Vintage inspired suits for autumn

Recently I saw a photograph of a few ladies at a ‘vintage’ event.  Everyone looked lovely. Quite a few were rocking what is the easiest vintage look in town, a ponytail, a circle skirted dress and big red lipsticked grins. To my mind that is without doubt the best and cheapest vintage accessory in town; a big red smile.  Anyone reading this who wants that look only needs a Vivien of Holloway Frock, some Ellnette and whatever makes them happy. In my case some R & B, good company and a vat of tequila does the job. 

Fabulously suited.

However what I really enjoyed seeing were the ladies in suits. I love a suit and now that summer has gone look forward to wearing them again. You can always locate a decent quality suit in the High Street because professional wear has to conform to certain levels of smartness.  The 70’s schtick is still running on the high street but early this year there was a nod to ladylike fashion in some of the catwalk shows although the fashion world has labelled this ‘heritage’. This means there is currently in the shops a nod to tweeds and skirt suits. You can change the feel of mass produced suits very quickly using cheap alterations such as changing buttons, shortening sleeve lengths, adding trims such as fake fur or velvet and altering collars. 

Margaret Rutherford, vintage icon!

 If you are allergic to the High Street repro vintage sellers have some interesting options and I thought I would mention them.  Remember this is not a sponsored blog so these are independent recommendations (although if anyone wants to send me a freebie I’ll not complain!).

Heyday 1940's wartime suit

Heyday have produced a suit which has a very authentic wartime feel about it. The 1940's Wartime suite has a nice military feel and it will match those victory rolls perfectly.  I’m waiting for a friend to turn up in one so I can try the jacket on. I think that the suit would be fine for everyday wear and will look good accessorised with a richly textured autumn scarf and some leather gloves.  Heyday clothing always looks sturdily made and well cut when I see it worn so this is another ‘I want’ on my list of outfits.

Putting on the ritz spying for the allies suit.

Also along the same lines is Putting on the Ritz’s Spying for the Allies suit, i.e. it could be worn to Homefront events and you might just get it past the Re-enactment fanatics.  This suit has a slightly unusual cut and an edge of couture about it, probably because this small company appears to be a labour of love. An investment piece I think that could be dressed up for special events, I definitely feel it demands to be topped with an elegant hat!

Tara Starlet suit

I have seen Tara Starlet’s 'Love Army' suit worn by a friend in the green colour way.  A more jaunty cut, it still has that retro feel but it is more the kind of thing a glamorous young woman would wear whilst driving her sports car through the countryside to meet Leslie Howard for tea. It has glitzy buttons and a curvy cut.  I'm not sure if they are still selling the green one but I’d like to see Tara Starlet produce more colour ways as this is a very useful suit.

Toprunway suit (copyright Toprunway).

 I’ll probably get another suit produced by Toprunway as I like the adaptability and personal choice involved. I bought a small reproduction tilt hat in blue and black earlier in the year and am planning to have a fifties Dior style suit made in navy blue; mixing my eras again but who cares? I’ll probably get two skirts made as I always think this is a good idea: the skirts get worn more than the jackets and the colours can fade.

copyright Victiorian Gothic Clothing co

Finally I really hanker after Edwardian and Victorian clothing. One of the best is Victorian Gothic Clothing, I know several happy clients and have seen the resulting suits up close.  The client base is Gothically and steampunkishly inclined but this company will make the skirts and jackets in a gorgeous range of hues. Not cheap but just clock all that pleating.  I want the Effra suit/gown in a nice black and I can also see myself in a pale lilac version of the Kensal Green suit/gown (I am saving up now!).

copyright Victiorian Gothic Clothing co

If anyone has any comments about suiting or any recommendations do share them with us! xxx

Pillage my Wardrobe!!! August 21st: bargains galore! Roll up, roll up!

On August 21^st the Vintage Mafia are having another one of their small but perfectly formed Vintage Sales and Socials at the LoveShake in Shoreditch. East London…I know!  But it is a very short walk from both Old Street and Liverpool Street stations and the venue is a charming homage to a fifties shake bar, why not combine a trip to this with a trawl around Spitalfields, a short walk away and liveliest on a Sunday. The word ‘social’ is in the name of this event as you can  also grab a drink, a shake or a burger whilst you rummage through the rails or just sit down and chat.

Beautiful Emerald Vivien of Holloway circle dress.

The clothes are in the sale due to overfull wardrobes, duplicate clothing and size fluctuations. There is no 80’s tat, moth eaten pieces on their last sad legs and they are clean and in good condition.  Apart from frocks there are accessories and other small items and these range from vintage to repro to high street reflecting the past. Finally, and importantly for us all, the prices are very reasonable and unlike on-line goods you can try them on before you purchase.

Tara Starlet pink home front dress size 14, hardly worn.

It is here that I declare an interest as I have been kindly allowed to sell some of my things at this fair. In my case I am clearing the decks due to things not fitting (as some of you know I have been ill). I’ll have a good sprinkling of large size 12’s, 14’s and even the odd size 16. There will be (real) vintage, repro and up-market High Street  all laundered and in good or honestly described condition. Amongst these is a fantastic late 50’s wiggle dress in burgundy with a gold thread, a sweetheart neckline and a cinched waist which I really wish I could shrink,  its a large 14 small 16. I also have a fantastic pair of Japanese geta style sandals with Japanese silk thongs but a wedge heel with bright stripes. I bought these from a shop in central Japan and they would set off a fifties beach outfit brilliantly.  

Also on the rails will be an emerald satin Vivien of Holloway circle dress with bolero in a 14 and two Big Barbara Brown repro dresses in size 12 and size 14 including the lovely 30’s style spotted Evita dress. 

Tara Starlet Peggy, fantastic speckled bengaline fifties shape, size 14.

Additionally I have two Whistles 40’s style tea dresses (generous size 12’s) and two Tara Starlet dresses: the Homefront tea dress with flowers (14) and the Peggy (also 14) which have hardly been worn. I also have pure silk evening dresses from Jigsaw (contemporary) and Coast (30's style). All of these dresses cost £70.00 - 120.00 for bog standard High Street prices. I may also, if I have the time beforehand be selling some original art work and cards. I'm not a seller really and I don't do ebay as I cannot get to a post office without getting up early on a Saturday morning; so please catch the train /boat/camel East and pillage my wardrobe, I want to see my frocks go to good homes! Any questions pop me a comment or email me.

Redlegs x

The Far Pavilions Party

Interior of Salon D'Ete Far Pavilions Party.

I suspect that many of those reading this will know of the New Sheridan Club. It is an offshoot of an offshoot of that splendid magazine The Chap (although not officially affiliated, the NSC doesn’t really do official). They hold monthly meetings in Fitzrovia upstairs in the Wheatsheaf. These usually include a small talk or show or presentation encompassing a frankly bewildering range of subjects. Yours truly once gave a talk on typewriters cunningly disguised as a discourse on vampires. It is quite a blokey version of vintageyness. Be prepared for blathering on about cricket and other entirely tedious gentlemanly pursuits. However the reactionary wannabe an aristo type of pseudo doesn’t really fit in here, but the profoundly eccentric or simply cheerful type does.

The Committee themselves, an entirely voluntary foursome set the tone: the Chairman, whom I, ahem know rather well is a furry charmball who tempers his cleverness with, well, light inebriation. Artemis the Louche Librarian, quipper and afficianado of rather severe uniforms. Mr Clayton Hartley whose expression of bemused dapperness hides a handiness with both saucepan and bass guitar (although thankfully not at once) and the other Chairman, a gentleman who combines dressing his infant daughter up in a series of bizarre hats with running an imaginary rowing club.

Mr Clayton Hartley

The club which has about 300 members across the globe has an influence in vintage circles as pernicious as the illuminati. The dominate the Chap Olympiad, can be seen faffing around at most retro events (or more likely propping up the bar) but their most natural environment is the NSC party. An event that descends upon London twice a year. The Christmas ones are distinctly lacking in yuletide references, 2008’s ‘Kredit Krunk Kabaret’ was followed by last years superb ‘Yes we can can’ do. A couple of weeks ago saw this year’s Summer event, of which this post is supposed to be a review.

The Far Pavilions Party was held this year at the Salon D’Ete, a pop up club near Selfridges set up by NSC members Ed Saperia , Willow and with chef Will Sprunt (also a club member). Prominently featuring lots of greenery and with a glass roof it has the air of a colonial café circa 1890. Thus the theme. This was interpreted very widely by the attendees. One of the strengths of these parties is that people do go for it, although the NSC member tends to be the kind of person that has fly whisks, pith helmets and silk kimonos in their wardrobes. We had lots of khaki and the British raj, but also elements of South Asia and the Orient.

Far Pavilions guests..

Plotting under the palms..

Torquil Arbuthnot manned the door, looking frankly rather seedy in a Last Man in Africa Foreign Correspondent gone to pot way. MC Fruity manned the shellac playing hits from the 30’s and 40’s. There were at various points during the event, outbreaks of lindy hopping, jiving and a large amount of maniacal Charlestoning.


This is what you get when you play music people actually want to dance to. Live music was also provided by one half of Twin and Tonic and her band.

One of the unique elements is that NSC parties have games, cheese rolling, pinning the moustache on Poirot, Tiger Hunting and my personal favourite so far ‘shoot the capitalist’. This years games included balloon shaving and poppadom shooting, an interesting indoor variation clay pigeon shooting.

Poppadom shooting.

The committee had cleverly obtained some ‘subsidised gin’, which softened the shock of the usual bar prices (usual for Mayfair that is) along with free white absinthe from the absinthe ‘fairy’. Some of those who indulged in the latter reported the next day that they did indeed feel as if they had spent the night in a fairy ring: having their head walloped with a big stick.

It was a good atmospheric night and I have few criticisms. Letting in non NSC members or friends was not perhaps the best idea, some were really annoying but fortunately they were outnumbered. This also watered down the usual feeling of clubby repartee and membership. It did feel a bit more like a club night than a party. But as a change it was a good evening and vastly superior to most of its competition. Congratulations to the organisers and to the attendees!

NSC Ladies...

Yours truly....
last 2 pics courtesy of Jenny

So exactly what is vintage?

Shop front of Rokit, neither of those frocks are vintage..

Recently in Time Out there have been several articles about ‘shopping for vintage’, I notice that the shops mentioned are invariably in East London and run by the very young. In addition to these there are the established big name ‘vintage’ or ‘retro’ stores such as Rellik or Rokit. I have been to these and a selection of other similar boutiques only to emerge in high dudgeon. The bearded one must by now be sick of me muttering ‘vintage, my arse’ in exasperation.

This is because generally speaking these shops are full of tacky late 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and even 90’s clothing. with just the occasional (over-priced) real piece. Is this vintage? My personal cut off date is the 1950’s, any later and if of good quality or designer origins it is 'collectable'. If poor quality: jumble. There is no suggestion here that clothes from the 70’s or 80’s shouldn’t be sold and worn proudly. From the point of individuality alone there is a greater chance that you won’t be wearing the same Primark blouse as everyone else. Ecologically it makes sense to recycle and re-use. What is out of order is steaming a C&A dress, labelling it as ‘vintage’ and then being able to sell it on for £30.00 and upwards. Well if someone is idiotic enough to buy it, business wise it is fine and dandy. But ‘vintage’? purrleaase! I’m becoming very annoyed by hearing “oh, there is a new vintage clothes shop at so and so corner” only to find it is full manky jumble and staffed by vacant eyed sticks with slack jaws. Vintage inspired, retro or second-hand fine but not vintage. You don’t call a 1980’s Ford Escort a vintage car, you don’t call a poster of Bros a vintage print so why do womens clothes get given the appendage so easily? Perhaps it is because we are mugs, more likely to fall for emperors new clothes inspired sales schtick in the same way we will buy ‘diet water’ or expensive wrinkle creams made of bug placentas.

To be honest most real vintage is hard to wear, it is expensive, too expensive and I lay responsibility for this at the steps of the gullible too. I wear mostly at reproduction clothing and am far from slavish to any era. Those who follow retro-dressing to extremes but combine this enthusiasm with looking down on your High Street facsimiles (and we have all met them) I find amusing. But vintage is vintage, it is old, it is from the era it represented. Surely the history you can hold in your hands and wear upon your body is the point of vintage or antique clothing. That flapper frock with the mysterious green stains, the Bakelite buttons on your 1930’s jacket, the tea dress that survived the blitz and the outrageousness of that massive bundle of fabric and net otherwise know in the fifties as a circle skirt. There is a romance to these objects that is almost entirely conferred by the patina of time passing. That is what draws me to vintage originals.

By all means combine you skinny jeans with a shiny ironic late 80’s blouse from Etam, but please don’t describe it as vintage. It needs another 30 years or so to mature ….

Buying vintage in London:

I find that Lynette who has a small shop of Camden Passage in otherwise rubbish Islington is very good for vintage hats and rayon dresses. Black Out in Endell Street is great for Lucite bags. The Flyover end of Ladbroke Grove has some good stalls at the weekend selling gent’s suits. Old Hat in Fulham is one of a small selection of near neighbouring shops with high-end retro and vintage clothing. The Hammersmith and Fulham vintage fairs are good, especially for textiles and I have found the odd good thing in the Frock Me fair held in Chelsea. Crystal Palace has Londons best flea/junk market at Haynes Lane. Best Charity shop buys in Walworth Road, Muswell Hill and West Hampstead. South London car boot sales are better than those in the North for collectables. Otherwise I tend to save my shopping for trips out of London, the Isle of Man was great for 50’s handbags. Vintage to Vogue in Bath is my favourite non-London vintage shop.

Vivien of Holloway shop review.

Exterior of Holloway Road Shop.

Vivien of Holloway’s designs are probably the most instantly recognizable within vintage/retro styled circles. Her trademark polka-dotted creations with full fifties circle skirts preferably filled with a confection of netted petticoat can be spotted at most vintage events. This popularity had initially put me off buying one I find it off -putting when strangers point to you and name your dress manufacturer before you have even been introduced. Then there was the fact that I am concerned there is actually a limit to how many polka dots one should own. I currently possess thousands and feel like a lyric in a Libertine’s song already. Also I had heard that it was quite difficult to judge the fit and sizing on-line. Several girls I knew had to return their orders and had become frustrated. Personally I think this is simply an innate risk with mail-order goods and you just have to try until you find the right size and learn to love your local Post Office. The fact that many V of H items are boned gives them a three dimensionality that is hard to reflect in flat measurements of inches and cms.

Polka dots!

Recently I have increasingly felt that it was time to give this popular brand a whirl, and there were a number of reasons for this. One was that I have seen the titular Vivien around and about, a glamorous voluptuous blonde lady and a fine advertisement for her wares. I believe you should judge the dress by its maker, I was always going to like Lulu Guinness bags because I like the way Lulu Guinness looks.

The proprietress at her counter.

Another was the ever widening range of tea dresses, forties dresses and sarong dresses. The range of fabrics has also expanded with plenty of non-spot choices. The final impetus to buy was the opening, last year, of a new shop located naturally enough, in Holloway Road. Whilst Holloway Road itself can be shabby there was nothing grubby about the shop. It had a light spacious feel. The eponymous dresses were lined up in orderly fashion on rails at either side. I approve of this wholeheartedly as I loathe having to edge around displays and racks. The vintage element was not over-egged; an old fashioned display case fronts the till and contains all the nick knacks you might need to accompany the clothes. Changing rooms at the end of the room are faced by a series of free standing mirrors. Also a good idea as they can be adjusted and there is space for potential customers to see those skirts swirl and swish. Whilst the shop radiated a fresh orderly prettiness the place was utter bedlam! I had not read the small print on the website about bridesmaids booking slots at the weekends. The place was heaving and the four changing rooms were indeed commandeered by a group of giggling bridesmaids. The staff revealed themselves to be a positive asset, they managed the combination of politeness and firmness required to handle clueless bridesmaids and impatient non-bridesmaids . The bearded one was dispatched to the neighbouring café and I waited patiently.

It was actually really interesting to observe others changing. A group of blonde, faintly chavvy girls in Allsainty clothes were instantly transformed by the polka-dotted circle dresses into extras from a Dennis Potter drama. What I noted immediately was how much the designs showed off all figures. Stick insects suddenly achieved curves and the curvy girls were clearly made to fill these frocks. I enjoyed seeing the staff persuade recalcitrant twenty somethings into belts to remind them their waists didn't sit right under their busts. Paradoxically the bridesmaids seemed more feminine but also more sassy. Another peculiar thing was that they seemed cleaner and fresher. That shabby jersey jeans washed - out look makes girls look dirty as well as scruffy! The Vof H dresses are actually a great idea for weddings, inexpensive, flattering to most shapes, you can do the same dress in different colours and they can be sold on.

The fact I had to loiter for a while was a good thing because I decided to try on more than I intended and picked a couple of random choices. The dress I had my eye on was not available in my size in the fabric I wanted, I was advised that new stock came in mid-week and that was the time to come. I anticipated that the sarong dress, with its tapered skirt and flattering wrap detail was likely to suit my figure which strays into ...ahem ...rubenesque territory. I chose a couple of these. I also tried a bolero top. This is a stroke of genius. Bingo wing sheafing is important, those with busts also have to sigh and accept that bra straps are a necessary evil. Also a little shoulder coverage is just simply elegant. However I grabbed a couple of the circle dresses. I had always thought these, with all their fabric would be unflattering to anyone who was not thin or tall. The 'sugar plum fairy fear 'I call it. However a Mexican day of the dead dancing skeleton fabric dress called out to my Goth nature. Having picked one of those to try I thought ‘what the hell, I’ll try one of the ultra-satiny bright ones,' mentally I had discounted them because on the hanger they looked slightly stage costumey.

Upon trying the dresses I was surprised to find that the internal bodice was sturdy enough alone to cope with my considerable prow. This was assisted by the fact the bodice area is designed to fit quite snugly. None of this was uncomfortable. The sarong dresses were good, providing a curvy elegant silhouette however the size was a bit too tight, however if I lost even a kilo or two it might sit quite nicely. Then I moved onto the circle dresses, I loved the skeleton one. The halter top is very flattering and the swish of the skirt deeply satisfying on a girly level. The wild card was the vividly coloured silk dress. Not what I would usually wear, but when I came out in it the response from the assorted vintage types waiting was ‘buy that one!’ So having walked in intending to buy a sharp silhouetted deeply coloured dress I emerged with two swishy circle dresses and spent more than I intended (boleros were of course needed to accompany them). I am wearing the brightly hued one this weekend and we’ll see then if I look like a jolly green giant!

The green satiny circle dress.

I don’t have any gripes about the clothes at all, within the reasonable price range the finish, production and fabrics are what they should be. What I would like to stress is that the range, although comparatively limited is very flexible. It occurred to me that a lot of the simple block colour fabrics could be dressed up very well using trimmings. I am think of doing this to the sarong dress and bolero in black which I think might work really well with a fringed trimming I have seen. Vof H’s clothes are also becoming very popular with other alternative groups in London, they work as well with cyber-punkish dreads as they do with Victory Rolls. I would recommend visiting the shop if possible to try dresses for size but to avoid the weekends if possible. A weekday visit could, I think, be a nice relaxing experience. Finally the caff next door did a nice light Turkish breakfast and a copy of The Chap was on sale at the counter: Top stuff!

Minn x

Vivien of Holloway homepage here: http://www.vivienofholloway.com/

All photographs copyright Vivien of Holloway.

Shoreditch secret shopper strikes sullenly...

I have railed against ‘Whoreditch’ and the Max Wall impersonators that seem to teem all over it (skinny jeans, ballet pumps, birds-nest hair) so much I know I am becoming tedious. However I am only really picking at one one layer of the East End Onion. There are other peelings that annoy me: the BNP-voting lumpen elements of Plaistow, the monoculturalism of bits of Tower Hamlets and the effluential Dalston. At the same time there are tasty bits of the Onion. I have a strong family association with the City itself and particularly Smithfield. I love the architectural elements of Spitalfields, the grubby old mercantile buildings and some of the good restaurants. Although the area has never been the same since the demise of Blooms and it's gefilte fish and the slip into mediocrity of the local Indian canteens is lamentable there are good nibbles to be had.

On Sunday we ambled over to Spitalfields market. I know it should make me spit to think of what has happened to the place but I am more than aware that the only way to save a market or it’s architecture is to gentrify and artify it. The alternative is the bulldozer and the advance of more belligerent office buildings. It was the same with Borough Market which was saved by posh Spanish cheeses and pies that cost a tenner. So if Spitalfields is overrun by Hoxton Twatkids, tourists and divvy trendy mums with children called Otis so be it. But is there a reason for creatures like me, and possibly like you to traipse over there?

Well yes. If only because it is something to do, which can involve quite painless transport links. It has to be said also that there is plenty to eat and drink. It is most definitely good for food. We had brunch at Giraffe, the chain that promises ‘world food and music’ and does actually provide a very tasty Mexican breakfast. We discovered this just as the chain cannily went for the yummy mummy rah demographic and started to give balloons out. Every Giraffe is now spoilt by babies, and babies do spoil lunch, and dinner, and everything else for everyone who…well doesn’t have their own baby. However we got there early enough to miss the first baby ‘surge’. Shame that human babies are so ugly compared to other infant mammals. Now if they all looked like puppies or kittens or baby meerkats the screeching and screaming and dribbling might just be ok.

The main market was largely full of stuff of no interest, there seemed to be a lot of Chinese people selling pared down Vivien Westwoodesque jackets and cannibalised tweed seemed particularly popular as a material. There were some interesting (and if I recall long-established) stalls selling paperbacks. The shops around the market were full of up-market tat. Dolly Dagger looked to have some ok frocks and undies although a little frou frou for me. The bars and restaurants looked expensive and banal. A drink at the Ten Bells would be a better and more atmospheric option than any of the bars we saw.

On Sunday however, across the road from the main market heading in the direction of the Truman Brewery is the Sunday market. I prefer this inordinately even though it is the homeland of the ironic porkpie hat. It reminds me of Design Festa, the huge market/art exhibition/happening/concert I used to go to in Tokyo. Located in a big old empty white building it always has a couple of vintage stalls that include vintage clothes (rarer than hen’s teeth) and the chap selling Balkan music. And Balkan music makes you smile. The food here, though not necessarily the most comfortable eating experience always looks absolutely delicious and is a far better bet than anything across the road, Mexican breakfasts not withstanding.

Did I buy anything? Surely the real mark of a market is this? Well no, but that was more down to my state of advanced boracity. If I had more than basic beer money I would have. The sellers I was taken by were:

In the main market a jeweller called 'Eat Your Feet' with some witty plasticky jewellery using vintage and pop-culture motifs. In the Sunday market, food and Balkan beats aside, I liked Dan Hilliers stall of prints of his Ernst-like surreal illustrations and designs. Victorian octopus people rule. A stall called Orizu was selling the most wonderful 30’s and 40’s inspired hats, really superb and good value at £120 -£180 (if you think that is expensive have a look at how much hand made millinery costs). She wasn’t giving out cards and does not have a website and would not let me take a photograph. But hopefully she will stick it out because her tiles were absolutely lovely.

Eat your feet necklace.

Dan Hillier illustration (copyright Dan Hillier)

Eat your feet jewellery homepage: http://www.eatyourfeet.com/

Dan Hillier: www.danhillier.com

Big night out = Life is never simple

I don't want to look like this......

I want to look like this !

An event to go to, in this case the wonderful Chap Ball. Huzzah! What could be wrong with this? The Chap magazine celebrates Anarcho-chappism in a dada-situationist way, it will not be full of Twatkids or Hooray Henrys but friends. There hasn't been one for 10 years, I love the acts so what can happen.

Almost Immediately, being female, the challenge of apparel rears it's head. How I envy the chaps who just grow some whiskers and whip out their finest tweed/black tie/all in one pvc romper suit. Suddenly I start thinking, long skirt? short skirt? hair? up? down? makeup? hell I don't want sleeveless, or if I do I will have to buy a bolero or shrug, ooops oh no more money, I don't have any money, everyone has more money than me, everyone is younger than me, and slimmer, and can wear sleeveless and WAAAAAAHHHH!

So I find myself wandering through the hell that is Oxford Street on a damp Friday suspiciously eyeing up a selection of eye wateringly tacky sequinned shifts, I love sequins but if I were one I would be offended. Wagdom via a 1980's that I really don't recall, and I was there. I give up on the shops catering for the young and cheap with the short and cheap and head for the more ..ahem.. stately department stores. More luck here, try on a few dresses and they are all terrible, or rather a foot too long, with no waist. I finally find one, emerald green, quite a late 40s/50's look and with a little bit of sparkly stuff to stop me looking too matronly. Also its an unusual colour, not at all in fashion, quite unusual really. Turns out that two other friends are planning to wear green, it wouldn't matter if it were not for the fact that both are a) extremely pretty b) very svelte and c) much much younger than me. Otherwise the team green photographs would be fun, but little old round me next to two Chap magazine pin-ups? hmmmm. I think again, and order a dark blue dress on-line and am hoping vaguely that it might actually fit me. If not I will wear the green and embrace my elder stateswoman status by getting drunk, wandering around burping and telling everyone that the noughties are 'pants' and generally being an old bag.

Dress worries aside, my skin has decided to go wrong, it always does when I have something nice to go to, whenever I want to look ill, ie after I have been ill and return to work it looks perfectly fine. But what am I worrying about? two glasses of cava in and my face will be bright pink....
which brings me on to the subject of whether having my hair dyed a marmalade colour on Friday is a good idea? Still I think of Vivienne Westwood.. she gets away with it. I'm not even going to go down the shoe road, it leads to a circle of hell, you know the one with lots of women impaled on the massive heels of Jimmy Choos they cannot afford. Weariness envelopes me if I cogitate on the subject of jewellery and accessories and as for make-up, pah! Well it will all go wrong on the night, my skin will fall off and I'll end up looking quite a lot like Vivienne Westwood...

Only one thing for it: to remember the bearded one seems to like me whatever I wear, to recall that red hair is the rarest type in nature or un-nature and that the thing is to have a bit of a spree. So I plan to have fun, drink bubbles and have a laff. Even if I do look like a little round Christmas tree - do say hello if you see me there!

vintage style dresses on the high street

When I returned from Asia I found, regrettably, that 'vintage' or rather my much loved jumble bargains had become trendy. The jumble sale itself seemed to have disappeared in favour of Ebay, no more elbow duelling with determined elderly ladies or fantastic earrings for 20p. Whilst it is good to see old clothes being valued and not thrown away it has left me bereft of my usual sources. Additionally, whilst it is rightly up to people how they wear their clothes, there is a nasty fairy hiding inside me that wants to jump out and thump Kate Moss wannabes wearing uncared for vintage 50's tulle with Ugg boots. Even worse are Hoxtonites who have cut up (or in their words 'deconstructed') lovely old rayon 40's dresses. The only thing that cheers me is the fact that so many of these women are being ripped off by the likes of Rellik and charged a fortune for crappy old 60's crimpolene and vile 70's nylon.



The problem remains however that the prices for the vintage I want to wear with a hat and heels are now beyond my means. Especially as vintage clothes also come complete with challenges: difficulties of sizing, moth nibbles and that unique, not entirely pleasant smell of damp. I like reproduction clothing, but the difficulty is that when I wear a Stop Staring dress everyone recognises it, nice in a way but I cannot help feeling profoundly unoriginal. New companies and designers keep on appearing to fill this demand but their clothes are often as expensive as the vintage versions.



Sometimes the High Street throws up good alternatives. I love my Jasmine Guinness cherry- print rockabilly style dress. Recently I bought her navy blue day dress featuring fabric with a little peach coloured pattern which has an 'atomic' feel to it. The combination of navy and dusty pink is also very retro. The tie belt is far too long but anyone with basic sewing skills (ie not me!) could shorten it and attach a vintage buckle quite easily. Her sleeves to be snug but other than that I love the cut and the crepe like fabric. It has been mistaken for a genuine vintage item even though in truth it is a hybrid of 40's cut with 50's pattern and 30's detailing.



The other shop that seems currently to have some dresses with a distinct vintage feel is Laura Ashley. I also recently bought a good emerald green embellished dress from Phase Eight that had a late 40's feel about it with a fitted draped waist and sweetheart neckline. Coast also have an elegant long navy crepe de chine like dark blue evening gown that is pure 30's in stock. Although the price is steep it might crop up in the new year sales and it is nice to see something in such a classic colour. Coast dresses are manufactured for giants so a seamstress would probably be needed by most to shorten the hem.

Coast long floaty navy blue 30's style gown with embroidered front.



Laura Ashley 30's style grey silk gown (I want this one!)

Laura Ashley classic 50's style gown.

Laura Ashley 40's style gown

Jasmine Guinness Zita dress.

All of these dresses are currently available, I love the grey Laura Ashley one and may well buy it. Jasmine Guinness sells through Littlewoods and Very.