Tag: dressmaking

Maison Close, Sky Arts 2, Burlesque, Corsets

The Lure of the Bordello

August 14, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

My guilty pleasure at the moment is the series Maison Close on Sky Arts 2, about a bordello in the heart of Paris in 1871. Have you been watching it? It’s rather compulsive viewing. The first scene in the first episode shows you pretty much what to expect and it’s risque with a capital R! But of course it’s not the (ahem..) antics of the show that inspire – it’s most definitely the fashion. Corsets, camisoles, cami-knickers, petticoats, masks, gloves […]

Categories: Fashion • Tags: 1871, art, arts, beauty, bordello, burlesque, Cannes Film Festival, craft, culture, design, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, film, films, Glamour, history, maison close, movies, Paris, photography, reviews, style, travel, vintage

Vintage Whites

August 11, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I’m rather susceptible to white lace dresses, particularly the edwardian types with the bobble edging and crochet details. In fact you can usually spot me at a vintage fair by the trail I lead from one white outfit to the next. Generally, followed closely by my mum, saying “yes it’s lovely but when would you wear it?” Well the weather, for the last few days anyway, has been perfect for a white dress – this is when I would wear […]

Categories: 1920s, 1930s, Fashion, Illustration, vintage • Tags: 1920s, 1930s, art, beauty, craft, culture, design, dressmaking, Fashion, fashion illustration, Inspiration, photography, shopping, style, vintage

Helmut Newton, Cardin Gres, 1971 Harper's & Queen

Helmut Newton’s Menacing Marais 1971

August 1, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I must admit I’m not a huge 70’s aficionado. I did go through a stage at university wearing long indian dresses, 70’s flares from Camden market and this ill-fitting sheepskin coat – but generally it isn’t my favourite style era. However, my mother in law gave me this 1971 Harper’s & Queen, and I must say this beautiful runway edit, shot by Helmut Newton in the Marais, has me re-thinking the 70’s. I love the prints and scarfs. I’d love […]

Categories: 1970, Fashion, Photography2, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1970's, art, beauty, Cardin, Chanel, craft, design, Dior, dressmaking, Fashion, fashion illustration, film, films, Harper's & Queen, Helmut Newton, Inspiration, Lanvin, movies, photography, style, travel, vintage

How can you look so naughty and feel so nice?

July 27, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I recently bought the book “Lingerie” featuring the beautiful photography of Lillan Bassman. Bassman became a photographer in the late 1940’s. Her images of women broke the mould, emphasising a more intimate portrayal and establishing a niche in lingerie and night-wear photography. Harpers Bazaar, March 1954 Carmen Dell’Orefice, Merry Widow 1951 Bassman was an avid watcher of women and in the book it describes how, in the mid 1940’s, she began to study the body language of those who made […]

Categories: 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, Book Reviews, Fashion, Photography2, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, art, beauty, books, burlesque, culture, design, dressmaking, Fashion, Harpers Bazaar, Inspiration, Lillian Bassman, Lingerie, photography, reviews, shopping, style, vintage

Madam Satan, Kay Johnson, Adrian, Zepplin Ball Gown, 1930

The Five Year Rule of the She-Serpent

July 25, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

My mistress is very sensitive to the clothes she wears. She’s a phenomenon. If she has a lively dress she’s lively, like today. If she has a shy dress she’s shy, like yesterday. And everything changes, everything: she talks in a different way, she’s somebody else. She’s dressed in sparkling and very close-fitting green scales: the dress ends in a thin sharp tail. From the neckline a kind of snake emerges and continues in spirals twice around her neck, it’s […]

Categories: 1920s, 1930s, Book Reviews, Fashion, Illustration, Photography2, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1920s, 1930s, art, beauty, books, celebrities, craft, culture, deborah nadoolman landis, design, dressmaking, Entertainment, Erte, Fashion, fashion illustration, film, films, Glamour, history, illustration, Inspiration, Jospehine Baker, literature, Madam Satan, massimo bontempelli, movies, photography, She-Serpent, style, The Mystic, vintage

The Red Riding Hood Collection

July 20, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I watched Red Riding Hood the other night and whilst the story was a bit thin on the ground, the costumes and scenery were breathtaking. It’s real woodland fairy tale stuff. During the week I took a peek at Ulyana Sergeenko’s Fall 2012 collection. As you know I’m a HUGE fan, I love her folksy 1940’s style, always accessorised with little booties. (If you think the perspex heels look tretcherous just take a look at these – better still, watch […]

Categories: 1940s, Fashion • Tags: 1940s, art, beauty, celebrities, craft, culture, design, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, film, films, Glamour, Inspiration, movies, photography, red riding hood, shopping, style, ulyana sergeenko, vintage

Weimar Republic cabaret, Herr Kettners, 1920s black lace flapper dress, burlesque

Sequins from Weimar

June 25, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

Our step back to the Weimar Republic at Herr Kettner’s was most enjoyable. The dress code stated “1920s Berlin, moustachioed dandies, dizzy flappers, monocled counts, decadent aesthetes, firebrand radicals, apoplectic Teutonic military officers, predatory cross-dressers, itinerant jazz musicians, black or white tie”. So of course, a little research was required, as seen below – courtesy of Marlene Dietrich, Henry and June, Cabaret and some decadent 1920’s fashion illustrations. Oh and the rather mischievous Clara Bow: Top illustration by me Marlene […]

Categories: 1920s, Dance, Fashion, Illustration, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1920s, art, art deco fashion, beauty, books, burlesque, Cabaret, cats, craft, culture, dance, design, diy, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, fashion illustrations, film, films, flapper dress, Glamour, history, hollywood, illustration, Inspiration, Kettner's, marlene dietrich, movies, music, photography, reviews, style, vintage, Weimar Republic

Tea Leaves From South Africa

June 18, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

Elle Decor made me very home sick last week, with their feature on West Elm’s collaboration with Cape Town and Johannesburg artists. Lucky US customers will see a roll out of this South African collection over the coming month, with furniture from John Vogel, pottery by Mick Haigh, lighting by Shirley Fintz and even a limited edition of south african flavoured objects in the form of Masai chokers on stands and beaded birds. One of the things I love about […]

Categories: Interiors, vintage • Tags: art, arts, Cape Town, craft, culture, design, diy, dressmaking, Inspiration, Interiors, jewelery, Johannesburg, lifestyle, photography, shopping, South Africa, style, travel, vintage, West Elm

Timeless Tocca

June 17, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

My mum rang me the other day to say that she’d gone through some of the cupboards at home, and had come across some old Elle Decoration magazines, from when I was still living at home. Well, you can imagine my excitement. There is something thrilling about going through old magazines and seeing nostalgic images and trying to fit them into your life’s timeline – “where was I, what was I doing, who was I going out with?” One of […]

Categories: Fashion, vintage • Tags: art, beauty, celebrities, craft, culture, design, diy, dressmaking, Fashion, fashion illustration, Glamour, Helena Christensen, Inspiration, Interiors, lifestyle, photography, shopping, style, Style.com, Tocca, vintage, vogue