Mirror, Mirror by Helmut Newton

1960s, clobber, Elliott, helmut newton, Inspirational Images, jeff banks, Jersea, marrian mcdonnell, mary quant, observer magazine, Ruben Torres, swimwear, Tiktiner, Uncategorized, Vintage Editorials

Mirror Mirror - Helmut Newton - Observer April 69 - 2

Wet-look cire bikini, also in red, with gilt link on bra top and belt of pants, 59s., from main branches of C & A. Paste tiger brooch from the Paris flea market.

Pause for reflection before you buy your swimsuit for this summer. If you’re going to be in the picture, you must get your exposure right : make it the most your shape will take. Because this is a narcissistic year. More girl, less swimsuit. Bikinis will be back with us again this summer — and they’ll be barer than ever. But the fabrics, not to be outshone, are glistening wet-look cires, metallic golds and silvers. And as adornments for the bare body, there is simple animal jewellery —snake bracelets, stalking-tiger brooches, that sort of simple thing.

Hair by Didier at Jean-Louis David, Paris.

Photographed by Helmut Newton.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from The Observer Magazine, April 1969.

Mirror Mirror - Helmut Newton - Observer April 69 - 1

Silver crochet bikini (also in other colours), £5 15s. 6d.; all cobweb crochet jacket, £5 15s. 6d.; both by Clobber, from Miss Selfridge, Oxford Street, W1 ; Just Looking, Kings Road, SW3; J. T. Parrish, Newcastle; Contrary, Burton Square, Manchester ; Silver cord lacing up jacket, 5d. yd. from John Lewis, Oxford Street, W1. Paste tiger brooch from the Paris flea market.

Mirror Mirror - Helmut Newton - Observer April 69 - 5

Tobacco-brown bikini with fine chain straps and belt, by Tiktiner, £10 15s., from the Summer House at Simpsons, Piccadilly, W1. Gold leather sandals fastening above the ankle, f7 17s. 6d. from Elliotts, 76 New Bond Street, W1, and Kings Road and Knightsbridge branches. Snake brace-lets, 42s., frog ring, 12s. 6d.; by Corocraft, from Marrian-McDonnell, 45 South Molton Street, W1, and 80 Sloane Avenue, SW3; Kendal Milne, Manchester.

Mirror Mirror - Helmut Newton - Observer April 69 - 4

Barely one-piece swimsuit, cut away at the back like a bikini, in sand-coloured towelling, and in other colours too, by Jersea, £4 15s., from Harrods, Knightsbridge, SW1 ; Lynette Claire, Kensington High Street, W8; Marshall & Snelgrove, 24-30 New Street, Birmingham; Darling & Co., Bath ; Impact, Salisbury. Gladiator boots, by Mary Quant, 89s. 11d., from Lilley & Skinner.

Mirror Mirror - Helmut Newton - Observer April 69 - 3

White Nylon Helanca and Antron bikini with clear perspex links, by Ruben Torres for Tweka, 5gn., also in lilac, black, pink, turquoise or gold, from D. H. Evans, Oxford Street, W1 ; Lady Jane, Carnaby Street, W1 ; Birn & Son, Southend-on-Sea ; Rackhams, Birmingham; Reid & Todd, Glasgow. Summery boots laced up the back by Mary Quant, 89s. 11d., from Lilley & Skinner, 360 Oxford Street, W1. Gilt snake chain around waist, by Corocraft, 2gn., from Way In, Knightsbridge, SW1 ; Kendal Milne, Manchester.

Happily Ever After

1970s, alistair cowin, Buckle Under, charles jourdan, Elliott, erica budd, Foale and Tuffin, gladrags, Guy Humphries, Harri Peccinotti, Inspirational Images, kurt geiger, mary quant, Michael Foreman, mr freedom, pablo and delia, Sacha, shape, stirling cooper, terry de havilland, thea porter, vanity fair, Vintage Editorials, zandra rhodes

White lawn dress printed with butterflies and flowers by Thea Porter. Straw hat by Buckle Under. Red wedge shoes by Kurt Geiger. Belt by Shape.

There’s a good reason why Vanity Fair is possibly my favourite magazine of this period. They were relatively conventional in the 1960s, and would ‘merge’ with Honey magazine around 1972, but in their death knells they were just about the most innovative magazine in the UK. Issues were often themed around ‘issues’, for example this one is entirely themed around break-ups and divorces (including a story on what a divorced man should wear when taking his kid out for the day).

Nor did they shy away from more expensive designer names, such as Thea Porter and Zandra Rhodes here, mixing them happily with the more affordable but still iconic boutique names like Stirling Cooper and Mr Freedom. Adding Foale and Tuffin, Pablo and Delia and Terry de Havilland into the mix for good measure, and all those stunning illustrations by Michael Foreman… this is one of my favourite editorials of all time.

Vanity Fair is also, frankly, a nightmare to scan because it falls apart at the binding with the lightest touch, which is why I don’t scan them as often. So enjoy the heaven of Harri Peccinotti’s work while I gently shuffle all the pages back into the magazine…

Photographed by Harri Peccinotti.

Illustrations by Michael Foreman.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vanity Fair, April 1971.

Long grey crepe dress patterned with purple, green and red birds by Shape. Pablo and Delia suede thong necklace. Blue suede shoes at Sacha.

Beige suede skirt with applique shapes and matching shawl by Mary Quant. Necklace from Buckle Under. Beige suede boots by Guy Humphries.

Blue and white feather printed chiffon dress by Zandra Rhodes.

Left to right: Chiffon blouse and multi-coloured skirt by Foale and Tuffin. Painted rainbow shoes from Mr Freedom. Painted belt by Shape. // Cream and red jersey catsuit (top only showing) and banded red and cream skirt both from Stirling Cooper. Red shoes by Kurt Geiger. // Cream, yellow and red jersey dress by Stirling Cooper. Pull on hat by Janice Peskett. // Red cotton t-shirt by Erica Budd. Cream dungarees from Stirling Cooper. Red python sandals at Elliotts.

Above: Mauve satin cotton pinafore dress and blouse by Gladrags. Right: Bottom half of Alistair Cowin calico trousers with green printing. Green and yellow shoes by Terry de Havilland. Far right: Black velvet dungarees with white satin applique heart from Mr Freedom. Chiffon blouse from Foale and Tuffin. Mauve canvas boots at Charles Jourdan.

Turn the heat on

1970s, Abecita, caroline smith, flair magazine, Illustrations, margit brandt, Marks and Spencer, mary quant, Simpson of Piccadilly, underwear

Clockwise from top left: Wolsey, Brettles, Margit Brant, Wolsey, Abecita, Mary Quant.

It’s an accomplished fact that the warmest way to hibernate starts right next to your skin. Here, then, are some of the hottest bare body coverings – Short-johns, mid-johns, long-johns, vests, bodytops and a petticoat to wear under everything else, plus the cosiest nightie on the market.

Fabrics vary from wool to cotton jersey, man-mades and mixtures, all good old favourites that have proved their insulation properties over past winters. These hibernation undies are all warm investments and most of them glamorous enough to want to show off. Long-johns and mid-johns are staging a comeback as circulation increases: wear them rolled up, if you like, over tights, under socks. Pile them on to beat the winter.

Illustrations by Caroline Smith.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Flair, December 1971.