I attended another 1929 party recently, and got dolled up accordingly-
in a vampy-boudoir doll ensemble à la Theda Bara or Pola Negri.
If there is any era I feel a total resonance with, it’s absolutely the late teens and 20’s.
Oh for a time machine! I imagine it all the time. An ideal period for art, fashion, music
and culture in general- yet with most of the modern conveniences! Perfect.
I’ve always resonated with the deco aesthetic, and think I would fit in just fine
if I could indeed travel back and appear out of thin air (preferably at a wild party,
with lots of champagne!) I could swoon just thinking about it.
How about you? I love to ask this question- it’s always so fascinating
to learn what time period one would revisit, and why!

I found this foto decadent, but I can’t recall anymore than that just now-
pretty fabulous though, no? I need that dress, right now.

After Galliano’s Ukranian Brides show, his Boudoir Doll show may take the cake as my all-time favorite.

(via Queen Gilda)
I love love love the maquillage! Broken dollfaces! Sybaritic sirens! I faint, and devour.

(Miss T. Verhext at the Edwardian Ball)

Miss Gala Darling did an interview recently with Dawn of Boudoir Queen– go take a look!

I met Dawn at Uncommon Objects– it’s always fun to see what treasures she will find there
and incorporate into her designs. Lots of metallic lace, tattered satin bed jackets and velvet roses!

This amazing puppet was hand-carved and operated by Heather Jarry,
and voiced by Luna Tart– one of the many
delightful performances we saw that night.
She sang “I love Paris” and danced salaciously, as did we.

Franziska and Amelia gallivanting outside the Carousel Lounge-
they both have the perfect faces for capturing the jazz-baby essence.
I’ll definitely taking these girls in the time machine with me!

Oh yes, and the smoldering Ekaterina! Cha-cha-cha!
I’ve also been inspired to read more about the
beautiful and damned Zelda Fitzgerald
lately, and discovered these gems:
When Harper & Brothers asked Zelda to contribute to
“Favorite Recipes of Famous Women” she wrote:
“See if there is any bacon, and if there is ask the cook which pan to fry it in.
Then ask if there are any eggs, and if so try and persuade the cook to poach two of them.
It is better not to attempt toast, as it burns very easily. Also, in the case of bacon do not turn
the fire too high, or you will have to get out of the house for a week.
Serve preferably on china plates, though gold or wood will do if handy”.
The piece led to Zelda receiving offers from other magazines.
In June, a piece by Zelda Fitzgerald, “Eulogy on the Flapper”,
was published in Metropolitan Magazine. Though ostensibly
a piece about the decline of the Flapper lifestyle,
Zelda’s biographer Nancy Milford wrote that the essay was
“a defense of her own code of existence”.
Zelda described the Flapper:
“The Flapper awoke from her lethargy of sub-deb-ism,
bobbed her hair, put on her choicest pair of earrings and
a great deal of audacity and rouge and went into the battle.
She flirted because it was fun to flirt and wore a one-piece
bathing suit because she had a good figure …
She was conscious that the things she did
were the things she had always wanted to do.
Mothers disapproved of their sons taking the Flapper
to dances, to teas, to swim and most of all to heart.”
Also, I am eagerly anticipating Zelda Magazine,
which will be published biannually and will launch in Fall 2009.
“Zelda is a new publication for aficionados of early 20th century culture!
Photography, fashion, arts, illustration, music, cocktails,
social events, and special features : Zelda includes pieces
on both vintage subjects as well as contemporary culture in the style of vintage.”
Sounds like the bee’s knees, eh?