Sunday, May 16, 2010
This is a picture of my grandmother taken in 1956 on her honeymoon in Cairns. I think the whole shot is fantastic, the old snorkel, bathers and flippers – it simply captures her personality; colourful and slightly wild. It was taken on what would be the first of many exotic trips in which my grandfather would force my grandmother to experience all there was to experience. What attracted me firstly to the photo was the amazing bikini which just seems so stylish and secondly the fact that my grandparents, now 83, are still going on similar trips -sailing down the Dalmatian coast of Croatia this year! I hope you like the picture as much as I do.
-Iona
Brianna!
May 16, 2010 at 7:56 am
Stunning:)!!
xoxo
bB
Kylie
May 16, 2010 at 8:03 am
What a fabulous photo- she looks amazing. Stylish, athletic and fun…I love how the colours in the shot have that faded Gilligans Island look. And I've just noticed she has her nails done- divine.
beba
May 16, 2010 at 8:07 am
Wow wow woW ! Love this one!
Peace and love!
Lisa
May 16, 2010 at 8:13 am
So glamourous!!! I've noticed that although almost every historical trend has been repurposed, I haven't seen the comeback of this bathing suit style – at least not in mass fashion culture. Shame!
Lisa
http://www.beso.com
ilovefashion
May 16, 2010 at 8:16 am
Love the photo, your grandma looks cooool!
http://www.fashion-food-life.blogspot.com/
Neve
May 16, 2010 at 8:18 am
i love it. it looks so natural, beautiful!
check out my blog:
http://randomnotesonrandomstuff.blogspot.com/
MJCK
May 16, 2010 at 8:29 am
She looks…awesome! It's funny how even the snorkle and the flippers match her amazing bikini. She certainly looks like someone to have lots of fun with.
hakkamui
May 16, 2010 at 8:35 am
She is so so so beautiful!
Sunshine!
amalie
May 16, 2010 at 8:39 am
hah, oh gooshh! love this photo: )
Kat
May 16, 2010 at 9:00 am
wow! she looks fantastic with a lot of glamour and style!
Dunja
May 16, 2010 at 9:00 am
wow! you should think about coming visit with her this summer! :)
Alice
May 16, 2010 at 9:02 am
The photo is magic!
AppleTree
May 16, 2010 at 9:06 am
would it be weird if I hung your grandmother's photo in my house?
kolorowa nitka
May 16, 2010 at 9:16 am
great photo :) what a lovely smile :)
Silvia
May 16, 2010 at 9:17 am
this picture is just amazing! it really looks pradaish, but more than else i love, that in the pic is captured your grandmas energy and elegance! Adorable?
http://www.internodiciotto-fashion.blogspot.com
SaraKateSwan
May 16, 2010 at 9:42 am
This might just be my favorite photo in the vintage photo category so far!! Its really wonderful.
http://www.beautifulstreets.blogspot.com
coco's blog
May 16, 2010 at 10:18 am
Cette photo est vraiment magnifique !
http://coco-sblog.blogspot.com/
Sarah
May 16, 2010 at 10:35 am
haha well your grandma is quite the looker isn't she? I'd soo wear her bathers!
Georgina
May 16, 2010 at 10:40 am
Great picture. Full of life !:D
Love G.,
kingodmofgina.com
Ivy Lane
May 16, 2010 at 10:40 am
Fabulous! Would be super cool blown up and used in a beach house/cabin! Your Granmother is stunning!
Frida
May 16, 2010 at 10:43 am
This is absolutely gorgeous! Her expression tells it all. <3
Hayley
May 16, 2010 at 10:45 am
This an absolutely beautiful photo! It's filled with such happy emotion, and your grandmother seems like an amazing (and stylish) woman!
Fabulous!
http://hayleygolightlystyle.blogspot.com/
Fashion Conservative
May 16, 2010 at 10:50 am
The bikini is absolutely amazing! Great colours, by the way! I would love to see these combinations in a dress!
margaritaisblogging
May 16, 2010 at 11:13 am
that bikini is so adorable !( :
Carla~カルラ~
May 16, 2010 at 11:22 am
pretty!
http://jajafashion.blogspot.com/
Julia, the Thanksgiving Girl
May 16, 2010 at 11:31 am
Wow, I've never seen a vintage photo like that before! Greetings to Iona's grandparents, hope they enjoy their Croatia trip!
Market Publique
May 16, 2010 at 11:32 am
Gorgeous! A wonderful photo of a super stylish – and happy! – lady.
Love everything about it!
Cloud of Secrets
May 16, 2010 at 11:35 am
What beautiful tints! What a beautiful, *real* figure sporting a bikini!
Anonymous
May 16, 2010 at 11:48 am
perfection
Pamela Terry and Edward
May 16, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Perfection!
Sophia
May 16, 2010 at 12:09 pm
These photos make me want to hop the next boat out to anywhere. This is so beautiful and fun. And it's so nice to hear that they're still going strong today :)
Renee Howell
May 16, 2010 at 12:12 pm
love it! the past and the present. familiar and exotic together.
Danielle
May 16, 2010 at 12:13 pm
wow. that swim outfit is amazing. the whole photo is amazing.
Cotton Socks
May 16, 2010 at 12:13 pm
what a great photo!
thanks for sharing :)
love the colours in the bikini.
TheFashionAddict
May 16, 2010 at 1:09 pm
this is a great photo, that's a great bikini
i wanna go snorkeling sometime, gonna have to learn to swim first haha
http://lavie-amonavis.blogspot.com
Julie Anne Rhodes
May 16, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Hot grandma! Great pic. I'll be so happy in my dotage, so long as all my memories are in silver picture frames all around me, and I have a view of the sea (from an Oliver Messel house in Barbados).
Anonymous
May 16, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Adore this photograph!
the style crusader
May 16, 2010 at 1:15 pm
this photo is incredible. gorgeous swimsuit. funny that the vintage shaped swimwear look is coming back into style… after low rise bottoms have been big for so long – now there is a backlash.
still not sure how all our grandmother's managed to have such tiny waists!! really need to cut out the mcdonalds!! xx
Sungirl
May 16, 2010 at 2:07 pm
This photo is perfect-from the fabric to the boat in the background! Fantastic!
HAL
May 16, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Her swimsuit is out of this world!
HALCOHOLIC.com
Kelly
May 16, 2010 at 2:26 pm
What an amazing photo! She is beautiful and that swimsuit is amazing! Such personality.
-Kelly
Sequins & Shadows
Passport Smiles
May 16, 2010 at 2:38 pm
This might be my favorite bikini that I have ever seen. Amazing! Plus, I hope to have the same life as Iona's grandparents…never lose the adventuresome spirit!
Passport Smiles
TrickyMaus
May 16, 2010 at 3:16 pm
Super Fanstastic – Timeless, elegant and a bit FUNKY!
Sarah Dee
May 16, 2010 at 3:30 pm
So sweet =)
Sarah
theantiquepearl.blogspot.com
Mashy
May 16, 2010 at 4:17 pm
What a fantastic photo! She looks so chic and back then it was a lot harder to do I can imagine… ohh I just love this blog.
Anonymous
May 16, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Thanks so much for sharing this photo. While your grandfather may have had the adventurous heart, your grandmother must have been quite a catch herself! Fit, fashionable and up for the challenge. I'd love to find that kind of relationship…and lifelong love…based on discovery and shared curiosity.
Alejandra M. Fimbres
May 16, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Wow! This kind of picture captures timeless moments of happiness and perfection….
All you need is Love!
Anonymous
May 16, 2010 at 6:36 pm
Wonder what kind of fabric this is? Exquisite detailing. I like the lipstick and nails. I want to marry someone who "forces" me into such situations. xx
Anonymous
May 16, 2010 at 7:28 pm
FAB swimsuit!!!!! I think the vintage photos are heating up!!! does this mean we are getting close to finding out who the winner is??? come on the anticipation is killing us!!!!!
Anonymous
May 16, 2010 at 7:56 pm
This is wicked. Totally awesome. And she has the perfect figure for the bathing suit too.
Gloria
May 16, 2010 at 7:58 pm
There is something about vintage photos, I think it's the people, how they smile and pose, it's so natural!
Love it!
cupcake
May 16, 2010 at 8:13 pm
this photo is just perfect.
Ken
May 16, 2010 at 9:15 pm
The comments for this photo are unanimous and I will join the ranks in saying that it an absolutely Brilliant shot overall – your grandmother's joy and beauty, the bikini of course and the background!!!
What are the details on the bikini? Yes, this bikini should definitely be revived for today and am impressed that "MJCK" noticed the color coordination of the snorkel…
Just great!
tashan
May 16, 2010 at 9:26 pm
this is so cute! its great to see how fashion evolves and revolves with time.
http://www.tashaan.net – new summer collection :)
Alice
May 16, 2010 at 9:33 pm
Beautiful composition and amazing bikini! I really love the colors of this picture
xx
http://tokyoquadrille.blogspot.com/
Fourth Daughter
May 16, 2010 at 10:50 pm
I love this photo… it's so perfect and I love that it was taken in Australia which probably wasn't exactly the style capital of the world back then!! The photos and stories about people's grandparents and relatives have been so great, are you going to make a book of them?
Lindsay
May 16, 2010 at 11:00 pm
LOVE IT!!! What a great pic :)
lisa haskell
May 16, 2010 at 11:39 pm
everything about this is so awesome!
Ladybird
May 17, 2010 at 12:28 am
It DOES look like Prada!
Love those subtle colours.
FASHION SNAG
May 17, 2010 at 1:25 am
Love her swimsuit. I wish people looked this good nowadays. x
http://www.FashionSnag.com
butterfly307
May 17, 2010 at 1:40 am
Really? Your grandparents will be sailing through Croatia this summer?
Wow, what a small world (since I'm a Croatian!)
Hope you'll visit us, too! :D
And the photo is absolutely fantastic!! I love it!! the bikini is awesome!!!
Anonymous
May 17, 2010 at 2:22 am
This is my WIFE!! She looks good but as a person she is BETTER! 54 years of blissful marriage – 9 grandchildren
John
Sonya Kayani
May 17, 2010 at 2:24 am
I love seeing pictures of your grandparents, they always look so elegant refined and beautiful.
I would love to share with you some pictures of my maternal grandparents. They were both part of the IT crowd before the partition of pakistan and as such there are some very grand outfits and lots of pictures with a lot great people from history
The Totally Vain Lorraine!
May 17, 2010 at 2:30 am
Wow. Hot grandmother. Hot bikini.
jas
May 17, 2010 at 2:32 am
This is my WIFE!!She looks good but as a person she is even BETTER. -54 years of married bliss
John
Miriam Parkman
May 17, 2010 at 2:35 am
Wow!!
This is just so amazing!
It captures pretty much everything I like with the 50's; the style, the colourfulness, the joy and the "new times" after the war. Even though I'm a real fan of wartime and it's fashion, this is that kind of photo that inspires me to dress in late 50's today. If only that bikini still was avaivable!! I can sew, but that fabric is one of a kind…
Thank you Iona fo sharing thi lovely photo of your grandmother!
Ms Dash
May 17, 2010 at 2:56 am
The colours are amazing in this photo! They are all creamy gelato-like colours! So appropriate and divine!
Anonymous
May 17, 2010 at 3:10 am
Greetings to Iona's grandparents-welcome to Dalmatia coast.ineida
Maija
May 17, 2010 at 4:05 am
Lovely looking lady & fab bikini!
AnastasiaC
May 17, 2010 at 4:19 am
fantastic!! what a fun lady…and her bikini! its perfect!!
Anonymous
May 17, 2010 at 4:25 am
hey shes my grandmother too! my grandmother is now way cooler than i am
vicki archer
May 17, 2010 at 4:35 am
This is the most fabulous photo…if only we could find something so stylish and of course look as sensational as your grandmother. I suspect she has as much style today as she did then. Wonderful post, thank you. xv
THESTREETFASHION5XPRO
May 17, 2010 at 5:42 am
great shot…I love vintage pictures…
Jeannine 520
May 17, 2010 at 5:50 am
Super fantastic pic! Blessings to your grandparents and may they continue to have many more adventures.
Anonymous
May 17, 2010 at 7:05 am
The past few vintage photos you've featured emphasize how the high-waisted silhouette feels right now.
Jacqueline
May 17, 2010 at 7:10 am
She really must have been in love!
http://mannequindevitrine.blogspot.com
Anonymous
May 17, 2010 at 8:01 am
LOVE HER!
i'm.from.Dalmatia!!
:))
Susanna-Cole
May 17, 2010 at 8:10 am
Oh her bathing suit is amazing, I'd wear it today! Such a beautiful picture too!
xoxo,
S-C
Anonymous
May 17, 2010 at 9:33 am
I don't use this word too often, but: divine!
H
May 17, 2010 at 9:35 am
I LOVE THIS BLOG
Anonymous
May 17, 2010 at 9:36 am
HRVATSKA!! CROATIA!! woohooo! ;)
Anonymous
May 17, 2010 at 9:39 am
Charming and beautiful! I wonder if you are the Iona from the UK I knew from Appel Farm in the 90's
SabinePsynopsis
May 17, 2010 at 9:43 am
What a wild and free spirit. Love her (and the bikini, naturally, too)!
MacarenaMakuka
May 17, 2010 at 10:00 am
AMAAAZING!!!
Poivre Monkey
May 17, 2010 at 1:25 pm
OMG i love her swimsuit !
http://bulbizar.blogspot.com/
Chloe Daley
May 17, 2010 at 2:10 pm
This is simply fantastic. So much spunk!
Liv
May 17, 2010 at 3:56 pm
I aaaadoooore this!!!!!!!! Take me back to the fifties please!
...love Maegan
May 17, 2010 at 3:59 pm
love everything about it. just brilliant!
Lovro
May 17, 2010 at 4:19 pm
it would be awesome in a modern version,with smaller pants,these just look…wide.
I hope they will have fun over here! ;)
Tasha
May 17, 2010 at 4:25 pm
oh! outfit, manicure, that fit body and wonderful smile! love this woman
ZombieLace
May 17, 2010 at 4:42 pm
I love everything about it, especially the adorable awkwardness.
Callaloo
May 17, 2010 at 5:09 pm
That looks like a woman who decided early on that life should be anything but boring!
doingtheunstuck
May 17, 2010 at 6:47 pm
too good to be true!
lucinda
May 17, 2010 at 8:45 pm
There is something so inspiring about this. Thank you Iona (and Scott) for sharing this.
Carly & Sophia
May 17, 2010 at 9:37 pm
best bathing suit ever!!!! your grandmother is beautiful!
Anonymous
May 17, 2010 at 10:22 pm
Rocking Bod!
killer legs!
:)
THE [re]VISIONARY
May 18, 2010 at 2:18 am
That is one phenomenal picture!
Really, it's like a short time travel. Absolutely fantastic!
Oli
May 18, 2010 at 4:09 am
As a passionate freediver with a soft spot for the 1950s I simply adore the picture!
JUL!A
May 18, 2010 at 5:52 am
Love the image and what she express in it
Scacco alle Regine
May 18, 2010 at 8:04 am
Really faboulus!!! :-)))
Farah
May 18, 2010 at 1:58 pm
love it. that is exactly how a woman's body should be. curvy and feminine!
D e g a i n e
http://www.fashiondegaine.com
Style Odyssey
May 18, 2010 at 3:27 pm
she is absolutely adorable in that bikini! a very pretty young woman. what a neat vintage family photo.
Forest City Fashionista
May 18, 2010 at 7:41 pm
That is one of the coolest bikinis I have ever seen, and your Grandma wears it so well–I would post this photo on my fridge for style inspiration!
Official Movie Trailer
May 18, 2010 at 11:08 pm
Wow! Classic.
ivana
May 19, 2010 at 6:53 am
Very nice. She smiles like Garance! :)
The AstroCat
May 19, 2010 at 6:06 pm
She is stunningly beautiful.
Love the pic :)
'S'
May 20, 2010 at 8:46 am
it's obvious…someone like you had to come from fantastic ancestors!!she seems so advanced for her time!
http://joursrouges.blogspot.com/
pinky
May 20, 2010 at 10:22 am
to use a Rachel Zoe expression:
"Beyond"
this photo is WAY beyond!! what a vibrant, beautiful young woman your grandmother is here!
love her.
Anonymous
May 21, 2010 at 11:15 am
P-A-R-F-A-I-T!!!!
Col Hancox
May 22, 2010 at 7:24 pm
Wow! Great photo & I live in Cairns – I wonder where this was taken – maybe on the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns.
I'm glad little ol' Cairns gets a mention on this world famous site! Cheers! Col
Lecon de vetement
May 22, 2010 at 8:01 pm
My friend said that this picture is so me, and now that I see it this is probably the best picture EVER!!!!! Thank you for posting this you made my day!
Beverly
May 23, 2010 at 7:35 pm
so amazing!
lovefool
May 24, 2010 at 11:37 am
i love her swimsuit!!!!!
Just me and my bon genre!
May 26, 2010 at 5:28 am
She looks so happy.. love the bathing suit in her very fit body! :) they dont come in these size anymore… shame.. love your granmere..
visit my blog…
fashionforsaturdaybrunch.blogspot.com
Iryna
May 26, 2010 at 8:55 am
Sincere, alive, beautiful…
sarahspy
May 26, 2010 at 2:30 pm
i think this is my favorite post on here ever! wonderful photo & style!
Anonymous
May 28, 2010 at 9:07 pm
That bikini is absolutely gorgeous! And she looks so fun and glam at the same time. Great.
Penelope
May 29, 2010 at 9:26 pm
This bathing suit is truly amazing!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ilgattoselvatico
deer in the forest
May 30, 2010 at 5:47 am
The swimsuit is absolutely fantastic!
ari
May 31, 2010 at 2:21 pm
this is an amzing vintage photo, very inspiring :)
MUS
June 1, 2010 at 5:03 pm
love it ;)
hadas
June 4, 2010 at 2:35 pm
wow!!!!
what a photo….
Tiffany
June 4, 2010 at 6:39 pm
I love everything about this pic! Even the sepia tone ;-)
Free Credit Score
Anonymous
June 9, 2010 at 7:21 am
topshop, if you're listening; please do this swimsuit. Most gorgeous thing i've ever seen.
and it is my favourite post ever too.
Anonymous
June 21, 2010 at 12:37 pm
What a beautiful and fun photo!
I am looking for a perfect fifties bathing suit for ages now, unfortenately no luck so far..
Teresa @ good-grace
July 5, 2010 at 1:55 pm
FanTAStic!! I love this photo – and even more so after reading Iona's description of her grandmother. Thank you for sharing.
pootpoot
July 8, 2010 at 12:53 am
The shoes are quite a bold statement.
Maria
February 18, 2012 at 4:10 pm
So beautiful!
martine
July 15, 2012 at 11:30 pm
I wish I had your grandmom’s swim suit!!! In fact, I’ll bet her entire honeymoon suitcase would be perfect!!!! She is so pretty, what a natural smile.