If you love the 1950s, it’s easy to be inspired by the clothes and sets of Grease. The sleepover in Frenchy’s bedroom is our “Get the Look” movie inspiration.
Grease, the movie released in 1978, was based on the 1971 Broadway musical. It might be set in the 1950s, but the story is timeless. Boy and girl have a summer romance. At the end of the summer, the boy goes home thinking he’ll never see the girl again and all they have is those memories of summer lovin’. But wait! The girl shows up on the first day of high school. But like all great love stories, there’s a twist. He’s a Thunderbird. She’s a cheerleader. Can true love bridge that clique divide? (Spoiler alert: it’s a musical, of course, it can.)
The unstoppable soundtrack might be why Grease has unstoppable popularity. There have been two theatrical revivals on Broadway and the West End as well as touring companies. There was the “live on TV” version in 2016 which was passable. And there was Grease 2, but true fans don’t speak of that regrettable sequel. Most Grease fans will tell you that the original movie, with its energy and amazing cast, is the one and true Grease. It sets the bar so high that it’s hard for any other version to measure up.
The movie earned accolades and notoriety for the actors, music, and costumes, but we here at Vintage Unscripted tend to be more interested in the set design. We’ll admit it, we’re looking for accuracy. Don’t try and slip in a lamp or a piece of art that is not era-appropriate, because we’ll spot it. Since the movie is based in 1959, we also looked at the awesome costumes. No scene from the movie is more iconic than the sleepover, so we used that as our inspiration.
The Babydoll PJs
If you were a teenage girl in the 1950s or 60s, chances are you wore Babydoll PJs. Babydolls are still worn today. You can find both new and vintage sets. The idea is to keep you cool and comfy while still looking cute as a button. So much better than an old T-shirt and boxer-style shorts. We love the look of these cotton babydolls from WYLDESYDE VINTAGE.
The Teenage Girl Bedroom
The slumber party scene gives us a snapshot in time of what the average home looked like in 1959. Starting with the wallpaper, moving to the timeless style of that MCM furniture and on to that amazing floor lamp. The unfinished paint-by-number horse adds an amusing touch. Even the alarm clock on the bedside table is indicative of the time.
The Rydell High pennant on the wall adds to the look. Since Rydell High School is fictional, this Wilson High one would be a great stand-in.
Lest we forget that amazing wallpaper, Rosies Vintage Wallpaper, Houzz, Milton and King and Rejuvenation are a few options for buying authentic vintage wallpaper as well as reproductions of vintage patterns.
Extra Credit
Watch the Grease original movie trailer.
Ten Facts You’ve Probably Never Heard About ‘Grease
Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the movie Grease from Wikipedia.
