By Robert Farber
Date, model and original publication unknown. Scanned from How To Photograph Women (1984)
Inspirational Images: Lace and curls
1970s, Inspirational Images, lace, robert farberPhotographers
Mensday: Which day is your man?
1960s, Andrei Punsuh, Foale and Tuffin, I was Lord Kitchener's Valet, jean varon, Mensday, menswear, petticoat magazine
Shame on me, I clean forgot about Mensday. But I’m going to make amends (ahaha) for this today. Yes, yes, I know it’s Friday. But it’s also my boyfriend’s birthday and so Mensday is rescheduled in his honour.
I’m also geeking out because look up there ^ – it’s the Annacat blouse I’ve just listed for sale over at Vintage-a-Peel. I only just noticed!
Petticoat, September 1968. Photos by Andrei Punsuh.
The Beautiful People
david bailey, grace coddington, marit allen, michael chow, penelope tree, Vogue
Occasionally I go and gorge myself stupid over at the magnificent Youthquakers site. They make no pretence of scanning perfection, which means they can bombard you with a tonne of amazing Vogue scans at any one time. I feel exhausted just looking at it. It also means that a complete Brit-fashion geek like me (with more magazines than I can cope with) can take a look at copies of US Vogue, which I can rarely justify getting hold of myself.
I spotted this brilliant piece in a February 1970 US Vogue. Mrs Chow was, of course, Grace Coddington and Mrs ‘Liberson’ was, in fact, Marit Allen. Fashion journalism legend and boutique collector extraordinaire. She was the wife of Sandy Lieberson (tsk! tsk!, US Vogue fact checkers…), who was a film producer and to whom I am extremely grateful for bringing That’ll Be The Day, Stardust and Rita, Sue and Bob Too! into my life.
Also, Penelope Tree. Yay!
Inspirational Images: Ossie Clark and Annacat, 1967
anello and davide, annacat, burt glinn, cherry twiss, ossie clark, quorum, telegraph magazine
Waterproof pigskin culottes, 18gns (matching jacket not shown, 40gns) to order, Cordoba Suedewear. Silk shirt, 11gns, by Annacat . Snakeskin waistcoat by Quorum, 6gns, only from Over The Rainbow. Mock crocodile boots, to order, Anello & Davide.
Photos by Burt Glinn. Styled by Cherry Twiss. Shot in Jamaica.
Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Telegraph Magazine, July 7th 1967.
Vogue’s Christmas: Send in the Clowns
bill gibb, clowns, david bailey, Gina Fratini, john bates, marie helvin, seventies fashion, thea porter, Vogue, zandra rhodes
It’s oh so quiet…
…over here, isn’t it? I haven’t turned to ice, or been out enjoying the snow too much to blog. No, I’m back in the West End, with my latest one-woman show….. ahhh, just joking! I’m back at the ballet, dressing the newest version of The Nutcracker and the schedule is a bit punishing for all involved. So I’m grabbing moments when I can, to post out my wares and try to keep on top of things. But sadly, it means that I’m barely able to keep up with all you lovely bloggers and get half of the things done before Christmas that I needed and wanted to do. Argh! Anyway, to keep you going until I have time/energy to blog again, here is one of my all-time favourite Vogue shoots from December 1975. Beauty and grace personified…
Apologies to any coulrophobes out there!
By John Bates
By Gina Fratini
By Jorn Langberg
By Bill Gibb
By Thea Porter
By Zandra Rhodes
Main dress by Hanae Mori
By Nettie Vogues
Karl Lagerfeld for Chloe
Just to let you know, I can still post out before Christmas although I wouldn’t recommend relying too heavily on the postal service, given current weather issues and Christmas rush. But even if it doesn’t get there in time, remember, a vintage piece is not just for Christmas…
Mensday? Mednesday? Whatever. It’s Menswear Wednesday!
david bailey, Mensday, menswear, mr fish, rupert lycett green, sixties, VogueI’m thinking of turning Wednesdays into Menswear days; something tasty to cure the midweek blues. But I can’t decide if ‘Mensday’ is just too cheesy, even for me? Regardless, here is Mr [Michael] Fish wearing one of his own pieces, alongside one of Rupert Lycett Green’s flamboyant creations for Blades. Dribble….
Vogue, January 1968. Photos by Bailey.James Wedge the Milliner
british boutique movement, countdown, Foale and Tuffin, hats, james wedge, jenny boyd, moyra swan, Pattie Boyd, sixties, susannah york, top gear, Vogue
I’m often yapping on about the genius of James Wedge’s photography, but I have been meaning to share this very rare, very precious part of fashion history and of my personal collection for a while now. Wedge is one of those rare Renaissance-man types; successful in every new skill to which he turned his hand. He successfully ran his own boutiques (Countdown and Top Gear), forged a career in photography with no experience or working knowledge (trial and error often creates some of the best works of art) and, initially, he trained and worked as a milliner.
James Wedge hats in Vogue
His hats were regularly featured in Vogue in the early to mid Sixties, often teamed with outfits by his friends Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin, and are some of the most perfect examples of mod ‘op-art’ ever created. But they weren’t being produced for long, or in any great quantity, so they are now incredibly rare.
This hat splits me in half. I cannot wear fur. I just can’t. Not particularly morally, I eat meat and wear leather quite happily, but the feel on my skin is like nails down a blackboard. Consequently, a hat made from rabbit fur is a thing of beauty aesthetically but I wouldn’t wear it even if I could squish it over my big head. However, I can’t quite bring myself to sell it just yet. I mean… it’s James Wedge?!
If I Point At The Moon
1970s, Inspirational Images, noosha fox, Sarah Moon, Vogue
Two beautiful photographs by the iconic photographer and artist Sarah Moon, from Vogue April 1972. Music by Noosha Fox. Calming me down on a stressful and miserable Monday…
Peek Inside The Boutique: Foale and Tuffin
1970s, brian duffy, british boutique movement, Foale and Tuffin, ingrid boulting, telegraph magazine
Marion Foale (left) and Sally Tuffin in their boutique.
Foale and Tuffin Ltd
1 Marlborough Court W1
Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin spent three years designing clothes under their own label before opening the Foale and Tuffin boutique in 1965. Their designs, often based on history, are still sold to other stores and boutiques in Britain and they export to the U.S. and Europe as well. They design for a relaxed way of life and make clothes they or their friends could wear.
The Daily Telegraph Magazine, July 17th 1970
Photos by Duffy.
Chiffon blouse, £7, and three matching skirts, £7 each.
Printed cotton dress, £12 10s. Hair by Vidal Sassoon.
Peek Inside The Boutique: marrian-mcdonnell
brian duffy, british boutique movement, christopher mcdonnell, marrian mcdonnell, seventies fashion, telegraph magazine
Christopher McDonnell in the South Molton Street boutique. The model wears a blouse and layered culottes in organza, 42 gns.
I love these sparse and splendid boutique insights you can occasionally glean from vintage magazines. A while ago, to my shame, I promised that I would scan the entire of this July 1970 Telegraph Magazine article on London boutiques. Slap my wrist and call me Kate Moss, I clean forgot. I intend to amend, starting with marrian-mcdonnell.
marrian-mcdonnell
45 South Molton Street, W1 and 80 Sloane Avenue, SW3
The first Marrian-McDonnell boutique opened in Sloane Avenue in April 1966. Christopher McDonnell, who had been a fashion editor with Queen magazine, where he met Mary Ann Marrian, designed clothes that were casual but elegant. A whoesale range was produced soon afterwards to meet the demand from other stores, and now the partners export to the U.S. and Scandinavia, too.
In 1968 the second boutique opened in South Molton Street, and its success emphasises Christopher’s flair for giving a touch of glamour to classic fashion.
The Daily Telegraph Magazine, July 17th 1970
(This photo by Guy Cross) Safari jacket, 13 gns, knitted trousers and floor length coat, 19 gns.
Typical Marrian-McDonnell ensemble is this cotton midi-dress with matching sleeveless coat, 20 gns.
Outside the dressing rooms, jersey jumpsuit, 13½ gns, worn with zip-fronted snakeskin jacket, 45½ gns.
Hair by David at Michaeljohn. Photos by Duffy.
Liz Eggleston 