Neon Surf Print Dresses

I found this surf print in the back of a local haberdashers a few years ago and immediately fell for it's early 90s neon print that reminded me of Fat Willy's and C&A t-shirts from Weston-Super-Mare's sovereign centre. The print has that vintage smell and is so thick it's starched the cotton to a crispness.

I'd sampled some tops and skirts a while back which didn't quite work out. This time a full cocktail dress 'Barbie' was the final design that made the print come to fruition. It's so bold and bright against the femininity of the 1950s strapless ballet cut of the dress. A pair of Barbie style white patent spiked stilettos or peep toes would finish this dress a treat.

The other two pieces, a skirt and mini dress are more subtle and layer with laces and white
t-shirts for various occasions. Best served with a Fat Willy's muscle vest and coral Malibu Barbie nails.

No blending into the dullness of the crowds with his fabulous surf print.

Available in the shop and on Etsy, just click on the pics.

Botanical Dress Sketches

Sketches of the botanical silk dresses from the studio sketchbook.

Vintage Laura Ashley

Whilst working on the Summer dresses I bought out one of my Mum's original 1980s Laura Ashley dresses. I remember going to the outlet shop in Street, Somerset when I was little and Mum adoring these voluminous skirts on brightly coloured polka dotted dresses. I remember a lot of fabric!

Mum would always treat herself to one of these dresses that came with a matching bolero. Due to her ultra petite size the dresses always looked very much the boho ideal of the early Laura Ashley designs. The skirts nearly sweeping the floor, loosely fitting and combined with her waist length hair the look was romantic rural cool. It was far from the stuffed porcelain doll image of the 80s bridesmaid those dresses evoked.

I look back nostalgically on these Laura Ashley dresses from the early 80's not just because my Mum adored them but because of their quality. The cotton was really heavy, the skirts had deep pockets (which meant a lot) and they were made in a small factory in the UK. They felt really special.

Later on as a collector I kept Mum's dresses, some of which she may retrieve and wear again this Summer, and I collected more from the 1970s. The dresses that have the true Edwardian style, full length with ruffles and lace. These again have this same special Merchant Ivory feel. The dresses also hold the label 'Made in Carno, Wales'.

So I bought the book written by Martin Wood (which is wonderful!) and pulled out the old Laura Ashley Book of Home Decorating which I also pawed over a child. I just loved the plants inside the cosmopolitan bathrooms and day beds. I my head they were all in New York, not the country despite all the florals.

     Not already knowing the story it turns out that Laura Ashley most certainly was as special as the label and dresses made me imagine. The business started at the kitchen table, Laura wanted to live in the countryside, wanted to invest in small towns and people where there was unemployment and build a sustainable cottage industry. Her story really is of ethical fashion which could be applied today.

Together with her husband Bernard they built a fabulous business producing excellent quality clothing and beautiful fabrics and home furnishings. They traded on romance. Sadly after Laura unexpectedly died in 1985 the dresses were never quite the same again.

There is an Ashley Family Foundation designed to support the rural Welsh communities that supported them so well. 

Read The Style Bubble article on a trip to the archive here . The Photos are gorgeous!

    

The Sirk Damask Dress

The Valeria dress is another one of a kind piece made from  a stunning piece of vintage crepe damask from around the 1950s. The pastel satin colours are really gorgeous and pop against the red of the tulle underskirt. 

Still in keeping with the Suburban Floral theme this is more of a formal dress but I love dressing these styles down with knits for tea parties during the Summer. 

You can find this dress in the shop here. 

The Hudson Floral Dress

The 'Hudson' dress is made from vintage Laura Ashley printed cotton fabric and has an intricate hand smocked panel in the front of the strapless bodice.
From the Suburban Florals Collection inspired by 1950s Douglas Sirk films, the florals and full skirts evoke this era.
The dress would make the most wonderful occasion piece for events this summer. Team with fine vintage knits or a classic long mac to downplay the print.

Available as a one of a kind dress in the shop here. 

Suburban Foral Dresses

This pair of dresses from the Suburban Florals collection are made from the most fabulous floral print. A vintage find, this cotton fabric has to be the most decadent in floral design and were perfect for making into tea dresses.

The weight of the fabric has the feel of Laura Ashley about it, when they used to make wonderful summer dresses in the early eighties. The skirts swish around and both dresses can be styled down with knitwear and straw hats for a pared-down summer dress code.

Both available as one of a kind pieces in the shop here. 

Met Ball Gowns

The best dressed all wore Oscar De La Renta. Photos From Vogue.com

Stunning Zac Posen gowns. Photos From Vogue.com

It was great to look through pictures of the bright and beautiful attending the Met Ball last night. Some took the Charles James theme and dress code on board and this showed in their perfectly considered gowns.

Above and below are my favourites. Dita Von Teese in an exquisitely cut Zac Posen gown is my overall favourite and Monica Belluci is just divine as always.

Monica Belluci in Dolce and Gabanna cape and dress.
Photo From Vogue.com

Suburban Florals - Dress Sketches

This weeks collection is titled 'Suburban Florals'. Loosely inspired by the films of Douglas Sirk, these dress use vintage floral prints and weaves in cottons and damasks that are either from or evoke the 1950s era.
Full of colour with plumped skirts and tightly constrained bodices these overtly feminine designs are for really dressing up in frivolously this Summer.

Charles James - Time to Dress Up and Celebrate

The Met Ball is held tonight in celebration the new Charles James exhibition. I am just awaiting the Charles James - Beyond Fashion book that I have been waiting for, for the last few years.

I first saw Charles James dresses in New York at the FIT Museum a few years ago. I stood in that room as long as I could leaning over the electronic rails to get as close a look at the seams on a stunning emerald green gown. Along with the Tree dress they were the most beautiful dresses I had ever seen.

They were pure couture, hand constructed with incredible cuts and drapes. The seams on the emerald dress didn't quite match which made it all the more beautiful in it's perfect imperfectness. Thankfully James persuaded his clients to gift these one of a kind gowns to the museums so that they have remained safe for us to see today.

Madge Garland aka Mrs Ashton editor of Vogue during the 1930s said 'He had more knowledge of fashion in his little finger than the whole world of couture put together'. Hugo Vickers Cecil Beaton. 

That green gown made me want to work harder and better and learn so much. It told me that I didn't have to try and be cool designing street wear or day wear or garments I didn't feel inspired by. It said this is what happens when you try to aim for the most magnificent. And whilst the everyday ass produced garments rot in landfill these dresses will live as monuments to giving your everything in design.
If I have just one dress end up worthy in a museum collection, I will die very happy.

*

Thinking of James as a so called elitest designer made me think of how we dress today. A few days ago I people watched from a cafe in the Clifton area of Bristol. As thousands of people passed me not one stood out as wearing anything with any substance or style. Sure it was daytime but the lack of individuality or even use of lipstick was clear. Grunge is great but when everyone wears the same uniform the effect just looks lazy and vacant. Does no one want to look anything more? And what's with all this wearing £2 leggings as trousers? Do young women really just climb off a mattress and pull these things on off the floor?
Then I discovered there  was little wonder why all these people were dressed the same when in three shops along the same side of the street (Park Street, Bristol) had exactly the same stock. As teenagers we used to visit this road to find individual pieces, stand out accessories and vintage one of a kind clothing. The thought of wearing the same as anyone else wasn't cool.

This is why today I am even more drawn to the designers from the past, Charles James, Christian Dior who helped nations of people look incredible and individual with their fashion fantasies.

I tried to find out everything I could about the designer. Cecil Beaton as a close friend barely mentions his work in his diaries and there was once just one little book available to buy. He was almost forgotten.
The Book High Style - Masterworks from the Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at the Met has a good number of images and information. Now Beyond Fashion will deliver.

I really hope this long awaited celebration of Charles James' work sparks a revolution in style enabling us all to dress up and stand out.

Further Reading

Vogue
Met Ball Turns to High Society but can the high street cash in. The Guardian - Imogen Fox
High Style The Met Museum
Beyond Fashion: Charles James
The Fabled Charles James Colin McDowell

1950s American Beauty - The films of Douglas Sirk

Jane Wyman in A Magnificent Obsession.

 Douglas Sirk's 1950s classic melodramas are the epitome of fifties suburban design with beautiful colouring and stunning cinematography.

I have chosen these to inspire the next collection of floral dresses all with a fifties silhouette and theme. So what is it that makes Douglas Sirk's films so special?

Douglas Sirk was born in Hamburg, Germany. Already a well regarded director Germany he came to the US fleeing Nazi oppression like many of Hollywood's great artists.
Following a successful but altogether uncomfortable career at Universal, never gaining the critical and intellectual acclaim he deserved, Sirk retired in 1959 from directing in America and moved to Switzerland.
He became greatly admired in Europe soon after with critics casting him as one of cinemas great ironists and auteur's. He now inspires many of the modern directors and has a loyal cult following.
Douglas Sirk died in Switzerland 1987.

Wanda and Pinks - Black Lace Dresses

The Wanda and Pinks dresses from the 'Good Girls Gone Bad' collection. These two dresses both in the same black corded lace use blush colours and silhouette to make their statements. 

The Pinks, a classic prom dress shape with full skirt and sheer soft pink silk overlay. The bodice is tightly fitted with a sweetheart neckline and low cut back that is teamed up with a cropped lace t-shirt to finish.

The Wanda is for the pin up with its figure hugging hourglass cut, strapless bodice and thigh high splits front and back. The black lace is layered over a pastel green silk and finished with a bow to wrap you up like a present. 

Find them here in the shop. 

Black Lace Prom Dress

The Sarah-Jane dress was inspired by the character of the same name in the film Imitaion of Life. It's a sad tale of human predjudice and a girls desperate desire to be equal in the 1950s. The spirit of Sarah-Jane is wicked yet electric and sexy and vibrant.
Next to Sandra Dee's character (see the Sandee dress)  Susan Kohner is sophisticated and demure and this is what I have tried to capture in this dress.

The same cut as the Sandee dress but in delicate corded black lace. It has the princess line bodice, the long fitted sleeves but turn her around and the black plunges adding a little more sex appeal. The lace is left raw at the hem and the softer tulle underskirts are edged in a hardened black line.

The styling of the dress simply requires an exquisite pair of black stilettos, preferably the type with a red sole and equally beautiful underwear.

Sandee 1950s Lace Prom Dress

 A closer look at the 'Sandee' prom dress in all its primness.

The dress is taking on the pretty, ideological nature of the 1950s prom queens we saw in Grease and Cry Baby and the oh so perfect Sandra Dee. It's about that unattainable sweetness and light.

Made in a floral lace with a saturated coral pink satin lining the contrast the bodice has a demure princess cut and long fitted sleeves. The skirt has two looks where full tulle underskirt is removed to wear as a mini skater dress. This could also been worn as a peplum with a body con pencil skirt underneath.

The hem dips towards to back to give even more of a sweep and the waist is finished with a ribbon bow just like a present.

This dress can be styled with full fifties decadence, the kitten heels, the princess coat and hair backcombed into a perfect bouffant bob, ready to be crowned prom queen.

Or remove the nets and bare those legs dancing through a hot summer night with a killer pair of coral heels.

Or take it to the Sixties and go babydoll teaming the dress with ivory tights, black patent Mary-Jane's and a massive beehive trimmed with a black bow.

Or to be ultra romantic, hop in a old convertable and be wed in this dress with an elbow length veil and matching shoes.

Enjoy x

Good Girls Gone Bad

The Good Girls gone Bad collection was taking influence from three teen rockabilly films featuring sugar sweet girls that go bad. Cry Baby, Grease and Imitation of Life were the triple bill. There's many that could have been chosen but these three gave a broad spectrum of the transforming teen.

These are the resulting designs, the pastels full circle skirt teamed with a sheer lace crop top. The fantastic pastel print is a vintage 1980s print with graphic rainbows and clouds. 

Pinks and Wanda, black lace dresses in a pale pink organza and sage green. The Pinks dress has a separate lace crop top and puffed up prom style skirt. Wanda contrasts with an hourglass cut, cinched waist and front and back thigh splits. 

The Baby Doll is one of the designs we used a few years ago for a Summer collection. This time in candy pink layers and a contrasting black trim. 

Finally the twins, Sandee and Sarah Jane. Sandee in an ivory lace layered over a saccharin pink satin with frothy tulle underskirts. Sarah-Jane is the same cut with a plunging v back in a scalloped black lace. 

All in the shop this week. 

Good Girls Gone Bad - Dress Sketches

Here are the sketches for this weeks 'good girls gone bad' set. If only we could have giant curls to match. Real dresses coming up later x

Cry Baby, Grease and Imitation of Life - Good Girls Gone Bad

Cry Baby - Good Girl Allison falls for Johnny Depp in John Waters 1990 film 

This weeks dresses are the gowns of the good girls and the bad girls of rock n roll movies.

Sugar coated almonds, Neapolitan ice creams and care bears cut with black lace, bust hugging bodices and heels to cause a serious injury. Just to dip our toes in the genre our good girls gone bad this week are Sandy in Grease, the Cry Baby girls, Sandra Dee and Susan Kohner .

Pastels can sometimes be tricky to stomach on their own without a good amount of styling to lift the sickly sweetness into something a little more sophisticated. We all really want to be a little bad! But if you've fallen in love with that lemon yellow prom dress or the blush pink coat, adding a splash of contrasting colour with hair accessories, a belt or even just bright red lips can make it more impactful.

Our favourite rocknroll bad girl Traci Lords as Wanda Woodward. We think she'd eat Rizzo alive!Cry Baby John Waters 1990 

And doing it better than Grease, Good Girl Allison turns bad with a Prison tune in a glittering red dress. Cry Baby John Waters 199

 If you haven't watched Cry Baby yet it's like a bad ass Grease on hard liquor with gutsy, gutsy characters.
Staring Johnny Depp and Iggy Pop alongside a pregnant teenage Ricki Lake, the fabulous Traci Lords and playing Hatchet Face the inspiring Kim McGuire 'the girl with a good body and an alarming face who is proud of it'.
The styling is legendary in the rock n' roll world with plenty to get you inspired like Wanda's polka dot wiggle dress (take a look here at Boo Boo Kitty Couture's fabulous piece on this dress) Allison's preppy fifties full skirts and lots of leather jackets. All the girls are bad and pretty soon Allison the square turns the baddest of them all in this sparkling red dress.

Take a look a Boo Boo Kitty Coutures blog posts on more 'Cry Baby' dresses here. 

The dance in Grease, poor frumpy footed good girl Sandy. Grease - Randal Kleiser 1978

And the ultimate transformation we all wish we could make. Oh to wear those disco pants. Grease - Randal Kleiser 1978 

The most famous good girl transformation has to be Sandy in Grease. Looking back at the film they really did style her to be as frumpy as possible. Those tan tights and mid healed t-bar sandals won't get many hearts ticking over. But all this made the finale so, so great. The disco pants, the mules (with a proper heel) , the red lipstick and that tight, tight ... top. One of films most fabulous teenage moments.

Susan Kohner in Imitation of Life Douglas Sirk 1959

Sandra Dee in Imitation of Life Douglas Sirk 1959

Sandra Dee and Susan Kohner - Imitation of Life Douglas Sirk 1959

And finally the original Sandra Dee. The beautiful Douglas Sirk remake of Imitation of Life 1959 takes a far more serious tone to the good girl gone bad theme. No one should ever have to be this bad in a tale of race and acceptance in four women's lives battling predjudice, motherhood and coming of age.
Teenage girls Sandra Dee, the good girl and Susan Kohner the (not really) bad girl are two contrasts metaphorically and physically in the film. Sandra Dee playing Susie is all blonde fluff and full skirts trying to gain the sex appeal of her mother. Susan Kohner playing Sarah Jane is beautiful, brunette, sexy and defiant in tight wiggle dresses and burlesque costumes.

I'd say these three films would make a great triple bill. Either start of finish with Imitation of Life depending at what time of night you want to be in floods of tears and dance yourself silly watching the other two.