Amber Butchart's Fashion Miscellany - a review (I know, two in a row)

In advance of interviewing Amber Butchart later this week (more of that below), I was lucky enough to be sent her new book, Fashion Miscellany.  Before even opening Fashion Miscellany, you are struck by how beautifully it is presented, with a gorgeous hardback cover (in dare I say it, cerulean) and traditional gold lettering.  The book is organised much like a glossary and as such is easy to dip in and out of.  It is full of so much interesting information and covers all areas of fashion, from youth subcultures to tailoring terms, and fashion documentaries to Karl Lagerfeld's cat!  The tone of the book is very conversational, like a friend imparting a fact they've just learnt over tea and cake.

The book is also dotted with quotes regarding fashion and style from luminaries such as the ever quotable Coco Chanel and Oscar Wilde.  One of my favourites is "Style is the simple way of saying complicated things", said by Jean Cocteau (I also love Sophia Loren's "A woman's dress should be like a barbed wire fence: serving its purpose without obstructing the view"). 

So if you are interested in fashion history, learning more about the terms used or want a comprehensive index of the most influential fashion photographers throughout the past century, then this really is the book for you.  It was a joy to read Fashion Miscellany, and I'm sure I'll be looking up some of the facts now and again.  Congratulations to Amber as I hear Fashion Miscellany has almost sold out and is going into reprint and after having read it, I'm not surprised! 

*Bonus*

I'll be interviewing Amber this Friday at Puttin' on the Glitz at the British Library for The Vintage News, at a talk she is giving (along with Christopher Laverty of the Clothes on Film blog) on fashion in the 1920s and '30s.  There is also a cocktail party afterwards, hosted by our good friends The Vintage Mafia with entertainment from The AlexMendham Orchestra and hair and makeup from Pretty Me Vintage.

Book review of 'Wartime Farm', based on the BBC show

After being told by three separate people I’d love Wartime Farm, I thought it was probably worth a look.  Having missed Victorian Farm and Edwardian Farm, I had no idea what format the show would take but my friends were right, I did love Wartime Farm!  Presented by historian Ruth Goodman and archaeologists Peter Ginn and Alex Langlands, the show is a year in the life of a Hampshire farm under wartime restrictions, which got tougher and tougher as time went on.

However, I am not here to review the programme but the accompanying book (which was kindly sent to me by Octopus books).

L-R Peter Ginn, Ruth Goodman, Alex Langlands

The book is split into eight chapters covering different aspects of the wartime experience on a farm ranging from the livestock and growing food, to where all the labour came from and how people they made everything go that little bit further.

How to darn stockings – hair was often used in place of thread

The tone of the book is very similar to the show, very relaxed and friendly – not just a series of regurgitated facts.  I think because the presenters experienced some of the wartime difficulties personally, it gave the book a much more engaging tone.  I was also impressed at how humbled the writers seemed to be, acknowledging that no matter how hard they found it, at least they were never living in fear of being bombed and knew that it would eventually end.  Also, the course of the show condensed the six years of war into just 12 months.

Comparing the military timeline with what was happening on the home front

The layout of the book is very good, everything is very clearly set out and all of the information is very easily accessible.  Stills from the show abound, as do many contemporary photographs and government posters, a few of which I’d not seen before.

One thing I particularly liked about the book, is that even if you have read the original government issue books and pamphlets such as Food Facts for the Home Front and Make-do and Mend, having all the different topics collected in one volume really shows how the war really affected every aspect of a person’s life.

There is a whole chapter entitled ‘Make Do and Mend’

For those readers that are feeling a little creative, there are instructions on how to make a toy spitfire from scrap metal, how to darn stockings and how to make your own shampoo, roof tiles and soft cheese for starters!

Ruth making the dubious-looking

‘Baked Potato Pudding’

Overall, I am rather impressed with this book as I think some people will find it a very good resource as it combines many different elements of the social and agricultural history of the countryside.  As it covers so many topics, it may not go into enough depth for some, however I think it is a good starting off point for many.

Alex making a ‘skep’ for bee-keeping

I’m not sure where the series can go from the Second World War, as the country has not faced the same shortages of food since – I can’t imagine how the country would cope with the threat of impending starvation nowadays.  However, I would really like to see any subsequent series’ – and indeed books – from Peter, Ruth and Alex.

Peter making a camouflage ‘ghillie’ suit, as used by the Home Front

The truly fashionable are beyond fashion. Review of Style Me Vintage by Naomi Thompson

After spending the day with Naomi Thompson, the lady behind Vintage Secret, I was immediately compelled to read her new book ‘Style Me Vintage: Clothes’.  And this I did – cover-to-cover in an hour!  I was really impressed with the tone of the writing.  It wasn’t dumbed down, nor was it elitist as often vintage writing can be (e.g. ‘if you don’t already know, we’re not going to tell you’).

 

The day started off with Leslie and I driving down to Naomi’s lovely flat in Portsmouth.  With views of the sea, it was the perfect place to conduct our interview.  We chatted a while about Style Me Vintage, The Vintage Mafia and generally about vintage clothes.  But I’m not here to relay the entire conversation – that’s what we have our cameras for!  What I’d like to focus on today is her book.  As I said earlier, I couldn’t put it down and found it really engaging. 

The book is in two parts, firstly a decade-by-decade guide picking out the key looks, features and details of each period ranging from the ‘20s to the ‘80s.  The second half contains hints and tips for the general care and purchasing of vintage clothes.  It also has dedicated sections on foundation garments (or shapewear) and swimwear. 

The book features a few stock photos, but mainly contains photos taken just for the book, with models some of you may recognise, (did someone say the Vintage Mafia?)  The clothes shown are mostly original, including some absolutely stunning 1940s hats and 1920s frocks, but I was pleased with the inclusion of some reproduction clothing as well.  Clothes from companies such as Heydey! and a personal favourite, Puttin’ on the Ritz , are an informed addition.  The ease of care and more uniform sizing of reproduction clothing make them a viable alternative to buying purely vintage, but one that is occasionally frowned upon by some of the more diehard vintage wearers.

I also liked the way each decade was split into day and evening looks, as it is able to show, especially in the earlier decades, how social change could sometimes be slow but precursors to some key looks could be found decades earlier.

There were a fair few tidbits I found really interesting, particularly Laver’s Law and the changes in hemline.  The book is also peppered with famous quotes about style and fashion, my favourite being ‘The truly fashionable are beyond fashion’, Cecil Beaton.

For the uninitiated, there are some indispensable tips on dating, buying and trying on vintage, which are great as shopping for vintage can be rather daunting.  I will definitely be taking a tape measure out with me next time I go shopping, I can’t believe I’d not thought of it before!

At the back there is also a pick of the best vintage fashion blogs, the best sort of places to source your vintage goodies, important labels you may not know and some choice online boutiques.

Overall, (as you can probably tell) I’m really impressed with this book, and I think it will be a boon to those with previous vintage knowledge and those just getting into it.  It comes out on February 1^st and I’m sure it will be flying off the shelves (it’s currently sold out on Amazon).  Congratulations Naomi on a superb book.