http://www.ultraswank.net Retro Living and Design from the 50s, 60s and 70s Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:56:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.ultraswank.net/film/destination-london/ http://www.ultraswank.net/film/destination-london/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 07:06:58 +0000 Oline Eaton http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=3605 Sometimes, the city in which a movie is set plays a role more important than that of the main characters and, over the years, many filmmakers have been drawn to the old school majesty of London. Here are a few films where London—a city of striking contrasts— makes an appearance. Indiscreet (1958) “How dare he make [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/film/destination-london/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/stores/tesco-recreates-a-1960s-style-supermarket/ http://www.ultraswank.net/stores/tesco-recreates-a-1960s-style-supermarket/#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:59:11 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=3483 British supermarket giant Tesco has recreated a 1960s style store for the Goodwood Revival historic motor race meeting, held each September in Essex, not far away from London. Inside the store, customers will be able to walk up and down three different aisles filled with dozens of products from the sixties. Even the check-out assistants [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/stores/tesco-recreates-a-1960s-style-supermarket/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/a-visit-to-london-in-1957/ http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/a-visit-to-london-in-1957/#comments Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:38:42 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=3185 A trip to yesteryear London in 1957, about a decade before the height of “Swinging London” with its youth oriented fashion, music, art and culture scenes. Places depicted are among others Cambridge Circus, Palace Pier and Trafalgar Square. What do you prefer, London in 1957 or 2011? Photos by Kai Krog Halse (Via)]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/a-visit-to-london-in-1957/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/remembering-john-barry/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/remembering-john-barry/#comments Mon, 31 Jan 2011 11:23:14 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=3053 One of my absolutely favorite composers of all time has passed away. John Barry, winner of five academy awards and numerous other awards. Many will remember him for his tremendous work of scoring 11 of the James Bond movies and co-authoring the famous 007 gun barrel theme, but that’s only part of his career. He [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/remembering-john-barry/feed/ 5 http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/swingin-london-street-scenes/ http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/swingin-london-street-scenes/#comments Mon, 11 Oct 2010 05:42:34 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2735 Various photos, scans and stills from London in the mid 1960s, when the term “Swingin’ London” was in full effect. Love how even the rainiest, gloomy day in London can look beautiful back then. Photos via SwingingLondon on Flickr.]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/swingin-london-street-scenes/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/fashion/fashion-icon-twiggy-modelling-and-dancing/ http://www.ultraswank.net/fashion/fashion-icon-twiggy-modelling-and-dancing/#comments Mon, 07 Jun 2010 05:07:06 +0000 Guest http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2528 Twiggy, born Lesley Hornby, is without a doubt one of the biggest fashion icons to emerge from the 1960′s. Her thin frame and big blue eyes became the envy of fashionistas everywhere. The look of drawn on lashes (anything to make the eyes look bigger) and pale lips became a Twiggy staple as girls copied [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/fashion/fashion-icon-twiggy-modelling-and-dancing/feed/ 1 http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/swinging-london-comes-alive/ http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/swinging-london-comes-alive/#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 06:59:55 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2009 London, England late 1960s. The height of the flower-power-free-love-lifestyle. Groovy colors, fashion, cars and women. For those of us who were born a few decades too early or anyone who wants to take a stroll down memory lane here’s a sample of very neat color photographs of Swinging London from that period. Depicted are among [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/swinging-london-comes-alive/feed/ 3 http://www.ultraswank.net/event/happy-birthday-lesley-hornby/ http://www.ultraswank.net/event/happy-birthday-lesley-hornby/#comments Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:51:57 +0000 Guest http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=1320 Don’t know who i am referring to? Well you might know her better under her nickname “Twiggy” (from twig – tree). Twiggy was born September 19, 1949 in Neasden, London. She became famous in the swingin’ 60s as a model icon and revolutionized the fashion world with her slim and boyish figure, short hair and [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/event/happy-birthday-lesley-hornby/feed/ 1 http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/a-swingin-london-tower/ http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/a-swingin-london-tower/#comments Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:21:07 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=1162 The Post Office Tower (later British Telecom Tower) was built in the early 1960s on commission by the General Post Office to be used to carry groovy signals across London. It raises almost 180 meters over the ground and once had both a observation deck, cocktail bar and a restaurant at the top. Sadly, the [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/a-swingin-london-tower/feed/ 2 http://www.ultraswank.net/film/1970s-london-comes-alive-in-follow-me/ http://www.ultraswank.net/film/1970s-london-comes-alive-in-follow-me/#comments Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:10:17 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=974 One of my all time favorite John Barry scores is the one from British movie Follow Me! (also known as The Public Eye). Released in 1972 and set in London it portrays the story of a wealthy jealous banker hiring a eccentric and strange private detective played by Topol to follow his wife, played by [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/film/1970s-london-comes-alive-in-follow-me/feed/ 1 http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/swinging-london-1960s-fashion/ http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/swinging-london-1960s-fashion/#comments Mon, 04 May 2009 06:37:36 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=793 For many of us the 1960s was the fashion decade of the 20th century. Especially if you lived in London at the time, which was known as “Swinging London” – a definition made in April 1966 by British magazine Time. Most of us can only daydream what it was like during that era from what [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/swinging-london-1960s-fashion/feed/ 5 http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/london-coffee-bars-in-the-50s-and-60s/ http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/london-coffee-bars-in-the-50s-and-60s/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:34:21 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=790 Before Starbucks, Espresso House, Nero and other major coffeehouse chains invaded every city on the western hemisphere there were thousands of smaller coffee houses or coffee bars as they were referred to back then. London, England saw a major expansion of these quaint places in the early 1950s, right about the same time as the [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/london-coffee-bars-in-the-50s-and-60s/feed/ 8 http://www.ultraswank.net/compilation/beatniks-and-hipsters-71/ http://www.ultraswank.net/compilation/beatniks-and-hipsters-71/#comments Fri, 16 May 2008 12:12:00 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/uncategorized/beatniks-and-hipsters-71/ As the title suggests we are moving away from lush cocktail parties, stewardesses and martinis for a while to go down one flight of stairs into the world of swingers, beatniks, hipsters and cool cats. Welcome to the “Electric Psychedelic Swingers Pussycat Club”, Carnaby Street, London – were we play psychedelic rock and pop from [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/compilation/beatniks-and-hipsters-71/feed/ 11 http://www.ultraswank.net/travel/touchdown-in-london/ http://www.ultraswank.net/travel/touchdown-in-london/#comments Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:15:00 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/uncategorized/touchdown-in-london/ Remember what it was like? When jet travel was luxurious and exciting. When you dressed up in your best suit or dress before boarding the plane. When working as a stewardess was almost the same as being a astronaut. For you who doesn’t, let’s go back in time to 1970. When the first trans Atlantic [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/travel/touchdown-in-london/feed/ 4