miss mouse

Summer dressing is Overdressing

1970s, anello and davide, biba, Buckle Under, caroline baker, Charley's Stall, Emmerton and Lambert, Foale and Tuffin, gillian richard, Harri Peccinotti, Inspirational Images, laura ashley, miss mouse, nova magazine, rae spencer cullen, Richard Green, Vintage Editorials
Embroidered calico voluminous blouse and slim-fitting shirt by Buckle Under; cotton lacy antique petticoats from a selection at Charley’s Stall.

One of the finest editorials of all time, from the dream team of Caroline Baker and Harri Peccinotti at Nova. You can’t help thinking about the clear influence of the Impressionists, such as Renoir, on the aesthetic, but also about how this shoot must itself have been influencing other people for years afterwards. For example, Picnic at Hanging Rock was released a mere three years later and the petticoats, parasols and lace-up boots can’t help but remind you of that.

As a side note, but a pretty impressive one at that, the ‘nursery print’ Miss Mouse dress featured here has also just gone into my Etsy shop. So you can pretend it’s 1972 and you’re ‘shopping the look’.

Photographed by Harri Peccinotti.

Fashion by Caroline Baker.

Scanned from Nova, July 1972.

Flowered Liberty-print square neck frilled blouse and long skirt, both by Foale and Tuffin.
Embroidered muslin smock and gathered skirt by Buckle Under. White cotton lacy antique petticoats from a selection at Charley’s Stall.
Cheesecloth smock blouse and wrap-around skirt by Richard Green.
Nursery print cotton camisole dress and petticoat skirts by Miss Mouse. Lace up boots at Anello and Davide.
Cotton jersey jumpsuit and frilled cotton voile petticoats, all at Biba. All antique parasols from a selection at Emmerton and Lambert, Chelsea Antique Market. White cotton stockings at Anello and Davide.
Long-sleeved calico blouse with gathered neck; skirt and cotton satin petticoat, all at Laura Ashley. Lace up boots at Anello and Davide.
Nursery print cotton pinafore dress by Gillian Richard. Cotton satin petticoat at Laura Ashley. Lace up boots at Anello and Davide.
Antique cotton and lace liberty bodice and antique cotton petticoat dyed sugar pink with Dylon, all from a selection at Charley’s Stall. Cotton petticoat at Laura Ashley.

Tutti Frutti

1970s, biba, corocraft, Fenwick, Honey Magazine, Jean Howell, Joseph, liberty, miss mouse, moss bros, outlander, Roger Charity, Russell & Bromley, Sacha, Suzuya, Vintage Editorials
Striped chenille sloppy joe, Suzuya from Joseph. Trousers from Miss Mouse. Scarf from Fenwick. Mules from Russell & Bromley. Poppy earclips from Corocraft.

Ski pants, socks and hot tops – a fresh look for the future with a little help from the past.

Photographed by Roger Charity.

Scanned from Honey, May 1975.

Tightly waisted cotton canvas jacket with bamboo fastenings and cotton canvas tapered trousers both by Miss Mouse. Printed silk scarf from Fenwick. Leather wedge heeled mules from Russell & Bromley.
Ice cream coloured finely striped sweater with slash neck and sleeves and tightly ribbed waist by Outlander. Navy cotton canvas trousers with red contrast stitching by Miss Mouse. Shocking pink kerchief from Liberty. Bright pink knitted ankle socks by Jean Howell. Black suedee and cork wedge sandals with embroidery by Sacha.
Blue and pink striped velour slash-neck top with batwing sleeves and plum leather belt with oval wooden buckle, both from Biba. Scarlet stretch ski pants from Moss Bros. Navy leather wedge mules from Russell & Bromley. Long striped scarf from Liberty. Gilt flower earclips from Corocraft.
Loose cotton short sleeved blouse from Liberty. Jet black ski slacks from Moss Bros. Shocking pink chiffon scarf from Biba. Knitted ankle socks from Jean Howell. PAtent peep toe wedge heeled shoes from Russell & Bromley. Poppy earclips from Corocraft.

On the Rocks

19 magazine, 1970s, Camarilla, marc o'polo, marshall lester, miss mouse, Nick Brokensha, Nik Nik, rae spencer cullen, strawberry studio, Vintage Editorials
Bright red vest and shorts by Camarilla.

Manly beach, Australia. Rock pools, sea, magnificent scenery. If yours is going to be a clambering holiday, these T-shirts, shorts and fun tops are just the job.

Photographed by Nick Brokensha.

Scanned from 19 Magazine, July 1975.

Black cotton sun top and matching shorts by Miss Mouse.
Royal Blue T-shirt with red and white border and Nineteen motif by Marshall Lester.
Print shirt, with ‘Thirties scene, by Nik Nik.
T-shirt with 36 motif, by Marshall Lester.
Navy cotton shirt, with Marc O’Polo motif in white, by Marc O’Polo. White cotton shorts by Strawberry Studio.

Peasant in the Sun

1970s, Bata, Bermona, biba, Britannia Land of Plenty, Buckle Under, chelsea cobbler, clobber, Diane Logan, Elliott, hampstead bazaar, Inca, laura ashley, Marielle, mary quant, miss mouse, Pamela Dennis, petticoat magazine, rae spencer cullen, ravel, Richard Green, Roger Charity, Russell & Bromley, Souk, Splinters, Sue Hone, van der fransen, Vintage Editorials
Mary Quant pinny worn over cheesecloth dress at The Souk. Britannia Land of Plenty silver armband. Buckle Under hat. Ravel shoes / Cheese cloth shirt and matching skirt by Richard Green. Woolworths hairnet. Buckle Under hat. Russell and Bromley shoes.

Summer’s peasant clothes come in brightly frilled cotton or in soft layers of cheesecloth with a bazaar of sunny straws and beads.

Fashion by Sue Hone.

Photographed by Roger Charity.

Scanned from Petticoat, 6th June 1972.

Souk pinny. Calico shirt with starry ribbon trim from Splinters. / Embroidered smock at Inca. Richard Green cheesecloth skirt. Waistcoat from Inca. Ravel suede sandals.
Miss Mouse seeksucker dress. Diane Logan boater. Biba false flowers. / Miss Mouse gingham dress. Bermona straw boater. Chelsea Cobbler wedge sandals.
Embroidered dress by Souk. Buckle Under Bowler. Britannia Land of Plenty shoulder bag. Elliotts sandals. / Midi skirt and cheesecloth dress at Souk. Inca wool belt. Buckle Under crochet cap. Bata sandals.
Long embroidered skirt with gathered waist from Hampstead Bazaar. Cheesecloth top by Clobber. Embroidered beret from Britannia Land of Plenty. Elliotts sandals. Straw bag from Inca. / Long checked cheesecloth dress by Marielle. Glass flower brooch from Van der Fransen.
Laura Ashley skirt. Calico smock by Pamela Dennis. Forbidden Fruit belt. / Laura Ashley top and skirt. Silk shawl from Britannia Land of Plenty. Shoes by Ravel.

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.)

Rose-strewn wrapover cotton bolero and long frilled skirt from Spectrum. Raffia and cotton tie belt by Herbert Johnson. Right: Tightly ruched off-the-shoulder top and long skirt with deeply riched waistband from Wallis.
Ritzy ruffled satin bolero top with frilled skirt by Dinah Adams for Granny Takes a Trip. Wavy leather sandals by Samm. Right: Slinky spotted Tricel dress by Ian Batten at Stirling Cooper. Crackly taffeta long flounced skirt by Antony Price for Che Guevara. Wooden and patent sandals by Russell & Bromley.
Flouncy black and white gingham off-the-shoulder dress printed with orange and lemon flowers by Gillian Richard. Canary yellow sandals by Samm. Embroidered cummerbund by Herbert Johnson.
Swirling striped cotton skirt by Jean Junction. Off-the-shoulder pleated blouse by Martha Hill. Polished leather boots from Dolcis.
Black cotton ruched and flared rumba dress printed with multi-coloured flowers and birds by Miss Mouse. Apple green shoes by Russell & Bromley.

Left: Crisp cotton gingham blouse and flounced skirt both by Martha Hill. Oval bead choker and bangles by Paul Stephens. Right: Ruffled cotton check blouse and tiered skirt by Polly Peck. Cummerbund by Herbert Johnson. Shoes by Russell & Bromley.

Sunday Best

19 magazine, 1970s, alkasura, anello and davide, Bermona, Bilbo, bus stop, edward mann, Inspirational Images, John Bishop, laura ashley, lee bender, miss mouse, rae spencer cullen, Spectrum, stirling cooper, Travers Tempos, Vintage Editorials
White felt cloche hat by Bermona hats. Pale cream floral waisted shirt by Stirling Cooper. Long white cheesecloth skirt by Alkasura. White lace up boots by Anello and Davide. / Straw panama hat by Bus Stop. Pale green and dark green print sailor suit by Laura Ashley. Boots by Anello and Davide. / Chipped straw hat by Edward Mann. Yellow dress with stripes by Spectrum. White boots from Bilbo. / White hat with ribbon by Spectrum. Blue and white gingham shirt and skirt by Spectrum. White boots by Anello and Davide. / Peanut straw hat from Edward Mann. White cheesecloth shirt and skirt by Spectrum. Boots by Anello and Davide.

Summer is the time for romance. It’s the time for walking in the woods or by the water’s edge, and for having those delicious picnics. It’s the time for looking soft and feminine in long, flowing dresses and picture hats. So we’ve chosen some of the prettiest dresses, skirt and hats we could find, to help you look your best when you while away those sunny days.

Photographed by John Bishop.

Scanned from 19 Magazine, June 1972.

White piqued cotton hat from Bus Stop. White seersucker dress trimmed in red by Miss Mouse. Sunglasses model’s own. / Straw hat by Edward Mann. Pink, yellow and blue gingham dress by Travers Tempos. / Straw bowler by Edward Mann. Red and white spoted dress with red buttons by Miss Mouse. / Straw hat by Edward Mann. Cream calico smock and skirt by Laura Ashley. / Red straw hat by Edward Mann. Long blue cotton dress with toning panels by Travers Tempos.

Razzmatadvertising (Pt II)

1970s, brighton, City Lights, Gilles Ben Simon, Honey Magazine, Inspirational Images, marshall lester, miss mouse, Vintage Editorials
Plunging halter-neck Martini printed waistcoat with white cotton collar and pencil slim button through skirt both by Miss Mouse. South Sea Island printed cotton 50s dress with tight straight skirt by Miss Mouse.

Further to yesterday’s post, and as promised, here are the photos taken on Brighton Pier for the same editorial. With clothes by Miss Mouse and City Lights Studio, they were worth waiting for – weren’t they?

Photographed by Gilles Ben Simon.

Scanned from Honey, May 1973

Swirling peacock blue fan-pleated crepe skirt by City Lights Studio. Sugar pink and white striped halter-neck knit vest by Marshall Lester.

Razzmatadvertising (Part I)

1970s, Adrian Mann, alkasura, biba, british boutique movement, Dick Polak, Emmerton and Lambert, harold ingram, Honey Magazine, Inspirational Images, jap, Joseph, kenzo, marshall lester, meeny's, miss mouse, outlander, rae spencer cullen, Vintage Editorials
Slippery satin cherry-printed drainpipes by Alkasura. Acid green cotton jersey t-shirt by Janine Designs at Harold Ingram. Conker choker by Adrien Mann. Leather belt by Biba.

This post is brought to you in two parts. The editorial was, unusually, photographed by two different photographers in two different locations. Tomorrow I will post the photos from Brighton Pier (very exciting for me, as you can guess!). Today’s were photographed in Meeny’s, which was a King’s Road boutique started by Gary Craze in 1972 – specialising in American brands for both adults and children. Clearly showing the same influences as Mr Freedom, this is the first I’ve seen of the interior. The clothes are the very creme de la creme of boutique ‘pop art’ joyfulness.

Photographed by Dick Polak.

Scanned from Honey, May 1973.

Desert island printed dungarees by Richard Green. Gitanes printed jersey t-shirt by Marshall Lester. Crochet cloche by Emmerton and Lambert. Spotted kerchief by Meeny’s.
Rock’n’roll printed skirt and bolero jacket and sun top all by Miss Mouse. Conker choker by Adrien Mann.
Hawaiian surfing printed cotton shirt from Joanna’s Fleamarket
Camel printed cotton t-shirt by Marshall Lester. Belt by Biba
Hawaiian printed cricket vest by Jap at Joseph. Red vest by Outlander.
Slogan printed cotton coated PVC aprons by Sari Fabrics from all branches of Habitat, DH Evans and Selfridges. Satin pencil skirts by Alkasura.

Day Trippers

19 magazine, 1970s, biba, Bilbo, Chelsea Antiques Market, gordon king, Harri Peccinotti, Inspirational Images, jeff banks, Malcolm McLaren, miss mouse, quorum, rae spencer cullen, Sex, sheridan barnett, stirling cooper, strawberry studio, terry de havilland, Uncategorized, Vintage Editorials, Vivienne Lynn, vivienne westwood

day trippers - peccinotti - 1

White dress with music and rose print by Miss Mouse. Snakeskin shoes from Bilbo. Red and white spotted dress with white trimming by Miss Mouse.

Photographed in Singapore by Harri Peccinotti.

Scanned from 19 Magazine, May 1975.

day trippers - peccinotti - 2

Black and green floral print halterneck dress from Biba. Black and gold shoes by Sex. Green floral halterneck dress by Biba. Black and gold brocade shoes by Biba.

day trippers - peccinotti - 3

Shocking pink pintucked cotton dress by Sheridan Barnett at Quorum. Black snakeskin shoes by Bilbo. Red cotton sack dress with hip pockets by Sheridan Barnett at Quorum. Red suede and snakeskin shoes by Terry de Havilland.

day trippers - peccinotti - 4

Dusty pink sun dress with black piping by Strawberry Studio. Grey suede shoes by Terry de Havilland.

day trippers - peccinotti - 5

Blue cotton dress with Dorchester motif. Coffee dress with Savoy motif, both by Jeff Banks.

day trippers - peccinotti - 6

White cotton culotte dress by Stirling Cooper. White shoes from Secondhand Rose, Chelsea Antique Market. White cotton sun dress by Stirling Cooper. White shoes from Secondhand Rose.

day trippers - peccinotti - 7

Navy cotton sundress with cross over straps by Gordon King.

Christmas Wrapping

19 magazine, 1970s, Albini, biba, bus stop, Derber, erica budd, gillian richard, Harri Peccinotti, Inspirational Images, miss mouse, quorum, ravel, Richard Green, universal witness, Vintage Editorials, zapata

Christmas wrapping - Peccinotti - 3

Long silver, gold and blue taffeta dress with huge puff sleeves nd ruched bodice, £22. Blue leather court shoes on high platforms and very high heels, £7.45. Blue shot lurex chiffon scarf, 20p. All from Biba.

Unwrapping Christmas presents can cause thrills of excitement or groans of despair but, whatever you find inside, the sense of occasion is always there. We’ve proved our sense of occasion by wrapping up the best Christmas clothes for your parties; showing off the lovely, sexy, lurex, satins and natty netting you’ll be adorning yourself with this party season. Glamour and glitter are here to stay, so wrap yourself up in our Christmas wrapping and you’ll be the best Christmas present anyone’s had this year!

I can only hope in vain that I will find boxes of Biba and Miss Mouse under my Christmas tree, but still it’s a nice fantasy to have! As always, a deliciously quirky concept by Mr Peccinotti and 19’s usual flawless taste in clothes…

Photographed by Harri Peccinotti.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from 19 Magazine, December 1972.

Christmas wrapping - Peccinotti - 1

LEFT: Black satin elasticated tube sweater, covered in stretch netting, £7. Matching black skirt with silver braid and silver spots, £10-50. Both by Miss Mouse. Green tights, from Biba, 30p. Black suede shoes with silver snake-skin trim on heel and toe, from Derber, £13-99. Lurex shot chiffon scarf, 20p. Tiny fake diamond rings, 5p. each. Both from Biba. Green glass bead bracelet, by Paul Stephens, 25p. RIGHT: Black satin heart-shaped strapless top, with gold and silver spots in lurex. Matching Oxford bags. Both by Miss Mouse, £20 the set. Silver shoes with very high heels, by Zapata, £15.75. Red shot lurex scarf, 20p. Red stud ear- rings with gold flecks, 20p. Matching bracelets, £1.20 each. All from Biba.

Christmas wrapping - Peccinotti - 2

Black jersey dress with silver lurex spotted top and inset pleats has long sleeves, by Gillian Richard, £8.20. Silver lurex tights, by Mary Ouant. £1-50. Black suede shoes with silver snake-skin print, from Derber, £13.99. Diamante choker, by Paul Stephens, 40p. Black wool halter-neck top spotted with silver lurex and with silver straps, by Erica Budd, £3.60. Black satin ankle-length skirt, from Bus Stop, £5.95. Silver lurex tights, by Mary Quant, £1.50. Silver metallic leather shoes, from Ravel, £10-50. Long silver lurex gloves, by Morley, £2.15. Diamante choker, by Paul Stephens, 40p. Diamante heart earrings, from Biba, £1.15.

Christmas wrapping - Peccinotti - 4

LEFT: Silver and grey knitted lurex long-sleeved polo-neck sweater, £3.50. Silver lurex cardigan with grey rose and two pockets, £9.95. Both from Bus Stop. Long grey satin skirt, by Walter Albini from Browns, £6.30. Tights by Mary Quant. £1.50. Platform sandals. from Ravel, £10.50. Bracelets. from Fenwick, 90p. each. Diamante and pearl-drop earrings, by Paul Stephens, £1.20. RIGHT: Long silver lurex halter-neck dress with silver and black lurex wavy trim on heart-shaped neck and side pleat inset. by Gillian Richard. £9.50. Matching cardigan with wavy-trim pockets. by Richard Green. £6.80. Silver lurex tights, by Mary Quant. £1.50. Silver metallic leather shoes. with platform soles and peep-toes, from Ravel, £10.50. Diamante drop earrings. by Paul Stephens. £1.10. Silver and black halter-neck lurex top, which buttons at front of waist, £5. Matching ankle-length wavy-print skirt, £8.60. Both by Richard Green. Black suede shoes with snakeskin print, from Derber, £1399. Long black satin gloves, by F. G. Shave, £2.75. Diamante bracelets. £1 each. Drop earrings. £1. Both by Paul Stephens.

Christmas wrapping - Peccinotti - 5

Green, gold and black lurex georgette shirt with long dolman sleeves and trimmed in black satin on v-neck and cuffs, £11. Long black satin skirt, £9.50. Both from Universal Witness. Green tights, from Biba, 30p. Silver court shoes with very high heel, and ankle strap, by Zapata, £15.75. Black and silver necklace. £2.90. Diamante stud earrings, £1. Both by Paul Stephens.

Christmas wrapping - Peccinotti - 6

Black and silver fine-striped lurex halter-neck sweater, with matching striped cardigan, by McCaul, £8 the set. Black satin trousers with turn-ups and high waist, by Richard Green, £7.70. Silver tights, by Mary Quant, £1.50. Black suede shoes with silver and red ‘snakeskin’ print and silver ankle-straps, by Leicester Shoes. £15.95. Thin diamante belt. £7.50. Single row diamante bracelet, £1. Both by Paul Stephens. Dangling diamante earrings. from Biba, 60p.

Christmas wrapping - Peccinotti - 7

Cream crepe shirt with long puff sleeves, £4.50. Matching tunic with green satin piping on short sleeves and green, yellow and cream sequin motif, £1850. Green satin trousers, £10. All by Quorum. Gold leather shoes with gold snakeskin print, from Derber, £13.99. Green lurex bow tie to make from remnants.