Sally SweetLove

Hello everyone,

Today I am going to share with you my new favourite vintage and Retro style dress maker. She is the lovely Sally SweetLove. I came across her work through a friend on Facebook and went over to her page to take a look at what she does. Well what I found were beautiful handmade vintage style clothes made from 40s and 50s patterns. I was so taken with her work that I asked her to make me a dress for a wedding that I had coming up. All I can say is the dress is so perfect! It's exactly what I wanted, a one of a kind and it was cheaper than many of the big name new vintage retailers.

I'm going to attach links to her test shop and Facebook page so that you can go and see her lovely work for yourselves. I asked the lovely Sally if she would mind me writing a blog post about her work but she was so happy about it that she wrote me a little piece about her life for me to share with you.

So here it is -

I have been sewing since I was at primary school , the first thing I ever made was a red corduroy bib and brace skirt , that I wore until it was bald and far too short . At school my sister and I made all our own clothes, basically knocking off any Goth style we saw on TV or in magazines, I copied a dress David Vanians wife had, and a couple of nifty Siouxsie Sioux numbers as well . At university got into the retro scene and copied whatever I could from old films teaching myself to tailor and making lots of cute 40s suits. I also made ball dresses and bridesmaid dresses for other people, it was the early 90s, with a lot of taffeta and boning lol. I kept going when I started my career as a fashion buyer , making suits for work as there was nothing 40s around . Sadly then my career took over and I only did little projects . I gave up my career two years ago and started swing again. Starting with tea dresses , then Teresa from Peggie Sues saw one of my blouses and persuaded me to make her one, then it's just snowballed from there. Now I have an International business selling to the USA , Australia and Finland to name but a few! I love that the clothes I make are unique, but most of all wearable. I don't think frocks are for special occasion, I think that femininity is a sign of strength and shows that we can really be ourselves and not follow the crowd. I hope my frocks make people happy, I have had some lovely comments back .

Sally xxx

https://www.facebook.com/SallySweetlove

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SallySweetlove

So go and check her out and tell her I said hi.

Thanks for reading, love Doris xxxx

HRH the Queen of 1950s fashion!

As a special celebration blog entry I'm
Looking back at the fab fashions that HRH Queen Elizabeth ii wore in her youth and especially in the 50s. I'm also looking at some of the late Princess Margaret's clothes too as she was also a style icon.
Now I'm not a historian or royal expert but just a loyal subject wanting to celebrate 60 years of wonderful reign from our monarch!
In her younger days the queen was at the top of the fashion stakes, even today she is always polished and dressed beautifully.
My personal favourite era of hers in the style stakes was the during 1950s as this was the decade that she came to the throne, here's some pictures for you to see what I'm talking about.
And also some pictures of her equally stylish sister, princess Margaret.

I hope her majesty has a great diamond jubilee and has many more years as our Queen!

Thanks for reading, love Doris xxxx

Glamour girls!

Evening all. There is a fab event happening later this year called twinwood festival. It's a great vintage fest here in the uk and as part of this years fun they are holding a miss twinwood glamour pageant! I have entered and it would be so great if you could all pop along and vote for me. I'll post the link to the twinwood page so you can take a look for yourselves and also a link to vote for me.

Thanks all! Love Doris xxxx

https://www.facebook.com/twinwoodevents

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150823020402657&set=a.10150806863957657.393202.30797112656&type=3

Poodle skirts and petticoats........

During the 1950's the 'poodle skirt' became a large staple of everyday fashion. Often worn by teenage girls the poodle skirt designed by  Juli Lynne Charlot became a fun fashion item that many could make easily and cheaply at home. Largely made in felt and heavy fabrics with an applique pattern of a coiffured poodle but later the applique designs moved on to flowers, other animals and birds etc.

Today the poodle skirt is largely associated with retro costumes. But I think it is classic, fun and a quick and easy way to replicate 1950s fashion and glamour. Also they are very easy to make. Once you have made one you can go on to change colours and applique patterns to go with any outfit or occasion.

I have made my own poodle skirt and plan to make allot more! I have attached many pictures of original skirts and patterns to give you some inspiration. Also a you tube video of my own homemade skirt.

My Mum made me a skirt from this original pattern

This is the pattern I used.

This is my first home made skirt.

A pretty applique idea

Audrey Hepburn wearing a circle skirt for a classy daytime look

I love this festive idea!


So I hope you have enjoyed my little look into the poodle circle skirt style!! If you get  the chance to make your own skirt I'd love to see your pictures and hear how you have got on! You can post my pictures to my facebook page - www.facebook.com/vintagedoris

Thanks for reading, Love Doris xxxx

Visiting the swinging 60's!

Hello everyone! I hope youve all had a great weekend? We have and at last the sun came out to see us, it seems to have been raining for so long!

Well today Im going to be looking back at the swinging 60's! As I live in Essex just outside of London I have always been interested in the London scene during the 60's. My Dad was around and 'on the scene' during this time as he was a young thing living near the city he remembers the era well.

My favourite look of the 60's is the MOD look, with haircuts by the now late great Vidal Sassoon, clothing from the likes of Mary Quant and Biba. Some of the bright young things of the day were Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton, Cilla Black, Lulu, David Bailey and Peggy Moffit.

First of all I want to show you some pictures of Vidal Sassoon and his iconic haircuts. His influence is still felt today within hairstyling e.g Victoria Beckhams recent 'pob' haircut were she had an asymmetric bob cut is very similar to some Sassoon 60's bobs. Also the 'pixie cut' comes from his hair cut on Mia Farrow on the film Rosemary's baby.

Vidal Sassoon cuts Mia Farrow's hair in a 'pixie cut'.

Moving on next to my top three models of the 60's, Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton and Peggy Moffit.

Twiggy

Twiggy

Jen Shrimpton

Jen Shrimpton

Peggy Moffit

Peggy Moffit

The fashion of the 60's was really different to that of the 40's and 50's but in some ways similar, e.g still glam and still holing on to some of the 50' look. But my best look from the 60's comes from Mary Quant -

Mary Quant

Mary Quant clothing

I have been inspired to do a Twiggy makeup look after researching for this blog post! So here is my version of the twiggy look. Next I plan to do Peggy Moffit!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTKOf2qnRSc&feature=BFa&list=UUfePGZTJ0Q2dfDzRgjdU3MA

Thanks for taking a look back at the swinging sixties with me!!

Thanks for reading, Love Doris xxx