Wanda Wey Awrf with Qantas

On March 1, 2014April 22, 2016 By Renee Lou Dallow ( Bourgeoise Bloomers )In Changing the world, Now and then, Poetry in motion1 Comment

What is it that’s special about Qantas?

What is it that makes it so?

Well For years it’s been a touch of class

For Aussies on the go

For service this airline is truly five star

A flying palace in the sky

Transporting passengers near and far

On a different kind of high

To the U.S.A, Britain , Africa North and South

To Asia and South Pacific blue

Following the traditional flight path

With a well trained and charming crew

How could Australia let Qantas go bust?

They really are a class act

Qantas belongs to every one of us

And that my friends is fact

They do cost more than the average fare

But they are safer than the rest

And really when it comes to taking care

Safety first is always best

So please when you fly off on destination long haul

Or plan a trip interstate

Don’t think twice and give Qantas a call

Let’s hope it’s not too late.

C’mon support your flying Kangaroo!

Wanda Wey Awrf.

Love and marriage 50s style

On February 27, 2014December 17, 2014 By Renee Lou Dallow ( Bourgeoise Bloomers )In Changing the world, comfort zones, Now and then, Romantic interludes

The wedding dress was decidedly pretty and feminine with lot’s of lovely tule. The bride was always elegant too. She wore gloves which were removed when rings were exchanged and she wore a shorter veil. The covers of Vogue and Harpers Bazaar which often featured brides , as getting married while still extremely young, was the epitome of high achievement for girls of the 50s. It is the same today but the major difference is in how long the marriage lasts. Values have changed much over the decades and so have lifestyle choices. As it is no longer possible to survive on one wage couples have to work which means less time for each other. In the 1950s the tradition was that the wife stayed at home while the man brought home the wages and dolled out what he felt was the correct amount for house keeping. Her role was to support him in every decision he made. But during the honeymoon the world was her oyster. He took care of her and settled all the bills. The roles were very clearly defined from very early in the piece. He was in charge and she made him look good. Society expected a man to be supportive his wife for all his days. The wife was expected to play her part by having his children and attending to the house. It was not her role to interfere with his job or with his daily business affairs. This is why secretaries were in such high demand. There are reasons for stereotypes though as it was not uncommon for the secretary to run away with the husband. Cruising was as popular then as it is now for people running away from something or some-one for a short period of time. Flying too was alot more glamorous and not as stressful as it is today. What a shame so many airlines have gone to ground. At the time of writing this 5,000 jobs have been lost at Quantas. Flying this airline was once a treat with wonderful service and comfortable seats. The stewards anticipated the passengers every whim even in economy class and the hostesses gave out little airline kits with socks and toothpaste along with sweets. All was top of the line from baggage handlers to those who refuelled the planes.

A country and it’s business enterprises are like a marriage. They have to support each other. Running away off shore with the secretary is not going to do any good. Sometimes it is necessary for the wife to interfere and see if the books are in order. In fact it is often mandatory.

It is important that one hand

knows what the other is doing. To be complacent is not the answer now and it certainly wasn’t the answer then. We have a glorified view of life in the 50s and things were not always as they seemed. In fact day care wasn’t even a business back then and often the children were left to a sitter who would put them in a pen and leave them to entertain themselves. In other words they could be looked after just as well at home. They didn’t need to be sent elsewhere. This was very common and these children didn’t seem to suffer overly from A.D.D. So what is the the solution to the troubles of today? Can marriages be expected to stand the test of time leaving both sides equally happy with the contributions made by the other? Is it really just a matter of give and take? Be Positive!

( 27/2/2014 )

Repro Retro

On February 24, 2014June 3, 2014 By Renee Lou Dallow ( Bourgeoise Bloomers )In comfort zones, Now and then

There is a big difference between real retro and repro retro. It’s the difference between buying op shop or buying department store copies. Repro retro outfits for example are synthetically made but original retro is often hand stitched. What’s more it’s attention to detail that counts. Right? Just look at the tapered waists and the panelling on the jackets. Not only clothes but nails,hair and make-up had to be well attended to at all times. The office was a sexist place back then and still is in many ways. Did you know that women are still being paid less than men? A whopping 17% less and in some industries women’s wages are only half of what a man gets. Yet when it comes to the work place women are expected to pay a fortune for the right smart outfit and accessories.
Not much has changed in this department.

In this world of modern technologies, however, people tend to be a little more casual. Just look at the cost of keeping up with the latest gadgets which far surpasses the amount one spends on new clothes. In the 50s the typewriter was expensive but affordable to all. Even poverty stricken writers had typewriters. The great thing was that typewriters didn’t need to be plugged in and so didn’t add to the electricity bills. The major expense was a new typewriter ribbon. Even when electric typewriters became mainstream they didn’t break the bank. No apps, no megga watts, no download,upload. Just a a nice whirr as the print roll rotated.

There was shorthand too. A language of written signs very similar to ancient heiroglyphics. Secretaries were worth their weight in gold if they could type fast and take shorthand as well. But secretaries didn’t earn that much either despite working long hours and supervising everything from tea trays to book keeping. Her life revolved around the office during the day but when she came home she was a wife and mother and hubby ruled supreme. In their home they had modern appliances just like we do now but the wife still had to look immaculate.
The T.V. was often an all in one with record player and radio included. All stashed neatly away behind cupboards. The whole unit was part of the furniture and not some unattractive black plastic box taking up wall space where once people used to hang artworks. The cars were sleek and beautiful though even though they were often big and quite difficult to park. Wait a second …. that’s not true really as there weren’t so many people back then. Repro retro just doesn’t cut it. To recreate an era we have to also recreate the ways of thinking and if that means lower wages for women across the board then maybe it’s time to move on. Yet you have to admit that that everything looked better and values were better adhered to. So what’s a girl to do? Well I say forget the repro. Let’s keep it real. Real retro that is.

Love the look!

Betty Bourgeoise

Shirley Temple Take A Bow!

On February 12, 2014February 17, 2014 By Renee Lou Dallow ( Bourgeoise Bloomers )In Now and then

1930's movie posters What little girl in the 1930’s didn’t want to be Shirley Temple? She could sing, she could dance and she was totally adorable. She had ringlets and dimples like no other child before or since. As a teenager Shirley remained cute as a button and would make quite a few more movies about teenage romance, mostly during the war years, before retiring from Hollywood. But Shirley was more than just a cute, curly topped child star. She had very strong political convictions and became a United states ambassador to Ghana between 1974 and 1976 as well as ambassador to Czechoslavakia from 1989 to 1992. Even though these positions were held under two of the most unpopular U.S. presidents ever, Nixon and George Bush senior, this is pretty impressive. She also worked hard on behalf of U.N.E.S.C.O. and raised money for environmental causes. A great success in the marriage stakes with her marriage to Charles Alden Black, to whom she was married for 55 years, Shirley led a full and enriched life to the very end. Apparently she was also an adored mother. Another role which she took very seriously. Her three children, two daughters and a son now have grown up children of their own and lead relatively successful lives. This is , no doubt, due to their relatively normal upbringing in stark contrast to that of little Shirley,whose only comment on winning her first oscar, was … ” Mother can we go home now”? The studios worked her hard and Shirley delivered on cue. Apart from running her own show for a couple of seasons, ‘ Shirley Temple’s Storybook ‘, in the late 50s and early 60s Shirley managed to bow out of show biz gracefully with everything physically and mentally in tact. There will never be another Shirley Temple but the world will always be a better place for having embraced her with open arms. A shining example of what could and should be present at all times for one and all. Love. Because in the end that is all that really counts.