New Blue Shoes

I bought new blue shoes yesterday, on the way home from my first day of my new work, walking back from Westminster to Clerkenwell because of the tube strike and the puncture on my bike wheel.

I went into a shop thinking (in the immortal words of Eve Rice in her classic children's book and one that has stuck with me through the years): "I want new blue, nice blue, nice new blue shoes." 

... And I found some! What are the chances?

Shoes: Callaloo, Jones Bootmaker

Pop back soon to see them styled... And happy May Day to one and all!

Fashion & Gardens

The other weekend, I went along to the Garden Museum to see the current exhibition, Fashion & Gardens: Spring/Summer - Autumn/Winter. The exhibition traced the connections between garden styles and clothes fashion from the sixteenth century through to the modern day. As the blurb on the Garden Museum's website explains, 'Both gardens and dress aim to bring a sense of occasion to a season. Midsummer is more authentic if passed among organza and roses; russet velvet and gold-licked chrysanthemums concentrate our senses that autumn has arrived.' If you've followed either my posting of monthly personifications or my visits to Kew, you won't be surprised to hear that this exhibition immediately grabbed my attention.

Artwork by Rebecca Louise Law... If only I had a space in which to hang hundreds
of dried flowers...

It was a very... shall we say 'compact' exhibition but it was fascinating and I feel that I came out having learnt a whole lot more than I knew when I went in. And the advantage of smaller exhibitions is that you ultimately take more time to appreciate each item.

So what did I learn? I learnt about the correlation between the patterns in Elizabethan knotwork gardens and the patterns on their clothing and upholstery, demonstrated in the exhibition with the display of exquisite embroidery. I also learnt that, while floral patterns on fabrics were popular throughout much of the eighteenth century, there was a transition from sparser patterns to busier, more clustered patterns. So if I see someone in a period drama set in the 1780s, wearing a lightly patterned floral dress, I can now titter knowingly about how deeply unfashionable they are.

One of the things that I found particularly interesting, as someone quite affected by colours, was learning how trends in colours changed both in the fashion world and in gardens. The introduction of chemical (rather than plant-derived, natural) dyes made all sorts of rich, vibrant colours possible in the nineteenth century. As methods improved, production increased and prices came down, these bright colours entered the middle-class and lower-class markets. At the same time, the numerous new public gardens established in cities to provide the general public with green spaces within dense urban areas in the mid-nineteenth century were frequently planted with bright, hardy flowers. As a result, there was a backlash, and the upper classes made a return to soft, subtle colours for their clothes, achieved with natural, high quality dyes, while their private gardens and preferred flowers followed suit.

'None of those obvious, bright colours for us, thank you very much. We're ladies.'
Miss Martineau's Garden, John Sant, 1873 (Image source)

Also interesting was the development of garden fashions and country style, in which, as the exhibition proudly pointed out, the Brits lead the world (partly because of our love of gardens, partly because of our rubbish weather and the waterproof nature of garden and country wear, from Burberry macs, through Barbour waxed jackets, to Hunter wellies). This 'dressed down' style, which was still posh enough to differentiate the gentlemen from the labouring gardeners, began in the eighteenth century as a result of trends for connecting with nature, albeit in a highly controlled manner. Think the 'natural' but in reality highly structured Picturesque gardens with, for instance, cattle forming part of the vista from your French windows, but nicely kept at bay with a ha-ha so that they didn't actually come up and nibble and defecate on your carefully maintained lawn... Along with all this a slightly more casual 'outdoor' clothing style was adopted by the upper classes, to allow them to get down and dirty with a spot of poking around in the garden.

Kate Middleton effortlessly bringing the 'country chic' look
(Image source)

Even the French admit defeat by the Brits on the mac style front
(Image source)

Following the Fashion & Gardens exhibition, I had a wander around the rest of the museum. I've been here for talks and into the garden when the museum was closed for renovation a few years ago, but never properly explored the permanent collection. Again, it's small, but lovely. 

Scarecrow in cute cat form, c.1920s

'Seeds for sale'

The carrots are only intermediate...

... but the rhubarb is GIANT!

But they both pale in comparison to this prize tomato

The museum is located in a disused church, and on the way out of the building I noticed the memorial below in the entrance porch. Unfortunately, the bottom of it was covered up but I was suitably intrigued - 'killed by thunder and lightning'? At the tender age of 34? There's got to be more to that story, surely?

To the memory of William Bacon
of the Salt Office, London, Gent.
who was killed by thunder & lightning
at his window July 12th 1787
Aged 34 years

Fabhatrix (Love Letter from Edinburgh)

After an incredibly mild Christmas and New Year, winter has come to London and snow has been falling these past few days. Aside from causing me to joyfully skip and dance in the snowfall, the sudden need to pull down my winter hats has spurred me on to write this long overdue post about Fabhatrix.

You will have glimpsed Fabhatrix before on this blog. Like a friend of a friend who has caught your attention once or twice at a party and intrigued you, but to whom you have never had the chance to speak. This summer just gone, one of their creations appeared at the Chap Olympiad, a whole long half-year since you first caught wind of them on an autumn visit to Kew Gardens.

And now, the purpose of this post is to formally introduce you.

I first became aware of Fabhatrix when getting to know a workmate who is now one of my best friends here in London. Somehow, on one occasion or another, it came up in conversation that her mother was a milliner, with a hat shop in Edinburgh. I was enchanted by this fact - how wonderfully exotic to have a milliner in the family! I swore to myself, and to my friend, that I would visit the shop when I next had the good fortune to be in Edinburgh.

In September 2011, I found myself in Scotland to meet up with The Cat's parents, who were visiting from abroad. Fabhatrix was firmly on the 'must see' list. As it was around my birthday time, my mum had said I could buy a hat for myself as a birthday present from her. Which was rather a nice thought, my mum buying a hat for me made by my friend's mum.

But I was slightly nervous about visiting the shop... What if I just didn't like any of the hats in there? What would I say to my friend if I thought them all hideous? What would I say to her mother, who was expecting me at the shop?

But there was no fear of that!

The problem turned out to be having to select just one out of the wonderful selection. Fortunately I had some sense of what I wanted, which was a cloche, so that focused my attention a little and I ended up walking out with this little number:

Hastily snapped before catching a train from Edinburgh Waverley...

... Oh, yes, and this little number too. So much for choosing just one:

In rural Nottinghamshire over Christmas 2011

And that wasn't the last Fabhatrix hat given as a gift within my family. No, with my dad's 60th birthday that year, I wanted to get him something useful and fittingly dignified for a new sextarian. So I offered to replace his beanie with a tweed flatcap. With a family trip up to Edinburgh for Hogmanay 2011, it was the perfect chance to purchase his belated birthday cap. So back to Fabhatrix it was. The focus of their workshop is women's hats but we found something for my dad in the hand-picked selection of men's hats they source and sell.

Somehow, I don't have a close-up photo of his hat but here's a snap of him, behatted, walking down the street in Edinburgh with my mum. Oh yes, and while we were trying on hats for dad, Mum couldn't resist trying on a few herself and ended up walking out with one too!

Mum and Dad in their Fabhatrix hats

Mum outside the shop, on Edinburgh's Grassmarket

So, next time you're in Edinburgh, I absolutely urge you to make a visit. Or you can check out their more limited but terribly convenient online store, even if you have no hope of visiting Edinburgh now or anytime soon. Oh, and they do bespoke hats too, if you're feeling like being particularly fancy and commissioning something perfect for a special outfit.

And I just have to end by making absolutely clear that I'm not raving about Fabhatrix just because I'm a friend of the family that own and run it. Though I probably don't really need to clarify that because anyone can see for themselves that I'm just raving about them because they are so unarguably, well, fab!

Ballgowns at the V&A

Image source: The Guardian

Recently, I went to see the new exhibition at the V&A Museum - Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950. I had been looking forward to seeing this, and when I recently bought membership for the V&A, I decided that this would be my first exhibition with my fancy new card.

There were some delightful dresses and I really enjoyed the way that they had chosen to curate the exhibits. Instead of going chronologically or some other such way, they grouped together dresses by colour palette. It was fun to see dresses from, say, the '50s, '70s and '80s side by side with almost exactly the same shades and combinations of colour.

Yellows and oranges. The '70s number here (second from left)
was surprisingly one of my favourites. I'm not usually a '70s
girl, but I just found it so simple and elegant
(Image source: Vogue)

Reds and blacks. (Image source: Vogue)

Corals. I was fascinated by the kaftan dress on the left.
I couldn't quite work out whether there was actually anything
holding the sides together. Would be quite fun to wear, I think.
(Image source: Vogue)

Naturally, I loved practically all the '50s dress and most of the '60s, but I also found something to like in every era. When I moved up to the present-day dresses on the upper floor I was rather underwhelmed though - somewhat ironically as the dresses there felt like they were desperate to make a statement and grab some attention. But for me they felt somehow soulless. Perhaps because they haven't stood the test of time... Or perhaps because, being modern, it was just like going into Top Shop or some such, which I always find depressing...

Give me old fashioned elegance any day (Image source: Stylist)

Despite all the lovely vintage dresses downstairs, I have to confess that I would have been slightly disappointed if I'd paid to get into the exhibition. It felt rather thin somehow. I think my main complaint would be the lack of interpretation. There was hardly anything to put ballgowns into context or to chart their development - the information boards could basically be summed up in one sentence: "People used to wear ballgowns to debutante balls and other such events, now celebrities wear them on the red carpet". A few select dresses had further information but I felt that so much more could have been said to draw out the viewer's appreciation and understanding of the dresses and how fashions have developed. As it was, it just felt kind of like window shopping... Except I couldn't walk in and try any of them on! I was also frustrated about the lack of mirrors in some of the display cases. There was one amazing 1950s dress with some lovely detailing around the waist - I would have loved to have been able to see how it was constructed at the back and a well-placed mirror would have enabled that. I think such simple measures might have encouraged more overall appreciation of the dresses' structure and craftsmanship.

So, despite some undoubtedly lovely dresses, not necessarily one to hurry off and see. The recently re-opened fashion galley is looking great though. I only had a quick look around the permanent exhibits but will be going back for a proper visit some time. And I will also return with a review of the V&A's other current exhibition British Design 1948-2011 once I've been to that. I've heard good things about it from a couple of workmates so I'm looking forward to it.

Burberry Rain Storm

Love, love, love this!  Rain on the catwalk!

I'm a big fan of umbrellas, rain, and posing with umbrellas in the rain (as evidenced in this post). So, as I was having my evening browse of the the news, I was rather pleased to read about Burberry's staged rain storm at London Fashion Week.  A clap of thunder, followed by "rain" running down the glass walls of the pavilion in which the show was taking place and sparkly rain falling on the cat walk.  Just fabulous!

As we're talking about fashion shows, I may as well pick out some of my favourite outfits...

(All photos from London Fashion Week's Burberry Prorsum Collection Gallery)

The Rain Bonnet Lament

(a Sequel to The Headscarf Lament)

Oh, to wear a rain bonnet and look as cute as this...

After getting caught out in the rain last week, I started researching rain bonnets online, thinking to turn them into the subject of a blog post. But instead, I got distracted and wrote about headscarves.

The thing is, I was having an awfully difficult time finding rain bonnets that looked any good, whereas pretty pictures of headscarves abound! Headscarves were certainly the easier option to write about, especially as I have no personal experience of wearing rain bonnets. And the thing is, I actually rarely get caught out when there's a downpour. I tend to make it my business to check the forecast when the weather looks questionable because I only own a full-length umbrella - I just can't stand fold-away ones!

So, when I was caught unawares at work last week, my boss was awfully surprised because I usually have my frilly, polka-dotty umbrella right beside me on any day with expected (or even unexpected) rain. I suggested to him that perhaps I ought to get myself a rain bonnet to tuck into my bag for those occasions where even I was unprepared. The problem, I told him, is that I've only ever spotted garish or otherwise unattractive ones...

And, when I got home, a quick trawl of the internet backed up that observation. I clicked on a link for a "stylish" rain bonnet and found this:

Obviously, I was sorely disappointed. In whose book is that stylish??

I did find some super-cute pictures from the 1960s and this wonderful video. (If only 'Wise Potato Chips' still had that offer open.) But the only ones I found for sale didn't look so great. Perhaps it's just the way they're marketed? Perhaps they just ought to find some better models?

I did find a glimmer of hope for the modern world here:

Clever Recycling Zychal over at Etsy have made a noble effort to reintroduce the unfashionable concept of the rain bonnet, and have given it a revamp by picking out the most stylish umbrellas to upcycle for their creations. I'm a little bit tempted. Although, I do somehow feel that, like my Audrey Hepburn/Grace Kelly headscarf dilemma, it just wouldn't suit me.

Umbrellas have always served me well, perhaps I should just stick with them? Or am I up for a sartorial experiment?

[Edit: Have just noticed that vintage guru Solanah, over at Vixen Vintage, has just posted about rain bonnets too. Crazy coincidence! Maybe it's a revolution? She picked up a classic, polka-dot one from her local drugstore... I don't know if I'll have the same luck at a pharmacy or anywhere else here in London!]

Regent Street Windows

Today I went for a stroll down Regent Street to have a look at the RIBA (ie Royal Institute of British Architects) window dressing project. This involved 10 architecture practices creating the window displays for 10 shops along the street.

To be honest, I was rather disappointed. I was looking forward to seeing the "Free State of Soho" at Banana Republic but then I was just bamboozled by it, and couldn't really read the message in their creation. Besides which, it didn't actually include any clothes in the display, which is going off on a tangent if you ask me!

And then, when I attempted to take photos of some of the vaguely more interesting ones, it proved more difficult than I anticipated. Reflections and what not...

Gant's display of convex mirrors and silver birch
by Marks Barfield Architects

Aquascutum's display by HUT
(but it was more the bright yellow trench coat and
the pattern on the dress that I was interested in)

Ferrari's display by Duggan Morris Architects
(where the reflection getting in the way actually had
a kind of interesting and surreal effect...)

BUT, all was not lost, for some other window displays outside the scope of the project caught my eye and seemed to be much more interesting than the architects' ones. We could say that's a sign that architects today are unimaginative and/or don't know how to translate their ideas. But it's probably kinder and actually more true to say that we should let the window dressers do their jobs and architects do theirs.

Anyway, here are some of the other displays I enjoyed:

Gentlemen mannequins do tea at Charles Tyrwhitt

More gentlemen mannequins

Charles Tyrwhitt says old class

Mango clocks and crates

More of Mango's display

Zara's rubber ducky/sailor theme

Brooks Brothers' tailoring bits and bobs

More suit-candy from Brooks Brothers

Loved some of the fabric patterns and colours at Hobbs - kind of reminded me of something you'd find on a Horrockses dress (though I'm sorry they're kind of hard to see with all the reflection in the photo).

Hobbs' Horrockses-inspired prints

No longer on Regent Street, there were still treats to be found...

The cake display at Bea's of Bloomsbury on Theobald's Road

A shoe shop somewhere in Covent Garden,
though unfortunately I forgot to note down the name!

Anonymous Covent Garden shoe shop again

Check out the pastel pink and aqua shoes inside the
shop - wow.

Of course, I gawped at the windows of all these shops and enjoyed their displays but then returned to my vintage ways. Being so close to the Soho branch of Beyond Retro, I just had to pop in, and couldn't resist walking out with a few finds.

Beyond Retro dress, skirt and shorts.
Brighter in real life, but the lighting in my flat is low!