Kissin’ Cousins

1970s, alice springs, Anne Tyrrell, aquascutum, barbara hulanicki, Barbara Hulanicki, biba, Borg, Butler & Wilson, C&A, Chi Chi, cosmopolitan, crowthers, Deirdre McSharry, Diane Logan, Elle, Henry Lehr, Inspirational Images, jean varon, john bates, just men, marie france, medusa, miss mouse, ossie clark, quorum, Reldan, ritva, Sacha, Sujon, Vintage Editorials, Weathergay
Pink and wild coat is hooded and all set to trap the unwary male. Borg coat by Henry Lehr, £17.50, trousers by Sujon, £9.50. His coat by C & A in suedette, £13.95. Hat by Locke, £5.25.

. . . or how to wear furs this winter without hurting your pet’s feelings.

There is nothing, absolute nothing quite like wrapping yourself in fur. As a sensuous experience, it is in the same class as a new love, old champagne or fresh truffles. But even the most hedonistic of women are relieved that the threatened species are no longer imported. Snow leopards, tigers and other cats can go their own way and sensibly sybaritic female will look for furs that are farmed, such as fox and mink. This winter, too, the fakes are so wayout and wildly coloured that only a girl without a heart could resist their charms, albeit synthetic. Perhaps that’s why the fur trade have taken the hint and dipped their favourite fox pelts in the dye pot, Furrier Maxwell Croft offers his explanation of the female urge to wear and the male urge to bestow furs: “For many men it is a primitive desire to see his woman in furs.”. Very nice, too.

Plenty to scoff at the end of the copy there, but oh goodness the clothes – the clothes! And the glorious photography of Alice Springs, whose work doesn’t turn up nearly enough for my liking.

Fashion by Deirdre McSharry.

Photographed by Alice Springs.

Scanned from Cosmopolitan, November 1972.

Kissin’ cousin to a polar bear, but lots slimmer, is this smashing white shaggy coat. Wear it with white flannel bags, an angora sweater and an even shaggier hat. Well-cut coat in Borg with stitched suede edges. By Marie France for Quorum, £36, Ossie Clark trousers £14, sweater £4. Hat by Diane Logan, £5, shoes from Sacha £7.99. Beads by Butler and Wilson. Mike’s coat from Just Men, £70. Trousers from Aquascutum, £14.50.
The shaggiest coat story of the season-outrageous powder pink number, worn over pink striped sweater and pleated skirt. The dog is also fake, Chi Chi’s own and christened Fifi by Mike. Borg coat by Biba, £15, sweater by Reldan £3.33, skirt by Crowthers £5.75. Beads by Loewe.
Chi Chi turns her back on the world in scooped dress by John Bates for Jean Varon, £22. White shaggy jacket in Lister’s synthetic, £13.75 by Weathergay. Photographed at Julie’s Restaurant, 135 Portland Rd, London W11 (01-22) 8331).
How to have that movie-star feeling. If you want the big star treatment – breakfast at Tiffany’s, diamonds as big as the Ritz – dress like a star in electric blue fox. Dress by Elle, £15. Fox coat by Dinni for Femina Furs, £295. Moonstone necklace at Butler and Wilson. His outfit by Aquascutum. Velvet jacket £38.50, shirt £10.50, cuff links from £3 50, trousers £12.50
Tea for two. Mike makes up to Chi Chi (that’s the model girl, not the coat) in her shaggy yellow number, worn with shiny striped shirt and mustard bags. Borg coat by Marie France for Quorum £23.50, shirt by Medusa £5.50, trousers by Sujon £9.50. Beads by Butler and Wilson. Photographed at The Royal Garden Hotel, London.
Enough to drive a man wild-a nutty fake fur, above right, with Fifties shoulders and swing back. Wear it nicely over mustard crêpe de chine shirt and peg-top trousers. Both by Sujon, shirt £13, trousers £9.50. Borg coat by Biba £25, beret, Diane Logan, £4.50, shoes, Sacha, £7.99. His coat, Aquascutum, £70, trousers C & A £3 95.
Enough to make Morgan the gorilla, jealous. (Remember A Suitable Case For Treatment?) Emerald green gorilla jacket in real-life Borg by Weathergay, £9.50 (right). Worn over slinky knit sweater and skirt from Ritva, £27 for the outfit. Blue shaggy beret by Diane Logan, £4.50. Mike’s sweater in blue and silver by Ritva, £18.50. Trousers from C & A £5.50.
Jealous cats show their ruffled furs. Chi Chi and Belinda act out the classic movie-star confrontation in their sequins and furs, Chi Chi in pleated taffeta with sequin bodice by Anne Tyrell for John Marks, £23.95; her boa is silver fox, ranch bred, price £70. Belinda’s fox is red, also from the ranch, price £45, both by Barbara Warner for Fab Furs. Strapless top and trousers by Miss Mouse, £20. Beads by Loewe.

All Together Now

1970s, Alexon youngset, anello and davide, Correna, Dents, Dranella, edward mann, Elgee, Escalade, Get, gordon king, Honey Magazine, ika hindley, Inspirational Images, jeff banks, Joseph, Martha Hill, mary quant, McCaul, miss selfridge, Mistermonte, Peter Castellano, Reldan, Richard Shops, Stephen Marks, stirling cooper, Sujon, Twomax, Vintage Editorials
LEFT TO RIGHT: Yellow jacket, Stirling Cooper £13.95. Shetland polo neck, Twomax, £3.70. Scarlet wool jacket, Alexon Youngset, £17. Polo neck £3.50, from Joseph, 33b King’s Road, SW3. Fluorescent pink jacket, Stephen Marks £26 (sold as a trouser suit). Shetland polo neck, Twomax £3.50. Acid green wool flannel jacket, Mary Quant £17.90. Cable-stitched sweater, McCauls £2.40. Sunglasses by Correna. All trousers by Sujon, £9.50. Hats by Edward Mann; gloves by Dents.

Jackets are the brightest you’ve ever seen, with enormous checks and swirling swingy backs. They go with vivid sweaters and the widest possible Oxford bags, worn shorter than usual to reveal gleaming white lace-ups and tappy 46 two-tone shoes. What a way to get yourself noticed!

Second model from the left in the top image looks to be Ika Hindley.

Photographed by Peter Castellano.

Scanned from Honey, October 1972.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Bold checked wrapover jacket, Stirling Cooper, £20.95. Sunglasses from a selection by Correna; scarlet knitted gloves, Morley 80p. Lime green. royal blue and white big checked jacket, Stirling Cooper £20.95. Olive green gloves, Dents 70p; sunglasses by Correna. Sugar-pie pink, blue and white bobbly jacket, Gordon King £10. Royal blue woolly gloves, Dents 55p; Lolita glasses from Paris. Wrapover pure wool chequered jacket, Stirling Cooper £19.95. Sunglasses by Correna; gloves, Dents 80p. All skirts £3.50 from Martha Hill, 39 Marylebone High Street, Wl, mail order 25p extra. Hats £2.40 by Edward Mann; sweaters £3 by John Craig; tights 39p, Mary Quant; shoes Annello & Davide.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Brilliant green, orange, yellow and cherry-red swing jacket, Stirling Cooper £19.95. Polo neck, McCauls £2.40. King-fisher blue, white and royal blue jacket Jeff Banks £12. Button-up jacket in orange, mulberry and yellow wool. Reldan £17.75. Yellow-yoked jacket in cherry red, yellow and royal blue, Get, £20. All gloves from Dents; sunglasses by Correna; hats £2.40 by Edward Mann.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Sunshine yellow waisted flannel jacket with batwing sleeves, Stephen Marks £20. Red and white pinstripe trousers, made in woollen mixture, Mistermonte at Dolly Day £5.25. Brilliant red, yellow and pink checked woollen jacket, Dranella £13. Plain red gabardine Oxford bags, Sujon £9.50. Pillar-box red wool velour jacket with tie belt, Peter Martin £9 from all brancles of Richard Shops. Navy and while pinstriped trousers, Mistermonte at Dolly Day £5.25. Fluorescent pink, yellow and purple plaid acrylic jacket, Elgee £30. Scarlet gabardine Oxford bags, Sujon £9.50. Red woolly gloves, Morley, 80p. All hats Edward Mann, £2.40; gloves (except Morley) Dents 70p; glasses Escalade £2.95; umbrellas with imitation ivory handles Miss Selfridge £2.45.

Inspirational Editorials: A Touch of Something Delicious

1970s, Bombacha, british boutique movement, chelsea cobbler, christopher mcdonnell, Electric Fittings, gauchos, Inspirational Images, janice wainwright, jeff banks, katharine hamnett, Mary Graeme, Orte, Palmer Smith, Reldan, Rodier, Sacha, tuttabankem, Vintage Editorials, Vogue, wallis

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Plum panne velvet skirt with rose pink appliqued flowers by Orte for Bombacha. Boa and beaded chiffon blouse also from Bombacha. Plum shoes by Sacha.

This is possibly one of the most perfect editorials I’ve seen in Vogue. Unshowy, basic, starkly-lit, but the clothes are mouthwatering. Plus, I am delighted to spot a pair of much loved (and much worn recently) velvet culottes from Wallis from my own wardrobe. It just goes to show, with a little bit of patience you can sometimes turn the dream into a reality…

Photographed by Palmer Smith. Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, November 1974.

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Grey/green spotted velvet skirt, waistband flowered salmon and turquoise. Deep salmon pink chiffon blouse. Both by Orte for Bombacha.

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Black flowered culottes and blouse by Wallis. Black ankle boots by Richard Smith for The Chelsea Cobbler.

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Clockwise from top left: Paisley suit by Jeff Banks. Shirt by Rodier. / Paisley suit and cream blouse by Rue de La Paix by Reldan. / Rose print velvet by Kadix. Silk shirt by Katherine Hamnett for Tuttabankem / Bluebird printed skirt suit and blouse by Christopher McDonnell.

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Black checked blue velvet jacket and skirt by Electric Fittings at Bombacha. Boots by Richard Smith for The Chelsea Cobbler.

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Velvet suit by Janice Wainwright. Shoes by Mary Graeme.