STYLE - Vintage Clothes on Celebrities

Pure Silk Flapper Dress of the 1920's - made by Martha Battaglia & Louise M. Battaglia in their factory in New York City. Sold at auction in  2000

When I was growing up in the 60s and 70s it was easy to come by the vintage treasures of the 20s/30s and 40s and even farther back to the ethereal clothes from the Victorian era. Beaded embroidered dresses, velvet opera capes, oriental satin kimonos and fur coats could be picked up at flea markets for very little money. I remember the crocodile handbags with heads on the catches, and the fox fur stoles with heads and tails attached. I was tiny in those days and often wore unimaginably fine cotton children's smock dresses which were adorned with hand made lace and embroidery with my jeans and boots.  Over the years and the many moves they were lost in time.

Victorian child's dressvictorian elegance



Fox shawl

Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac rocks the top hat with her own design clothes and vintage mix.

Many people wore vintage items, especially celebrities. The look for women was very feminine with a touch of Hollywood starlet. Although some were more restrained than others it was also okay to pile it all on together making for a real vintage queen bohemian look. Janis Joplin wore her vintage clothes all the time, not just onstage.



Janis Joplin, the cover shot "Pearl" album cover, Hollywood, California, 1970 © Barry Feinstein

Men went through a period of romantic revival as they strutted in their finery like the dandies of the Victorian and Georgian ages. Dickensian orphans meet steampunk before steampink was invented. Some men took to wearing ladies blouses with mixed results. Roger Daltrey was one who really wore it well.



The Who shot by Jim Marshall. Roger is pretty in vintage pink. Pete is a Pearly King.

THE SHAWLS AND QUILTS

Victorian embroidered shawls and diamond patterned patchwork quilts were draped over sofas, hung at windows and piled high on beds with cushions. Sadly some were cut up to make clothes which perished with wear or were discarded as fashion moved on. But how bright they blazed while they lasted!



Vintage embroidered 'piano' shawl



Jimmy Page wearing a coat made from a vintage shawl and in his peacock chair adorned with one.

Victoria Vanderbuilt in her victorian patchwork blanket coat.

VINTAGE JEWELS



When I was a teenager I inherited some beaded 1920's necklaces from one of my Grandmothers. They were good quality glass bead. Intricately put together necklaces, many strands twisted into plaited strings, long and with larger more beautiful beads forming tassles at the end. They were definitely evening wear but I remember wearing them all of the time. Once while dancing a strand broke and the floor of the dancehall was covered with tiny glistening beads. We were all immortal then and although I was sad to lose my necklace it never occurred to me that it would be hard to find another. Or that one of the precious links with my Grandmother was gone forever.

Kate Middleton and the tiara

Of course the vintage look comes most naturally to those from old families. On her wedding day Catherine Middleton kept to the tradition of 'something borrowed' by wearing a tasteful but stunning tiara from the royal collection. The Cartier 'Halo’ tiara, lent to Miss Middleton by The Queen was made in 1936 and  purchased by King George VI for his wife, Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) just three weeks before he succeeded his brother as King. The tiara was presented to Elizabeth II by her mother on the occasion of her 18th birthday. As the tiara is part of the Crown Jewels, it can only be lent to Catherine, and will return there when she dies, or when the Queen requests.


THE VINTAGE LOOK TODAY


Over the years the vintage look peaked and was replaced by the power dressing of the 90s with the horribly large shoulder pads and the tight short skirts. I kept as many of my old items as my gypsy lifestyle allowed. After much searching for a wedding dress I decided to wear a 1960s Chanel style little black wool and lace dress I'd bought at Antiquarius in the King's Road for £6.00 many years before. I have always preferred vintage to modern. It's better made, the fabric is higher quality and it fits better. Unless you can afford couture the high street shops just do not compare to vintage. Of course vintage couture is the ultimate!