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
It's the season... for popping out to parties. Going for totally different looks, whether it's a tie-dye loose silk top, from Paraphernalia, and a pair of vintage Jaeger pants, partied up by vintage yellow earrings, silver jewellery and my only sporran! Or enjoying a few shades of grey in a silk Stills top and chiffon floor-length skirt by Lynn Lugo, and my daughter's flirty waistcoast by River Island. Jewellery is piled on for drama: chain necklace, pearl ring, silver bangles, studded leather bracelet and trusty Angel Jackson bag. The latter is starting to look magnificently wasted... but not this party animal!
... are titles of works by the multi-talented Sonia Delaunay, whose career spanned much of the 20th century. She was a pioneer of paint; a mistress of the applied arts; and ace collaborator with some of the most progressive poets and choreographers of her day - and she was crazy about clothes! This first UK retrospective at Tate Modern has warranted several visits and I shall probably return for one more helping of Delaunay before the exhibition closes on August 9. On this particular visit, I opted for a charming 1920s-style silk shift, but actually a modern piece by Sarah Spencer, in washed sea-green and soft peach, colours which, I think, take their reference from the Bloomsbury Set. My daughter's glamorous gilet, by Lederer, is a jazzy miz of suede and fur, and has abstract patterns cut into it. My trusty canvas bag was bought in Cornwall and the French plimsolls are by Bensimon. A deliciously decadent string of milky-white beads, punctuated by a jade flower, and a pink quartz ring and bracelet, are by my jeweller of choice, Jessica Walker.
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.
West Sussex was saying it with flowers for its annual Floral Fringe Fair. On the invitation of friends, we spent the last weekend of May in the county helping out at their vintage stall, with Knepp Castle as a most charming backdrop. Vintage cars and vintage dresses were de rigueur so I dressed for the occasion in my busily floral silk '30s dress, bought at Annie's Vintage in Islington's Camden Passage, a primrose-yellow '50s quilted bed jacket, and fabulously 'out-there' sunglasses from Paraphernalia. To shake it up were my vividly-coloured African beads, and a modern shaggy bag from The Dulwich Trader. Early in the day, my 1980s suede heels were swiftly replaced by trusty Aigle boots. Last year, for this May event, I wore the '50s Hardy Amies floral suit.
Amongst this sea of green, there were pops of eye-catching colour, such as these graphic, stripy deckchairs - a favourite of my daughter's, who was also channelling the vintage vibe and mostly borrowed (from my wardrobe), especially the handmade reversible jacket from Montreal.
All the vintage goodies photographed were sourced by Diane and Simon, of Cafe Murano in Hurstpierpoint, whose 'great food and great coffee' feature in Best of Sussex.
P.S. Been keeping a low profile recently in the whole blogging department, because it's the season of GCSEs. I may not be 16, but I definitely have nuclear fission sussed, and I could tell you a thing or two about the Middle Ages...
