Inspiration in My living Room

Hi we are back from our holidays and ready for the next few months ahead. We have photo shoots, rehearsals, parties, fairs and shows booked so it looks like it will be a busy time up until Christmas!

Although we have been away our vintage radar is rarely switched off! From Betsy buying up books and discovering vintage shops on the beach, to Jeanie dragging her family around the charity shops of Edinburgh.  We are always taking inspiration from people and experiences around us.

Yesterday I found inspiration in my living room. 

My dear mum popped over with an old envelope of photographs for me to look through.  My mum trained as a hairdresser in the late fifties and worked throughout the sixties and seventies with a brief dalliance in the eighties. She is still fashion savvy and believes in growing old disgracefully. Therefore I often check our hair and make up references with her - she is the real deal.

So let me share with you some of our family pictures.

1955

  

                                                                  1968

My Mum had three children and I wasn't even one but she still managed to look glamorous.

1960s

My grandmother and her sisters.

This is my favorite picture. I think you get a true picture of what they wore and how they did their hair and make up in the mid 50s.

So when you're looking through the attic or visiting your grandparents ask them about their photographs and what fashion they wore it gives you a real insight.

Thanks Mum x

I'll post some more pics on our facebook page and if you want to share any with us that would be great.

We are at the Vintage Teaparty and Gift Fair at the Boogaloo on Saturday 3rd September hope to see you there x

Meet Betsy Pout

Let's meet Betsy Pout aka Liz

So where do we start with Betsy? She is reticent to talk about herself and pinning her down is like pinning a mosquito to a wall. So one Friday morning I sat in her kitchen (under the ruse of asking her to wax my dearest off springs legs) and surreptitiously began probing her about her life. 

'Well,'she said......'hang on' as she plopped a plate down in front of me and muttered, 'have a vintage plate'............ 'It all began age 13 when I had a Saturday job in a hairdressers and decided that's what I want to do.' She then moved around her kitchen microwaving breakfast pastries, pouring tea and disappearing to check on the wax pot.  'Or was it when I auditioned and got in to Ballet Rambert?'  She stopped and thought for a moment. 

Listening to Liz talking about her life I realised what an interesting, funny and creative person she is. From making up friends faces for weddings, cutting (at times her own) hair, sorting out a stray eyebrow hair and all round loveliness Liz can and does do it all.


She has a natural talent but is self critical. Yet she makes others feel and look like their natural best. She demonstrates a passion for authenticity even risking her first place position in a make up competition, challenging the judges approach to 60s make up. She lost out to the bold lip approach!

If you have been fortunate enough to have been on the receiving end of Liz's make up brush you will know that she has an eye for detail and is a perfectionist in all that she does. She wants us to be the best we can be, whether it be the heavy eyed lid of a 60s look to the subtle hues of a 20s flapper. 

  

Liz's 40th birthday was spent surrounded by 16 year olds chasing a dream at beauty college and at long last Liz is fulfilling and sticking to a dream she has held on to for a very long time.

I am thrilled that she has joined the Pincurls and Pout family as a pincurl without a pout is just not the same!

Content provided by Betsy Pout, words by Jeanie Pincurl

Meet Jeanie Pincurl!

Hi I'm Jeanie Pincurl aka Jeanette.

I have come to realise that I love escapism.

 It all began age 8 when I flew away on  a wishing chair and disappeared up a Magic Faraway tree! I then discovered Doris Day and Elvis films and would fill my days singing along and escaping in to a world where problems were solved through song, pretty dresses and great hair!

Age 13 I worked in a local hairdressers on a Saturday and stayed  there until age 18  I left the London College of Fashion and entered the big jazz hand world of West-end Theatre.

I started selling ice creams and programs on Cats, moved on to dressing on Cabaret then landed my first real job in a wig department, age 19 on Chess at the Prince Edward Theatre.

I have flown around the west end experiencing 1930s on Me and My Girl, 1940s on Sunset Boulevard and the 1970s on Miss Saigon, among many  others.  I made so many wonderful friends who are still dear to me today and gained a wealth of experience which is ever growing
. 

Sixteen years ago I became involved in Chickenshed Theatre and work with a fantastic creative team who continually throw new challenges my way.

I have two creative and exciting teenagers who love fashion. They are responsible for me getting my mojo back! It's like christmas 1977 all over again except this time my girls world is real!

So here I am at 40 something having the time of my life playing dress up with a wonderful girl friend, driving around London helping others to feel glam and fulfill their inner vintage diva. Its a great distraction from the real world of austerity measures. I guess I am back to using escapism again.

 It's never let me down before!

I'd also like to thank my wonderful better half who has always supported all my crazy adventures. 

Thanks Sam x

Next week meet Betsy Pout!