jinty

Long chiffon scarf designed by Celia Birtwell, 2 gn., from the Vidal Sassoon Shop, 44 Sloane Street, W1; Quorum, 52 Radnor Walk, SW3. White Tricel tricot blouse, part of set, by Mary Quant’s Ginger Group, 13 gn., with contrast trousers and jerkin, from Bazaar, Knightsbridge, SW1.

Scarves, instead of being dismissed as last year’s fashion gimmick, are being perpetuated as this year’s most important accessory. Still the simplest way to wear a scarf is to flip a long one casually college-style around the neck. As long as it’s not literally a college scarf this somehow adds enough chic to whatever you wear, without making you look fussily overdressed. There are dozens of different ways to tie a scarf. Smart French girls are tying scarves around their waists, twisted in with chain belts or beads. Marc Bohan at Dior makes headscarves tied pirate-style look young and chic, and shows scarves tied like a man’s tie. Although large squares will still be in demand to wear on the head or folded up as cravats, the big fashion in scarves is still for long ones, preferably fringed. Men will have to accept with a good grace that they have lost their long-established monopoly of fringed silk scarves. Until now almost the only places to find them were men’s departments, antique market stalls or somebody’s attic. (Shawls are the latest craze from jumble sales.) But shopping for scarves is easier this spring, with stocks at last in every shape and size. Hair by Valerie at Cheveux, 15 Abingdon Road, London W8.

Fashion by Liz Smith.

Photographed by Steve Hiett.

Scanned from The Observer Magazine, March 1969.

Paisley printed chiffon square, 63s., from Liberty, Regent Street, W1. Hat by Edward Mann, 49s. 11d., in a variety of colours. Tricel jersey tunic shirt (with trousers), by Jinty, 8 gn.

Tied around the waist a filmy silk square by Richard Allen, 75s., from Fenwick, 63 New Bond Street, WI. Pearl and turquoise twisted bead belts with tassel ends, by Adrien Mann, 30s. each, from Harrods; Kendal Milne, Manchester. Beige crepe shirtsleeved jumpsuit £41 10s., from Jaeger, Brompton Road, Sloane Street, Baker Street and a number of provincial branches.

Pirate-style cotton handker-chief, 17s. 6d. from Liberty. Silver brooch on shoulder, 30s., silver bracelets, £1 7s. 6d. each; all from Indiacraft, Marble Arch, W1. Tricel jersey dress by Mary Quant’s Ginger Group, £5 19s. 6d., from Bazaar.

Indian silk scarf, 36 in. square, £1 11s. 6d., from Indiacraft, Silver chain, 18s. 6d. from Fenwick. Cigarette holder from Tunisia. Tunic dress in Lancola jersey by Marlborough, 11 gn., with trousers, from Peter Robinson.

Extra long silk scarf looks good tied as a sash, also in black, £2 2s. 6d., from Biba, 19-22 Kensington Church Street, W8, and by post. Rayon chiffon smock dress, by Polly Peck, 13 gn.

Square scarf tied like a tie, silk crepe de chine, 7 gn. yard, 36 in. wide, from Liberty. Dacron and cotton blouse, also in white, pale blue, brown, lagoon and pink, £5, from all Young Jaeger branches. Courtelle Neospun jersey pinafore-topped trousers designed by Janice Wainwright for Simon Massey, £8 18s. 6d. Maltese cross on chain by Adrien Mann, 25s. Tibetan bird ring £1 10s. from Indiacraft. Sunglasses by Corocraft, 25s.

Silk stole to wear as a sash, by Richard Allen, £7 17s. 6d., from Fenwick. Simple round-necked sleeve-less jumpsuit zipping up the back, in linen-look rayon, navy, beige, thyme or caramel, £14 10s., from Jaeger, London, and all provincial shops. Red and navy slingback shoes, 79s. 11d., from Dolcis. White plastic chain belt by Adrien Mann, £1. Page-boy wig, £21 15s., from Beyond The Fringe, 59 Brook Street, London

Peasant-style dress in a multi-coloured patchwork print has a gathered elasticised waistline and short full sleeves, by Marlborough, £9.

It looks as if England has lost Jane Birkin forever … she is firmly entrenched in Paris with baby Kate, nanny and the lovely Serge Gainsbourg, living in sombre luxury in their newly acquired house. The interior is stark and dramatic, every room is decorated in black and white, with white doors and black marble floors or carpet. The furniture is also black and white—there’s a big black shiny piano in the lounge, and a black mink cover adorns the bed which is raised off the floor on a black perspex dais. Weekends are usually spent at a quiet retreat in the country, making a sharp contrast to the busy social life that they lead during the week. Since Jane landed in France she has never stopped working. Film after film has been completed and the success of the record she made with Serge, which was also written and composed by him, Je T’Aime … Moi Non Plus, has led to an LP also written by Serge. Her life is chaotic and busy, it seems as if the telephone never stops ringing. People phone her every day with offers of interviews and films, the next of which is still a closely guarded secret. It was whilst she was making her first film in France, Slogan, that she met and fell in lovewith Serge, an event which seems to have altered her life but through it all she remains the same—a waif of a girl, tall and lanky, in pullover and jeans, serving tea out of her treasured English teapot. Her wardrobe is noticeably small, consisting mainly of casual clothes like pullovers, T-shirts and jeans; with the occasional gipsy-type dress reserved for the evening and worn with gold chains, loop earrings and gipsy belts. She acquires most of her clothes by chance buying, rarely by intentionally setting out on a spending spree. Usually she just spots something she likes in a shop window and ends up by going in and buying it. In London she shops mainly at Countdown, Foale and Tuffin, and Quorum. She buys her jewellery from the Chelsea Antique Market. In Paris she favours the more trendy designers like Mia and Vicky or Jean Bourquin. Jane is perfectly happy spending hours hunting about in antique shops for interesting little knick-knacks, like the 18th-century doll’s house which she gave to her Serge for Christmas.

Photographed by Michael Berkofsky.

Scanned from 19 Magazine, May 1970.