Footwear Gallery: Mad Men

Showing posts with label Mad Men. Show all posts

Things of beauty...

What to say about this week? I am, I must admit, LOVING my days off work when the children are at school. There is something utterly precious about dropping them off knowing that I have a few hours to go til I collect them. I swear it makes me a better Mummy to have those hours...I fiercely guard what I do with that time, so I am ready to collect them with a 'wholesome' snack and smiles and kisses and 'what did you learn today?' chats. It's bittersweet though as I the school holidays are lovely too - lie-ins and chilled out summer days.

I have had some lovely, humbling and thought-provoking comments this week, thank you. I now know I can rely on you to set me straight, walk me through, hold my virtual hand...it's a lucky thing for sure.

Must find a way to feature yellow in my house...

This is Uma Thurman; all 6' of her...I love the sprawl of city behind her and the summer decadence of bikinis and cocktails...

'Mother and Child' sketch by Pablo Picasso...

Doesn't this cake just look soooo good? It has such a village fete feel about it. There was a coconut shire at my children's school summer fair last weekend - we won two coconuts (my husband has a good bowling arm)...

South Sea pearl ring by Astley Clarke. My Mum used to have a ring like this...just one pearl sitting proud. Made me think of her to see this. Classically beautiful...

January Jones from 'Mad Men'. I must catch up on my viewing...the period styling is just to die for - retro heaven.

For all the dog lovers - Tania, that means you - how cute is this pup? Boo is desperate for a puppy; I am staunchly resisting. We have a (crazy) cat, I don't want another thing to have to provide care for. We can barely keep tomatoes alive in the greenhouse...

Is it just me who has a slight crush on this chap? Bradley in a bath...

A wonderful fluttery wedding dress, ready for the main event...I always like to see dresses hung up like this; makes me smile.

via 100 Layer Cake

A good friend of mine has lost her computer access this week (pesky gremlins!) so this is for Simone...in the absence of Friday Fabulousness!

via The Bottom of the Ironing Basket

Yellow roses...gorgeous.


via it's mary ruffle

Eames rockers...my enduring love...

Here's to casual but groomed ;-) weekend dressing...

1963

I like the 60s. I know, its odd, I wasn't there, but I have a fascination with it as an era. In 1963 my parents got married, and ask anyone who was alive then the question: 'where were you when Kennedy was shot?' and most will recall in minute detail.

One of my favourite ever books is 'Couples' by John Updike, which is set in 1963. I have read this book over and over; this book I love. The subject matter however is dark, its about adultery in suburban New England. Its such an intimate view of a listless marriage, its almost painful to read at times but the way he writes, the accuracy of human emotion, is well...its amazing.

This image appeared in Vogue in 1963...and the Vogue cover below it...what is with that headscarf? And that is some 'do' underneath...

Under Parasols at the Beach photographed by Louise Dahl-Wolfe- Vogue 1963

I have a first edition of the book...I saw it in an antique book shop, just there alone on a shelf - I could not believe my luck!

Here is John Updike, who died in 2009. He was a genius...

Christine Keeler in 1963 when the Profumo scandal broke...an iconic image with the Arne Jacobsen chair...

Lewis Morley Portrait of Christine Keeler 1963

John F Kennedy in another iconic White House picture...he was assassinated in November 1963.

JFK painting by Aaron Shikler

Jackie Kennedy looking radiant...

'Mad Men' is set in 1963...the styling on that programme is a dream. The dresses! These shots appeared in Vanity Fair and capture completely the sentiment of John Updike's 'Couples' novel..

Corporate wifery...

I am a corporate wife. You may not have known this about me. My husband actually works for the same whopper multi-national, household-name company as I do, but he has a proper, important, bring-home-the-bacon, full time job (whereas my job is part time and some would say less proper). Over the years I have decided that there is an art of corporate wifery. It requires specific skills...

1. Having an endless understanding of the working hard/working late phenomenon...in effect it is the same as just working. There is only one kind of working for my husband and sadly that's hard and generally late...

2. There is always the promise and the possibility of 'the next role' when climbing the corporate ladder - that could be a good role or it could be a not-so-good role. A role in another country (eek), a role where he could be home even less (is that possible?).

3. Getting a new boss is a big deal...do we like the new boss? This can take months to establish and requires very careful and subtle wifely questioning to get to the bottom of.

4. The laptop/blackberry combo accompanies us everywhere, everyday, anytime, day and night.

5. If there is ever an occasion to meet said boss/colleagues - absolute charm, style and elegance is required (no pressure then!) in an unassuming but not forgettable, non-predatory manner...

There are definite perks - for example, all expense paid trips to Hawaii (twice, loved it, paradise on earth), and living the life we lead. Farmhouses don't come for free.

I'm the modern 1950s housewife...except ummmm, I work and our house does not look like this ;-)

Sometimes I wonder - what would it have been like if I had married a milkman instead? (Nothing atall against milkmen by the way...). But then I think...nah, he rocks my world, so if he has to do the corporate thing, so be it. I will be there behind him every step of the way.

Whilst on men in suits...here is some Mad Men styling...