Want every Vintage girl needs - wardrobe must haves!!

I have a lot of fashion books, not all of them about vintage. From time to time I pull them out and re-read one.

The latest on is following on from my previous post of putting together the perfect wardrobe - "The One Hundred" - a guide to the pieces every stylish woman must own - by Nina Garcia (Elle fashion director and Project Runway judge).  She lists 100 items that every woman should have in her wardrobe - they are the classic items that will work for every occasion. I am not going to list all 100 as there are certain items that I don't feel fit in with my vintage style (and I don't wear jeans or converse!!)

So over the next few posts I will give you my A-Z of wardrobe must haves with a vintage twist.

So here is the first instalment - A - F.

A-Line Dress - it is one of those little dresses that works for all occasions, you can dress it up or down, it is the ultimate dress of every 60's It girl - think Twiggy, Penelope Tree, Edie Sedgewick, Mary Quant and Jean Shripmton.  Have one in black as your just "in case" dress - wear it with opaque tights in the winter, knee high boots and in the summer with sandals.

Animal Print - this print is never far from the catwalk and an animal print accessory is an opportunity to be a bit bold with a slight element of danger but a full on leopard print dress on the other hand means you are no wallflower! Beware there is a fine line between looking chic and looking like a bad version of Bet Lynch when wearing animal print.

Too keep it chic:

• Wear only one piece of animal print at a time or you will end up looking like fashion road kill!!
• Keep everything else simple - pair the print with neutrals such as black, white, camel and khaki.
• And animal print does not come in pink, blue or yellow

Ballet flat - chic and timeless. From the sexy Bridget Bardot to the elegant Audrey Hepburn and every starlet in between. Although you can't go wrong with basic black, have a couple of fun bold colours to go with your pretty summer dresses or add a pop of colour to your outfit.

Bangles - the style staple that lets you play around. They are available in precious and non precious materials. They can be bold colours, plain or highly decorated. Try out different versions mixed together - vintage versions in Bakelite in bright colours, hunt them out it vintage shops and flea markets.

Belts - a belt can make you look slimmer, pulled together and accentuate you curves. A thick black belt on a black dress instantly narrows the waist an highlights your figure. A skinny belt on a trouser makes you look polished.  Think of your belts as jewellery - look out for unique designs, styles and fabrics.  Try an animal print or bright green or red croc one on a white dress?

Brooch - it is the accessory that allows you to show off your creative side and one of my favorite things to wear. They are easy to pick up in vintage and charity shops fairly cheaply and can make an impact on an outfit for very little outlay. Put them in your hair, on your hats, on unexpected places on your clothing - wrap your cardigan around your waits and add a brooch to cinch it in or add one on each shoulder of your LBD. Group 3 together on a jacket or dress.

Camel coat - a true classic coat that looks both elegant and expensive. It is the ultimate uptown coat that will make anything you wear look chic.

Cape - this can be elegant and practical. It is the perfect way to add drama, hides a multitude of sins and a great option to pair with an evening dress. Keep everything else fitted when wearing a cape, it is best worn with tailoring underneath.  Find a vintage one in a knit or wool and try a fabulous velvet one over your dress.

Clutch - this is the item that will let you show off your sense of whimsy and glamour.  They come in all shapes, sizes, colours and materials. A clutch in a bold colour adds excitement to a black outfit. Try beaded, python skin, bright colours, brocade and silk.

Cocktail ring - flashing a big bold vintage ring on your finger makes a statement. It doesn't have to real in fact some of the best rings are costume - if you can get hold of Kenneth Jay Lane who is the costume jewellery king - the prices are going up now but it may still be possible to pick up something fabulous on eBay.

Cuff - it always makes a statement and will never go unnoticed. Try mixing several together, channel you inner Wonder Woman with one on each arm. Think of Coco Chanel with her Maltese cross cuff - they were made by Fulco di Verdura and are still available today but obviously very expensive but you can take inspiration and find your own costume version.

Driving shoe - rather like a loafer but with a softer sole. Great for wearing with khakis and white shirt - thin Grace Kelly in High Society. Go for a classic tan or skin - you can pick them up fairly cheaply if you ever get a chance to go to Southern Italy and Spain as they are sold in little shops all over.

Evening gown - never buy an evening gown when you need it as it will be an impossible task and you will endlessly hunt for the perfect dress and not find it.  Keep an eye on the sale rail and vintage shops for the perfect dress and buy it when you see it not when you need to - the invite will come and you will have the outfit ready to go, don't forget you can add accessories to change it up for different occasions.

Exotic Skin Bag - this will make you look instantly lux. Search out for a crocodile tote or snakeskin clutch (your can go faux if you like but there is something stunning about a real skin - sorry but my philosophy is that it has been dead a while and better to re-cycle rather than put it in landfill and I would never buy a new one but vintage is OK in my book).

Fishnets - originally worn but questionable ladies of the night but in the 20's they were made fashionable by the flappers and Marlene Dietrich made them all the rage.  They are at their most powerful when just a glimpse of fishnet is shown  - a flash at the knee, or centimeter at the peep toe. Choose a fine mesh and pair with sophisticated clothing - a blouse with a pencil skirt or pants with just a flicker of fishnet at the feet.

Fur - whether you decide on real or faux, make sure that it is fabulous either way, it has to be glamorous and gorgeous otherwise it is pointless.  Daytime coats look wrong at night but a fur stole adds drama and keeps you warm.  It always adds glamour to a winter coat when draped around your neck.( I have the same feelings here as I do with skin bags - I would rather wear a vintage fur than dump it in land fill and it was from a time when they weren't aware of the issues, again I would never buy a new one but vintage is fine with me - sorry!!)

Belt, Cuff and Fur.

 

Brooch (and I know it's not a wardrobe staple but every girl should have an other essential "C" a cocktail at least once a week!!)

 Amazing bangles and fur.

Fabulous belts to cinch your waist.

A wonderful wool cape.

A great way to add a little glamour with a brooch on your waist and hat.

Classic evening gown.

(photo Julia Holland - All about Image Photography)

Dressing room inspiration

I have previously talked of wanting to turn our spare room into a dressing room and it is my goal this year to get it done. It is really hard in a small terrace house to create space so I am going to have to compromise but I am determined to get a glamorous room to get swan around feeling like a movie star!!

So lets start with some fabulous ideas that I would love to be able to incorporate into my own room - I will have to talk nicely to my hubby to see if he can work his magic and watch this space on progress and updates.

Carrie Bradshaw's wardrobe from her apartment in Sex and the City Series

Love this - a beautiful dressing table to do my hair and make-up, and vintage dresses hanging up.

Would love something like this and the dog is so cute too - but don't know if I would trust one with vintage clothes and shoes!!

Adore this fabric - would love to have curtains made from it - Romo Fabrics -Tea at the Ritz although I daren't ask how much it is a metre?

More ideas to come and if you have any pictures that would inspire me - send them on!!

Capsule Wardrobes

Now that the freak summer spell has finally given way to the normal chilly Autumn weather it's time to start thinking about how to put your winter wardrobe together.  Most women have a tendency to buy on impulse therefore have a mis-match of items that don't seem to go together or pieces they wear as an "outfit" they don't mix and match.
As a stylist regardless of whether I am dealing with a vintage, high street or designer wardrobe the principals of making your wardrobe work for you - building a capsule collection of clothes that you can interchange and  by adding accessories change the look of the outfit.

So here is my guide to building your capsule vintage wardrobe - I have cheated just a little by pulling from a previous blog Orchids on a Budget - guide to living well on a budget but it works here too.

Buy your your staples in neutrals - black, brown, grey or navy are good ones to choose for winter.. Once you have your basics in neutrals make shore that your shoes and bag match these, it may sound monotonous but with this plan everything goes with everything else.

 

Besides there are still blouse, tops, jackets, scarves, belts and other accessories to bring brightness to your wardrobe.

Another rule is never buy clothes that are defiantly one-purpose dressing or even one season trend led items. Its all very well if you have enough money to replace your wardrobe each season but as most of us cannot it is a better investment to buy simple elegant styles that are timeless and you don't tire of in 5 minutes.

 

Day dresses that have classic lines will take you to work. lunch with the girls and out to dinner. This may sound all unexciting but as a matter of fact you can be just as chic in an outfit that doesn't tell where you are going as in one that does - a little mystery never hurt anyone!!

Pull out all the items that you have in your wardrobe and have a look and see what you have - are there suits that you can wear with another skirt or pair of trousers; is there a jacket that you could wear over a day dress to give it a different look - once you have done this make a list and carry it with you or download photos to your phone so your take your wardrobe shopping with you and buy items in the future that will go with pieces you currently own.

To give you and example here is the original list from 1937 -

• Toast brown wool coat untrimmed. Simple well cut, warm enough to wear through Autumn and a good style to wear with separate furs?!
• Black wool dress (with brown buttons to go under coat)
• Short toast brown wool jacket (lightweight to wear over dress or separate skirt)
• Check brown and black skirt
• Printed silk dress (with brown and white design to be worn with jacket or coat)
• Toast brown hat, bag and shoes
• Lighter brown stockings and gloves
• White gloves, bag and accessories and jacket (warm weather to go with print dress)

This may sound a little dated with matching shoes, hats and gloves but the basic principal is the same (and I want to bring hats and gloves back because it was just so ladylike and chic!?)

As for evening wear - the LBD is the elegant standby and can be worn in so many ways that you will never tire of it and with a little imagination no-one will realise that it is the same frock time and time again. It can be varied by contrasting jackets, jewels, flowers, scarves and shoes until it dies on its feet - one example taken from the book is the following:

 A beautifully cut evening dress and several changes of accessories. The dress is the backdrop for:

• An emerald green taffeta jacket and slippers
• Two ruby clips and bracelet to match worn with black slippers and bag
• Pink chiffon roses and pink chiffon scarf worn with black slippers and bag
• A gold lame jacket with black bag and slippers
• A black sequin jacket
• Gold chunky jewellery

So with some thought and a little creativity you can look elegant and chic on a budget - think of the French they do it very well with a limited wardrobe but fabulous accessories and most of all keeping it simple and classic.

Winter Wardrobe II

I am usually a vintage girl I will admit that I should think that over 75% of my wardrobe is vintage. My collection is growing all the time and to accommodate the dresses, bags, shoes, hats and all the other things I can't seem to resist when I go out on my travels - I am going to have to change the spare room into a dressing room and somehow fit the office, clothes and vast collection of Vogues into one space!!

But I diverse from the point of the point of this post (my inspiration for my new dressing room will come in another post).

There are so many vintage influences in the shops this season that I just had to share some of my favourites with you. All of these are really reasonablly priced and can be mixed with orginal pieces or with retro styles to give you a fabulous look for Autumn/Winter.

Watch out on furture posts of outfits that I have worn out and about to see if I actually bought any of these pieces.????

This pussy bow Florence and Fred dress from Tesco £16 I would  wear this with a tweed jacket and a pair of brogues and a felt hat or beret. Or with a T bar shoe and a fascinator, my lovely moc croc vintage clutch bag for lunch with the girls.

Tweed skirt Florence and Fred from Tesco £18 teamed with a brown pussy bow blouse, and my 40's red jacket and hat.

John Rocha at Debenhams £60 shoes - these are fairly practical for winter weather but smart enough to wear with skirts and trousers alike.

Wide leg pants Primark £16 - I would team these with a flat loafer and a fair isle sweater, a vintage jacket and a felt hat or beret.

30's style jumpsuit Primark £17 - I just love this glamorous jumpsuit, my idea for wearing this would be to an casual dinner for friends with a vintage brooch on the shoulder and some vintage inspired chandelier earrings and pair of flat ballet pumps.

Weekend outfits

Last weekend the hubby and I packed our case (vintage of course) and headed to the coast at Sheringham for the North Norfolk Railways 1940's weekend.

We go every year and meet up with good friends and meet lots of new ones.  It is lovely to see everyone dressed up in uniforms and beautiful vintage dresses and hats.  The whole town gets involved with bunting, window dressing and wartime themes.

Each year I like to wear something fabulous and this year was no exception so here are my two daytime outfits - with the debut of my new hats!!

Saturday Day outfit - hat bought from stall at Gressinghall, Jacket bought for me by my lovely hubby from Lulu Vintage in Norwich, brown skirt part of a suit from Ebay and bag from Prim Vintage, and shoes also from Lulu vintage.

Sunday Day outfit - hat again from Gressinghall, hat pin bought on Saturday, Dress from Break vintage, shoes from Goldfinch's vintage and fur wrap is my mum's.

Evening outfits coming in next post and more fabulous outfits that get showcased during Norwich Fashion Week.

Mad Hatters

Following on from my A/W inspirations post,I love to wear a hat and Autumn is a great time to top of your look with a fabulous titfer!!

A hat is a must for the damp days of Autumn - if you have curly hair like me and the minute you walk out the door the style that you have spent ages rolling and tweaking goes into a massive frizz ball, don a fantastic hat you will look polished and stylish all day.

Here are a few ideas of hats I love.....

I am starting to put together a rather fabulous collection of vintage hats and am looking forward to wearing them of the next few months.

While I was out and about at Gressinghall Village at War last month I pick up a couple of really cute hats (at a bargain price which is even better), these will debut at Sheringham 1940's weekend on Saturday. So I will post the whole outfit on this blog on my return.

New Season Inspiration

Summer seems to have finally said good-bye although it never really said hello!!!  I was hoping that we may have had a last mintue flourish of an Indian summer but I think that I have to bite the bullet and put the summer dresses away for 6 months or so and bring out the heavier knits and tweeds.

I love the summer weather but do love Autumn/Winter clothes - I love the chic and elegance of a tweed suit, a 3/4 length glove showing under a wool duster coat and hats!

Vintage clothes are so suitable for chilly days - ladies of a bygone eara always looked so well put together with a co-ordinating suit and coat. And she wouldn't have left the house without gloves, hat and bag that all toned in.

I adore planning my outfits at the begining of the season, looking through what I already own and what goodies I can buy to make it feel fresh and new. I always put together a look book of styles that I like and want to wear for the months ahead.

So here are some of the looks I love ...................................

I just love the sharp angles of these styles - the red and black are so striking, adore the hat and scarf.

                                                                   So elegant!

                    I need a new winter coat so something like these are on my wish list.

                            A classic car coat, hat and gloves, also loving the scarf and brooch.

 

The thought of wearing fabulous outfits like these makes the dark and gloomy months ahead seem a little more bearable.

I will post some of the outfits I put together for Autumn/Winter and where they were worn in future blogs.