HOW IT WAS IN THE 1950's...

 

Think holiday camps and Butlins with home bars and cocktail cabinets a very fashionable accessory in your home.



Flat-packed furniture was introduced with tops laminated in a marble or wood effect.



The Queen's Coronation meant mass production of souvenir items, from biscuit tins to cigarette holders.



Tupperware parties were popping up with melamine plastic tableware very fashionable.



Wall art and prints of swans and flamingos, think Coronation Street. Everything was patterned, from wallpaper, carpets, curtains and cushions which are coming back into fashion at the moment.



The most popular tipple of the 1950's was Babycham with collectable glasses with the babysham on them.


How strange that some of these things are coming back into fashion again :)

VINTAGE FABRICS FROM THE 1900's TO THE 1980's...

 

If your looking for that vintage fabric then this is the online store to head to, www.donnaflower.com
Donna Flower is the online store for beautiful antique, vintage and retro fabrics. From 19th Century French fabrics to fabrics from the 1980's, they have a wide range to suit all. They also sell items made from vintage, recycled fabrics.

Whether you are looking for small pieces of fabric for quilting or yardage for curtains, or dressmaking, they have a huge stock and may have just what you are looking for.

She also sells beautiful buttons, vintage ribbon and twine.

Donna sells to collectors worldwide, particularly the Japanese, who love Liberty 'Lawn' fabric. She also visits vintage fairs in the West Country to meet dealers and buyers face to face. On 1st July, she will be at the Country House Vintage at Castle Hill, Filleigh, South Molton, Devon (www.countryhousevintage.com)

CHIC ON A SHOESTRING BOOK REVIEW...

 

Why throw out your old clothes when they can be transformed for very little money? With an eye for all things 'stylishly vintage', Mary Jane takes throw-away items and illustrates how they can be used to create a host of covetable clothes and accessories.
An old tie can be turned into a purse, knitting needle holder, cute corsage and a belt. Silk scarves can make a return as a sexy top or skirt, and T-shirts as funky 40s-style turbans. 'Chic on a Shoestring' will take you through - step-by-step - all you need to know to create fabulous clothes and accessories you actually want to wear, and provide you with lots of variations and inspiration to foster your own style.
And with advice on how to find useful treasures at markets, charity shops and vintage stores, you will be making your own creations in no time.
It's packed with brilliant ideas for sewing vintage-style accessories for virtually nothing.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE SPIROGRAPH...

Did you have a Spirograph?

It was developed by Denys Fisher a British engineer in 1965.

They called it a 'toy that kept children entertained hours on end', and was simply comprised of plastic circles and rings as well as different shapes with ridged edges that resembled gears. I bet you'd never see children today playing with this like we did.

You could make some amazing unique designs by using coloured pens and tracing the inside of the plastic ridged shapes.

Apparently it became so popular that it won the Educational Toy of the Year award for three years running from 1965 to 1967. Due to its popularity Spirograph designs started appearing in the world of fashion as well as in Op Art.

SEWING VINTAGE MODERN by Nora Abousteit and Jamie Lau...

SEWING VINTAGE MODERN...

BurdaStyle Sewing Vintage Modern by Nora Abousteit and Jamie Lau [Hardcover]is due out on the 11th December 2012, so an ideal Christmas gift and available from www.amazon.co.uk

The editors show key fashion looks of the past and deconstructs them so sewers can learn to use these iconic elements to make their own sylish clothes.

Using five basic patterns for a dress, blouse, trousers, trench and skirt, the book gives step-by-step instruction on how to apply versatile techniques from the 1920s through to the 1980s to create an inspiring collection of fresh, new looks.

Fashion designers have always looked back to move forward and budding designers and fashion savvy sweres will use this indispensible resource as a springboard to an amazing range of sewing possibilities.

VINTAGE FABRICS AND TRIMS...

Donna Flower is one of the biggest online store specialising in beautiful antique, vintage and retro fabrics. From 19th Century French textiles to fabrics from the 1980's.

Whether you are looking for small pieces of fabric for quilting or yardage for curtains, or dressmaking, they have a huge stock range to choose from. You can even email them if you do not see what you want on the website as their online selection is not their full range.

They also have some great Christmas gift ideas, from gold floral terrecotta vases, Inspiritus Christmas Candle Floral pots, or a Vintage Button Bag for your Vintage lover friend.

Head to the website for loads of ideas http://www.donnaflower.com/

SHOES THROUGH THE CENTURIES...

Shoes are by no means a 20th Century invention, in fact Japanese geisha'ss wore 'wooden geta', which were thonged sandals mounted on two blocks of wood, which gave them height and made them walk with what they called a provocativee gait'.

In the 15th - 17th centuries shoes were given extra height by a platform sole called a chopine.

During the time of Louis X1V and Marie Antoinette, in the 17th Century, Paris, the heel really became a fashion trend but by 1789, Josephine Bonaparte wore flat shoes and then the most fashionable women wore them as well.

By the mid 19th Century, heels were back in vogue again and in the 20th Century, heels fluctuated as often as the skirt lengths.

In the 1940's, they were high and wedge-shaped and in the 1950's high and pointy (my mums favourite). In 1960 there were low kitten heels as well as high stilettos. The 1970's saw a revival of the 1940's wedge, and the rise of the platform. The 1980's was linked to the stiletto and in fact the working girls of the 1980's wore high heels to the boardroom as well as the bedroom.

The stiletto heel came into vogue in the 1950's when a pair of stiletto court shoes was as essential a part of a woman's wardrobe as her gloves, hat and handbag, and preferably all matching.

The word stiletto means sharp dagger.

Roger Vivier is the fashion designer credited for making the stiletto heel so fashionable due to his designs for Christian Dior.

Many osteopaths agree that the shape of your spine have been irrevocably altered into high heel mode.

VINTAGE SEWING PATTERNS...

With Vintage Fashion being the 'one to wear' at the moment, it is no surprise that Vintage Sewing Patterns are also making a comeback.

One website http://www.sovintagepatterns.com/vintagepatterns.html has over 4,000 hand selected true vintage not copies dress making sewing patterns to choose from!

One example is a 1940s beautiful strapless evening gown dress, flowing cascade overskirt, which was a Vogue Couturier Pattern.

And it's not just patterns for vintage style dresses that this website has but also lingerie slips patterns, which they say is 'totally Audrey Hepburn'.

Other's on offer are 1970s Dress Patterns for Betsey Johnson patterns, 1960 Dress Patterns , Movie Star Patterns, Evening Gown Patterns, 1900-1930s Dress Patterns, 1950s Dress Patterns for new additions, Vogue Couturier Patterns.

Their choice in vintage patterns is wide with the big band swing era 1940s and the glamorous 1950s being their speciality!

And for the home-maker or collector they offer a vast selection of vintage apron patterns from 1920s to the 60s, as well as children's patterns, such cute clothing styles from 1910s to the funky 70s!

They also have fabulous Hats purses and gloves and a wide selection of slips, robes lounging pyjamas and nightgown patterns.

So, get that sewing machine out of the attic and give it a good dusting down as you have no excuse now to not have a vintage style dress in your wardrobe. Of course, the patterns would also make a great Christmas present for someone you know who adores vintage wear.

You can also get some patterns on ebay but personally after browsing the internet this website has by far the biggest and best choice of vintage patterns