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 farberStyle statements
Lingerie to Linger In (or, Poor Peregrine)
Fashion magazine, sixties, underwear
Peregrine, my love, you make me feel quite naked when you look at me like that. I know my all in one is only a wisp of see-through Lycra, but a girl must have protection from such ardour. Now et out of the bath quickly: my husband may return any minute now.
Sometimes I just can’t help chuckling at the copy in vintage magazines. It’s also a helpful reminder that meaningless guff is not confined to the modern fashion press, but is a speciality of the genre. Although I don’t think most modern fashion writers would write such creative twaddle as this, which I think is another very disappointing aspect of modern life.
Aside from that, I love these photos. I want the flat, I want the lifestyle, I want the half-naked gentleman named Peregrine hanging around…
Photos by Lee Kraft. Fashion, August 1969.
Peregrine my darling, you’ve made wet footprints all over the Aubusson. Just because you find me irresistible in my virgin-white control garment is no reason to abandon all self-control and respect for the decencies of civilised life. And besides, Edward’s Rolls will draw up before the front door at any second.
Peregrine, my angel, thank you for mopping up the bathwater, but a face towel just isn’t enough to confront the world in. I sppose I do look rather distracting in my near-transparent nude-look body-stocking, but then you, my lamb, are very distractable.
Peregrine, my precious, one kiss and then farewell; if we don’t get dressed soon, I shall be late for the Embassy reception and you will miss your bus. I know how you feel, but you must keep your hands away from my lace-trimmed pantie-girdle, however delectable it looks.
Peregrine, my treasure, you look divine with the light behind you in that ravishing Art Deco shirt, but I don’t think you are being quite serious enough about getting dressed. You are absolutely right of course; I look a work of art in my sexy satin undies, but I don’t plan to get hung by Edward just yet.
Peregrine, my beloved, all is over between us. Do up your shirt and depart. I hear the purr of my husband’s Rolls, and I must grab my mink and fly. Take a tender last look at my lissom loveliness clad in nothing but my slinky satin slip, and pop round and paint my portrait again next week.
Poor Peregrine!
Inspirational Images: Coats at Waterloo Station, 1972
Inspirational Images, petticoat magazine, platforms, seventies fashion
Photo by Roger Charity. Petticoat, October 1971.
Left: Alexander Newman, Right: Electric Fittings
February is roughly the time I feel like I can step out of my boots and into some nice shoes again. Not least because my favourite boots are completely falling to bits right now. *whimper*. I also enjoy taking to the lighter-weight coats and jackets. Spring can’t come quickly enough for me right now…
See…
1970s, boots, platforms, stripeyness, Vintage Adverts
This advert from 1974 just makes me want the stripy boots, never mind painting my boots just one bright colour. It also always makes me think of the delicious Doug Reynholm’s homemade suit in the last episode of The IT Crowd; a very fine way to occupy the days before a trial.
The Pleasure/Pain Principle
biba, bus stop, champagne, coupes, john paul getty, penguins, platforms, talitha getty, yves saint laurent
Oh dearest readers. I have been laid up in agony for most of the weekend courtesy of a pulled/trapped something-or-other in my shoulder/arm. It’s been a bit hellish at times, two nights in a row I was only able to get four hours sleep and I’m still waking up every two or so hours in almost unbearable pain. Hot water bottles and codeine are my friends right now.
It started out so beautifully though. For M’s birthday, we went to a beautiful hotel in the Sussex countryside. In fact, the same location as last year. I’m hoping it will become an annual tradition because the hotel, grounds and restaurant are completely and utterly divine. Even *I* managed breakfast on both days. And I never do breakfast in hotels.
M is now in possession of a menswear Biba nightshirt/kaftan (I keep saying it makes him look very John Paul Getty. I wish I looked like Talitha.) and a draught-excluder, made by mine own fair hands, *proud of self*, amongst other things. We celebrated by doing quite a lot of walking in the crisp, misty February air, drinking some champagne and, later, a scrum-diddly-umptious beanfeast. With no beans involved. And with a Michelin star.
My hair wasn’t really behaving, as per, and I’m in a bit of a shy mood photographically right now. But here are my YSL shoes (having long-overdue outing), seamed stockings and the hem of my Bus Stop dress.
And here is a [deliberately] blurry photo of the top of the dress. It’s black satin, ridiculously puffed sleeves and an integral choker, which is perfect for a jewellery dunce like me. I always forget to either bring anything or to put it on before leaving, so I’m rather fond of things which prevent me from even needing it.
On the way back, we found a splendiferously old-school charity shop where I picked up some decorated coupes for myself (£1 each). It’s rare enough to find coupes which aren’t Babycham-branded, but decorated non-Babycham coupes have got to be worth picking up!
And I have decided to become the anti-platitude by buying two books largely for the incredibly illustrated covers.
It has caused me to ponder if judging a book by its cover is really such a bad thing? After all, the point of a cover is to give an impression of the insides, otherwise it’s not doing its job, surely? Musings about appearance and clothes ensue, and I find myself going round in circles. Far more interesting, for me, than London Fashion Week anyway…
I have so many questions about this image…
1970s, haute naffness, menswear, platforms, Vintage Adverts
…but I don’t think I actually want any answers. I find it a bit thrilling, if I’m honest.
De Havillands in Casablanca
19 magazine, johnny moke, platforms, rowley and oram, seventies fashion, terry de havilland
Left: Dress by Clobber, shoes by Rowley and Oram. Right: Dress by Crowthers, shoes by Mary Quant.
After my Hollywood Clothes Shop post the other day, what should I find in a January 1971 (I am a geek on so many different levels…) copy of 19 Magazine but this amazing Forties-styled shoot. I actually aspire to this entire look so badly I want to cry just looking at it.
The amazing snakeskin and suede shoes throughout the shoot are credited to ‘Rowley and Oram’ (which, itself, is quite odd since I assumed that ‘label’ became defunct when Hollywood Clothes Shop opened…), which we can now all assume means that these shoes are by the amazing Mr Terry De Havilland. I’m not sure at what point his name became much coveted, but it’s interesting that he should be so badly uncredited here.
Left: Dress by Louis Caring. Right: Dress by Fotheringay and Hepplewaite, shoes by Mary Quant.
Dress by Tony Berkeley, shoes by Elliotts.
Left: Dress by Louis Caring, shoes by Rowley and Oram. Right: Linda Warren for Downtown, shoes by Rowley and Oram.
Left: Dress by Louis Caring, shoes by Elliotts. Right: Outfit by Tony Berkeley, shoes by Freeman Hardy Willis.
Left: Dress by Marlborough, shoes by Freeman Hardy Willis. Right: Dress by Louis Caring, shoes by Rowley and Oram.
Mensday: Immense sadness
david sylvian, japan, Mensday, mick karn, new romantic
I did have another Mensday post lined up, but I have decided to postpone that until next week. I’m genuinely quite upset to hear that the great Mick Karn has passed away. I’ve only become a [huge] Japan fan in recent years, and I’m sure a lot of people don’t know them at all, but Mick’s talent transcends all this.
With love and thanks for everything your music has meant, and continues to mean to me. xx
Saucy Seventies Smalls: Zandra Rhodes
underwear, Vogue, zandra rhodes
There’s just something about Seventies lingerie shoots which floats my boat. Something about the vaseline-smeared David Hamilton/Sarah Moon-ness (even when it’s neither of them), natural (and generally smaller-scaled) breasts and the lingerie itself is completely my favourite style. It’s got that Thirties edge, but with a saucy Seventies twist. I don’t have any Zandra underwear, I’m mainly kitted out by Charnos if you really must know, but this amazing shoot makes me want some right now!
Vogue, December 1977. Photos by Eric Boman
Liz Eggleston 