style | I Get a Kick out of you

Ulyana Seregenko, Autum Winter Collection 2012

From Russia With Love

March 12, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I normally lust over the March editions of fashion magazines – identifying the summer trends I like and then searching for affordable options in the high street supplements. It’s a twice yearly routine. But I have to be honest, other than the flapper dressses and the fifities crop bustiers, this year has left me a little cold – I’m not sure why? I was starting to think maybe it was an age thing – which is never a good road […]

Categories: 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, Fashion • Tags: art, Brigitte Bardot, clothing, cotton dresses, culture, design, Fashion, fashion illustration, films, history, knitted sweaters, movies, photography, russian crafts, style

Bell Jar, industrial style, wooden cabinet

The Bell Jar

March 9, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

Whenever I see Bell Jars, I think of Sylvia Plath. I studied her works for English Literature and it’s extraordinary how things that you have studied long ago, which you thought of at the time as just throw-away, seep into the unconscious and resurface at a later date. The book is often thought of as a “roman a clef”, or in lay-men’s terms, a written parallel of Plath’s own life and her descent into mental illness. Whilst the book ends […]

Categories: Interiors • Tags: art, bell jars, books, craft, decor8, design, Fashion, history, Interiors, lifestyle, literature, nature, photography, reviews, style, sylvia plath

Strawberry Daiquiri

March 7, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

Inspired by Emilia Wickstead’s Autumn Winter 2012 collection, today’s inspired buys are all strawberry flavoured. Two colours which should be a no-no – pink and red, work gloriously – from the Mae West Salvador Dali sofa to vintage Audrey Hepburn. This is a vintage colour combination – think red nails and lips with a pale pink ensemble. And some strawberry treats to tempt the purse strings – just in time for spring! APC Top 180E Plumo Jackson Dress – £215 Chanel N05 […]

Categories: 1950s, Fashion • Tags: 1950s, apc, art, Chanel, design, Fashion, fashion illustration, films, Glamour, history, Interiors, kurt geiger, movies, netaporter, photography, plumo, shopping, style, vintage, vogue

Showtime

March 5, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

“Gonna rouge my knees and roll my stockings down……and all that jazz”. Those words are ringing in my ears and probably will be for a few weeks! A few of us from PUSH performed three numbers from Chicago for an evening’s entertainment and to raise money for the PUSH Foundation. Needless to say it was fabulous and fun and a little nerve-wracking. Although I knew a little about Bob Fosse, the great choreographer and director of such shows as […]

Categories: Dance, Fashion, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: art, books, burlesque, Cabaret, Chicago, Costume Design, culture, dance, design, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, films, Fosse, history, Liza Minelli, movies, music, style, vintage

A Dress of Envy – Atonement

February 29, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

My very gorgeous cousin in law was going to a wedding at St Paul’s Cathedral and she asked me to make her a dress. Aha, I thought, another one to add to the recreating vintage list. When asked what sort of dress she would like, she replied “that green dress in Atonement”. Hmmm – not just any dress, that green dress in Atonement – who doesn’t want that green dress? I have lusted after that dress since the first time […]

Categories: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, Fashion, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1930s, Atonement, books, craft, design, diy, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, films, history, Kiera Knightley, movies, photography, reviews, style, vintage

The 1930s Monogram Masquerade

February 22, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I have a favourite book of reference at the moment, for the 1930s. It’s called Fashion at the time of Fascism and it’s all about the influence and effects of the Fascist regime on fashion in Italy. The book explores many different angles of the industry, including beauty, the rise in fashion houses and italian celebrities of the time. Today I’m only looking at one very small aspect of it – as I shall no doubt use many more for […]

Categories: 1930s, Book Reviews, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: art, books, craft, design, diy, dressmaking, Fashion, fashion illustration, history, photography, politics, reviews, style, vintage

That’s Amore

February 20, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

Sorry for the break in transmission. I’ve been away for half-term but more about that in another post. I did my usual round up of magazines before I went and for any 1950s & 60s Hollywood aficionados, Vanity Fair is a great purchase this month, featuring interviews with both Sophia Loren and Brigitte Bardot? What more can one vintage lover want? I was struck by Sophia Loren’s story. Its’ a very human one – not a typical rags to riches […]

Categories: 1950s, Fashion, Photography2, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1950s, art, design, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, film, films, history, Love, Magazines, movies, music, photography, reviews, Sophia Loren, style, vintage

The Madam of Monochrome

January 22, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

This week’s Inspired Buys refer to “Igor and Coco” – monochrome style. Story wise, the film is a little slow – in fact I recommended it to a friend and she fell asleep within 5 minutes – you know who you are! However, the costumes and the interiors are absolutely incredible – a total visual feast, and I can quite easily watch a film and be totally engrossed in the style, rather than the story – so this is still one […]

Categories: Interiors, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: black and white, Chanel, design, Entertainment, films, home, Igor and Coco, Inspiration, Interiors, lifestyle, monochrome, movies, music, photography, shopping, style

Pretending to be Plain

January 19, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

“Carmen Dell’Orefice..who has had three husbands and more hot dinner boyfriends than one cares to count later, is still known as just plain Carmen – though the plain has nothing whatsoever to do with her appearance” Norman Parkinson I was fortunate enough to catch the Carmen Dell’Orefice exhibition at the London School of Fashion, at what I thought was the very end date – however – lucky readers, they have just extended the exhibition to the 31st January. So after […]

Categories: 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, Photography2, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: art, books, Carmen Dell'Orefice, Cecil Beaton, design, Exhibition, Fashion, Harper Bazaar, Irving Penn, model, photography, reviews, Richard Avedon, style, vogue