Prints Charming Sunday: Is That A Swordfish In Your Pocket, Or Are You Just Happy To See Me?

Welcome back to a long overdue Prints Charming Sunday!





Sorry for the lapse in posting, friends! You can expect more weirdness like this off and on for the next couple months, with some regular ol' life changes going on (not like, menopause or anything, sheesh, I make it sound like a geriatric commercial or something), and I may not be around much (temporarily! only temporarily!), so please hang in there and bear with me!

Anyway, today's vintage novelty print is uber-perfecto for summer coming up! I'm sure it's been blogged about before elsewhere, but frankly my dears, I don't give a damn. It's charming! It's fun! It's seriously outta my price range!

May I present, this Vintage 40's Swordfish Novelty Print Rayon Pinup Swimsuit:

Prints Charming Sunday: Book To The Future

Welcome to a very late Prints Charming Sunday!




I apologize for the lateness of today's post- I've been slackified by reading all the live long day today-- on my new Look Book reader. I swore I would never, ever buy a Kindle or a Lookbook or any brand of e-reader for that matter. I'm not one who's easily impressed by technology or people who need to keep up with it. The Joneses can sprint right on past me with their high-tech gadgets, overpriced Starbucks and brand new SUVS. I've always, my entire life since about birth, had a 1940's "make do and mend" mentality instilled in me. The same goes for books. I love that instant vibe you get when you walk into a library and begin pacing the aisles until you see a crackly leather-bound calling your name. I love the feel of pages of brittle, yellowed, dry paper between my fingers and the musty "old book smell" that drifts out of it. And I ain't talking about a trip to Borders. The whole going-to-the-library process is tradition, spending rainy days sitting in old leather club chairs or sitting on the floorby the window can't ever be replaced. Call me a sentimental fool or a nostalgic sap, I don't mind. But when the opportunity to buy a brand spanking new Lookbook for 30 bucks came up, well, even *I* was dragged into the 21st century. (But I gotta tell you, pushing a button to turn a page just ain't doing it for me.)

So for today's vintage novelty print, I wanted to find something book-related for a theme, because themes are great! They're my raison d'etre. But alas, no book novelty prints. However, in the theme of all-things-nerdy, I did find a wonderfully geeky print...


Paper clips!



Vintage Green Paper Clip Novelty Print Cotton Jacket is currently available on Etsy from seller Bred Vintage.

Perfect for a walk to the library, isn't it?...

Prints Charming Sunday: It Came From The Beach

Welcome to Prints Charming Sunday!




Today's vintage novelty print pick makes me infinitely happy for no real reason, other than it's so summery cute it hurts. Or maybe because it looks like something that an Annette Funicello, Sandra Dee or any other generic Gidget-y character would wear in any generic, early 60's, non-Elvis, bad acting, highly unrealistic, low-grade beach movie. You know the plot: teen girl sings duets while learning valuable life lessons when she and her perfect nuclear family go to the beach for summer vacay and she of COURSE makes her Dad worried when she falls in love with the ONE random beatnik-ish surfer type (who's actually a pretty big weenie and would get his ass kicked on a daily basis by REAL beatnik-y surfer types, but for Disney's purpose he's "bad" enough) and oh yeah, throw in a screwball biker gang that hasn't ever committed any real crimes, other than perhaps jaywlking (gasp! not jaywalking!!) for some wacky hijinks involving a band, a bonfire and someone driving his bike off the pier and THAT, my friends, more or less sums up every awesomely bad 1960's beach movie ever made.

And THIS more or less looks like what any girl in that movie would wear:







Charming little Vintage 60's Novelty Beach Print Top is currently available on Etsy from seller Less Than Perfect Vintage.

Prints Charming Sunday: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Welcome to Prints Charming Sunday!



Hot jumping jebus on a griddle, it's the first day of spring. Can you even stand it? I can't. I'm besides myself with jubilation and gid. Can you not tell? Seriously though, I'm just so glad snow and ice and flood-y basements are done and over with! Gone are overpriced shovels and cracked plastic ice scrapers and salty boots. Except... we have snow in the forecast here in the northeast for the week, so that sort of blows the whole shiny happy vibe to hell in a hand basket, doesn't it? But damn the snow, notwithstanding, it's spring nonetheless!*

To celebrate** this here first day-o-spring, I present to you this biblically fabulous Vintage 50's Garden of Eden Novelty Print Dress, currently available on Etsy from seller Revolving Styles:








It's not the greatest closeup, but can you see it's a scene of a nudie Adam & Eve with the snake lurking in the tree? Cute! Tree-hugging streakers and a suggestive, phallic reptile? Sounds about right. It must be spring.







* Side note, part 1: I've been wanting to drop schmancy words like "nonetheless" and "notwithstanding" on y'all for a while now. Impressed? I figured.


** Side note, part deux: who exactly literally celebrates the first day of spring? (Or the first day of anything for that matter.) Pagans? Ancestral witches? Ancient druids? Celtic warlocks? I must know who you season revelers are! I'll wait.

Way-Out Wednesday: Don't Meth With The Irish

Welcome to a special St. Patrick's Day edition of Way-Out Wednesday!




Celebrating St. Patrick's Day with green beer is for roofie-toting frat guys. Instead, why not class the joint up and toast with a good ol' fashioned mug-o-Irish coffee? Perfect. I have the recipe for you, here, on this Vintage Irish Coffee Leprechaun Linen Novelty Tea Towel:




Hot damn, do the Irish know how to party or what?! You may think that's a recipe printed on the scroll he's holding, but no. It's actually the directions to the meth lab off of Route 7 behind old man McMurphy's barn where our strung-out leprechaun friend makes the stuff. If you ask me, there's alot more to be said for Irish coffee if it makes you this happy.




(The secret is crack cocaine.)

Prints Charming Sunday: Fox Trot

Welcome to Prints Charming Sunday!




Usually I pick out something more...what's the word...fashion-y (?)... for our weekly themes, but today's vintage novelty print is so charming I had to show you guys! It's this really cute Vintage 40's Dancing Foxes Novelty Print Silk Scarf, available on Etsy from seller Loulou's Vintage:





I like that they look slightly sinister, like they can't wait for the song to be over so they can get to sabotaging each other. I wish I knew how to properly rock a scarf, so I could be all over this. I bet it'd look equally as cool if it were framed though, don'tcha think? (Also: how, precisely, does one spell "don'tcha"? Because that looks incredibly stupid and wrong.)

Prints Charming Sunday: Cherub Me The Right Way

Welcome to Prints Charming Sunday!





I don't know if any of you guys remember this trend or can relate, but back in the early 90's I recall everyone (at least, everyone in my podunk neck of the woods) got crazy into collecting angels and cherubs. Angel candles, angel garden statues, angel jewelry, books about angles, all kinds of angel crap. Hell, you couldn't swing a bag of cats (huh?) without hitting a wall graced with a poster of Raphael's damn cherubs- remember these little scamps?:



Not that I have anything against angels or cherubs or anything celestial for that matter. It's just that when you see floating heads with wings all. the. damn. time., it doesn't take long before you're sick to death of it. Like your husband. Or those little people who keep calling you "mom." So way back then I swore no more angels, ever. None with wings or ones that sing, none with gossamer gowns or wearing crowns, none playing mandolins or violins or holding lutes or carrying flutes. (Suck on THAT, Dr. Seuss.)

So color me shocked! surprised! amused! that I found a pretty dandy vintage novelty print dress today of cherubs that doesn't make me wanna puke. (That's a compliment to the dress and seller, I assure you.)

And lo, the skies cleared and angels sang alleluia, allowing a single beam of sunlight to shine down upon this:





It's cute, right? I love the non-overly girlie colorway. Plus, little Rambo here looks seriously ticked off, like he's ready to bust a cap in yo' ass with his bow and arrow, so that pretty much rules.


Vintage 40's Cupid Novelty Print Rayon Dress is available on Etsy from seller The Vintage Studio.

Prints Charming Sunday: Tiny Dancer

Thanks for dropping by another fine Prints Charming Sunday!




You know, I was all set to try and find a sweet and romantic (albeit generic) rose print for today's theme. I know, I know, roses are hardly news-worthy OR that much of a novelty, but being as though it's Valentine's Day coming up and all (in case you forgot) I thought I'd go the cliche route and write about them. But then I found a print that rocked my socks off (whatever that means) because not only is it roses (aww sweet, blech) but it's also a novelty print (huzzah!). And what a combo at that! I give you:





Roses and...Mexican dancers? With fans? And sombreros, even? Perfecto! Not too syrup-y, not too wacky, not too...Valentine's Day-y...just right! Plus, it's not tiny!...unlike the dancers on the it. (Thank you! I'll be here all night!)




Vintage 40's Rayon Novelty Print Tiered Peplum Dress is available on Etsy from seller Club Vintage.

Atomic Tuesday: Chickens Roasting On An Open Fire...

...and Jack Frost is nipping at your nose, if you live just about anywhere in the US on this arctic-rific Atomic Tuesday!




Today's pick for Atomic Tuesday is so cool, so mid-century modern in it's wackiness, I thought maybe it was just a really, really good repro. But no. It's the real deal and spec-freaking-tacular. It's almost as if the creator of this said "Hey, it's the 1950's! I'm gonna design a print that is so totally 50's, it'll be crazy!" It's kind of like when someone you know recommends going to a diner that "you're just gonna LOVE" because it's "soooo 50's", and then you get there and the place is SCREAMING cliche, with it's checkerboard floors, repro tin signs of I Love Lucy, and a poster of Elvis, Marilyn and James Dean playing pool on the walls. Because that's exactly what real, "Mom and Pop" type diners in the 1950's looked like. And all the people in the diner were talking about how 50's it was of them to be sitting in a diner, drinking milkshakes and playing Buddy Holly on their tabletop jukeboxes. Riiiight. So today's pick is just like that. Only not.


The thing of which I speak:



Awesome, right? First of all, it's PINK, which rules...





...wacky animal wall hangers...Paris print, 'natch...





...hot damn, a fiberglass drum floor lamp (?!)...glasses of iced tea in the holder...magazine rack....





....shish kebabs hanging by the fireplace ...zig-zag wrought iron log stand...and a starburst clock?! Are you kidding me?!...


(OK, I want everything in each picture so far...and a house that looks this iconic, all the time...)





...And of COURSE, the standard rooster. Because it was apparently the poultry of choice in interior design from about 1950 to 1970, since they show up EVERYWHERE and on EVERYTHING. (Well, those and eagles. Just can't escape either one.)



This superb Vintage 50's Quintessential Mid-Century Modern "Interior Scenes" Tablecloth is available for $34 from seller Neato Keen.

Prints Charming Sunday: Love, Exciting And New

Welcome to Prints Charming Sunday!




Did today's title get "the Love Boat" theme song stuck in your head? Ha! That is my gift to you. I've been thinking alot about Valentine's Day themed titles for blog posts, and the stinking freaking Love Boat won't leave my brain. Bah! Damn you stupid 1970's awesomely crappy tv shows. Now, normally I'm all about wacky novelty prints from the 40's and 50's. I don't generally "do" novelty prints from the 1970's (it just ain't my bag, baby) but then in an interesting twist of ironic irony, I came across a 1970's novelty print that's so very fitting to go with today's Love Boat era/valentines-y theme that I couldn't not show it off. (Did you enjoy that double negative that I dropped on you just there, grammar nazis? I thought you might.)




Ta-da! So polyester-y. So butterfly collar-y. So...70's. What's that Julie? I'm wanted on the Lido deck for cocktail hour with Captain Stubing and celebrity guest stars Charo and Tom Jones? Be right there! I'm just pulling on my tight-fitting polyester shirt then we'll party hardy until we pass out or dock in Puerto Vallarta, whichever comes first!

(Who me, watch too many classic TV reruns? Never.)


Vintage 70's "Love and Kisses" Novelty Print Shirt is offered by seller Wunderbar Vintage.

Prints Charming Sunday: Paint Life Grand

I'm baa-aack, after a very long week of snow, more snow, wind, down power lines, power loss and oh yeah, did I mention the friggin' snow?! Because we northeast types had a just a wee bit of it, in case you haven't heard. So I'm glad you've popped in to this here much-missed Prints Charming Sunday, bringing you the finest vintage novelty prints around!



I think we could use a happy little print to peep, don't you? Something to remind us that spring is indeed going to come soon enough, allowing us to put away the flannel and pain in the ass snow boots and break out cool vintage for warm weather, like this Vintage 60's Painter's Palette Print Skirt, available on Etsy from seller Lola Vintage:





Seriously, this print makes me so damn chipper, it's ridiculous. My inner art nerd is kvelling. Did I happen to mention it's a mere 18 bucks?! Because it is. 18 clams, my friends, 18 clamaroonies. If it wasn't too big for me, I'd be all over it like...something that's on something. Sorry. A clever response escapes me at the moment, because of this damn happy.

Prints Charming Sunday: Great Snowballs of Fire

Welcome to a very arctic Way-Out Wednesday!





If you're just about anywhere in the US right now, you're probably under an assault of snow and freeziness. Gross, I'm with you. (HOW much longer 'til spring? Sigh.) But today's vintage novelty print pick is almost cute enough to make you forget that outside feels like a meat locker! Almost. Except for the tiny fact that it's a skiing print. So I guess you can't forget about winter after all, can you? Damn. Nevermind.




At any rate, this Vintage 50's Ski Gear Novelty Print Skirt available on Etsy is still charming enough to cure what ails you, assuming of course that what ails you is anything but the cold. Then you're out of luck, my friend.

Behold the closeup of the cute:

Prints Charming Sunday: Luck You

Happy New Year and welcome to the first Prints Charming Sunday of 2011!




2011, good grief. It's weird writing "2011". It feels so wrong. All those ones make me uneasy, like computer nerd speak.

Nerd 1: "What did the 001101011011000100 say to the 111001011011101010?"
Nerd 2: "I dunno, what?"
Nerd 1: "2011."
Both nerds: "hahaha"

Whatever. But mostly what gets me is that it's gonna take me the next 6 months to stop writing "2010" on all my checks and just when I'm finally ready to accept it's 2011, it'll be 2012. And then the world will end so I guess I won't have to worry about screwing up any more checks. Well played, 2012! Well played.

Since it's the wee beginnings of the new year, I thought we could use a hearty dose of good luckery and positive mumbo jumbo, considering 2010 lacked sooo much of it. So while this vintage novelty print may be more suitable for, say, St. Patrick's Day, a good luck charm never hurt anybody. Unless you're the leprechaun from Lucky Charms. Poor guy had to live in constant fear of the hit out on him, with everyone always after his lucky charms. So unless you're a leprechaun from a cereal box, I suggest you behold this Vintage Vested Gentress 4 Leaf Clover Print Wrap Skirt, available on Etsy from seller Clovas:

Prints Charming Sunday: Cabin Fever

Welcome to a special, Christmas-y edition of Prints Charming Sunday!




Today's vintage novelty print pick is this charming Vintage 50's Winter Cabin Print Lanz Dress available on Etsy from seller Swing Kats Vintage:




It's so cute for Christmas and all of winter, even, with its quilty-ness and red & green-ness and pine tree/cabin-y print, um, -ness. Almost everything by Lanz is sure to be a winner, and this is no exception! Unless of course you have something against quilted things. Or red & green. Or cabins. Then you're out of luck, my friend.

A close-up of all of the "ness-es" of which I just spoke:

Prints Charming Sunday: Christmas Wrapping

Welcome to a Christmas-y edition of Prints Charming Sunday!



Today's vintage novelty print pick is not only spectacularly fantastic but it's also fantastically *perfect* for Christmas. Heck, the print could even work for my Hanukkah-celebrating peeps. Mazel tov, yo!





It's hard to make out, but it's actually a Vintage 40's Present Novelty Print Rayon Dress, available on Etsy from seller Mid Century Antiques.





Can you see? Red & green presents! Merry Christmas, bubalas!

Prints Charming Sunday: (Don't) Return To Sender

Welcome to another Prints Charming Sunday!



You know what I have zero of? Long-sleeved vintage dresses. Seriously. Not a one. I just never came across any cute frocks with long sleeves, I guess-- and not because I have especially long arms and legs, making it a feat against nature to find anything that doesn't make me look like I'm wearing a kindergartner's dress. (Ok, so maybe I do have that problem, but that's not the reason for no long sleeves, I swear.) So upon waking this morn to a particularly fall-ish day (cold, grey, rainy, blah-yet-ohmygawdilovethisweather), I decided to search for vintage long sleeves (in novelty prints, natch) and found this awesomeness, this Vintage 50's Letter Novelty Print Dress, available on Etsy from seller Sixsexsix (LOVE the shop name, btw!):






So, OK, it's technically only got 3/4-length sleeves, but oh well. That's a sacrifice I'd be willing to make with a fun print like that. Cold arms be damned!

Way-Out Wednesday: Keep Your Hands To Your Elf

Today's Way-Out Wednesday pick is kind of...hmm...special, maybe? I don't mean "special" as in: needs to wear a helmet in the bathtub and a spork is too dangerous a cooking utensil special, more like it's not weird, gross or creepy (though a bit off-kilter and pretty dang cute, which we LOVE), it's rockin' some aqua so technically it could be a choice for Aqua Blue Heaven Friday (which, OK, so I haven't done that theme in a while, back off my jock, homies), AND it's also a novelty print, so we could've used it for a Prints Charming Sunday pick. You could say that today's pick is such a non-conformist that it breaks all boundaries and cannot be put into any one box, man. But I wouldn't say that hippie "I'm-OK-you're-OK" crap. I'd say shut the hell up already and get to showin' the pick for Way-Out Wednesday. So I will.





Behold! Wacky elves! Aqua mushrooms! Terrycloth...fabric... OK, that's a little odd. I'm hung up on that part. I LOOOOVE pixies and elves, but damn, what would one make with terrycloth? I guess a dress/skirt/blouse/ANY sort of fashion (outside of a swimsuit cover up) would be weird to wear when made out of a towel. What would YOU make out of this? Do tell! (A good choice if you're in, say, the porn business, no?)

Incredibly perplexing-yet-wickedly-awesome 2 Yards of Vintage 50's/60's Elf Novelty Print Fabric currently available on Etsy from seller Hillbilly Filly.

Prints Charming Sunday: Mucha Muchacha.

Welcome to Prints Charming Sunday!




Today's pick is this a-MAY-zingly cool Vintage 50's Mexican Dancers Novelty Print Dress & Bolero, currently available on Etsy (and for a very decent price, homies) from seller Metro Retro Vintage:







It's a GREAT freakin' outfit (and that cut is always truly flattering on a chick's bod), but I do have a question. Or many. I've been looking at this dancin' duo for a while now and can't exactly seem to figure out what's going on here, exactly. Is she just thrown over his hip, like he's hauling a sack of flour? Where, precisely, are her legs? Perhaps she lost them in a Dance-Off gone horribly wrong, involving a too-hot tortilla, a mariachi band on speed and ill-fitting sombreros? And is he not wearing pants?! (Because I fully condone Pantsless Dancing, I just need to know.)