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.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dusty pink sun dress with black piping by Strawberry Studio. Grey suede shoes by Terry de Havilland.
Blue cotton dress with Dorchester motif. Coffee dress with Savoy motif, both by Jeff Banks.
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.
Navy cotton sundress with cross over straps by Gordon King.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Left to right: White dress with pink motifs and two huge trimmed pockets of hips, by Joyce Dixon for Gillian Richard, £8. Shoes by Lotus. Whit coton dress, with huge pink spots and wide circular skirt, trimmed with two pockets near hem, by Gillian Richard, £7. Shoes also by Lotus. Bracelet from City Lights Studio. Blue and white cotton sun top, buttons down back, £3.95, Straight cotton skirt with pink and blue motifs, fastens at back with a square of buttons, £5.95. Both by Miss Mouse. Shoes by Lotus. Blue and white spotted sun top and matching circular skirt with two large pockets on sides, £7.95. Both by Miss Mouse. Shoes from Lotus.
An age of frivolity and fantasy. Polka dots and bows. Shocking pinks and bobby socks. Flatties and flirties. Time for agod giggle; for screaming hysterically after all those movie idols in a great ‘Fifties revival
Photographed by Frank Murphy. Scanned by Miss Peelpants from 19 Magazine, June 1973
