Red Dresses
Posted: May 31, 2009 Filed under: kate bush, noosha fox Leave a comment »I find I’m completely captivated by two videos of two beautiful women, with unique voices and dancing, wearing stunning red dresses, with brilliant hair and make-up. I realise this is not all that surprising for me.
What I find really odd is that, dates-wise for these videos, Noosha appears to be imitating Kate. Whereas, in fact, Noosha pre-dates Kate with her style, singing voice and aforementioned peculiar movements. I generally tend to think Ms Bush imitated Ms Fox, albeit probably quite subconsciously. So when these things blur in such a way, it boggles my mind.
Is it just me overthinking things? Did Noosha start imitating Kate slightly, or was it the natural progression of her own style (which Kate acquired a little earlier because she was processing the Noosha style faster) – since she’s certainly changed a bit! Almost like she’s had a sexual awakening between S-s-s-single Bed and The Heat Is On. Perhaps it’s the effect of a really sexy red dress?
Why should I care? I have no idea. It certainly makes me wonder about individuality and imitation, and how clear-cut either thing can really be.
The Good Life
Posted: May 29, 2009 Filed under: seventies sitcoms, the good life Leave a comment »
Walking along with Charley the other day, who should walk past us but Seventies Sitcom Icon Felicity Kendal. We both got the giggles afterwards, just with a look to each other. Charley is a major fan of The Good Life [and not afraid to admit it - atta girl! That's why we're so well suited as friends] and having grown up in Surbiton myself I can’t really help but love it. I’d have been even more impressed had it been the fabulous Varon-wearing Penelope Keith. But you can’t have everything.
More Make-Up: Who’d you like to be today?
Posted: May 25, 2009 Filed under: barbarella, emma peel, Make-up, tara king, Vintage Adverts 1 Comment »I seem to be looking at a lot of make-up ads and features in my magazines at the moment. I overkilled a bit on the liquid liner a few weeks back for a New Romantic night (I should really post a full size photo of the end result some time) and have been smudging kohl on ever since, just to be different. So I’m ready to be re-inspired.
I love this Boots 17 advert, particularly the Barbarella one. I remember seeing an illustration of checkerboard effect eye make-up, but doubted whether it was really feasible (especially since my lids aren’t the largest in the world). Now I might try it on my brow bone instead, since that seems to be a better canvas for such doodlings.
I’m also appreciating the Tara King reference. I’ve always been a die hard Emma Peel girl [you don't say???] but having seen a few of the Tara King episodes recently, I’m a bit of a convert. She might have had a bit of bum deal (sometimes literally) in the wardrobe department, but her make-up was always rather lovely.
The Teenage Dream: Fashion with Queen
Posted: May 24, 2009 Filed under: 1970s, biba, groupies, katharine hamnett, lee bender, queen, telegraph magazine, zandra rhodes 2 Comments »
Dark Girl wears shorts by Ambalu and top by Erica Budd. Blonde girl wears shorts and top by Crochetta.
The Teenage Dream…
…does not always suit a mother’s requirements. Not only is today’s teenager wildly enthusiastic about fashion, pop, hair and makeup, but she also has very firm ideas about what she wants. She is sophisticated, wordly and confident, seeing herelf as a femme fatale – while mother sees her more in terms of gymslips. So here we present the perfect compromise, contrived to impress mother and daughter alike. Visual backing comes from members of the group Queen, whose current hit single for EMI is The Seven Seas of Rhye.
Dark Girl wears skirt by Judit Ullman for Ronnie Stirling and top from Dorothy Perkins. Blonde Girl wears cotton top and skirt by Laura Ashley
Errr…yeah. Very loose premise for a cute photoshoot with a vague hint of groupie about it. Just stay away from those roadies, ok girls? (see below)
Dark girl wears cream culottes by Katharine Hamnett for Tuttanbankem and blouse by Lee Bender at Bus Stop. Blonde girl wears a skirt by Lee Bender at Bus Stop and jacket by Riva from Jane Norman
I adore Freddie Mercury. And doesn’t he look like a lovely guardian angel figure here, in his pleated Zandra tunic? The rest of them freak me out quite a bit, especially [the wrong] Roger Taylor. And I don’t blame those girls for looking so frightened of a looming Brian May. Anyone would be scared of a looming Brian May. Although he’s wearing a rather fabulous cape thing (Zandra Rhodes again). So I’d probably pinch that and run away.
Dark girl wears dress by Biba and cardigan by Ronnie Stirling. Blonde girl wears trousers by Lee Bender at Bus Stop and top from Dorothy Perkins.
Baby Doll Make-up at Woolworths
Posted: May 23, 2009 Filed under: Illustrations, Make-up, Vintage Adverts 3 Comments »
If I could find a huge batch of unused Baby Doll make-up, I’d be one happy bunny. Even if it had been used, I’d still happily display the gorgeous packaging. In fact, if I could be an illustration I’d probably be the Baby Doll girl. Yes I know that’s weird, but she’s adorable!
I don’t remember Woolworths (RIP) having a make-up range at all, so it must have been a Sixties/Seventies thing. Regardless, their adverts are amongst my very favourites of all vintage advertising.
A Tale of Two Knockoffs
Posted: May 22, 2009 Filed under: 1970s, celia birtwell, ossie clark, topshop, website listings 1 Comment »It’s not just Topshop in the Noughties who enjoy ripping things off. Sometimes it seems like every minor boutique in London, New York and Paris was taking more than a healthy dose of inspiration from Ossie Clark back in the Seventies. But it’s not often they went the whole hog when it came to the prints. Celia Birtwell’s handiwork is so distinctive, few decided to gamble with duplicating them wholesale.
I recently acquired two dresses at nearly the exact same time, both of which are direct copies of original Birtwell prints and which have been used in vaguely Ossie-esque designs. I thought it would be interesting to show you both of them, and to remind everyone to be careful of ‘unlabelled’ Ossie pieces which might look Ossie because of the Celia print…but are nothing like an Ossie original. They can be a brilliant alternative, so long as you know they’re just that and not the real deal.
The first is the Botticelli print (renamed Monkey Puzzle for the Topshop Celia range). An original Ossie example (and more gorgeous variations on it) is one of my many holy grails.
This piece is by Betty Barclay in a lovely light cotton, lined in the body, with a small keyhole neckline (with faux tie detail). Now available over at Vintage-a-Peel.
An original Ossie piece in Vogue: I would walk over hot coals and possibly kill someone for this dress.
This second piece is even more outrageous because it’s actually made in moss crepe, in a rather Ossie-style cut (although far too modestly done for him), by Emma (whoever they were). This is the glorious Floating Daisy print, most regularly seen in the tie-fronted buttoned dress [best demonstrated by the gorgeous WendyB in her red bodied version]..
The Real Deal. Sold over at Vintage-a-Peel a while ago
I’ve been hankering after an Ossie in this print which actually suits me, sadly the tie fronted one does not, and this dress is a little godsend. It’s a lovely soft pink version [which I'm sure Celia never did...far too insipid for her but I rather like it!] and the cut, whilst not up to Ossie standards, is very sweet and flattering. So I’m keeping this one. Sorry ladies! I’ll let you know if I ever change my mind….and I am giving up a spectacular Celia print Ossie dress in lieu (my wardrobe is a bit one in, one out at the moment…and it’s not really my colour…)
Ossie with Suki Poitier wearing the floating daisy. I bet she didn't have to pay for it either! Scanned from Ossie Clark by Judith Watt.
Don’t Forget Your Knickers!
Posted: May 19, 2009 Filed under: 1970s, British Steel, Vintage Adverts Leave a comment »Let’s hope the dancefloor at The Birds Nest, Waterloo wasn’t actually as shiny as it looks here.
Daily Telegraph Magazine, 1970
Perve-tastic!
I Love My Shirt
Posted: May 16, 2009 Filed under: donovan 1 Comment »
Current favourite Donovan song: I Love My Shirt. I love Donovan anyway, but this song is just brilliant in so many ways. I can relate wholeheartedly (shirts with stitching going all over the place, scuffed boots with the Nth pair of replacement heels, my velvet frock coat with the bald patch where my bag strap goes….).
Sometimes I like something crisp and new and I adore my occasional pristine vintage pieces, but there’s nothing quite like an old favourite. Bobbles, holes and all.
And for Brits of a certain vintage….here’s the Trevor and Simon version. Swing those pants!
One that you feel so groovy in ?
You don’t even mind if it starts to fade,
That only makes it nicer still.
I love my shirt, I love my shirt,
My shirt is so comfortably lovely.
I love my shirt, I love my shirt,
My shirt is so comfortably lovely.
Do you have some jeans that you really love,
Ones that you feel so groovy in ?
You don’t even mind if they start to fray
That only makes them nicer still.
I love my jeans, I love my jeans,
My jeans are so comfortably lovely.
I love my jeans, I love my jeans,
My jeans are so comfortably lovely.
When they are taken to the cleaners,
I can’t wait to get them home again.
Yes, I take ‘em to the cleaners
And there they wash them in a stream,
Scrub a rub dub dub
And there they wash them in a stream -
Know what I mean.
Do you have some shoes that you really love,
Ones that you feel so flash in ?
You don’t even mind if they start to get some holes in
That only makes them nicer still.
I love my shoes, I love my shoes,
My shoes are so comfortably lovely.
Gay Childhood
Posted: May 12, 2009 Filed under: musicals Leave a comment »I was told the other day, at dinner, that I had a very gay childhood. I believe they meant gay in the camp sense of the word, rather than actually gay, ‘happy’ or as some kind of strange modern term of abuse. It was a friend of a friend, who I last saw at my friend’s birthday party last year (where they were very amused to find I knew all the lyrics to some very cheesy Eighties music). This year we found a mutual appreciation for two lesser known musicals which I had loved as a child.
Firstly Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, which I don’t think is all that strange to know about…is it? Anyway, I always wanted to be Dorcas (Julie Newmar) and had a serious crush on Benjamin. The two were separate desires, but it was quite neat that they ended up together in the story.
And secondly, the brilliant Slipper and the Rose. Which is fabulous on so many levels. Songs by the Sherman Brothers. Big frothy Georgian frocks. Margaret Lockwood in camper-than-camp wicked Stepmother mode. Michael Hordern being adorable. It even has Annette Crosbie as the Fairy Godmother, for heaven’s sake! Tragically, my brother and I can still sing entire songs (faultlessly in his case) when prompted….and all it takes is one phrase sometimes.
There is no point to this post, other than that the conversation amused me greatly.Slave to Love
Posted: May 10, 2009 Filed under: bryan ferry, crushes, groupies, picture spam, roxy music Leave a comment »
I’ve been quiet again, but with better reason this time. I’ve had my groupie gals staying for the week, and have been immersed in rock talk for most of that time. Charley had the most incredible book of photos by the legendary Mick Rock, including several of Mr Bryan Ferry which nearly had me on the floor in swoonfulness….
He seems to be popping up all over the place [and in conversations] far more frequently at the moment, or I’m just noticing it more, and it’s all leading me to realise that I have one hell of a serious crush on him.
I mean, what’s not to crush on?
I’m afraid I’m a sucker for the [dark] floppy hair and blue eyes combination. Add to that the sophisticated (even at the height of glam rock) dress sense, the slightly odd dancing, the fact that he appears to have been born middle-aged [and has therefore never aged], and then there’s that voice. The voice of God, as someone put it. Oh yeah….
He really is a sort of God. He’s always exceedingly cool, without ever chasing such a thing. Far too much effort I’m sure, he leaves that kind of thing to Mr Bowie. And I love that quote about how Roxy Music wanted to redecorate hotel rooms rather than trash them. No wonder my beloved Durans worship the BryanGod so wholeheartedly.
And at 63, I definitely still would. I’ve even got an Antony Price dress hanging up in my wardrobe for such an occasion. I’m not actually sure it should ever leave my closet for anything less than Bryan Ferry.
