Inspirational Images: Chiffons and snakeskins
Posted: May 29, 2014 Filed under: 1970s, Bibette, british boutique movement, Chelsea Antiques Market, david bailey, Hope and Eleanor, Inspirational Images, kensington market, moyra swan, rowley and oram, terry de havilland, thea porter, Vogue, zandra rhodes Leave a comment
Printed silk chiffon looped into a skirt, gathered from a tiny blue satin bodice, with blue satin ribbon at hem. By Zandra Rhodes, £89, at Fortnum & Mason. Tiered metallic platform shoes, 9gns, at Rowley & Oram of Kensintyon Market. Beaded choker, by Bibette, from range at Thea Porter. Rings from Hope and Eleanor, Chelsea Antique Market.
Another early appearance from Terry de Havilland, whose shoes were sold out of Rowley & Oram in Kensington Market and often not credited. I would [possibly] kill for those shoes. And the dress isn’t half bad either…
Photographed by Bailey
Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, June 1970
Inspirational Editorials: Knits, socks and clogs
Posted: October 7, 2013 Filed under: 1970s, alice pollock, alistair cowin, biba, british boutique movement, Chelsea Antiques Market, crowthers, Donald Davies, elisabeth novick, Grade One, harold ingram, Harrods, Inspirational Images, Jan Jensen, John Craig, kensington market, Margaret Howell, Mayfair Market, moyra swan, quorum, stop the shop, The Sweet Shop, Toto, Vintage Editorials, Vogue 2 Comments
Puff sleeve sweater from Harrods. Small turquoise Acrilan bib sweater at Stop the Shop. Both by John Craig. Khaki ribbed bermuda shorts by Donald Davies. Tapestry clog boots by Jan Jensen.
A perfect winter look.
Photographed by Elisabeth Novick. Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, February 1971.

Dusty pink puff sleeved sweater over a beige linen sweater. Both by Harold Ingram. Thick purple wool trousers at Biba. Striped socks, Ruskin at Kensington Market. Knit cap by Margaret Howell at The Sweet Shop. Rose in glass pin, Marie Middleton at Chelsea Antique Market. Jacquard sweater by Toto at branches of Crowthers. Mushroom beige sweater underneath by Harold Ingram. Royal blue cashmere shorts, McGregor of Dublin. Over the knee socks by Donald Davies.

Vest and pullover both by Alice Pollock at Quorum. Pink knitted shorts by Alistair Cowin at Grade One. All clogs from Mayfair Market. Puff sleeved sweater in stripes of tuqouoise, pink and navy, acrylic tibbed dark blue polo neck undeneath, dark blue knitted trousers rolled up. All by John Craig at Stop the Shop.
Make-up Inspiration: Yardley, 1966
Posted: June 25, 2011 Filed under: 1960s, Make-up, moyra swan, Vintage Adverts, yardley 4 CommentsJames Wedge the Milliner
Posted: December 1, 2010 Filed under: british boutique movement, countdown, Foale and Tuffin, hats, james wedge, jenny boyd, moyra swan, Pattie Boyd, sixties, susannah york, top gear, Vogue 7 CommentsI’m often yapping on about the genius of James Wedge’s photography, but I have been meaning to share this very rare, very precious part of fashion history and of my personal collection for a while now. Wedge is one of those rare Renaissance-man types; successful in every new skill to which he turned his hand. He successfully ran his own boutiques (Countdown and Top Gear), forged a career in photography with no experience or working knowledge (trial and error often creates some of the best works of art) and, initially, he trained and worked as a milliner.
His hats were regularly featured in Vogue in the early to mid Sixties, often teamed with outfits by his friends Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin, and are some of the most perfect examples of mod ‘op-art’ ever created. But they weren’t being produced for long, or in any great quantity, so they are now incredibly rare.
This hat splits me in half. I cannot wear fur. I just can’t. Not particularly morally, I eat meat and wear leather quite happily, but the feel on my skin is like nails down a blackboard. Consequently, a hat made from rabbit fur is a thing of beauty aesthetically but I wouldn’t wear it even if I could squish it over my big head. However, I can’t quite bring myself to sell it just yet. I mean… it’s James Wedge?!