LEFT: Zig-zag Dralaen midi shirt dress, 8 gns., with a charcoal grey ribbed waistcoat. 4 gns., both by Georgina Linhart; pale grey leather boots, Sacha, 9 gns. RIGHT: Swirly skirted printed Dicel crepe dress with tightly laced wide wet-look belt, Simon Massey, £12 5s.; tightly laced suede boots, Anello and Davide, 16 gns.
This is definitely the Season of the Midi, which involves a whole new set of fashion rules. Midis look best without an inch of leg showing, which means either long tight-fitting boots to take over where the midi finishes, or coloured tights matching clumpy-heeled shoes. So keep gulping; daily doses will keep you in the pink, fashion wise.
Aside from all the dreamy autumnal clothes and the fact that the blonde model is Charlotte Martin, it’s so lovely to see Terry de Havilland’s early and legendary three-tier wedges. As so often with Terry’s shoes, they are erroneously credited to the stockists (here ‘Jolly Boy’), but it’s still lovely to see them.
LEFT: Petrol blue and yellow side-split jacquard jersey midi dress, Angela at London Town, 10 gns.; knee-high navy canvas boots, Biba, £7 105.; dusty blue tights, Mary Quaff, 9s. 11d.; black leather belt with oval gilt eyelets, Strides, 84s. RIGHT: Bottle green micro-speckled jacquard jersey zipped-through midi dress, Gladrags, 10 gns.; Neapolitan printed silk scarf, Chester Martin, 63s.; black canvas boots. Biba, £7 10s.
LEFT: Terracotta and create button-through Courtelle neospun jacquard coat dress (with matching trousers not shown), Alan Rodin, 15 gns.; sheer smokey brown tights, Berkshire, 9s.; swirly rust and cream printed silk scarf, Chester Martin, 63s. RIGHT: Maroon and beige jacquard jersey midi dress with plain jersey skirt, Angela at London Town, 11i gns.; sheer black coffee tights, Wolford, 13s.; pearlised brown strappy shoes, Mary Quant, 75s.
LEFT: Toffee and grey striped wool midi vest dress, Kadix, £7 10s.; tan’ wood and leather thonged belt, Adrien Mann, 90s.; burnt orange tights, Mary Quant, 9s. 11d.; tightly laced rust suede boots, Anello and Davide, 16 gns. RIGHT: Chevron printed Cossack dress in black, brown and grey Courtelle jacquard knit, Georgina Linhart, 13 gns.; beige leg-hugging boots, from a selection at Russell and Bromley.
LEFT: Leather tasselled bitter chocolate angora wool jersey shirt dress, Miss Feraud, £13 10s.; brown and pink geometric printed silk scarf, Chester Martin, 635.; rust suede lace-up boots, Anello and Davide, 16 gns. RIGHT: Clingy plum and cream honeycomb-printed wool jersey vest dress, Pourelle, 10 gns.; triangular suede linked belt, Adrien Mann, 65s.; tight-fitting beige boots, from a selection at Russell and Bromley.
White blouse and pantaloons, gingham pinafore and skirt, all by Gina Fratini, to order from Lucienne’s, 89 Knightsbridge SW1. Shoes by Anello and Davide.
Brigitte Bardot first glamorised gingham, mixing it with sex and broderie anglaise to set a devastating new trend. It’s back, showing every sign of being the big summer ’76 story, versatile enough to go from ingenue to sophisticate.
Always incredible to see Gina Fratini clothes being worn to their full effect, this time by lovely Vivienne Lynn, and also to see the Hard Rock Cafe in its earlier, less gimmicky life.
Hair by Kerry at Molton Brown.
Photographed by Elisabeth Novick.
Scanned from Over 21, April 1976.
Gingham dress by Rose Bradford at Radley and net petticoats from Quorum, 52 Radnor Walk. Scarf from Acme Attractions, patent pumps by Gamba. Photographed at the Hard Rock Cafe, Piccadilly, London W1.
For the final stage in our gingham story we photographed a “real” woman rather than just a model: actress Ruth Rosen. Ruth has recently been edifying and diverting us with her performances at major art exhibitions where she virtually brings the artist to life, presenting a one-woman show based on his life and works. Recent subjects have been Turner at the Tate Gallery and Burne-Jones at the Hayward. The next one will be Constable at the Tate. Look out for it…
Ruth wears Dora Reisser’s gingham waistcoat and culottes and pique blouse, all from Crocodile. Shoes by Chelsea Cobbler, scarf from Medina Arts. Ruth’s daughter, Doraly, wears a check shirt and dungarees from Jean Junction and cardigan by Jump for Jamie from Harrods. Hair by Nicky at Leonard.
Left: Coat by Young Jaeger. Trousers by Angela at London Town. Shirt by James Drew. Striped waistcoat at Bus Stop. Right: Borg jacket by Gerald McCann. Angora trousers by Mary Farrin. Socks by Mary Quant. Clogs by The Chelsea Cobbler at Russell and Bromley.
Photographed by Elisabeth Novick. Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vanity Fair, October 1971
Left: ‘Monkey’ jacket by Gordon King. Checked Oxford bags by Bus Stop. Shirt from Bus Stop. Authentic Forties head by Zapata. Veiling from Biba. Right: Short furry jacket from Wallis. Trousers from C&A. Shirt from James Drew. Hand-knitted waistcoat from Bus Stop.
Puff sleeve sweater from Harrods. Small turquoise Acrilan bib sweater at Stop the Shop. Both by John Craig. Khaki ribbed bermuda shorts by Donald Davies. Tapestry clog boots by Jan Jensen.
A perfect winter look.
Photographed by Elisabeth Novick. Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, February 1971.
Dusty pink puff sleeved sweater over a beige linen sweater. Both by Harold Ingram. Thick purple wool trousers at Biba. Striped socks, Ruskin at Kensington Market. Knit cap by Margaret Howell at The Sweet Shop. Rose in glass pin, Marie Middleton at Chelsea Antique Market. Jacquard sweater by Toto at branches of Crowthers. Mushroom beige sweater underneath by Harold Ingram. Royal blue cashmere shorts, McGregor of Dublin. Over the knee socks by Donald Davies.
Vest and pullover both by Alice Pollock at Quorum. Pink knitted shorts by Alistair Cowin at Grade One. All clogs from Mayfair Market. Puff sleeved sweater in stripes of tuqouoise, pink and navy, acrylic tibbed dark blue polo neck undeneath, dark blue knitted trousers rolled up. All by John Craig at Stop the Shop.
Bird’s egg blue and white spotted shirt and striped trousers at Pierre Elegante. Hat by Edward Mann.
Photographed by Elisabeth Novick, from Vogue, April 1973.
If I could spend most of my springtime dressed like this, I would be happy. Sadly, I am currently living in thick black tights and long sleeves while the entire country shivers its way into May.
Curses!
Dungarees by Leslie Poole at Annacat. Hat from Liberty.
Left: Top by Alan Rodin, trousers by Ian Batten for Stirling Cooper. Umbrella from Biba — Right: Top by Karl Lagerfeld for Timwear, trousers same as left. Turban from Buckle Under.
In my previous post, I mentioned lounging around in a blue panne velvet Janice Wainwright for Simon Massey dress. Well, I didn’t mention that I have a photo of the aforementioned dress in Vanity Fair magazine (above). I might have to scan in the entire issue, partly because it’s falling apart and partly because it’s one of my favourite issues of anything, ever.
Photo from Vanity Fair, October 1971. By Elisabeth Novick.
Liz Eggleston 