Secret Super Power

My husband and I watch a lot of old movies (we just subscribed to Netflix, and it has definitely enabled this behavior). I used to watch old movies, and not really notice the clothing much, unless it was really out there, but since I've gotten into vintage fashion (since maybe a year or two ago now) I've found I can place a movie by decade based on the clothes the women are wearing. I guess it doesn't sound that impressive, but the last 3 movies we watched, my husband and I would have discussions that go basically like this:

Me: When was this movie made?
Him: Oh, it's from the 60's, I think (or 70's, or 80's or whatever the case may be)
Me: No, it can't be. It looks like it's from the 50's to me. (or 60's or whatever)
Him: No, I don't think it's that old.
Me: That dress is classic 50's.
Him: (picks up the DVD jacket and looks at it) Huh. 1954.

It's not really a useful skill, actually. And I swear I don't do it to look like a know-it-all, although as I write that conversation out, it seems like it. It's just that Brandon isn't really tuned into the fashion details that date a movie for me. I also spend an inordinate amount of time during movies trying to figure out if I've seen patterns similar to the dresses I like, and if I haven't, how I could recreate certain collar details (and it usually is collar details I'm fixating on, for some reason). Even in the Wizard of Oz I do that, and I had watched it probably a hundred times before without really caring about the specific details of Dorthy's dress. (Oh, and there is a costume pattern for it put out by McCalls or someone, but the blouse is considerably simpler than the blouse Dorthy is actually wearing in the movie.)

We watched The Rear Window last night. It's a fifties movie with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. I'm sure I'm not saying anything groundbreaking when I say Hitchcock really knew his stuff when it came to creating suspense. And he didn't have to resort to a lot of pyrotechnics and ridiculous plot twists to do it. Although I do question the intelligence of the main character in the final confrontation scene. You're telling me in that whole apartment, the best weapon he could come up with is his camera?
I went fabric shopping yesterday. I was supposed to be shopping for some fabric for Christmas gifts, but what I bought was for me. There was a big fat bolt of the stuff for $1 a yard at Wal-Mart, and I've been thinking I want to try sewing with a knit, and it's been sitting there all alone for awhile, calling to me, and nobody wants it, and it has teacups, for goodness sake. I couldn't help myself. I think I'll make a simple long-sleeve tee to start with.

I have a strange attraction to certain odd fabrics. Like there is a flannel at that same Wal-Mart, blue and white checked like a tablecloth, with ants printed on it. And if it were anything but flannel, I'd already have bought it, and made a nice circular skirt for wearing on picnics in the summer (this is what I tell myself I would wear it for, anyway). But a nice circular skirt in flannel is going to be way to hot for summer, and the print is not a winter print at all. So I haven't bought it.