Vintage over new - what happend to quality in cloth?

After spending the best part of a day trawling the high street trying to find a pair of well cut wool trousers or simple classic skirt I gave up and came to the conclusion that one of the reasons I buy vintage is for the quality of fabric and the cut of the cloth.

Unless you are prepared to spend over £100 for a garment made from more than 20% wool - it seems impossible to find clothes that do not have a stretch in them?  What happened that we have to have comfort over style - don't get me wrong I know we all need to have some ease of washing garments and that a bit of a lycra never hurt anyone but the nearly all of the fabrics I felt seemed to "squeak"?

There are some great high street shops out there but it seems to me that most of them have forgotten how to make simple classic clothing and are addicted to adding stretch, unnecessary details or trims in the hope that it makes it more appealing.

Quality of fabric seems not to matter anymore - I always remember a number of years ago when training with Hobbs I was told that wool isn't actually wool anymore but wool fibres drawn out and then stuck together with a glue like substance and pressed into one large piece. Years ago there were mills all over the UK producing wools but now it is only the luxury markets that can afford to use "real wool" in there clothing.

Man made fabric is not a new thing but even the polyester dresses of the 70's are better quality and at least have  a classic style that is simple and elegant!!

I know that it takes more time to find vintage pieces and it is not just a case of one size fits all, but one of the joys I find in vintage shopping is that when your hand touches a wonderful fabric or a beautifully cut item catches you eye you heart jumps just a little bit knowing that you have found something "to die for".

Retreat Vintage Norwich,

Vintage can be part of your everyday wardrobe and should be if you are like me fed up with the poor offerings from the high street. Mix it up with some basics from department stores if you need to but don't settle for comfort over style. Buying vintage is re-cycling and you will find that your clothes will last longer - crikey they have survived for a least 20 years (I can't agree yet that 90's is vintage - sorry) - how long do you think your high street purchases will last - not long I guess they will be in landfill before you vintage classic wool skirt even looks worn??!!

So I won't be taking to the high street shops any time soon - it's vintage all the way with me with a few modern twists.

Tell me what you think? Have let go of style in the search for comfort or is there still hope out there for quality clothing??

Vintage is for everyone

Following on from last weeks post declaring my love for fashion and that vintage should be part of every wardrobe and worn every day not just playing dress up for an retro event - I thought I would share with you a recent shoot with Julia Holland that involved "real" women, all ages and shapes all rocking vintage.

Kate - vintage Prada skirt, H&M jacket, T-shirt and boots models own. Vintage brooch.

 

The easiest way to add a touch of vintage glamour is a brooch.

 

Liz - DVF top, 50's vintage skirt, boots and belt models own.

 

Jane - 60's vintage coat, jewellery high- street, top and trousers models own.

 

 

Natasha - 70's dress Retreat Vintage and jacket models own.

 

Fancy taking your own adventure in vintage - to find out more  look here. Or book on the next vintage workshop with Retreat Vintage - details here.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 



 

My forgotten passion - I love FASHION!!

I have been wearing vintage since I was around 14 I used to jump at the chance to help my mum out at jumble sales so I could have first dibs - my main aim was re-create the styles of the movie stars I loved and not look the same as anyone else.

Around about 18 I took out a subscription to Vogue - earning my own money meant that I could; previous to this I would spend my pocket money - running to the newsagents every month to get my copy and then rush home to devour it's glossy pages - I adored everything from the designer adverts to fashion spreads created by the interpreters of style. Still wearing vintage I took inspiration from its pages for my own wardrobe.

Working in the industry was all I wanted to do and I am lucky that I have had the opportunity to follow my dream.

Over the years the "vintage scene" has taken over - don't get me wrong I love the events, my 40's style and my love for Old Hollywood movies will never die but I have recently been thinking that I miss fashion. I have never been or will never be a slave to the trends but the buzz I used to get when the new season looks appeared in the pages of the magazines I used drool over, analysing ways the outfits were put together and how I would adapt it to my style.

My personal style has developed over time - I found what suits me and how clothes whether it be high street, vintage or designer can allow me to be whoever  I want  everyday - I may want to channel classic Audrey in a LBD for a cocktail party, masculine Kate Hepburn for a meeting or Carrie for lunch with the girls.

A guest post that I wrote for Missy Vintage sums up my way of thinking and although I know that many vintage peeps didn't like This Old Thing - I like the fact that "non vintage" wearers were encouraged to step out of their comfort zone of the high street was a great idea and getting people to love vintage can't be bad in my book.

Working with my personal shopping clients I have always mixed vintage with high street and designer - vintage in my mind is for EVERYONE and should be worn EVERYDAY not just as part of a "retro" lifestyle.

With that in mind I will be posting regular features on how to add a touch of vintage to your everyday wardrobe, sharing my tips and hints on styling a modern or runway look without the price tag - nothing is new in fashion, designers constantly steal from the past so what better way to shop the seasons with the original inspiration.

Spring/Summer trends

 

Straight out of the 70's from Gucci

 

 

My next workshop with Retreat Vintage is all about shopping the trends - Fashion Forward - Vintage Workshop and you can book on line here.

 

 

There you go my name is Fabulous Miss K and I am a fashion addict!!?? I get excited again when the "fashion" issue of Vogue comes out in September with the new seasons adverts and trends I am once again pouring of the glossy pages and thinking how I can take the elements I love to create a unique look.

 

 

Would love to hear what you think - can I do both???



 

Spring clean your wardrobe.

The sun keeps popping it's head up through the clouds promising the start of Spring so now is the time to get your wardrobe prepared for the warmer months to come.

First things first - get your winter coat dry cleaned, make any repairs that need to be done - don't pack it away if the hem or pocket needs mending then cover it (never in plastic and on a proper sturdy hanger to keep the shape) and put it in a separate wardrobe if you are lucky enough to be able to store your winter and summer clothes in different places or put it at the back out of the way.

Do the same for your heavier weight knits, jackets, woollen skirts and trousers. If you haven't got much space to store in the wardrobe - vintage suitcases or boxes look great, wrap in acid free tissue with a few lavender bags or cedar blocks to prevent moths.

Next step is take all you spring/summer pieces out and give your wardrobe a good clean - I know it is tiresome but you never know what you find lurking in the back, last time I did this for a client we found two pairs of shoes and a to die for 1930's dress that she had forgotten she had!!

Put back all the items that you love but make sure that none of them need cleaning, washing or mending - put all these in a pile - there is no point in putting them back in the wardrobe as you will forget and go to wear it when you are in a rush and find that the hem is coming down and you have to re-think your whole outfit for the day.

Be ruthless if there are any items that don't work, are too small then put them to one side to send to the charity shop, sell on ebay or store out of the way so it gives you space in your wardrobe for things that you wear all the time.


Move onto to your accessories, hats and shoes - clear away the heavy felt hats that don't fit in with your lighter weight suits and dresses, store away winter boots and thick tights ready for Spring sandals.

 

Taking time to sort out your wardrobe makes it much easier to get dressed in the morning, plan your outfits and keeps your clothes in good condition.

 

I recommend that you make a few investments to keep your vintage buys in tip top condition:-

• Proper hangers - wooden ones for suits and coats. Padded ones for dresses and blouses - they will help to keep the shape.
• A mending kit - buy a small vintage tin and keep a few needles, cotton in basic colours, a small pair of scissors - store it in the wardrobe so you can go to it if you need to make a repair.
• Shoe cleaning kit - regularly polishing your vintage shoes and bags will help to keep the leather soft and stop it from cracking and splitting.
• Hat boxes and vintage suitcases for storage.

 

 

Quite a daunting task so if you do find it all a little overwhelming you can always book me to come along to do it for you - check out my website - www.fabulousmissk.co.uk for all the details of how I can get your wardrobe Spring Ready??

 

 

 

How to guide - lunch with the girls!!

One of the things I love to do is have lunch with my vintage gals so when we meet up for lunch it is a great excuse to dress up and go glam.

We are spoilt in Norwich with so many fabulous places to eat and it is great to sit, sip bubbly and catch up on all the gossip.

 

Having a few go to outfits is always a great idea so you can mix and match - add accessories to dress up and down.

 

 

A simple suit will always work.

 

In this weather a faux (or real depending on your principals) coat is chic and warm!!

 

Or how about a bright winter coat to add some colour to dull days?

 

 

What's your favourite outfit for lunch out with the girls??

 

 



Style Icon - Bette Davis

Anyone that follows this blog will know that I love a good suit and have a very slight weakness for hats too!! So one of my style icons has to be Bette Davis who knows how to rock both!!

She had a long career in Hollywood earning 2 Oscars and was the first women to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Film Institute.

Bette was a feisty lady and often antagonised directors and fellow actors but she always looked so stylish and chic I can forgive her!!

One of her most iconic and to die for outfits is from Now Voyager and one of my favourites too.

 

 

Early in her career 1930's Hollywood.

 

Love this look from Dark Victory.

 

This colour combo is fabulous!!

 

 





 You can't beat a good suit for making you feel you can take on the world so I will often don a sharp cut suit when I need a little confidence in the day!!

 

 

Miss K loves - The Forties Floozy

You come across some lovely people in the vintage scene - some you meet in real life and others you get to know through their blogs one such lady is Alex aka The Forties Floozy.

 So here is a little Q&A so you can find out more about her........................

What got you into vintage?

My parents and all of my family have always been really interested in vintage cars/motorbikes, I grew up around them and that's really where everything kicked off from! I spent a lot of my summers trekking to classic bike shows and it gave me the love of vehicles that takes over my life and also love of clothes/style of that era too.  There was usually lots of rockabilly women or ladies dressed up in polka dots and petticoats and I'd always stop and stare and be completely amazed.

You call yourself The Forties Floozy - what is it about the 40's that
appeals to you?

I think it's the most feminine and beautiful era in terms of cut of clothes and attitude towards appearance as well.  I love all the effort that women (and men!) put into how they looked, it's something that I think we've lost a bit of in modern times.

Tell me about your love for vintage cars?

Oh gosh! Well it was always motorbikes that I loved when I was younger (and still do) but unfortunately after an accident it became apparent that I wasn't going to be able to ride bikes forever so I started becoming more interested in classic cars.  My first car was a Triumph Spitfire and it was the best car in the world, I still dream of having it back some day!  After becoming part of a club for young classic car owners/lovers I met the people that are now my best friends and also my other half too! Calum has 5 classics and I have my little morris minor that takes me everywhere so they keep us very busy!  Most of my holidays are spent on roadtrips or going to vintage events in the cars.

What do you love most about your "vintage lifestyle"?

Everything haha? I've met the most amazing people through events and even chatting about vintage on Twitter has led me to meet some of my best friends! There's nothing more fun that meeting people with similar interests to you and being able to meet up and chat about everything.

You are a student now - would you like to turn your passion for
vintage into a career if so what would you love to do?

I took a fairly big step in June of this year and bought Madam's Vintage, an online spectacles shop, that was definitely my first jump into making vintage more than just a hobby.  It was definitely the scariest thing I could have done whilst I was half way through the exam period of my second year of university, but it's certainly all been worth it! I would absolutely love to make vintage my career and it's something I don't stop thinking about.  I've always considered being an event organiser so combining that with my love of days gone by would be a dream come true.

Looking fabulous in vintage specs.
 




 
Vintage car love!!
 




 
Vintage chic.
(Photo - Men's File Magazine)
 
 
You can take a look at more about Alex  www.thefortiesfloozy.com  and if you need some fabulous vintage glasses have a look at www.madamsvintage.com.
 
 

 

The wait is over - The vintage inspired collection arrives!!!

After months of hard work, blood sweat and quite a few tears my vintage inspired collection arrived in the office this week.

This has been one  of my dreams for as long as I can remember and now it has become a reality somehow it hasn't actually sunk in yet.

The collection is dedicated to my late mother who was always very stylish, well groomed and talented seamstress - memories of pieces of fabric waiting to be turned into fabulous creations and her outfits will always stay in my mind.

Now the hard work starts - promoting and selling the dresses but they are limited to only 150, keeping them exclusive.

Hopefully this will be the first of more styles  and eventually a seasonal collection. It is the first step - scary but a very exciting beginning to becoming a fashion designer (that sounds fabulous but weird to write down???)

 

The Barbara dress (after my mother) in all three colourways.

 

 

Our first bit of press!!

 

 

 

To see more of the dresses, see my styling services and order a dress if you wish then  go over to the website - www.fabulousmissk.co.uk.

 

 



 

Sheringham 1940's weekend

Last weekend we went to  one of my favourite events of the "vintage season" (if there is such a thing!!)

Sheringham 1940's weekend is the 3rd week in September every year and it is like stepping back in time - the whole town takes part and people come from all over the country to ride steam trains, have picnics and dress in their best 40's outfits.

Although I wear my vintage every day it is not always possible to "really" dress up on a trip to the supermarket so this weekend gives me the chance to wear my fabulous hats and go to town with the outfit.

The weather was glorious and the sun shone so here are my weekend outfits.

 

Suit 40's original -Prim Vintage, 40's hat bought at Twinwoods, and blouse H&M.

Dress original 40's from Mamz'elle Swing Paris, hat Dress Circle Vintage, gloves Retreat Vintage, shoes vintage form Twinwoods and bag Prim Vintage.

 

 

 

I love being able to dress up and wear some fabulous outfits - Autumn is on it's way so more opportunity to wear my suits and hats so watch this space for outfit posts.

Autumn Style

Although I love summer I do adore it when Autumn starts to creep in - the chance to wear my favourite vintage suits, cute hats, matching gloves and a little fur around the collar.  It's those bright, crisp mornings that are chilly enough to need more than a summer frock but not so cold that you need to wear 10 layers to get warm.

You can get more inventive with Autumn outfits and I just love the fabrics - tweeds, wools, felt for hats and the softness of fur, the colours for me are also fabulous - rich browns, deep reds, forest greens and oranges mixed with neutrals in grey and navy.

Each season I put together my little look book with outfit ideas working with what items I already own and a few things that I may have to treat myself to just to update last seasons wardrobe you understand???


This season I am loving greys, and navy as a neutral mixed with peacock blue, rich reds, deep greens and purples.

 

I have a suit just like this, the hat and gloves so now to buy the scarf to finish the outfit off.

Just a few of the outfits I am going to be working this season - what are you planning to wear for Autumn???

How to get Parisain Chic???

The hubby and I are off to Paris in a few weeks time for a well deserved break so lots of serious outfit planning will be need in the next week or so. I love Paris it is one of my favourite places, just sitting drinking wine and watching the world go by - it is one of the few cities that is OK to stare at how people are dressed.

And I will be doing rather a lot of  people watching because French women seem to look effortless chic whatever the occasion, so what is their secret??

Rule no 1 - buy quality not quantity, you don't see French women's wardrobes bursting full of clothes they never wear, investment pieces are the key.

Rule no 2 - go for classic items - you don't see many new trends in a French wardrobe, they like to dip into the seasons look but work them around their classic pieces.

Rule no 3 - keep it simple French women stay away from fancy frills and fuss favouring clean lines and neutral colours.

Rule 4 - add in some vintage whether it be your grandmothers Hermes Kelly bag or Chanel jacket ( I wish but that's what the French ladies do invest and pass on to the next generation!!!) or something you picked up in the little vintage shop around the corner from your office.

Rule no 5 - accessories, accessories accessories  - a great bag or fabulous pair of shoes, a scarf tied jauntily around the neck or a vintage brooch placed just right.

Rule no 6 - spend a little more on your lingerie, French ladies spend money on their underwear - no basic M&S multi packs or greying bras, go for matching sets in pastel shades or classic black.

Rule no 7 - take your influence from classic French designers - think Chanel, Dior and Givenchy

I've got a few more French flavour posts to come leading up to the visit and then from Paris itself - so watch this space.



My Fabulous Job

The great thing about my job is that I get to play dress up nearly every day! What could be bad about a job that lets me go into shops and borrow fabulous clothes then create a story for fashion spreads. The only one downside is that I have to take it all back a few days later although I must admit that sometimes some pieces do seem to end up in my wardrobe!

Although we only have a double page spread it is a weekly paper so we are constantly having to come up with new and exciting ideas so my brain seems to be always switched on. I find inspiration every where and never quite know when it is going to strike!!

When I was fashion editor for Urbane magazine we had more fabulous glossy pages to fill I was looking through my old pictures and came across one of the shoots we did - it was shot in an amazing garden that looks like a tropical jungle; you would never believe it was in the middle of a city!

Pictures Nick Clarke Ekiko Photographic Models Sandra Reynolds

It prompted me to go through some of my archives - here's a few of my favourites I have done over the past few years:

All pics courtesy of Archant Ltd, Models Sandra Reynolds Model and Casting Agency and Power Model Mangement.

The other aspect of my job is to help others look fabulous everyday - as a stylist and personal shopper I love watching the face of clients when they look in the mirror and see how good they look for the first time. It is so rewarding to be able to give someone confidence and make them fell great about themselves.

It is amazing how much a change of image can change your life - a profound statement I know but it really can make a difference. You only have to watch Trinny and Suzanna, or my new obsession Style Her Famous and Style By Jury on Sky.

If you look fabulous you feel great. Wearing the right styles for your body shape really do make you look younger and slimmer.

I'm planning a series of "How to wear the Trends" whatever your shape - so watch this space and if you have any particular questions let me know?