It's wonderful, everywhere so white

I must be having a monochrome moment - all black in my last post, all white today.

Well the dress is silver actually.

 

I bought this 1960s wool/lurex dress and matching tie-front cardigan at a vintage fair a year ago.

 

 

I wear the dress reasonably often, but usually paired with a bright colour.

I figured the all-silver ensemble is a little too much...

...but I'm kinda liking it now though, must be the influence of the snow.

 

And I think it helps that my hair is brighter too.

The gorgeous soft cobwebby scarf is yet another wonderful gift from darling Kylie, which she sent along with a birthday present for Littlest;

The Hound of Love.

Thank you, Kylie!

1960s Jersey Masters of London maxi dress - vintage fair

Silk pussy-bow blouse, Silver Fox faux fur coat, bangles and belt - charity shopped

Arsehole Aerosole boots (doing a great job in the snow) - Ebay

Scarf - gift from Kylie

 

 I gradually divested myself of clothing in the garden.

 

 I hope you appreciate the sacrifices I make for this blog!

 

 

Silver Lady!

 

 

Without the coat, I feel all Victorian/Edwardian school ma'am or lady's maid.

Please sir, I'm sure I didn't mean to seduce the young Master of the house... 

Pray do not throw me out in the snow, for what will become of me? 

I shall be forced to ply my trade with that hussy Miss Simmonds on the Ladies Mile...

 

 

Just look at the amazing Clare! 

 

Now this is my idea of historical re-enactment!

 

 

 

Ooh, I'm not taking my coat off again, not for love nor money!

 xxxx

Metal Guru

I have been inspired by this wonderful 1980s skirt which my awesome friend Sarah gave me, and by gorgeous Joni's post here.

Mix those metals!

Belt - retail (sale)

Charlie (free) and Pillsy (RSPCA)

Brass choker - gift from fabulous Vix

All other necklaces, rings, bracelets, bangles - gifts or charity shopped

Top - charity shop

Boots - Ebay

 Skirt, hair flower and gold tone stone ring - gifts from Aunty Sarah

I used to have A Rule about not wearing silver and gold together, but in the spirit of adventure, I've chucked that one out. 

Yeah, cos I'm crazy like that.

Got a little petticoat action going on!

These sweet little gold buttons caused me some trouble when I wore this top for the first time.

They all came undone.

Cleavage alert!

Thankfully, I was only round at my mate Tracey's for a coffee, so I borrowed a needle and thread, sat in my cardigan, and stitched up the button holes. The top is stretchy enough to get it on without undoing the buttons, and further unscheduled boob display has been averted.

I think this skirt is amazing. I would have twirled if the paving and leaves weren't wet and slippery, and my sense of balance rather limited.

So I swished instead.

Raindrops on cobwebs...

...and whiskers on kittens.

I know, Charlie's already been featured, but look, he's so cute!

(Guinea pigs disagree.)

You might have noticed that I like boots.

There's a line in a Stevie Nicks song that goes cause I wear boots all summer long.

 In this country, that can often be true.

And because I wear them a lot, and because my incipient bunion is hurting and I can't always manage heels, and because other similarly foot-defect-afflicted bloggers have recommended them, and because they were only £18, I bought these from Ebay.


(Btw , I have no idea why Blogger has changed the font on this last section and won't let me do anything about it. Weird.)

   

Is it really childish of me that the brand name makes me giggle?

And reminds me of this? 

(The clip is a similar vintage to the skirt, I reckon.)
 

                               
                                
                                       

Silver Lady

I did manage to call in at the Vintage Fair on Saturday. It's always nice to go and fondle the merchandise, even if I don't buy, and when it's held in Sheffield Town Hall, you get grand surroundings to boot.

I did buy, of course.

I was rather taken with this 1960s silver wool and lurex knit maxi dress. It came as a set with a wrap cardigan top too, and you know how I love a wrap cardi. However, I think it's a bit too much all together, and somewhat draining for my poor pale English complexion.

God, I sound all "I had my colours done and I'm Spring." I haven't and I'm not.

                                                           You, the jury, must decide. No pressure.

                  I'm liking it best with the gorgeous little 50s jacket (courtesy of beautiful birthday girl Vix).


I've been collecting a few silver items of late, starting with this EPNS tea pot which I bought for £1.99 from a charity shop because I love the shape. It reminded me of Aladdin's lamp, and since it was in a horribly tarnished state when I got it, I have been rubbing and rubbing but so far, no genie...

There's a metaphor for life in there somewhere.

I think the shape looks 1930s/Deco-ish, but I don't know for sure.

Kitty's Top Tip for discovering whether the handle and lid are made from Bakelite or not revealed that it's not, it is actually celluloid (it smells of mothballs/camphor when rubbed with cleaning fluid). She's so clever! I have learned such a lot from fellow bloggers. 

These pretty things are also charity shopped, an engine-turned mirror and hinged bangle, £2 and £1 respectively.

                             And with this little pot, I actually thought ahead and did before-and-after shots.

 

                                                                

                            From tarnished tat to sparkling shell. If you listen closely, you can hear the sea. 

                       

                             

                   Saturday's Vintage Fair was fun. I took the girls, who expressed their enjoyment thus...

                           

                                                                             ... as we queued.

                                               We had the Wise Old Owl of Vintage watching over us...

                                                     ... but I suspect Queen Victoria was not amused.

                                                     The stone and marble staircase is spectacular.

                              This light fitting is beautiful, the globe is decorated with the signs of the zodiac.


All that beauty before we even got into the Fair! I did buy another couple of items, which I'll show you later, but for now, it's all about the Silver Lady.

1960s Jersey Masters of London wool/lurex maxi dress and cardigan (vintage fair); black T-bars, sequined beret, bangles and earrings (charity shopped); sequined scarf and bag (gifts from gorgeous Helga)


And here's a gift for those of you who had Starsky and Hutch posters on their walls in the 70s (surely it wasn't just me?) 

 You are most welcome, Silver Ladies!

The Wainwright Stuff

In her recent post, Scarlett of Scarlett Loves Elvis asked what hidden gem we had found while car booting/charity shopping which might be worth a bit more than we paid for it.

I don't know whether it's worth a lot, but I am very excited to have discovered this lovely piece hiding its light on the fancy dress rail of a charity shop.

It's a 1970s black wool maxi skirt by Janice Wainwright. I confess I hadn't heard of her when I spotted the skirt, but I knew the fabric was good quality, the hem is properly edged, and the label looked expensive. So I googled the name when I got home and found some information about the designer here, written by Liz at emmapeelpants, so thanks to her.

The skirt was made between 1970 and 1974, since that's when the Forty Seven Poland Street label existed.

How does it look, 40 years later?

Worn with 1970s silver lurex wraparound top (£5, vintage fair), bangle (from lovely Vix), trashy pearls (charity shop, £1), flash of black bra (free and gratis, you are welcome)

                                          Worn with ancient lurex vest, had it for years.

                                Worn with 1970s lurex cape top (£1.99, I think, Ebay)

This classic early 1970s skirt is obviously demanding to be worn with lurex, and who am I to argue?

Yes, clothes can talk!

Now it's telling me to do a little dance. So I am.



The skirt is in great condition, apart from a few little scuffs on the hem, but there is a down side.

It is soooo long that even at 5'8", I have to wear my killer heels which I struggle to walk in. Though I do love them.

And there's one more thing.

It's too small.

Can't do the damn button up!

Does it matter?

What should I do?

Try Ebaying it? Or wear it, and fashion some sort of loop to hook over the button? Or just leave it as it is, and hope it doesn't fall off at an inopportune moment?

Thanks, Janice. This skirt may not be one of your fancy embellished pieces, but any friend of Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell is Ok with me, and I'm loving your work.