Party Frocks from Catwalk Creative Vintage

My Vintage 70's Party Dress

Tonight it’s party night! I’m taking a well-earned break and it will be back for business as usual on Tuesday 26th May. So I’ll be partying until the wee small hours and of course I want to look my best.  I’ve been saving my special vintage party frock for a few weeks now and tonight will be the perfect occasion to unveil it!

Here’s the 70’s dress I’ll be wearing. It’s a calf-length frock, in shades of blue, decorated with exotic flowers. The waistline is rouched and there’s quite a dramatic cape attached from the front. I don’t intend being a wall-flower tonight!

Halter-Neck Dress by Peter Ellis

So, my hair has been newly cut into a blunt Dutch bob, and my nails painted - I’m raring to go! Whoo hoo!

Here’s a few more frocks, great for parties or any occasion where you want to stand out a little in the crowd. Wearing vintage is the perfect way to achieve that!

Sequin Dream by Rina Z

Vintage Dress by Albert Nipon

Vintage Dress by Hamells

Given the Once Over by Catwalk Creative Vintage

70's Puffed Sleeve Maxi Dress

I’ve recently acquired a selection of vintage 70’s and 80’s dresses and thought I’d preview a small selection for my Catwalk Threads readers. It’s good to keep you informed! This little taster includes a bright and cheerful selection of retro frocks, perfect for summer parties or any occasion where the onus is on fun! It won’t matter what the weather throws at us this year. These frocks will brighten up the cloudiest day.

And, just in case you’re getting worried about the state of the economy, all these pieces will be priced below £20 each!  Perhaps you’ll be tempted to buy more than one?  I’ll be offering FREE worldwide shipping on multiple purchases. I’ll post an update as soon as they’ve all be listed!

The first thing I do is to check each garment for any faults or issues. This could be anything from a seam that needs fixing to an unfamiliar looking stain that needs ‘zapping’, and everything else in between! Lucky for me, these clothes were in very good condition and only a gentle machine wash was necessary. More info below.

It goes without saying that vintage clothing (or any clothing for that matter) should be treated with respect.  Hopefully, your vintage can be gently hand-washed or machine washed but always take advice if you’re not sure and always read the care label, if one’s available. There’s lots of information available online. Just take a look around most vintage clothing sites for tips and guides.

Elegant 70's Polyester Frock by Giovannozzi

If you’re a lover of 1960’s and 1970’s clothes you’re in luck because this period saw the introduction of easy-care, synthetic fabrics such as Crimplene, Dacron and Teryle. The fabrics used around this time wash extremely well, and because the yarns take dyes easily, the colours still look as bright and clear as they did when they were first made.

That’s all great, but if you’re buying clothes made from delicate fabrics; silk, chiffon and the like, a trip to the dry-cleaners may be necessary.  Locate a specialist cleaner that has experience in dealing with vintage fabrics and always have a chat with them first to establish what treatment they recommend.  If in doubt, don’t!

70's Cotton Maxi Dress with Balloon Sleeves

Where possible, I always launder the vintage I purchase, even if it looks clean.  It’s important to present clothing in the best way possible and provide clear photographs too. It also gives me the opportunity to deal with any faults or issues that I may have missed during the initial inspection.

This is just a lil’ taster of the clothes I took delivery of yesterday. They were all given the once over by Catwalk Creative Vintage! Except one piece, they were all washed and ironed before the end of the day!  These ’sparkling’ clean garments will be listed in my Etsy boutique very soon so do keep a look-out!

Soft Tomato Red Halter Dress by Peter Ellis

One of my favourites is the soft tomato red maxi dress by Peter Ellis (London).  Made from polyester. Hand-wash only. This dress is ONS (old new stock) and dates 1970’s. If you’re looking for a show-stopping frock, this will fit the bill nicely!

Retro Print Vintage 70's Belted Dress

The green and aqua floral dress is a great summer frock.  Made from a lovely quality cotton fabric with original tie belt included. It reminds me of a 50’s wiggle dress but it’s dates much later than that. Without the tie belt, the dress has quite a ‘boxy’ shape, measuring the same across the chest as across the hemline. The length falls just below knee level at 39 inches (99cm).

80's Animal Print Jumpsuit by Fiorucci

It’s not labelled so it could be home-made. It’s finished to a very high standard. I love the retro print fabric. Emerald green and blue poppies with brown foliage.  This dress is most definitely 1970’s. It’s quite a feminine little number this; perfect for wearing on all sorts of ladylike occasions!

And last but not least, the animal print jumpsuit! Yes, if you’re into current fashion trends you’ve just gotta love this fun jumpsuit by Fiorucci.  Made in Italy.  Cropped trouser leg.  Looks fabulous worn with a wide sash belt as show.  Bring out the feline in you! Meowwwwww!

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Peggy Page Illusuion 50’s Cocktail Dress with Petticoat

1950's Illusion Dress by Peggy Page

THIS DRESS HAS NOW BEEN SOLD!

You might recall that last week I posted a photograph of one of my most recent purchases.  It’s a beautiful 1950’s illusion cocktail dress by Peggy Page.

Double-Layer Petticoat

I decided that in order to show the dress off properly, I had to invest in a petticoat.  Andrea from Petticoats-a-Plenty did the honours and made me the most divine double-layer petticoat.  I think you’ll agree how improved the dress looks!

The dress has a classic ‘New Look‘ silhouette with nipped in waist, fitted bodice and lovely full skirt.  Made of flocked black chiffon/organdy decorated with beautiful flowers and pretty foliage, over a nude, acetate lining.  It has a wide, V-neckline, rear enclosed zip with hook fastener at the top. Measures small to medium (27 inch waist, 38 inch bust).

Pledge 2 Recycle Vintage 4 Life! There’s no stopping Faux Brit Girl!

Handmade Vintage Jewellery from that Faux Brit girl!

I’d say the highlight of my year (so far!) has been meeting Beth, that Faux Brit girl!  Regular readers will recall that I wrote about our first meeting in one of my recent blog entries so if you’re not familiar, please take a look and get updated!

Vintage Patterns!

I’m hoping to interview Beth for Catwalk Threads some time soon, although I’ve not asked her yet so this might come as a complete surprise if she’s reading this for the first time!  Hey Beth, are you up for that?  I’m sure it will be a resounding ‘yeah loulou!’

Anyhow, the reason for my writing this today is that I want to promote Beth’s new page on Facebook. You can find it under FauxBrit*Recycle*Vintage. Beth’s tag line is, as my title suggests, ‘Pledge 2 Recyle Vintage 4 Life‘.

Super-cute beaded vintage bag

If the page turns out anything like Beth herself it will be fun, eclectic, quirky and very, very cool.  You don’t want to miss out on the action so I recommend becoming a fan of FauxBrit by clicking right here! You’ll receive regular updates and find out about new listings before anyone else!

Oh so cool! Vintage music books for children

I spent a couple of hours over at Beth’s place last week. She’s got a wonderful selection of vintage books, buttons, beads, sewing patterns, linens, and makes her very own vintage jewellery too! It’s been great swapping vintage stories and comparing notes!  Like I say, lots of fun to be around. I just know that Beth’s going to be one of my lifelong friends.

Vintage 50's Cardigan

Here’s a lil’ taster of some of the goodies currently on sale in Beth’s Etsy store.  If you’re passionate about vintage, you really should become a fan of FauxBrit*Recycle*Vintage on Facebook.  Spread the love for vintage!  There’s just no stopping that Faux Brit girl!

Catwalk Creative Vintage Goodness on Etsy!

After a few months away, I’ve finally decided to go back to selling on Etsy. I always did love the layout of Etsy but I’ve been so busy with my website and editing Catwalk Threads that I’ve not had time to concentrate fully on my Etsy store or give it the full attention it deserves. Things are running along smoothly elsewhere so going back to selling on Etsy is quite exciting and I’m raring to go!

Vintage 60's Swimsuit by Canda

In my humble opinion, Etsy is a far superior selling site to some others that first spring to mind (naming no names)!  Listing is straightforward and if you’ve got a good camera and can make your store stand out a little, you’re on to a winner!

Miss Mitlou 70's Disco Dress

There’s an amazing variety of sellers on Etsy and it’s quite inspiring to see all the handmade goodies on offer along with some marvellous vintage gems of course.  I’ll be highlighting some of my favourite pieces in the coming weeks but for now here’s just a couple of newly listed items from Catwalk Creative along with one of my recent purchases which I’ve yet to list. It’s a beautiful 1950’s dress by Peggy Page. It has a golden/beige lining with a flocked, sheer organdy fabric overlay. It really is quite a stunning cocktail dress and it’s in lovely condition too.

The dress will fit a UK size 10 (US 6), so if you’re interested in purchasing this before I list it, please send an email to Louise at catwalkcreative@googlemail.com.  It won’t be listed for a while as I’m hoping to purchase a handmade petticoat from Andrea at Petticoats a Plenty and would really love to take some more photos of the dress with said petticoat. It’s going to look even more stunning!

There’s lots more vintage goodness on the way so make sure you keep checking back to see what’s available or subscribe to Catwalk Threads to receive regular updates.  All merchandise is hand-picked from around the globe for its uniqueness and quality; perfect for the summer season and bang on trend too!

Peggy Page Dress - Soon to be listed!

The Thrill of a Vintage Find!

Anyone that sells or collects vintage will tell you what an absolute thrill it is to find something really special. Whether it’s an antique piece of jewellery, ceramic pot or labelled frock. It’s all in the find! It’s so satisfying and can happen when you least expect it. Getting hold of a one-off, unique piece of history is a wonderful thing; something you can pass on and treasure for many more years to come. If you happen to sell vintage as I do, it can also be quite hard to part with your vintage treasures!

Beautiful Brick Houses in Cheshire

Well, the other day, quite out of the blue, I decided to venture out on a lil’ vintage hunt of my own.  The day wasn’t planned that way, but the sun was shining and I had the day to myself.  Housework done, cats fed, fridge stocked full. Mmmm, now let me think?  Ok, handbag at the ready, umbrella packed (just in case), petrol tank full and mobile phone charged.  It would have been rude not to take a drive out!

I decided to visit a village, just a few miles from where I live in Manchester, and over the border into the lovely county of Cheshire. Most of the streets there are tree lined with houses made from beautiful Cheshire brick (what else?) with pretty hanging baskets and borders full of flowers. An affluent area indeed and such lovely countryside too. Perfect for a day trip, or to carry out my vintage treasure hunt.  I didn’t know what I was looking for but I told myself that I was going to find something special – and I did! Thank you universe!

1970's Caped Disco dress

I parked in a small multi-storey car park – as this was Cheshire, even the car park was pretty! I paid a very reasonable £1.00 for a two hour stay; more than enough time to have a good ’scout around’ and get back home in time to collect my daughter from school. Little did I realise I’d be back in my car within half an hour with a bag full of vintage goodies! Oh I knew it was going to be a good day!

Vintage Liberty Bandeau Dress

I walked a few hundred yards down the road and came across a charity shop. The window looked inviting so I went in. Now remember this is an affluent area so there were plenty of Roberto Cavalli and Ghost frocks and blouses to choose from.  However, ignoring the obvious, I ventured to the very back of the store where I saw quite a large clothes rail with what looked like an assortment of vintage attire.  As it happened, most of them had my name written on them!  I almost came out in a cold-sweat! Could I be seeing things? Is this some cruel joke or lovely dream that I would awaken from at any minute?  I had to pinch myself to make sure I that wasn’t going mad!

Wanting to remain as cool, calm and collected as possible, I gathered a few pieces together that I was instantly drawn to and put them to one side on a large chair and underneath my bag, just in case someone else got hold! Lucky I did, because within a couple of minutes someone else was eyeing up the very same clothes rail that just a few minutes before had been mine, all mine! Not only that, but there were two potential threats and these people had arrived together! Yikes! Anyway, not to be put off, I calmly looked through my selection and placed one of the dresses back on the rail.  I didn’t want to appear greedy!  The dress was cute but over-priced and I always, but always, stick to my budget - well almost always!

Finding really great quality vintage is becoming increasingly difficult, especially here in the UK.  However, if you look long and hard enough you can strike it lucky!  I’ve yet to visit a carboot sale (it’s on my ‘to do’ list), and purchase most of my stock from vintage wholesalers or buy it in from the States.  I always hand-pick my merchandise and today I was definitely buying British. Just a few select pieces to add to my collection.

I’ve attached photographs of some of the items I purchased but the most special one is the striking orange dress suit by Benson Landes. I’d never heard of the designer but knew instantly it was something unique and worth paying a little bit more than my budget usually allowed for. I couldn’t find any information about the designer so posted photographs of the suit to my learned friends at the Vintage Fashion Guild. Not surprisingly I received two replies; one from Jonathan of Kickshaw (Ontario) and one from Nicole of Circa Vintage Clothing (Melbourne). Jonathan provided me with a link to the biography of Benson Landes who began his career back in the 1950’s only to leave the fashion industry in the early 1980’s to become an artist and sculptor.

Benson Landes Dress Suit

Jonathan dated the suit to the mid to late 1970’s when skirt lengths became longer. Nicole confirmed this and also advised me that an example of one of his designs was in The Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. Wow! A special find indeed!

What can I say? Thank you universe! And, thank you to my friends at the VFG and also not forgetting the mystery person who donated this rather spiffing Benson Landes suit to that inconspicuous charity shop.  I promise I’ll look after it and treat it with the utmost respect!

Now don’t you just love it when your day goes like this?

Purchase the Benson Landes dress suit here.