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.
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.
Top: Green canvas slingback espadrilles on rope, Russell & Bromley. Left to Right: Pink, white and green patent slingbacks, Samm. Pink patent peep-toe shoe with black cork wedge, Russell & Bromley. Pink and navy patent sandals on wedge, Russell & Bromley. Pink sandals, Russell & Bromley.
Soopah doopah shoes to stride you through summer days, to lounge you through sunset, to get hot nights on the move. This summer you really can make footwear go a long way because the nicest styles are stout enough for strolling yet manage to look sophisticated and elegant too.
Short, sharp, patent vinyl reefer jacket by Valstar. Perspex waterproof beach watch by Old England.
We know a girl… who can’t last the day without lashings of spray. We know a girl… who gets quite high on a bucket of tide. We know a girl… who gets no elation from dusty dehydration. We know a girl… who gets all her kicks from aquatic dips. We know a girl… who can’t get enough of that H20 stuff. We know a girl… who’s got pneumonia.
As promised, the waterproof outerwear counterpart to the last post.
Photographed by Hans Feurer in the Canary Islands.
Scanned from Honey, February 1970.
Polished patent vinyl trench coat by Valstar. Thigh high PVC wader boots to order from the Chelsea Cobbler. Cotton vest dress from the Kensington Antique Market.
PVC safari raincoat by Dannimac. Boots by Russell and Bromley. Kerchief by Kreier.
Zipped and fringed rubberbacked cotton cowgirl rain jacket by Valstar. Jersey trousers by Bus Stop. Wet look boots by Mary Quant’s “Puddleducks”.
Stormcoat in waterproof rubberised cotton by Valstar. Wet look boots by Mary Quant’s “Puddleducks”.
Long, lean fringed rubber-backed cotton trench coat by Valstar. Bandana by British Home Stores. Wet look boots by Mary Quant’s “Puddleducks”.
Buckled up PVC fisherman’s rain jacket with mtaching trousers and sou’-wester, all by Alligator.
Silver-studded, saddle-stitched rain jacket in PVC by Rainsport.
Belted mid calf gaberdine trench coat by Alligator. Jersey trousers by Bus Stop. Wet look boots by Mary Quant’s “Puddleducks”.
Skinny mini PVC raincoat by Rainsport. Sou’-wester by Bermona. Waterproof boots by Russell and Bromley. Perspex beach watch by Old England.
Lacquered PVC raincoat with matching trousers and sou’-wester all by Weathergay. Wet look boots by Mary Quant’s “Puddleducks”.
Green sweater and purple sweater around waist both by Fiorucci. Purple tights from The Dance Centre. Red leather ankle boots by Russell & Bromley. Lilac gloves by Cornelia James. Belt by Pixie. Purse by Midas. / Hat with net and blue lurex sweater by Dorothee Bis. Tights by Mary Quant. Perspex shoes by Russell & Bromley.Belt by Trimfit. Scarves from Woolworths.
Whether it’s dinner for two, or a special night out with a crowd, you want to be sure that you’ve got that certain ‘little number’ to fit the bill. To be sure that you’re not caught on the hop, we’ve picked a selection of really feminine dresses, satin trousers, skirts, tops and even an elegantly tailored, satin suit fit for the Ritz. Happy wining and dining!
Photographed by David Anthony.
Scanned from 19 Magazine, December 1976.
Taffeta dress by Strawberry Studio. Shoes by Sacha. Scarf from Essences. / Black and pink satin suit by Gordon King. Satin shohes and bag by Midas.
Black top by Scruffs. Cream skirt by Jeff Banks. Boots from Midas. / Cream silk shirt by Jeff Banks. Black satin drainpipes by Scruffs. Boots and bag from Midas.
Red and black crepe dress by Gordon King. Red pants by Highlight. Red ankle boots by Russell & Bromley. Sash by Strawberry Studio / Black embossed satin tunic by Wallis. Blue pants by Highlight. Black suede boots by Midas. Sash from Strawberry Studio.
Centre: Black and white two tone peeptoe court shoes by Olaf Daughters of Sweden. Beige and brown lace ups and brown court shoes, both by Biba. Brown and tan leather lace ups, tan leather shoes with topstitching and brown leather shoes with buckles, all by Russell and Bromley. Brown leather court shoes with cut-outs and plain leather court shoes, both by Biba.
Brown and cream should be seen. From top to toe it’s all the go!
Photographed by Harri Peccinotti.
Scanned from 19 Magazine, September 1973
Cream suit from Biba. Brown beret by Kangol. Tortoiseshell glasses from Che Guevara. All jewellery from selections at Adrien Mann and Biba.
Tan kid brogues by Russell and Bromley.
Brown crepe dress from Biba. Brown beret by Kangol. Glasses from Che Guevara. Jewellery by Biba, Adrien Mann, Corocraft, Zig Zag and the Neal Street Shop.
After the explosion of hot pants and vulgar satin knickers, shorts are still with us, but they’ve emerged neater and brighter – put together with layered vests and skimpy sweaters, legs that go on forever and bright vampy shoes or clogs. It’s the only way to be cool this summer.
Photographed by Richard Selby.
Scanned from Honey, June 1971
Far left: T-shirt by Maudie Moon. Clingy crepe shorts by Simon Massey. Thigh high socks by Mr Freedom. Left: Banlon bomber jacket and plain fluted shorts by Jeff Banks. Tights by Quant. Right: Banlon vest, shorts and shirt all by John Marks. Tights by Quant. Shoes by Ravel. Far right: Banlon vest with plain black shorts by John Marks. Banlon shirt by Jeff Banks. Tights by Quant. Shoes by Elliotts.Far left: Striped cotton knit sweater and plain shorts by Zeekit by Crochetta. Stripy socks by Echo. Lavender suede shoes by Dolcis. Left: Halter neck knit sweater and shorts by Zeekit by Crochetta. Socks by Quant. Clogs by Russell & Bromley. Right: Stripy ribbed vest by Shar-Cleod. Scarlet jersey shorts by Stirling Cooper. Socks by Sunarama. Snakeskin wedge shoes by Terry de Havilland. Far right: Skinny sweater and matching mini vest by Syndica. Linen shorts by Friends. Socks by Quant. Red clogs by Wardle and Williams.Left to right: Striped skinny rib sweater by Janine at Harold Ingram. Yellow shorts by Copper Coin. Vest and red pepper shorts with green patch pockets both by Peter London. Rainbow acrylic vest by Peter London. Yellow jersey shorts by Stirling Cooper. Woollen football vest by Van der Fransen. Cherry red shirt by Littlewoods. Red Orlon shorts by Syndica.
Blouse by Sue Barnes for Coopers. Shorts by British Home Stores. Black sandals by Ravel. Glasses by Primetta.
For the budget-conscious with imagination, high fashion is well within reach and, as you can see, many of these crisp, colourful cottons are from surplus and chain stores and even supermarkets. Take a look at Tesco where we picked up an amazing cotton top for only £3.99! We also dressed up the one-time overall by belting the waist, adding masses of jewellery and finishing off with high, strappy shoes.
To prove how good these outfits can look, we shot the photos in Rodeo Drive, a snob area in Beverly Hills. So never turn your nose up at a bargain.
Photographed by Ku Khanh. Hair and make-up by Colin Booker.
Scanned from 19 Magazine, July 1979
Overall from Laurence Corner. Mules by Russell & Bromley. Earrings from Swanky Modes. Belt by Trimfit. Brooch on belt from Swanky Modes.Navy blouse by Tesco. White pleated skirt by Pret-a-Porter. Blue sandals by Ivory. Glasses from Bombacha. Earrings and necklace from Ace. Pearl bracelet from Joseph. Belt by Trimfit. Brooch by Nicholas Adams.Lilac overall from Laurence Corner. Lilac strappy sandals by Ivory. Glasses by Primetta. Earrings and necklace from Ace. Satin belt by Trimfit.
Blue swimsuit by Swanky Modes. Blue glasses by Monica Chong. Jewellery by Adrien Mann.
As it’s my *cough* 40th *cough* birthday next week, I thought I’d theme a few blog posts to celebrate. So this week, they will all be hailing from the July 1979 issue of 19 Magazine. It’s a fascinating period on the cusp between the decades, which I like to think had some kind of immense bearing on the person I am today. Being July I’m afraid it’s a bit swimsuit-heavy, but it’s also one of the greatest, most creative periods for swimwear which, in the case of Swanky Modes, is almost the purest distillation of their aesthetic.
Photographed by Ku Khanh. Hair and make-up by Colin Booker.
Scanned from 19 Magazine, July 1979.
Purple swimsuit with crossover back and purple and yellow swimsuit, both by Paul Howie. Red shoes by Ivory. Purple swimsuit by Elle.Black swimming costume with white trim by Dorothy Perkins. Black shoes by Ravel. White glasses by Monica Chong. Black slashed costume by Swanky Modes. Shoes by Russell and Bromley. Glasses by Stephen Rothholz. Striped costume by Betty Jackson for Quorum. Shoes by Ivory. Glasses by Monica Chong.Pink topless swimming costume by Paul Howie.Both bathing costumes by Swanky Modes. Jewellery by Adrien Mann.Bright blue costume by Paul Howie.
L-R Vampy wedge heeled shoes by Sacha, Skinny lemon boots by Russell & Bromley, Co-respondent leather running shoes by Sacha, Stripy suede boots with crepe soles by Sacha, Double stripe soft leather boots by Sacha, Tough crepe soled lace-ups by Bata, Skinny leather platform soled boots by Sacha. Cork soled suede lace ups by Sacha.
