First a word from...
I have loved the 1950s since I was a little girl. I remember being completely awed by what I felt were the prettiest women in the whole wide world every time I caught a glimpse of a pin up girl from that era...like the ladies on the dusty calendar pictures in my grandpas office or when I sat through a dreamy classic movie with my mom on lazy Sunday afternoons, starring Doris Day, Marilyn Monroe Betty Davis, Joan Crawford...the list goes on and on. I was immidiately drawn by their beauty, their glamour. The way they wore their hair, the seamed stockings, the perfect heels, their red, velvet lipstick and wonderfully arched brows. The hairstyles, the hourglass figures, the perfectly manicured nails, the handbags, the jewelry...these were real women! Beautiful women! The kind of woman I wanted to be. No matter that they also wore aprons and pushed a vacuum cleaner around. at home, starched collars and darned socks. I fully understood that a woman consisted of many wonderful facets. I loved that they cooked and baked and did laundry. I loved that they were moms and wives too and beyond that, even breadwinners. Women could be anything they chose to be, womens lives could be what they decided to make them.
I have chosen to live my life today as if it were the 1950's. I make no claims that I can do this entirely as there are common things that I have grown up with and that have been such a complete part of my life that it would be extremely hard to dispense with them. I will do my very best to live simply and make changes where changes can and should be made. I've been sharing my love for the fifties with friends and family for some time now. My second to the youngest daughter is the one who actually suggested that I go further in my expression of love for the era..."Mom" she said, "Since you get off on the 50's so much, why don't you really get into it?" I wasn't sure I knew what she meant but she suggested that I start my own movement.
I realize that I am not the only one with such a dream! There are thousands of people out there who absolutely love the fifties! Some make it a lifestyle. I have not gone that far yet because I need some ideas! I already collect everything fifties. About a year ago I started reading material written mostly during that time. I found that I enjoy it very much and I can't get enough of it. The more, the better! I finally finished the Fountainhead (Ayn Rand) after I got it back from my 18 year old son and now I'm starting Lolita (Vladimir Vabokov). I'm really enjoying some of the pulp paperbacks I bought last year too. I also read the vintage Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, Life, True Confessions, True Story, True Detective, Ladies Home Journal, and much more, front to back. I watch classic movies and television as often as I can. If I am going to make this a lifestyle, I will need to watch nothing but fifties or earlier movies or programming. I am going to have to order much of the material I view and download a lot too. Is that fair if I am trying to live a fifties lifestyle? I have done most all of my cooking and baking from vintage cookbooks now for some time. I would like to expand on that!
I would love to share my journey with others and would like to hear from those of you who have gone before me. There is so much to do! I am going to write a list of everything that I need to work on for this lifestyle change. I have decided that I'd like to start this on the first of January, 2010.
I will be back soon with my list. Until then, please share your thoughts!
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