Flannel as a Platform for Colour

1970s, Adrian Mann, Alan Rodin, bally, Buckle Under, bus stop, christopher mcdonnell, edward mann, Elliott, emcar, Escalade, flair magazine, Frank Murphy, georgina linhart, harold ingram, harriet, John Craig, Joseph, Juliet Dunn, kangol, lee bender, Mark Russell, mary quant, Muira, Mulberry, Pringle, Russell & Bromley, Sacha, Vintage Editorials

Jersey wrap around jacket, Georgina Linhart £15.50. Shirt, Richard Green £5.50. Sleeveless sweater, Harold Ingram £2.20. Prince of Wales skirt, Emcar £22.50. Shoes, Elliott £15.95. Velour hat, Buckle Under £8.50. Clutch bag, £1.60 by Escalade. / Wool tweed jacket £20.50; wool tweed skirt £10.25, both by Christopher McDonnell. Shirt, John Craig £4.50. Wool cardigan, Harold Ingram £3.25. Hat £5.95; cotton scarf 45p, both by Herbert Johnson. Shoes, Russell & Bromley £14.95. Clutch bag, Escalade £10.75.

Bright girls use their grey matter and use flannel as a platform for colour

Photographed at St. Pancras Station, London. Hair by Gerald at Evansky.

Photographed by Frank Murphy.

Scanned from Flair, September 1972.

Wool flannel double breasted jacket and matching bags, John Marks £14.95. Acrilan jersey shirt, 14.49 ; striped V neck sleeveless wool sweater, £3.50, both by John Craig. Angora pull on, Kangol £1.10. Leather knee boots, Sacha £9.99. Canvas striped shoulder bag, Mulberry £3.50. Flower printed wool cardigan jacket with tie belt and matching pleated skirt, Alan Rodin £19. Striped silky shirt, Joseph £7.50. Striped cloche, Marida £2.80. String of pearls, Adrien Mann £1. Patent shoes, Russell & Bromley £17. Leather clutch bag, Mulberry £7. Tights, Mary Quant 75p. Bangles, Paul Stephens 10p each. Telephone wire bangle, Escalade 40p.

Right: Flannel tie belted jacket, £13.50; checked trousers, £5.50, both by Alan Rodin. Spotted silky shirt, Joseph £7.50. Velour cloche, Buckle Under £8.50. Leather knee boots, Sacha £9.99. Pearl choker, Adrien Mann £1. Leather clutch bag, Cingula £9.50. Wool flannel stitched shirt styled jacket with matching pants, Muira £12.50. Long Giselle scarf, Ascher £4.25. Leather knee boots, Sacha £9.99. Leather shoulder bag, Terry Davis £11. Shopping information page 82.

Striped flannel cardigan jacket with matching pleated skirt, Mary Quant £12. Striped silky shirt, Joseph £7.50. Scoop neck long sleeved lambswool jumper, Pringle £9. Tights, Mary Quant 75p. Thin leather belt, Mulberry £2.20. Patent leather shoes, Russell & Bromley £17. Printed pull on hat, Edward Mann £3.20. Telephone wire choker, Escalade £1. Leather clutch bag, Mulberry £7. Bangles, Paul Stephens 10p each. Flannel cape-sleeved wool dress with checked insets, Harriet £9.45. Peachbloom breton style hat, Buckle Under £11. Tights, Mary Quant 75p. Leather clutch bag with perspex buckle, Cingula £9.50. Printed Acri-lan jersey shirt, £4.91; button-through long sleeved matching cardigan, £4.49, both by John Craig. Two-tone patent shoes, Russell & Bromley £19. Long string of pearls, Adrien Mann £2.70

Striped flannel belted jacket, £5.95; matching pants £5.95, both by Bus Stop. Dicel satin waistcoat, £6; matching pink silk spotted shirt, £7.50; white Dicel satin tie, £2, all by Juliet Dunn. Patent and suede lace-up shoes, Bally £7.95. Leather clutch bag, Mulberry £7.Wraparound wool coat with tie belt, Mark Russell £28.50. Tights, Mary Quant 75p. Pearl choker, Adrien Mann £1. Patent leather shoes, Russell & Bromley £17. Long Giselle scarf, Ascher £4.25. Horn bangles, Escalade £2.50 each. Luggage from a selection at Liberty.

A Clutch of Bags

1970s, alistair cowin, Angela at London Town, bags, biba, caroline smith, Elle, flair magazine, gordon king, Herbert Johnson, Illustrations, Pierre Elegante, Sujon, Titfers

From left to right: Black satin Oxford bags, Angela at London Town £5; black satin clutch bag with rhinestone star, Titfers £8. Orange and red blanket check pure wool bags with turn ups, Pierre Elegante £8; yellow felt clutch bag with navy satin trim and flower button, Titfers £4. Wool gaberdine rust Oxford bags with winged pockets and turn ups, Gordon King £7.50; navy felt clutch bag with white anchor and white satin trim, Titfers £4; cotton kerchief square 40p, Herbert Johnson. Rust two toned patterned wool tweed trousers with turn ups, Biba £5.50; Black suede clutch bag with rust suede trim, Biba £7.75. Red acrylic wool Oxford bags, Alistair Cowin £6.50; black blue and beige chevron felt clutch bag, Titfers, £4.20. Rust brown and ochre checked wool tweed bags with turn ups, Sujon £9.50; golden suede clutch bag with tortoiseshell flap, Elle £12.50.

This autumn there are bags everywhere: Oxford ones on your pins and clutch ones in the hand. The return of the straight trouser has brought with it wing lapelled jackets with padded shoulders and neat waistcoats. Underneath, a feminine touch to soften the butch look, blouses with floppy painters’ bows. And don’t forget your clutch bag tucked neatly under your arm.

Illustration by Caroline Smith.

Scanned from Flair, November 1971.

Calico Futures

1970s, Adrian Mann, Andreas Heumann, Averil B, Badges and Equipment, bus stop, chelsea cobbler, Colette Nivelle, Corinne Bricaire, Country Casuals, Crochetta, Dorothy Perkins, Dunhill, Edy Lyngas, Fiorucci, French Connection, Inspirational Images, Ivory, jap, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, jeff banks, Joseph, Kasparian's Contracts, Kenneth Grange, Lawrence Corner, Leah Hertz, lee bender, Midas, Mulberry, Pierre D'Alby, Sacha, Steve Rothholz, Sun and Sand, Vintage Editorials

Woven waistcoat ,cotton trousers and towelling lined calico jacket, all by Corinne Bricaire from Browns. Necklace from Adrien Mann. Belt from the Mulberry Company. Flat canvas sandals from Sacha. Headphones from Leisure Sounds of Wigmore Street.

The time: mid-morning coffee-break The place: The Post Office Confravision Studios, Euston Tower* The clothes: At last, working gear (you’ll be delighted to see) to cope with both formal and permissive working environments. The fabric: calico, strong and hard-wearing, cotton-based, so it’s comfortable for over-heated offices. Add a dash of towelling, team it with crocheted string vests, scarves, tights and bags for a little wit. The colour: cream—soothing and harmonious for worn executives. Enliven it with a touch of colour here and there (and to pick you out from beige office walls — remove if you need the camouflage).

* One of five office studios provided by the Post Office for its conference-by-TV service. Designed by Kenneth Grange of Pentagram.

An incredibly apposite photoshoot featuring the Post Office’s futuristic ‘Confravision’ studios. To read an original brochure, click here.

Photographed by Andreas Heumann.

Scanned from Over 21 Magazine, April 1976.

Cream short sleeved shirt, quilted waistcoat, cream jacket and trousers from Country Casuals.

Cream skirt and jacket by Jeff Banks from Averil B, Fulham Road. Scarf by Edy Lyngas. Canvas espadrilles from Sacha.

Calico jumpsuit by French Connection. Vest from Lawrence Corner. Leather bound hessian purse by Lee Bender for Bus Stop. Belts from the Mulberry Company. Stack of chairs from Kasparian’s Contracts Ltd, 288/290 Euston Road.

Strapless shorts suit by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac from Joseph. Silver table croquet game from Dunhill.

Cream tube dress by Leah Hertz from Crochetta. Trousers by Jap from Jap & Joseph. Chelsea Cobbler shoes. Cigars from Dunhill.

Cream sweater by Ivory from Roberta, 94 Golders Green Road. Cream calico tabard by Colette Nivelle from Elle. Calico trousers from Dorothy Perkins. Suede espadrilles from Midas. Bracelets by Adrien Mann. Gilt soda syphon by Dunhill.

Cream short sleeved t shit by Sun & Sand from Conspiracy, 170 Kensington High Street. String vest from Badges & Equipment, The Strand. White shorts from Laurence Corner. Calico jacket by Pierre D’Alby. Clear plastic braces by Steve Rothholz from Fiorucci. Watch by Trafalgar.

Carry Your Bag?

1970s, Avril Gordon, bags, Bags, biba, erica budd, Inspirational Images, John Carter, John Craig, mr freedom, petticoat magazine, stop the shop, Sue Hone, Tillers, Tommy Roberts, Tony Alston, Wild Mustang Co., Xanthe leathers

From left to right: John Craig polo, £4.50., Just Looking, SW3. Felt clutch bag, Tillers, £4., Miss Selfridge and Way In, SW1. Satchel tote bag, Avril Gordon, £3.99., from Miss Selfridge shops. Striped polo, John Craig, £4., at “27”, SW3. Rainbow suede clutch bag, Biba, W8., £7.75., and knit hat, 75p. Fringed duffle bag, Xanthe Leather, £3.99., Girl, Wl. John Craig polo, £3., Girl. Leather and snake clutch bag, Bus Stop, W8., £4. Canvas bag with daisy trim, Xanthe Leather, £3.50 at Girl, Wl. Polo sweater with badges, Erica Budd, £2.90., Neatawear, Girl and Peter Robinson Top Shop, Wl. Bus Stop hat, £2.60. Bag in leather cowboy style, Wild Mustang, £9., to order, 30 Gt. Portland St, Wl., p&p inc. Custard Tart metal workman’s lunchbox, Mr Freedom, Kensington Church St., W8., £2.65. Ribby polo with stripes, John Craig, £4., at Stop The Shop, SW3. Knitting bag, Baggage and General, £2.90., Peter Robinson, Great Gear Trading Co., SW3. Leather shoulder bag with criss cross stitching, Girl, £6.99. Vest sweater, John Craig, £4.50., at Just Looking, SW3. Suede shoulder bag with badge and wings, £5.75., with matching hat, £4.75., by Tony Alston to order from 52, Sutherland Pl., W2, p&p inc. Canvas bag, Xanthe Leather, £3.25., Chelsea Girl, Mail order: 15, Perrins Lane, NW3 and 20p p&p.

Carry-alls in all shapes and sizes… patterned pouches to go pretty places, tough canvas (and tin!) toters for trains and towns and big squashy suede and leather shoulder bags for catching buses and boats and being busy.

I am particularly enamoured of the ‘Custard Tart’ workman’s lunchbox from Mr Freedom.

Fashion by Sue Hone.

Photographed by John Carter

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Petticoat, October 1971

Inspirational Editorials: Put them together and what have you got?

1970s, Adrian Mann, aquascutum, Dannimac, Herbert Johnson, Inspirational Images, just looking, Malyard, mary quant, Mulberry, oliver goldsmith, Over 21, Russell & Bromley, simon massey, Sujon, Vintage Editorials, Weathergay, Willie Christie

Put them together - Over 21 - September 1972 - Willie Christie 1

No excuse for looking a wash-out with these rainy-day separates. Showerproof three-quarter length Dannimac cotton jacket. Black Simon Massey shirt. Keep-the-worst-off cotton hat by Malyard. Bouncy beads by Adrien Mann. Bumper sunglasses by Oliver Goldsmith.

Photographed by Willie Christie.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Over 21, September 1972

Put them together - Over 21 - September 1972 - Willie Christie 2

Fabulous shaggy acrylic jacket by Weathergay – believe it or not it’s showerproof. With a pure silk crepe de chine Sujon shirt. Cream wool trousers by Mary Quant. Splash-happy PVC hat from Herbert Johnson. Wet=grass green leather clutch bag by Mulberry Company.

Put them together - Over 21 - September 1972 - Willie Christie 3

Casual-as-they-come trench coat in cotton and polyester from Aquascutum. Lined wool bags by Sujon from Just Looking. Silk shirt from Aquascutum again. Bringing-back-the-sun clutch bag by Mulberry Company. Shoes from Russell and Bromley. Antelope felt hat from Herbert Johnson.