Just A Little Something I Ran Up Myself…

1970s, Ace, bill gibb, Clio Goldsmith, cosmopolitan, Gamba, Inspirational Images, Jane Cattlin, liberty, liberty's, manolo blahnik, Midas, Peter Golding, Russell & Bromley, Sheilagh Browne, sheridan barnett, Terence Donovan, Vintage Editorials, Wendy Dagworthy, Yuki, yvonne gold, zandra rhodes, zapata
DESIGNED BY YUKI . . . and typical of the elegant raciness that Yuki breathes into everything he creates, a sultry bloomer dress to wear if you dare and if you’ve got the shape. Make it from a 1.5 metre square of cotton jersey. Simply cut two holes for your legs in the centre, step inside and tie the corners on your shoulders. Fake lily, Novelty Imports. Jewellery, Adrien Mann. Gold leather shoes, £40, Manolo Blahnik for Zapata.

. . . with the aid of Yuki, Sheilagh Brown, Wendy Dagworthy, Sheridan Barnett, Bill Gibb, Jane Cattlin, Zandra Rhodes and Peter Golding, eight top designers who were each persuaded to whip up a creation for when you still haven’t got a thing to wear.

Hair by Harambee, 19 Avery Row, London W1.

Make-up by Yvonne Gold.

Persian carpets from Liberty.

I think one of the models is Clio Goldsmith.

Photographed by Terence Donovan.

Scanned from Cosmopolitan, January 1978.

DESIGNED BY SHEILAGH BROWN … who goes the whole way with glamour, whipping silk and lace and ribbons into deliciously pretty confections. Here she transforms a 2.25 metre length of soft lace into beautiful balloon trousers gathered twice on ribbon drawstrings. A square of silk crepe de Chine, slashed in the middle for a sliding neckline, ties at the front with wide black satin ribbon. Silver sandals, £24.95, Midas.
DESIGNED BY WENDY DAGWORTHY … the designer who makes sporty Viyella and rough tweeds look soft. Sunray-pleated cotton—hunt for the ready-pleated kind—is cut to make a piecrust collar that’s prettily tied with trailing velvet ribbon, on a poncho top belted like a tunic over a matching skirt. The skirt is one width of fabric gathered on a cord at the waist. Fringe the edges of toning check fabric to make the shawl. Boots, £44.99, Russell & Bromley.
DESIGNED BY SHERIDAN BARNETT who knows how to put together the luxury of velvet and lace in the new romantic style. Sheridan Barnett’s big cosy chasuble is made by folding in half a 2.5 metre length of velvet and cutting a straight line in the centre for the neckline. Tuck under the sides and wrap. closed at the waist with glossy black moire. Knot a fichu of black lace at your throat. Jewellery, Adrien Mann. Patent ballet pumps, £11.50, Gamba.
DESIGNED BY BILL GIBB . . . who creates like no other designer. Here’s a little numero (main picture) from Bill’s sketch-pad that’s four straight pieces of jersey and need be only as expensive as the fabric you choose. Cut four 120 X 90cm oblongs of fabric—Bill picked soft ice-cream shades in Qiana jersey. Overlock the edges and run a ribbon drawstring through one short end of each piece. Two oblongs gathered up and tied on each shoulder make the back and front of the dress. The remaining two pieces, gathered in tightly to wrists and draped over your shoulders, make a floaty jacket that can be knotted back and front. Soft gold leather straps are Bill Gibb’s newest accessory. Gold sandals, £24.95, Midas.
DESIGNED BY JANE CATTLIN Sew one short seam in an oval of silky jersey and you’ll have added a glamorous Jane Cattlin creation to your wardrobe. Jane makes it sound as simple as that, though the result looks like the ritziest evening gown in town. Jewellery, Adrien Mann. Gold leather shoes, £40, Manolo Blahnik for Zapata.
DESIGNED BY ZANDRA RHODES .. and called Conceptual Chic by Zandra. For her New Wave look, drop a sliver of shocking pink jersey on top of a plain black T-shirt dress. First cut several jagged slashes in a 105 x 114cm oblong jersey, making two of the cuts big enough for armholes. Overlock the edges and decorate with spangles and safety pins, preferably jewelled. Tie bright satin rouleaux around your neck. Stitch pearl or diamante beads on to plain safety pins or buy one of Zandra’s rolls of pins ready-jewelled from her shop at 14a Grafton Street, London W1. At £10, they’re the punk status symbol! Shoes, £40, Manolo Blahnik for Zapata.
DESIGNED BY PETER GOLDING … whose rhinestone-studded jeans, spangled T-shirts and satin waistcoats glint and gleam in his shop, Ace. If you’re star-struck but can’t afford the glittering trappings or spare the time to stitch sequins on your jeans here’s Peter Golding’s tip. Hang your Christms-tree decorations on to ponchos of sheer black lace, add a few stick-on silvery stars and moons, fasten your Lurex sotckings with silver suspenders, shake your feathers and enjoy yourself! The mirrored belt is made by pasting handbag-size mirrors on to any plain belt. Shoes, £40, Manolo Blahnik for Zapata. Lurex stockings, Mary Quant, £1.60.

Slip Into Something Beautiful

1970s, Butler & Wilson, charnos, chelsea cobbler, cosmopolitan, Dorothy Perkins, Fenwick, Harrods, Inspirational Images, Jane Cattlin, Kayser, lingerie, Liz Smith, loungewear, Marks and Spencer, norman parkinson, ossie clark, Vintage Editorials, way in
To sip your breakfast fruit juice slip on a cotton camisole, £10.95, and bloomers: £26.50 the set, Kayser. Earrings, £12.50, Butler & Wilson.

One of the nicest things about a summer holiday or a lazy weekend is not having to do anything—not even get dressed. With a handful of this summer’s prettiest lingerie you can breeze through a day of sunning or swimming. And then dress up for evening in a ravishing nightgown.

Hair by Kerry for Molton Brown

Fashion by Liz Smith

Photographs by Norman Parkinson.

Scanned from Cosmopolitan, July 1979.

To luxuriate in that idle day ahead, change into a silky bias-cut night-gown, £50, Ossie Clark for Charnos. Sandals, £20, The Chelsea Cobbler.
To shimmer in a blue pool, float in lace-edged polyester satin camiknickers, £6.99, Marks & Spencer.
Lace and polyester camiknickers, £8.50, Way In at Harrods.
Flowery georgette bra, £5.95, suspender belt, £5.75, panties, £3.75, stockings, 85p, Fenwick. Cotton voile robe, £59, by Jane Cattlin.
For a shady siesta, lounge in a broderie anglaise cotton bra and panties, £5.99, Marks & Spencer. Dotted net petticoat, £6.99, Dorothy Perkins.
To dance on your terrace, leap into a cotton voile and lace nightdress, £59, Jane Cattlin. Pumps, from £4.95, Frederick Freed.
To flirt, twirl in a lace and voile nightdress, £46, matching negligee, £50, Jane Cattlin. Sandals, £20, The Chelsea Cobbler

Great shakes!

1970s, Adrian Mann, Asprey, Bugatti, Cocktails, cosmopolitan, eric boman, Inspirational Images, Jane Cattlin, liberty, liberty's
Her dress by Jane Cattlin. Necklace by Adrien Mann. His clothes at Bugatti. Cocktail accessories from Asprey and Liberty. Hair by Tony at Molton Brown.

Celebrate the Great Cocktail Revival. Try your hand at shaking drinks, just as those ‘Thirties movie heroes used to do. Rather more than prettily coloured drinks, cocktails can pack quite a lethal punch, so we’ve included some recipes that will let you drink and drive.

Well that’s my Friday night sorted, let me know if you try any yourself!

Photographed by Eric Boman.

Scanned from Cosmopolitan, June 1975.

“Cocktails create good vibes in dark times,” says Peter Morton who runs London’s trendiest cocktail bar, Morton’s, to which all the models, photographers and other celebrities flock after a hard day under the arc lights. You can fix cocktails in the soothing surroundings of your own home—and at half the price—if you’re willing to take a little trouble. The one instrument you must invest in if you want to make a perfect cocktail is a cocktail shaker. Lots of the big stores are stocking them now and prices at Selfridges start at £4.65 for a plastic shaker, £6 for a more aesthetic stainless steel number. All cocktails should be mixed with plenty of ice and you must use fresh ice every time you shake up a new round of drinks, otherwise they’ll taste watery. Decorate cocktails with pieces of fresh fruit—lemons, limes and oranges—and maraschino cherries on sticks. All the recipes below were supplied by barman extraordinaire Arnold of Widow Applebaum’s, South Molton St, London W1. Now start shaking . . .

Piccadilly Pierrot

1970s, cosmopolitan, Inspirational Images, Jane Cattlin, pierrot, Simpson of Piccadilly, Vintage Adverts

Pure silk pierrot suit by Jane Cattlin.

Photographed at Simpson Jermyn Street.

Scanned from Cosmopolitan, October 1978.

Vintage Adverts: Jane Catlin at Fortnum and Mason

1970s, Chris Simpson, fortnum and mason, Inspirational Images, Jane Cattlin, Vintage Adverts

Jane Catlin's polka dot pure silk petticoat dress with matching voile stole and gold sandals from our collection.

Jane Catlin’s polka dot pure silk petticoat dress with matching voile stole and gold sandals from our collection.

Photographed by Chris Simpson at the Pyramids of Teotihuacan.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Harpers and Queen, March 1976

Inspirational Images: Balloon Suits

1970s, charles jourdan, harpers and queen, Inspirational Images, Jane Cattlin, norman eales, zandra rhodes

Both suits by Jane Cattlin. Both necklaces by Zandra Rhodes. Both shoes by Charles Jourdan.

Both suits by Jane Cattlin. Both necklaces by Zandra Rhodes. Both shoes by Charles Jourdan.

Photographed by Norman Eales. Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Harpers and Queen, March 1976

Video: London Fashion, 1975

1970s, Bernshaw, bill gibb, british boutique movement, bus stop, Jaeger, Jane Cattlin, Janet Ibbotson, katharine hamnett, lee bender, ossie clark, stirling cooper, tuttabankem, Yuki

Oh I do so love finding a ‘new’ video such as this on Youtube – many thanks to the uploader. Promoting the 1974 London Fashion Show at Earls Court (featuring designs by Frank Usher and Bernshaw in the footage) it then moves to a variety of locations (Trafalgar Square, Regent’s Canal, random studio, back to Trafalgar Square…) to promote clothes by legends such as Ossie Clark, Bill Gibb, Lee Bender for Bus Stop, Yuki, Stirling Cooper and ‘Kate Hamnett’ for Tuttabankem, it also features the underrated [and somewhat forgotten] designers Jane Cattlin and Janet Ibbotson. Enjoy!