seventies fashion

Docteur Qui?

doctor who, haute naffness, jon pertwee, matt smith, seventies fashion

Have decided, after watching the first episode again and enjoying the second episode first time around on Saturday, that I am thoroughly loving the new Doctor. But then I am clearly quite fickle in my geek love, for I was quite mad for Tennant and my second childhood crush was Peter Davison. I think I’m just extremely ‘ok’ with the whole regeneration concept. It certainly never bothered me as a kid. Much like reincarnation; it carries on with a different face and personality, but ultimately it is the same soul/character.

Matt Smith is beautiful in a bizarre kind of way: cheekbones to die for, almost invisibly fair eyebrows and that hair. Oh! the hair. I must admit to being rather biased in that direction because my favourite man has pretty much got the same hair. Rowrrrrrrrrr.

I’m also very taken with his style. Young geeky guy does old fogey with great charm and panache. Bow ties? Haven’t been a huge fan up until now, I prefer a nice cravat or kipper, but Dr Eleven is working it very well. Tweed jackets? Braces? Sighhhhh…..

Ultimately though; pinstripes, tweed jackets, bow ties or cricket whites; something tells me that nothing will ever top the Pertwee-era.

p.s I feel like I need a copy of this. Anyone else?

HMS Pinafore

david hamilton, Foale and Tuffin, Inspirational Images, jeff banks, miss mouse, ossie clark, seventies fashion, Vogue, website listings

I love this shoot from Vogue, July 1972 by David Hamilton (not diddy DJ David Hamilton, I am assured) who seems to have specialised in these dreamy, misty, blurry photos which capture the spirit of a perfect, hazy English summer’s day…

I love pinafores and mock pinafores. Something harking back to my childhood, no doubt. I went through a very bizarre phase (I was rather prone to them, I must confess….) where I couldn’t bear to wear skirts or trousers. I was convinced they would fall down, they never felt secure or tight enough, even shoved up under my armpits. So I lived in dresses and, mainly for school, pinafores.

She sells seashells…

bus stop, lee bender, novelty prints, seventies fashion, website listings
Oh Lee Bender. How I do adore thee and thine tendency towards the novelty print….

Stunning dress from Bus Stop in a divine, and unusual, seashell print navy cotton. With wide kimono sleeves, tied waist, plunging neckline (there is a hook and eye, but personally I think it ruins the line….and, well, I like it a bit sluttier. So there!) and high collar. Yum yum yum.

Available over at Vintage-a-Peel

Whoahhhhh Black Betty…

betty barclay, seventies fashion, website listings

Betty Barclay, that is. I’ve had that song going round and round in my head while I’ve been working on this today. So I thought I ought to inflict it on you all, as well as showing this gorgeous new listing. Oh how I wish this dress were my size…

Oh my goodness, there’s more!

barbara hulanicki, biba, mary quant, mr freedom, seventies fashion

Ok, I officially love whoever is doing these weird music/fashion video crossovers, all seemingly taken from London Aktuell.

Mary Quant (in her best period, IMVHO, of the early Seventies), Biba and Mr Freedom (I love the shots actually outside the shop! Insanely groovy.). Lushness…..


And lastly, fashion by Laura. Whoever that might be. Love the red coat towards the end though….


Oh my goodness*, I am in fashion and music heaven….

*I cannot use the abbreviation ‘OMG’ any more. Not since I found myself scanning a book in a strange Brighton bookshop which used it as an abbreviation for ‘Oversized Male Genitalia’. Hilarious but impossible to put out of my head now….

Ossie Clark clip, 1970

ossie clark, seventies fashion, vintage fangirl squee

Clip taken from a German documentary, London aktuell, from 1970. Someone has overlaid some very groovy music onto an incredible, surreal clip of models and mannequins in Ossie Clark gear. Le swoon…

It is long since sold, but I used to have the ‘Harlequin’ dress…

L’il batch of l’il ol’ listin’s…..

bus stop, georgina linhart, harold ingram, jean varon, john bates, lee bender, mr darren, roland klein, seventies fashion, wallis, website listings


Woohoo! Finally. As many as the Great British Weather will allow right now (*shakes fist at dreary grey skies*)…..enjoy!

Nipples and novelties…

bus stop, keira knightley, lee bender, novelty prints, seventies fashion

I had to smile, knowingly, when I saw the almighty kerfuffle in the press about Keira Knightley’s outfit at the Olivier Awards last week. Anyone would think she had gone out in the nuddy herself by the way they reacted. I believe her piece isn’t vintage, Miu Miu or somesuch, but novelty prints are one of my favourite things about vintage clothing. There’s really nothing new under the sun, and there’s certainly never anything new on the catwalks.

Indeed, I have a much beloved blouse by Lee Bender for Bus Stop (in almost exactly the same kind of style as Keira’s Miu Miu: repro repro) which features a delightful art deco lady with her nips out. It’s a perfect date blouse; fits beautifully anyway and there’s much entertainment to be had when the penny drops for your date.

The last date I wore it on, to my great pleasure, he turned up in a vintage print shirt as well. I like a man who can pull off a good novelty print…

How to make an entrance

bianca jagger, cosmopolitan, diana rigg, john bates, seventies fashion, sexy couples, Yuki, zandra rhodes
Last minute party sparkle: a sip of Dom Perignon champagne straight from the bottle, “That way I don’t spoil my lipstick,” says Bianca.


I like her style.

It never ceases to amaze me how many ‘new’ pictures of someone can turn up, even after all these years. Sometimes I wish I still had my Diana Rigg site, just as an image archive, so I had somewhere to plonk anything new I come across. Ah well, blogging is my only outlet these days so that’ll just have to do.

A fantastically frothy and superficial spread on ‘How to make an entrance’ from Cosmopolitan 1974 with Bianca Jagger, Diana Rigg (wearing John Bates, no less), Angharad Rees, Christophers Cazanove AND Gable and Rose Marie (who was in Stardust, apparently. I don’t remember her….)

Bianca Jagger makes a point of arriving when the “audience” is assembled and waiting…. actress Diana Rigg loves walking into a party alone-“I’ll leave on my own, too, if I feel like it,” she says. Singer Brenda Arnau stalks into every party as if it were the jungle, her silver ceremonial bracelets clanking. With one exception, our celebrated ladies chose dresses in dramatic red, black or white. A party is no time to hide your light under a bushel. So, as the actresses do, take three deep breaths-and you’re on, baby…

Brenda Arnau

Daniel Massey and Jill Townshend

Angharad Rees and Christopher Cazanove; Christopher Gable and Rose Marie

More fashion etiquette to break

gala, Inspirational Images, Make-up, seventies fashion, underwear, Vogue
A lady never wears fake jewels, coloured underwear, diamonds before breakfast


Amazing images, ludicrous etiquette I’m happy to be breaking on a regular basis, clothes I want desperately. Ahhhh……it has to be more from Vogue, June 1971.

It is in bad taste to dress extravagantly or showily with people who are all plainly dressed.