July 2012 – The Prim Girl

I merrily swooshed down to my most favourite place, the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey for the opening day of their new exhibition POP!

I adore this place, it’s a great size and it has a really genuine, informal vibe. This latest exhibition has been curated to perfection by Dennis Nothdruft, of the Fashion and Textile Museum, with guest curators Richard Chamberlain and Geoffrey Rayner of Target Gallery. The exhibition takes a good look at the way music, art and celebrities from the late 1940’s to the late 1970’s influenced fashion, as well as attitudes, ideals and desires. It takes us from the glee of Rock ‘n’ Roll through to anarchic Punk Rock, via, Mod, Psychedelia, and Kitsch. As usual with this lovely place, the exhibition is a visual delight! It’s been displayed so beautifully and precisely, the sleek Mods, the black and white of Quant, the neons of the Psychedelic; it’s glorious to say the least.

Skirt fabric for Elvis fans, 1956.

Men’s Slicker jacket, 1957.

Martini label skirt, 1956.

I love this Martini skirt, which demonstrates the early use of commercial advertising as a decorative form, it’s gooorgeous! The exhibition has fashion and home wares from each era as well as some cute quirky pieces of consumer goodies.

Potato Sack dress, C.1960.

This sack dress is ace, a witty satire of Pierre Cardin’s radical Sac dress from the 50’s, implying that anything can be turned into fashion.

Part of the exhibition….

Mary Quant dress, 1961.

Part of the exhibition showing monochrome Mary Quant

My favourite bit was the late 60’s, early 70’s kitsch and cartoony part of the exhibition, great to see some prints from Zandra Rhodes in there too!

A pair of shorts by Sylvia Ayton, 1967, using Zandra Rhodes ‘Lipstick’ fabric

Wedge shoes and belt by Mr Freedom, 1970.

Cruise Dress by Sportaville, 1969.

Terry De Havilland snakeskin platform peep-toe shoes, 1971.

Fiorucci ‘Cherries’ platform sandals, 1971.

This Pop! exhibition sure does make your eyes pop, it’s so startlingly colourful and effervescent, and translates magically the potent influence that modern popular culture had on the designs of fashion. So much to look at, loads of classic iconic pieces to gaze at as well as loads of cute unusual discoveries too, pop along and give your eyes a feast!

http://www.ftmlondon.org

Pop! is on until 27th October 2012

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The house that James, I, and our furry friends reside in is very lovely. It’s a do-er-upper for sure. The kitchen and bathroom are like a scene from a bad 80’s sitcom and the sauna style extension on the back of the house is rather alarming, but it’s home, it’s our very first own home and so we love it! One day when we have time and money it will get nicer and way more beautiful but until then, my bedroom is my most favourite place in the house. It’s one of the only parts of the house we have been able to make nice, it’s pretty feminine by my standards, I like that about it though, and I adore hanging out in there. The silver spotted chair at my dressing table is a 1950’s chair that James lovingly reupholstered especially for me with a vintage fabric I chose…what a darling he is…the cats have scratched at it a little but it really is my most treasured item in the room! My bedroom is my big dressing up box, I have clothes all over the house and in boxes and rails in the loft but my everyday clothes are in the wardrobes, poor James, his clothes have all been demoted to the wardrobe of the spare room! I’m kinda smitten with this room, to be honest, it’s MY room really, James just happens to sleep in there with me!