Multi-coloured lurex hat, by Missoni from Browns, £10. Exclusive black silk chiffon top, made to order at Tsaritsar. Knife pleated purple satin skirt from Alkasura, £10. Circular peacock fan from a selection at Essences.
Bright skirts and tops make it easy to dazzle this Christmas. Wear shiny accessories, flourish a peacock fan, add a lurex scarf. Outshine the twinkling fairy lights and sparkling decorations! Bright skirts and tops make it easy to dazzle this Christmas. Wear shiny accessories, flourish a peacock fan, add a lurex scarf. Outshine the twinkling fairy lights and sparkling decorations!
One of the most incomparably beautiful editorials I have had the pleasure of scanning, with a little insight into the ‘vintage’ market of the early Seventies (most of the sequined pieces appear to be original Twenties and Thirties from Essences, one of those places I would make a beeline for if I ever found that time machine). Also, glitter eyebrows. Swoon.
Model is Cathee Dahmen.
Photographed by David Anthony.
Scanned from 19 Magazine, December 1973.
Net cap, with seed pearl trim, from a selection at Essences, £8.50. Green lurex halter neck by Crochetta, £6. Gold sequin bolero, from a selection at Essences, £15. Knife pleated gold taffeta skirt from Alkasura, £10. Green glitter evening bag from a selection at Essences, £12.50. Yellow shot lurex scarf by Bellino, 25p.
Sequin hat, with trim on side, from a selection at Essences, £8.50. Black and green lurex, heart shaped halter neck knee length ress and matching black and green lurex cardigan, by Gillian Richard, £12.95. Black lace gloves from a selection at Essences, £5.
White sequin hat, £8.50. Black sequin sleeveless top, £15. Both from a selection at Essences. Black velvet jacket, with silver stars embossed all over, made to order by Tsaritsar. Knife pleated silver skirt from Alkasura, £10.
Sequined skull cap and sequin bolero. Both from a selection at Essences.
If you can’t buy it anywhere else, you’ll probably stumble on it in a craft shop — from the most punctiliously-made tapestry, reeking with tradition and the skills of centuries, to crazy little things like corn-dollies and earth mothers. The name Women’s Home Industries’ conjures up all the right kind of pre-Women’s Lib craftsmanship. The work still goes on, and every type of hand-knitted clothing is still sold from their re-christened shop, Beatrice Bellini Handknits, 11 West Halkin St, SW1.
Their bright, stripy, over-the-knee socks in various colours, or to order; £5.50. The lovely floppy beret comes in matching colours, and costs £3.50. The WHI Tapestry Shop, 85 Pimlico Road, SW1 sells hand-painted canvases for anything from a specs case to a large rug, and will copy your sketches on to canvas.
Think of a tile floor, and needlepoint it: tapestry rug in twelve squares, joined as you like, repeated as you like. Designed by Kaffe Fassett for Beatrice Bellini of Women’s Home Industries’ Tapestry Shop, 85 Pimlico Rd; each square with enough Coats Tapestry wool, £12, complete border with sufficient wool, £75. Dark brown cotton caftan, £6.60 at Medina Arts. Photograph taken at the house of Mr and Mrs William Ellsworth-Jones. Just published, the new “Vogue Guide to Needlepoint Tapestry” (Collins in association with Conde Nast, £1.75)
Man’s smoke-grey kimono knitted in oriental patterns, rivers and islands fading up sleeves and hem, black to charcoal, ginger to peach. Stripe sash. 30 gns. Child’s plum red tunic in diamond design, purple and pale blue all over, violet and khaki, rose pink and blue on the edge. 5 gns. Woman’s long black kimono with a sky of blue and ginger stars, giant satellites of black, dark brown, plum red and violet circling. Black and grey stripe sash. 30 gns. All by Kaffe Fassett at Beatrice Bellini, 11 West Halkin St.
Fashion constantly starts afresh and now it has travelled far back into the imagination, retuned to the basics of craft and design. Grass roots is the mood for this summer and the look is handwoven, hand painted, handknitted, handstitched. Here is how appliqué was recreated and a shepherd’s smock came in from the fields. How lace came to be painted with butterflies and sewn onto tartan, how knitting grew into something remarkably new.
Illustrations by Antonio
Scanned from Vogue, July 1970.
Peach and green tartan tweed. all set about and frilled with cotton lace tie dyed in the same summer pastels. A long and willowy suit with a long and willowy knife-pleated skirt. By Bill Gibb at Baccarat.
Long peach and golden tie dyed smock of lace, one beautiful big butterfly handpainted on the yoke. And a dress of natural linen billowing yard upon yard. threads drawn out by hand, panels of lace sewn in. All by Bill Gibb at Baccarat. Cotton lace tied and dyed by Valerie Irving. Apron and cap crocheted in string by Kaffe Fassett.
Natural linen shepherd’s smock and trousers. No boyangs but all traditional stuff with thick embroidery, smocking stitch, lazy daisies and paisleys almost everywhere. By Lady Fingers, 50 gns, to order, Countdown
Long grassy gingham dress and a long white cotton apron, pretty as a picture, sewn with birds and hedgerows, greens, pinks, deep dark blues. About 12 gns, 7 gns, to order, Frances Vaughan, 3 Munroe Terrace, S.W.10.
Striped woollen poncho skirt by Beatrice Bellini for WHI. Chamois lace-up blouse by Janet Ibbotson. Lace up suede boots by Anello and Davide. Leather and bead necklace by Feathers.
Not only does leather feel good, it smells delicious, like a trip out West. Suede and chamois are even better than leather because they are so much softer and easier tow ear. They’re not as expensive as they used to be. Cheap they will never be if you want value for your money. Leather, properly looked after, lasts for age; in fact, the more beaten up and old it looks the better. So when it comes to buying remember that and invest in something safe – like the clothes photographed on these pages. Thy are not desperately in fashion but, on the other hand, they are not out and never will be…
Fashion by Caroline Baker. Photographed by Harri Peccinotti.
Scanned from Nova, October 1970.
Midi pigskin wrarpover skirt and long fitted jacket both by Beged’Or. Lace up suede boots from Anello and Davide.Suede midi waistcoat and pants by Friitala. Brown wool shirt at Feathers. Leather and bead necklace at Feathers. Felt hat by Bermona. Stripey belts at Herbert Johnson.Leather and rabbit midi waistcoat by Skinflair. Handwoven cotton blouse from Fifth Avenue. Flared blue jeans by Levis.Suede jeans by Newman at Spotlight. Argentinian wool poncho – similar available at Mexicana and at Inti. Cow print velour hat by Bermona. Patent boots from Sacha.Chamois fringed midi dress and beaded headband both at Battle Of The Little Big Horn.Suede lace up dress to order at Pourelle. Poncho by Village Squares. Boots by Anello and Davide.Fake snake velvet jeans by Newman at Feathers. Silk satin snake shirt to order at Lizzie Carr. Woven sash belts at Herbert Johnson.
Needlepoint waistcoat by Kaffe Fassett for Beatrice Bellini, £25 to order, Women’s Home Industries’ Tapestry Shop. Suede gauchos, fine jersey shirt, both by Jean Muir. Perspex belt by Nigel Lofthouse for Jean Muir. Ghillies by Christel at Elliott. Panne velvet muffler by Veronica Marsh for Jacqmar.
Gauchos remain one of my favourite looks at the moment. Indeed, I am wearing a pair of tweed Chelsea Girl gauchos as I write this. It’s one of those looks which will, inevitably, make a comeback, and I will be tiresomely reminding people that ‘I was doing it ages ago!’. As it is, I am just continuing to enjoy wearing them, enjoying the curiousity and comments, and educating people to call them ‘gauchos’ rather than ‘culottes’. Then I will just have to move onto knickerbockers…
Photographed by Norman Parkinson.
Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, September 1970
Liz Eggleston 