tara king

Avenging Knits

alun hughes, avengerswear, diana rigg, emma peel, honor blackman, knitwear, linda thorson, sixties, tara king, the avengers, Vogue

I’m frequently wittering on about Emma Peel, John Bates, Avengerswear…blah blah. But I have continuously forgotten to scan and post this fabulous double page spread from Vogue (October 1968) of a range of knitwear ‘inspired’ by Linda Thorson’s Tara King character and produced by Ballantyne. I’ve never heard of any Tara Avengerswear gear before or since, perhaps because her wardrobe was pretty dreary half of the time – thanks Alun Hughes, and it’s always struck me as rather sad that she didn’t get her own ‘range’. Even Honor Blackman as Cathy Gale had a range designed by British couturier Frederick Starke!

So it’s awfully nice to know she at least had her own line of cashmere knits. Hurrah!

p.s I am terrible at identifying models, but I love love love her hair.

Let’s get together, the two of us, over a glass of champagne

champagne, diana rigg, emma peel, linda thorson, patrick macnee, roxy music, sailor, steed, tara king, the avengers
Drumroll please….




I don’t quite understand why the champagne ‘bowl’ or ‘coupe’ style of glass is so out of vogue in the world at large these days. Although this is nothing new, there is much I don’t understand about the world at large. For any fan of The Avengers, and assorted other Sixties films and tv shows, the coupe is surely the definitive silhouette?

For sure, there’s a certain novelty love for the Babycham-printed versions you often find in charity/antique shops. But all events, weddings and homes seem to be kitted out with the more ‘elegant’ champagne flute, and I’d be buggered if I could find any coupe-style ones once I started looking in charity shops.

I’ve been keeping my eyes ‘peeled’ for a while now, ignoring Babycham examples for their ubiquity, and was starting to despair of ever succeeding (with minimal outlay at any rate, they’re inevitably going to get broken in champers-fuelled high jinx when I am [clumsily] involved). Then, lo and behold, where should throw up a fine set of three (plus one slightly non-matching) for a mere £1.50 but East Grinstead of all places. I forgot to photograph them (for they now reside at M’s) but they probably don’t really warrant a photograph. They’re very simple, and simply do the job. Instead I will show you some photos of Steed, Emma and Tara enjoying their coupes…








Five minutes down the road, I also happened upon the superb Trouble album by Sailor on vinyl for £1. Coincidence, much? For this album contains one of my favourite songs of all time, which is also the greatest Roxy Music song that Roxy Music didn’t do, A Glass of Champagne.

Steed and Mrs Peel-style clinkin’-drinkin’ elegance has been attained. And I will toast that….

More Make-Up: Who’d you like to be today?

barbarella, emma peel, Make-up, tara king, Vintage Adverts

I seem to be looking at a lot of make-up ads and features in my magazines at the moment. I overkilled a bit on the liquid liner a few weeks back for a New Romantic night (I should really post a full size photo of the end result some time) and have been smudging kohl on ever since, just to be different. So I’m ready to be re-inspired.

I love this Boots 17 advert, particularly the Barbarella one. I remember seeing an illustration of checkerboard effect eye make-up, but doubted whether it was really feasible (especially since my lids aren’t the largest in the world). Now I might try it on my brow bone instead, since that seems to be a better canvas for such doodlings.

I’m also appreciating the Tara King reference. I’ve always been a die hard Emma Peel girl [you don’t say???] but having seen a few of the Tara King episodes recently, I’m a bit of a convert. She might have had a bit of bum deal (sometimes literally) in the wardrobe department, but her make-up was always rather lovely.