Celebrities in vintage: Eva Mendes

Eva Mendes has one of the most alluring faces in Hollywood. Although she has her pick of designer clothes she is often spotted in vintage dresses, both on and off the red carpet. 

Eva wears vintage day dresses as well as formal evening gowns:

1950s rose print dress

1960s brocade shift

1980s polka dots

1960s sequin dress 

1970s maxi dress

1970s coral frock with lace trim

1950s Lancetti dress 

Her sultry looks are strongly reminiscent of another Latin beauty - Sophia Loren. Fashion editors have played up to this similarity in several magazine shoots... 

Vogue Italia

Vogue Italia

Marie Claire

Sophia Loren in the 1950s

The contemporary designs Eva wears are usually very retro-inspired:

Jonathan Saunders

Valentino

1970s-style gown by Stella McCartney

1950s-style prom dress by Monique Lhuillier

1940s-inspired tailoring in Dior

Her style is very Old Hollywood - even down to the accessories:

Eva's look really reminds of this photo of actress Valerie Hobson:

To read my blog on vintage turbans (and the incredible women who wore them) click here. Eva's beautifully proportioned face lends itself to retro hairstyles too:

1940s rolls in forthcoming movie The Spirit

1960s chignon (also a favourite with Carrie Bradshaw)

The actress recently partnered with New York & Company to create a fashion line, which will be called Eva by Eva Mendes. The line will be rolled out across 519 US stores later this year. 

One of my favourite Eva clips is from The Other Guys - not a great movie but it has its moments - including this scene where she wears a very cute 50s-style day dress:

 

If you like Eva's casual look we have a beautiful selection of vintage floral prints in stock. To view in our online boutique please click here. Next celebrity fan: Kristin Davis. Stay tuned.. 

Vintage accessories: the corsage

The corsage is probably fashion's first ever accessory: a spray of flowers pinned to clothes has always been the fastest - and most inexpensive - ways to decorate an outfit. But always glamorous... 

Olivia de Havilland

 

Lisa Fonssagrives

Ingrid Bergman

Marlene Dietrich

Marlene with Douglas Fairbanks Jr, 1937

Vogue, 1946

Vogue, 1959

Carole Lombard

Marilyn Monroe

Sunny Harnett

Jacques Fath ball gown, 1953

Vogue, c.1940s

Jean Shrimpton

Manolo Blahnik and Anjelica Huston

Dress by Maggy Rouff, 1932

Model, c.1930s

Fashion editorial shot in Mexico for Vogue, 1968

Ann Sothern. Love the zebra set.

Suzy Parker

Rita Hayworth 

Jeanne Crain in furs with a festive corsage

Vogue, 1949

Vogue, 1951

Life Magazine, c.1930s

Dina Merrill. Great manicure.

Life Magazine, 1951

Grace Kelly with real orchids on her neck

Maureen O'Hara

Tallulah Bankhead. Butter wouldn't melt...

Hedy Lamarr

Rita Hayworth and her luscious red hair

French model Capucine, c.1950s

Debutante, c.1930s

Marlene Dietrich: timeless style 

Vogue 1951

Corsages continue appear on the runway every season. These blooms couldn't look less 'prom date'... 

Giambattista Valli

Marc Jacobs

Dita von Teese in Alexis Mabille

Agyness Dean

Heidi Klum in vintage James Galanos

Fashion Gone Rogue

One of the reasons for a renewed interest in corsages is Carrie Bradshaw. For the first two seasons she was rarely seen without a flower pinned to her dress or coat.  

For the final episode Carrie wore a Sonia Rykiel jumper with oversize fabric rosette, as a nod to her love of corsages. Unsurprisingly, it sold out everywhere. 

Since Juno Says Hello began in 2009, we've sold several corsage dresses. This was one of my personal favourites - part of a collection that I bought from the estate of one of the original financiers of Disneyland California. A 1960s jade silk crepe dress with a shocking pink rose corsage on the back:

We sold this dress last year - a beautiful 1950s black grosgrain silk wrap-style frock with blue velvet rose detail:

We have an original 1950s prom dress in stock at the moment: pale lemon net with cornflower blue corsages on the skirt and bodice. To view in our online boutique click here. 

Basia Zarzycka makes beautiful silk corsages using Victorian tools and flower presses. It's very difficult to leave her shop on Sloane Square empty handed! To view a selection of her corsages online click here. Please add other recommendations in the comments box. 

The next blog will be beauty-focused: manicures. From the half-moon tips of the 1940s femme fatale to the red talons of the 1980s, plus beauty editorial pages from vintage Vogues and a competition to win Tom Ford nail polish. 

Corsage with champagne