Favorite Vintage Podcasts
Last year around this time I posted a list of Christmas film recommendations which can be viewed here. This time around I decided to switch my list up. Wintertime is honestly the best time of year to listen to podcasts. I like to listen while I'm cooking, driving, or curled up on my sofa. I decided to share with you with my favorite podcasts that deal with all things Old Hollywood, vintage and/or retro lifestyle, and old film!
1. You Must Remember This - This podcast by Karina Longworth is definitely my all time favorite podcast. She delves into the scandalous history and secrets of Old Hollywood. She never discusses cliche topics, goes far beyond a simple Google search, and has the kind of voice that is made for good storytelling! She does in-depth research and really gets to the nitty gritty on Old Hollywood actors, directors, singers, etc. She does a series on one specific topic. Some of my personal favorites are: The Blacklist series with episodes such as, "Stormy Weather: Lena Horne + Paul Robeson" and "Frank Sinatra Through 1945," Six Degrees of Joan Crawford series, and the Dead Blondes series with episodes on everyone from Carole Landis to Grace Kelly.
This podcast can be a bit on the darker side because it details all of the sordid often hidden information on Old Hollywood. But I highly recommend it if you have a love and fascination with the stars of eras past. Karina Longworth also has just written a book on Howard Hughes, Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes's Hollywood. I still need to check this book out!
2. This Retro Life is a delightful podcast hosted by Kia Handley, a fabulous vintage enthusiast who interviews other fabulous vintage enthusiasts. Her podcast showcases how there are many different sectors and subcultures within the vintage community. She interviews not only women, but men as well. I found this awesome because vintage styled men are rarely spotlighted on social media. Her interviewees vary from those in the rockabilly scene to vintage purists to pinups and everything in between. She also has episodes which focuses on people with careers based on vintage lifestyles such as, Liz Gruening of The Vintage Inn.
Some of my favorite episodes include, "Vintage western wear" which she discusses with Chris Gibson, health and wellness enthusiast Kitty Von Tastique, and Evette Dubouis who once had a self titled vintage inspired lingerie and loungewear line. I definitely recommend this for easy and delightful listening!
3. Old Hollywood Realness! is another one of my all-time favorite podcasts! This has two wonderful hosts, Phillip Estrada and Kathleen Noll. Both are good friends and involved in the fashion industry with knowledge on all things costume and Old Hollywood related. Two of my favorite topics melded into one. This is the podcast that I always longed for and finally found! I love that when I'm listening to OHR!, it feels as if I'm sitting and listening to an awesome friend session over cocktails.
This podcast is pretty straight forward. Each episode the duo focuses on an Old Hollywood film and breaks down its film synopsis, first impressions, and most importantly discuss the costumes, hair, and makeup that were featured throughout. They have marvelous episodes on films such as, Leave Her to Heaven (1945), Holiday Affair (1949), The Seven Year Itch (1955), etc.
4. Dressed: The History of Fashion is a podcast hosted by curator and history instructor April Calahan and fashion historian and author Cassidy Zachary. This podcast is far from surface level. Instead it dives head first into the complexities of the history of fashion and how it affects past societies into today. They oftentimes interview authors, designers, curators, and so on to offer even more insight.
Some examples of the marvelous topics that cover include, "Black Dandyism, A Cultural History," "Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up," and "Freeing the Body: The Birth of Modern Dress." I highly recommend this for those of you who are into vintage fashion because these two ladies give a lot of awesome historical background.
5. Micheaux Mission is another all time favorite podcast hosted by an awesome duo. They're two men Lenn Webb (radio producer) and Vincent Williams (music host). The podcast focuses on African American film from past to present. This is honestly the first platform that I have found that discusses and reviews films starring the likes of Sidney Poitier, Lena Horne, and Eartha Kitt. This podcast offers intellectual and honest reviews on different genres such as blaxploitation, autobiographical, drama, etc. Webb and Williams are serious cinephiles with extensive knowledge on the classics, indie films, and hidden gems.
Some of my favorite reviews include, "Paris Blues (1961)," "Stormy Weather (1943)," and "Sparkle (1976.)"
Hope you all enjoyed this unorthodox list of gems and I will see you next Friday!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the photographs in this post.