Daisy Fairbanks Vintage

Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi - Musical Fashion Interlude

Joni Mitchell, 1970.

No one before or since could smile, giggle and sweetly strum a song with such a powerful punch.

 

 

 

Do we wish we had the pink 1930s dress with the crochet sleeves? Very much.

But one thing we do have - the verdgris 1950s leaf choker.

vintage 50s leaf choker, daisyfairbanks on etsy

Musical Fashion Interlude - Janelle Monae

I've never shared a contemporary musician with you in this section, but I just can't help it - Janelle Monae makes me squeal with glee! Equal parts Grace Jones, James Brown, Alicia Keyes and PeeWee Herman, the talented Ms. Monae will have you out of your seat, hiking up your pant hems, and getting out the bandage tape to two-tone your dress shoes.

Shrunken tuxedo? check. Oversized bow tie? check. Vintage 80s button earrings? check. Enormous Q-tip bouffant? you betcha. Dementors? not sure why, but let's just go with it.

So baby, whether you're high or low, this song is likely make you want to get up and move!

Musical Fashion Interlude - Lena Horne

The iconic singer passed away yesterday. You can read about her life here.
But let's listen to her music:

Here she is, circa 1938, just a pretty teen age band singer who just seems to be having a good time. I love her simple hair, clean face, unembellished silver dress. Her smile is infectious.

Stormy Weather, the song with which she would forever be linked.

And to prove that Ms. Horne could a both class and groove to any song, here she is with the Muppets:

"I'm not alone, I'm free. I no longer have to be a credit, I don't have to be a symbol to anybody; I don't have to be a first to anybody."
- Lena Horne

My Childhood Icons Are Leaving Me - Thank You, Michael Jackson

This is just a quick post on a crazy day of heartbreaking loss.
I was putting together a post about Farrah when I heard the news about Michael Jackson. I'm just sharing a few of my favorite songs here, and I'm so much at a loss for words that I'm not going to point out the delightful costume choices.
My favorite Michael moments are from the early Jackson 5 days when he was just a cute kid with a fantastically soulful voice. This was the Michael I fell in love with.

Little Michael, I'll be There.

Got to Be There.

Here's my all-time favorite song by the Jackson 5. Never Can Say Goodbye.

On American Bandstand, Michael's debut as a solo artist at age 16,
I Wanna Be Where You Are.

And this song for me marked the shift from childhood to adult for the Jacksons, plus it gave me some of the most awkward moments in junior high school when all my friends were learning the robot and I realized I would never be groovy.
Or have boobs. Ever.
It's also the first glance we get at Michael's coming role as dance innovator. Dancing Machine.

Thank you Michael.

Musical Fashion Interlude - The Fifth Dimension

vintage, fashion, clothing, style, retro, music, psychedelic, mod

There'll be trains of trust, trains of golden dust

There was a time in our history when music lyrics were sweet, hopeful, positive, and singing people were smiling and happy. And they danced in unison wearing matching outfits made by magical elves from outer space.



Beautiful, fine, talented musician singers who harmonize to bring peace and happiness to the world, wearing white bubble skirts, aqua velveteen vests, silver trimmed neck ruffles, collars that are so extremely pointy they require a 12th grade geometry equation, shiny harlequin tunics with bell sleeves from Venus, wide white belts with matching shoes and no worries whatsoever about their proximity to Labor Day.

Nothing to get hung up about.



Orange, black and white. Again with the wide white belts. And Marilyn's matching two-tone tights? Pure intergalactic genius.
Robotic chorus line kicks, aaaaaaaaaaand Point! (Obviously the moving of hips is forbidden on this particular planet.)

The world's a nicer place...It wears a nicer face...



While I adore the Mariachi prom night fantasy tuxedo look, I'd have a hard time choosing between a) blue sequin halter mini with giant white belt and b) tinier sequin mini skirt and bikini top with sexy rain poncho.

Yes, I would like to ride in your beautiful balloon.
I've been hoping you would ask.

Musical Fashion Interlude - California Heat Wave, Vintage Style

Here in California, it's the hottest April on record. Typing makes me sweat. Clothes are ironing themselves. At any moment, I'm afraid I may become a victim of Spontaneous Human Combustion.
Here are a few cute vintage songs to pass the time. First, Marilyn Monroe with a hat made of crazy, and some talented pirates:

Next, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas lipsynch to their hit song on the tiniest stage ever made, in cute and sparkly matching dresses and bouffant wigs of awesome proportion:

Madonna, Burning Up (sorry for the poor quality) before her production values changed. This, children, is what MTV used to look like. back when a diagonal camera angle was considered "edgy."

We all know Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire, but have you ever heard this Ray Charles version (complete with powder blue wide-lapel suit.)

Pointer Sisters perform Fire, in an amazing retro 80s-does-50s painted skirt surrounded by a jumpsuit and a big-sweater with parachute pants.

Stay cool, y'all.

Musical Fashion Interlude: The Pointer Sisters

"Yes We Can" may be a familiar phrase in the Obama era, but the Pointer Sisters were rocking it back in the early 70s.

The Pointer Sisters were one of the many great examples of the 40s revival in the early 70s, and popular interest of both the fashion and music of the big-band era. Trying to find gorgeous rayon crepe floral dresses may be like a needle in a haystack today, but back then they could be picked up in the thrifts for just a few dollars. It's sweet to see the dedication the look in the hairstyles and platform shoes. And dang, but those girls could sing. (I also really enjoyed the surprising example of vocal beatboxing by Gaylord Birch.)

Special thanks to Maryalice at the Vintage Fashion Guild for pointing out this video.

Musical Fashion Interlude: The Hollies

Because it's a rainy day here in California....

Bus Stop, Live 1966

British super-cuties The Hollies were groovy on so many levels. I have always loved that they somehow managed to maintain a certain wholesomeness in their music while at the same time staying at the creative edge of the day.
Bus Stop has always been one of my favorite songs of the era, maybe because it manages to capture the rainy day flavor through the melody while dealing with an essentially positive, romantic topic. Plus, it makes me smile that the hero in this song dreams of marrying the girl - heaven knows that doesn't happen in popular music these days.

Now, back to fashion. How groovy?

1.) Alan Clarke is a cutie.

2.) Side burns. Not that I'm advocating bringing back this trend, but these boys pull it off.

3.) White satin pirate shirts with gigantic black neck ruffles. Fierce!

4.) Clarke (again) in a black satin shirt and winkle pickers. Dancing.

5.) Drummer Bobby Elliot trying to bring Beatnik back with the black turtleneck, beret, and kerchief.

6.) A crowd of groovy groovesters. Being groovy.

Ms Eartha Kitt Will Live Forever

We are so sad to learn that Eartha Kitt has left us.
ABC has written excellent obituaries here and here.
So we'll just get to the music.
Here's the delectable Ms. Kitt in her signature role as the sexy golddigger. Gorgeous dress!

In the 80s, performing "Cha Cha Heels" with Bronski Beat:

Ms. Kitt in the 90s, showing everyone she's still got it:

And because she passed away on Christmas Day, here is perhaps her most famous song, performed for President Bush just 2 years ago:

Musical Fashion Interlude - Carmen Miranda

What to do with those pesky leftover candy canes:

Love the pirate band.
Love the gratuitous use of gold ball Christmas tree garlands.
Love the full-on snowbank sleeves.
Love the 14 inch platform shoes.
Happy Holidays!