It has become something of a New Year tradition for me to make up a list of all the books I’ve read in the past year. This year I managed to rack up 72 titles, which may sound impressive but most of these were light reading in the way of mysteries and whodunnits [...]
Tag Archives: books
Book Review: 1930s Fashion: The Definitive Sourcebook
1930s Fashion: The Definitive Sourcebook is THE book for vintage girls to put on their Christmas wish list this year. Essentially, this is just one big drool-maker. There is a concise and intelligent overview on fashion during the decade in the introduction, and then it gets stuck right into what we all [...]
Book Review: Alexander McQueen Fashion Visionary
Like Princess Diana or JFK, most people will remember where they were when they heard Alexander McQueen had died. I was on Twitter, and the news jolted me out of everyday work mode with a crack. Lee McQueen wasn’t just a designer, he was ground-breaking, eccentric, fearless, funny, and fragile; an artist, the [...]
Historical Sticker Dolly Dressing: 1920s Fashion
I know, I know. I’m too old for dolls. But I am utterly smitten with this sticker book from Usborne from their new series Historical Sticker Dolly Dressing. This one focuses on the 20s, and it a total delight. The book is filled with illustrations of pretty 1920s girls (each with their own [...]
Book Review: Wartime Farm
The final episode of BBC series ‘Wartime Farm’ is coming up soon, and if you have enjoyed the series there is now an accompanying book. Like its predecessors, the Victorian and Edwardian Farms, the show looks at what agriculture and rural life were like during a turning point of British history. If you haven’t had [...]
Review: Marilyn Remembered, The Official Treasures 1926-1962
It isn’t a hugely original statement to make, but I love Marilyn Monroe. There are better actresses, and more beautiful ones, and her story is certainly a sad one. But there is something about her that just glows, and generation after generation continue to fall in love with her. The most recent [...]
Book Review: Tea and Cake by Emma Block
One of my fellow travellers on our recent vintage trip to York was the crazily talented illustrator Emma Block. We got chatting, and I found out that Emma has recently illustrated a book jam packed with afternoon tea recipes. Now, tea, cake, books and pretty illustrations are all up there with my favourite [...]
Review: The Little Book of Schiaparelli
This may be titled The Little Book of Schiaparelli, but like Mary Poppin’s carpet bag, it packs in much more than you would at first expect. From the outside it has a similar look to the sort of books which are given as gifts: they tend to look pretty but contain nothing very [...]
A Bargain Vintage Knitting Book
If you follow me on twitter you will have seen that I spent this last bank holiday weekend in York, which I only returned from last night. I was there with a few fellow bloggers as part of a press trip to explore vintage shopping and cultural options in the city. It [...]
Book Review: The Shoe and The Handbag
Carlton Books recently sent me two new fashion books to review; The Handbag by Carmel Allen, and The Shoe by Tamsin Blanchard. Right up front, if you are a dedicated vintage nut these books will not be detailed enough for you. But for those who enjoy fashion of all periods and aren’t looking [...]
1960s polka dot mod dress by Berketex
1970s green and red tartan knit jumper dress
1960s black and white check blanket dress
1970s floral print hippy smock dress by Emanuelle
