Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, March 1973
Christopher McDonnell must dream in black and white, and all his dreams must star Ginger Rogers and Rita Hayworth. Because, when it comes to designing clothes, this twenty-eight year old ex-Royal College of Art designer is the very spirit of Hollywood: his clothes have backless bodices, necklines to the navel and skirts that grip the bottom and then flare in Busby Berkley pleats. His model girls, smiling jammily through their bright lips, false eyelashes and heaving curls, snap along on platform soles. One of today’s top stars, Anouk Aimée, is his favourite customer. Here, model Kari-Ann wears black taffeta top and pleated dotted culottes by Christopher McDonnell, £35. Hat by George Malyard. Shoes by Terry de Havilland, exclusive to Marrian McDonnell.
Photographed by Richard Imrie.
Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Cosmopolitan, May 1972.
Featuring iconic model Charlotte Martin (who had romances with Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Jimmy Page). and some of the sweetest knits I’ve ever seen.
Photographed by Roger Stowell.
Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Petticoat, March 29th 1969
Pyjama suit by Sujon.
Photographed in Brazil with Yardley, whose Yardley McLaren team took part in the 2nd Grand Prix, 1973
Photographed by Harry Peccinotti. Styled by Caroline Baker.
Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Nova, May 1973
Drawstring neck top (part of a flared Pajama suit) by Ossie Clark for Radley. Compact mirror from Biba.
Crêpe de chine printed coat and plain crêpe bags from Electric Fittings. Rib sun top by John Craig. Pique sun hat by Edward Mann. Espadrilles at Ronald Keith.
Dressing gown from Austin Reed. Silk blouse and baggy pants by Katharine Hamnett for Tuttabankem. Cobweb shoes at Chelsea Cobbler.
Crêpe de chine pyjama suit by Susie Craker. Panama at Paul Craig.
Sun top sweater by Virginia. Cotton baggy pants by Universal Witness. Hat by Herbert Johnson. Shoes by Yves Saint Laurent.
Crêpe and satin jacket top by Marie France for Quorum. Flared crêpe trousers by Alice Pollock for Quorum.
Scanned by Miss Peelpants from The Daily Telegraph Magazine, January 28th 1972
Fringed jumpsuit by Janice Wainwright for Simon Massey, 9½ gns. Silk scarf with fringes from Fulham Road Clothes Shop, £3.
I must have flicked past this image so many times in the past, but the most recent time I stopped and stared because – somewhere in between then and now – I have acquired this jumpsuit in black. I’m still waiting to give it an outing, but I will be sure to show you when I do. Although I can’t promise the befeathered head, or companion…
Photographed by Clive Arrowsmith. Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, March 1969
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
I don’t often post about individual garments listed over at Vintage-a-Peel, but some things are just that special…
Ethereally beautiful gown by Catherine Buckley, using fabric designed by Veronica Holden. Buckley is best known for her designs for Joanna Lumley as Purdey in The New Avengers. She otherwise maintained a low profile, producing idiosyncratically period-style fantasy garments, often incorporating original antique fabrics. This garment uses a replica fabric, a cream net with delicate lace flowers, embroidered flowers nearer the hem and hand-painted green and pink tones.
The style is unmistakeably, and almost accurately, Belle Epoque. From the delicate lace ruffles which cascade over the shoulders and down the back, to the deep ruffled hem, to the extraordinary fabric covered buttons which are the only fastening. Buckley’s pieces are always extraordinary and as near to couture as you can get from the British Boutique era. I would put her on a par with Thea Porter and Gina Fratini; less ethnic-inspired than Thea Porter and less utterly insane than Fratini, a truly ‘English’ look. Refined and feminine, sophisticated and elegant…
Available at Vintage-a-Peel.co.uk or over on Etsy if you prefer…
“Look at him. God’s gift to women.
But before you start chucking him back, remember the average British male is all you’ve got to work on. So get working on him. Tell him you think his barber stinks. Say you’ll scream if he turns up in that seedy safari jacket, with those baggy drainpipes, and bunion-hugging shoes again. Meantime, wear this pale blue hooded coat £45, matching poloneck with red chevron front £21, and matching trousers £28. All by Sonia Rykiel at Browns.”
This is a quite-frankly-amazing little photo story from Vanity Fair, which sees our Cinderfella hero being taken from baggy drainpipes to novelty-print-shirted Hard Rock Cafe God, via the Kensington Church Street branch of Mr Freedom and Leonard of Mayfair.
Photographed by Marc Leonard. Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vanity Fair, January 1972
“Once he’s started growing his hair,
…swap the chat for action. Shove him into Mr. Freedom, 2- Kensington Church Street, W8. Strip off his drainpipes and fit him into a pair of red velvet jeans, £7.75. Rip off his jacket and zip him into a red-and-white satin top, £7.95. (It’s got FAR OUT splashed over the shoulders to make sure he gets the message). And while you’re there, buy yourself some pale blue satin trousers, £5.25, a furry acrylic leopard-skin blouse, £9.95, and a black pom-pom beret, £4.”
“This is when the sow’s ear really turns into a silk purse.
He’s at Leonard, 6 Upper Grosvenor Street, W1 (even if you had to frog march him there), being tactfully handled by Peter. Wash, cut and blow-dry costs £3.75, beard 5-p. extra – not much when you consider it’s made a mean-moody-magnificent out of that surly yobo of yours.”
“Doesn’t he look lovely?
Sitting in the Hard Rock Cafe in his grey wool barathea Stirling Cooper suit, £28.00 with a waistcoat, and his tiny-man-patterned shirt, £4.90. Both from Way-In, Hans Crescent, SW1. You’re in your Missoni four-piece (orangey battledress top, matching trousers, orange silky blouse and toning striped tank top). £75 from Browns. Thinking what a perfect couple you make. Except that now he’s thinking: ‘Blimey mate, you could do a lot better than her if you tried.'”

The Duchess of Windsor has been the epitome of elegance for thousands of people, as she manages to combine originality and chic in such a feminine way. With her faultless dress sense in mind, Barbara Hulanicki of Biba designed some of these outfits exclusively for 19, keeping the theme black and white as that most associated with the elegance of the ‘Thirties. We take you back, in affectionate nostalgia, to the days of tea at the Ritz, when immaculately dressed ladies and gentlemen listened to a string orchestra, while nibbling cucmber sandwiches and sipping China tea.
Photographed by Bob Richardson.
Model is Donna Jordan
Liz Eggleston 
