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You Say You Wanna Dive Into The Sixties?

It’s a biggie. The V&A’s current main exhibition; ‘You Say You Want A Revolution?’ is epic, I mean, it really is huuuuge! My Mama and I spent last Sunday in sunny Kensington and took in all the sights and sounds of this ace exhibition; a good day indeed. The V&A is always utter perfection when it comes to these giant offerings, the scale was that of the McQueen and the Hollywood *still my all time favourite exhibition* ones, you need a good couple of hours to get round it and get it all up in your face and ears, it’s worth it, it’s always worth it with that place. This show covers so much, you don’t know where to look first, and you’re handed headphones on your way in so there’s constant audio too. The numerous rooms cover the latter part of the sixties, conveying the importance and effects of this massively important era, and they present it through fashion, film, music and political activism from the time. Behold the beauty of the vintage clothes that make up part of the show, perfectly selected to give just the right amount of mixed media. I mean, this exhibition can please most people, any age. The ones who lived through it will be queuing up for a hit of sweet nostalgia, vintage fans, music lovers, people keen to learn about the history, this show has a serious pull to many. It covers loads, there’s even a piece of the actual Moon from NASA in reference to Apollo 11 off of 1969. the actual MOON! I was staring at that for a while let me tell ya! It has outfits from The Beatles ‘Sgt. Pepper’ album cover, a Barbarella outfit, a jumpsuit worn by Mick Jagger and actual handwritten song lyrics from John Lennon and the like. Oooof! It’s really very cool. One room is set up as Woodstock, with fake grass and a big stage streaming footage of the event, full marks to whoever curated that neat little idea! It’s a grand show, a really thorough exhibition, lots to read, look at, listen to and watch. It was almost too much, but I guess it means a second visit is a good idea if you wanna soak it all up real good! I’d say go, do it, go dive into the 60’s for a few hours and become absorbed. Be careful with those headphones though, I took mine off at points just to focus on the visual as it’s all quite in your face. My Mum didn’t though, and her, along with some others, sporadically shouted conversation forgetting they had headphones on; ‘Your Dad wore that aftershave‘ pointing at a Brut ad. Yes, Mum, he did, but the whole of the V&A doesn’t need to hear about it. A good exhibition indeed.  

You Say You Want A Revolution? is on now at The V&A until 26th February 2017

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Get The Vintage Fashion Look

Since the 1990’s women have been rockin’ various vintage and retro fashion looks, aaaw yeah they have! Vintage fashions are about waaay more than just what you’re wearing; they say a lot about the music, lifestyle, and your attitude to life. But with so many vintage looks out there, how can you get the right one that looks best on you? Well, read on to find out….

01

1940’s and 1950’s

The forties look has been a pretty popular look for the last ten years or so. It all started to come into fashion around the time that the shabby chic movement began. Maybe it’s something to do with the fact that culturally people always try to look back to a better time when things get austere? Anyway, the 40’s and 50’s silhouettes like the ones shown here have been gaining popularity ever since. In fact, they are so popular now that they are even a mainstay in the wedding dress market. A sure fire sign that they are here to stay, hoooray!

The 40’s look is more about the slim dress that accentuates your curves. Look for covered buttons and pussy bows for the right details. Try stores like Vivien of Holloway or Lindy Bop for these styles. The 50’s look embraces the full skirt more. This is a great look for any shape, as its creates the illusion of a small waist. This is because skirts and dresses in this style are often fitted on the top, with a definite waist and then flared out. You can wear the dresses on their own or with a petticoat which will give you that oomph for a real rock ‘n roll flared look.

02

1960’s

1960’s styles come in and out of fashion pretty regularly. The short shift dresses are effortlessly stylish and show off a great pair of legs. Last season we saw a lot of paisley print in new fashions as well as a nod to the 60’s. Remember that your vintage look, doesn’t have to be made up of purely vintage items. Mix and match new and old for a more modern and up to date take on your chosen era; modern ankle boots and a biker jacket add a great twist to a vintage look creating a bang-up-to-date fressh look just for YOU! Colours that work well for a 60’s look are schemes in greens, blues and orangey browns for that authentic feel. Pair short dresses with flat shoes for throwing some shapes and a high beehive in your hair if you want a really authentic look!

04

1990’s

The 90’s look is probably the look of choice at the moment. Trawl your local vintage shops and ask your relatives if they have anything that the used to wear back in the day in their wardrobes that you can purloin. You can also get plenty of items from vintage stores and 90’s styles new pieces. Neutral minimalism and Grunge were massive iconic looks of the era. Shops like Charlotte Russe are a good bet for some reasonably priced items with a definite 90’s feel. You can get Charlotte Russe promo code online too to save you some money on your shop, which is always ace! Car boot sales and auction sites are a good bet for accessories like mini backpacks and the occasional golden find of an authentic band t-shirt. Speaking of band, t-shirts, even Primark have jumped on the trend and offer cheap Nirvana or Stones t-shirts, which can be cut to make something like this, making it extra cool! 

Pick an era, any era, mix ’em up together and with modern finds, dressing with vintage is the MOST fun ever and is by far the best way to make a look which only you will be wearing!

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Small Things to Make Your Outfit Immediately Classy

Sometimes, you just kinda need to go for a classy outfit. You might be dressing for an interview or an important day at work. Or maybe you gotta pop to a special event, or meet your partner’s parents for the first time, eeek. Whatever the reason you want to dress up, it can be a bit tough getting it just right. You get dressed thinking that you’re going to look sophisticated, but you end up looking too casual or a bit, meh; dull. You’re going for classy and grown-up, not scruffy or uptight, right? When you’re trying to look classy, it’s often all about the small details. These are my best tips to instantly add some class to your outfit.

Add Another Layer – Us independent ladies can wear whatever the heck we want, and should be able to do so without anyone else judging us. Having said that, different outfits have totally different vibes, and there’s no avoiding the fact that if you want to look sophisticated, you’re better off showing less skin. It’s not that you have to be completely modest and cover yourself head to toe, but, if you wanna be a little revealing while still remaining classy, it’s better to choose one thing to show off. Some women might wear strapless dresses to a ball, but they’re probably gonna be floor-length gowns so they don’t have their legs out at the same time. See? Sophisticated and elegant! 

Diamonds and Pearls – Sometimes making your outfit classy is all about the accessorising. The right pair of sunglasses or a leather handbag can totally make all the difference. When it comes to jewellery, diamonds and pearls *subtle tribute to Prince there, see?* are two things that will NEVER EVER fail. Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration. It is possible to get it a bit wrong, especially with diamonds (or diamond look-a-likes). If you go overboard, you’ll tip past that classy point and fall into tacky territory. Whether you choose pearl drops or diamonds, some small and subtle pieces are all you need. A pair of stud earrings with either diamonds or pearls always looks pretty darn neat.

Replace the Detailing on Your Clothes – Even if your clothes are cheap, you can make them look more sophisticated. Sometimes all it takes is changing the small details. For example, many cheaper items have low-quality buttons that aren’t sewn on very well. If you want to improve them, you should get some new or vintage buttons and use your very best sewing skills. Altering small details like these is easy, and it won’t cost you much.

Invest in the Right Pieces – If you have a limited budget for clothes, knowing how to spend it is essential. It’s important to invest in the pieces that will last so you don’t waste your money. For example, if you’re going to wear a pair of shoes every day, a cheap pair is probably not going to last as long as a more expensive one, but, if you can get something that looks exactly the same as a more expensive version, you’ll look just as classy.

A small change to your outfit can make it immediately more sophisticated. Even if you’re short on cash, you can still look super smart. 

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The Vintage Show at Norwich Fashion Week

This city I live in is pretty neat. It has heaps of home grown talent in the field of fashion, and to totally indulge and celebrate that fact, there is this kinda pretty cool thing; Norwich Fashion Week! A brilliant week of events, parties, exhibitions and, natch, catwalk shows taking place in the city so everyone who enjoys fashion can come together to do some real big SWOONING. Norwich is abundant with skilled fashion designers, makers, tailors, photographers, stylists, retailers and hair and make up artists, so, there’s a huge pool of talent that teams up to create something really damn good. This year I was involved in a few projects; I, of course showcased some ridiculously pretty vintage dresses from my store in The Vintage Show, I presented a video for Wex Photographic, and, in a more personal project, I teamed up with my good friend Karen to curate a cute and quirky exhibition. ‘A Portrait Of Vintage’ is an adorable gallery installation of vintage dresses and accessories, and we’re pretty pleased with how it came out and the reaction it’s received, hurrah! There’s heaps going on for Norwich Fashion Week and this year it is mostly taking place at the superb and very huge venue of Open; a brilliant destination. Sunday was all about The Vintage Show; prep and rehearsal in the day and then a boomingly impressive show in the evening. I think it was way bigger and better than last year; the space, the layout, the stadium-worthy screen with a live feed and, a whopping loud 70’s soundtrack as the models walked. Ace. In the daytime I worked with Wex Photographic to talk about the show in a cute video, but also to chat on camera with Fashion Photographer Paul Bayfield who was there with 6 lucky Wex competition winners who got to hang with him for the day and learn the ropes of catwalk snapping! A whole heap of fun! Here’s my dresses on the catwalk, super cute right? All available in my online store, but obvs, with vintage, you gotta be fast otherwise somebody else might grab the dress you love, waaah!

Superb show, big thumbs up to all involved.

Brilliant images by kind permission of Paul Bayfield.

 

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