Party Lines

1970s, anello and davide, Angela at London Town, biba, Bo Riddley, Britannia Land of Plenty, bus stop, Crochetta, Diane Logan, Dolcis, edward mann, Feathers, fotheringay and hepplewaite, gillian richard, harriet, Hope and Eleanor, jeff banks, lee bender, liberty, liberty's, petticoat magazine, Richard Green, Roger Charity, Russell & Bromley, Saxone, stop the shop, Sue Hone, Sujon, Travers Tempos, van der fransen, way in

Satin pants and superstar jacket, £17, Angela at London Town. Flower print chiffon blouse, £7.50, at Bus Stop. Quant tights, 75p. Saxone suede peep-toe shoes, £4.99. / Satin cut-off pants, £4.95, and sequined satin jacket, £6.95 at all branches of Bus Stop. Biba diamante star, £1.50. Edward Mann velvet beret, £3.85. Quant sheer tights, £1.25. Suede bar shoes, Dolcis, £5.50.

Party wear for the getogether season takes all the best of blazers and pants and sleeks them up in satins and velvets… or cools off with the prettiest dresses ever.

Clearly Christmas 2020 is going to be a uniquely muted season as far as partying is concerned, but I often avoid the throngs of people anyway. Years of working in theatre over the festive season meant that when I had downtime I would prefer to lounge around in satins and velvets in the comfort of my own home. I’m just glad you’re all finally catching up with how nice it is! In all seriousness though, sometimes the smallest things can make us feel the nicest – so even if you don’t feel like getting togged up in satin and velvet, I highly recommend doing something you would normally find ridiculous for sitting around at home. Sparkly hair clip, red lipstick or those skyscraper platforms you can’t walk in.

Photographed by kind permission of Mecca Dancing at the Empire Ballroom, Leicester Square, WC1

Fashion by Sue Hone.

Photographed by Roger Charity.

Scanned from Petticoat, 4th December 1971.

Velvet jacket, £23 and satin pants, £9 by Sujon. Richard Green voile shirt, £6.50. Feathers beret, £7.50. Dolcis shoes, £5.50. / Cotton pants and battle jacket, Travers Tempos, £12. Richard Green flower print shirt as above. Diane Logan knit hat, £2.75. Anello and Davide bar shoes, £3.50.

Purple lurex painter’s smock, Gillian Richard, £8. Pink and purple satin skirt, Biba, Kensington High Street, W8, comes with matching jacket, £12.50. Brocade skull cap, Diane Logan, £8.50. Black and purple shoes, £5.50 at Dolcis.

Check taffeta bermudas, £8 with jacket by Angela at London Town from Stop the Shop. Bo Riddley tie, 15p. Bead ring at Britannia Land of Plenty, 50p. Biba tights, 55p. Anello and Davide bar shoes, £3.50. / Long check taffeta skirt, £8.50 and blouse, £5, Angela at London Town from Just Looking, SW3, 2007 W1. Feathers pewter pendant, £5. Hope and Eleanor bead purse, £4.75.

Printed chiffon skirt, £8 with matching short top, £7 by Jeff Banks at Fotheringay and Hepplewaite, P.R. Top Shops. Bead rope, Bo Riddley, 15p. Leaf choker at Van der Fransen, £1.25. Dolcis shoes, £5.95 / Silky dress with sailor collar, £8 at Van der Fransen, SW6. Silky short-sleeved jacket Fotheringay and Hepplewaite, £5.75. Dolcis shoes, £5.50.

Long satin dress, Gillian Richard, £10 at Way In. Clobber blouse, £8 at Stop the Shop. Feathers hat, £6.50. Russell & Bromley suede and snake shoes, £12.95 / Liberty print dress, Sujon, £17 at Fifth Avenue, W1. Fringed shawl at Britannia Land of Plenty, £12.50. Bus Stop diamante slides, 99p. Dolcis shoes, £5.50.

Black cotton dress with red buttons and piping, Harriet, £9 at Just Looking, SW3. Red suede belt, embroidered from Feathers. Red and blue ties with beads, Bo Riddley, 15p. / Lilac and green puffed sleeved dress, Harriet, £13.25 at Harrods, SW1, Bentalls Kingston. Feathers choker, £2.50. Fringed knit shawl, Crochetta for Knits and Leathers, £6. Dolcis shoes, £5.50.

Carry Your Bag?

1970s, Avril Gordon, bags, Bags, biba, erica budd, Inspirational Images, John Carter, John Craig, mr freedom, petticoat magazine, stop the shop, Sue Hone, Tillers, Tommy Roberts, Tony Alston, Wild Mustang Co., Xanthe leathers

From left to right: John Craig polo, £4.50., Just Looking, SW3. Felt clutch bag, Tillers, £4., Miss Selfridge and Way In, SW1. Satchel tote bag, Avril Gordon, £3.99., from Miss Selfridge shops. Striped polo, John Craig, £4., at “27”, SW3. Rainbow suede clutch bag, Biba, W8., £7.75., and knit hat, 75p. Fringed duffle bag, Xanthe Leather, £3.99., Girl, Wl. John Craig polo, £3., Girl. Leather and snake clutch bag, Bus Stop, W8., £4. Canvas bag with daisy trim, Xanthe Leather, £3.50 at Girl, Wl. Polo sweater with badges, Erica Budd, £2.90., Neatawear, Girl and Peter Robinson Top Shop, Wl. Bus Stop hat, £2.60. Bag in leather cowboy style, Wild Mustang, £9., to order, 30 Gt. Portland St, Wl., p&p inc. Custard Tart metal workman’s lunchbox, Mr Freedom, Kensington Church St., W8., £2.65. Ribby polo with stripes, John Craig, £4., at Stop The Shop, SW3. Knitting bag, Baggage and General, £2.90., Peter Robinson, Great Gear Trading Co., SW3. Leather shoulder bag with criss cross stitching, Girl, £6.99. Vest sweater, John Craig, £4.50., at Just Looking, SW3. Suede shoulder bag with badge and wings, £5.75., with matching hat, £4.75., by Tony Alston to order from 52, Sutherland Pl., W2, p&p inc. Canvas bag, Xanthe Leather, £3.25., Chelsea Girl, Mail order: 15, Perrins Lane, NW3 and 20p p&p.

Carry-alls in all shapes and sizes… patterned pouches to go pretty places, tough canvas (and tin!) toters for trains and towns and big squashy suede and leather shoulder bags for catching buses and boats and being busy.

I am particularly enamoured of the ‘Custard Tart’ workman’s lunchbox from Mr Freedom.

Fashion by Sue Hone.

Photographed by John Carter

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Petticoat, October 1971

Take a long look

1960s, bus stop, david hurn, Elgee, Inspirational Images, John Craig, kleptomania, lee bender, ossie clark, petticoat magazine, quorum, ravel, Sacha, Sacha, stop the shop, Sujon, Vintage Editorials, wallis

Long blue coat, £25 4s. by Ossie Clark at Quorum, S.W.3. Scarf by Liberty, £3 19s. 6d. White boots by Sacha, £7 7s. Flowery print dress, £10 10s,, by Kleptomania, S.W.3. Blue boots by Sacha, £7 7s. Corocraft beads, £1 12s. 6d.

How far are you dropping your hem this season? Variations on the theme fall from just below the knee to maxi. Coolest long-liners come soft on jersey, hot on tweed, close and clingy in crepe and warm in wool and fur…

Photographed by David Hurn.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Petticoat, October 1969.

Blue button-front long dress, £8 Ss. from main Wallis Shops. Beige long-sleeved shirt, £3 13s. 6d., turquoise coat, £13 13s., long black skirt, £5 Ss. all from Bus Stop, W.8. Worry beads, £15s. from The Greek Shop.

Maroon herring-bone coat, £18 10s., with matching trousers, £5 by Elgee from Miss Selfridge. Ravel red patent brogues, £6 6s, Lilac velveteen shirt by John Craig, £3 12s. from Stop the Shop, S.W.3. Brown and white tweed coat, £16 10s. C & A. Paisley scarf by Richard Allan, £3 3s. Grey herringbone coat, £13 2s. 6d., matching trousers, £414s. 6d., from Bus Stop, W.B. and the new shop in Birmingham. Boots by Sacha, £7 7s. Fringed scarf by Sujon, £3 13s. 6d.

Welcome Summer

1970s, Adrian Mann, Angela at London Town, biba, Browns, clobber, Feathers, gillian richard, gladrags, Jean Claude Volpeliere, jeff banks, petticoat magazine, Sacha, Sacha, stop the shop

Gladrags printed shirt with cotton satin knickerbockers. Plastic and raffia choker by Adrien Mann. Gladrags cotton satin shorts with bib.

Just a quick glance at any of these new mid-year fabrics can lead to all sorts of sunny ideas. Will you take to squashysoft quilting or fall in love with countryside madras printed denim and shiny new satinised cotton? For the romantic there’s beautiful embroidered lawns and more than enough nostalgia in the turn-of-the-century jacquard crepes, woven on precisely the same machines as those of sixty summers past. All ready for you to wear tomorrow — or to keep aside for that long hot summer . . .

Photographed by Jean Claude Volpeliere.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Petticoat, April 1971.

Welcome Summer - 7 - Jean Claude Volpeliere

Little bird print shirt and skirt from Biba. Suede wedge shoes from Sacha. Angora brim hat from Browns.

Welcome Summer - 2 - Jean Claude Volpeliere

Blue quilted shorts and shirt, both from Feathers. Blue suede shoes by Sacha.

Welcome Summer - 3 - Jean Claude Volpeliere

Clobber stars and stripes jacket at Stop the Shop. Bermona denim cap.

Welcome Summer - 1 - Jean Claude Volpeliere

Gillian Richard printed dungarees, smock and matching hat from ’27’. Gillian Richard calico smock with matching dungarees from Snob and Irvine Sellars shops. Herbert Johnson hat. .

Welcome Summer - 4 - Jean Claude Volpeliere

Angela smock dress at Stop the Shop.

Welcome Summer - 6 - Jean Claude Volpeliere

Angela calico farmers smock worn with denim jeans, wellington boots and hat.

The Winter Folk Look

1970s, Alain Walsh, Buckle Under, clobber, Crochetta, Herbert Johnson, Inca, Inspirational Images, John Craig, laura ashley, petticoat magazine, stop the shop, Sue Hone, Uncategorized, Vintage Editorials

Left: Embroidered long skirt and embroidered Mexican shirt, both by Souk. John Craig shaggy wool waistcoat. Buckle Under Enterprises balaclava. Right: Long skirt by Souk. Biba gloves. Clobber blouse at Stop the Shop. Jasper kimono from Miss Selfridge.

Warm folkclothes for the part of you that needs freedom and a soft, beautiful way of dressing even through the cold months of winter. These are the long skirt, blouses and shawls to pick up in the markets, the pinnies and shaggy wool coats to take off the peg and lounge around in.

Fashion by Sue Hone. Photographed by Alain Walsh.

Scanned from Petticoat, 11th December 1971.

Left: Clobber gingham skirt with frill. Calico pinny from Laura Ashley. Knit jacket by Crochetta for Knits and Leathers. Feathers hat. Play balls from Inca. Right: Clobber seersucker skirt with print. John Craig rib polo sweater. Calico pinny at Laura Ashley. Embroidered jacket and Hessian belts at Inca. Herbert Johnson mittens.

Inspirational Editorials: Knits, socks and clogs

1970s, alice pollock, alistair cowin, biba, british boutique movement, Chelsea Antiques Market, crowthers, Donald Davies, elisabeth novick, Grade One, harold ingram, Harrods, Inspirational Images, Jan Jensen, John Craig, kensington market, Margaret Howell, Mayfair Market, moyra swan, quorum, stop the shop, The Sweet Shop, Toto, Vintage Editorials, Vogue

Puff sleeve sweater from Harrods. Small turquoise Acrilan bib sweater at Stop the Shop. Both by John Craig. Khaki ribbed bermuda shorts by Donald Davies. Tapestry clog boots by Jan Jensen.

A perfect winter look.

Photographed by Elisabeth Novick. Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, February 1971.

Dusty pink puff sleeved sweater over a beige linen sweater. Both by Harold Ingram. Thick purple wool trousers at Biba. Striped socks, Ruskin at Kensington Market. Knit cap by Margaret Howell at The Sweet Shop. Rose in glass pin, Marie Middleton at Chelsea Antique Market. Jacquard sweater by Toto at branches of Crowthers. Mushroom beige sweater underneath by Harold Ingram. Royal blue cashmere shorts, McGregor of Dublin. Over the knee socks by Donald Davies.

Vest and pullover both by Alice Pollock at Quorum. Pink knitted shorts by Alistair Cowin at Grade One. All clogs from Mayfair Market. Puff sleeved sweater in stripes of tuqouoise, pink and navy, acrylic tibbed dark blue polo neck undeneath, dark blue knitted trousers rolled up. All by John Craig at Stop the Shop.

Guide to Feminine London

1970s, biba, Boston-151, british boutique movement, carnaby street, countdown, crowthers, Emmerton and Lambert, Foale and Tuffin, Illustrations, Janet Ibbotson, just looking, laura ashley, marrian mcdonnell, Michael Farrell, mr freedom, rowley and oram, stirling cooper, stop the shop, Suliman, thea porter, universal witness, yves saint laurent

Illustrated by Michael Farrell. Click to enlarge.

Oh I do love a good map. Especially a fantastically illustrated map of all my favourite shops in London in 1971. It is the nearest I will ever come to being able to walk around them. Sadness ensues…

Scanned from Vanity Fair, July 1971.

Bagged!

1970s, aristos, art of bags, biba, british boutique movement, chelsea girl, countdown, crowthers, irvine sellars, jean varon, john bates, just looking, king's road, laura ashley, mr freedom, ravel, stop the shop, take 6

Aristos © John Hendy

I couldn’t resist following ‘Tagged!’ with ‘Bagged!’. The art of the carrier bag seems even less appreciated than the art of the hang tag, despite its importance in the history of advertising and consumerism.

On Simon Hendy’s incredible website “My Dad’s Photos“, Simon has scanned a mountain of original photos that his father took across six years of fashionable (and not so fashionable) people on the King’s Road in the late Sixties and early Seventies. It is truly a delight to sift your way through them. They are a true time capsule of ‘real’ people wearing ‘real’ clothes in a period where photo opportunities were frequently engineered and crafted (as brilliant as Frank Habicht’s ‘In The Sixties’ is, it’s a very well-crafted form of ‘candid’ photography). I will definitely post about them again, not least because I recognise so many bits of clothing from designers I love.

However, today’s post is about the carrier bag. For, as I was sifting through and starting to get a bit dizzy with the amazingness of it all, I started to notice the bags people were carrying. Biba, Aristos, Stop the Shop, Crowthers… These are truly ephemeral items. How many people bother to keep a plastic bag? You might, if you were lucky, have wrapped something up in one and plonked it in your loft for the past forty years. But these examples are few and far between. The iconic design of the original Biba bags has ensured that they are the most regularly found on eBay, but few of any other kind have slipped through the net.

I did, however, find a ‘Jean Varon’ bag on eBay very recently, which has now taken its place in my collection of weird and wonderful ephemera.

Simon has kindly allowed me to link to his photos from my blog. I know it’s hard to keep such things under control in this age of tumblr etc, but I would appreciate if you would also ask him if you would like to repost his images somewhere else. He has spent many hours scanning these photos, photos which (unlike magazine scans) would not be available otherwise – from anyone else. Thank you!