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One of my favorite dramas at the moment is Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries - if you aren't already a fan then here's a quick introduction to the series. Phyrne (pronounced Fry-on-ee) Fisher is a glamorous, independent female private detective, who assists the lovable Detective Inspector Jack Robinson on investigations around 1920s Australia, despite his reluctance. She always looks amazing, has a rapier sharp wit, and sashays around Melbourne equally at home in Jazz clubs as she is perching on Robinson's desk! Her adventures are as fabulous as her wardrobe, which leads us neatly onto her style. Here are some of my favorite of her looks, with tips on stealing some of her fabulous flapper fashions! The Oriental Influence: Oriental designs were incredibly popular during the 1920s, from embroidered kimono-style dressing gowns, to turbans and richly embellished exotic fabrics. Above: Miss Fisher entertaining company in her Chinese embroidered robe, and below a genuine 1920s vintage silk dressing gown with oriental design.   Below: Antique Chinese embroidered coat from the 1920s Below: 1920s silk embroidered robe Genuine 1920s vintage kimono-style coat Below: Designer vintage evening coat in gold and copper brocade and vintage gold metallic turban. Vintage designer evening coat in copper bronze and gold brocade by Fernando Sarmi Hats and Headwear To get a great 1920s look you'll need a sharp and sleek bob, but why not spice things up with a fabulous hat? The cloche was a really popular style in the 1920s, and quite often embellished with feathers, tassels or with a brooch pinned onto it. Although if you go for a gold cloche like the one below it probably doesn't need any extra embellishment! A dark cloche always looks elegant, especially if it has a beautiful Art Deco ornament pinned to it like this one Vintage 1920s fur felt cloche with Deco ornament 1920s Art Deco metallic cloche hat Prints Bold and beautiful prints were popular on day dresses during the 1920s, whether geometric or whimsical, patterns were a big trend! Vintage 1920s pheasants and feathers print day dress Feathers and Fur Fur collars and feather stoles were a bit hit in the 1920s, for those who could afford them, and Phyrne of course can afford the very best.  A white fur collar or scarf adds a luxurious edge to any 1920s outfit. This vintage white fox fur scarf (below) would be ideal. Vintage white fox fur scarf Alternatively you could opt for a coat with fur collar like Miss Fisher has above. Below: Vintage black coat with white mink collar and cuffs Vintage black coat with white mink trim Eveningwear: Chiffon, Metallics and Velvet For an evening look, you can really have some fun with a 1920s outfit, embellishment was pretty much unlimited! From metallic thread, to beading and rhinestones it adds a real touch of glamour.  Below: Black rhinestone embellished 1920s evening dress. Below: vintage 1920s silk velvet evening dress with matching jacket.   Vintage 1920s velvet dress and jacket 1920s blue velvet drop-waist gown Violet and metallic vintage 1920s evening scarf Shoes And to finish off any outfit you need the right shoes, and for the 1920s those were of course Mary Janes! Perfect for dancing the night away in a Jazz club! Original 1920s vintage Mary Jane shoes

Guest post by Ty Schmidt From dresses and handbags to shoes and jewelry, all things vintage have made a major comeback in the fashion realm. At Modernize, we believe in finding ways to integrate who you are into your home in unique and inspired ways. For lovers of vintage fashion, that means those vintage treasures should definitely not be hidden away in closets. Instead, consider showcasing them in your home by integrating them into the décor. Here are a few creative ideas we love that you can use to display your favorite vintage pieces: Shutterly Sensational. If you’re a proud owner of a vintage collection, chances are you already know how to sniff out a good deal at local flea markets and rummage sales. Put that thrifty thinking to work by repurposing an item you find at those types of sales. Old wooden shutters work well because they’re stylish and functional. You can paint them to fit the style of the room, add distressed features, or leave them as-is, but they make an excellent hanging space when mounted sideways on your wall of choice. Via Amiee Weaver Shadow boxes. For the more delicate vintage pieces that you’d rather preserve than wear, turn your under-the-bed boxes into works of art. Shadow boxes provide safe storage and the opportunity to dress up your walls with sartorial style. Try framing smaller pieces, such as bathing suits, shoes, baby clothes, or even jewelry. You can personalize with custom or painted frames, or even mount the backside with colorful scrapbooks paper for a bolder look. Via Eddie Ross Suit Your Display Needs. If there’s an item that’s easy to get your hands on in the world of antiques, it’s old suitcases. Most of the time, they’re not very expensive, and can be used for a variety of incredibly interesting features to a room, including (but not limited to) displaying some of your prized vintage clothes. This is a great way to tie in other elements, too, like jewelry, shoes or whatever else suits your decorative fancy.   Via One Girl in Pink Hook Hankering. Décor in a home does not have its place in one or two rooms. It is delicately woven within the entire space of the residence, from room to room. When it comes to opportunities to display vintage specialties, don’t forget otherwise commonly forgotten spaces, like mud rooms or closets, as possible feature points for your favorites. Find some eye-catching hooks with pretty detail, and all eyes will be on your stylish art.  Via Modernize

Missing Mad Men? Happily there's a new way of enjoying some fabulous 60s fashions on-screen with the new series: The Astronaut Wives Club. The series is centered around the wives of the space-race astronauts who were catapulted into the public eye, and what makes it look so delicious? The costumes are designed by Eric Daman who made the cast of Mad Men look so fabulous! Above from left: Trudy, Louise, Jo, Rene, Betty, Marge , Annie. If you haven't had a chance to see an episode yet here's the fashion low-down on the different characters. Also, we have many fashions from this era at our online stores: The Best Vintage Clothing BestVintageEver on Etsy Catspajamasvintage on eBay Betty Grissom Played by Joanna Garcia Swisher, Betty is an Indiana girl who wears (to quote Daman) a "frozen vegetable color palette" in yellows, greens and oranges and often compliments this with fruit and veg themed accessories which were hugely popular during the 1950s and early 60s. Dress| Brooch | Bag Trudy Cooper Trudy is played by Odette Annable and is the most modern of the wives. She drives a sports car and is also a trained pilot and wears trousers and pedalpushers when it's still considered daring.  She also has a penchant for tropical and tiki prints because she met her husband in Hawaii.  Above from left: Dress | Dress Annie Glenn   Youngest of the wives, Annie (Azure Parsons - pictured in the pink dress 2nd from right) is the all-American girl next door.  Shy and modest she wears buttoned-up collars and muted pastel pinks and blues. Above: Blouse, White Dress | Yellow Dress Rene Carpenter Rene (Yvonne Strahovski) is the bombshell of the wives and loves statement prints and bright colors, especially if everyone is wearing pastels! From left: Dress | Dress | Swimsuit Louise Shepard Louise (center above) is the most cosmopolitan of the wives and has a style similar to Jackie O: high fashion shapes in sharp black or pastel lavender, blues and greys. Above from left: Dress | Dress Jo Schirra (Zoe Boyle) Jo (left) is a typical society girl complete with pearls, white shoes and headband, and loves beige and muted colours. Team a dress like this with a string of pearls, a headband and some neat white gloves to get the look.  Above: Dress | Pearls | Shoes Marge Slayton (Erin Cummings) Marge's style harks back to the 1940s gangster glamor in earthy tones and deep purples.    

I'm delighted to share the news that we've partnered with the fabulously stylish Jessica from Chronically Vintage to giveaway a $50 gift certificate to spend in store. Head on over to her blog to enter the competition, then go do some window shopping so you know what you'll spend your gift certificate on if you win!

Vintage 50s blouses come in a huge variety of different styles, prints and colors, which is probably why I love them so much. Whether you're looking for a smart pretty blouse to wear to the office, a rockabilly shirt to wear with capri pants and a pony tail, or some Mad Men style glamor: a genuine 1950s blouse will take you there. Workwear Whether you prefer sheer lace or a more preppy look, the tailoring of a 50s vintage blouse will look great in the workplace. Team a blouse with a smart pencil skirt and you'll look fabulous! Above: Sheer vintage 1950s nylon blouse in a blue floral. The blouse has cap sleeves, darted bodice, and buttons in back. Wide boat neckline and cute bow trimmed peplum. It is lined in a sheer buff nylon. Sweet! Buff pink vintage 1950s sheer nylon blouse with a textured body and unique V shaped lace inset on front and full lace back. Sleeveless, with a sheer peplum. Glass ball buttons with rhinestone centers. Fifties soft gold silk faille blouse, front close with covered ball buttons, darts for great fit and an Italian designer label to boot. It has flaws, see below. Vintage 50s ivory sheer nylon blouse is comprised of vertical pleats topped by a round lace yoke, and a finished straight hem, waist darts and button back. Label is Debcraft. Very sweet vintage blouse of 100% cotton in a lovely red rosebud print, on white. White pearlised plastic buttons. Darted at waist and bust. Label is Rhoda Lee. Vintage pale pink nylon blouse, sheer as can be, with pleated front and a flower detail in the center. Long sleeves, button back, no label. Bold and Bright Prints No decade enjoyed bold prints and bright colors the way the 50s did! Cute vintage blouse of 100% cotton, cherry red, in fact. The front of the vintage blouse has a cool triple accent edged in white with bows at the top. Cute vintage black and tan linen set featuring a whimsical people print. The top or blouse is a button front classic sleeveless with waist darts only. The skirt has a set in waistband with the black border at the top. Left side zip closing. No label. Doesn't appear to have been worn much if at all. Very versatile, as you can wear each piece separately. Not lined. Rockabilly Get inspired by the Pink Ladies and grab yourself a pencil skirt or pair of cropped jeans to wear with one of these Rockabilly style 50s blouses. If you've got the abs for it tie your shirt at the waist to catch some of the spring sunshine! Lovely vintage Dupont Dacron Polyester ( when it was new!) blouse vertical mini pleating in front and darts for great fit! Short cuffed sleeves and beautiful faceted clear glass buttons closing front. Perfect Rockabilly top. Label is "Pilot". Super easy care , wash and wear! Cotton plaid blouse with cute patch pocket on the front. Short sleeve style. Perfect backyard barbecue top! Original paper tag, and Kerrybrooke is from Sears & Roebuck. It has a shirt style hem. Not ever worn. Grey and red, we also have an identical one in yellow and red. Pretty lipstick red cotton vintage 1950's blouse with vertically darted waist for great fit! Sleeveless style. Perfect Rockabilly top. Label is "Starlight". Mad Men Glamorous and elegant, this is the 50s blouse at it's most sophisticated. Neutral tones of gold and yellow work brilliantly with tweed, leather or even denim! This very vintage " Mad Men" 3 Piece set consists of a top with peasant blouse lines- raglan 3/4 sleeves, left underarm zip and shaped waist. It is unlined. The pencil skirt is lined, and the cigarette pants are lined with a beige colored rayon knit. There are two matching belts. The label is Gotham Original". This well made sheer rayon blouse features horizontal pleating front and back, with turned back cuffed cap sleeves and an attached "Pussy Bow". Full back metal zipper. This is a top quality item. Pretty pullover style vintage acetate blouse has a silk finish. Sleeves have button cuffs and it is darted for good fit. There are loops for a belt but it was not found with the item. Label is Plymouth Shops. Shop our full range of genuine 1950s vintage blouses here, and don't forget to comment letting us know which is your favorite!

Now is the perfect time of year for wearing cute vintage suits. The jacket will keep out any remaining winter chills, but you can just as easily sling the jacket over your shoulder to look instantly summery! Here are some of my favorite vintage suits in store at the moment. They range from 1940s Hollywood starlet, through 1960s Mad Men style to amazing 1970s designer suits, and of course they are all genuine vintage! Which suits your style the best? 1940s Above: Fantastic is really the only word to use when describing this vintage Lilli Ann suit! It still has its original fabric tags on the sleeve and was never worn, though it does have some slight flaws as we will see. It is made up of a teal fine wool gab, and is lined in bronze silk satin. It closes in front with 18 covered buttons and loops; has large raglan sleeves that taper to a tight cuff. It has an amazing peplum design and details you just don't see in todays clothes.It has a classic pencil skirt with a side zip. The skirt is unlined. Incredible vintage 1940s  Fernande Desgranges France navy wool knit ladies suit with white leather trim. It's a gorgeous suit! The jacket is very fitted, and has French Buttonhole pockets on the breast and on the peplum, that one becoming part of the belt in front. It has light shoulder pads. 3/4 Sleeves. Above: This is a great vintage ladies suit- with its original paper tag intact! Its a fine wool in a gray/blue/black herringbone plaid. The jacket is very fitted and longer in style with padded shoulders. It is lined in light grey satin. The skirt is a pencil style with 2 side slits. Unlined, with side zipper. No brand label.     Above: Anything but classic vintage suit from the late 1940s really shows off the figure with a hip-hugging pencil skirt and a little matching caplet. I think it is made of cashmere, or a similar super soft quality wool. The capelet is lined with white silk and closes with covered buttons in front. The skirt is a perfect pencil skirt, with two hip pockets and a back metal zipper. Lined in black crepe. The label is Laurice Keyloun. 1950s Above: Gorgeous, soft  100% pure cashmere vintage sweater suit includes a deep V cardigan and a ribbed slightly "A" line Skirt. The front of the sweater close with abalone shell buttons.   Above: Gorgeous 100% wool knit in camel makes up this lovely vintage suit- label Ben Gershel by Robert Knox- simply fabulous designer. It is a perfect vintage suit- the details include a fitted bodice with peplum created by the pleats at the waist; short cuffed sleeves and light but large shoulder pads; Oversized MOP button closure, with same button on the included matching belt. It has an attached cream colored silk faille " pussy bow" at the neck. It also has a long yoke, front and back, to which there are flap pockets attached in front. It is all trimmed with faille piping. It is lined in matching silk and has dressmaker details you will love. Above: This unique suit is made of linen. Im not sure that they were meant to go together, but when I purchased the collection they were together on on a suit hanger. They match perfectly, though the skirt is marked " Salon Lentheric, Fifth Ave" and the blouse has a label: John of California". 1960s Above: Fantastic Norell  2 PC sleeveless suit, in a top quality black woven wool boucle, both pieces lined in black silk taffeta. Though THIS suit doesn't have the Norell label, I have another with the same " front" label AND the Norell label, from the same owner.   Above: This ladylike vintage suit has never been worn. It is comprised of a black and white nubby silk woven plaid jacket, boxy in style, very Chanel, with a heavy chain weight inside on the lining. It is darted, and has long sleeves with gold buttons, which have black rhinestones on them. It has a hidden fabric snap placket in front. Lined in Above: Fantastic rare vintage  suit of fine wool, in black and white large scale plaid by designer Sybil Connolly of Dublin. The long coat is very mod, with huge deep faux-flap pockets that open on the sides.Long darts from the top shape the bodice.Back belt with button detail, and long back pleat. I think the lining is silk, but Im not sure- it is black. 1970s Above: Exquisite vintage Oscar De La Renta cotton chevron knit suit in medium blue, with nice scalloped edges on skirt and sweater hems. Pull on skirt with wide elastic hidden waist band. This is a beauty! Above: Vintage classic ladies suit by Norman Norell-Tassell in pure 100% wool knit. It featured a mod looking asymetrical button jacket lined in silk with large patch pockets and a nehru collar. The suit has a wide self belt or scarf. The short black wool pencil skirt is lined with silk, and has two inseam pockets and a back zipper. Gustave Tassell took over the design house after Norell’s death in 1972. During this time, the label reads, “Norman Norell by Tassell”. The company closed in 1976.   Of course these are just a few of my favorites, you can take a look at our full range of vintage suits here!

I've got a rather special prize to give away this week - something you won't be able to get anywhere else! Exclusive dahling! The Cats Pajamas is our eBay store. Did you realize we sell on eBay, as well as on Etsy and on our own site The Best Vintage Clothing? And this tote is exclusive to my Cats Pajamas store! About The Prize: Limited Edition Natural Canvas tote bag with custom screen printed vintage kitten graphics and the saying "Look What The Cat Dragged In", screen printed from an cute book I found, called Fuzzy Kitten- I loved the pictures so I made a few items with pages from the book. One size available, these are sweat-shop free tote bags, Made in the USA, 100% cotton. How To Enter: Go to our website CatsPajamas.com. Then click on one of the links to our eBay store (the links are on the left of the screen - just pick a category you're interested in). Choose a vintage item you love from our eBay store the come back here to tell us what your favorite item (or items) are in the comment box below. Other Ways To Enter: Like our Facebook page and share a link to your favorite item from our eBay store there. Competition rules: Entries close at midnight on Thursday 26th February 2015. We will randomly select the winner from comments below. The winner will be contacted about their prize, if they have not claimed their prize within 3 months of it being announced we are under no obligation to still offer the prize. The competition is open to entrants worldwide. This competition is also listed on: ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions and Loquax Competitions

You can buy swimwear in any style imaginable now, from the tiniest bikini to form-enhancing shape-wear swimsuits and even burqinis, but it hasn't always been that way.  Here's a brief history of modern swimwear, from it's beginnings in the 1920s through to the 1970s. 1920s The 1920s was the decade where swimwear first started to resemble the swimming costume we know today. The Twenties were a decade of female emancipation: long hair was bobbed short, hemlines got higher and higher and it got increasingly more acceptable for women to have careers. The new form-fitting swimwear reflected the spirit of the age. The style tended to be similar for both men and women, with a form fitted knitted tunic and shorts. Swim suits tended to be made from wool jersey and suited the fashionable androgynous figure of the time. Did you know: It was illegal in the US for men to swim with their chests exposed until the mid 1920s, and in some places this law lasted until the early 1940s! Below: Maroon 1920s swimsuit with gold trim by G & M Gantner & Mattern Co. of San Fransisco. 1930s Swimwear became a lot more feminine in the 1930s. The swimsuit evolved to be skirted, flared and much more flattering. Lastex (a stretchy elasticated cotton material) became fashionable and allowed for much more form-fitted styles which were popularized by Hollywood stars like Esther Williams. Two piece swimsuits and suits with cut-out panels were popular during the 1930s, although the bottoms were always high-waisted and wouldn't show the navel. Below: Original 1930s "bathing beauty" style swim suit, in a navy blue textured wool. It has a shaped bodice, a waistband, a short skirt and wool panty with unique braided straps fit into channels. 1940s Nylon was invented in the late 1930s but because of the Second World War most nylon was used in the manufacturing of military supplies rather than in swimwear. Corsetry was introduced into the swimming costume, by adding elasticated panels and boned bodices and materials used were mostlycotton or lastex.  People also made their own swimming costumes from whatever they had at home due to rationing and fabric shortages. The first true bikini was unveiled by designer Louis Reard in Paris in 1946. Two-piece swimsuits had been worn in the past, but this was the first string bikini. Reard claimed that a true bikini would be small enough to pass through a wedding ring and it was seen as very scandalous at the time. Below: Beautiful vintage 1940s blue cotton swimsuit with boned bodice, back zip and adjustable straps.   1950s All in one swimsuits were the most popular style during the 1950s, especially since they now included built in bras and more support than ever. Strapless styles were fashionable along with bright tropical prints which just hadn't been available during the wartime years. Below: Lovely vintage 50s cotton bathing suit from Catalina, in a great abstract print of brown and gold with black and white accents. It has a "Bubble butt", so called because the bottom and legs are elasticized to create that look. 1960s Nylon and Lycra really molded the shape of 1960s swimwear. The introduction of those fabrics allowed for much stretchier form-fitting styles, and swimsuits became more risque to compete with the bikini. In 1964 Rudi Gernreich designed the topless 'monikini' which caused great controversy and was even denounced by the Vatican. Below: Vintage 1960s stretch bikini with round formed hard cups in the bra; it is adjustable with buttons. Bottom has boy leg style, pull on by Catalina (who founded the Miss USA and Miss Universe beauty pageants as a way of promoting their products).   1970s By the 1970s the shape of swimsuits was pretty much the same as now, but with new features like front zippers and mesh panels add extra sex appeal. Below: A 1970s "Wet Look" swimsuit which looks like liquid chocolate! Its a one piece maillot with a white metal zip front, and boy leg styling. Feeling inspired? Why not grab yourself an original vintage swimsuit in store now?

We've all been admiring Agent Peggy Carter's style recently, and what better way of enjoying the show than to grab yourself some of her fabulous 1940s style? The best way to do this is by starting with a genuine 1940s suit - I've picked this stylish 1940s cranberry color suit, but there's a lot of choice out there (take a look here for starters!). You want something knee-length or slightly longer with sharp lines and small shoulder pads ideally. Then pair it with a statement hat (you can stick with her favorite red, white and blue color scheme if you like but I decided on something slightly more understated for this outfit), a crisp blouse and some seriously sexy heels. The suit in this outfit is vintage 1940s but the accessories are all new and from Modcloth: Day Off to a Great Start Top, Brimming with Excitement Hat and With Haute a Doubt Heel in Cocoa. And now to the matter of that Sale code I mentioned. Use the discount code "meow!" to get $10 off any order of $25 or more at The Best Vintage Clothing store.

In November of this year, my wanderlust took me and my lovely hubby  to Melbourne, Australia, where we scouted out some interesting vintage stores on Smith Street, in Fitzroy, just outside of Melbourne. I enjoyed speaking with the shop owners, all of whom were more than happy to let me take photos and ask a few questions. I thought since many of our readers in the states might not make it to Australia anytime soon, you might enjoy the "armchair traveler" version of Miss Kitty's Adventures in Vintage - Melbourne Australia! Monkey Jar Vintage So, the first shop I came across was located at 171 Smith St,  Fitzroy Victoria -the Monkey Jar Vintage. The Monkey Jar is a large Bazaar shop with secondhand vintage items, records and bikes for sale. You'll be sure to grab a bargain here! I also picked up a card here  for Clubhouse Records, located in the same building--- Vinyl aficionados – and local DJs – Per and Nicky have created a small record haven for every collector north of the river. Punk, funk, soul and blues... you name it, they have it. And if they don't, they will find it.   Above: Monkey Jar Vintage / Clubhouse Records   El's Retro Fashion Next on our walkabout we came across was El’s Retro Fashion: Stocking everything from 1920’s to 1980’s for Men & Woman including hats and accessories, wigs, shoes and more! Good quality Retro Fashion on Smith Street, Fitzroy. We buy and sell Men’s & Woman’s quality Vintage Clothing. There is no website at this writing, but I did find a tumblr page and it is linked to the title. Above: El’s Retro Fashion Above: Anna at El’s Retro Fashion Sixes and Sevens Vintage I love this next store, Sixes and Sevens at 259 Smith Street, Fitzroy Victoria, Australia. It was a very cool store with a rockin' black cat as a security guard! I am sad that I cannot find the owner's name but maybe you can find it in the Facebook page.She was very nice! Above: Sixes And Sevens Vintage Store Front Above: Sixes And Sevens Vintage Vintage Swimsuit Above: Sixes And Sevens Vintage Cool Black Mascot Kitty Above: Sixes And Sevens Vintage   Era Vintage Bride Next, I came across Lucy Slater, owner of Era Vintage Bride, where you can find a wide range of genuine vintage bridal and bridesmaid dresses as well as a unique made to measure service. She also was a lovely shop owner! Above: Era Vintage Bride, Lucy Slater, Owner Above:Era Vintage Bride, Lucy Slater, Owner The Vintage Garage Lastly, I found this amazing department store of Vintage, The Vintage Garage at 318 Smith Street, Collingwood. They aren't kidding when they say it's a "home for everything vintage"- it was so huge, it would have taken a day and a half just to browse it! They had a lovely hat display, and one thing I REALLY wanted to buy, but it wasn't for sale- a vintage Christian Dior evening gown, 1950s in pink chiffon, as shown in a photo below. Above: The Vintage Garage Above: The Vintage Garage Above: The Vintage Garage-some great hats Above: The Vintage Garage-some great hats Hope you enjoyed my little Aussie adventures I know my husband and I did! Please visit the stores when you get a chance, either via the internet or in person if you can- and tell'em Miss Kitty sent you!