Miss Peelpants goes continental…

christian dior, david bailey, florence, Inspirational Images, italy, jean varon, john bates, polly peck, susan small, Vogue

John Bates for Jean Varon

I can’t quite believe it. My first proper holiday in three years! And it’s somewhere I’ve dreamt of going for a painfully long time. I studied A Room With a View for English A-Level, and this did nothing but exacerbate my already quite intense passion for Italy. I went to the Lakes a long five years back, but my soul still desires Florence.

I’m trying not to get TOO excited. But it’s not working. I have ironed my loveliest sundresses and prepared a few Sixties evening minis, and I’m just praying for ash clouds and strikes to stay WELL away from us and our well-earned break. It’s also timed for my birthday, and I can’t think of a better way to spend it.

A few weeks back, I spotted this amazing spread in Vogue from 1967. Bailey on location, which instantly makes Bailey a lot better than usual. And the clothes are gorgeous (particularly the Varon). But the most important aspect is the Florentine backdrop.

I. Can’t. Wait.

p.s Obviously this means I can’t post items and deal with sales until I return on Tuesday. But it’s still first come, first served for sales, so you can still buy if anything tickles your fancy over on the website.

Susan Small

Londonus

Susan Small

Christian Dior London

Susan Small

Polly Peck

Prima della mia vacanza….

british boutique movement, celia birtwell, jean varon, john bates, ossie clark, seventies fashion, sixties, stirling cooper, website listings

Stirling Cooper

New listings! Oh yes….

Miss Novell

John Bates for Jean Varon

Ossie Clark

Louis Caring

John Bates for Jean Varon

Victor Costa

Act III

Simon Ellis

Country Style

19 magazine, biba, boots, bus stop, charlotte martin, edward mann, Foale and Tuffin, forbidden fruit, hats, Inspirational Images, lee bender, seventies fashion

Smock with matching rayon skirt from Van Der Fransen.

[…and, a word in your ear if you sell vintage magazines]

I buy a lot of vintage magazines, this can come as no surprise to you all. Sometimes they come with pages missing, which has not been noted by the seller. This is Bad Practice, obviously. Not only is this amazing spread (March 1972) missing at least one photo (of a Foale and Tuffin piece, no less) but I also cannot credit the photographer because 19 magazine credits at the beginning of the spread. Bad form, magazine seller, bad form*.

Nevertheless, it is such a gorgeous spread that I couldn’t resist scanning it and posting. It’s utterly perfect inspiration for this balmy weather we’re having if, like me, you refuse to strip off and roast your flesh…

If anyone has this issue and can complete it with the missing photos and photographer ID, then I would be eternally grateful. Ta muchly! xx

*For the record, I contacted the seller and received no response to my complaints. Sigh.

Hat by Edward Mann. Shirt by Bus Stop. Skirt by Angela at London Town.

Shirt from Bus Stop. Skirt from Forbidden Fruit. Boots by Biba.

Shirt and skirt by Bus Stop. Hat by Van Der Fransen.

Top and skirt by Forbidden Fruit. Hat by Van Der Fransen. Boots by Biba.

Inspirational Images: Shrimpton by Lichfield

1970s, Inspirational Images, jean shrimpton, patrick lichfield

Patrick Lichfield, 1970

I seem to have a fascination for tree-climbing in fancy frocks. It was one of the main reasons I fell for Emma Peel back when I first saw You Have Just Been Murdered (she shins up a tree in a feather trimmed mini dress and silver shoes). Of course, I would never run the risk of doing such a thing myself (Think of the snags. And I’m so clumsy I’d definitely fall and break my neck trying to rescue a dress from being skewered by a branch!) but it’s always such a captivating thought…

Patrick Lichfield, 1970

Christine McVie in Thea Porter

british boutique movement, christine mcvie, fleetwood mac, personal collection, seventies fashion, stevie nicks, thea porter

I’m usually all about the Stevie Nicks. I have a fabulous skirt (in severe danger of falling apart at the seams, quite literally) which is identical to one she had. As identical as a patchwork skirt can be. And it’s safe to say, she is one of my biggest style icons. And I was going to do a post about her today. And then I spotted these two photos in the folder and remembered I had spotted that Christine McVie is wearing a gypsy Thea Porter dress, but didn’t blog about it at the time (for some weird reason).

It can’t have been fun being photographed next to Stevie most of the time, so it’s nice to see a rare moment where she outshines her.

I have one Thea Porter gypsy dress which, despite never having found occasion to wear, I cannot bring myself to sell (the skirt is very sheer and, clearly, I will never find a suitably hemmed petticoat to go underneath….). I rather like the fact that mine is a monochrome (aside from the gold silk waist panel), but it doesn’t stop me slightly lusting after the coloured ones as well.

Ossie Holy Grail

celia birtwell, holy grails, Inspirational Images, marisa berenson, ossie clark, seventies fashion

I met up with the gorgeous Laurakitty yesterday for an Enchanted Palace experience (at Kensington Palace) and then prosecco and vintage geek talk near the birthplace of Biba on Abingdon Road. Laura has one of the most incredible collections of Ossie Clark clothes, many of which would definitely be something of a ‘Holy Grail’ for me.

Ossie holy grails are a strange subject I suppose, since I have a not-too-insubstantial handful of covetable pieces myself, but it doesn’t do to become too complacent about the idea of ultimate pieces by designers you love. New discoveries are what keeps the passion alive. Love Me Do is probably one of the ultimates, as is the Hockney portrait dress, but sometimes I think I would dearly trade either in for, say, this one as worn by the impossibly beautiful Marisa Berenson.

That said, I recently bought an Ossie I had lusted after for years. And now I have it, I’m not convinced it suits me.

Holy Grails are strange things. What are yours?

Both Ends Burning

bryan ferry, roxy music

Because I’m feeling a tad exhausted and uninspired right now and am about to spend most of the afternoon photographing new pieces for the site, so am in desperate need of energy and inspiration, here is a gratuitous BryanGod video.

Both Ends Burning is absolutely one of my all-time favourite Roxy songs, and one I listened to fairly constantly during a very weird period in my life just over a year ago. It doesn’t have bad associations, it’s a reminder of how passionate I can feel about life – even when I’m exhausted physically and, more frequently, emotionally. And that is the power of a great song by a great band like Roxy….

And Bryan Ferry in eyepatch and tight trousers can’t do any harm either…

Inspirational Images: Bette Davis

1930s, bette davis, Inspirational Images

Bette Davis, 1933

“Why am I so good at playing bitches? I think it’s because I’m not a bitch. Maybe that’s why Miss Crawford always plays ladies.”

Mick Karn

japan, mick karn

It’s hard to tell what the outlook is, and it’s none of our business really, but I would like to take the opportunity to send some love and healing vibes to the stupendously talented bassist Mick Karn.

Designers and models

amanda lear, bill gibb, christopher mcdonnell, jean muir, joanna lumley, john bates, mary quant, zandra rhodes

One of my favourite Telegraph magazine spreads (May 25th, 1973) featuring some of my favourite designers (and, for a few, their partners) with their favourite models, wearing favourite pieces from that season.