Avenging Knits

alun hughes, avengerswear, diana rigg, emma peel, honor blackman, knitwear, linda thorson, sixties, tara king, the avengers, Vogue

I’m frequently wittering on about Emma Peel, John Bates, Avengerswear…blah blah. But I have continuously forgotten to scan and post this fabulous double page spread from Vogue (October 1968) of a range of knitwear ‘inspired’ by Linda Thorson’s Tara King character and produced by Ballantyne. I’ve never heard of any Tara Avengerswear gear before or since, perhaps because her wardrobe was pretty dreary half of the time – thanks Alun Hughes, and it’s always struck me as rather sad that she didn’t get her own ‘range’. Even Honor Blackman as Cathy Gale had a range designed by British couturier Frederick Starke!

So it’s awfully nice to know she at least had her own line of cashmere knits. Hurrah!

p.s I am terrible at identifying models, but I love love love her hair.

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?!

Inspirational Images: Diana Rigg

1960s, catsuits, diana rigg, emma peel, Inspirational Images, the avengers

Circa 1966. Scanned from the Television Stars annual of 1966.

Diana Rigg in a lace catsuit. What’s not to love?

Geeky Cobblers (and other listings)

annacat, biba, bus stop, chelsea cobbler, georgina linhart, hats, jean varon, john bates, john stephen, lee bender, platforms, shoes, terry de havilland, website listings, yves saint laurent

I wanted these Chelsea Cobbler boots to fit me so badly. But my spindly calves put paid to that desire, so they’ve just gone up on the website. Then, flicking through a 1970 copy of Nova (as you do), I spy them on the rarely-spotted designer Georgina Linhart. Geek heaven + spindly calves = Geek Hell. Or something…..sigh. Please will somebody very lovely buy them from me?

Other newly listed pieces on the site include:

Annacat

Bus Stop by Lee Bender

Bermona

Biba

Terry De Havilland

Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche

John Stephen

John Bates for Jean Varon

Lowy and Mund

Unsigned (poss. Mary Quant)

Inspirational Images: Annacat, 1969

1960s, annacat, british boutique movement, hats, Inspirational Images, Vogue

Annacat outfit. Vogue’s Own Boutique. Vogue, May 1969

Smartie Pants

1970s, antony price, british boutique movement, bus stop, celia birtwell, christian dior, clobber, Diana Crawshaw, hotpants, mary quant, mr freedom, ossie clark, Patrick Russell, ritva, stirling cooper, telegraph magazine, universal witness, yves saint laurent

Shorts have been with us for some time now – “hot pants” making even starlets front page news – but the big question was whether they were here to stay, or were just a gimmick. Increasing sales seem to show that they are really catching on, and now the big stores are stocking them. For those with the youth and legs to enjoy them, we bring the very latest designs.

Photographed by Patrick Russell.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from The Telegraph Magazine, April 1971

Outfit by Anthony for Stirling Cooper. All menswear by YSL.

Outfit by Antony for Stirling Cooper. All menswear by YSL.

Shorts and top by Bus Stop. Shirt by Toto from Crowthers

Outfit by Diana Crawshaw for Mr Freedom

Top and scarf by Ossie Clark from Quorum. Shorts by Clobber

Outfit on left by Diorling at Christian Dior. Outfit on right by Sheilagh Blagden at Stirling Cooper

Outfit on left by Ritva. Outfit on right by Paul Reeves for Universal Witness.

Inspirational Images: Donbros knitwear

1970s, boots, Inspirational Images, knitwear, petticoat magazine

Petticoat, September 1971

Bagsy the middle outfit with the purple boots on the right…..so there!

More Boyfriend menswear gorgeousness (plus Top Ten award!)

amen corner, boyfriend annual, menswear, psychedelia, ruffles, sixties, stripeyness, the herd

I think the Boyfriend 1969 annual might as well have been called the ‘Miss Peelpants Guide to How Men Should Dress’. Here are The Herd and Amen Corner, rocking the stripes and ruffles respectively.

I’m very chuffed to have put in an appearance in Cision’s Top 10 UK Vintage Clothing Blogs, and in such esteemed company as well. Very nice to get recognition from such a site, even if I don’t quite understand how I ended up there! Thanks Cision! Thision.

(That’s for for any Look Around You fans out there….)

Lazy August Days….

british boutique movement, chelsea girl, Eighties Fashion, goth, hotpants, jeff banks, louis caring, paraphernalia, sarah whitworth, seventies fashion, sixties, website listings

But I can’t stop working. Apologies for the mixed bag of listings, we’re still straddling two seasons at the moment (fashion-wise) so I’m trying to keep it light but trans-seasonal. This is harder than you might think. I’m also working on Autumn-orientated listings which will be coming towards the end of the month in preparation for a luscious September (fingers crossed). I might sneak the odd incredible designer piece on the block before then though, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

But what am I talking about? I’ve got a few amazing pieces just listed now, including Jeff Banks, Louis Caring, Paraphernalia and Sarah Whitworth.

Fantasy will set you free…

anna karina, dale bozzio, groupies, gtos, harlow, jane kahn, kahn and bell, lene lovich, miss mouse, new romantic, pamela des barres, pan's people, psychedelia, sandie shaw

Sometimes I have those crushing moments of clear, crisp reality and remember that people (people other than Lady GaGa, I mean) don’t dress up in truly fantasian styles these days. Unless ‘wags’ or ‘porn stars’ were your childhood fantasy.

What about raggedy dolls, warrior queens, belly dancers and silent film goddesses?

Whilst I continue to [apparently] shock the world with my, ooh – gasp!, novelty duck and rabbit print Miss Mouse dress. Honestly. They don’t know from shocking…