Inspirational Images

Inspirational Images: Flirty ‘Fifties

19 magazine, 1970s, british boutique movement, City Lights, Frank Murphy, gillian richard, Inspirational Images, Joyce Dixon, miss mouse, rae spencer cullen

Left to right: White dress with pink motifs and two huge trimmed pockets of hips, by Joyce Dixon for Gillian Richard, £8. Shoes by Lotus. Whit coton dress, with huge pink spots and wide circular skirt, trimmed with two pockets near hem, by Gillian Richard, £7. Shoes also by Lotus. Bracelet from City Lights Studio. Blue and white cotton sun top, buttons down back, £3.95, Straight cotton skirt with pink and blue motifs, fastens at back with a square of buttons, £5.95. Both by Miss Mouse. Shoes by Lotus. Blue and white spotted sun top and matching circular skirt with two large pockets on sides, £7.95. Both by Miss Mouse. Shoes from Lotus.

An age of frivolity and fantasy. Polka dots and bows. Shocking pinks and bobby socks. Flatties and flirties. Time for agod giggle; for screaming hysterically after all those movie idols in a great ‘Fifties revival

Some promising designs were submitted by students of the Kingston Polytechnic Fashion Department, when Gillian Richard organised a competition this season with the Polytechnic. We’re featuring a dress by the Second Prize winner, Joyce Dixon, as we think the design is right up-to-date and very original. Joyce comes from Carlisle, is in her third year at the Poly and has won many prizes for her designs. She works with Gillian Richard in her vacations, and hopes to go to the Royal College of Art in London for a further course. We wish her the best of luck. You should be seeing more of her designs in 19 in the future.

Photographed by Frank Murphy. Scanned by Miss Peelpants from 19 Magazine, June 1973

Pablo and Delia: Instant Nymph

1970s, british boutique movement, Inspirational Images, norman parkinson, pablo and delia, Vogue, yves saint laurent

pablo and delia vogue july 73 a

Place: Jane’s Harbour, at the house of Mr and Mrs R. Miles Warner. Dress: Fuschia chiffon over skirt, with leaf and flower liana. About £120. Pink net flower hat. Instant nymph. Pablo & Delia, both to order at Browns. Sandals by Saint Laurent Rive Gauche.

Photographed by Norman Parkinson. Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, July 1973

pablo and delia vogue july 73 b

Magazine Match-up: Plaza Sweet

1970s, antony price, british boutique movement, che guevara, cosmopolitan, Inspirational Images, Magazine Match-up, personal collection, Plaza, Tony Boase
This natty knitted two-piece by Plaza will set you back an uninflated £8.90 but teamed with the right accessories - beret, clutch bag, courts - looks like it could carry a £30+ tag. The fabric is a clingy wool jersey in shades of cranverry, black and grey. You'll find the set at Che Guevara, Kensington High Street and all branches of Bobby Cousins.

This natty knitted two-piece by Plaza will set you back an uninflated £8.90 but teamed with the right accessories – beret, clutch bag, courts – looks like it could carry a £30+ tag. The fabric is a clingy wool jersey in shades of cranberry, black and grey. You’ll find the set at Che Guevara, Kensington High Street and all branches of Bobby Cousins.

If you know me, you know there’s little I love more than finding something I own in a magazine from the time. So when this copy of Cosmopolitan arrived today, I was delighted to spot this Antony Price for Plaza jersey top (albeit with a slightly different width of stripe). I was then, of course, miserable to note that it once had a matching skirt. Boo hoo. You can’t win ’em all…

Photographed by Tony Boase.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Cosmoplitan, November 1974

plaza

Inspirational Images: Mia Farrow by Snowdon

1920s, 1970s, Essenses, Inspirational Images, lord snowdon, Mia Farrow, the great gatsby, The Purple Shop, Vogue

mia farrow by snowdon

The girl they picked to play Daisy

Dress from Essenses. Ropes of pearl, crystal , peach and turquoise beads, bangles from a selection at The Purple Shop.

Photographed by Snowdon. Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, March 1973

mia farrow by snowdon 2

Inspirational Editorials: Party Line

1970s, Bob Schulz, David Anthony, Inspirational Images, Patsy B, vanity fair
Strapless dress in pure paper silk taffeta should turn every head just with its rustle. By Bob Schulz, £45 from Patsy B Boutique, 6 Upper Grosvenor Street, W1. Lightly boned bodice so you don't rely entirely on willpower!

Strapless dress in pure paper silk taffeta should turn every head just with its rustle. By Bob Schulz, £45 from Patsy B Boutique, 6 Upper Grosvenor Street, W1. Lightly boned bodice so you don’t rely entirely on willpower!

Photographed by David Anthony. Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vanity Fair, April 1972.

The same again only different. Bob Schulz paper silk taffeta dress. Glamour like we haven't had it since Cyd Charisse - and thank God it's back. Lond dress made to order for grand party entrances.

The same again only different. Bob Schulz paper silk taffeta dress. Glamour like we haven’t had it since Cyd Charisse – and thank God it’s back. Long dress made to order for grand party entrances.

Mild Sauce: “I was frigid”

1970s, caroline smith, cosmopolitan, Illustrations, Inspirational Images, mild sauce

I was frigid

Illustration by Caroline Smith (uncredited) for an article entitled ‘I was frigid’.

Scanned from Cosmopolitan, March 1973

Inspirational Editorials: Splitting the Difference

1960s, 1970s, british boutique movement, bus stop, celia birtwell, Chelsea Antiques Market, Chelsea Drug Store, cherry twiss, christopher mcdonnell, hans feurer, Inspirational Images, king's road, lee bender, marrian mcdonnell, mary quant, ossie clark, quorum, radley, The Purple Shop, Vintage Editorials
Crepe skirt and printed chiffon blouse both at Quorum. Pink patent shoes at Elliott. Tights from Bus Stop.

Crepe skirt and printed chiffon blouse both at Quorum. Pink patent shoes at Elliott. Tights from Bus Stop.

If you are prepared to forsake the mini this summer for the midi or maxi, you will find that designers have compensated for covering the legs by boldly slashing the skirts at the front, the back and the sides. Photographed at The Chelsea Drug Store.

This is a fascinating editorial for a few reasons. Firstly it is photographed at the legendary Chelsea Drug Store, showing off the incredible interior to perfection. It singularly fails to credit Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell with their garments for Quorum (an odd oversight given their fame at the time…). It is also a glorious insight into the mini/midi/maxi debate of 1970 and shows us the transition between late Sixties style and the early Seventies. The clothes are familiar as early Seventies, but the shoes are not yet platform and still stuck in a low block heel.

Photographed by Hans Feurer. Styled by Cherry Twiss.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from The Telegraph Magazine (exact date unknown, Spring 1970)

Cream jersey dress at Marrian McDonnell. Gold sandals at Elliott. Onyx and silver ring from The Purple Shop.

Cream jersey dress at Marrian McDonnell. Gold sandals at Elliott. Onyx and silver ring from The Purple Shop.

Printed voile dress by Mary Quant. Suede granny shoes by Elliott. Victorian pendant at The Purple Shop, Chelsea Antiques Market.

Printed voile dress by Mary Quant. Suede granny shoes by Elliott. Victorian pendant at The Purple Shop, Chelsea Antiques Market.

Orange crepe dress at Bus Stop. Orange suede sandals at Elliott.

Orange crepe dress at Bus Stop. Orange suede sandals at Elliott.

Dress by Radley Gowns from Quorum. Shoes from Kurt Geiger. Victorian pendant from The Purple Shop.

Dress by Radley Gowns from Quorum. Shoes from Kurt Geiger. Victorian pendant from The Purple Shop.

Vintage Adverts: Meet your Swedish Playmate

1970s, Abecita, Inspirational Images, mild sauce, vanity fair, Vintage Adverts

abecita advert vanity fair april 72

Abecita advert scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vanity Fair, April 1972

Starlet Nights

antony price, british boutique movement, clive arrowsmith, Hamish Bowles, harpers and queen, Inspirational Images, maudie james, Monty Don, murray arbeid, sheridan barnett, Stephen Jones, Vintage Editorials
Upstaging madly in a flurry of feathers, flounces and faux jewels, our chorus line throws caution to the wings and takes centre stage for a thousand and one glamour-puss nights, directed by Hamish Bowles, 19.

Left to right: Black taffeta dress by Murray Arbeid. Black velvet and rose fascinator by Stephen Jones. Black wool crepe sheath dress with feathers by Sheridan Barnett. Black marabou and ostrich feathered opera coat by Sheridan Barnett, from Roxy 25 Kensington Church Street. Mauve taffeta and velvet stripe dress by Murray Arbeid. Rose hat by Stephen Jones. Crystal drop earrings by Monty Don. Black sun-ray pleated lame and chiffon evening dress by Antony Price, to order from Ebony. Earrings by Andrew Logan.

Upstaging madly in a flurry of feathers, flounces and faux jewels, our chorus line throws caution to the wings and takes centre stage for a thousand and one glamour-puss nights, directed by Hamish Bowles, 19.

A fascinating little spread here, directed by a 19-year-old Hamish Bowles and featuring pieces by established designers like Sheridan Barnett, Murray Arbeid and the Antony Price I’d give my first born to own… Plus up and coming designers like Stephen Jones and Monty Don (yes, that Monty Don…). Plus the make-up was by iconic Sixties model, Maudie James. I’m not such a huge fan of Harpers and Queen in this period, but this spread is such a perfect combination of what had been and what was to come – which makes it a definite cut above the rest.

Photographed by Clive Arrowsmith.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Harpers and Queen, August 1983

Inspirational Images: Unidentified Woman by Arnold Genthe, 1910

Arnold Genthe, edwardian ladies, Inspirational Images, sunday times magazine

Unidentified Woman by Arnold Genthe 1910 Autochrome

Unidentified Woman by Arnold Genthe (Autochrome, 1910)

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from The Sunday Times Magazine, 22nd October 1978