Mystery Jewellery Designers of 1968
This glorious image was captured by David Stanford for FASHION magazine, August 1968. The editorial features three young designers, all students of the Jewellery School of the Royal College of Art. As you will read below, David Stanford was also a student of said college, so perhaps these ‘bright young things’ were already acquainted before this article was published? Thus far, I’ve been unable to find any information on the young designers, Guy Watson, Sue Fry and Jackie Binns. If you know anything about them, or perhaps have a piece of jewellery they designed, please get in touch via my contact page. I’d love to know what happened. Thank you!
Photograph by David Stanford for 'Fashion', August 1968
David Stanford studied Painting and History of Art at Walthamstow School of Art in the 1960s, alongside such names as Ian Dury, Peter Greenaway and Vivian Stanshall. After graduating from the Royal College of Art, he began his own photographic studio. For the next 25 years he photographed a wide range of high-profile advertising campaigns and fashion spreads for magazines in London and Paris. He specialised in fashion and beauty but also photographed a number of famous bands for album sleeves and went on to direct TV commercials and film documentaries. Visit his website and take a look at his broad range of work.
Photograph by David Stanford for 'Fashion' magazine, August 1968
“This display of flash and filigree was never meant to lie in a bank vault solemnly embedded in black velvet. Designed by Guy Watson, Sue Fry and Jackie Binns, these jewels catch fire, flicker and blaze with light as their wearer moves. The infinite precision of their assembly makes them more than mere baubles. Thousands of tiny silver wires are soldered on to silver mesh to make a necklace that tosses its delicate fronds like some make-believe species of sea-plant. Invisible batteries are somehow contrived to fit inside shiny Perspex earrings and rings to make them toss about like jack o’lanterns. They light up in motion, switch off when you take them off. The young designers have used silver-gilt tubes studded with beads, square Perspex discs and flame-shaped globules of silver and glass to make jewellery that excites the senses and stimulates the imagination. Since few of us will have the patience to take pot-luck with heirlooms, it’s good to know that most of the jewellery shown her will shortly be going into production.”
Jewellery designs of 1968.
This issue of ‘FASHION’ was edited by Alisa Garland. Published by Fleetway, August 1968.
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Scooter Girls, 1969
This fun image of two smart scooter girls makes me long for the springtime. The girls are wearing reversible wool capes by ‘Capers’. Taken from FASHION magazine, April 1969, this photograph makes me feel quite bright and cheery. Hope it brightens your day too!
Left: Short cape suit: 27 gns. Right: Long cape 22½ gns with matching skirt 8 gns. Cap: 5 gns.
Julie Christie: 1968
What a beauty! Julie Christie tries out a new look. Her familiar trademark hair – long and windswept, is banished under a curly wig by Harold Leighton.
Photographed exclusively for FASHION by John Kelly, issued August 1968.
Julie Christie, darling of the trendy sixties.
Treasured Family Photographs
Here are some treasured family photographs from long, long ago. The following images show my paternal great grandparents on their wedding day. Strangely, they were photographed separately although perhaps they had more taken on the day? I’ve no way of knowing for sure. This is how the images looked before my husband took them along to a specialist restorer. He had them cleaned up and framed as a gift for our own wedding day. It was such a touching, thoughtful gesture. I packed them away when we re-decorated so I’ll post the updated versions at some point. You can see quite a lot more detail in the restored set.
In the meantime, here they are wearing smart Edwardian attire dating c.1905. It was customary then to wear your ‘Sunday best’ rather than a white wedding gown. Although white had gained popularity since Victorian times, some brides wore dresses that were more practical and could be worn again after the wedding. Notice my great grandmother’s extraordinary hat. It looks like it’s balancing on her head like a large, fluffy marshmallow! It’s quite wonderful!
There’s a similar style hat shown in this editorial by Lizzie of The Vintage Traveler.
My paternal great grandmother, Elizabeth Ellen
Great grandfather, Richard. A handsome fellow . . . . with a quick temper, I believe!
Ad Campaign: Harris Tweed, 1968
Another stunning image from the late 1960s, this time for Harris Tweed. The advertising campaign includes the manufacturer’s name , Kenneth Mackenzie Ltd, which was a mill situated at Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland.
The Scotch House, 1968
Proving that fashion in the sixties wasn’t all about micro-minis, Crimplene and ‘flower-power’. This advertising campaign from The Scotch House, highlights how to mix-and-match to achieve great style. And let’s face it, you can’t beat a nice looking Tweed!
Left: Coat in Bute Tweed checks £33.12.0, Straight skirt £8.18.6, Shetland Crew Neck sweater £3.15.0
Centre: Suit in flecked Tweed pure new wool £29.8.0. Co-relating lambswool turtle neck sweater 4 gns.
Right: Bute Tweed suit in various checks £30.19.6. Co-relating turtle neck lambswool sweater 4 gns.
My friend Lizzie, of The Vintage Traveler, posted an equally stylish advertisement today from John Meyer. It also demonstrates that good taste was ‘alive and kicking’ in the seventies too! Take a look here. Great minds think alike!
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I’ve been meaning to share this editorial for some time. It’s quite in-depth so I hope you’ll stay and read it in full. The interview is with Doris Langley Moore, OBE (1902–1989), founder of the Museum of Costume at Bath, from September 1968. I’ve also included illustrations to demonstrate how hemlines have changed over the decades. Hope you enjoy the read!
“Class distinction has had more influence on fashion than anything else in history. Today, the social revolution has brought a kind of fashion anarchy and with it a new form of class distinction born of privilege rather than class”, says Mrs Doris Langley Moore. For the past forty years she has studied historic costume and is founder of, and honorary advisor to the Museum of Costume, Bath.
A dress given by her mother-in-law after a game of charades at a Christmas party started her ‘possession obsession’, as she calls it, and ultimately led to the largest and most detailed exhibition of fashionable costumes known. She is decidedly a specialist living in a specialist world, and elderly woman with a strong mind and positive views on fashion. When I met her she wore a buff dress trimmed with black velvet and a large Mexican straw hat tied on with black velvet ribbon. She wore her hat indoors and out because, as she explained, her hair was unmanageable. She lives in a Georgian house overlooking Regent’s Park. It is furnished in a way which invokes nostalgia for the days of leisure and a life that will never return. I asked her:
What effect has the social revolution had upon today’s fashion?
“The new heroes of today’s privileged class – pop singers and photographers, television celebrities, boutique owners and models have had an enormous effect on fashion and our attitude towards it,” she replied. “Revolutions of one kind or another in the past have always had an element of shock on fashion.
After the French Revolution, those whose parents had been guillotined attended balls wearing a scarlet ribbon around their necks. It was a macabre fancy but today’s fashion among young people of deliberately trying not to look respectable is really rather a sinister show of liberty.”
What effect have the upper classes had upon fashion in the past?
“It was sad and rather curious to hear of the attempts made by the poorer classes long ago to keep up appearances and to emulate the rich upper classes.
It was usual for them to wear secondhand clothes. Just as today, it has never been cheap to keep up with fashion, so the poorer classes had a constant battle to keep pace. Although men’s costumes have never been preserved like women’s, many luxurious waistcoats have survived because they were considered unsuitable to hand down to a servant or to give to the poor. Days when babies were dressed in expensive, unwashable clothes, purely to advertise that the parents could well afford to waste money make a typical example of how there can be an underlying motive in fashion.
So also the flowing trains in Edwardian days conveyed the suggestion of belonging to the ‘carriage class’ and never having to walk the muddy streets. It was fashionable too for expensive dresses to be lined with glacé silk which rustled. Some less fortunate women would try to produce this sound by pinning newspaper to their cotton underskirts! Dresses that laced up the back in previous centuries announced the fact that the wearer could count on the attention of a maid.
Stories of hairstyles which became infested with flour-mites in the eighteenth century are a sad reminder of how fashion could over-rule sense. The hair was pomaded with scented grease and then powdered with flour. Each day it required brushing out and powdering – but the poorer classes couldn’t afford to do this.”
Do historical events play their part in moulding fashion?
“Fashion is international, not local,” she stressed. “Not only has it been influenced by class, but it is entwined and indivisible with social and political conditions throughout Europe. Mini-skirts, now as short as a jerkin and worn with little underwear, reflect a complete change of social values. The Industrial Revolution brought about a considerable change, particularly in men’s dress. They wore dark sober clothes and wealth was demonstrated in the way in which men dressed their wives, children and servants. Class was conveyed by fine workmanship, delicate embroidery on shirts, gold watches, pearl and diamond shirt studs and pale leather gloves. Attention to expensive detail is traced among the upper classes even in austere times. The discoveries made in excavating Herculaneum during the 1760′s had a remarkable effect, ultimately in encouraging a classical revival. Women wore clinging muslin dresses to look like goddesses and men wore clothes that were tight and contour-revealing in an attempt to look like Spartan athletes. Although the ancient Greeks loved colour, marble statues gave the impression that white was the classical colour. It was this revival and nothing to do with purity that brought us white weddings. Couples had previously only worn their ‘Sunday best’.
The mid-Victorian era brought a growing body of avante garde women interested in matters beyond the drawing room – particularly travel, education and women’s rights. This co-ordinated with the earliest tailor-made suit and, although worn with a crinoline skirt, it was regarded as challengingly masculine. After that the First World War imposed a rapid acceptance of shorter-skirted, more comfortable clothes. The freedom gained then, through being needed to do men’s jobs, produced aspirations towards a boyish style with fashion for flattening the bosom and bobbing the hair – which continued after the war. Genuinely functional clothing for sport has been undeniably the vital contribution of the 20th century.”
Have you found that fashions dictated morals or vice versa?
“It depends on how long the fashion has been in. Any part of the anatomy covered for a long while has automatically been considered improper when first revealed by a new fashion. Long dresses covered ankles for so long that on-one even dared to use the word ‘legs’ – they were ‘lower limbs’ and sometimes even the legs of furniture were hidden! Necks were hidden by high collars in my mother’s day, and I can remember her once saying, ‘I don’t care what the parsons preach in the pulpit. I’m going to wear a Peter Pan collar.’ Drawers were a daring innovation in 1815. Until then, they’d never been considered necessary and then they were introduced as two legs which were tied on separately. Before this tights were introduced made of flesh-coloured silk stockinette. No fashion is entirely new.”
Have there been any radical changes in fashion caused by inventions?
“Inventions give more scope to fashion and less work to the less fortunate. Just as today the invention of nylon and other man-made fibres has relieved our burden, so the stocking frame must have done in Elizabethan days. Until the invention of chemical dyes in the 1860′s, only the rich could afford to wear bright, expensive colours. Apart from cashmere, woollen textiles played little part in high fashion until the last century when Walter Scott influenced a Scottish cult and so encouraged the popularity of tartan. Buttons were worn almost exclusively by men to begin with, often to an elaborate degree. Women’s dresses were laced, and the zip, although patented in the 1890′s was only used by quick-change artists in the Music Hall and was not generally worn until the 1930′s.”
How do you see fashion progressing at the present time?
“I don’t think we’re quite ready for the pendulum to swing just yet. In my view skirts will stay short, perhaps disappearing in favour of a jerkin. Recently I was at a party where Dame Margot Fonteyn was wearing a short black velvet jerkin with tiny diamond buttons down the front, long black velvet thigh-boots with breeches and a big matching velvet hat, by Yves Saint Laurent. I told her I was booking it for my museum! I think that it illustrates the way I see fashion moving at present. The outfit would look marvellous with a maxi-coat – the first step towards long hemlines. This style may not be fashion for everyone, but speaking generally, fashion should have no age-tag.”
Reflecting on the past and its influence what do you most regret about its effect on fashion?
“I feel most strongly about the attitude taken by middle-aged and older women. The worst thing a woman can do is to go out of fashion because she is getting older. Before Queen Victoria started the melancholy fashion for perpetually wearing black (the only one she ever started) there was no difference whatever between older and younger women’s clothes. When Prince Albert died, however, she went into mourning for the rest of her life. Other women copied her and eventually created the illusion that it was indecent for an older woman to dress fashionably. It is a disastrous idea because dowdiness affects the mind.
It was common practice until the First World War to spend two years in mourning a husband, one year for a brother and three months for a cousin. After so many men were killed in the war, the English and French Governments appealed to women not to wear mourning because it lowered morale. Women no longer wear ‘widows’ weeds’, but Queen Victoria certainly lowered fashion morale and I attribute the tiresome attitude taken by the older woman and the currently apologetic way of dressing to this. I feel so strongly about it that I’d far rather be thought of as dressing too young than dressing old. This is the age of revolution amongst the young and as far as fashion is concerned, the old could follow with great advantage.”
It’s a worthy cause. Wouldn’t you support her revolution? – I would!
Written by Caroline Hanman for FASHION magazine, September 1968. Editor: Alisa Garland. Published by Fleetway Publications Ltd.
Final note: There’s some interesting BBC archive footage, ‘What We Wore, A history of fashion from 1720 to 1982′. Several of these short films are presented by the wonderful Doris Langley Moore. Click here to view.
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Wool Suit by Richards c.1970s
Forever on the lookout for quality vintage clothing, I recently purchased this suit for my own collection. It’s by Richards and dates c.1970s, probably towards the latter part of the decade judging by the skirt length. The jacket is short and tailored to perfection. It has a lovely nipped-in waist and it’s perfect for teaming with jeans for a more casual look.
Richard Shops were hugely popular on British high streets, particularly during the 1960s and 1970s. They produced high-quality fashion for young women but sadly went into decline during the 1980s. More information can be found below.
Skirt suit by Richards c.1970s
It's the attention to detail that I love. Contour darts, neatly finished pockets and a couple of textured buttons on each cuff. The suit is fully lined too.
Richards Shops was originally part of clothes-selling empire, United Drapery Stores, created in 1927 by Leeds-born buisinessman Jack Lyons. In 1958 Richard shops merged with Allders Department Store Group. This combined enterprise, renamed UDS, saw the beginning of rapid expansion and store promotion. During the 1960s and 1970s, Richards were selling fashions designed to appeal to young women. They were hugely popular with shops to be found on high streets and shopping centres all over Britain.
Financial troubles followed during the 1980s when the high street became much more competitive for fashion retailers. The UDS group was sold to Hanson plc in 1983. However, they split Richard Shops from UDS in an attempt to recover the cost of the purchase, and sold it on as a separate company. It was subsequently purchased by the retail group Habitat/Mothercare plc, and became part of Storehouse plc following the merger of Habitat/Mothercare with British Home Stores in 1986.
In 1992 Richard Shops sold to British retailing giant Sears plc (not to be confused with the American stores of the same name). Sears plc also owned Selfridges, Wallis, Miss Selfridge and Outfit. In 1999, Sir Philip Green, who had acquired Sears plc, transferred Richard Shops, along with Wallis, to the Arcadia Group and immediately announced the closure of all branches of Richard Shops, or their conversion to other Arcadia brands.
Today the company, Richard Shops Holdings, are still registered as a ‘dormant company’ with Companies House, their head office at Arcadia’s headquarters in London. However, no stores currently trade as Richard Shops (information c/o en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Shops).
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Vintage Clothing Repair Project
Casual, but ever so stylish plaid coat.
I picked up this rather spiffing coat the other day. I was instantly drawn to the colour and weave. It’s slightly A-line in shape with wide sleeves, and I love the colours – navy-blue mixed with soft beige and cream. It’s very easy on the eye.
Going by the texture and feel of the fabric, I thought it might be wool and I was right. The label reads: Fine Woollens Woven in Scotland, Pure New Wool. I recently sold a jacket with the exact same label as this although it dated c.1980s. My new coat dates a little earlier.
Fine Woollens Woven in Scotland
The famous woolmark symbol was designed in 1964 by Italian graphic artist, Francesco Saroglia. It’s used in garments made only from 100% wool. The other symbols shown below include the ‘Woolmark Blend’, used for products containing a minimum of 50% new wool, and the ‘Woolblend’, used for products with 30-49% new wool. More info from The Woolmark Company website.
The buttons were all wrong!
It was only when I got my coat home that I realised the buttons were all wrong. They had looked navy-blue, but when I checked them again in full daylight, the buttons were actually purple. Prior to buying the coat I had also spotted a small hole in the collar, but I knew I could fix that easily, providing I had the same colour thread in my sewing box.
I was hoping to find replacement buttons in my large stash of spares. I’ve collected so many over the years but alas, I didn’t have exactly what I was looking for. I needed eight buttons in total; six for the bodice and two smaller ones for each cuff. Undeterred, I went along to my local sewing and haberdashery shop in Didsbury. They didn’t have navy-blue buttons that were large enough so I found a nice alternative. I also found the exact colour of thread I was looking for and here are the finished results. What do you think?
Small hole repaired on the collar.
The finished result! I chose wood-effect buttons which match perfectly with the soft beige colour of the coat. They're plastic, but will stand up well to the rigours of dry-cleaning. Buttons made from real wood can often split during this harsh cleaning process.
Slightly smaller buttons required for the cuff.
Sadly, the coat is too big for me otherwise it would definitely be a keeper! It’s currently available from the website, so please stop by and see if there’s anything else I can tempt you with.
Keeping up-to-date with the latest fashion trends is something I spend a fair amount of time on. It’s fun researching all the fashion glossies and after all, my business isn’t named ‘Catwalk Creative Vintage‘ for nothing. All this research isn’t because I’m a complete slave to fashion. However, at this time of year, my aim is to source the ‘vintage’ equivalent of whatever the latest catwalk show throws our way.
There’s a huge amount of ‘pret-a-porter’ labels available for anything upwards of £650, so it always gives me great pleasure to find something of equal interest in the vintage world. I don’t know many people that can afford those sorts of prices, so vintage offers a fantastic alternative. Clearly, there are many designers that look to past decades to gain inspiration – so it makes sense that we should too.
One of the trends this coming season is decorative fabrics. Whether you love your ‘power prints’ or prefer luxurious silks or satins, this latest fashion trend is for the seriously sophisticated fashionista! Here I’ve chosen a super-chic day dress by Années Lauder. The fabric is made from sumptuous silk which drapes beautifully. It includes large abstract shapes in white, aqua and violet – a sweet candy colour for 2012! Click on the image for more details.
Silk dress with abstract design by Années Lauder c.1980s
Dress teamed with glass beads and black envelope clutch bag. Both available from Catwalk Creative Vintage.
A dress made for showing off curves!
More vintage catwalk trends to follow soon! Subscribe to updates by email or RSS.
Vintage Rolex Advertisement 1968
This advertisement would probably not be published today for obvious reasons. It seems quite odd that a luxury brand such as Rolex would include such tacky wording. However, it does demonstrate how things have changed since the 1960s. And I do love the charming blue and white polka-dot mini dress sported in this feature!
The advert comes from FASHION magazine, May 1968 and here it shows an 18ct gold bracelet watch from the Cellini collection. The Cellini is one of the three major categories of Rolex watches; Oyster Perpetual and Professional being the other two. These “dressy”, formal watches helped define Rolex as a luxury brand. Most of the Cellini models feature highly-accurate quartz movements and would still cost upwards of £2,500 today. The wording is noted below.
The advertisement reads as follows: Knickers are in. Would it be an awful bloomer to wear a Rolex? It would perhaps be foolish to wear anything else. When fashion’s so fickle you need such a watch. Its style is timeless. Each movement of a ladies’ Rolex is made in Switzerland to the same impeccable standards of the watches for men. Your choice is from over a hundred models.
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Headdress For A Heroine c.1969
FASHION magazine January 1969, offers some examples of desirable headwear of the day.
Ocelot fur helmet c.1960s
Ocelot swathed into a winter helmet and bedecked with an antique jewel. Hat (minus jewel) made to order at Herbert Johnson from ocelot by furrier, Maxwell Croft.
Big slouchy beret c.1960s
Big slouchy beret in dark brown lamb worn with a jacket in the same shiny fur. Beret, 9 gns, from Herbert Johnson. Jacket, 18 gns, from Miss Selfridge.
Leopard bush hat c.1969
Dashing bush hat in leopard by Simone Mirman. Jacket in beige suede, £14 19s 6d., from Miss Selfridge. Dome earrings by Ken Lane, £5, also at Miss Selfridge.
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My Favourite Christmas Gift
I’ve been a very lucky girl this year. Friends and family have bought me some wonderful gifts including this one – my favourite. It was on my wish-list of books although I didn’t realise how difficult it was going to be to track down. It was also one of my most expensive gifts too! The book is no longer in publication but my husband managed to track it down via a UK book seller (not Amazon), and they subsequently arranged delivery via a US bookseller. Simon was worried it wouldn’t arrive in time, but it turned up the day before Christmas Eve. Result! And here it is. Entitled, Collecting Costume Jewelry 303: The Flip Side – Exploring Costume Jewelry from the Back, by Julia C. Carroll.
My favourite Christmas gift
I’d been searching for the longest time for a book like this. Not only does it include many wonderful images, but it gives specific information on the construction of the jewellery along with photographs of the flip side. It’s an absolute treasure! I’ve had a quick look through it and already found an interesting section on deLillo. There’s so little information on this particular jewellery maker, since they were only in operation for a very short time during the 1960s/70s, so I’m keen to read more . . . when I get some time to myself of course.
Wishing all my readers and subscribers a very happy and healthy 2012!
Fashion Foretells The Look For 1969
The look that's 1969. Close-covered head in a chiffon-trimmed chinchilla hood by Rudolf; diamond brooch by City Jewellers. Photo: Vernier
Taken from FASHION magazine, this editorial foretells the fashion look ahead for 1969 . . .
Rising rosy in the East – the elegance, the delicacy, the mystery of a glorious new, ultra feminine age. Setting going West – the gaudy, tousled harridan in the way out hippie gear.
We dreamed of the age of beautiful women. We remembered that girl-shape was not straight up and down like a boy, but that it went in and out with a bosom, hips, and between them a waist. After the glaring psychedelic colours of last season we felt a drawing for something softer – the changing delicate pastels of the opal.
So FASHION heralds the new year with a fanfare to femininity. We show you the shape, the shade, the look, the length, that spells out the Eve of a new Belle Epoque. High-breasted, clasp-waisted, in soft, fluid fabrics like crepe silk and drifting chiffon, she floats in the opalescent colours of a dawn sky – pale greens, blues, honey gold, pearl grey and a lilac tinged rose agate. Her smooth silky hair hugs her small head and porcelain makeup is applied with the supreme art that conceals art.
Long silk organza evening dress by Bob Schulz. Drop earrings in green and diamante by Ken Lane.
Spring perenial - the little navy blue dress we love, in 1969 mould with the newest loveliest sleeve shape, soft skirtful of pleats, wicked cleavage. Crepe dress by Marcel Fenez. Silver rings with drop by Corocraft at Harrods. Pearl and diamante earclip by Vendome. Hair by Aldo at Aldobruno.
Salvador chooses spots, Frank Usher plain, for their self buttoning Leminire sleeves. Bauble ring from Harrods. Silver band ring from Ewan Phillips.
Shades of amber making a strong colour impact. Left to right: loop of suede from a broad belt with large studded buckle, from Paris House, lying on Moygashel's Terylene/Linen Springbak flecked fabric. Two shoes reviving the T-strap story feature the higher, shaped heel, by Guisti; encircling them, a long topaz-coloured necklace with old gold tassel, from Paris House. In the foot of the lower shoe, a Maltese cross edged with brilliant bands of diamante, by Ken Lane; in the background, "Giselle", Ascher's printed pure silk, for the ultra feminine floaty feeling. At the extreme right the corner of a Christian Dior silk head square in a print that blends all the exquisite amber and terracotta tones in fashion now. The flower-shaped ear-clip, in the foreground, is also from Paris House.
Soft shades of opal and jade and beryl swirl together like a cool lagoon. Shown from top to bottom: Staron's floral printed pure silk, on it a hand-painted enamel buckle from The Button Queen and beside a slim Corfam watchstrap with dramatic daisy centre, by Paris House. Ornate ladies' braces are by Swordtex. Both shoes, by Charles Jourdan, reflect brighter colour and two-tone techniques; under the sole a blue bangle, Paris House; in its centre a large emerald and diamond ring and a turquoise and gold ring, pierced by a hat pin from The Button Queen' in turquoise too, one of a pair of mesh cuff-links. Under the jade shoes - Ascher's "Giselle" and bottom right; "Mayfield" Dacron/cotton by Cepea. Behind; Garigue's pure wool "Farouche".
Left: Spring navy again frosted with white and clutched with a soft leather tie-belt. Gaberdine pants-dress by Cojana. Joop earrings, Harrods. Right: This year's limpid pastel blue with subtle shaping and given added sparkle by a crisp white grosgrain bow and belt. From the Miss Popper range by Harry Popper. Hoop earclips at Harrods. Hair by Aldo at Aldobruno.
Collaborators for Fashion Forecast: Margaret Brinkman, fabric Penelope Labovitch, fashion.
FASHION FORETELLS . . . HAIR AHEAD
the length
Hair is here. Producers of London's sensational new musical and Beyond the Fringe stylist, Paul, share the view that hair can go to any lengths - providing the occasion demands. For the three members of Hair's cast (in the show hair is a symbol of youthful rebellion and non-conformity) there's no limit to the wayward extremes to which hair can go. Paul is merely set on proving that the extra-long, Godiva length can be obtained with artificial pieces of Asian hair tumbling, like a waterfall, from a carefully coiffured top wig that on its own is still in keeping with the smooth look of the moment. For everyday wear, you allow one fall of ringlets, two at the most for an evening extravaganza. Beyond the Fringe have their own special process which gives coiled Asian hair much longer staying power. Each piece used in the top to toe show here costs approximately 10 guineas.
New Year Resolutions 1969
Here’s an interesting little snippet taken from FASHION magazine, January 1969. Showing how people can have amazing optimism – every January, resolving to re-shape personalities and perhaps lead a new life. The following well-known designer was asked to give New Year Resolutions For Other People To Make . . .
- Jean Muir
In the words of husband, Harry Leuckert – “she makes you want to change your life and house with her ideas, not just your clothes.”
“Protesters should comb their hair and press their gear so that they look prettier while they are protesting.
“Ministers on the scene should make a resolution to go to better tailors, and to Michaeljohn to have their hair cut (after six please) so that they could at least look up to date.
“Danny La Rue should let me move in for 1969 so that I can live in a great, big, shiny, beautiful, sequined world.
“Everybody should resolve to look on the bright side and stop having hang-ups. “People should paint their houses red, yellow and blue and learn tap-dancing (Joanna Lumley will teach).”
Christmas Gifts From Yesteryear
The excitement of the holiday season is almost upon us, so it seems appropriate to share a few images from Christmas past. Taken from Woman’s Pictorial, these are some of the most popular gifts available at the time. You would have been very lucky to receive one of the following charming gifts from Father Christmas back in 1935.
FOR CHILD . . .
"Bun-Bun" is the name of this soft, bedtime, cuddly toy.
"Walk Away" toys are all the nursery rage this year! Here is "Donald Duck" who walks away as the string is jerked.
Such fun, this game of Skittles! The figures are cellulosed in bright colours. Numbers are painted on the sides of the skittles, scoring accordingly.
FOR HIM . . .
Something from this group would delight the tennis player. It includes white wool sweater, with any club or school colours you like to choose round the neck and sleeves. White woollen socks. Fleet Foot tennis shoes. Six tennis balls. Tennis racket. Tennis racket press.
A group of presents specially suggested for the smoker: Set of four coloured enamel ash-trays. Coloured wooden trick cigarette box. Hand-painted pottery cigarette tray.
So amusing, these corkscrews!
FIVE SHILLINGS and Under
Just the right present for the tidy woman - a Florentine string box!
Here comes "Larry the Lamb" resplendent in white pottery.
With thought for the invalid, this group suggests: Florentine bedside table. Painted biscuit tin. Bedside lamp. Painted water jug and glass.
All That Glisters Is Not Gold . . .
. . . and so said the scroll placed in a golden casket in Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, and our inspiration for today’s offering. Here’s a selection of ‘glistering’ merchandise, sure to add ‘sparkle’ to your Christmas festivities. Wishing all Catwalk Thread readers, subscribers and followers a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2012!
LESLEY JUNIORS Brocade Evening Dressc.1960s
ANNE KLEIN Faux Pearl Domed Earrings c.1970s
Gold Lamé Evening Gown Medium c.1970s
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The Art Of Vogue Covers 1909-1940
If you’re looking for an art-inspired book this Christmas, let it be this one. The Art of Vogue Covers by William Packer, with introduction by Lady Diana Cooper, is a real feast for the eyes. This copy belongs to my dear friend Bridgette, who, like me, loves the early Vogue fashion illustrations, especially those by Georges Lepape and Helen Dryden.
‘The Art of Vogue Covers’ was first published by Conde Naste Ltd in 1980 and is still available to purchase new or second-hand. Prices range from £3.95 (used) to £95.00 (new). Here’s a little taster.
The Art of Vogue Covers
Georges Lepape's Vogue cover January 1919
Lady Diana Cooper
With A Little Help From My Friends . . .
Vintage purse with missing stone
I was at a complete loss as to what to do with this charming vintage purse. It was amongst a selection of very beautiful vintage handbags that I’d purchased from a private client, but unfortunately one of the stones was missing. It had been on my ‘to do’ list for several months but I had no idea what type of stone or where to start looking. The colour and shape are quite unusual. I now understand the correct terminology is ‘rough cut’. So what to do?
First of all, I visited my friends at the Vintage Fashion Guild. They kindly informed me that I should try looking for a ‘scarab’ stone, or to be more precise, a ‘clay scarab‘, ‘faience scarab‘ or a stone with a ‘scarab-incised‘ design. Thank you Joules and Laura. Such wonderful ladies!
- Ornamental Beads – a shop to spend all day in!
With this information to hand, I started my online search and within an hour I’d discovered the most amazing website, aptly named, Ornamental Beads. Oh the wonders of the internet! Ornamental Beads, LLC is situated in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, so if you’re lucky enough to live in the area, you can go along and visit them in person. They’ve been collecting beads and jewellery findings for over 40 years and their shop certainly looks like one of those places you could spend an entire day in! However, if like me, you happen to live on the other side of the BIG POND, or indeed somewhere other than Wheat Ridge, Colorado, I recommend visiting their very interesting website instead.
Firstly, I emailed Ornamental Beads a photograph of my purse along with the size requirements. Before I had time to make a cup of tea, I’d received a very helpful reply from Matt who informed me that they had the very stones I was looking for. Oh joy! Matt kindly dispatched my stone immediately and it arrived in Manchester within 7 business days. The price? $1.35 plus shipping which came to around £3.50 (GBP) in total. Splendid! And I didn’t even have leave my cuppa!
So here’s how the replacement stone looks. What do you think? Isn’t it amazing what you can achieve with a little help from your friends?
Spot the difference . . .
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Vintage Christmas Gifts . . .
I’ve been busy adding new stock to the shelves of Catwalk Creative Vintage. There’s something to suit every budget, ranging from a £10.00 rhinestone brooch to a £450.00 designer gown. So, whether you’re looking to treat yourself or someone special this Christmas, we hope you’ll drop by and spend some time browsing the ‘rails’. Here’s some examples of what you can expect . . .
Mens Dressing Gown by SAMMY £18.00
TWO TIX Vintage Mens Grooming Kit £20.00
Vintage Graduated Glass Bead Necklace £15.00
Blue Roses Dress c.Late 1950s £65.00
TRINA LEWIS Black Sequin Dress £38.00
Vintage Five Strand Glass Bead Necklace £20.00
Visit our website today!
