Barnstormers

1970s, Browns, Crocodile, gordon king, Honey Magazine, Ian Stokes, Inspirational Images, Jim O'Connor, Joanna Jacobs, John Craig, louis caring, Ronnie Stirling, stirling cooper, Two Generators, Vintage Editorials

Left : Mexican peasant printed cotton Aertex crew-neck sweatshirt with contrasting ribbing, Browns £8.50, from Browns. 27 South Molton Street, W1. Right : Rich chocolate brown cotton stretch velour shirt with elasticised waist and cuffs, Gordon King £14, from Gordon King at Peter Robinson Top Shop, Oxford Street, W1.

Stretch out and take life easy in these comfy, great-to-wear American-style sweatshirts.

Photographed by Ian Stokes.

Dark haired model is Joanna Jacobs.

Scanned from Honey, August 1974.

Ice cream cornet printed cotton jersey sweatshirt, Louis Caring £3.95.

White cotton fleecy-lined sweatshirt with green, brown and orange printed golfer design, John Craig £7.50. Chocolate brown chiffon scarf, from a selection at John Lewis.

Left : Olive green V-neck soft cotton velour sweatshirt, Stirling Cooper £7.95, from Ronnie Stirling, 94 New Bond Street, W1. Long flowered Liberty print cotton scarf, Fenwick £2.50. Right : Rodeo printed cotton Aertex button-through shin’ with ribbed collar and cuffs, Browns £8.50, from Browns, 25 South’Molton Street, W1. Cotton kerchief, Herbert Johnson 32p.

Navy blue and white filmstar-printed, fleecy-lined cotton sweatshirt with side slit pockets, Crocodile £15, from Crocodile, 98 New Bond Street, W1.

Texas Ranger printed cotton sloppy sweatshirt, Jim O’Connor £3.50 from Two Generators, 17 Oakhill Court, Upper Richmond Road, Putney SW15. Rayon scarf Fenwick 75p.

Glamorscope

1970s, Adrian Mann, art deco, biba, Bourne & Hollingsworth, Charles Batten, che guevara, corocraft, Crocodile, Deco Inspired, Fenwick, hair, Hair and make-up, Honey Magazine, Inspirational Images, jeff banks, Make-up, Martha Hill, Michael Berkofsky, Monet, quorum, Regis, Ricci Burns, Russell & Bromley, sheridan barnett, Vintage Editorials

Glamorous funnel-shaped crepe-de-chine sleeveless mid-calf length dress and loose jacket with dipped hem, side pockets and matching triangular scarf (not shown), Monet £21, from Che Guevara, Kensington High Street, W8. Elbow-length evening gloves, D H Evans £2.40; fabric rose, D H Evans £2.20; silk bangles, Gay Designs £2; leather peep-toe shoes, Russell & Bromley £24.99. Cane chaise longue, Biba £52.50.

Make-up by Regis at Biba Beauty Parlour.

Hair by Robin at Ricci Burns.

Photographed by Mike Berkofsky.

Scanned from Honey, March 1975.

Clinging jet black strapless frilled pencil-slim knee-length dress with spotted net drapes and pink tulle rose trim, from a selection starting at £5 at Martha’s Market, Martha Hill, 39 Marylebone High St, Wl. Sparkling sequined pillbox hat, Charles Batten £9.95; black flowered lace, Martin Klein 65p a yard;.long black evening gloves, D H Evans £2.40; mother-of-pearl and gilt compact £8.50, and sequin evening bag £2.05, both from Biba ; carved jet drop earrings, Adrien Mann £2.25.

Sensational pink morocaine dress with floating back and front panels and shoestring tied straps, Sheridan Barnett for Quorum £29.50, from Quorum, Radnor Walk, SW3. Long pearl ropes, Corocraft £3.20; rose, D H Evans £2.20; diamante drop earrings, Adrien Mann £2.25; silk bangles, Gay Designs £2; suede pointed stilettos, Biba £13. Satin cushions, large £7.95, small £2.25, ostrich feathers 95p each, all from Biba.

Stunning black self-embossed cap-sleeved crepe-de-chine dress with tight drawstring waist and slit back, Monet £14, from Che Guevara, Kensington High St, W8. Veiled satin pillbox, Charles Batten £8; long pearl rope, Corocraft £3.20; elbow-length satin gloves, D H Evans £2.40; thin silk bangles, Gay Designs £2; sheer black tights, Elbeo 55p; black satin strappy sandals with knotted front, Russell & Bromley £18.99.

Orange, green and cream flower-printed crêpe-de-chine dress with swirling accordion-pleated skirt, Jeff Banks £21.90, from Jeff Banks, Duke St, W1. Glittering pearlised gold belt £3.75 from Crocodile; long emerald green chiffon scarf, Fenwick’s £2.85; grey fabric gloves, Bourne & Hollingsworth 85p; gold leather peep-toe shoes with twisted front, Russell & Bromley £24.99.

Live a Little

1970s, Adrian Mann, Bata, Boobs, Brian Downes, bus stop, Butler & Wilson, celia birtwell, corocraft, Crocodile, Dickins and Jones, Fenwick, gillian richard, Inspirational Images, lee bender, ossie clark, quorum, Sacha, Therèse, Titfers, Upwest, Vintage Editorials

LEFT: Long flowing marocaine wrapover dress with frilled cap sleeves, Radley for Ossie Clark, £15, from Quorum, 113 King’s Road, SW3. Swallow brooch, Adrien Mann, approx £2; antique satin clutch bag with rhinestone star, Titfers, approx £8. RIGHT: Keyhole-fronted crêpe button-through party dress with Chinese word pattern, £12.95, from all branches of Bus Stop, mail order 20p extra from 3 Kensington Church Street, W8. Sequined skull cap, Crocodile, £4; antique powder compact, Butler & Wilson, £4-75.

Short, shiny waves, tight to the head and crowned in a slippery sequin beret add the ritzy touch to oyster satins and champagne silks—daring dresses, glamorous enough for anybody’s Rolls.

Brunette model is Therèse.

Photographed by Brian Downes.

Scanned from Honey, December 1971.

LEFT: Poppy printed black dress, Ossie Clark for Quorum, £16.25. Sheer natural tights, Elle, 45p; high-heeled suede peep-toe shoes, Bata, £6; round beaded evening bag, Butler & Wilson, £8.75; diamante hairslide, Adrien Mann, approx £1.25; diamante stranded necklace, Adrien Mann, £4-50. RIGHT: Daring slash-necked green pineapple printed marocaine dress, Ossie Clark for Radley, £16, from Quorum, 113 King’s Road, SW3. Luxurious white feather boa, Dickins & Jones, £7.60; multi-coloured sequined cap, Crocodile, £4; pale green tights, Elle, 45p; suede peep-toe shoes with bows attached, Sacha, £5.99; diamante rings from a selection by Adrien Mann.

LEFT: Slippery black rayon satin dress with scarlet rose print and plain scarlet bolero, Gillian Richard, £11.60. Jet black sequined cap, Crocodile, £4; black fabric gloves, Fenwicks, £1.30; simple diamante choker, Adrien Mann, approx £1.50; tiny square powder compact from a selection by Butler & Wilson; diamante and pearl brooch and diamante rings from a selection by Corocraft. RIGHT: Ritzy plunge-neck black and multi-coloured satin party dress with black velvet bolero, £12.50, from Boobs, 1 A Chapel Market, N1. Diamante drop ear-rings, Corocraft, approx £2.50.

LEFT: Slithery rayon and satin flower embossed dress and bolero, Gillian Richard, £10, from Way In, Hans Crescent, SW1, mail order 20p extra. Glass and diamante choker, Adrien Mann, approx. £1.50; real silver zig-zag and wavy bangles, John Plenderleith, £8.50 each; suede and snakeskin peep-toe shoes, Upwest, £10.95. RIGHT: Flowery fluted long printed satin skirt, £7.50, waistcoat-jacket, £7.50, and slashed-neck button through satin blouse, £5.95, from all branches of Bus Stop, mail order 20p extra from 3 Kensington Church Street, W8. Diamante drop ear-rings, £2, diamante sailing ship brooch, approx £2, both by Adrien Mann; black suede shoes with mauve diamond pattern, Bata, £4.49; beaded evening bag, Butler & Wilson, £12.50.

Gingham Checks In

1970s, Acme Attractions, anello and davide, Crocodile, Dora Reisser, elisabeth novick, Gamba, Gina Fratini, hard rock cafe, jean junction, Lucienne Phillips, Over 21, quorum, radley, Rose Bradford, Vintage Editorials, Vivienne Lynn

White blouse and pantaloons, gingham pinafore and skirt, all by Gina Fratini, to order from Lucienne’s, 89 Knightsbridge SW1. Shoes by Anello and Davide.

Brigitte Bardot first glamorised gingham, mixing it with sex and broderie anglaise to set a devastating new trend. It’s back, showing every sign of being the big summer ’76 story, versatile enough to go from ingenue to sophisticate.

Always incredible to see Gina Fratini clothes being worn to their full effect, this time by lovely Vivienne Lynn, and also to see the Hard Rock Cafe in its earlier, less gimmicky life.

Hair by Kerry at Molton Brown.

Photographed by Elisabeth Novick.

Scanned from Over 21, April 1976.

Gingham dress by Rose Bradford at Radley and net petticoats from Quorum, 52 Radnor Walk. Scarf from Acme Attractions, patent pumps by Gamba. Photographed at the Hard Rock Cafe, Piccadilly, London W1.

For the final stage in our gingham story we photographed a “real” woman rather than just a model: actress Ruth Rosen. Ruth has recently been edifying and diverting us with her performances at major art exhibitions where she virtually brings the artist to life, presenting a one-woman show based on his life and works. Recent subjects have been Turner at the Tate Gallery and Burne-Jones at the Hayward. The next one will be Constable at the Tate. Look out for it…

Ruth wears Dora Reisser’s gingham waistcoat and culottes and pique blouse, all from Crocodile. Shoes by Chelsea Cobbler, scarf from Medina Arts. Ruth’s daughter, Doraly, wears a check shirt and dungarees from Jean Junction and cardigan by Jump for Jamie from Harrods. Hair by Nicky at Leonard.

Fashion Goes Into Purdah

1970s, cherry twiss, Crocodile, deborah and clare, Inspirational Images, jean muir, kurt geiger, Sacha, Savita, Suliman, telegraph magazine, The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, thea porter, universal witness, Vintage Editorials

Savita’s orange and red printed muslin hot skirt and balloon sleeved midi top. The latticed rust suede hat and scarf are from Suliman.

After the systemic strip of the West’s liberated women comes a longing for the romance and mystery of the East. The newest clothes reflect this mood with suggestive gauzes and clinging crepes. We took some to Bahrain, where the women are still heavily veiled and pass secluded lives in the harem.

A textbook example of the trend towards ‘exotic’ inspiration in the fashion world of the late Sixties/early Seventies. Most famously by Thea Porter, of course, but also with lesser known labels such as Suliman and Savita. Another strand of the post-Sixties backlash against the minimal and the space-age, along with the period romanticism of Laura Ashley and the more kitschy retro Rock’n’Roll stylings of Glam Rock.

As an aside, I always feel a little uncomfortable posting these ‘location’ shoots when they involve local characters, because it can feel a little exploitative. But at the same time, I don’t want to censor the past and think it’s important to remind ourselves of how fashion needs to be less exploitative and culturally ‘acquisitional’, even now.

I was also very entertained to note that a variation on the first image was used as part of the hilarious series of Smirnoff adverts and that I scanned back in 2015. There are only a few months between the two and I’m fascinated to know whose decision that was!

Fashion by Cherry Twiss.

Photographed by Sacha.

Scanned from The Daily Telegraph Magazine, 2nd July 1971.

Flawless blue silk crepe jersey dress by Jean Muir. Gold sandals by Kurt Geiger.

Butter muslin shirt from Deborah and Clare. Striped satin skirt from The Universal Witness. The harem pants were made in the local souk.

Lace skirt and jacket by Thea Porter. Sequin cap from Crocodile.

Bronze slipper satin dress by Thea Porter.

Yankee Swank

1970s, barbara hulanicki, Barbara Hulanicki, biba, Bombacha, Charles Batten, Crocodile, Diane Logan, Fenwick, Honey Magazine, Inspirational Images, liberty, liberty's, Monet, monty coles, quorum, radley, Spectrum, Sujon, Vintage Editorials, Wardrobe

Giant pink lily printed cotton dress with swirling flared skirt from Biba

City life heats up when the sidewalks are crowded and the cabs full. Give yourself a break and see the sights. Step out in cotton dresses for a cool look at a hot town.

Photographed by Monty Coles.

Scanned from Honey, August 1975.