Truly, inspirationally perfect illustrations from Harpers and Queen, July 1972. I recently acquired an Annacat in the same print as the one above, in a slightly different cut, and I have another dress in the exact same cut but a plain green fabric. Annacat dresses make me happy, this spread makes me happy.
If you would like some Annacat happiness in your life, please check out the amazing one I have for sale on my website.
The first I knew of Joanna was when I happened upon the soundtrack LP in a record shop in Norwich. Don’t even get me started on my idiocy in not buying it*. I was transfixed by the front cover, the synopsis and the fact that it has Donald Sutherland in it. Why had I not seen this before? Thankfully, Mr Brownwindsor was on the case and managed to find a copy for my birthday**.
Geneviève Waïte plays the title character (she would later release an album called Romance is on the Rise, and marry John Phillips after he split from Michelle) and the film was written and directed by Michael Sarne, occasional actor, pop singer and ex-husband of Ghost founder Tanya.
To say it’s an odd film, is to say the least. But odd in that perfect, no-need-to-make-sense kind of way that so many late Sixties films are. Better than Candy but probably not as downright amazing as, say, The Jokers or Smashing Time.
Waïte’s clothes were specially designed by Sue West and Virginia Hamilton-Kearse and were then sold through the Paraphernalia boutique in New York. There’s definitely something quirky and unique about them, almost beyond what you expect for the period. They remind me of Foale and Tuffin, Quorum, Betsey Johnson etc, but have more of a homemade and eccentric ‘costume’ feel to them which is a good match for the character of a young art student.
I can see why Waïte never really continued with much in the way of acting, since I suspect that the role of Joanna was really not very far from her own personality. She’s cute, eccentric and ditsy, but with a healthy dose of logic and sense.
As with so many films of this style and era, it’s well worth watching for the exterior shots of London and Joanna throws up a rare treat: the girls take a ‘shopping’ trip to Bus Stop where the rails are soon raided and no money is spent. Utterly brilliant.
I don’t think my screengrabs even begin to do it justice, but I hope they give you a good taste of what you might expect from the film. The outfit changes are relentless, her facial expressions ever-changing, and the locations are stunning. I’ve also captured what I’m fairly sure are uncredited cameos by Suki Poitier and Chrissie Shrimpton. Enjoy!
*I went back two years later and it was still there! This time, dear reader, I bought it…
** It has subsequently been given a gorgeous release by the BFI. Which always seems to happen when we’ve finally found a dodgy copy of something we were desperate to see. Psychic but annoying BFI…
One of the few recent passings which has actually left me rather embarrassingly weepy, perhaps because of the childhood significance (although Sarah Jane was long gone as a companion by the time I was born, I grew up watching her episodes on scratchy VHS…). I can’t really say any more than any of the other fans are right now, and I didn’t know her to say anything very personal. So I will do what I do best, posting some of my favourite images of Lis Sladen as Sarah Jane, Bus Stop wearer extraordinaire and one of the best Who-ladies ever….
Farewell!
From Nova, February 1972. Photograph by Harri Peccinotti
If this were my spring capsule wardrobe, I’d be one very contented lady…
Oh dearest readers. I have been laid up in agony for most of the weekend courtesy of a pulled/trapped something-or-other in my shoulder/arm. It’s been a bit hellish at times, two nights in a row I was only able to get four hours sleep and I’m still waking up every two or so hours in almost unbearable pain. Hot water bottles and codeine are my friends right now.
It started out so beautifully though. For M’s birthday, we went to a beautiful hotel in the Sussex countryside. In fact, the same location as last year. I’m hoping it will become an annual tradition because the hotel, grounds and restaurant are completely and utterly divine. Even *I* managed breakfast on both days. And I never do breakfast in hotels.
M is now in possession of a menswear Biba nightshirt/kaftan (I keep saying it makes him look very John Paul Getty. I wish I looked like Talitha.) and a draught-excluder, made by mine own fair hands, *proud of self*, amongst other things. We celebrated by doing quite a lot of walking in the crisp, misty February air, drinking some champagne and, later, a scrum-diddly-umptious beanfeast. With no beans involved. And with a Michelin star.
My hair wasn’t really behaving, as per, and I’m in a bit of a shy mood photographically right now. But here are my YSL shoes (having long-overdue outing), seamed stockings and the hem of my Bus Stop dress.
And here is a [deliberately] blurry photo of the top of the dress. It’s black satin, ridiculously puffed sleeves and an integral choker, which is perfect for a jewellery dunce like me. I always forget to either bring anything or to put it on before leaving, so I’m rather fond of things which prevent me from even needing it.
On the way back, we found a splendiferously old-school charity shop where I picked up some decorated coupes for myself (£1 each). It’s rare enough to find coupes which aren’t Babycham-branded, but decorated non-Babycham coupes have got to be worth picking up!
And I have decided to become the anti-platitude by buying two books largely for the incredibly illustrated covers.
It has caused me to ponder if judging a book by its cover is really such a bad thing? After all, the point of a cover is to give an impression of the insides, otherwise it’s not doing its job, surely? Musings about appearance and clothes ensue, and I find myself going round in circles. Far more interesting, for me, than London Fashion Week anyway…
Coat by Elgee. Gaucho pants by Thea Porter. Boots by Sacha.
I cry at everything. Songs on the radio. Films. Commercials. Nice things people say, do and write. My new niece. I’m the soppiest softie you could ever meet. And despite looking longingly at skimpier clothes and hoping for an improvement in the weather, I still love wrapping myself up in the softest velvets. I’m a complete sucker for textures which match my mood, and velvet is definitely protecting me from the horrors of the outside world right now. I adore this velvet-obsessed spread (entitled Velvet: The soft touch) from The Observer Magazine from December 1970. Photos by Steve Hiett.
I’ve got an incredible velvet Antony Price dress to be photographed and listed in the next week or so (along with lots of other goodies) but until then, I’ve still got an amazing velvet Forbidden Fruit dress and a Lee Bender for Bus Stop for sale in case you need a fix…
By Nettie Vogues. Boots by Charles Jourdan.
By Susan Small. Brooch by Thea Porter.
By Polly Peck. Boots by Biba.
By Gillian Richards. Shoes by Charles Jourdan.
I wanted these Chelsea Cobbler boots to fit me so badly. But my spindly calves put paid to that desire, so they’ve just gone up on the website. Then, flicking through a 1970 copy of Nova (as you do), I spy them on the rarely-spotted designer Georgina Linhart. Geek heaven + spindly calves = Geek Hell. Or something…..sigh. Please will somebody very lovely buy them from me?
Annacat
Bus Stop by Lee Bender
Bermona
Biba
Terry De Havilland
Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
John Stephen
John Bates for Jean Varon
Lowy and Mund
Unsigned (poss. Mary Quant)
Janice Wainwright
Ongoing, as ever, but I’ve put up some new listings over at Vintage-a-Peel for your delectation. Two things have already sold (hurrah for me and my gorgeous buyers, not so hurrah if you wanted them, but there’s plenty more to come!) but there’s just a whole host of beautiful new pieces to choose from.
Forbidden Fruit
Jacqui Smale for Spectrum
Wallis Shops
Catherine Buckley
Frank Usher
Hang Ups, Too
Lee Bender for Bus Stop
unsigned 1970s moss crepe
Sportaville
Bridget at Strawberry Studio
Yvonne Jacovou at Cornelius
Pret-a-Porter
unsigned 1930s
John Bates for Jean Varon
Kiki Byrne
Shorts have been with us for some time now – “hot pants” making even starlets front page news – but the big question was whether they were here to stay, or were just a gimmick. Increasing sales seem to show that they are really catching on, and now the big stores are stocking them. For those with the youth and legs to enjoy them, we bring the very latest designs.
Outfit by Antony for Stirling Cooper. All menswear by YSL.
Shorts and top by Bus Stop. Shirt by Toto from Crowthers
Outfit by Diana Crawshaw for Mr Freedom
Top and scarf by Ossie Clark from Quorum. Shorts by Clobber
Outfit on left by Diorling at Christian Dior. Outfit on right by Sheilagh Blagden at Stirling Cooper
Outfit on left by Ritva. Outfit on right by Paul Reeves for Universal Witness.
Smock with matching rayon skirt from Van Der Fransen.
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.
Liz Eggleston 
