As my channel progresses, I find that my subscribers range in age from 15 to 50 and everywhere in between. Which means I get request for looks from Miley Cyrus to Rita Hayworth...from Katie Perry to Kate Hepburn. Though I am happy to oblige w/ the classic looks, I usually have to refer the little ladies who request modern looks to other youtubers who specialize in keeping 'up to date'...heh heh. I hope I don't offend by doing so, but really, I have so little time per week to devote to this little venture that I really do like to focus on the looks with which I truly feel a measure of kinshiip. That said, I was surprised indeed when I recently received a request for the following look by Kim Kardashian:








It's lovely! The mention of her name prepared me to forward the viewer to Makeup By TiffanyD without even glancing at the photo...yes, I'm ashamed to admit it. But I was very happy with the look Kim is featuring in these photos and am anxious to re-create it. I also find it somewhat comforting. Now if I could just find some extra hair??

Thanks to all you lovely people, my youtube channel soared to over 4,000 subscribers this past weekend! It's awfully nice of you to watch my carryings-on and I appreciate it. I can't help but think it is partly due to all you nice viewers who posted my review of Lauren's book on their Twitter and Facebook pages. So thanks again! I owe ya one...and hopefully Lauren has seen a few sales due to our 'networking'.

Over the past few weeks, I've been contacted by several companies who wish to promote their product through my channel. Some I have declined, some I have wholeheartedly accepted. If it's a product I already use, that's a no brainer (like my Besame lipstick review from yesterday). But occasionally, I'm contacted by people whose product I am not interested in, or whose product I don't feel would appeal to my audience. Also, I have no interest in promoting product from huge 800 pound elephants (like MAC) who certainly don't need my assistance. So hopefully, I'll be able to continue to bring your attention to 'little fellas' who deserve some extra support...and who are on their way up! Therefore, if you see something you like...send some business their way, if you can! And feel free to alert me to Etsy shops or small product companies that you'd like to see featured on LisaFreemontStreet. Much thanks in advance, for that.

Tutorial-wise, I'm planning an edgy pin up look (similar to my Psychobilly one) with an original makeup look to go along with it. Also, I'm going to tackle the authentic pageboy, using techniques from a 1940's styling book I received recently. So I hope all of you tune in for that.

I'm still looking forward to the release of the Vintage Lifestyle Magazine that I mentioned in a prior post. The how-to feature that was contributed by myself is ready for action! Unfortunately, the pilot issue has been moved back to January or February of 2010. But I'll keep you posted on its progress as well.

Lastly, you may have noted that I did not devote a blog entry to my last two 'Starlets', Julie Christie and Michelle Pfeiffer. No reason except lack of time...and the momentum has since, died. So I don't think I'll be doing it after all. No loss of love for those two ladies...just not as passionate about their biographies as I was my prior gals. If your curiosity is just killing you, feel free to google the heck out of them!

Until next time, 'So long, dearies!'

Last week, I recieved my copy of Lauren Rennells' book-'Vintage Hairstyling~Retro Hairstyling with Step by Step Techniques'. The book professes to be 'the perfect guide for showing us how to create so many of those vintage hairstyles'. However, if ever the word 'perfect' could be an understatement, this is the time.

When I first received the book, my first impression was that the quality was better than I expected. The book is a good sturdy paperback, similar in weight and size to those glossy hairstyling books at the salon. As I thumbed through it, I found myself smiling, sitting down in my recliner, and not budging from that spot for a good long while. It's downright addictive.

The magic of this guide is the way it is constructed. I have always had a weakness for illustrated step by step and how-to features in magazines. This book surpasses them all, since it not only takes us through the processes but makes the journey a nostalgic walk through time. There are lovely photos of vintage styling products spliced in with modern ones, and those gorgous glossy photos of the hairstyles will make anyone pick up a bobby pin. The quality photographs make something as simple as a banana comb (remember those?) look like a novel discovery!

Logically, the book starts with a few pages concerning the tools and tricks of the trade. It explains the difference between a hot roller set and a pin curl set, a bobby pin and a hair pin, a pomade and a setting lotion. Though I've been practicing with vintage hairstyles for some time now, I was astonished at how much I'd learned by the time the pincurl demonstration got started. Where vintage styling manuals take it for granted that its readers are professionals, this book uses the most basic of language-so that even the novice will understand. 'Victory Roll-virgins' are welcome here!

After the basics of setting and styling are discussed, the book moves into even more inspiring territory as it takes you through a series of gorgeously conceived 'Final Styles' ranging in appearance from the 1920's to the 1960's. Once the reader becomes familiar with the aforementioned basics, even these glamorous hairdo's will seem relatively easy and achievable. I especially appreciated the styles created specifically for ladies who love to wear hats, as well as those designed for ladies (like me) who enjoy wearing the u-shaped Bettie Page style bang. Though the style is oftentimes considered 'restrictive', this book offers versatility for ladies who enjoy the look.

The icing-on-the-cake is in the final section, a nice little bonus for 'vintage dolls'. This segment features tips on authentic looking hair accessories, makeup application, and ways to protect that vintage 'do.

Over the last year, I have developed quite a little collection of Vintage Hairstyling books-most of which are reprints of actual manuals from the era. I would gladly toss them all aside for this one. Lauren's knowledge and appreciation for the past lends an air of authenticity that makes any of these other guides obselete by comparison.

My rating: 10/10
You NEED this book! ;-)
Order it at www.vintagehairstyling.com (Lauren's website) or mybabyjo.com.

I have been frequenting Etsy alot, recently. I like the ease of naviagation and the variety of amazing handmade items available. Some of my favorite shops at the moment are as follows:

1. Andewynn Designs:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5161618&&ga_search_query=andewyn+designs&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=date_desc&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title


In an ocean of homemade jewelry, Adrienne's designs really stand out. I love the turn and organic flow of her pieces, such as the 'cloud' bracelet pictured above. Her creations are traditional, but edgy. Contemporary, but antique. It's hard to label such things but all of them are beautiful and equisitely crafted. I love the idea of having one-of-a-kind jewelry and these pieces are something I'd be proud to show off.

2.Lapaperie and Cozy:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5377992&fref=fb_itemlist

There is something very comforting about writing down one's thoughts in a handbound leather journal. Beverly makes some gorgeous ones. The journals are beautifully bound in a rustic leather and some contain quotes by noteable authors on the title page-an extra source of enthusiastic inspiration for we of the 'budding brain'. There are guestbooks, sketchbooks, and other niceties also available. Whichever you choose, I'm certain you'll be thrilled with the workmanship and the 'personality' of your own gorgeous volume.

3. Topsy Turvy Designs:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5205648

This shop offers phenomal accessories for costuming or simply living out your own glamorous vintage style. The prices reflect the quality of the items but the originality can't be questions. Of particular note are the stunning feather fascinators, sassy bellhop pillbox hats, and sequinned flower clips for those extra girlie occasions.

4. Baroque and Roll:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29897142

Creative hats are always impressive and this site has some gorgeous options. I love the tweed with feathers, as pictured above, and some of the vintage jewelled hair clips offered on this site are the absolutely perfect. There are also 1920's style headbands that would be enviable by today's standards as well, and did I mention the decorative cuffs? Stunning.

Tha's all for now. Feel free to post your own suggestions for Etsy handmade goodies in the comments. :)

Perfect Grace
____________

Grace Kelly was born in Philadelphia PA on November 12, 1929. Her brother, John Jr, was an olympic athlete and she also had two sisters, Margaret and Elizabeth. Grace did some modelling and amateur acting in high school, which led her to pursue acting after graduation. She then attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she starred in a production of The Philadelphia Story, a fact that is especially interesting, considering that the musical version of the same story 'High Society', would be her last film.

Dramatic Schooling led to her appearance on over sixty television programs during the late 1940's, and eventually to her first motion picture, Fourteen Hours. The film came and went without much notice but Grace was noticed by an important person indeed, actor Gary Cooper. As she continued to act on television and in the theater, a deal was in the works to place her opposite Cooper himself in the enormously popular film, High Noon. The film rocketed her to super stardom and during the fifties, she made a slew of huge box office hits and became the most fashionable icon of the day. The role of Lisa Fremont ('Rear Window') was especially remarkable to me since it first paired Grace with designer Edith Head and, in my opinion, made an impression of remarkable impact on the style of actresses, in general. She also won an oscar for her portrayal in 'The Country Girl', an unglamorous role that exceptionally showcased her acting skills.

In 1955, Grace was invited to share in a photo shoot at the Palace of Monaco, with the Prince himself, who was an avid fan. Upon a visit to the US, Prince Rainer met with Grace after a short correspondence. He also met with her family and after only three days, he proposed. The wedding of the 'century' was set for April 19th, 1956. It was a 40 minute 'civil ceremony' that took place with much 'pomp' and many guests vying to set eyes on the new Princess Consort. The gorgeous dress worn by Grace was designed by Helen Rose and was the work of over a dozen seamstresses and six weeks of labor. The couple left that evening for a seven week Meditteranean cruise and Grace was officially a Princess.

The couple had three children before Grace returned, in a limited way, to the arts. Most of these were in the form of narration or charitable acts of support for various art institutions. She also spoke freely in her support of La Leche League, a group that advocates breastfeeding and its benefits.

Grace had a famous friendship with Josephine Baker. In 1951, Grace stood up for what she deemed right when she boldly spoke out against the Stork Club in NY, for their racist refusal to wait on Josephine. The friendship evidently was maintained throughout Grace's marriage. When Baker approached bankruptcy, Kelly and the Prince offered financial assistance and at the time of Josephine's death, Grace secured her burial in Monoco.

In 1982, Grace suffered a stroke while driving home w/ her daughter, Stephanie. The stroke resulted in her vehicle leaving the road and careening down a mountainside. She died as a result of her injuries on the following day. Stephanie only suffered comparatively minor injuries. The Prince and the entire world mourned; the former of which did not remarry and was buried by her side at his death in 2005.

The world will never forget Grace's effortless presence, her poise, her beauty, and most of all-her wonderful movies that continue to make an impact today.


'God Bless You, Princess Grace'~James Stewart.




Gorgeous Sophia
____________________

Sofia Villani Scicolone was born in Rome on September 20, 1934. During WW2, the family moved to Naples, to avoid bombing raids on the city. She was a shy child and it wasnt until the age of 14 that people began to truly take notice of her extraordinary beauty, when she placed as a finalist in a local beauty contest. From there, she entered extra work in the movies.

After a long relationship with Carlo Ponti, who met her in 1950, a divorce was finally granted him by his wife in 1966, when he married Loren and made their relationship valid. They had two children, Carlo Jr and Eduoardo. During this time, Sophia's career was steadily rising. By 1957, she had a series of popular films, starring opposite such leading men as Cary Grant (who reportedly fell in love with her)and Frank Sinatra.

In 1960, the film 'Two Women' garnered Loren a series of awards, including the Oscar, and catapulted her from 'sex symbol' to bonafide actress. Her films haven't all been box office successes, but she has a credible movie roster to her name. In addition to acting, she enjoyed singing and recorded several songs during her career.

Motherhood slowed Sophia down considerably and made her more careful in choosing her roles. She still makes appearances in an occasional film and can be seen often at awards shows and other ceremonies. She is , to this day, stunningly beautiful, gracious, and endearing.

'Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti'~Sophia Loren

I've been coloring my own hair for some time now, as was stated in my Manic Panic blog entry a few months ago. It saves me money and usually it turns out fine. Against my better judgement however, I decided to go w/ the Garnier Nutrisse color cream in 'True Red'this time, over my usual auburn shade of L'oreal Preference.

The difference was palpable. The L'oreal color is a liquid that you combine w/ the developer and which is quite thin after mixing. It's about the consistency of hair gel and is very easy to spread through the hair, saturating it thoroughly. I use a tint brush and have never had a problem w/ it. However, the Garnier color was a very thick cream and for that reason, I had difficulty getting it even. After I piled my hair on top of my head, waiting for the color to process, I already was developing misgivings. Sure enough, upon rinsing, I realized that the color had taken really well at the crown but the ends showed very little change.

Taking the advice of one of my channel subscribers, I bought a professional grade hair color from L'oreal at Sally's, one of their 'Mega Reds' options. I attempted to even the color out by applying it principally to the ends but ended up w/ a very mottled and very dark hair color. Ugh!

Once again, Manic Panic comes to the rescue. Since the crown of my head was a very deep burgundy, I decided to go w/ one of their blue based reds. The color I chose was called 'Pillarbox Red' and it looked like red Tempera paint. Using the same techniques as I had before, I applied the color and let it process about thirty minutes before rinsing. The result is a very deep cranberry and thankfully, it's mostly even. As you can see from the photo above, it's very different than the warm reds I've had in the past, and which I prefer. But it's very definitely preferable to the muddy mess that was there before.


Lesson learned: When you have good results with a product, DON'T bother changing it!

This little bio is bound to be a bit emotional for me...I just love Ginger! Anyway, here we go:
Virginia Katherine McMath was born on July 16th, 1911 in Independance, Mo. Nicknamed 'Ginger', by family, she was said to have danced 'before she could walk'. Dancing in charity shows w/ her stepfather eventually led her to 'borrow' his last name 'Rogers' and thus, the legendary name was conceived.

At the age of 14, Ginger won the Texas Charleston Championship and eventually went on a tour of the western States, leading another group of dancers and going by the name 'Ginger and the Redheads'. This resulted in her being billed for various vaudeville acts in Chicago and St. Louis, performing alone and stealing the show.

In 1929 Ginger made her Broadway debut in the musical Top Speed, and found herself performing up to 8 shows a week in addition to making appearances in films for Paramount Pictures. Her first movie role was alongside Claudette Colbert in Young Man of Manhattan, in which she played a flapper at the ripe old age of 16. She didnt have much to say but her line 'Cigarette me, bad boy' became a much repeated phrase of the time.

Though she seemed very young when she first starred with Fred Astaire in RKO's Flying Down to Rio, she was actually 19 films into her career. Their chemistry became legendary and the dance team made 9 films together for RKO and reprised their status as a leading couple in MGM's 'The Berkley's of Broadway'(1949). They created something that no one had yet, a romantic mood that was inherently believeable and that lifted the spirits unequivocally. And they did it through dancing. Though Fred Astaire seems to get 'top billing', when it comes to basic skill level, the words of Bob Thaves ring very true: 'Ginger did everything Fred did; only she did it backwards and in high heels'.

Her dancing brought her great fame, but Ginger also wanted to be known as a serious actress. She starred in a number of quality non-musical pictures during the 1930's-1950's, including Stage Door,Vivacious Lady, The Major and the Minor, Monkey Business, and Lady in the Dark-films which placed her in the limelight and also set her opposite some of the industry's top leading men. She won an oscar for her role in 1940's Kitty Foyle, a performance that not only solidified her as a great actress but made her a heroine to working-women everywhere. By 1945 she was reportedly the highest paid female actress in Hollywood.

Her style was breezy but still glamorous,something difficult to achieve. Many casual shots of Ginger involve her playing tennis, her favorite pastime outside of dancing, and these photos are often more memorable than the ones classified as 'starlet shots'. She had a grace and poise that couldnt be denied, even on the tennis court, and a youthful energy that stayed with her throught her life. She simply glowed, onstage and off. Whether wearing a pair of loose trousers or a sequined gown, she never seemed out of her element or off her game. Her love life may have been rocky (she was married and divorced no less than five times), but there was no doubt that Ginger knew who she was. She maintained a certain levity throughout her years and kept tirelessly busy.

In addition to pursuing an acting career, Ginger also decided to try her hand at cattle ranching. For seven years, starting in 1945, she bred Guerney milk stock and started a modern dairy complex in Southern Oregon. There are still som strains of Ginger's breed of cattle in the area today.


By 1965, Ginger was mainly performing on Broadway. She had an 18 month run in 'Hello Dolly!', playing to packed houses, and a 14 month run in 'Mame'. Rogers also made many appearances on television, including starring in her own special, and it was said that she assisted good friend Lucille Ball in overcoming her chronic camera shyness. Though she was known as an actress and dancer principally, it is also of note that Ginger was an accomplished artist; she adored painting and sculpting. Her work was sought after to the point that she was offered her own New York art show but she declined since she felt her work was not prolific enough for the attention.

In the 1970s, Ginger devoted less time to her acting talents and focused on other endeavors, including a lingerie line she created for JC Penney. She also was an accredited spokeswoman and made a name for herself as such with several speeches concerning the American Bicentennial, speeches that were honored in Washington and even entered the Congressional Record.

The 1980's didnt slow her down. She directed 'Babes in Arms' in New York and published her autobigraphy entitled Ginger: My Story. The book was a best seller and Ginger herself traveled thousands of miles to promote it, signing autographs along the way.

When she finally died of congestive heart failure, at the age of 83, Ginger was an undisputed legend of the entertainment industry. April 25, 1995 would go down in history as a day of loss but also remembrance of a talented woman that never gave up.

She is one of my heroes.