Happy Birthday Bettie Page

(Here is a clip of Bettie doing a little tease/ dance number for our viewing pleasure.)

Bettie Page

(Betty Mae Page)

April 22, 1923 - December 11, 2008

The Pinup Queen would have been 88 years old today. Though she may be gone she will never be forgotten and has forever made an imprint on pop culture and in history!

We will always love you Bettie!

Happy Birthday Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop

April 21, 1947
(James Newell Osterberg II)

 Happy 64th Birthday to the Godfather of Punk!! At 64 he's still one of the sexiest and bad ass MoFo's ever, and yes he's literally old enough to be my father (my dad will be 63 next month)!!
He's one of the greatest frontmen ever! The whole rock n' roll scene owes him and The Stooges big time, they helped usher in the Punk sound and Iggy Pop practically invented the stage drive! Also taking it to a whole other level with antics like crazy dancing (which I love), crawling and bending his body- things of that sort, cutting himself onstage, smearing things on himself like peanut butter, indecent exposure and probably my most favorite and best of all his signature no shirt and skinny jeans!!
I've never had the chance to see him,  I tried to beg my mom to let me see him back in 2006 (I think?) with the Stooges but it didn't happen. One day I hope I can see the great Iggy!

A younger Iggy, oh so handsome!

A young David Bowie and Iggy Pop, they were like the best of friends, two peas in a pod! Eventually they ended up going their separate ways. I heard there were rumors that they even had like this sexual relationship! Now I think they have a more of an estranged relationship.

(I don't know, I have to finish reading my Iggy Pop biography [pictured below] I bought back in 2008, yeah it's a shame I haven't finished reading it.)

This is a photo of the show "The Venture Brothers" they had an episode were current Iggy and Bowie had like this big fight and Bowie turns into a cigarette! lol I have no idea I still haven't seen it and I have friends telling me about it!

Today I wore my Iggy Buttons; one of him recently and one of him back during "Lust For Life" (oh and of course a DM one as usual).

Favorite Tunes

Yes greatness!! Amazing song! Featured in everything from movie soundtracks to cruise commercials! It could be my favorite Iggy song?



A Stooges classic! It was even featured in the Rock Band video game.


Oh memories! I remember having the dj blast this song at my Sweet 16 birthday party, my family must of thought I was crazy.



I love this soong!! Another Stooges classic. You can be my dog Iggy!


A very favorite Pop song and a brilliant fan made video!!! Iggy Pop's "The Passenger" but together with clips of Classic Hollywood films. What could be better?


Did you know the original "China Girl" song was written and sung by Iggy Pop and not David Bowie. Bowie later did the song in order for Iggy to make some income since his Heroin addiction was going out of control. Awh the Iggy and Ziggy Days...how wonderful a duo! I think I much prefer Bowie's version though.


A frekin awesome song! It's so sexy and it has this psychedelic 60's feeling to me. I like to dance to it really slow.


80's Iggy! Love him! I love this song!


I love his cover of Real Wild Child!! Love it!! He's soooo sexy!!


I was soo thrilled that when Madonna (a longtime favorite of mine) was inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame in 2008 she had Iggy and the Stooges perform her songs instead of herself. She said it's not fair that they've been nominated for 6 years, and being inducted  there wasn't a way they won't perform! Aww Iggy and Madonna another great combo!

Iggy the Actor
Iggy is quite the actor and has come out in a number of different movies. From comedies, indie films to children's movies!! I wish he would do more! Here are three of some of my very favorite movies which he comes out in!

Coffee & Cigarettes
A clip from the film "Coffee and Cigarettes" Directed by Jim Jarmusch 2004. A great indie film featuring a ton of amazing actors and artists. Iggy and Tom Waits having a chat. Here it's like Iggy's playing himself but he's not? A line that's stuck with me from this: "Pie and Coffee" haha


"Dead Man" Directed by Jim Jarmusch 1995 A favorite Johnny Depp film and my favorite Western! The way movies should be done (I really don't like westerns unless it stars Clint Eastwood). Iggy is absolutely hilarious as "Sally".


Here's a scene from "Cry Baby" Directed by John Waters 1990. My second favorite Johhny Depp film (at one point I knew almost the whole movie by heart)! I'll take this 1950's musical over Grease any day!! Depp, Pop, Waters 1950's Rockabilly Greatness! Iggy plays Cry Baby's Uncle "Belvedere".
(*FYI Iggy Pop and Johnny Depp have remained great friends for a really long time, they have a history but I wouldn't really go into that)


Happy Birthday Mr. Pop!

~Victoria

Magazine Mention : "Old Fashioned at 29"

The other day I was browsing through O Magazine, Oprah Winfrey's own publication and noticed a spread titled  "O, Yes You Can!" featuring different women at different ages showing off unexpected style choices at their age. I was soo thrilled this lovely women was featured. Embracing the Vintage/ Retro look! The woman featured is 29 year old Jennifer McClain who is a sales diector of the NYC based vintage store What Goes Around Comes Around. The article says not only does she wear the clothes, she lives the lifestyle: "My apartment is furnished with antiques, and I organize my closet by decade, I love playing dress up every day." There have been so many times when people and myself why do you dress like this especially at your age? Because I want too! haha Well I've received many more positives then  negatives. I have a friend at school who calls me Granny Goose because of my "granny" style and taste haha but I love my nickname! I think it really is wonderful that we have more people females and males who are embracing this classic style. I think it's much more accepted today then say maybe 20 years ago, even though the 1990's had a huge retro revival. With hit shows like Mad Men (which was a blessing), vintage becoming trendy, and today's vintage/ retro style and burlesque queen Dita Von Teese they all have helped I think bring more of an interest and acceptance of  vintage retro style. However there is a time and a place for everything regardless of age. I know if I was going to something like a serious job interview I wouldn't want to necessarily go like I completely stepped out of a time capsule, I might want to tone it down a little ( I know I have days were I look more contemporary then usual). Also I think age plays a factor how old should you be or allowed to dress like this? Well to each his own, if you want to more power too you. In fact I had a couple of friends tell me there was an episode of the tv show "What Not To Wear" were two stylists make over someone who's wardrobe is deemed horrible by friends and/ or family and our in desperate need of a makeover. I'm familiar with the show, and on this episode  they were making over a 47 year old woman who was a big vintage collector. Now I haven't seen this episode, but they did get rid of her wardrobe which is sad, however her ensembles she came up with were quite questionable. ( Frankly I think she looked much better after. I think that her age has a lot to do with it.)



It's like a love/ hate relationship with the show, sometimes they just take away peoples uniqueness, and I love that Oprah's magazine embraced it! Plus I love that they gave little tips if you want to hop on the retro bandwagon, which are very helpful:
"When looking to capture a specific era or style, the key is in the details, from the print on [McClain's] a dress to [her] carefully coordinated jewelry, hat, belt, gloves and shoes."


* Start with small doses. You can pair vintage costume jewelry with jeans and a tee. Gradually work up to more pieces, like a scarf, hat or skirt.


*Pay attention to fabrics. Clothes from the '20s were often made of thin silk and tend not to preserve well. Later decades incorporated synthetics like rayon, which drape nicely. (Ignore sizing- a 14 then might be a 6 now.)


"People think I dress like Mad Men characters. Nope, just my outfit today!"


 I love it! That's happened to me plenty of times, (funny thing one time I was on set of where Mad Men was shooting and one of the techie guys thought I was an extra haha) and I'm sure it's happened to you too!




-Victoria

Random Happiness

 red orange rose (lovely)

giant burrito (so good)

green and leopard fabric (I love the combination)

cute retro cat fabric (I'm so in love with this)

pink iced and sprinkled doughnut (doughnuts with pink icing are my favorite)

miniature chinese parasol (a recent thrift store find)

lipstick covered cloth napkin (mine of course)

sand one artwork on truck, off of whittier blvd. east los angeles ( I'm really in love with her work)

new obey/ shepard fairey artwork (spring & 3rd st. downtown los angeles)

All photos by. Victoria Inez Rivera

Cheap and Chic

Yesterday I made the most wonderful purchase! Wednesday evening I was dropping off a package at work when I walked by the Fashion Bookstore located in the California Market Center in Downtown LA's Fashion District. I always love to browse in there, flip through the international fashion magazines and books that I wish I could buy up. I noticed they were having a huge 50% off sale; I was in heaven! Since the store was about to close for the day I quickly gathered up the books I wanted and begged that they would hold  them for me so I may pick them up tomorrow ( I didn't have enough cash on me). Luckily they held them and I greatly appreciated it, not only that when I picked them up that day I received an extra 20% off; a student discount yay!! I got all these lovelies for a steal, brand new and under $60!! I'm in love, I've been wanting some of these books forever! Each book is filled with marvelous photographs and information all which would provide me with hours of entertainment and inspiration!

Dita: Striptease

Stiletto

Fashion & Surrealism

Rebel Style

Adrian: Silver Screen to Custom Label 

Elegance: The S'eeberger Brothers and The Birth of Fashion Photography

Take a Looksie

  Rebel Style and Fashion & Surrealism

Dita Striptease Flip Books

 Stiletto

Adrian = Amazing

Elegance; Indeed

-Victoria