Month: June 2013

Retro Hair Class with Miss Rockabilly Ruby

Posted on June 29, 2013 by

One of the key parts of a vintage look is having the right hair. I recently discovered hairdresser Miss Rockabilly Ruby who has styled looks for Pinup Girl Clothing and works out of Lola and Roxy’s Salon in Burbank. I had her give me one of her famous updo’s a few weeks back that came out simply spectacular (see the photo on Instagram) and I was excited to check out her pinup hair class to share her awesome talent here on Stiletto City and get some tips on how to create those amazing Ruby do’s!

I joined about 25 other aspiring pinups in the back room of the Pinup Girl Boutique as Ruby created three different looks: a ‘60s bubble flip, a beehive and an elegant ‘50s faux bob. Ruby hails from Minnesota and just moved to LA last year so we are lucky to have her! She trained at the Aveda Institue after studying graphic design and finding she hated it. But she definitely has an artistic touch to her hair designs! Here are some of the amazing creations she did that day. Click on each image to see the transformation slideshow.

Look 1: Bubble Flip

Look 2: Beehive

Look 3: Faux Bob

Here are a few things I learned:

These do’s will keep hairspray companies in business!

Use duck clips to section off hair and work with one section at a time.

Each of these looks was set the same way using a GHD 1 inch flat iron to curl each piece of hair under and clip. Let set until cool.

Mist each section before you take that flat iron to it to protect the hair. Kenra Platinum Hot Spray works well and is available at the Pinup Girl Boutique.

Your set do can last you a few days if you sleep very still or use satin pillow cases.

Teasing is your friend but will be your enemy when you try to get it out – get in the shower, use lots of conditioner and wide-tooth comb.

Ruby loves doing BIG HAIR, the bigger the better, especially ’60s hair. (My kind of gal!)

Ruby loves talking “Toddlers & Tieras” and “Honey Boo Boo” – don’t get her started!

Now that class is over, I’m hoping I have at least a pinky-full of Ruby’s talent to try to create these looks myself. If not, I know she’s just an appointment away! One thing I know for sure is that it’s a delight to sit in Ruby’s chair. Besides her fabulous end product, her spunky personality will have you laughing the whole time!

Go big or go home!
Kastle

Tags: Kastle Waserman, Miss Rockabilly Ruby, Pinup Girl Boutique, Pinup Girl Clothing, Retro Hair, Stiletto City

Month: June 2013

Get Your Skin Summertime Glowing

Posted on June 21, 2013 by

It’s the official start of summer, that means showing more skin during the hot months ahead. But is your skin ready to be seen or is it still suffering from the dry winter season? Get it in shape! I’ll fill you in on how to exfoliate , moisturize, add a little shimmer, and (gasp) get rid of that ghost-white skin! Here are some tips I put together for my report on Yahoo!

Click here for summer-ready skin.

Bring it on summer!
Kastle

Photo by Calliopejen from Wikimedia Commons

Month: June 2013

Wine & Mid-Century Fashion Soiree

Posted on June 17, 2013 by

It was a seductive Friday night in downtown. The temperature was perfectly mild and people were ready to shake off the work week, get dressed up and go out. The Los Angeles Athletic Club provided a delicious, historic backdrop for an evening of elegant vintage fashion. The wine flowed from Los Angeles Wine Tasting, a silent auction brought bids for rarely seen candid photos of Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra from the Frank Worth Collection, and the crowded room was ready to be dazzled by mid-century offerings from Clever Vintage Clothing from the era when glamour was definitely IN.

I was honored to be asked to be one of the models working the nightclub’s catwalk. After several fittings, each dress more beautiful than the next, it was decided I would wear two classic 1950’s silhouettes. First: a floral-print wiggle dress with a copper sheen Second: a black brocade, wide-collar, full-skirted party dress that buttoned down the front with a pop of a purple petticoat underneath.

It was all kinds of girliness backstage as we prepped hair and makeup (we all did our own) and slipped into this gorgeous cocktail attire. Then there was the lineup for Dave and Sabino of Clever Vintage to assess every fit and color and order in which we would appear. We carried numbers so the audience members could easily remember which dress they would like to purchase for themselves.

What was great about this show was that all the models have been customers of Clever Vintage. We are all regular scenesters at vintage style events around town and we mostly all knew each other. We were real girls who live it and love it. Authentic pinups for sure and not a diva in the room, lots of girl bonding support in helping to fine-tune every detail.

Then it was time for our big moment. A walk through the room, a few spins, some poses for the cameras. Then a quick change to our second outfit to do it all over again. And the clothes were a hit! We all had a great time showing them off. Special thanks to Dave and Sabino for letting us all be supermodels for the night and to Jean-Baptiste Dhalluin of LA Wine Tasting for putting on this extraordinary event!

From the runway,
Kastle

Photos by Mr. Mojo Würkin (1,2,7) Susan Londoner (3,4,5) and Clever Vintage (6)

Month: June 2013

Drink Like “Mad Men”

Posted on June 8, 2013 by

We’ve enjoyed six fabulous seasons of “Mad Men,” watching Don, Roger, Peggy, Joan and the gang saunter stylishly through offices and bars. Now with the series ending (season 7 will be the last), we just can’t let the party go. I discovered several bars throughout Los Angeles where “Mad Men” actually filmed so you can go out and drink like Don and let the madness live on.

In case you didn’t know, though Mad Men is set in New York City, most of the locations are actually filmed in Los Angeles. And I have to tip a fedora hat to their location scouts for finding some of the most esthetically pleasing watering holes in town, many which are historical landmarks.

So keep the scandal, mystery and intrigue going, cocktail in hand, and live like “Mad Men.” And don’t forget to dress to impress.

Here’s where to go:

Casey’s Irish Pub

A classic dark wood interior and saloon-style bar is given extra appeal by having to descend a set of stairs to the basement level get to it. Located in downtown LA, this bar is dark, cozy and relaxed with a solid Irish influence.

Millennium Biltmore Hotel

The ornate décor screams money, baby and you’ll feel like a million bucks when you saddle up to the Gallery Bar and Cognac Room here or take a meeting over a light meal in the gorgeous Rendezvous Court. This hotel opened its doors in 1923 and its mix of Spanish-Italian Renaissance and Mediterranean Revival, Beaux Arts styles made it an instant sensation. Frescos, marble and bronze provide elaborate texture to make this place feel like the utmost in vintage luxury.

HMS Bounty

Red booths a-plenty but with dive bar appeal, the HMS Bounty has been a staple for Hollywood scenesters venturing into the edge of Koreatown. Located on the ground floor of the historic 1920’s Gaylord Apartments, you can have no-frills, greasy spoon of a meal washed down with a stiff classic cocktail (no fancy mixology going on here) or just mingle with the array of hipsters and regular barflies at the bar.

La Villa Basque

Probably the only cool place in the industrial area of Vernon, which is East of Downtown LA. La Villa Basque’s charm is in the fact that it looks like it hasn’t changed since the ‘60s. Inside, is a gorgeous bar and round booths with colorful upholstery that you could easily see the Rat Pack holding court in. Definitely an outside-of-the-party-zone destination location but worth a visit.

Musso And Frank

It doesn’t get more classic Hollywood than this. Musso and Frank is an icon of Hollywood’s Golden Era. Opening in 1919, the place has been a watering hole and dining spot to famous authors and movie stars — F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart, Elizabeth Taylor to name a few. So even if you go there to slip in the same buttery red leather booth as Don Draper, know that it was warmed by many stars before him.

Cicada

One word: glamour. Located in the historic 1928 Oviatt Building, the Cicada provides the luxurious setting of art deco elegance with its gold trim and cubist flourishings. This dance and supper club offers a chance to step into a time capsule for a night of decadent sophistication. Check the calendar for host Maxwell DeMille’s many retro-inspired events featuring jazz and swingin’ big bands.

The Prince

Tucked in an unlikely corner of residential Koreatown, The Prince envelopes you in tones of red (a color that makes everyone look good, even before a few cocktails!) From the red lighting, to the red leather booths, and red velvet flocked wallpaper, it’s a generous space, punctuated with a gorgeous horseshoe bar and grand piano. I’ve seen many scenes of Don having dinner here on the show. It’s been written that The Prince once served celebrities and royalty. These days its more of a best kept secret for those wanting a taste of bygone eras when everything seemed just a bit more glamorous.

I think I see a bar crawl in my future!

Kastle

Photos via Pinterest, click ’em to go to the source

Tags: Mad Men