Lounge like a retro goddess!

This is Jean Harlow and she lounges like a goddess.

After spending a week's vacation at home I am ready to better my loungewear game. I spent the last week in nightgowns, leggings, pajama pants, boyfriend sweaters, and Snuggies. I let my skin breathe, I cleaned house in a pony tail, and I watched more Netflix than I ever thought possible. It was great for me but not so great for Mr. Anachronistic Style who is used to a lot more primping on my part. Mid-century women excelled at the art of lounging, wouldn't I feel so much better sitting around the house in a beautiful nightgown and bed jacket with pin curls and lipstick? I spend hundreds of dollars on clothes a month yet I can't bring myself to drop a hundred dollars on a nightgown or two! I will arguably wear these lovely frocks more than anything else in my closet so maybe these lovelies would be a better investment?

How lovely is this Soma lavender nightgown ($89) with embroidery and cascading ruffles? I adore the modern cotton fabric with the retro details.

I ask for this Secrets in Lace ostrich-trim chiffon robe ($139) every birthday and Christmas but have yet to receive it. I think hubby is scared of the feathers and sees Big Bird instead of Jean Harlow!

I recently fell in love with the satin pajamas from Victoria's Secret ($69.50.) They are perfect for lounging in warm and comfortable style and come in all kinds of prints and three different lengths to fit a variety of sizes! These pajamas toe the line between sexy and demure with a strong menswear twist, what's not to love?

How frilly and fabulous and yowza is this bed jacket!? This babydoll top from Secrets in Lace ($49) is perfect for covering up from the waist up. A bed jacket is a cropped robe so that the bottom does not get ruffled while you sit in bed, or in my case on the couch with a soft blanket.

What is your favorite retro loungwear?

1940s-style wedding!

So several months ago Mr. Anachronistic Style and I tied the knot after eight years. We never really had the money for a wedding and have been supporting ourselves for years so we decided to do something quick and simple. My concept was the 1940s, during wartime many couples were married in their back yards or in wedding chapels before the men shipped off to war. Weddings of this time period were simple and bittersweet affairs.

We decided not to invite anyone to our wedding except our parents. Whenever we attempted a guest list it always got out of hand so we kept it simple. We chose a local wedding chapel for its retro appeal and it was our most tasteful option in Columbus. Mr. Anachronistic Style wore his grey Mad Men for Banana Republic suit, wingtip shoes and a pink striped tie. He had to wait on me since I was fashionably late to my own wedding.

My dress was the Ava dress from pinupgirlclothing.com. The wrap style and longer length were so 1940s! My bouquet was white and pink hydrangeas (my favorite flower) and I realize now how slimming a bouquet is, I should carry one every day! My purse was a gift from my husband for my birthday last year and was made by Guess. My sunglasses are kate spade, my shoes are Madden Girl found at DSW. My rhinestone necklace was genuine vintage. My lips were Lime Crime Retrofuturist and my toes and tips were Essie Lollipop.

We make such a picturesque couple! It doesn't hurt that Mr. Anachronistic Style fills out that suit so well.

Detail shot of our shoes and my hair. I wanted victory rolls and I got them! My nude platform pumps actually had little white polka dots, I had to add my own quirkiness to such a classic retro look. After the wedding we spent some time with our photographer Stephanie Atwood and then met our parents at a swanky restaurant for dinner. The whole affair was nice and relaxed, just the way I wanted it!

Beauty on a Budget with Revlon

If you're a make-up aficionado like myself the drug store may be the last place you'd find yourself trolling for make-up. Stores like Sephora, Ulta, and the MAC counter are bright and vibrant and fun (with great sales people for all that fabulous free advice!) but Mid-century American women had no choice but to buy their cosmetics at drug stores or the occasional department store. Revlon has been around since make-up was first packaged and sold and believe it or not the same colors mid-century women chose are still available today! As soon as I saw this diagram I picked up a tube of Fire and Ice on my last grocery trip. I love knowing that I am wearing an authentic 1950s lip color with my anachronistic ensembles. So far I am very happy with the color, a pretty pinkish-red that glows on my lips. The color is moist and subtly wearable. The packaging leaves something to be desired, and I had to spend several minutes peeling off the unattractive price label. Also the lipstick has wear issues, I'm used to expensive lipsticks with high pigment content that last until lunch and leave a stain all day. I found that layering is key with the Revlon lipstick: use a liner to fill in lips, apply lipstick, press powder onto lipstick, re-apply lipstick. Repeat after lunch.

Overall I am happy with my purchase and plan on collecting all the colors in the chart above to achieve a retro lipstick collection. At $5 a tube I really can't pass these up even if they do need a little more work to last. After this little experiment I am more interested in trying Besame cosmetics...if I can get the same authentic retro colors with a higher pigment content, more durability and that gorgeous golden lipstick bullet? I'd happily pay the $22. In the meantime enjoy some matching nails and tips ads from Revlon featuring some of the colors above for inspiration.

Summer in Style with L'Wren Scott

Now that I've got my new job, new apartment, new husband and new car situation ironed out (Whew!) I should be able to get back to my regular posting schedule. I'm in love with L'Wren Scott's first resort collection. Resort collections are my favorite since the clothes are always wearable. The cuts are 1940s style with cheeky prints and bright colors. I love the shoes and bags in the matching print but I would lose the strange military hats.

I've been devoting myself to my Pinterest account, hop on over for some inspiration!

Dita Von Teese: How She Became the Most Famous Stripper in America

LA Weekly did an amazing interview and photo-shoot of my favorite ambassador of glamour. Read the interview by Gendy Alimurung here! The fabulous technicolor photo set is by Star Foreman.

The interview gives us a peek into the very little-known parts of her career, when her persona was in it's infancy.

"There is a difference, Dita Von Teese has learned, between getting naked onstage and "in real life." Onstage she controls everything: From the lights illuminating her pale breasts, to the layers of body makeup smoothing over her thighs, to the Swarovski crystal and feathers, many "special tricks" go into creating the illusion of otherworldly perfection."

Do you know the one rule of burlesque? No pink. That's how you keep it classy.

"I'm probably overcoming my feelings of being very average-looking. Which made me want to create glamour and paint myself and do my makeup and hair well, and become something that I wasn't originally."

Retro Education: How to put on fully fashioned stockings

Thanks to the people at Secrets in Lace here's a great tutorial on how to wear a garter belt and stockings.

Like Sweets from Heaven

Marie Claire South Africa had this jaunty little spread for January 2012. Prada Resort 2012 invites the 60s-inspired patterns, sorbet colors and bold makeup to come out and play. The silhouettes are very 40s while the Pop Art patterns make the clothes modern again. Notice how the same hat worn multiple ways ties all the images together.

Margarita Bloom's: Retro Vintage Beauty & Skincare

I've been on a virtual shopping spree for hours, delighting in the website design and hundreds of beauty combinations offered by Margarita Bloom's. The site is comprised of classic paintings, inspiring quotes, and delightful illustrations. Angelfood cake scrub, french milled soap, raspberry lime pinktini soak, and rich drizzle body oil have all made it into my imaginary cart. I'll be imagining opening my parcel and delighting in the scents and packaging that is Margarita Bloom's until my next payday. Has anyone else tried this lovely brand?