Illustrations

Some fantasies you may enjoy

1970s, cosmopolitan, Illustrations, mild sauce

Illustrator isn’t credited in the magazine but the signature appears to be ‘Ketta’.

Scanned from Cosmopolitan, October 1973.

Back to the Drawing Board

1970s, Antonio, Bellini, bill gibb, countdown, Frances Vaughan, Illustrations, Kaffe Fassett, Lady Fingers, Vogue
Man’s smoke-grey kimono knitted in oriental patterns, rivers and islands fading up sleeves and hem, black to charcoal, ginger to peach. Stripe sash. 30 gns. Child’s plum red tunic in diamond design, purple and pale blue all over, violet and khaki, rose pink and blue on the edge. 5 gns. Woman’s long black kimono with a sky of blue and ginger stars, giant satellites of black, dark brown, plum red and violet circling. Black and grey stripe sash. 30 gns. All by Kaffe Fassett at Beatrice Bellini, 11 West Halkin St.

Fashion constantly starts afresh and now it has travelled far back into the imagination, retuned to the basics of craft and design. Grass roots is the mood for this summer and the look is handwoven, hand painted, handknitted, handstitched. Here is how appliqué was recreated and a shepherd’s smock came in from the fields. How lace came to be painted with butterflies and sewn onto tartan, how knitting grew into something remarkably new.

Illustrations by Antonio

Scanned from Vogue, July 1970.

Peach and green tartan tweed. all set about and frilled with cotton lace tie dyed in the same summer pastels. A long and willowy suit with a long and willowy knife-pleated skirt. By Bill Gibb at Baccarat.
Long peach and golden tie dyed smock of lace, one beautiful big butterfly handpainted on the yoke. And a dress of natural linen billowing yard upon yard. threads drawn out by hand, panels of lace sewn in. All by Bill Gibb at Baccarat. Cotton lace tied and dyed by Valerie Irving. Apron and cap crocheted in string by Kaffe Fassett.
Natural linen shepherd’s smock and trousers. No boyangs but all traditional stuff with thick embroidery, smocking stitch, lazy daisies and paisleys almost everywhere. By Lady Fingers, 50 gns, to order, Countdown
Long grassy gingham dress and a long white cotton apron, pretty as a picture, sewn with birds and hedgerows, greens, pinks, deep dark blues. About 12 gns, 7 gns, to order, Frances Vaughan, 3 Munroe Terrace, S.W.10.

Perfumed Ladies

1970s, art deco, Illustrations, malcolm bird, vanity fair

One of my favourite illustrators of all time, Malcolm Bird takes the very essence of what I love about the Twenties/Thirties and the Sixties/Seventies and just melds them together with a Beardsley-esque eye for detail in little works of genius like this. Intended to illustrate a frivolous quiz on finding the right perfume for you (I’m resolutely a D, in case anyone was ever in any doubt) he gives us a brilliant cross-section of ‘types’ from 1970. I have separated the illustration above but you’ll find the quiz below for a bit of fun.

Illustrated by Malcolm Bird.

Scanned from Vanity Fair, April 1970.

Pain

1970s, cosmopolitan, Illustrations, Walter Velez

Illustration for an article on pain, taken from the book PAIN by Arthur Freese.

Illustrated by Walter Velez.

Scanned from Cosmopolitan, April 1975.

The Guitar Lesson

1970s, Brad Holland, Illustrations, mild sauce, Playboy, psychedelia

Illustration for a short story ‘The Guitar Lesson’ from Memoirs of the Comte de Gramont.

Illustrated by Brad Holland.

Scanned from Playboy, May 1970.

New Scene Baby Dolls

1960s, Babydoll, Hair and make-up, Illustrations, Make-up, Rave, Vintage Adverts

“Wake up to new make-up”

There is always wonder and joy when I find another of these Woolworths Baby Doll make-up adverts. But there is also always eternal frustration that I don’t know who illustrated them.

Scanned from Rave magazine, July 1969.

A Clutch of Bags

1970s, alistair cowin, Angela at London Town, bags, biba, caroline smith, Elle, flair magazine, gordon king, Herbert Johnson, Illustrations, Pierre Elegante, Sujon, Titfers
From left to right: Black satin Oxford bags, Angela at London Town £5; black satin clutch bag with rhinestone star, Titfers £8. Orange and red blanket check pure wool bags with turn ups, Pierre Elegante £8; yellow felt clutch bag with navy satin trim and flower button, Titfers £4. Wool gaberdine rust Oxford bags with winged pockets and turn ups, Gordon King £7.50; navy felt clutch bag with white anchor and white satin trim, Titfers £4; cotton kerchief square 40p, Herbert Johnson. Rust two toned patterned wool tweed trousers with turn ups, Biba £5.50; Black suede clutch bag with rust suede trim, Biba £7.75. Red acrylic wool Oxford bags, Alistair Cowin £6.50; black blue and beige chevron felt clutch bag, Titfers, £4.20. Rust brown and ochre checked wool tweed bags with turn ups, Sujon £9.50; golden suede clutch bag with tortoiseshell flap, Elle £12.50.

This autumn there are bags everywhere: Oxford ones on your pins and clutch ones in the hand. The return of the straight trouser has brought with it wing lapelled jackets with padded shoulders and neat waistcoats. Underneath, a feminine touch to soften the butch look, blouses with floppy painters’ bows. And don’t forget your clutch bag tucked neatly under your arm.

Illustration by Caroline Smith.

Scanned from Flair, November 1971.

How to look 1970

19 magazine, 1960s, 1970s, Illustrations, michael roberts, way in

Before you write off last year’s wardrobe as being out of date, or get depressed because you have nothing to wear and no money to spend … take a few minutes off and let your imagination wander like we did here. For instance, have you ever thought of:

Cutting down the sleeves of shirts and dresses to the new elbow length, adding old lace cuffs and collars and, perhaps, a heart pocket or two?

Adding a stunning button trim right down the sleeves of sweaters, cardigans and plain dresses?

Cutting up pieces of odd fabric and making patchwork pockets, shoulder insets and long scarves?

Ripping off existing collars and cuffs and replacing them with a lovely floral print with tie or scarf to match?

Adding a fake fur trim to the inside of cuffs, collars, pocket flaps and front openings to give a luxurious new look to a tired jacket or coat?

Adding fake fur pockets, shoulder yokes, collars and cuffs?

Cutting down trousers that are too short to four inches below the top of your boots? (test the length first so you don’t cut them too short).

Knitting yourself a long, long scarf and fringing the ends, or buying a long length of material and doing likewise?

Wearing your trousers inside your boots to promote a sleeky, sporty look?

Wearing a Sam Browne belt? (Available from Way In or Army Surplus Stores.)

Plaiting your hair and winding it around your ears, or wearing it in a plaited bun at the nape of your neck.

There are endless possibilities. All it takes is a bit of patience and some rummaging around.

Illustrated by Michael Roberts.

Scanned from 19 Magazine, September 1969.

When you share, you care…

1970s, Illustrations, leslie chapman, petticoat magazine

That could probably be my motto where my website/instagram feed is concerned. It helps cheer me up a little bit, especially right now, and I hope it does the same for you all too.

Illustration by Leslie Chapman.

Scanned from Petticoat, August 7th 1971.

Had any good dreams lately?

1970s, cosmopolitan, Illustrations, John Walsh, mild sauce

Illustration by John Walsh.

Scanned from Cosmopolitan, July 1975.