Johnny Seven Gun

Johnny Seven -the one-man army gun

Johnny Seven Gun O.M.A

Nerf gun

your squad is ready, for you
to lead them through.
with Johnny Seven O.M.A ...

While this one man arsenal of mass-destruction may seem like an  affront to political correctness, we're still making toys like this (see Nerf gun). War games are always on the agenda it seems.

O.M.A. stands for *one man army* and that's exactly what you got with the Johnny Seven. Never before had one child's toy provided so many impressive options for pretend violence by way of plastic projectiles. Here's what came with the Johnny Seven:

• a grenade launcher
• anti-armour gun
• anti-tank rocket
• bullet -firing rifle
• tommy gun
• anti-bunker gun
• cap-firing pistol

kaboom! kerchow! clack clack! ratatat-ratatat..bang bang!!

The promo ad for the gun is  a vintage treat- it's the kind of ad that inspired the Buzz Lightyear commercial in Toy Story and looking at the picture above right , I'd guess the manufacturers of the modern nerf gun were impressed too. Times have changed though- unlike the Johnny Seven,  the Nerf gun is bright yellow and orange, no doubt so no-one tries to hold up an American Embassy with it. .

The Johnny Seven was introduced to the market in 1964 by Topper and I'll bet little boys everywhere begged their parents for it. Ah, testosterone.

The Edsel

The notorious Ford Edsel is one of the most infamous failures in automobile history. Back in 1957, there was a huge publicity build-up toward the unveiling of this unusually styled 'mystery' car - a build-up that, sadly, was to end with a whimper and not a bang. Despite all the hype, promise, prayers and excited expectations of the auto-execs, the car proved to be one hell of a flop. Why? Well we've have to back to the beginning.

By the 1950's, the Ford Motor Company was no longer owned exclusively by members of the Ford family; it had become a publicly traded corporation that sold cars in accordance with post-war market trends. The demographic-crunching market research guys were calling the shots and when they examined the market, they naturally took a long look at what the main opposition, General Motors, were up to. It was concluded that its own premier car, the Lincoln, was not effectively competing against the Cadillac. As the company was flush from the success of the Thunderbird, a decision was made to infuse the Lincoln with a more upmarket panache and to create a brand new model to fill the gap left in the Lincoln's former niche.

 The Best Laid Plans...

The Edsel Company became a separate division of Ford and research for the new car began in 1955 under the working name the E car, to denote experimental car. It eventually became the Edsel in honour of Ford founder, Henry Ford's son, Edsel B. Ford. Before this, to drum up hype, the company had run a competition to choose a name and at one stage they even approached poet Marianne Moore, who came up with some weird and wonderful suggestions that the company wisely deemed were just a little too avant garde for the times. Some of Moore's eccentric suggestions included, Mongoose Civique, Resilient Bullet, Utopian Turtletop and the Varsity Stroke.

Diego Rivera's portrait of Edsel B Ford 

The new design boasted a push button transmission, located in the center of the steering wheel, which was snappy but as this was the spot normally located for the horn, drivers found themselves accidentally shifting gears when they wanted to sound the horn. The Edsel also featured a combination rear-view mirror/front-view spotlight, along with a floating speedometer that glowed impressively when the driver reached a pre-set speed. The unusual tail lights were a boomerang shape and positioned in reverse. Basically it was a conventional car with some odd, distinctive features.

Roy Brown, the original chief designer on the Edsel project, had had a different vision for the Edsel, which included a slimmer, more refined opening in the center of the grill. However, the engineers had practical concerns about engine cooling problems and put the kyber on the original concept.
In the new age of mass media advertising, the market promotion had more pre-production hype than Gone with the Wind. The ad campaign was large, widespread and intriguing because the public wasn't afforded a clear view of the impending car. According to the hype, "there was nothing like an Edsel". Ford even teamed up with CBS to run a one hour special called The Edsel Show. Optimistically, Edsel had predicted sales of 200,000 cars a year, but it took the full three years the car was in production to reach that figure. Edsel B Ford must have been very disappointed with his name sake.

E-Day

Sept. 4, 1957 was E-Day...the day of the great unveiling. Immediately the public didn't like it. The conventional body but unusual front with its vertical grill and elongated inner loop was described variously as looking like a "a toilet seat", a "horse collar", "women's private parts" and as Time Magazine put it most cuttingly of all, "an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon". The unveiling of the new car was an anti-climax..the preceding hype about the mystery car had led the public to believe they were going to get something new and revolutionary. The Edsel had some nifty features but really, it was just comfortable old Uncle Joe wearing a Che Guevara hat. - nothing very revolutionary, nor spectacular..

Hmmm... 

There is something distinctively awkward about the superficial design of the Edsel and in particular, its odd front. Perhaps there's some deep psychological reason why people rejected the aesthetics of it or perhaps it's just that it simply didn't look good - but whatever the reason, it failed to gel with public taste.

There were other factors as well - there is general agreement that the Edsel was poorly made, especially the early models and to exacerbate the problem, the engine style was unfamiliar to mechanics of the day . Compounding these negatives, there was a parts shortage and when cars were sent along to the dealers for repairs, Ford mechanics had to rip them from new cars. Plus a recession was on the horizon so it wasn't the ideal timing for large, expensive consumables. Much has been written and discussed about the failure of the Edsel, with some believing it had more to do with the internal politics of the company that the car itself. Maybe it even had something to do with the Russians. In article for the New York Times, journalist Dave Kinney speculates:

"The car came out as a recession was starting, and perhaps worse, a month after E-Day the Soviets launched the first sputnik. The Edsel, trumpeted as a new idea, suddenly seemed a vestige of the past. In “Sputnik: The Shock of the Century” (Walker Publishing, 2001), Paul Dickson wrote: “Sputnik affected national attitudes toward conspicuous consumption, symbolically killing off the market for the Edsel automobile and the decadent automotive tail fin. It was argued that the engineering talents of the nation were being wasted on frivolities.”

From A Loser on E-Day, but a Winner Today 

Times Change

Of course, in one of life's little typical ironies, the Edsel is now more sought after than its more successful contemporaries, produced in the fifties. No doubt, at the time of its production the Edsel did have some fans....although it was pretty much universally panned there are always those who swim against the flow. Just maybe there's still some undiscovered Edsels, lovingly preserved by Grandpas, in garages somewhere.

Yeah right!

60s Chain Belts

60s chain belt.  Buy from decotodiscovillage

Chain belts were very popular in the late 60s/early 70s and appeared in a variety of link styles and sizes but the most popular were large rings linked together by smaller ones.

The belts came in silver, gold and brightly coloured plastics - often in red, green, orange, black and white.

Click image for Amazon

It was a pretty funky look that departed from the idea of a belt pulling in your waistline, as they were worn low, along the hip line and gave the wearer  an ultra- casual look.


Decotadiscovintage at etsy has some groovy original 60s chain belts such as the green one above and the black, mixed circle and rectangle design below.

60s chain belt. Buy from Decotodiscovintage

Bay Studio stud twist chain. click image for Amazon store.

Swing Dancing: Lindy Hop. Jitterbug, Jive

The Origins Of Swing

Swing dancing goes right back to the raging 1920s, where it developed alongside jazz music among the black communities in Harlem. The same vibrant communities who had invented the Cake Walk, the Black Bottom, the Charleston and the Lindy Hop. Swinging jazz bands could be heard pumping out music in large and boisterous nightclubs like the The Cotton Club and The Savoy in New York, which opened in 1926. it was the kind of music it was impossible to sit still through and swing dancing more or less organically grew from the throbbing sounds.

The 1920s were an exciting, experimental period in 20th century history and this was reflected in the music and dancing, which had a kind of infectious vibrancy, as well as a crazy optimism. The vibe was continued into the 1930s and new dances, which had their roots in the old, sprung up. Popular bandleader Cab Calloway introduced a new tune in 1934 called the Jitterbug, which in turn spawned a new dance by the same name. It was a six beat variant of the Lindy Hop and required a serious amount of energy and chutzpah.

• African Influences on Swing Dance

The Harvest Moon Ball

Along with Calloway, Swing dance was brought into the mainstream by high profile hot jazz band leaders like Benny Goodman and Count Basie and later, Glen Miller..though there were critics at the time who complained that Miller's version of swing was too slick and controlled, thus moving it away from its wilder jazz roots toward a softer, more commercial version.

In 1938 the famous Harvest Moon Ball at the Madison Square Gardens in New York, incorporated Lindy Hop and Jitterbug dance competitions into its program.
By the 1940's swing had reached its zenith an the dances were everywhere...in the movies, in the streets, homes, dance halls and nightclubs . The terms Lindy Hop, Shag, Lindy, Jive, Jitterbug and Swing were used interchangeably in popular culture to describe the same type of spirited dance and eventually it all the dances came under the general banner of 'swing', although there are distinct differences between the individual dance styles.

 

Hellzapoppin'

The video below, from the 1941 film Hellzapoppin' is a little bit old and crackly and the first part is music only, but stick with it and you'll be rewarded, as it contains one of the most 'out there' dance sequences I've ever seen - it exemplifies everything swing is about - joie de vivre, phenomenal energy, and complete freedom of expression. There's nothing uptight about these dudes...

Swing Times

By the time the middle of the century rolled around, swing was being taught in most commercial dance studios, though often in a watered down and less rambunctious form, to accommodate a less nimble and sure-footed general public.

The swing that had developed through the decades had required a fair amount of skill and energy. One high profile swing enthusiast of the 1930's..Frankie Manning, had introduced the first aerial into the Lindy Hop. He and his partner had developed a back flip that he had seen performed by professional dancer and incorporated into the dance.

Frankie Manning and partner

Manning was an innovative dancer and made a name for himself at the Savoy Ballroom , where he and his partners did much to advance the swing cause and in particular the Lindy Hop. When the swing revival hit in the 1980s, Frank Manning once again proved to be an International driving force for the dance, through his performance, choreography and teaching.

Much of the swing dancing seen in vintage film clips from the era reveal the kind of expertise required to perform these dance numbers, which are in perfect sync with the music. They make it look spontaneous and easy, but of course, it wasn't. That kind of aerial flipping swing was not usually danced socially..rather, it required a high level of skill and practice and was performed professionally or for dance contests.

Still Popular

"Swing is so much more than a dance, it's a way of life. The music gets stuck in your mind and the dance is in your heart and the whole scene is engraved on your soul. You can fly."
Nicholas Hope

Swing dancing still has pockets of fans all over the world, is danced on the ballroom dancing circuit and every now and then there's an enthusiastic revival. It's s an exhilarating and social form of dance and a great way to keep fit. Many places hold regular dances and competitions, often with DJ's and live swing bands.

Swing dance resource page: Hefty Resource

Mary Quant

Mary Quant in one of her defining 'black and white' dresses

Designer Mary Quant was one of the dynamic forces that helped shaped the iconic styles of the 1960s. Quant was born in Wales in 1934 and when the 60's hit full swing she was in her thirties and already had experience in the clothes industry. In the 50s she had completed an apprenticeship in couture millinery (hat-making) and in 1957, with her future husband and business partner, Alexander Plunkett-Green and former solicitor Archie McNair, she opened a clothes shop in Kings Road, London, called Bazaar and another branch later the same year.

It was the height of the beatnik era, which favoured drama and existential black, so Quant sold black tights and white collars to enliven black dresses and tees. This black and white combination was to become one of Quant's defining style features and the basis for the famous 'Mary Quant" dress that was such an icon of the Mod era.

Youth Revolution

By the time the 1960s rolled around, the youth cult revolution, born of a new affluence and consumerism, was driving the fashionable trends of the decade. For the first time, young, working Brits had disposable incomes they could spend on clothes, records and accessories. Everything about Mary Quant exuded style and originality and in many respects she exemplified the fearlessness, boyish androgyny and playful experimentation of the era. Quant had her hair cut in striking, geometric bobs by Vidal Sassoon, another 60s icon...and wore equally bold, eye-catching dresses, tights and shoes. - she took risks and among other things, was credited with inventing the mini-skirt and hot-pants. Quant was the right designer at the right time and part of the visionary apparatus that made London swing.

Quant fans---  

Check out:

Sixties Hair

Mod Clothes
1960s Makeup

Vintage Hair Accessories

Since humanity first dragged itself from the prehistoric caves, women have probably been adorning their hair with trinkets to highlight their 'crowning glory' and draw attention to their facial features. As civilization developed, at different times hair accessories became symbols of social standing (for both sexes), had religious significance and/or were an indication of age, fashion awareness and social status.

In the 20th century Western culture, adorning the hair has become less significant in terms of the above, yet hair accessories still remain a popular fashion item - from casual clips, bands and ties to sparkling barrettes and tiaras for special occasions. Interestingly, apart from the 20th century, there have been very few periods in human history when loose, flowing hair was considered acceptable -prior to the modern era, hair was always restrained via some sort of hair accessory..


Ribbons and Bows
Ribbons and bows have never completely gone out of style, although as a widespread, cultural fashion item, they were probably at their most popular during the 17th and 18th centuries. In France in particular in the 1600s ribbons were worn by women of all ages, as well as men. In the Edwardian period a popular style for girls and young women was a long ponytail, worn low with a huge bow at the back and in the 1940s and 50s bows for children were very popular, either on the end of plaits or worn on one side of the forehead. Bows had a resurgence in popularity in the 1980's when they were teamed with the big hairstyles of the era.

Cutesy bows in vintage fabrics from kisforkani's etsy shop

Headbands

Headbands date back a long way and were one of the very first types of hair ornament. The Mesopotamians were using them around 3500 BC to hold their hair in place. The style continued in various forms throughout the centuries - in the middle ages fashionable women wore metal ringed bands on their heads with veils attached and in the 1800s, the metal band gave way to fabrics,  the veils were dropped and they were worn Greek style. As hats and bonnets grew in popularity, headbands lost favour and didn't really return again until the 1920s when they were often ornately decorated with beads, jewels, feathers and art deco motifs, especially for evenings. Headbands have remained relatively popular ever since, perhaps because hats and bonnets haven't made a popular comeback yet.

1920s inspired headband from Alofashion's etsy shop

Vintage Headressses
Vintage Headresses specialises in tiara-style headbands in vintage designs. these are very glamorous and glitzy and I would imagine, strictly for special occasions.

Barrettes

Barrettes (a rectangular, metal spring-loaded clip) have been around since the mid-19th century and have decorated with an infinite variety of styles and materials, including tortoiseshell, wood, plastic, mother of pearl and bakelite. .In the 20s, 30s and even 40s, they were influenced by the art deco style- geometric shapes and in colours of green, black, orange and cream. In the 50s  shapes got more experimental, with interesting curves and glittery decorations.

1920s/30s bobby pins. Images from Accessories of Old

Accessories of Old  has a terrific range of old hair accessories, including fancy clips and barrettes, as well as plain pins -some miraculously still on their original cards from the 1930's.The classic Marcel Wave hairstyle of the 20s and 30s looked great with a glittering side clip or an art deco pin.

They also have some great clips from the 50s, including the glamorous, stylised ones below. I could easily spend an hour or so wading through the catalogue.

Great Vintage haircuts

French barrette  circa 1950s.

Vintage French barrette still on its original card.

Pencil Thin Moustache

The one and only

Suavo

Anyone addicted to old black and white films from the 1930s will know that the pencil thin moustache was a very popular fashion accessory for the stylish male. It was a short but intense fad that disappeared as the decades shifted gear and so far as I'm aware, never returned again..at least not in any great numbers, though I did notice Brad Pitt had kind of one for a while.

Pondering on this pencil thin question, it occurred to me that all the childish crushes I had on old actors (and there were a few), sported one of these archaic moustaches. Let's see, there was Don Ameche, who when I was eight or nine, thought was the bees knees - he was just so darn pleasant and had a great smile, as well as a carefree attitude. Yes, he was a serious crush.

George Brent..charm and wit

After Don, who, disloyal worshipper that I am, faded from view, I moved on to George Brent who was older and more mature but then so was I. When I was in my late teens, George seemed to me the epitome of sophisticated good humour, helped along in no small way I'm sure, by his defining pencil thin moustache. I wondered, with a certain wistful sadness, why there weren't men like George around anymore?

In my twenties, I discovered Errol Flynn, a fellow Australian and as elegant a rake as you'll find in a 30s film. Someone gave me a Leading Men of Hollywood book for my birthday and when the page fell open on a full glossy print of Errol's handsome yet sensitive face, well I'm afraid George had to move out of the way.  I just can't imagine Errol without his pencil thin moustache, so integral a part of his facial features was it. In fact, I wonder if it's even possible to be a swashbuckler without one. Which reminds me...why don't men swashbuckle anymore?

Oh my

More recently, I've begun to have *feelings* for the charming and urbane William Powell, after watching some old Thin Man series where he sparred with Myrna Loy. The dog was pretty cute too..but no moustache.

Ok, a moustache yes,..but not pencil thin

I mean really, how debonair can you get?

Strangely enough and despite all these nostalgic black and white yearnings for men gone by, I don't think I'd like to see pencil thin moustaches on men today. It just wouldn't be right somehow...the pencil thin moustache belongs in the 30s, to an era that just can't be recaptured.

The Handle Bar Moustache

Of Men and Monocles
Cravats for Men
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