Simply Sweet

19 magazine, 1970s, Anne Cossins, Annie Cossins, Inspirational Images, jeff banks, John Carter, John Craig, louis caring, Ricci Burns, Sharcleod, susan marsh, Vintage Editorials

Blue angora and lambswool long-sleeved sweater with pink, white and mauve flowers embroidered on yoke, by Sharcleod, £4. Plastic bracelets from a selection at Biba, 15p. each.

If you haven’t got that special natural sweetness that makes people put a protective arm around you, don’t worry; it’s available this spring for under a fiver. Slip into these pastel pretties and discover the joys of being a choc-box dolly.

Photographed by John Carter.

Scanned from 19 Magazine, February 1973.

TOP: Short-sleeved wool sweater with shawl collar and yoke in pink, yellow and cream stripes, pink and yellow diagonally striped sleeves and spotted body, by Annie Cossins, £4.95. Blue plastic stretch bracelet, by Paul Stephens, 40p. Pink flower earrings, by Corocraft, 59p. BELOW: Short-sleeved wool sweater, with pink and yellow striped yoke, cream and pink spotted sleeves and pink, yellow and cream body, by Annie Cossins, £4.95. Pink plastic beads, 70p. Blue plastic bangles, 18p. each. Both by Paul Stephens.

White angora and lambswool halter-neck sweater, with pink, blue and yellow flowers embroidered on yoke, £3.75. Matching cardigan with two pockets embroidered with pastel flowers, £5. Both by Sharcleod. Pink fwer necklace from a selection at Susan Marsh at Chelsea Antique Market. Enamel bangles, 20p. each. Enamel ring, 15p. All by Paul Stephens.

TOP: Pink acrylic sweater with crocheted shawl collar and three-buttoned front, by John Craig, £4. Pink flower earrings, by Corocraft, 69p. Pink plastic pearl necklace, by Paul Stephens, 90p. White angora and lambswool long-sleeved sweater, with pink embroidered flower motif in centre and two pink stripes on sleeves, by Louis Caring, £4-25. Pink plastic pearl necklace, by Paul Stephens, 90p. BOTTOM: Green acetate long-sleeved shirt, by Jeff Banks, £6. Lilac angora and lambswool bolero, with blue, pink and green flowers on either side of opening, by Sharcleod, Green cotton shirt with red and green floral pattern, by Jeff Banks, .£6.40. Green angora and lambswool short-sleeved sweater with yellow, pink and blue embroidered flowers on yoke, by Sharcleod, £4. Green and pink plastic bangles, by Paul Stephens, 18p. each.

Well Dressed

19 magazine, 1970s, Adrian Mann, Antiquarius, barbara hulanicki, Barbara Hulanicki, biba, Chelsea Antiques Market, Essenses, gillian richard, Herbert Johnson, Ian Batten, Inspirational Images, Michael Berkofsky, Ronald Keith, Sacha, Spectrum, stirling cooper, susan marsh, van der fransen, Vintage Editorials

Cream Trevira cotton dress by Gillian Richard. Black patent shoes from Sacha. Silk scarf from a selection at Essences at Antiquarius. Papier mache bangles by Fabrice for Zig Zag. / White cotton pull on hat from Herbert Johnson. Blue and white cotton dress from Spectrum. White peep toe shoes from Ronald Keith. White gloves by Cornelia James. Necklace and bangle from a selection at Zig Zag. Bag from Universal Witness.

Spring’s in the air – and with it the chance to wear all those elegant eye-catching dresses. If you’ve been feeling bundled up in woolies, here’s the chance to look feminine again.

All photographs taken at the Hyde Park Hotel, Knightsbridge, SW1.

Photographed by Mike Berkofsky.

Scanned from 19 Magazine, April 1973.

Green and white spotted scarf from a selection at Essences at Antiquarius. Soft green dress with flower print from Van Der Fransen. Belt inset with flowers and elephant clasp, and matching bangle, both from Biba. / Lilac and mauve ankle length dress with purple rosette trim from Van Der Fransen. Pink metallic platform shoes from Sacha.

Cotton mid calf dress from Biba. Gloves from Cornelia James. Beads from a selection at Susan Marsh at the Chelsea Antique Market. White bangles from Adrien Mann. / Pink cotton smock with floral print, yellow cotton skirt, both from Biba. Gloves by Cornelia James.

White cotton hat from Herbert Johnson. Blue and white dress from a selection of elegant old dresses at Van Der Fransen. Black patent shoes from Sacha. / Blue and white fan print dress from a selection at Van Der Fransen. White peep toes with flower trim from Ronald Keith.

White cotton hat from Herbert Johnson. Blue and white striped jersey dress by Ian Batten at Stirling Cooper. Shoes by Sacha. / Blue and white striped dress by Ian Batten at Stirling Cooper. Shoes from Ronald Keith.

How Original!

19 magazine, 1970s, Antiquarius, barbara hulanicki, Barbara Hulanicki, biba, british boutique movement, Chelsea Antiques Market, Christian Larroque, Emmerton and Lambert, Essences, Essenses, Hair and make-up, Inspirational Images, jenny kee, MEE Designs, Ricci Burns, Sacha, susan marsh, van der fransen, Vintage Editorials

In this age of mass-production, finding clothes that have an individual look is becoming more and more difficult. But a few enterprising minds in London have got round the problem by buying old clothes, in beautiful prints that one doesn’t see these days, and remaking them in today’s styles. Though the styles are repeated, the materials are different and each garment is quite unique. If you don’t live in London, don’t despair. Look around for a clever seamstress who can copy the styles for you. Then, it’s a matter of combing jumble sales, or looking among granny’s cast-offs, for unusual prints. Don’t, however, cut up clothes in good condition. You’ll get a good price for these in London markets. And if you do come to London, go round the markets instead of the stores and boutiques – there’s a lot to be picked up!

An extraordinarily styled and photographed editorial featuring Van der Fransen, Emmerton and Lambert and Essences, all of whom were trailblazers in the world of vintage and recycled fashion.

This shoot also manages to answer two of my most frequently asked questions: what is your favourite editorial and what do you think the future of fashion will be. The former is probably a moveable feast, although this one is definitely up there with my other favourite, but the latter is still something I believe strongly. Especially in a post-pandemic landscape, I am not sure (and definitely hopeful) that we will ever see the same levels of mass production post-2020. Not for want of desire by the high street shops, but because people have maybe recognised that, actually, they don’t need armfuls of cheap synthetic, single-use garments. Perhaps the aesthetics and principles of these recyclers of the Sixties and Seventies will finally be adopted as our default? We could stop producing new clothes and fabrics right now and probably never reach the end of the piles of recyclable materials. And that’s not even taking wearable vintage garments into account. Do you feel your shopping habits have changed permanently?

Red wig by Robert at Ricci Burns.

Photographed by Christian Larroque.

Scanned from 19 Magazine, July 1972.