Toeing the Line

1970s, Dolcis, Elliott, Illustrations, leslie chapman, lilley and skinner, mr freedom, petticoat magazine, Russell & Bromley, Sacha, shoes

Painted peep-toe court shoes, Mr Freedom, W8., £10.75, Quant spotty tights, £1; Russell & Bromley suede bar shoes with peep toe, £12.95. Quant dotty tights, £1. Lilley and Skinner leather and suede lace-ups, £4.99, Quant foot-patterned tights, 95p.; Sacha suede shoes to strap calf-high, £4.99. Mr Freedom tights, 52½p.; Russell & Bromley suede wedge shoes with buckle, £5.25. Mr Freedom tights, 52½p.; Suede sandal all the way up to the knee. Russell & Bromley, £10.45.

Sinuous straps, wedgy heels and an all-time comeback for soft summer suede in any number of wide-eye summer shades. Shoes that daren’t be just practical — not now there’s so much happening in the clothes line above! With the sort of prices shown here, any girl can take out enough insurance to make sure her footwear not only keeps pace with the rest of her wardrobe, but even makes it that much more special as well!

Illustrations by Leslie Chapman.

Scanned from Petticoat, 20th March 1971.

Saxone suede four-bar shoes with clumpie heels, £5.50. Mr Freedom tights, 52½p.; Dolcis suede lace-up-leg shoes, £2.99. Mr Freedom tights, 52½p.; Suede wedge-heeled bar shoes, Lilley and Skinner, £5.50 plus Quant sheer stockings with butterfly emblem, 99p.; Russell & Bromley suede wedge-heeled shoes, lacing above the knee, £11.95. Mr Freedom tights, 52½p.; Suede and leather laced shoes Dolcis, £4.99 with Quant ankle-patterned tights, 95p.; Elliotts suede wedge-heeled ankle-laced shoes, £12.95. Mr Freedom tights, 52p.

Soft and Pretty

1970s, biba, clobber, David Finch, Dolcis, Feathers, gillian richard, Inspirational Images, petticoat magazine, Pourelle, ravel, Rosie Nice, Sacha, Sue Hone, Vintage Editorials

Gillian Richard dress, £17.10s., Miss Selfridge, W.1. Biba tights, 10s.6d. Biba choker, £1.2s. Ravel shoes, £6.19s. 11d.

Softly, softly, ever so gently, it’s velvet— printed! It’s as pretty as a picture—so cling to it

Styling by Sue Hone.

Photographed by David Finch.

Scanned from Petticoat Magazine, 3rd October 1970.

Pourelle midi with laced-front jacket, 131.10s., Fifth Avenue shops, Quant tights, 15s.11d. Biba butterfly, Dolcis shoes, £4.19s.11d. Pourelle short-sleeved top and skirt, £21., Fifth Avenue, W.1. Biba tights, 10s.6d., suede belt, £2.10s. Sacha shoes, £7.19s.6d. 36 Panne velvet is expensive we know — but worth it!

Knickerbockers with short-sleeved top, Pourelle, £18.18s., from Tracy, W.1., Biba canvas boots, £7.10s. Feathers cotton hat and scarf, £2.7s.6d. Clobber midi, £13.13s., Girl, W.1. Quant patterned tights, 16s.11d. Rosie Nice scarf, £1.15s. Browns ring, £3. 3s. Ravel spats, £5.5s.

Brighten Up

19 magazine, 1970s, anello and davide, Anne Cossins, Dolcis, Feathers, Fenwick, Inspirational Images, John Stember, just looking, mr freedom, Pourelle, Rosie Nice, sally levison, stirling cooper, Vintage Editorials

Red hat in soft felt, from Feathers, 40s. Short crossover woollen top with navy trim has short sleeves, by Anne Cossins for Mr. Freedom, 6gns. Plain black jersey midi skirt, by Stirling Cooper, 90s. Blue and red choker, from Fenwicks, 10s.

Beautiful and gay knits are 19’s answer for post-summer blues; dazzling bright and eye-catching in an array of primary colours. The styles are the simplest possible—tiny tops with cross-over fronts and, for those who prefer the classic, pullovers in cleverly co-ordinated stripes. This style of knitwear is best worn with toning jersey skirts, preferably in a midi length, and trousers. To complete the kaleidoscope look, add brightly coloured shoes, stockings, a scarf or a choker.

Photographed by John Stember.

Scanned from 19 Magazine, October 1970.

Black crochet hat, by Sally Levison Originals, 65s. Short crossover pullover in bright colours has short black sleeves trimmed with red, by Anne Cossins for Mr. Freedom, 6gns. Black jersey skirt fastened up the side with metal buttons, by Stirling Cooper, £6. Black crochet choker, from Fenwicks, 15s.

Multi-coloured striped woollen pullover has long sleeves, 75s. Bright red jersey skirt, 90s. Both by Stirling Cooper. Black tights, by Mary Quant, 15s. Red leather bar shoes, by Anello and Davide, 58s.6d. Black woollen long-line pullover has red, blue and yellow stripes round the waist and elbow, 70s. Yellow jersey skirt, 90s. Both by Stirling Cooper. Bright red tights, by Mary Quant, 15s. Lime green bar shoes, by Anello and Davide, 58s.6d.

Bright blue and yellow vest-style woollen pullover has long sleeves and fastens with tiny buttons at neck, 70s. Bright red pants, 89s.6d. Both by Stirling Cooper. Buttercup yellow pullover with red trim has square neckline and short sleeves, 60s. Bright red jersey pants, £4 19s.6d. Both by Stirling Cooper.

Black, red and yellow short-sleeved pullover has a polo neckline, 75s. Black jersey, button-through skirt, £6. Both by Stirling Cooper. Red and blue woollen pullover has long sleeves which are trimmed with buttons, 75s. Plain black jersey midi skirt, 90s. Both by Stirling Cooper. Long blue silk scarf printed over with flowers, from a selection at Rosie Nice in Kensington Market.

Striped woollen pullover, by Anne Cossins for Mr. Freedom, 6gns. Vivid green skirt jersey, by Stirling Cooper, 90s. Tights, by Mary Quant, 18s.11d. Shoes, by Anello and Davide, 58s.6d.

Fine knit polo-neck pullover with long sleeves worn with matching knit trousers in tones of beige, with red and yellow stripes, by Pourelle, 14gns

Woollen long-sleeved pullover has stripes in yellow, green, blue, red and purple, by Anne Cossins for Mr. Freedom, 6gns. Navy blue jersey knickerbockers, from Just Looking, 5gns.

Light and dark grey pull-on woollen knit hat. Light grey pullover has polo neck and long sleeves. Sleeve-less pullover worn on top is in two-tone grey and has a rounded neckline. Matching midi skirt. 28gns. the set. All by Pourelle. Black leather boots with hooks and laces, by Dolcis, £10 19s. Black crochet hat, by Sally Levison Originals, 65s. Purple and lilac finely knit woollen pullover has matching midi skirt, by Pourelle, £18. Black tights, by Elbeo, 12s.11d.

Striped hat. ochre-coloured finely ribbed pullover and matching midi skirt with diagonal stripes in plum, purple, orange and ochre, 17gns. the set. All by Pourelle. Black leather boots with hooks and laces, by Dolcis, £10 19s.

Take a Long Lean Look

1970s, Adrian Mann, Baggage and General, Dolcis, Electric Fittings, erica budd, gordon king, harold ingram, jeff banks, John Craig, Jon Elliot, Marcia Brackett, mary quant, nostalgia, petticoat magazine, Pierre Elegante, Roger Charity, Russell & Bromley, Saxone, van der fransen, Vintage Editorials, Vivienne Lynn

Left to right: Jon Elliott skirt, £8-30. Sweater with embroidered flowers, £325, Harold Ingram. Scarf, £1.50, Nostalgia. Kangol beret, £1.50. Bangles, 50p, Baggage & General. Quant tights, 40p. Russell & Bromley espadrilles, £7.99 ./ Zig-zag stripe silk dress, from Electric Fittings. Russell & Bromley shoes, £7.99. / Gordon King skirt, £5-50. Cream, cabled sweater, £3.10, John Craig. Kangol beret, £1.50. Scarf, £1.50, Nostalgia. Russell & Bromley sandals, £7.99.

Long-term plan for spring dressing: slither in slim shapes, go sleek in skinny skirts and slink thin in think-slim skintight tops.

Model is Vivienne Lynn.

Styling by Marcia Brackett.

Photographed by Roger Charity.

Scanned from Petticoat, March 23th 1974

Left to right: Pierre Elegante skirt, £7.85. John Craig pullover and matching cardigan, £4 and £5.15. Van der Fransen scarf. Kangol beret. Belt 35p, Woolworths. Russell & Bromley shoes, £7.99. / Gordon King skirt, £6. Mary Quant top, £5.75. “208” scarf. Kangol beret. Dolcis shoes, £4.99. / Gordon King skirt, £5.50. Mary Quant pull-over and matching cardigan, £4.50 and £5.75. Dolcis shoes, £4.99. / Gordon King skirt, £7. Erica Budd T-shirt, £3.

Left to Right: Jeff Banks navy and red dress with cream collar and cuffs, £20. Adrien Mann bracelets, £1 each. Scarf, £1, Van der Fransen. Strappy shoes, £5, Nostalgia. / Jon Elliott skirt, £6-80. Electric Fittings blouse. Van der Fransen scarf, £1. Bangles by Adrien Mann. Rope-soled shoes, £4.99, Saxone. / Jeff Banks dress, in maroon silk with flowers and lace trim, £21.50. Adrien Mann bangles, £1 each. Dolcis leather pumps on rope, £4.99.

Bootleggers

1970s, Antiquarius, bally, Barnaby's Pavilion, boots, chelsea cobbler, Dolcis, Frye, Honey Magazine, Illustrations, Mick Brownfield, Reflection & Light, Russell & Bromley, Sacha

LEFT TO RIGHT : Tan studded leather cowboy boots £12 99, from selected branches of Dolcis. Chisel-toed leather cowboy boots, imported by Frye £28, from Barnaby’s Pavilion, 18 Kensington Church Street, W8 (mail order 30p); branches of Bally. Fringed leather ankle boots with thick crêpe sole £16.99, from main branches of Russell & Bromley. Blonde soft leather lace-up knee-high boots with stacked soles and heels £30, for stockists write to Frye Boots, 21 St James’ Road, Surbiton, Surrey. Blue suede ankle boots with yellow trim. Reflection & Light £18, from Antiquarius. 135 King’s Road, SW3. Dark brown stitched leather knee-high cowboy boots £24.50, from Barnaby’s Pavilion. 18 Kensington Church Street, W8 (mail order 30p). Leather ankle boots £24.99, from all branches of Sacha. Leather jodhpur boots. Chelsea Cobbler £24 99, from Chelsea Cobbler. 33 Sackville Street, W1 Draycott Avenue, SW3; Top Shop. Peter Robinson, Oxford Circus, W1 ; Way In, Hans Crescent, SW3.

Illustration by Mick Brownfield.

Scanned from Honey, November 1974.

Down-Town

19 magazine, 1970s, Adrian Mann, Ann Reeves, Antiquarius, barbara hulanicki, Barbara Hulanicki, biba, Bombacha, Dolcis, Essences, Essenses, Gamba, Harri Peccinotti, Inspirational Images, Mary Graeme, miss mouse, rae spencer cullen, stirling cooper, strawberry studio, van der fransen, Vintage Editorials

Circular skirt, printed with leopard skin and roses, and matching sun top, from Miss Mouse, £18.95. Gold dancing shoes, from Gamba, £13. African necklaces, from a selection by Peter Adler, from £10. Bangles from a selection at Chimera from £2.50. Scarf, worn as a sun top, from a selection at Essences, from £2. Cotton leopard-skin printed shorts, by Miss Mouse, £5.95. Embossed leather stiletto shoes, with wooden heels, from a selection at Smith and Simpson, from £5. Drop earrings, from a selection at Chimera, from £1.50.

19 AND airJamaica GO DOWN -TOWN

Down-town Mo Bay is a riot of colour. Houses are made of wood and painted red, blue, green or yellow. There’s a different colour at every step, so a walk down any street is quite an experience. Then there’s the soul music which blasts out of every shop, so you’ve got to look cool. Hence our choice of fun clothes to catch the eye even with all that competition.

Photographed by Harri Peccinotti.

Scanned from 19 Magazine, July 1974.

Green satin halter top, with red tulip print, £5.95. Matching gored skirt, £6.95. Both from Biba. Pink stiletto shoes, from a selection at Smith and Simpson, from £5. Green shawl, from Bombacha, £5.20. Bag from Biba, £1-95. Multi-coloured glass necklace, green glass necklace and green glass bracelet from a selection at Chimera. Brown and gold halter neck, with rust tulips, £5.95. Matching skirt, £6.95. Both from Biba. Gold dancing shoes, from Gamba, £13. Shawl from Bombacha, £5.20. Bag from Biba, £1.95. Long necklace and rust necklace from a selection by Adrien Mann. Blue glass necklace, from a selection at Chimera, from £2.50.

Palm-tree-print sun top, with matching skirt, from Strawberry Studio, £11.75. Wooden stiletto shoes, from a selection at Smith and Simpson at Antiquarius, from £5. Blue earrings, blue and cream necklace and gold bracelet, all from a selection at Chimera at Antiquarius. White sunglasses, from Bombacha, £.1.50. One-shoulder dress, in green crêpe with yellow floral print, from a selection at Van Der Fransen, £16. Straw wedge shoes, with painted flowers, from Dolcis, £5.99. Blue paisley-print scarf, from a selection at Essences, from £3. Green and yellow bangles, from a selection at Chimera at Antiquarius, from £3 each. Sunglasses from Bombacha, £2. Pink palm-tree-print sun top, with matching skirt, from Strawberry Studio. £13.75. Pink stiletto shoes.from a selection at Smith and Simpson at Antiquarius. from £5. Pink necklace, multi-coloured necklace, pink and clear bangles and pearl bracelet, all from a selection at Chimera at Antiquarius. Sunglasses from Bombacha. £2.

Yellow jungle print shirt, with cotton sleeves and collar in floral and seaside print, £5. Floral shorts, with patch pockets, £4-50. Both from a selection at Van Der Fransen. Gold strappy sandals, from Gamba, £2-54. Blue and white straw belt, from Biba, £4-70. Blue earrings from a selection at Chimera, from £1.50. Jungle print shirt, with crêpe de Chine floral print sleeves, £5. Matching crêpe de Chine shorts, with cotton pockets, £4-50. Both from a selection at Van Der Fransen. Gold flat dancing shoes, from Gamba, £2-54. Embroidered blue and red belt from a selection at Peaches at Antiquarius. Yellow, pink and green bangles, from Chimera, from £2.25.

White, red and black printed bra top, with matching skirt, with two pockets, by Strawberry Studio, £14. Leather shoes, with wooden stiletto heels, from a selection at Smith and Simpson, from £5. Multi-coloured glass necklace and blue plastic bangle, from a selection at Chimera. Sack bag, with cockerel printed on front, from Domidiom, 61p.

Button-through, seaside print shirt, by Miss Mouse, £7.95. Green, pink and blue button-through skirt, with side pockets, from Lily, £9.50. Green and black art deco belt, from a selection at Peaches at Antiquarius, from £6. Blue earrings and bracelet from a selection at Chimera. Seaside print shirt, by Miss Mouse, £7.95. Multi-coloured floral skirt, from Lily, £9.50. Scarf, in pocket, from a selection at Essences, from £2. Belt from a selection at Peaches at Antiquarius, from £6. Multi-coloured necklace and pink and blue floral bangles from a selection at Chimera.

Old Brighton sea-front print halter top, with matching skirt, by Ann Reeves, £13. Black snake-skin shoes, by Mary Graeme, £9.95. Scarf from a selection from Essences, from £2. Sack bag, with cockerel printed on front, from Domidiom, 61p. Earrings, multi-coloured glass necklace and bangles, from a selection at Chimera. Yellow floral cotton shirt, £6.95. Matching floral skirt, in blue, £8.95. Both from Stirling Cooper. Red snake-skin shoes, by Mary Graeme, £9.95. Sack bag, from Domidiom, 61p. Multi-coloured necklace, and clear perspex bangle, with flowers inset, from a selection by Adrien Mann. Small flower brooch, from a selection at Chimera, from £1.50.

Swaggering In

1970s, biba, bus stop, Denis Peel, Dolcis, Honey Magazine, John Craig, lee bender, lilley and skinner, manolo blahnik, Martha Hill, ravel, Richard Shops, Russell & Bromley, Sheraton, Vintage Editorials, zapata

Bold zi g zag pure wool swagger coat with sailor collar by Sheraton. Polo neck sweater by John Craig. Navy tights by Mary Quant. Peep toe ankle strap shoes by Biba. / Swirly blanket check coat with pleated back by Bus Stop. Suede sunray shoes by Dolcis. Both pairs of gloves by Kir.

The incredible swagger is back. We all know you’ve seen it before, hidden away in mother’s wardrobe, but forget the mothball version and look out for bold stripes, zig-zags and checks in bright primary colours. The difference is that these coats have neat tight-fitting shoulders and wide swirling skirts which swing when you walk-surprisingly flattering and easy to wear. So let the wind blow, all you need is a flash of panache and a splash of colour.

Photographed by Denis Peel.

Scanned from Honey, October 1971.

Window pane check swagger coat by Martha Hill. Lemon tights by Twiggy. Suede ‘Garbo’ shoes by Ravel. / Ritzy scarlet shaggy coat with wide swinging back by Martha Hill. Glace kid leather shoes by Zapata.

Bottle green and yellow McNeal tartan swagger coat by Richard Shops. Black leather shoes by Russell and Bromley. Navy leather shoulder bag by Biba. / Sage green wool tweed swagger coat by Elgee. Rust and burgundy suede shoes by Lilley and Skinner. Bottle green suede bag by Biba.

Party Lines

1970s, anello and davide, Angela at London Town, biba, Bo Riddley, Britannia Land of Plenty, bus stop, Crochetta, Diane Logan, Dolcis, edward mann, Feathers, fotheringay and hepplewaite, gillian richard, harriet, Hope and Eleanor, jeff banks, lee bender, liberty, liberty's, petticoat magazine, Richard Green, Roger Charity, Russell & Bromley, Saxone, stop the shop, Sue Hone, Sujon, Travers Tempos, van der fransen, way in

Satin pants and superstar jacket, £17, Angela at London Town. Flower print chiffon blouse, £7.50, at Bus Stop. Quant tights, 75p. Saxone suede peep-toe shoes, £4.99. / Satin cut-off pants, £4.95, and sequined satin jacket, £6.95 at all branches of Bus Stop. Biba diamante star, £1.50. Edward Mann velvet beret, £3.85. Quant sheer tights, £1.25. Suede bar shoes, Dolcis, £5.50.

Party wear for the getogether season takes all the best of blazers and pants and sleeks them up in satins and velvets… or cools off with the prettiest dresses ever.

Clearly Christmas 2020 is going to be a uniquely muted season as far as partying is concerned, but I often avoid the throngs of people anyway. Years of working in theatre over the festive season meant that when I had downtime I would prefer to lounge around in satins and velvets in the comfort of my own home. I’m just glad you’re all finally catching up with how nice it is! In all seriousness though, sometimes the smallest things can make us feel the nicest – so even if you don’t feel like getting togged up in satin and velvet, I highly recommend doing something you would normally find ridiculous for sitting around at home. Sparkly hair clip, red lipstick or those skyscraper platforms you can’t walk in.

Photographed by kind permission of Mecca Dancing at the Empire Ballroom, Leicester Square, WC1

Fashion by Sue Hone.

Photographed by Roger Charity.

Scanned from Petticoat, 4th December 1971.

Velvet jacket, £23 and satin pants, £9 by Sujon. Richard Green voile shirt, £6.50. Feathers beret, £7.50. Dolcis shoes, £5.50. / Cotton pants and battle jacket, Travers Tempos, £12. Richard Green flower print shirt as above. Diane Logan knit hat, £2.75. Anello and Davide bar shoes, £3.50.

Purple lurex painter’s smock, Gillian Richard, £8. Pink and purple satin skirt, Biba, Kensington High Street, W8, comes with matching jacket, £12.50. Brocade skull cap, Diane Logan, £8.50. Black and purple shoes, £5.50 at Dolcis.

Check taffeta bermudas, £8 with jacket by Angela at London Town from Stop the Shop. Bo Riddley tie, 15p. Bead ring at Britannia Land of Plenty, 50p. Biba tights, 55p. Anello and Davide bar shoes, £3.50. / Long check taffeta skirt, £8.50 and blouse, £5, Angela at London Town from Just Looking, SW3, 2007 W1. Feathers pewter pendant, £5. Hope and Eleanor bead purse, £4.75.

Printed chiffon skirt, £8 with matching short top, £7 by Jeff Banks at Fotheringay and Hepplewaite, P.R. Top Shops. Bead rope, Bo Riddley, 15p. Leaf choker at Van der Fransen, £1.25. Dolcis shoes, £5.95 / Silky dress with sailor collar, £8 at Van der Fransen, SW6. Silky short-sleeved jacket Fotheringay and Hepplewaite, £5.75. Dolcis shoes, £5.50.

Long satin dress, Gillian Richard, £10 at Way In. Clobber blouse, £8 at Stop the Shop. Feathers hat, £6.50. Russell & Bromley suede and snake shoes, £12.95 / Liberty print dress, Sujon, £17 at Fifth Avenue, W1. Fringed shawl at Britannia Land of Plenty, £12.50. Bus Stop diamante slides, 99p. Dolcis shoes, £5.50.

Black cotton dress with red buttons and piping, Harriet, £9 at Just Looking, SW3. Red suede belt, embroidered from Feathers. Red and blue ties with beads, Bo Riddley, 15p. / Lilac and green puffed sleeved dress, Harriet, £13.25 at Harrods, SW1, Bentalls Kingston. Feathers choker, £2.50. Fringed knit shawl, Crochetta for Knits and Leathers, £6. Dolcis shoes, £5.50.

In a Little Spanish Town

19 magazine, 1970s, Bermona, Brosseau, bus stop, Dolcis, Feathers, Foale and Tuffin, Ian Batten, Inspirational Images, Jean Charles Brosseau, John Bishop, Jolly Boy, kensington market, lee bender, ravel, Rosie Nice, Sacha, Sujon, terry de havilland, Tony Berkeley, Tony Berkley, Vintage Editorials, Willy van Rooy

Long creamy cotton dress by Foale and Tuffin. Blue cotton paisley blouse and skirt by Foale and Tuffin. Embroidered woollen belt around head by Rosie Nice in Kensington Market.

Sunny Spain conjured up visions of hot summer days in picturesque surroundings, ideal settings for 19’s summer fashions. And we had a fantastic oppotunity when 4S Travel arranged a trip to Malaga and Torremolinos. We flew BUA Super Jet to stay at the Hotel Al Andalus, within easy reach of the mountains overlooking the Costa del Sol. Here we discovered quaint villages, sun-drenched and white-washed, their customs and dress crystallised in the past. No cars to be seen, only mules and donkeys. Our clothes echoed the feel of these places – colours stark black and white, brightened with touches of gayer hues, clean hot printed cottons, soft peasant blouses, sandals, light fishnet shawls, casual sun hats. The garments are easy to take care of, and enhance a tan – midi skirts that button to above the knee and give alluring glimpses of brown thigh, and large brightly printed squares of fabric which can be used as shawls, or skirts tied at the side.

Making me yearn for a proper holiday. The closest I’ll get is looking at this editorial whilst sitting on the balcony, trying to avoid all humans for the time being. I hope it brightens your day as well…

Blonde model is Willy van Rooy.

Photographed by John Bishop.

Scanned from 19 Magazine, July 1970.

Black velour towelling dress by Lee Bender for Bus Stop. Shawl by J. C. Brosseau from Feathers. Green and red snakeskin shoes by Terry de Havilland from Jolly Boy in Kensington Market. Belt bought locally.

Black and white cototn printed skirt and top by Tony Berkeley. Shawl from J. C. Brosseau. Shoes by Sacha.

White cotton skirt, blouse and bolero all by Annie for Rosie Nice in Kensington Market. Bright red and green dress by Foale and Tuffin. Black fishnet shawls by J. C. Brosseau from Feathers.

White towelling hat by Bermona. Dress by Sujon. Shoes from Ravel.

Dress by Tony Berkeley. White patent shoes by Sacha.

Dusty pink skirt and blouse by Ian Batten. Brown felt hat by J. C. Brosseau from Feathers.

Both outfits by Tony Berkeley. Both pairs of shoes by Ravel.

Dress by Foale and Tuffin. Snakeskin shoes by Terry de Havilland at Jolly Boy. Belt bought locally.

White midi skirt by Lee Bender for Bus Stop. Red and white silk rayon blouse by Annie for Rosie Nice. Mock snakeskin shoes by Dolcis.

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.)