VIVA Archives

Next week I leave for the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend! I can’t wait! This will be my last one for a while as my husband and I would like to take other trips and try other events, so I’m going to make the most of out of it this year.

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015 — Me and the Sign at last years Viva

The vintage clothing is HUGE at Viva (one of my favorite parts) and I love seeing all the lovely vintage fashions that everyone brings. I’m always happy with the items that I bring but I do like to dream that if I won the lottery and or had size 24″ waist, what would be my ultimate VIVA wardrobe?

So that is what today’s post is all about, what would I bring if I had the means (1940s & 1950s Fashions)? Let the dreaming/drooling begin!

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

1940s Green Gingham Sundress-SO ME! I would totally wear this dress to the car show.

1940s Fashion: 1940s Dress // Green Gingham Ruffle Sundress — Source: Etsy

Another day dress for wandering around the hotel, hitting up the strip or just lounging by the pool – A 1950s Mr. Mort Gingham (I’m in gingham mode right now) sundress. The top of the dress is so different and really cool.

1950s Fashion: 1950s Mr. Mort gingham dress smocking spaghetti straps 50s sundress 1950s sundress vintage gingham smocked — Source: Etsy

I love Tiki and I love Tiki Dresses like this beauty of a dress from the 1950s and perfect to wear to Frankie’s Tiki Room. The pattern is a novelty tiki cat print.

FURTHER READING:

1950s Fashioin: 1950s Dress // Novelty Tiki Cat Print Full Skirt Dress — Source: Etsy

Mexican Handpainted skirts are very very popular in the Rockabilly/Vintage world and this one is a perfect example of why they are, simply stunning! This skirt is a good choice for any evening of the event.

1950s Fashion: Vintage 1950s SEQUINED Mexican Hand Painted CIRCLE Skirt — Source: Etsy

Vintage 1940s Evening Dress. Perfect for dancing in, to all the amazing bands that play all weekend long. Possibly a super Saturday night dress

1940s Fashion: Vintage 1940s Evening Dress with a Pink skirt & accents. — Source: The Cats Pajamas

Here is another Saturday Night Dress – A Emma Domb 1950’s dress french blue satin. Isn’t it dreamy?

FURTHER READING: Vintage Fashion Designer Spotlight: Emma Domb

1950s Fashion: 1950s Dress Emma Domb Vintage Strapless Beaded Liquid Satin Gown — Source: Etsy

One more option for Saturday Night (or really any night of the event). 1940s Vintage Crepe Gown (this is my favorite).

1940s Fashion: vintage 1940s gown // 40s pink crepe beaded evening gown — Source: Etsy

The Pool Parties at VLV happen all weekend but on Sunday they have the women’s vintage swimsuit contest. If I had a lot of money, I would buy this suit and enter – A 1950s Novelty Rooster Print Catalina Swimsuit. The print is just so fun and I think you would have a good chance of winning.

FURTHER READING: Summer is here! Vintage Catalina Swimsuit Ads

1950s Fashion / Vintage Summer Outfit: 1950s Novelty Rooster Print Artist Textile Catalina Swimsuit Bathing Suit — Source: Etsy

Shoes! I very rarely wear awesome shoes at this event because I’m normally dancing…a lot and my shoes are usually built for comfort over style. However, if I could have some dream shoes these would be in my suitcase.

1940s sling back, peep toe heels. Cute with a bit of danger to them.

1940s Fashion: 1940s sling back, peep toe heels — Source: Etsy

Another pair of fantastic peep toe 1940s shoes (I adore the 40s shoes).

1940s Fashion: Vintage 1940s Shoes /// Chocolate Suede Peep Toes — Source: Etsy

And then the ultimate wish list shoes (and my top pin on Pinterest)……1940s Platform heels, very Carmen Miranda and sold to some lucky person in this world.

1940s Fashion: 1940s Platform heels, very Carmen Miranda looking. — Source: Pinterest

Accessories. Once again, since I’m a dancer my accessories are usually limited to items that won’t fly off my body when dancing (brooches, earrings, hair flowers) but we are talking “My wish list” so I would wear Bakelite Bracelets! Up my arm and down the other. Ha Ha, not really but I would wear more than just one like many of the lovely ladies I have seen do.

1930s red Bakelite carved clamper bracelet.

FURTHER READING: Bakelite! The Must Have Vintage Fashion Accessory

And here are all the bracelets ready for my arm. The carved ones are truly my favorite (I currently only own smooth Bakelite).

Vintage Bakelite Bracelets — Source: Flickr

And there is my Ultimate VLV Wardrobe wish list. I hope you enjoyed taking a look at the things that make me drool or wish I had one the lottery.

This will also be my last weekly post till I’m back from my trip (I will only be gone for one week, friends so don’t worry). You can follow my adventures on Instagram.

Have a super week friends and see some of you at VLV!

FURTHER READING:

Vintage Fashion 1920s – 1960s (Archived Blog Posts)

Liz 🙂

(Note: To view my other days at VIVA click on the days: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)

Last day of VIVA, wow it went so fast how was that possible? I guess it’s possible when you are having the time of your life. All good things must eventually come to an end, right?

Happy Easter! Sunday for me is ALWAYS shopping at the vintage vendors day, since many of the vendors put their items on sale as they don’t want to take tons of stuff home. Every year I have gotten lucky and have found some wonderful items and this year was no different. However I did find that I purchased less this year due to the Canadian dollar being so poor so that the exchange rate made everything so much more expensive. Oh well more money left over for future trips.

First up I picked up a couple of great scarfs to add to my collection.

This souvenir San Francisco scarf is my favorite of the two.

I also purchased the cutest brooch, it’s a Heinz 57 Ketchup bottle!

Then just as I was about to walk out a happy camper with what I had, I saw out of the corner of my eye a vintage 1950s Shirtwaist dress from the vendor “Love Street Vintage” who I had the pleasure of purchasing past dresses from before. It fit like a glove and it was a good price so it CLEARLY came home with me.

After shopping we thought we would see if we could get into the Sunday Pool Party which normally in the past we have not been able to do, due to it being the popular day and there are normally long line ups. But this year ended up being really easy and I think it might have had to do with the high winds making people think it was cold at the pool (which it was not). Yay for us!

My friend had secured several lounge chairs for the gang which ended up being in good prime viewing of the women’s swimsuit contest and the bands on the stage. Thank you!

There was so many GORGEOUS swimsuits to be seen, as you can see from these 3 lovely women. The red head is actually a fellow Canadian who has a super blog called “Pinup Persuasion“, who I did not realize I had taken a photo of until I just looked at now and clearly missed saying hello. Opps. She did later on enter the vintage swimsuit contest, which I’m glad she did because her suit was stunning (as did the girl in the green suit).

VLV 18 Pool Party Sunday 2015 Vintage Swimsuits

The band that played earlier in the afternoon “The Cavaleros” were really good (and Canadian) and kept the party going with their cool surf sounds. My favorite part though was when they took “Sing Sing Sing” and made it into a Rockabilly/Surf Version. The video I took even had Lindy Hoppers (from San Francisco I found out later) dancing to it. LOVE IT!

Speaking of San Fran here is my new friend from San Fran who was also a Lindy Hopper and really cool to chat with.

Then my friend Bill stole my camera to take a picture with beautiful women.

Bill JUST missed his chance with these ladies, by seconds. His loss.

I guess the pool party is not amusing for everyone….

Unfortunately I have no great photos of the swimsuit contest as the sun was pretty bright and was making it hard to see what I was taking pictures of. So you just have to take my word on the fact that the suits were stunning (as you saw above). Here is one photo though that turned out okay.

After the contest, we packed up our stuff and headed in to get ready for the Sunday evening favorite of mine and many others..the Jive Contest! BUT first what is starting to become a tradition, getting as many Canadians together for a group photo.

Here is this years, we clean up nicely don’t we?

Okay back to the Jive Contest…Once again the dance floor was filled with lots of wonderful dancers and once again my favorite did not get picked (I always chose wrong) but it was still fun to watch. Here is a clip of the 2nd round of the contest. The couple in the front of the video in the matching pink outfits ended up winning the whole thing.

And here is another tradition! Taking a photo with the Orleans Sign.

Now the evening is really winding down and now my body is telling me that it’s soon time to call it quits. We did however want to see the Doo Wop All Stars Show. This years show included: Herb Cox-The Cleftones; Eugene Pitt-The Jive Five and Bobby Lewis (“Tossin & Turning”) It was really great and super stylish as Doo Wop bands tend to be.