Susie Bubble (of fashion blog Style Bubble) recently learned of British Pathe’s giant archive of films (1897-1970). She was amazed by the wealth of material available — free to stream — on the site. Thinking I’d have the same jaw-dropping reaction, Susie referred the site to me. And boy, was she right. I could spend hours watching rare footage of Victorian ladies, 1920s jazz dancers, Hong Kong’s skyline in the 1950s, Emperor Hirohito attending the premiere of Ben Hur…

Cute Japanese food (1968) (click to view)

The British Pathe has over 90,000 reels: there’s something to hold everyone’s interest. I searched for “Japan” and came across this remarkable food demo at a London restaurant. Believe it or not, the Japanese were making food cute even in the 1960s! In the video, Chef Kusama Toshio carves birds from sweet potatoes and places them over vegetable flowers.

When you search for “Japan,” the highlights include…
† Very early 1930s mute reel about Japanese ways
† 1963 footage of Japanese fashion models in Australia
† Japanese students in London, 1970
† 1950s Geishas entertain men at a business meeting
† Japanese Royal wedding 1959: “Crown Prince Akihito has married a commoner, so breaking Japanese tradition of more than 2,600 years”
† Two year-old Prince Hiro, 1962

Tokyo ladies’ fashion show (1954) (click to view)

Here’s a video of Japanese models displaying the latest designs at Tokyo Kaikan Hall. I love the kimono and princess-style ladies overcoat.

Victorian corset striptease (1960) (click to view)

For all you Victorian/Rococo/Steampunk lovers, British Pathe is an excellent plae to find retro inspiration. The clip above shows a Victorian-attired girl performing a striptease, and models showing off historical corsets.

British Pathe is a wonderful resource for anyone intrigued by bygone eras. Come take a gander at the videos, and let me know if you find anything that amazes you! (You can share the link in the comments, which are always appreciated.)

VERSAILLES has announced Summer 2010 World Tour dates! The epic heavy metal Visual Kei band is hitting Europe and South America. Will you be at any of these J-rock concerts?
Apr 30 2010: Tokyo JCB Hall (I’ll be there!)
Jun 4 2010: Sao Paulo
Jun 6 2010: Santiago
Jun 9 2010: Buenos Aires
Jun 11 2010: Lima
Jun 13 2010: Mexico City
Jun 27 2010: Moscow
Jun 29 2010: Helsinki
Jun 30 2010: London
Jul 2 2010: Barcelona
Jul 3 2010: Montpellier
Jul 6 2010: Amsterdam
Jul 7 2010: Cologne
Jul 9 2010: Hamburg
Jul 11 2010: Budapest
Jul 13 2010: Paris

Japanese Word of the Day: Instrument = Gakki
Song of the Day: Seal – Kiss from a Rose (for Adventure Teamster K!)