Vintage Inspiration: Greta Garbo

What a collar. What a woman.

Britt-ish Fashion

I'm not a particular fan of Britt Ekland for the most part, but I am rather fond of this autumnal shoot she did for Vogue (by Patrick 'Yeah Baby' Lichfield). It's so rare to have such a lovely feeling of space in fashion photos. You're looking at the frocks, no doubt about it, but you're also taking in the atmosphere of the location. The clothes are perfectly dreamy and her hair is completely and utterly covetable, in each and every shot. I worship this crimping.

And why do I not own this John Bates for Jean Varon dress? How has this happened? Something is clearly very wrong with the world...

Cheer up luv....

....might never 'appen!

Does this phrase fill you with as much fury as it does me? I've been getting it for most of my adult life, and even a little before that. I hadn't had a bad run of it lately, actually, but something about my face combined with wintry weather seems to bring it out of them. Perhaps the cold winds just blow my face into more of a scowl than usual? Running into M&S in Bath to grab a much needed sandwich, admittedly I was feeling pretty ropey that day (a bout of flu I'm still trying to shake off), some idiot behind a desk on the way in to the store barks 'SMILE!!!!' at me. Too busy and sick to retort. Then last week, heading out to work, some random guy in the street and again with the 'SMILE!!!!!'. In too much of a rush, still sick and way too cold to retort. I swear the next person is getting an almighty rant out of me.

This is possibly my biggest bugbear. Why? Why should I smile as I walk down the street? To whom do I owe this? I might have just been told I have a month to live. My pet hamster might just have breathed its last. I might be thinking very happy thoughts about my boyfriend. Honestly, it's none of your business whether I'm smiling or not. I'm eternally polite to people in shops, behind counters at the bank or post office and those poor unfortunates who have to offer me things down the phone. I switch it on when I need to but I can't and won't do it full-time; skipping down the street, grinning at everyone.

I just have one of those faces. I have a very big smile but in repose, I possibly look like a bit of a sulky moo - that's just the way my face is!

I'm certainly wondering if it's a winter chat-up line thing. They're more creative in the summer. A few months ago, down in Brighton, I was accosted by an [albeit very pleasant] inebriated chap who told me I looked like a 'porcelain doll'. Considering how creepy they can look, I'm not quite sure about it as a compliment but I takes what I can gets. It actually, and rather spookily, happened just as I had been moaning about the random comments you seem to get from London blokes. 'That's a very summery dress love!'. 'That's a very green hat!'. Why yes it is, sir, do you have a degree in Stating the Bleeding Obvious or are you self-taught?

Are these men so starved of female company that 'smile!' and just a slightly sinister 'sexyyyyy' (London Lite distributor. Perhaps that's why they've gone bust?) are the best chat up lines they can muster these days? Do they expect me to turn around, smile, drop my knickers and jump on them? Does this approach work for all the other laydeez?

Oh how I long to be chatted up by a Gareth Hunt-a-like, or even Peter Wyngarde at a push, who uses words like 'panties' and actually says 'helloooooooo' before rolling out the chat-up-cheese. Because at least then there's enough time for me to formulate a pithy response and slap them around the chops.

Sigh. Learn some decent chat up lines. Learn some indecent ones. Just don't tell me to SMILE!!!

In honour of this little rant, and as a reward for bearing with me thus far, here are some photos of the gorgeous Dolores Costello. I can't seem to find any convincing smiley photos of her, which is really rather lovely and unusual. You should never have to pretend to be happy and carefree, that's what I think.

Gorgeous customers in gorgeous gear....

The very gorgeous Laurakitty (I know you all do already, but check out her brilliant blog sighsandwhispers) posted some pictures of herself on Twitter in a couple of pieces she bought from me. This always makes me very proud indeed, especially given how incredible I know her wardrobe must be.

I'd actually totally forgotten about the Annacat piece above. I normally hoard them like a crazy lady, but occasionally I let one fly free into the world and it's always lovely when it's someone I know. Below is the awesome green satin Mr Freedom which was on the website more recently.

The palest of the pale

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Shirley Manson? It's been a long-running affair (I dislike the term 'girl crush' so I'm not going to apply it here) based on first seeing her in the Stupid Girl video and realising that she was some kind of flawed, modern day Diana Rigg for me to admire. I could identify with the unusual facial features, the pale skin, the flat chested-ness...her general dissatisfaction with the world. It encapsulated how I, as a grumpy teenager, wanted to take the Emma Peel look and make it more my grungey own. I also loved the music. Still do in fact.

Time went on, we became more sophisticated (well, she did anyway....) and I still adore her. The most beautiful hair, the most inspiring make-up, the most interesting clothes and the fact that she's still the palest of the pale. The queerest of the queer. Definitely something to admire in a modern world of orange-ness. She also looks half her 43 years of age, yes I do mean 21 and a half, which says something about the importance of sunscreen I'm sure.

Anyway, I was reminded of all this when I saw some photos of Ms Manson from some art event in LA (I'm afraid I was snoozing through the photos and description of Brad and Angelina at the eve....zzzzzzzz [whoops, did it again!] so I missed what it was precisely all about). Check out the sultry make-up. And the flaming hair and freckled arms (which in turn reminds me that I had a rather lovely dream about Toby Stephens last night. He was sat by a fireside reading his lines for some play or other to me, and I couldn't stop staring at his freckles. Because of course that's the kind of thing you would be doing if you had Toby Stephens sitting in front of you. Pfffft. I'm a lousy dreamer...).

I could do without the gown being Marchesa, but that's only a brand issue rather than a style issue. And check out the gorgeous [and also very non-orange] Marisa Tomei wearing a vintage Dessès frock. Both flying the flag for natural skin tone and one flying the flag for vintage. It's a good day.

Random Ossies in Adverts: Part III

It has been a while since parts I and II, but here's another random Ossie in a cosmetics advert. Woo!

Naff-tastic: The pink nylon ruffles, the wallpaper, the satin lapels, the boobs...

...and the biggest boob of all. Sorry Mike Reid, RIP, I couldn't resist. This photo entertains and entrances me on so many levels. I want to climb into it. (Is it wrong that I would totally run around wearing either of the strippers' outfits?) It's just brilliantly awful and awfully brilliant. I had to share. Perhaps I share too much?

During another stag do at the Kingfisher Club, Woodford, Reid waits in the dressing room with strip 'artistes' Tuesday and Stephanie.

Sunday Times Magazine, June 20th 1971

The Opposite of Blah: Manolo Blahnik, 1974

Please excuse me while I mop up a large pool of drool which has mysteriously appeared on my keyboard....

Loadsanewlistings.....

Sometimes I find myself enjoying my regular blogging so much I forget that some people like me to tell them when I've listed new items. And I hate being pushy. But here are some amazing new listings over at Vintage-a-Peel. There's Ossie, Foale and Tuffin, Bus Stop (times three!!) and Betsey Johnson. Happy Friday 13th, I hope it's lucky for you!

Oh the temptation....

Geeky desire to maintain pristine sheet of stickers from 1966 Womans Own magazine versus geeky desire to use them all over my life....

We were at a particularly tipsy table...

I nearly always love these shoots from the Telegraph magazine; this is a particularly fabulous one inspired by the then-upcoming film of The Great Gatsby.

Dream Boy

Pan's People

How can I not have already blogged about the iconic dance troupe Pan's People? This seems faintly ridiculous to me. I just remembered I found some random photos on some random photo trawl I did online one random night (which is so often the random way with me...). These girls are Seventies fashion icon gold to a gal like me....


Then I YouTube-searched Pan's People and the first hit to come up was their routine for The Hustle. Which, coincidentally, a certain person in my life got rather excited about the other night when it popped up on the radio. So I decided it needed to be posted. Because it certainly is a rather awesome song, and I love the fluffy negligees....and Cherry's big hair. Hooray for big hair on tiny gals.

Who's Wearing What: Penelope Tree

I adore Penelope Tree; her hair, make-up, style, the fact that she still looks amazing (without having had surgery...at least that's what it looks like), the fact that she survived being with Bailey, the fact she doesn't feel the need to whore herself around for fame and fortune.....

I particularly love this article from the June 14th 1969 issue of Petticoat magazine.

In New York Penelope Tree is a top fashion model. You can't open American Vogue or Harpers without seeing her dripping furs, jewellery. In England she's more well-known for being Bailey's Bird. What sort of clothes does she wear to please herself?

I got off to a good start by losing my pencil, every time I delived in my bag to find it I got butted in the bottom by Smudge, Penelope's enormous English sheep dog. "And he's still only a puppy," she said apologetically, whacking him. I gave up looking, and she handed me a pencil. We sat either end of a vast black leather Chesterfield, surrounded by 'naive' paintings, Mickey Mouse and stone sculptures of sorts.

"I go six months without ever buying clothes, because I hate it more than anything else. I think I'm going to get all paranoic in the shop, specially Department Stores, I think I'm going to throw-up or something. I've been buying clothes for myself since I was 12 years old and it still gets me. When I do see something I like, I usually buy a lot. This dress, I bought at Maryon about a year ago. I liked it so much I bought three."

She was wearing a full-length, green cotton dress, sprigged with tiny daisies, topped with a short black velvet vest, "a bit from a Tuffin and Foale trouser suit, I think" and thick brown brogue boots.

Apart from looking very individual and super, she looked as if she'd just stepped out of a trail-blazing Western film. "I refuse to spend a lot of money on clothes, I'd rather spend it on paintings. I haven't got much money; you know I don't earn any money in this country at all, and anyway clothes aren't made well enough. The most I've ever spent on one garment is an Ossie Clark Snakeskin coat."

"To the ground?" I queried.

"Oh yes, short clothes look terrible now, one is always inhibited about the way one sits, walks and runs down the street. I like to forget about what I'm wearing, not worrying about - are my knickers showing. It's all right if you don't worry, but I've been conditioned to worry about it."

I sat there worrying if my knickers were showing, and feeling very butch in my short skirt.

With that, David Bailey walked in, bumping into a bounding Smudge, who rushed over to give a friendly lick.

"Bailey do you know Suzie?" Penelope introduced us and we exchanged sickly smiles. I always feel about two year old, being called Suzie, and surnames only always have a 'God' like ring to them. Bailey put on a record and we all listened in silence to Brute Force and his four letter word song. "That's why it can't be released," Bailey explained.

I broke the magic by asking Penelope if she liked French clothes. "I hate French clothes, I hate the principle of the couturier. I used to love Yves St. Laurent clothes, only he started giving out this black thing and being in mourning for Vietnam. I think it's the most hypocritical thing I've ever heard of, he doesn't do anything about Vietnam, but make money out of it. Black's okay if you have a figure problem. English clothes were wonderful five years ago, now they're terrible and very expensive. Ossie Clark is the only revolutionary now, he makes pretty clothes, only they're not particularly well made."

"Can I quote that?" I interjected.

"Oh yes, I've told him so. Marshall McLuham says: 'Fashion is a product of mass media, presenting ourselves as a showcase'. I think clothes just need to be comfortable. My wardrobe's full of bits and pieces, I hate to throw anything away, I always think they'll go with something. I really only wear about five things."

I'd read she wore masses of make-up, literally painting it on every morning, but she hardly had any on.

"Oh sometimes I wear gobbs and gobbs, it just depends how depressed I feel in the morning. I think Mary Quant is best, but really best of all is stolen make-up, not stolen really but borrowed. Somebody else's is always better than yours.

"I'm always amazed that all the individual, successful people 'do their own thing.'" Penelope even cuts her own hair..."unless someone offers to trim it while I'm modelling". I asked her why she wasn't modelling in this country and she mumbled something about the tax man and then said: "I'm giving it up, I don't want to hang about and become a has been." Then she added much to my surprise: "I'm not in great demand. I started to write a book, then realised in the middle I didn't really know what I was talking about; it was on the subject of Hinduism. I might go into films."

With that Mary Quant, Alexander Plunket-Green, Bailey and Smudge came in and it looked like my interview was ended. We wandered down to the basement and spent half an hour searching for a picture of her. "Bailey hardly ever photographs me unless it's work!" Sue Steward

Vintage Inspiration: Bebe Buell

It's all been a bit Thirties-glamour-heavy on the Vintage Inspiration front here lately, so I went roaming in my archives and decided that I needed to share these three images of Bebe Buell.

I love this hair and make-up at the moment, and it's fairly achievable which is always good when you're low on energy....

Foale and Tuffin: The Exhibition

I was delighted to be at the opening of the Foale and Tuffin: Made in England exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum last Thursday night. F&T at the F&T, why have they not made more of this? Am I strange to find it quite cute? Perhaps...

Anyway, I sincerely hope that this exhibition (alongside the new book) will redress some of the scandalously unbalanced and limited modern views on Sixties British fashion. Foale and Tuffin completely rule over Mary Quant, no question. So there. Ner!

(How do you all like my very grown-up argument? Well I don't want to repeat myself too much, so you can read a previous blog what I wrote way back in 2006.)

I was there in a few capacities, as it turned out, since a last minute dash (a week beforehand) ensured that a couple of my frocks ended up in the exhibition. Which is rather wonderful and I'm really rather stupidly proud. Sniff.

Firstly Natasha, which is a red plush skirt suit from the early Sixties with faux Astrakhan collar and hem. You can juuuuuuust see it in the teeny tiny photo above.

Secondly, and you're likely to miss it because I think the gals aren't all that fond of their work for Paraphernalia, the infamous Chrysler dress which was worn in plenty of publicity shots and footage by the magnificent Jenny 'Juniper' Boyd. Who was also in attendance, much to Miss Senti's delight, looking utterly fabulous. In fact, I think she looks even more fabulous now than Pattie does. Controversial? I don't care...

I had already met Marion and Sally a few years back (at a study day at the V&A; all the fashion students in their knock-off Topshop Bibas went swarming up to Barbara Hulanicki and Mary Quant and probably didn't have a clue who F&T were), and then again when I rushed Natasha and Chrysler to the museum the week before, so I didn't do my usual gibbering fangirl act that particular night. Which felt rather nice and meant I had a more relaxing evening than usual. They have been very sweet to me when I've met them, and seemed to like my sartorial choices, so I'm a very satisfied bunny indeed.

(Especially when I nabbed some of the chocolate 'F' shaped cake from Marion herself at the party, which was very, very yummy. The 'T' was lemon drizzle, which isn't so much to my taste but I try not to play favourites with fashion double acts and their initial-shaped cakes...)

I should add that Miss Senti is the most extraordinarily fabulous spokesmodel a vintage dealer could ever hope for. She worked the room beautifully in a sequined top and trouser ensemble she bought from me ages ago (before we had even met in the flesh!) and generally out-sparkled everyone. We were scuppered photographically (me because my handbag was too small for my camera, and Senti by her batteries) so we didn't get any shots of us that night. If any surface, I will be sure to post them.

There were also a few exceedingly well dressed men in the room; one in particular who managed to pick the night after I'd posted this blog to wear stripes in my presence. Wibble. But, again, I was photographically challenged and they'd have had major champagne-blur if I'd managed to take any...

Anyway, the exhibition is brilliant and, as per usual, I need to go back and have a non-champagne-addled look around. I particularly adore the way they've set up the 'boutique' downstairs, but kept having to restrain myself from grabbing some frocks off the rails and running into the changing room. Yes, there's an actual changing room. That's just asking for trouble where I'm concerned.

Upstairs there are rails and rails of patterns, hanging behind loads of those divine Liberty print dresses they did so well in the Seventies. In fact, my only complaint would be that there were none of the notorious clown frill pieces which are absolutely by far and away my favourite F&T designs. One day I will own one, and I will wear it everywhere just to freak people out!


Stay tuned to the blog, for soon I will be reviewing the incredible new Foale and Tuffin book by Iain R. Webb and I've also got an incredible F&T dress coming up for sale. Oh yes!

New Ideas by Topshop? Wonders will never cease...

Fear not. Hell hasn't frozen over just yet. I am referring to this one from back in the day. I don't know how much it went for in the Kerry Taylor sale today, but my goodness!! Isn't it fab? If they're going to raid someone's archives, why not start with their own; at least they own the copyright!

Yasmin Le Bon for Wallis

I generally ignore what's going on in the High Street, and seem to have acquired an incredible Kate Moss-blindness, but Senti has been raving about the Yasmin Le Bon Wallis collection lately. I'm a devoted Durannie, and Yasmin is the bestest rock star wife you could ever wish to entrust your favourite to [unfortunately I have chosen John Taylor as my favourite, and Juicy Couture brings me out in a curiously pepto bismol-shaded rash], so I was prepared to take a gander with an open mind....and a careless memory.

There's nothing radical in there, but it's less obviously 'ripped off' (aside from the Careless Memories white blouse and black leather kecks look which Senti has blogged about already) and I must admit to being rather in love with this blouse. At £65 it's too rich for my blood right now, but I can admire from afar and perhaps hope to nab one in a season or two.

(Although please, please learn to spell peridot before I punch something....)

Vintage Inspiration: Gene Tierney

The gorgeous Laurakitty posted a photo of Gene Tierney on her wonderful Sighs and Whispers blog, which reminded me that I've had this photo sitting in my 'to do' folder ever since I saw it a few weeks back. I'm completely in love with her look and specifically with this photo, and was just waiting for the right time to share.

This week is going to be a bit busy so my posts might have to be pretty brief, but I'll try to make them pretty in their briefness.

Seeing stripes....

I have a confession to make; I'm afraid I go weak at the knees for guys in stripes. Not any old stripey thing, I hasten to add, but nicely tailored Sixties or Seventies numbers (and a bit of early Eighties stripey shirt action, Duran-style). I'm not sure where it came from, or why it has such a strange effect on me, but I'm not sure I really care. I'm just enjoying the view.....

(sensory overload....Pattie in Ossie! George in stripes!! Where to look, where to look....)

Back! And front, and side. Fabulous from all angles

For various tedious reasons, I've been a bit quiet on the old website listing front in the past month. But I'm feeling much perkier now, more inspired and oh boy have I got a lot of goodies (just listed, and in the works...). Watch out world!

Right now I've just listed an incredible John Bates for Jean Varon dress (1973, just check out the original advert from Vogue), a chocolate brown rayon crepe Lee Bender for Bus Stop beauty, a Dove Clothing Company deep cobalt blue cord maxi dress (perfect for walking through wintry landscapes), a super romantic cream damask Clobber (a.k.a Jeff Banks) dress with flutter sleeves and trailing ribbons....and finally, a slinky blue Cathy McGowan dress with the most gorgeous sleeves and pleated front detail. Yeah, Cathy McGowan....that's pretty darned rare!

Vintage Hair Inspiration: Veronica Lake

My hair mood changes daily (last week I had an Austrian milkmaid moment) so my hair inspirations have to be quite varied in general. I was sorting through some of my books the other day and realised that a photo of Veronica Lake in a 'Film Goddesses' book I was given many moons ago, with her hair draped over a bearskin rug, must have been quite influential for me. She's like the proto-Roxy Music girl, non? I have no intention of going blonde any time soon, unless I can magically get this nasty L'Oreal stuff out, but I do enjoy occasionally waving and side parting my hair....

Some time on a trip to Uranus: Hunting Venus

Several years ago, when I was in the first throws of my New Romantic love affair, a friend told me about something she'd seen on ITV a few years prior, called Hunting Venus. It starred Martin Clunes as the floppy-shirted bassist and Neil Morrissey as the flamboyant lead singer of a New-Rom group called The Venus Hunters, who are kidnapped and blackmailed into reforming the group. Danny Webb appears to be doing a mighty fine impression of Andy Taylor, I'm not quite sure which drummer Ben Miller was inspired by but I'm fairly certain Mark Williams is only channeling Nick Rhodes sartorially. Either that or he's seen some interview I missed out on....

She loved it so much that she bought the soundtrack and recently gifted it to me in a clear-out. By now I've got most of the tracks on there anyway, but it's still a nice thing to have. I never did see it at the time, and I still can't find any evidence of it having been released on DVD. I desperately want to see it now, of course, especially after finding it on YouTube. In poor quality and with the soundtrack disabled for several parts, I'm not sure I want that to be the first time I get to see it.

Anyway, because the title track (Starburst; co-written by Jools Holland no less) has been stuck in my head ALL day and making me laugh like a drain every time (yes, I have a childish sense of humour) I thought I would inflict share a clip with you. Watch out for Simon Le Bon, Tony Hadley AND Gary Numan making cameo appearances. Why has this not been released? Why??

There's something about those Eighties bassists...

Okay, maybe I can only summon three to mind whilst writing this [will add more if I can think of them] but still...they do seem to be ageing rather well, don't they? Recent concert photos of Mr Martin Kemp got me thinking about how dishy he and Mr Nigel Taylor still are - and then I remembered that Mick Karn isn't doing too badly either. I'm more of a Sylvian kinda girl, but Karn comes a close second with interesting hair and make-up....

A heads up to fellow synth nuts: Synth Britannia

PhilOakeyinabigwhiteshirtsquee!

Ooooh, I have a little ball of excitement starting to compete with the ball of tension in my tummy right now. One of the best things about Autumn, apart from the fact I can dig out all my very best vintage, is that BBCs Three and Four start showing documentaries which make me squee quite loudly. Like this Synth Britannia one, which looks like it ought to be brilliant. They'll also be showing 'Synth at the BBC' with the promise of some Roxy and Japan, amongst many others.

Track listing for Synth Britannia; I spy Underpa[nt]ss and Warm Leatherette. Mmmmmm......



Edited to add a link to a nice article in The Guardian about Synth Britannia, mainly to punch the air a little bit that they bothered to namecheck Doctor Who and The Tomorrow People. Hilarious but very welcome...I'm fairly certain that a lot of my love for synths stems from ridiculously early exposure to the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

Seeking Inspiration: Circular Circulation

Always, always seeking inspiration. Particularly right now while I sit here, staring at listings I need to be doing but failing to have the energy to write my usual [lovingly] flowery descriptions. I want to do these amazing pieces justice.

I also have strong urges to be creating my own....things. Which also requires inspiration. Time and energy are sadly lacking right now; I seek rejuvenation and inspiration. Does anyone have a bottle of pure energy to hand?

So once more, I delve into my magazine pile and fall in love with colour, texture, atmosphere and silhouettes. I particularly love this circus-themed fashion story from Petticoat Magazine, December 1968.

I, for one, would definitely run away to the circus right now...

Facebook Fans

If you're on Facebook, and you're a fan of Vintage-a-Peel, you can now be a fan of Vintage-a-Peel on Facebook. Hurrah!

I promise I'll be back with a 'proper' blog very soon, and some new listings. I just have a few other hats on at the moment [sadly not literal, my head is still large and the bestest hats are too small] and it's all a bit hecticness around here.

Ossie Spot: Monty Python

I spotted this the other night within BBC2's Monty Python evening, but I must also say thank you to Mrs Daniel for commenting on my blog that she'd spotted it which, in turn, reminded me to post about it. I'm always happy to do a bit of Palin-perving as well...

Vintage Inspiration: Sylvie Vartan; hat-wearer extraordinaire....

One of these days I'm going to go and do a millinery course, just so that I can stop moaning about my beeg heed and live the life I want to live: running around in all manner of gorgeous hats rather than the measly handful I have now. I want a teeny tiny Vartan head. And all her hats. She really did rather rock the hat-thing back in the day....

Anna Friel: You did it again....

An amazing cream satin Forties dress, and Anna has now been quoted as saying that she's 'as happy as a pig in s**t in a vintage store'. A girl after my own heart, with very enviable hair as well. I really do love the fact that she's dressing up for the paps outside the theatre. That's definitely what I'd do.

I can't stand 'celebs' who look pseudo-pissed-off for waiting photographers, whilst wearing some pseudo-stained t-shirt as a dress over some pseudo-ripped tights or somesuch. Stop moaning and break out the dressing-up box!