Presents

Boys and Girls did you get everything you wished for? Well I did apart from another ring on my finger. The flowers are a gift to my self as was the Soap and Glory products.

I got a random present from my Aunt the Barbie, unfortuntly its not a welcomed item as I have had problems with previous and current tenants who are from that country, mainly forgetting that I dont need to be kept uptil the early hours by music and telephone calls back home. So I tempted to burn it and really the costume is quite dull considering the richness of their culture.

Boots Home Diary is quite good for the lady who wishes to be more organised and hopefully richer.

A peak inside the out of print book I wanted from Waterstones.

The silver star Earrings are from Silver Scene, a gift from my Aunt who's in business with the owner. The silver hooped are from my Honey.

I also got Hollywood Costume using my Amazon vouchers which is a nice book to have but not essential if you already have the first.

Month of splurge

The splurges continue and now to personal pleasure, I have my Dressing Marilyn Book my perfume, vintage fabric and now this Catalogue. I blame Wearing History recent post, you don't want what you cant see.

Round and Round

The christmas cardigan and the 50s book, my only niggle is that why didn't they include the designer names for the dresses, I did notice one was a Swirl and that was only because two of them were on eBay the month before. I lost out in bidding.

I went to this last Sunday, didnt bring my camera but next time I will.

Handmade cermac was being sold by Andrea as was part of artist resident inside Valentines Mansion, showcasing the work that can be done on Redbridge arts and crafts courses.

What I found in the Library, I want a Tiara!

Would you eat it? They could of bagged it better for £13, I had to taste just to make sure its wasn't plain flour (its does clean you out), hope its the real deal as it is for bed bugs.

Been a slow month

I haven't posted as I have been lazy and been ill. I'm still completing the vogue dress, actually I spent four days sewing it to near completion, however I have yet to complete the buttons holes (problems with even spacing) and the hem (waiting to buy an attachment as hand sewing a curved hem to laborious. Trying to complete my assignment for my NCFSE LEVEL 2 in Diversity which I should have already submitted to receive corrections.
I didn't have the opportunity to visit the exhibit as it was happening during the lean months. I have to say this is probably one of the weakest exhibit books I have seen which has been in association with V & A, their are alot of stock, pictures inside, very view of the outfits on display.


I picked up Half the Sky because of the book cover, it is a very inspirational book and gave me some much needed perspective.

all images credited to www.amazon.co.uk
I haven't posted as I have been lazy and been ill. I'm still completing the vogue dress, actually I spent four days sewing it to near completion, however I have yet to complete the buttons holes (problems with even spacing) and the hem (waiting to buy an attachment as hand sewing a curved hem to laborious.

50s Fashion by Pepin Press

When I am in London, I always look at the discount bookshops that I pass in case I find a great fashion book. I saw Fifties Fashion by Pepin Press at the Book Warehouse. The book features some lovely photographs of 50s clothes, fabric close ups and information about clothing designs. On Amazon the book is curently £17.54.
The website gives an inside look at the book, one to put on my wishlist.
screen grab from the website http://pepinpress.com/catalogue/view/164

Library Pickings

Hooray for Horrockses

I finally got the book (overtime money), and I found this adorable sundress below on etsy in the same week from StrumpetsBazaar. And as blue is my favourite colour, I have the accessories to match.
image credit StrumpetsBazaar

Other Horrckses dress on Ebay

Vintage Costume Jewellery: A Passion for Fabulous Fakes Book Review

I have wanted a book on vintage jewellery for ages, but the ones that aren't based on a designer always seem to be more like picture books. The best jewellery books I own are on Jakob Bengel and Van Cleef and Arpels (never released)
This book however is a modern picture book, yes the images are large and bright, but there is little information about their construction and how you could date pieces. From the 1950s the author does included some images of the back the jewellery but as most of the jewellery is signed and premium priced its unliikely to help the humble collector.
Overall I was disappointed, but glad I didn't pay full priced, but now I have looked at it, I dont need it any more. However it did give me an appreciation of the 70s and also to bare in mind that what I think is 50s could be 70s.

Read the reviews here.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1851495118/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_img

New Book Crush- Horrockses Fashion

My smile lasted for 3 hours, then I developed an ear infection, so my weekend involved me lying down to stop the ringing, even a stroke of a little kitten couldn't lift me. My lack of overtime has meant I am seriously out if the loop when it has come to Fashion exhibit, I missed the Grace Kelly exhibit by choice.
And The Horrockses exhibit almost went, right under the radar, it being held at the Fashion and Textile Museum my least favourite museum, it always gives me the feeling there too much space and not enough in there, and also its not the easiest of places to get too, which is why, in a toss up I would rather have the book then visit.
However the review from Arts thread blog, seems to make it more and more interesting with each view.
http://blog.artsthread.com/2010/09/horrockses-fashions-off-the-peg-style-in-the-40s-and-50s/
However blog This is Love Forever has kindly included pages from the book.
Museum ticket £6.50 travel £7.30 verus Book £15.64. One or the other, I hate the recession.
http://www.thisisloveforever.com/2010/04/horrockses-fashion-off-the-peg-style-in-the-40s-and-50s.html

Book of The Month

If I was stuck on a desert island the one request I would have is a subscription to Amazon's website. I have been admiring this book for a couple of months, and now the overtime has finally kicked in, I have treated myself.
I think it very hard to find a really good constructed Vintage fashion book, some concentrated too much on just boring clothes on mannequins and stock photos, some have too much text that seems to be lifted straight from a history book,or every other book produced on the subject, but not Forties Fashion:From Siren Suit to The New Look.
Yes it does have clothing pictured on mannequins, but these images are styled, accessories. Yes it has historical text, but also alot of background information that isn't just focused on the clothing, but how culture and politics shaped clothing during war time over the world. If only more history books were written in this fun fact way.
Did you know they tried to use cat fur to replace the shortages of fur in Eastern Europe? Yuck just think there could be someone wearing a cat fur stole that been processed to look like rabbit.