Cover Girl

A few weeks ago I worked with photographer David Zickl on a project for Phoenix Magazine; we had been hoping that our photo might make the cover, and I'm pleased to say that today I found out it did! David had been given an assignment to shoot one of the winners of the magazine's "Best Of" awards, and since he'd been given the winner of Best Tailor (Scottsdale's Fifth Avenue Alterations) he had the idea to style a model like Charlie Chaplin for the shoot. I'd actually worked with David a couple of years ago, when he photographed MacAlpine's Soda Fountain for an issue of Arizona Highways, and he contacted me to see if I was up to his latest challenge. Of course I said yes, and after being outfitted in proper Chaplin attire by Matilda's Closet, we shot our glamorous take on "The Little Tramp".

xoxo,
Amanda Lee

She Wore Blue Velvet

Or in this instance, black jersey from Blue Velvet Vintage!

The next frock I modeled for Blue Velvet is Trashy Diva’s Mansfield, a killer, curve-hugging jersey dress plucked right out of the wardrobe of a 1950s bombshell. This is an elegant frock that would be right at home in the office (it’s just enough “sexy secretary” without being too much), as well as on the town. It features a fabulous ruched cummerbund, a wide, double-breasted collar, and a knee-length sheath skirt. It’s made from a soft knit that is heavy enough to suit colder climes, and as a bonus, this fabric resists wrinkles quite well (making it the perfect dress to toss on when you’re rushed in the morning—you’ll look put together and polished in seconds flat .) To me, the Mansfield embodies what made 19 50s-60s fashion so great—it’s a figure-flattering, versatile piece with plenty of eye appeal, and is both ladylike and glamorous all at once.

Stay tuned for the Blue Velvet Vintage holiday special!

xoxo,
Amanda Lee

Dark Alley

Atomic Age Pictures and I recently partnered up with the fabulous Blue Velvet Vintage to model some of her newest dresses. The first piece I modeled is the divine Courtney Coat Dress by Trashy Diva, a swingy, double-breasted design that can be worn both as a coat and as a dress. It features a wide portrait collar and fitted three-quarter sleeves, and is made from a satin finish stretch cotton. The Courtney is the perfect lightweight coat, and can be dressed up or down. It also has the fabulous distinction of being worn in a episode of True Blood.

To get in the Halloween spirit while playing up this dramatic piece, Doug and I decided to create spooky noir scene straight out of a 1940s film.--I'm quite pleased with the way we captured the essence of the Courtney!

xoxo,
Amanda Lee

Does this make me look fat?

Lola is a little worried about the fit of her Halloween costume--but wouldn't you say she's the cutest hot dog you've ever seen? Truth be told, we did have to squeeze her round belly into her costume--I guess the eatin' is pretty good around here!

xoxo,
Amanda Lee

Paint and Powder

My lovely and talented sister Kelly is taking a film photography class right now, and she volunteered me to be her subject for one of her assignments. This is the end result of a quick photo session last weekend--and not only did she take the photo, she developed it herself. I think she may have a future in portrait photography :-)

xoxo,
Amanda Lee

Extra! Extra! Jitterbuggin on the Front Page of Lindy Shopper!

The Lindy Shopper, a fabulous shopping guide for the swing dance and vintage enthusiast, posted a lovely review of Jitterbuggin's pinafore and blouse sets. Check it out here, and be sure to snap up a set in your favorite color before they sell out!

xoxo,

Amanda Lee

Makeup Mondays—The End of the Cold Cream Era

Some time ago I posted about my favorite beauty secrets, which included the generic version of the vintage favorite Ponds cold cream. Alas, the urge to wander off in search of bigger and better and more magical things struck once again, and so over the last few months I tried a number of cleansers that all promised to work miracles. My skin, of course, reacted by going a bit haywire. Eventually my logical side spoke to my frivolous side and said “Hey! Why are you trying to fix something that wasn’t broken?” And off I went to pick up a new jar of my beloved favorite.

Except something was different this time—very different, in fact. I didn’t think to check the ingredient label; aside from my recent skincare shopping spree I’d been happily purchasing generic tubs of cold cream for ages. It did seem like the texture was a touch different and the fragrance a little off, but I honestly didn’t give much thought to either of these things. But oh, within days my skin was a red, irritated, broken out mess. I didn’t immediately clue into the culprit, instead chalking up the reaction to some recent stresses. But one morning I decided to read the label on the jar—and was horrified to see that the generic version now included a myriad of unfamiliar ingredients. I promptly threw out my jar and headed off to the drugstore.


This brings me to my review of the week for Albolene Moisturizing Cleanser, an utterly amazing product. In fact, I think it trumps even the original cold cream formula! I wish I’d thought to try it sooner, as it really is a treat to use. In the jar it resembles Vaseline, but once you scoop up a glob, the heat from your skin liquefies the product. I massage it into my skin for a minute or two before removing it—and every last bit of makeup and dirt along with it—with a warm washcloth. I find Albolene to feel very soothing, and it actually does a better job of removing makeup, especially stubborn mascara. It leaves my skin feeling very soft and moisturized, so much so that I could skip a separate moisturizer if I chose to. The ingredient list is nice and simple as well—mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin, ceresin, beta carotene—and it’s fragrance free as well (another big plus for the sensitive skinned.) The price is quite reasonable too; around $11 for a huge tub.

After a month of using Albolene I’ve become a complete convert, and this time I won’t be straying again!

xoxo,
Amanda Lee