I Will Remember Your Kiss

I took the title for this post directly from one of the songs in the vintage songbook. There is no publishing date on it, but the fashions look like it could be from the 20-30's. On top of the cover is this warning: This book must not be exported for sale in America, Canada or Australasia. Now why on earth not???, I wonder!

The sketch on the cover is lovely! Those artists knew how to capture the spirit of their time. I used it for inspiration for my latest French Belle, and tried to make it more romantic by showing the man as a silhouette.

The ostrich feather in the girl's hand was the type of fan used in the early thirties, with most of the feathers imported from South Africa, where in our country several "ostrich barons" were smiling broadly at the demands of fashion! Now here is The Duchess of Windsor wearing a feather headdress (very queenly) and holding a feather fan. This was her introduction to the Royal court in 1931. (I took the photo from her book: "The Heart has it's Reasons")

The Little Straw Boater

Now is this true or not: we had our fill of a couple of ridiculous hats this week, on viewing and reviewing the Royal Wedding? What was true of the previous centuries, is true today, and that is that most feathers look better on the original bird than on a lady's hat!

In the Twenties there were actual publicity and movements to stop the use of 'bits of animal or bird', like those bound bundles of feathers or porcupine quills which were perched on the side of hats. Worse were the ostrich feathers which could be seen bobbing way above the heads of most of the males in a room!

So here is something innocent and refreshing, the straw boater! These hats became popular once again when women gained their freedom of dress in the Twenties. What could be more ideal to wear for summer picnic lunches, drives in open Model T Fords, playing golf or tennis, hiking or cycling?