FASHION OF THE 60'S IN CARNABY STREET, LONDON...

Many fashion traditions were broken during the 1960s, especially those in the United Kingdom. But the most famous street of all in London which housed independent fashion boutiques and designers was 'Carnaby Street'.

According to wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnaby_Street by the 1960's, Carnaby Street proved for followers of both the Mod and hippie styles. Many independent fashion boutiques, and designers such as Mary Quant, Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin,[6] Lord John, Merc, Take Six, and Irvine Sellars were located in Carnaby Street as well as various underground music bars such as the Roaring Twenties in the surrounding streets. With bands such as Small Faces, The Who, and Rolling Stones appearing in the area to work (with the legendary Marquee Club located round the corner in Wardour Street), shop, and socialize, it became one of the coolest destinations associated with the Swinging London of the 1960's.Harry Fox and Henry Moss opened the first ladies boutique in Carnaby Street called "Lady Jane" in 1966.

The Carnaby Street contingent of Swinging London stormed into North American and international awareness with the April 15, 1966 publication of Time magazine's cover[7] and article that extolled this street's role:

It now has its own website http://www.carnaby.co.uk/
which has
Womenswear
Menswear
Children's Fashion
Hair, Health & Beauty
Home & Lifestyle
Accessories
Cafes
Bars
Restaurants
Nightlife
Fitness
Hotels
Newburgh Quarter
Kingly Court

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.