The Great Imposters

1970s, anello and davide, aquascutum, Beged'Or, Bermona, Borg, caroline baker, chelsea cobbler, Dada, Feathers, Herbert Johnson, jane whiteside, Jonvelle, kensington market, kurt geiger, laura ashley, Laura Jamieson, Lizzie Carr, Martha Hill, Mexicana, Mog, Morel, nova magazine, peter robinson, Russell & Bromley, Selfridges, stirling cooper, the souk, The Sweet Shop, velmar, Vintage Editorials, Wild Mustang Co.

Tissavel-lined Galaxy coat by Beged’Or approx. £50; cotton blouse by Mexicana, £13; fur fabric jeans by Newmans, 12 gns; hairy slipper boots at Russell & Bromley, £6 19s; velour hat by Bermona, £3 11s; hatband made from an Estonian tie at the Russian Shop, 7s 6d; fur bag at The Souk, £3 5s; wool gloves at Dickins & Jones, 10s:

Leather and fur get more expensive every year. It’s not only the taxes and rising costs of production. It’s just that there aren’t enough good animal skins for leather around to meet the consumer demand. Furs are there in quantity for the fabulously rich. Luckily a good substitute has been found – the nylon-spun, man-made sort. Some, especially in the leather field, are so like the real thing the only way you can tell the difference is by the smell. Take the white coat on pages 46 and 47. It’s fake and costs about £50. It has a double in real fur and leather for £270. Made by the same people who have duplicated most of their collection this way and it takes an eagle eye and nose to tell the difference. Others are just furry, woolly fabrics, obviously not imitating some four-legged friend, which is one of the nicest things about them. This fur fabric is now getting the treatment it deserves. Nairn Williamson (more famous for their Vinyl floor and wall coverings) were the first to see its potential and got six designers to use their Velmar fur fabric in their winter collections. Jane Whiteside for Stirling Cooper (new label getting famous fast for their beautiful jersey co-ordinates) was the cleverest of them all. She used the best sludgy colours, mixed it with needlecord to make a group of jackets and coats to go with trousers, skirts and blouses. Borg (American originated and the pioneers in England of this deep pile fabric) has been around for a long time, mostly on the inside of duffle and raincoats but it’s on the outside as a normal fabric that it looks its best. Next winter there will be a lot more of it around, now that designers are getting less snobby about plastics. Not only is it as warm as fur, it is, of course, much cheaper and you don’t smell like a wet dog when you come in from the rain, either. So you can wear it herding sheep on lost weekends, or in town queuing for the cinema without any guilt feelings about ruining your assets.

Insert obligatory ‘I don’t agree with the thrust of the argument for fake furs as just a financial consideration here’ caveat from me, your content provider. Don’t shout at me, basically. But it’s an interesting insight into the mindset of 1970, and the proliferation of fake furs and skins at that time. It’s also a breathtakingly styled and photographed work of art from Caroline Baker and Jonvelle.

Fashion by Caroline Baker.

Photographed by Jonvelle.

Scanned from Nova, January 1970.

Mediaeval velvet applique dress by Laura Jamieson at The Sweetshop, 20 gns; Tissavel and Galaxy waistcoat by Beged’Or, £22.

Velmar jacket and needlecord trousers by Stirling Cooper, £8 10s., £5 1Gs; leggings by Chelsea Cobbler, to order, 10 gns; cotton shirt from selection at Dada, Kensington Antique Market from 2 gns.

Acrilan jacket by Lizzie Carr approx. 24 gns; suede trousers by Morel, 17 gns, tied with leather strips from John Lewis Haberdashery Dept, 1s 10d per yard; wellingtons at Russell and Bromley, £3 19s; woven sash wrapped around neck at Herbert Johnson, 25s; velour hat by Bermona, £3 11s; wool gloves at Selfridges, &s 11d

Velmar and Courtelle trousers by Martha Hill, approx. 8 gns; poncho at Peter Robinson, £7; wool shirt by Stirling Cooper, £4 5s; studded wristlet by Knees at Kensington Antique Market, 1 gn; suede moccasin boots by Anello & Davide, £8 15s; velour hat by Bermona, £3 11s; sheepskin rug from The Souk from £3 19s 6d to £6; flask from Kensington Antique Market.

Velmar fur fabric floor length coat trimmed with canvas by Mog, £20, over long cotton nightgown by Laura Ashley, £5; knitted wool socks at Feathers, £1 1s 6d

Velmar coat with needlecord and zipper trims (top left) by Stirling Cooper, 18 gns; pale suede and leather lace-up boots by Kurt Geiger, 35 gns; wool gloves at Selfridges, 8s 11d; leather belt by The Wild Mustang Manufacturing Co., approx. £3 12s 6d; fur shepherdess hat, bag and drinking flask from a selection at Kensington Antique Market

Velmar jacket and needlecord trousers (top right) by Stirling Cooper, £12 19s 6d, £5 10s; big polo-neck ribbed Shetland wool sweater at Aquascutum, £6 15s; corrugated leather lace-up boots at Russell and Bromley, £29 19s; knitted Aran mitts at Selfridges, 16s 11d; velour hat by Bermona, £3 11s, furry bag from a selection at Kensington Antique Market.

Get Dressed

19 magazine, 1970s, Adrian Mann, Charles Batten, Cloud Nine, David Anthony, Inspirational Images, manolo blahnik, Mary Graeme, nostalgia, Retro, Sacha, Samuel Sherman, Spectrum, stirling cooper, strawberry studio, Sunarama, Vintage Editorials, way in, zapata

Scarf around head from Nostalgia. Sun dress by Stirling Cooper. Blue glass necklace from Cloud Nine. Second hand floral sun dress from Retro. Rayon knit shawl from Jump. White leather shoes by Sacha. Pearl necklaces worn around the wrist from Adrien Mann. Flower and veiling from department stores.

Summer sundresses can go a long way. They’re so versatile – you can wear them for work and then dress them up for the evening with hats, scarves and jewellery. Here are some of our ideas.

Photographed by David Anthony.

Scanned from 19 Magazine, August 1975.

Straw hats from Marida. Second hand crepe de Chine dresses from Retro. Belt from Way In. Socks by Sunarama. Shoes by Zapata (left) and Sacha (right).

Black crepe de chine daffodil print dress by Strawberry Studio. Shawl from Cloud Nine. Tan sandals by Mary Graeme. Pink straw hat by Charles Batten. Black crepe de Chine smock by Spectrum. Green canvas shoes by Chelsea Cobbler. Bangles by Adrien Mann.

White cotton pull on hat by Edward Mann. Pale green and white straight dress by Concept at Samuel Sherman. Blue straw hat by Charles Batten. Pale blue and white dress by Concept at Samuel Sherman.

Riding on the Hot Side

1970s, Anna Beltrao, benny ong, body shop, charles jourdan, Inspirational Images, Lucienne Phillips, norman parkinson, paris, shuji tojo, telegraph magazine, The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, Vintage Editorials

Most revealing body suit of the season costs £40. Trench coat worn over it, £86. Cummerbund is £6.50; all by Benny Ong.

Would you dare to wear it? The body suit is what top designers have dreamed up for dancing this summer – to be worn with the barest excuse of a skirt, or a floating piece of chiffon. Norman Parkinson photographed some of the most exciting ideas in the modernised Paris Metro.

I would never have thought of sweltering on the Paris Metro as some kind of ‘normal’ experience I would aspire to, but here we are.

Shoes from Charles Jourdan and Walkers.

Fashion Editor Penny Knowles.

Photographed by Norman Parkinson.

Scanned from The Telegraph Magazine, Number 125 (February) 1979.

Looking romantic in the rush hour are blue and white striped organza dresses by Anna Beltrao, complete with body suits: fun but expensive at £200 each.

White satin body suit comes with wrap-around skirt in broderie Anglaise: £200. Demure white satin cap, £20. All by Anna Beltrao, from Haya 1, 12 Grafton Street, London.

Body suit for disco dancing all year round is striped red and black: £14.95. Red satin skirt, £16.95. Both available in other colours. By the Body Shop, 239 King’s Road, London.

Shocking pink body suit with red V comes with matching skirt. By Shuji Tojo, £98 from Lucienne Phillips, 89 Knightsbridge.

Clothes that help you hang on to your money

1970s, Alex Chatelain, Ambalu, Browns, Burtons, bus stop, Butler & Wilson, chelsea cobbler, cornucopia, cosmopolitan, Elle, Flight Studios, janet reger, jap, John Craig, Joseph, kangol, Kickers, Knitcraft, lee bender, mr freedom, mushroom, Pattie Barron, Shelana, Spectrum, stirling cooper, Vintage Editorials

Chinese satin top and pants by Ambalu. / Thirties lingerie set by John Craig. Satin panties by Janet Reger. Necklace from Butler and Wilson.

First-job salaries can present problems when you’re not used to juggling the rent around a new skirt or sweater. But there are ways—as you’ll see on these pages—of looking not just good, but positively great on a tight budget. Learn the rules of the “looking-good-on-a-little” game . . . remember that one pair of pants at £10+ will outlive two pairs that split whenever you sit down; that washable fabrics mean you’ll have no cleaning bills. Learn how to bleach and dye, starch and press properly—so you’ll be able to match vest tops and T-shirts to your new longer flowery skirts and keep them looking fresh. Invest in beautiful leather shoes: they last and look good if polished every day. Spend more on accessories —sometimes—than a new dress. Build your wardrobe around two or three colours—as crazy as you like—and find jolly extras to pull it all together. . . . This may be the summer you always wear a hat. Here is my choice of nine outfits . . . chic, very wearable and all cheap at the price. That’s fashion knowhow.

Fashion by Pattie Barron.

Photographed by Alex Chatelain.

Scanned from Cosmopolitan, July 1974.

Crepe de Chine suit at Bus Stop. Vest from Browns. Hat at Jap and Joseph. Flowers and shoes from Elle. Bag from Flight Studios.

Skirt and top by Stirling Cooper. Aran cardigan from John Craig. Raffia wedgies from The Chelsea Cobbler. Kangol beret.

Knitcraft top. Shorts by Stirling Cooper. Shoes by Kickers. His outfit from Burton’s.

Vest by John Craig. Shelana skirt. Shoes by The Chelsea Cobbler. Hat from Spectrum.

Crepe dress by Mr Freedom. Ostrich feather boa from Cornucopia. Man’s suit from Jap and Joseph.

Candy stripe cotton halter dress by Mushroom.

Stripey top and plain trousers from Bus Stop. Beret from Kangol. White leather bag from Flight Studios.

Daniel Hechter at Cue Shop

1970s, austin reed, Cue, Daniel Hechter, Daniel Hecter, Hamza Arcan, Illustrations, Vintage Adverts, Vogue

Since it’s been a while since I did Mensday…

Illustration by Hamza Arcan.

Scanned from Vogue, June 1977.

How Original!

19 magazine, 1970s, Antiquarius, barbara hulanicki, Barbara Hulanicki, biba, british boutique movement, Chelsea Antiques Market, Christian Larroque, Emmerton and Lambert, Essences, Essenses, Hair and make-up, Inspirational Images, jenny kee, MEE Designs, Ricci Burns, Sacha, susan marsh, van der fransen, Vintage Editorials

In this age of mass-production, finding clothes that have an individual look is becoming more and more difficult. But a few enterprising minds in London have got round the problem by buying old clothes, in beautiful prints that one doesn’t see these days, and remaking them in today’s styles. Though the styles are repeated, the materials are different and each garment is quite unique. If you don’t live in London, don’t despair. Look around for a clever seamstress who can copy the styles for you. Then, it’s a matter of combing jumble sales, or looking among granny’s cast-offs, for unusual prints. Don’t, however, cut up clothes in good condition. You’ll get a good price for these in London markets. And if you do come to London, go round the markets instead of the stores and boutiques – there’s a lot to be picked up!

An extraordinarily styled and photographed editorial featuring Van der Fransen, Emmerton and Lambert and Essences, all of whom were trailblazers in the world of vintage and recycled fashion.

This shoot also manages to answer two of my most frequently asked questions: what is your favourite editorial and what do you think the future of fashion will be. The former is probably a moveable feast, although this one is definitely up there with my other favourite, but the latter is still something I believe strongly. Especially in a post-pandemic landscape, I am not sure (and definitely hopeful) that we will ever see the same levels of mass production post-2020. Not for want of desire by the high street shops, but because people have maybe recognised that, actually, they don’t need armfuls of cheap synthetic, single-use garments. Perhaps the aesthetics and principles of these recyclers of the Sixties and Seventies will finally be adopted as our default? We could stop producing new clothes and fabrics right now and probably never reach the end of the piles of recyclable materials. And that’s not even taking wearable vintage garments into account. Do you feel your shopping habits have changed permanently?

Red wig by Robert at Ricci Burns.

Photographed by Christian Larroque.

Scanned from 19 Magazine, July 1972.

Beautiful old sun dress in rayon crepe and silk from Van der Fransen. Tights and shoes from Biba.

Navy and white smock in various prints of rayon crepe and skirt both by Van der Fransen. Tights and shoes by Biba.

Intricate patchwork dress and long skirt from Emmerton and Lambert. Green tights and mauve shoes from Biba.

Jenny Kee of Emmerton and Lambert at Chelsea Antique Market, wearing a Chinese kimono and trousers from a selection at Emmerton and Lambert. Model wears a blouse made up of old scarves in satin and silk from a selection at Emmerton and Lambert. Gingham shoes from Biba. Photographed at The Terrace Cafe, Chelsea Antique Market.

Slinky cross cut dress in various printed crepes and crepes de Chine from Essences. Blue tights and mauve shoes both from Biba. Scarf from Essences.

Patchwork dress of old printed fabrics from a selection at Emmerton and Lambert. Tights and gingham shoes from Biba. Plastic dragonfly at neck from Susan Marsh.

Spotted two piece from Essences. Tights from Biba. Shoes from Sacha. Lovely old shawl from Essences.

Navy blue and white print smock with contrasting sleeves by MEE Designs. Jeans from Browns. Clogs by Sacha. Photographed at MEE Designs at Antiquarius.

White satin Twenties style dress by MEE Designs at Antiquarius. Tights and shoes from Biba.

Peasant in the Sun

1970s, Bata, Bermona, biba, Britannia Land of Plenty, Buckle Under, chelsea cobbler, clobber, Diane Logan, Elliott, hampstead bazaar, Inca, laura ashley, Marielle, mary quant, miss mouse, Pamela Dennis, petticoat magazine, rae spencer cullen, ravel, Richard Green, Roger Charity, Russell & Bromley, Souk, Splinters, Sue Hone, van der fransen, Vintage Editorials

Mary Quant pinny worn over cheesecloth dress at The Souk. Britannia Land of Plenty silver armband. Buckle Under hat. Ravel shoes / Cheese cloth shirt and matching skirt by Richard Green. Woolworths hairnet. Buckle Under hat. Russell and Bromley shoes.

Summer’s peasant clothes come in brightly frilled cotton or in soft layers of cheesecloth with a bazaar of sunny straws and beads.

Fashion by Sue Hone.

Photographed by Roger Charity.

Scanned from Petticoat, 6th June 1972.

Souk pinny. Calico shirt with starry ribbon trim from Splinters. / Embroidered smock at Inca. Richard Green cheesecloth skirt. Waistcoat from Inca. Ravel suede sandals.

Miss Mouse seeksucker dress. Diane Logan boater. Biba false flowers. / Miss Mouse gingham dress. Bermona straw boater. Chelsea Cobbler wedge sandals.

Embroidered dress by Souk. Buckle Under Bowler. Britannia Land of Plenty shoulder bag. Elliotts sandals. / Midi skirt and cheesecloth dress at Souk. Inca wool belt. Buckle Under crochet cap. Bata sandals.

Long embroidered skirt with gathered waist from Hampstead Bazaar. Cheesecloth top by Clobber. Embroidered beret from Britannia Land of Plenty. Elliotts sandals. Straw bag from Inca. / Long checked cheesecloth dress by Marielle. Glass flower brooch from Van der Fransen.

Laura Ashley skirt. Calico smock by Pamela Dennis. Forbidden Fruit belt. / Laura Ashley top and skirt. Silk shawl from Britannia Land of Plenty. Shoes by Ravel.

Last Tango in Tijuana

1970s, antony price, che guevara, Dinah Adams, Dolcis, gillian richard, granny takes a trip, Herbert Johnson, Honey Magazine, Ian Batten, Inspirational Images, jean junction, Martha Hill, miss mouse, polly peck, rae spencer cullen, Roy A. Giles, Russell & Bromley, Samm, Spectrum, stirling cooper, Vintage Editorials, wallis

If you can’t tango, simply steal into the spotlight in these flamboyant rumba dresses. The slipped shoulder strap, the bared midriff and the full-blown flouncy skirts all spell out the sexiest numbers for summer.

The main difference between the content of a magazine like Honey, as opposed to Vogue or Queen, is that the designers tend to be the more intriguing and less well-known of the period. If you want names like Miss Mouse, Granny Takes a Trip or Antony Price, these magazines should always be your first port of call. This shoot alone features one of my Holy Grail pieces by Granny Takes a Trip: the ruffled tie front top and skirt ensemble designed by Dinah Adams. Previously a designer for two other cult London boutiques, Mr Freedom and Paradise Garage, painfully little is known about Dinah Adams (misattributed as ‘Diana’ in the original credits). Which is why it’s always lovely to see her work represented anywhere.

Also shown here is a frothy, frilly delight of a frock by Miss Mouse, a.k.a Rae Spencer-Cullen. A personal favourite of mine, the Miss Mouse aesthetic is precisely why this early Seventies period is my favourite for fashion. Her work was heavily Fifties-inspired, quite ahead of the curve in the scheme of things, but always with a novel twist. Spencer-Cullen is yet another designer whose life remains something of a mystery, despite being a part of a hugely influential circle which included artists Duggie Fields and Andrew Logan. It seems that this anonymity was (at least initially) intentional, as an article from the Glasgow Herald in 1976 declared.

“At first, six years ago, when presenting her quirky designs on fashion, she seemed shy and utterly retiring. Miss Mouse could not be contacted easily by the press. She was elusive, hazed in shadows, a real mouse about publicity in fact. The only evidence of her entire existence was her clothes.”

In a world where we are so used to having information at our fingertips, there is something quite enchanting about this; tiny scraps must be stitched together to create a flimsy silhouette of a creative genius.

Photographed by Roy A Giles.

Scanned from Honey, July 1973.

(Please note – this blog originally appeared in 2016 on Shrimpton Couture’s ‘Curated’ blog project which has since been removed. It seemed a shame to let the posts disappear completely so I hope to eventually repost all my work here.)

Rose-strewn wrapover cotton bolero and long frilled skirt from Spectrum. Raffia and cotton tie belt by Herbert Johnson. Right: Tightly ruched off-the-shoulder top and long skirt with deeply riched waistband from Wallis.

Ritzy ruffled satin bolero top with frilled skirt by Dinah Adams for Granny Takes a Trip. Wavy leather sandals by Samm. Right: Slinky spotted Tricel dress by Ian Batten at Stirling Cooper. Crackly taffeta long flounced skirt by Antony Price for Che Guevara. Wooden and patent sandals by Russell & Bromley.

Flouncy black and white gingham off-the-shoulder dress printed with orange and lemon flowers by Gillian Richard. Canary yellow sandals by Samm. Embroidered cummerbund by Herbert Johnson.

Swirling striped cotton skirt by Jean Junction. Off-the-shoulder pleated blouse by Martha Hill. Polished leather boots from Dolcis.

Black cotton ruched and flared rumba dress printed with multi-coloured flowers and birds by Miss Mouse. Apple green shoes by Russell & Bromley.

Left: Crisp cotton gingham blouse and flounced skirt both by Martha Hill. Oval bead choker and bangles by Paul Stephens. Right: Ruffled cotton check blouse and tiered skirt by Polly Peck. Cummerbund by Herbert Johnson. Shoes by Russell & Bromley.

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.

Create a Tropical Heatwave

alkasura, Ara, Baltrik, Browns, Buckle Under, cosmopolitan, Deirdre McSharry, Dorothy Perkins, Emesse, Inspirational Images, jean varon, john bates, Laetitia, Lida Ascher, mic mac, norman eales, oliver goldsmith, outlander, Park and Warriner, Sacha, Vintage Editorials

Lime knit jacket by Outlander. White crêpe trousers by Ara. Ascher cotton scarf.

Oh to be out of England now that April’s here, and whether you are planning on Majorca, the far-flung Bahamas or the Isle of Wight this year, now is the best time to shop for holiday clothes. And having just stepped out of a QANTAS jet that took Cosmo island-hopping via Bermuda to the Bahamas, I have a slight tan and a strong feeling that summer’s fashions will be as refreshing, bittersweet and highly coloured as that tropical drink, Planter’s Punch.

Oh to be anywhere but home, quite frankly. I shall have to recreate these styles on the balcony and dream of even going as far as the Isle of Wight…

All jewellery by Adrien Mann. Fashion by Deirdre McSharry.

Photographed by Norman Eales.

Scanned from Cosmopolitan, April 1973.