Why hello there! Thanks for stopping by my little creative corner of the internet. My name is Madeline, and I am a Texas-based young professional with an affinity for all things old-fashioned, feminine, and classically American.
The art of gleaning inspiration from the past is fast fading in our culture. Whether it be wisdom from stories of those who came before us, or the way one dressed herself to go out into the world, “old fashioned” ideas and customs are often deemed outdated without a second thought. There is so much beauty to be found in the past, and my hope is that this space can bring a little bit of that loveliness to light once again. There is nothing I like better than antique blue china, old history books, Frank Sinatra tunes, chinoiserie prints, dresses over pants, Norman Rockwell paintings, vintage postcards, old movie marathons; I could go on and on 😉
I also love to share stories of American women that I think are pretty cool. Modern history books often rewrite the heroines of our history out of the narrative. They portray these ladies as victims with the exception of a few notable names. If one does the digging, there is a gold mine of stories about American women that disprove the current narrative. In the Old Hollywood sphere my favorite American heroine, and the true inspiration behind this blog, is Jeanette Macdonald.
She was one of the biggest Hollywood stars of the 1930s and early 40s, but has now faded into almost complete obscurity. She had the same level of fame comparable to stars like Audrey Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart, yet our modern history has left her behind. Jeanette was the Queen of Hollywood, the glamourous “It-girl”, and the prima donna of musicals. She was a patriot, and during the war years put her successful career on hold to work for the USO. How our culture had forgotten her completely baffled me. Like many American heroines, Jeanette gave so much to this country, only to be forgotten by time. (P.S., since you’ve made it this far, check her out in my Old Hollywood Personality style guide HERE!)
To all the old-fashioned hearts, thanks again for stopping by; Happy scrolling 🙂