Style me vintage clothes: A little review

It is time for another book review today. The book in question is Style me Vintage by Naomi Thompson.

What can I say? This book fills me with an immense amount of happiness as I am privileged to know the author Naomi Thompson and I know how hard she worked on it. The book is beautiful in terms of the images and also its layout (well done to the publishers on this one!), well written and most importantly enjoyable.

Naomi really is the BEST person to have written this book. She has an amazing collection of vintage clothes and  incredible eye for it too. I’ll give you an amazing example of Naomi’s “eye”: A few months ago I was shopping in brick lane and happened to see Naomi. She showed me a wonderful suit in Hunky Dory vintage that she thought would fit me an what can I say? It was absolutely perfect and is one of my favourite items in my wardrobe.

This is the suit in question!

(terrible pic of me and my washing basket...i do apologise)

 I feel honoured that Naomi asked me to help her out with some of the research for this book (gahhhh my name in the book!!! Look!!!) and to see how all of her hard work came together really is fantastic.

The book offers tips on how to create vintage looks, how to look after vintage clothes and also a bit about fashion history. Although it is in essence a “vintage style” book it really does provide a huge amount of other information.

If you are just want to dabble in vintage the book gives great ideas on little ways of introducing vintage items to create interesting looks or if you’re a full blown vintage fashionista there is lots for you too!

I also have to say how fabulous the images are, these are beautifully shot and really make the book stand out, all of the models look fabulous and are really inspiring in how to create the looks.

My personal favourite is this image of Lisa who I think looks SENSATIONAL. (I actually have put this pic in my dissertation too. Random)

Although this book is quite short it really is packed full of useful and interesting information and is a book I will be looking back at time and time again (who knew neat vodka was good for removing smells!)

So if you want to get a bit more vintage in your life you can buy the book here

Naomi is also available for vintagepersonal shopping experiences, so if you want to meet the lovely lady herself and have some of the vintage secret experience you can!

Leeds vintage fair does it again!

I absolutely love Leeds vintage fair and today was the day yet again. A rather fab day was had I have to saay.

This is the suit I wore today, my housemate said I looked like a Butlins red coat, hopefully in a good way. It is quite remarkable i actually look semi-alive in this picture as I had only four hours sleep and felt like I was going to be sick from a serious hangover (housemates birthday last night….that’s how I roll!)

 I’m trying to be good money wise at the moment, so I didn’t go too overboard on purchases, but these are the two dresses I picked up!

First off this gorgeous black 1930s dress. I rarely buy vintage this old (to wear) but this was in such brilliant condition i felt like I needed it in my life. Very upstairs downstairs! The rouleau loops were a bit of a nightmare to get done up, but i think it is worth the effort. Pretty impressed with my own skills though as I didn't try it on and just guessed it looked about the right size, and it was! I adored the shoulder pads and the draping of it too, such a Hollywood glamour look! It kind of reminds me of Elsa Schiaparelli’s designs…

(I've lightened these pics so you can properly see the detail!)

Then I picked up this beautiful dress too, not my normal style, but it was pretty cheap and I thought I might find an excuse to wear it! The lady who I bought it from has some absolutely sensational stock. She sells through ebay, Dolly Wiggins vintage I strongly recommend you check her out, she had a wonderful selection of 30s, 40s and 50s dresses all at v v reasonable prices at the fair. I could have bought more, but as I say I am (meant to be) on a budget!

Vintage loveliness and a cheeky bit of Beaton

I have a series of post coming up over the next few days (woo) mostly all about my insanely busy weekend last weekend!

On Friday I journeyed up to London for a bit of shopping and research. First off I headed to Salvation Army on Hannover square and bought some of the most sensational garments. I don’t know how much I can really reveal about the person who owned the garments I bought, but all of the pieces I purchased were owned by a famous concert pianist who died recently and had an expensive taste for British couture and bespoke made pieces.

I purchased three of her suits and one dress although I could have bought a ridiculous amount more. For me it was quite sensational. I’m pretty small and I find it difficult to find clothes that REALLY fit (one of the reasons why I initially turned to vintage in the first place). These are the bits I purchased all I believe dating to the 1970s.

They all need a bit of a clean so I apologise for the dirtiness in the pics, I’ve got to take them to the dry cleaners asap! Also sorry for the state of me in all of these pics. I'm suffering with university based stress and haven't washed my hair in a while!

I then wandered down Oxford street (why is entirely beyond me) and sauntered off to the V and A for a bit of research in the national art library (flicking through old auction catalogues…as you do). And then onto the newly opened Cecil Beaton exhibition.

I really enjoyed it, but I will say it is quite small and perhaps not worth the money (I’m a member so it was free). There are some really fabulous pics of Queen Elizabeth in particular and I adored the few other shots that I feel had been “snuck in” of the Bright young things.  From a fan of photography the text was quite detailed in terms of explaining Beatons set up of the shots. Overall though I would say I would recommend it though.

I then finished off my Friday with a delightful few drinks with my gorgeous friend Eleanor Budd.  Yet again reminding how wonderful my friends at home are. Winner!

Fashion photographer obsessions: Tim Walker

I have A LOT of obsessions with fashion photographers, I’ve blogged before about the work of Cecil Beaton who I could go on and on about I have a huge thing for Norman Parkinson (who there is an exhibition about in Bristol at the moment) and also a soft spot for David Bailey.

Today I often find that modern photographers don’t fill me with the same sense of excitement as those in the past, although there are a few photographers whose work I absolutely adore (Demarchelier and Steven Meisel for example) Although there is one photographer whose work never ceases to amaze me and fill me with awe. Tim Walker.

Walker was heavily inspired by Cecil Beaton in his work, which I think might be one of the reasons I love his work so much. You get that same sense of light frivolity from Walkers work as I find you do from Beatons and some of the images have really clear references to Beaton. Unlike other photographers working now Walker doesn’t directly copy set ups of photographs, rather takes inspiration from past images as some of these images show (I’ve referenced originals that these remind me of where I can)

Walker has dynamism and imagination like no other photographer, I don’t think I’ve seen a single shoot by Walker that hasn’t intrigued me, he has an ability to create narratives from images that mean words aren’t necessary.

I’m just going to share a few of my favourite Walker images, I could have probably chosen hundreds but I kept myself down to a “budget” of about 20!

I tried to keep a loose theme to these images. Magic. All of these images have a sense of warped reality, and the unreal yet completely real at the same time. These suggest some of Walkers greatest abilities with proportion and props. I have to say actually that Walkers interior shot are just as good as his fashion shoots because of his amazing arrangements.

Vogue Italia September 2010
"High Style"
Model: Malgosia Bela
Photographer: Tim Walker
Styling: Jacob K.

W October 2010
"Where Troubles Melt Like Lemon Drops"
Model: Karlie Kloss
Photographer: Tim Walker
Styling: Jacob K.

Three Guinness heirs (seated) in the Blue Room of Leixlip Castle, their ancestral home, in County Kildare, Ireland—Tom Guinness, Jasmine Guinness, and Violet Ogden—flanked by family friends and neighbors Georgina O’Hagan and Poppy Lloyd.
This image really reminds me of Cecil Beatons shots of Charles James' dresses

Vogue Italia February 2009
Fairy Time
Unknown models

The Make up here is so reminiscent of Biba make up. The last image reminds me of the image of Mrs. Conde Nast wearing a Fortuny dress with its ethereal pose

A Magic World
Vogue Italia January 2008
Models Alice Gibb and Olga Sherer

Vogue UK April 2008

Soldier, Soldier won't you marry me?
Ph: Tim Walker
Model: Karen Elson
Fashion Editor: Katie Phelan
Hair: Neil Moodie
Make Up: Samantha Bryant

Vogue Italia November 2008 ed.

"A Private World"
Model: Sunniva Stordahl
Photo: Tim Walker

Vogue Italia March 2010 - From Supplement
Lady Grey
Photo: Tim Walker
Models: Stella Tennant, Imogen Morris Clarke
Fashion Editor: Jacob K.

Quick F.Y.I here Stella Tennant is actually the great niece of Stephen Tennant of the bright young things!

Walkers scrap book. Now I want to make a scrap book!

Weirdly, my all time fave Tim Walker image. Which is strange because a) it doesn't feature any fashion and b) because it cats.

A little excerpt taken from the Guardian about the image:

"A lot of people get confused when they see this image. They think it was done by computer, but we actually took pigment powder, mixed it with talc to get the right ice-cream pastel colours, and brushed it into the cats. 

The owners were two proud members of the Persian cat club. I can't remember how I found them, but they turned up in a van, covered in cat fur, and stood breathing down my neck as I took the picture. We were worried about putting all that powder into the animals' fur, but they said: "Oh no, they absolutely love it." The cats were such vain creatures - they adored being touched and pampered. 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2008/jun/12/bestshot.tim.walker

Dream and Magic
Vogue Italia August 2007
Model: Stella Tennant

White Mischief

British Vogue, May 2011 -

Iris Apfel: The ultimate Geriatric Starlet

Today I'm sharing another of my style icons. Iris Apfel. What can I say? I hope when I reach 90 i might be even just a tenth as cool as her! The title of this post Geriatric starlet refers to Apfel's own description of herself. Superb!


"Mrs. Apfel is the discerning curator of her own wardrobe. Sorted and stowed in a vast nearby warehouse, that wardrobe incorporates pieces commemorating high points in her life. “She’s a great storyteller,” said Mindy Grossman, the chief executive of HSN. “Every single thing she wears, she remembers a story behind it.”


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/25/fashion/iris-apfel-90-stylish-and-on-hsn-up-close.html?_r=2&hpw


Apfel claims to not be a collector despite her vast wardrobe. Which was epitomised in a comment made in an article for the guardian "Some people own such valuable clothing they would never dare to put it on. This is anathema to Apfel. There's one lady who lives in the Midwest who has about 15,000 pieces. She once wanted to show Apfel some of her collection, and when she took out "this divine Geoffrey Beene dress", Apfel said: "Oh my God, you must have had so much fun wearing it!" The woman was horrified. She said: "Wear it!? This is part of my collection. You don't wear your collection!" Apfel said: "In that case I don't have a collection."


(this was so crazily relevant for my current project into wearing historical dress it got me very excited!)


http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/jan/17/new-year-new-cool-fashion


Apfel's prowess as a fashion icon was demonstrated in 2005 when The Met museum held a retrospective showcasing some of her vast wardrobe. (I highly recommend the book rare bird of fashion that accompanied the exhibition, it has some sublime images of the garments). Mac also dedicated a range to her with super bright colours recently!

http://lovelydisco.wordpress.com/


If you love the Iris's style check out this wonderful piece written for the New York times where Apfel and some other super stylish New York ladies discuss their style. http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/garb-fest-2/

 To me these ladies really epitomise something about vintage style- and something about fashion itself. Fashion should be about having fun, wearing what you want to wear and dressing in a way that is an extension of your personality!