Has there ever been a sexier pairing on the planet? (Or, even, a more naked woman in the Sixties than Jane Birkin? But that’s another blog post altogether…) The chemistry practically jumps out of the pictures and slaps you around the face…
Style Icons
We’ve Got a Bottle of Hair Dye and We’re Gonna Use It…
Eighties Fashion, fuzzbox, new romantic, strawberry switchbladeThought I would share possibly one of my favourite Eighties videos (and songs) by the fantastically low-budget girl group Fuzzbox (a.k.a We’ve Got a Fuzzbox and We’re Gonna Use It). I mainly remembered them from the later Eighties when they came back with a slicker sound, look and Barbarella-concept video for International Rescue. But I also remember my eldest brother speaking fondly of how ‘punk’ they used to be. I’m sure he’d now cringe at the idea that Fuzzbox were ever vaguely proper punk. But when I went a-hunting for inspiration for the New Rom nights, I discovered the early Fuzzbox videos and was hooked.
I honestly really wish I could style my hair and dress like these girls. I think I have a built in taste-limiter though. I usually end up more Roxy-girl or Strawberry Switchblade-esque. But perhaps one day I’ll say ‘to hell with it’ and dye my hair pink or something. The crimping and make-up I think I’ve got down pat….
A more unusual Ossie spot: Peter Gabriel
bryan ferry, david bowie, marianne faithfull, ossie clarkWatching the Seven Ages of Rock on YeSTERDAY [or is it yEsterday? I can never remember now…] I happened upon a surprising Ossie spot. After initially enjoying young Mr David Gilmour (yummy!), the BryanGod (yummier!!) and then a young Peter Gabriel (surprisingly yum in his early days, I hadn’t realised)…..they proceeded to show the clip of Gabriel with the fox head….and a red dress. But not just any red dress….
Oh yeah. Mr Gabriel was wearing an Ossie. Presumably belonging to his wife? I think it rather suits him, and certainly makes an interesting contrast to Bowie and Jagger wearing “official” Ossie menswear.
I once sold the black version over at Vintage-a-Peel. I wonder, should I ever come across another one, whether the Gabriel connection would be a unique selling point?? Methinks perhaps not….
I think Marianne is still the bestest wearer of this style, although it helps that hers is a Celia print….
Le Freak, C’est Chic: Ossies! Dancing Pattie!! Ossies!!!
amanda lear, ossie clark, Pattie BoydPattie is shown wearing the ubiquitous scalloped edge trousersuit and Lamborghini. Interestingly named as ‘Georgy Porgy’ in the film. I wonder if that was the original name for the outfit or whether they called it Georgy Porgy as a joke reference to Mr Harrison? Oddly enough, I have greater Ossie-envy for Amanda Lear’s outfits [and, while I’m here, I want her hair!]. And the lucky cow who gets to wear the kicky flared ensemble (Dress of the Year at Bath in 1969 – see below). That’s probably the ultimate Ossie holy grail….for me at any rate.
Irritating that you could dance like that back then. I can dance like that, I could be one of the cool girls… Le sigh.
Red Dresses
kate bush, noosha foxI find I’m completely captivated by two videos of two beautiful women, with unique voices and dancing, wearing stunning red dresses, with brilliant hair and make-up. I realise this is not all that surprising for me.
What I find really odd is that, dates-wise for these videos, Noosha appears to be imitating Kate. Whereas, in fact, Noosha pre-dates Kate with her style, singing voice and aforementioned peculiar movements. I generally tend to think Ms Bush imitated Ms Fox, albeit probably quite subconsciously. So when these things blur in such a way, it boggles my mind.
Is it just me overthinking things? Did Noosha start imitating Kate slightly, or was it the natural progression of her own style (which Kate acquired a little earlier because she was processing the Noosha style faster) – since she’s certainly changed a bit! Almost like she’s had a sexual awakening between S-s-s-single Bed and The Heat Is On. Perhaps it’s the effect of a really sexy red dress?
Why should I care? I have no idea. It certainly makes me wonder about individuality and imitation, and how clear-cut either thing can really be.
More Make-Up: Who’d you like to be today?
barbarella, emma peel, Make-up, tara king, Vintage AdvertsI seem to be looking at a lot of make-up ads and features in my magazines at the moment. I overkilled a bit on the liquid liner a few weeks back for a New Romantic night (I should really post a full size photo of the end result some time) and have been smudging kohl on ever since, just to be different. So I’m ready to be re-inspired.
I love this Boots 17 advert, particularly the Barbarella one. I remember seeing an illustration of checkerboard effect eye make-up, but doubted whether it was really feasible (especially since my lids aren’t the largest in the world). Now I might try it on my brow bone instead, since that seems to be a better canvas for such doodlings.
I’m also appreciating the Tara King reference. I’ve always been a die hard Emma Peel girl [you don’t say???] but having seen a few of the Tara King episodes recently, I’m a bit of a convert. She might have had a bit of bum deal (sometimes literally) in the wardrobe department, but her make-up was always rather lovely.
Funk to Funky
1980s, adam ant, antony price, ashes to ashes, danielle dax, Duran Duran, human league, jane kahn, new romantic, perri lister, picture spam, strawberry switchblade
In honour of the new series of Ashes to Ashes starting tonight (I’m currently pausing for a moment to resist the urge to bounce around….oh what the hell, bounce bounce bounce!) here are some random early Eighties images….if you like that kind of thing!
Mmmmm…..gratuitous soggy Durans shot…..
Sandie Shaw Boutique
1960s, cathy mcgowan, celebrity boutiques, jeff banks, personal collection, sandie shaw, twiggy
The other day I promised to show my Sandie Shaw dress. It’s a navy wool crepe with a very nifty little double layered collar (the top layer being in white moss crepe).
I can’t promise this will be a terribly long or informative blog post, because there’s so little information out there about the label. It opened in 1967 and, needless to say, Sandie didn’t design the dresses and shoes (although she had full ‘approval’). I suspect it didn’t last very long, much like Twiggy and Cathy McGowan’s boutique labels. Perhaps there was deemed a conflict of interests when she married designer Jeff Banks in 1968?
Sandie opening her boutique in 1967
I will make Sandie one of my Fashion Icons at some point, whereupon I shall write more comprehensively (if I ever do such a thing) about her and her style. But if any of you are not familiar with our girl, I should probably tell you that her trademark was to sing barefoot. So much was made of the fact that her label was producing shoes!
The images have been taken from footage shown in the BBC’s Queens of Pop programme.
Yes Sandie, I’d be grimacing if they put me in a wig like that!
A screengrab cannot truly capture the seriously groovy Sixties dancing going on at this point.
Ouch, bunions ahoy!Fashion Icon: Noosha Fox
1970s, alison goldfrapp, fashion icon of the moment, glam rock, noosha fox
Please don’t all cry out ‘who???’. Noosha is a little gem of an icon of mine from the mid-late Seventies. Born Susan Traynor, and originally from Australia, she changed her name to Noosha Fox and the glam band ‘Fox’ were formed around her. Her look was very heavily influenced by the starlets of the Twenties and Thirties. She wore floaty chiffon dresses, swishy capes, fringed shawls and flowers in that ringletted bob. Her make-up was a glorious mix of blue eyeshadow-ed Seventies-ness and that flapper girl cupid’s bow pout. And oh! that adorably squeaky, Helen Kane-inspired voice. She’s like a silent movie star taken out of her time and plonked on the set of Top of the Pops.
It’s fairly safe to say that Ms. Alison Goldfrapp has taken rather a healthy dose of inspiration from little Noosha. I love how unique and seemingly unspoilt her performances are. Someone who would never be a star nowadays, due to her slightly awkward dancing and facial expressions. But I adore her. She’s just so cute, and her clothes are delicious (being both very Seventies and also very antique-looking), and, and…..the songs are amazing. I have no idea what you look like now, or even what you’re up to, but Noosha – I salute you!!
It’s been tough to find enough images of this icon to fill the space, so I would highly recommend your looking at some footage of Fox on YouTube.
Queens of Pop
dusty springfield, john bates, kate bush, marianne faithfull, sandie shaw, siouxsie sioux, suzi quatro
Did anyone see the BBC1 Queens of Pop programme the other night? Neither did I. Now I know I don’t watch a lot of telly these days but, when I do, I see every other show being trailed to death. Yet I had no idea this had been on. Luckily I was able to use iPlayer, so hopefully any other UK readers who might have missed out can get to see it.
It’s not exactly earth-shatteringly interesting, more a fluffy bit of eye candy. But oh what eye candy! It was almost quite John Bates-tastic, what with Dusty Springfield in her empire line beaded hobble skirt gowns, and Sandie Shaw wearing what I’m certain is a Bates here.
They also briefly touched on the Sandie Shaw Boutique, even showing some clips of the opening and the designs. My eyes nearly popped out of my head. There’s hardly any information around about this little venture, so to suddenly have the footage was fabulous. I have one, very groovy, Sandie Shaw dress which I recently had cleaned’n’pressed and shall photograph’n’blog about very soon.
So team Dusty and Sandie, with Marianne, Suzi, Siouxsie and Kate….and you’ve pretty much got a perfect line-up of awesome music and even more awesome (what? I’m a fashion girl…not a musician….) clothes and make-up.
Also very well worth watching just to see John Lydon getting all sweet and soppy over Kate Bush. Awwww…..
Liz Eggleston 