Taxi!

            These last few weeks have been very busy at work especially with TV deadlines looming over. But even as busy as I am, the golden era is always on my mind. Like last year we've been having the oddest temperature fluctuations. From nice chilly norfolk coat weather one day to sticky humid weather the next. On the days cool enough to wear a wool sportcoat, I tend to default to one of my favorite vintage looks, the '20s-'30s cab driver, best remembered from Harold Lloyd in "Speedy" (1928) and James Cagney in his lesser known film "Taxi!" (1932). Cagney's later film "The Roaring Twenties" (1939) can also fall in this category as well. Those were the days when even simple cab drivers dressed to impress. A nice suit paired with a  flat cap, newsboy cap or peaked cap, the typical example of a prim and proper uniform.  Unless you call a car service, the most formal you'll see for cab drivers now is a collared shirt and chino's.

Speedy

Taxi!

This is my attempt at trying to pull off the old taxi driver look with my 1933 jacket, '30s/'40s Sears Roebuck cap, and '20s arrow tie.

                                                                                  
                                                              Some more vintage finds
 Those of you who've followed my blog may have noticed my glasses are a little too modern in comparison with the era's I like to dress. While the Shuron browline glasses I have were introduced in 1947, within the period of the golden era, I've been wearing them for a while now and thought it was time for a new look. I found these wonderful pair of lightweight bakelite glasses from around the 1920's, similar to those worn by Harold Lloyd and Vaudevillian Ed Gallagher.

1949 union tag orphan suit jacket. Gives off a '20s vibe to me. I have a hunch the original owner who had it tailored was an older gentleman who preferred the older style. 

All the way from Britain, my first 78 RPM recording of George Formby. The sequel to his popular song "Window Cleaner". I actually prefer this version, as it's got more swing to it.

                           
                                       (All old photographs belong to their rightful owners)

Homburg(er) Time

 The Homburg. The hat that's more formal than a bowler, yet more casual than a top hat. As popular as they were it seems in modern media that they are always cast aside with the fedora getting all the glory. I had bought a black one back in high school for formal days, but only wore it a few times. Last week on a casual browse through one of the big vintage stores I stumbled upon this homburg, probably from the 1950's. I'm always baffled to see big business executives wearing ball caps with their suits instead of these.

Small brimmed homburg, the style harkening back to the homburgs of the '10s-'30s.

Big leather sweatband, no liner and no hatters name anywhere in plain view.

The only clue as to the maker of the hat, narrowing it down to hat company names that end in the letter "O"

 There was also a small car show on Staten Island last weekend. Decent collection, though it seems smaller now after attending the massive car shows at Westbury and Rhinebeck I attended back during the summer.

     
    Two rare cars indeed. Russian imported 1968 and 1962 Volga's. Though while not in the bracket of    "Golden Era" cars, their style is still dated to American cars of the 1953-1956 period.                       

 A 1902 Smith, from the era when of motoring when men sported goggles and 15 miles per hours was speeding. For all you Looney Tunes fans out there, looks almost like the car Dan Backslide commandeered in "The Dover Boys" (1942).

"A runabout. I'll STEAL it! NOONE WILL EVER KNOW!" -Dan Backslide

  1947 Pontiac Torpedo fastback. Love that model name. Why don't cars have cool model names anymore? Enclave? Vibe? Yaris? Taurus? Can't compete with names like Torpedo, Rocket 88, or Adventurer.

                                      A nice mix of atomic era and art deco design on this glorious 1955 Pontiac.

            1955 Cadillac and 1930 Ford model A accented with authentic vintage lawn chairs.

             A stock 1939 Ford Deluxe. One of the few I've seen of these that hasn't been hot rodded.  

 A 1948 Crosley Engine. A forgotten company that was very popular during World War Two. Humphrey Bogart was said to own.

 The delightful art deco 1938 Dodge Sedan. A true work of art. Cars of that era had such character, mostly because the design was from the brain of one designer, instead of a bunch of people throwing ideas at each other like today.

 The unforgettable 1959 Cadillac. They say it has the largest tailfins, but I'd say it's in competition with the 1961 Imperial. 

 

Summer Workwear

Summer is over, which means it's time to start putting away the linen's, straws and spectator shoes. Since I started my current job this summer, I thought I'd share the different styles I'd switch up throughout the weeks.

                                                                            Recent finds

1920's/'30s heavy tweed slacks

'50s/'60s casual summer shirt 

August Lawn Party

I attended part 2 of the 2012 Bi-annual Jazz Age Lawn Party last weekend, working my role as "assistant phonograph DJ" for Mac of the "Antique Phonograph Music Program". It was one of the best lawn parties I've been to in all my years of attending! The weather was glorious, breezy and cool. Nice weather to have when your running around in vintage wools. The one thing these lawn parties guarantee (besides endless fun) is that you'll make many new friends every time you attend.

             For the event, I went with a simpler "mish-mosh" '10s/'20s casual style. I had brought my
                    own ukulele, but couldn't resist trying out this antique ('20s era?) violin ukelele.

      
            Standing with my new acquaintance, fellow golden era fan and Fedora Lounger, Maria "Marla". 

         I was amazed to see this 1947-1981 Citroen H van, a vehicle I thought was only found in Europe.

                                                             Another Zeigfeld Follies type act

         As usual the party was jammed packed. Probably double the amount of attendee's back in 2009.

Vintage find at the lawn party, '40s/'50s gabardine Ricky jacket. Will need to have the liner re-sewn, but the shell is in good shape.

Work Work Work

It's been a while since my last post. I've been busy lately since I got a job last month. I'm an animator's assistant at Titmouse Inc. and since there's no dress code at my workplace, I go ahead and don the '30s-'50s animator look, highly inspired by the old Disney crew.

My typical summer work garb. If you ever see photo's of Walt Disney and his crew, they were always dressed to the nine's.

 I also celebrated my 22nd birthday last month. I went with a more casual '50s house party look, donning my '40s party popper tie as it fit the occasion. The party itself was very classic. Italian cake, root beer, and pizza from the heart of Brooklyn all while chewing the fat.

 

I also found this old fedora at vintage store. The gentleman who relocked it for me explained that it dates to 1965 as per the red number on the union label. It has a pretty classic shape for a '60s fedora, has kind of an early '30s vibe with it's tall crown.