The weather was out, and so were we, in celebration of last weekend's Croftfest in south London and all that's best in SE4. Highlighting both home-grown shops and produce in this particular part of London, Croftfest attracted families, shoppers and indeed passers-by to the day-long community street festival on Saturday, and certainly there was a buzz around Crofton Park in the September sunshine.
We were in our element: dressing up in lots of different styles and eras, courtesy of designer and vintage boutique, Paraphernalia, which celebrates its 18th year at 365 Brockley Road this month. I wore a slinky burnt-orange knit dress with divine Fendi bag and Dolce & Gabbana boots; a funky Traffic People metallic jumpsuit reminiscent of Studio 54; a chic navy ensemble; a sophisticated grey and camel outfit complete with Goyard clutch; and a glamorous vintage fur, with the best boots for strutting my stuff. What a great day and a Happy 18th to Paraphernalia! And check out the amazing street art in this neighbourhood!
It was a big birthday party... a girlfriend's, from whose emporium I purchased this snappy little suit, in paisleys and pastels, with chic black piping. The surprise label: River Island, no less, and a High Street favourite - of my daughter's. I'm wearing the two-piece with a mint-green silk chemise, black silk D&G slingbacks, and a fantastic-plastic Miss Sixty bag, which has a Roman holiday feel to it as well as glamour with its faux-pearl handle. I've piled on more pearls with a couple of necklaces in pink and grey and my unique pink pearl cluster ring, by the equally unique Lisa E Moss. An ornately gothic transfer, from Shine Ink's Vintage range (a recent purchase from Dr Boo in East Dulwich) adds more interest to my neckline. The blacker-than-black sunnies are by Thierry Lasry. Happy Birthday Mandi x
Summer is always a season of colour, but today I'm sticking to the shadows, and limiting myself to a monochrome palette (apart from the dashing citrus fur clutch! A gorgeous present by Ostrich 2 Love. Thanks Diane x). I love shadows; they conceal and reveal. For the shade, I combined the urban with a touch of Victorian gothic. The former is instantly provided by trainers and sunnies: my go-sprightly along any city pavement classic Adidas Gazelle trainers and my super-black Thierry Lasry glasses. And the long, black silhouette, for a long(ish) shadow: a dramatic floor-length Dolce & Gabbana spiderweb piece over a vintage M&S slip. Costume jewellery packs a punch with a large cross of faux-pearls purchased in Whitby, a popular venue for a Gothic weekend! And the backdrop: the most arresting and arguably the biggest piece of street-art in Dulwich, (and all of two years old) Conor Harrington's bare-knuckle fighters, which featured in my blog 'Dulwich Festival 2014' post.
If you think of one statement colour, I immediately come up with red. Here, I'm in my stand-out and rare vintage coat by Harald, late of 39a Curzon Street, W1. Who was Harald? A Nordic contemporary of Amies and Hartnell in '50s Mayfair? Little is known about this couturier (1904-1994) save that the likes of British stars, such as Vivien Leigh, favoured his designs. The Dolce & Gabbana butterfly-print boots hover prettily beneath the cerise dress-coat. I hope Harald would approve!
