History and High Heels: April 2012

Sunday, April 29, 2012

The Oldsmobile & Classic Style

This day in 2004 was the date when the last Oldsmobile came off of the line at the Lansing, MI plant. For 106 years, Americans were able to enjoy the timeless automobiles manufactured under the name Oldsmobile, after its creator Ransom E. Olds (1864-1950). In 1897, Olds was just a simple engine maker from Ohio who came up with a brilliant idea to start his own car production company. By 1901, this company was known as Olds Motor Works and he sold 400 of the Curved Dash Oldsmobile (seen below) in the first year. His company boomed with sales as demand increased for horseless carriages. In 1908 his brand was brought under the GM umbrella and became a top-seller for the corporation. Throughout the mid-1900s, Oldsmobile became geared towards middle-class families with a classic design for reasonable prices. However, in 1980s sales began to wane away from their traditional design and finally in 2004 the company announced they would be producing their last batch of cars. By the time that final Oldsmobile rolled off of the line, they had sold over 35 million automobiles to the public.
Facts from history.com

This weekend, I actually was discussing classic cars with a friend as we were driving through Leawood, Kansas. We had just spotted what looked like a 1950 Oldsmobile parked in a driveway and subsequently began wishing that modern brands would remake that classic style. There's just something that draws me to those clean lines, traditional style, bold colors, and chrome accents. As I was thinking about it, those very descriptors are easily able to be converted to my own style. Throughout my fashion journey so far, I have found that the best way to start a fashionable wardrobe is to begin with the basics. Picking pieces with simple, clean, tailored lines and traditional style that will work well from season to season is the way to go. It's from here that you can expand to bolder colors, frilled detailing, chrome accents, or other fun accessories. Yet, the basics of your wardrobe are like homebase. Return to them with regularity and you never will go wrong. Sometimes, it's good to pause and remember that classy never goes out of style.

classic style by historyandhighheels

A P C ruched top, £95
Boyfriend jacket, $130
Mint skirt, $68
BALLIN leather heels, £364
Clutch, $43
J Crew 18 karat gold jewelry, $150
Ted Baker belt, £39

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Joyeux Anniversaire

Today is a very special day for the History and High Heels blog because officially it has been one year since I wrote my first fashion post! It has been a great year full of fashion fun, incredible experiences, and personal growth. As I continue on this next year of blogging, I hope you all will continue to stick with me as I begin to work my way onto a life path that is fulfilling and exciting! As always, I will strive to bring you the latest styles with a historical commentary that will continue to intrigue you, encourage your fashion explorations, and help with every day dilemmas. Of course, if you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, you know where I am! Here's to another great year!

xx,
Annie

Sunday, April 15, 2012

April 15, 1912

April 14-15, 1912 is a time that will live in infamy for years to come. The sinking of the RMS Titanic came at a time when enthusiasm for new technology ran high. This beautiful, stately, and "unsinkable" mammoth vessel celebrated the triumph of man over nature's unbridled chaos. It's sinking into the frigid waters off of New Foundland and the loss of over 1,500 lives sent shockwaves into western society. Faith in technology crumbled and was only further decimated by the atrocities experienced in World War I.

The RMS Titanic set sail on its maiden voyage April 10th, 1912 from Southampton, England with a passenger list of 1,324. The staggering cost of a first class ticket on this vessel headed to New York City was between $2,500 to $4,500 (that's about $43,860 to $78,950 in today's market). As Candace Keener notes, "first class consisted primarily of wealthy industrialists and their families, among them John Jacob Astor IV and even J.P. Morgan -- who was forced to cancel his passage due to business conflicts. Among the second-class passengers were businessmen and members of the clergy (even a teacher and chauffeur are recorded to have been traveling second-class). Third class, or steerage, was comprised mostly of European immigrants." Just before midnight on a cold, moonless night the ship's operators had received 6 ice warnings before it scraped against that fateful iceberg in the North Atlantic. The lookouts only had 30 seconds between spotting the iceberg and impact, making avoiding the collision impossible. Five compartments were ruptured as the ice ripped through the Titanic's hull causing irreparable damage. It took just over 2 hours for the vessel to sink to the bottom of the ocean. Due to a shortage of lifeboats and proper emergency procedures, approximately 1517 people perished on the Titanic or in the freezing waters. This number includes the ship's musicians who stayed on board and played on the deck to keep spirits up and Captain Smith.
*facts from history.com and howstuffworks.com

This tragedy has remained embedded in our culture's conscience, not only due to the intrinsic shock of the event, but also thanks to the work of James Cameron to recreate the sinking. His beautifully mastered film re-ignited our fascination with the Titanic and rocketed actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet into stardom. Ever since watching this movie in middle school, I have had a deep respect and admiration for Kate Winslet and all of her films. She not only is extremely classy, but also incorporates a wonderfully rock & roll edge to all of her looks. One can see it clearly in her most recent appearance at the Titanic 3D premiere, where she wore an elegantly draped black dress with crystal cap sleeves & brooch. This added edge to her look makes her a great inspiration for fashionistas everywhere.

Style Icon: Kate Winslet by historyandhighheels

Giambattista Valli multi color dress, $2,995
R13 genuine leather jacket, $1,395
Lauren Jones platform shoes, $102
Elie Saab clutch hand bag, $912
J Crew bubble jewelry, $150

Monday, April 9, 2012

Color Crush

As you may remember from some previous posts, this spring and summer seasons are all about bright colors. Two of my newest favorite colors are blood orange and tangerine. I've recently become a huge fan of blood oranges. Not only are they delicious, but their rich purple-red color complements the orange peel so beautifully. I love adding them to fruit salads to add that bright hue. Try out a few of the below items or even just update your manicure to embrace these fun shades! You can either pair these colors together for a bold outfit that turns heads, or pair them with neutrals to help balance the pairing. Personally, I would love to wear that blood-orange skirt with the polka dot tangerine shirt, a brown belt, and metallic heels to work. It's just fun and full of energy!

color crush: blood orange & tangerine by historyandhighheels

3 1 Phillip Lim ruffle dress, $475
Sonia by Sonia Rykiel polka dot shirt, $295
Patterson J Kincaid polyester shirt, 144 CAD
J Crew long cotton skirt, $128
J.Crew high waisted short shorts, $118
Costume National platform high heels, $403
Aldo shoes, $90
Stella mccartney handbag, $995
Kate Spade bib necklace, $148
Sterling silver jewelry, £25
Assad Mounser gold plated jewelry, $300
Mango bracelet, £23
Stud earrings, $3.99
Bluma project orange earrings, $92

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Girl on Fire

I don't know if you've heard of this new phenomena raging across American culture by the name of The Hunger Games. If not, you seriously have been living under a rock. The books are addictive and easy to read, the first movie starring Jennifer Lawrence was great and fairly true to the storyline. One thing that I think makes these books so appealing is that we as women are sick of Bella Swan and other similar male-dependent, weak-willed female characters. Finally, there is a series taking hold of popular culture that centers on a strong, independent "girl on fire." I love how she stands up for her family, risks everything for love, shoots a mean bow and arrow, and still looks hot while doing it. This girl is seriously a badass.

Thanks to the suggestion of one of my best friends, Ally, here is one way to accomplish looking like a badass with an awesome fashion sense. Try leather pieces, such as jackets or boots, bring balance to an outfit with some hardware, such as studded belts or bags, and incorporate those earthy braids into your hairstyle. Unfortunately, my hair is too short to braid very well, so I just braided a piece and pinned it back. I loved int the movie how the people from District 12 dressed in a style reminiscent of the 1940s, so when I tried out the look myself, I chose a button up shirt to not only balance out the badass look, but also reflect this earlier trend. Below are my two interpretations of dressing like Katniss Everdeen.