Married A Witch, Classic Film Blog, Old Hollywood Blog,
A Vintage Nerd, Veronica Lake Films, I Married A Witch, Classic Film Blog, Old Hollywood Blog,
A Vintage Nerd, Veronica Lake Films, I Married A Witch, Classic Film Blog, Old Hollywood Blog,
A Vintage Nerd, Veronica Lake Films, I Married A Witch, Classic Film Blog, Old Hollywood Blog,

This is a darling film. It's quirky and cute all the while you're rooting for a vengeful witch to win the heart of her enemy.

Have you seen this film? If so, what did you think about it? What are your favorite spooky classic films?

Lana Lobell Fashions of the 1950's-1960's

October 06, 2015
A Vintage Nerd, Lana Lobell Fashions, Vintage Fashion Designers, Lana Lobell 1950s Fashion, Lana Lobell 1960s Fashion, Vintage Fashion Blog

The Lana Lobell catalog was first launched in 1950 by a dress store owner by the name of Boris Leavitt. He named it after his daughter and sent them out via his shop.

When I first came across the Lana Lobell catalog my jaw dropped. I never thought I would find one source that epitimized everything I loved about fashion. The clothes are pretty and feminine, as well as wearable and dare I say comfy looking?

I have been wanting to share my love for the Lana Lobell catalogs with you all for a while, so here are some of the beautiful items that were sold via catalog.

A Vintage Nerd, Lana Lobell Fashions, Vintage Fashion Designers, Lana Lobell 1950s Fashion, Lana Lobell 1960s Fashion, Vintage Fashion Blog
A Vintage Nerd, Lana Lobell Fashions, Vintage Fashion Designers, Lana Lobell 1950s Fashion, Lana Lobell 1960s Fashion, Vintage Fashion Blog
A Vintage Nerd, Lana Lobell Fashions, Vintage Fashion Designers, Lana Lobell 1950s Fashion, Lana Lobell 1960s Fashion, Vintage Fashion Blog

Aren't they all to die for? I want everything in a size 12 please! Have you seen the Lana Lobell catalog before?

September Links To Love

October 02, 2015
A Vintage Nerd, Links to love, Vintage Articles, Vintage Blog

Why am I posting my September links when it just turned to October? Unfortunately my computer needs some tlc from the computer repair man so its been tricky trying to blog. It's the reason why A Vintage Nerd has been so quiet lately. I hope to rectify all of that soon but at least I can still post via my phone.

So here are my vintagey link finds for September. Hope you enjoy them.

A Vintage Nerd, Links to love, Vintage Articles, Vintage Blog, Peter O'Toole





A Vintage Nerd, Links to love, Vintage Articles, Vintage Blog, Pride & Predjuice





I love the 90's version of Pride and Prejudice, don't you? Oh that Mr. Darcy! What articles did you read last month that you enjoyed?
 
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