Triple Fringed

My parents brought me this scarf back from Spain recently. It's dark green, velvet and fringed; they know me well! To keep the scarf in place I added a little silver fringed shoe clip. I paired it with a fringed tunic (too much fringe in one outfit is an impossibility) and leggings and boots for a casual Autumnal outfit. The belt is yet another member of my growing collection of antique EPSN belts. I can only assume this one is of Scottish origin, as it has two thistles incorporated into the design.

Cardigan (Zara), boots (Blay), tunic (boohoo), antique belt.

Black and silver sparkly nails, slightly immature but the magpie in me loves sparkles.

I Adore You

I bought this Sheri Bodell top a few weeks ago, and have been eager to share it on the blog ever since. Photos really don't do this fringed masterpiece justice. There is so much movement in the fringing, a video was practically imperative. The top is essentially a silk t-shirt with attached fringed cape, reminiscent of a piano shawl in its scale. It's deceptively difficult to get into, totally impractical and a touch too big.... but I love it.

I'm not going to win any awards for my video editing skills, but it was my first attempt and just a bit of fun! I'm wearing a vintage skirt and belt, Kurt Geiger shoes, and this Sheri Bodell top.

P.S. Brownie points if you can name the song.

Belted in Black

Finally, I have a new camera! It's basically an updated version of my old one, so it didn't take long to get the hang of. It has a couple more megapixels than the old model, which means you get to see me in even greater detail (a decision I may come to regret!). On to the outfit....this dress is the same as in this outfit, however I have jazzed it up a bit with some fringing and vintage clips. As I mentioned in the previous Bally post, I recently bought an antique EPNS nurses belt, after much searching. I saw many beautiful belts which I would have loved, but never found one small enough for my waist. So, I started looking for one which could easily have some links removed, without spoiling the design. I got this belt for a very reasonable price, and allowed my father to expertly remove a couple of panels using only a hacksaw and ruthless determination. And a very good job he did too!

Shoes (New Look), dress (H&M), antique belt

Spotted

When I told my mum I'd bought a top with giraffes on it, she was shocked to envisage her daughter in some sort of safari scene souvenir t-shirt. Alas, I am not the kind of girl to wear ironically bad taste 80's t-shirts, instead, my giraffe print top is a wonderfully spotted black and white vest, with barely visible giraffes. They're there if you look closely, but from a distance, they are cleverly camouflaged into the print. I wouldn't normally pair such a busy print top with such a stand out skirt, but I was feeling a little peculiar today. Blame it on the giraffes.

Shoes (New Look), cardigan (Topshop), vintage skirt, vest (Religion)

Piqué

A few weeks ago I mentioned I had bought two new antique brooches, the first of which was my beetle brooch, who I introduced to the world here. The second of the brooches is this example of Victorian tortoiseshell pique work. Pique refers to the technique of inlaying gold or silver into the torstoiseshell, by means of pressing a heated rod of the precious metal into the tortoiseshell, thus metling it slightly. The tortoiseshell then hardens around the precious metal as it cools. The results are amazingly refined and detailed. My brooch only showcases a small example of pique work, but much larger, more elaborate examples can be found. Good quality Victorian tortoiseshell is always in demand, and its increasingly difficult to find good examples in undamaged pique work, so I feel quite lucky to have found this brooch at a very good price (if you're interested in seeing more examples....earrings, brooch, pendant, coin purse and journal, more earrings).

Britain is going through a bit of heatwave at the moment, which means I can happily wear my favourite summer sandals. I purchased them last year, when they successfully kept my feet cool and looking pretty. I also wore my fringe top, which doesn't get nearly enough wear, and accessorised with plenty of long beaded necklaces. Todays bag is one of my most favourite vintage pieces ever. It is a c.1920's black velvet bag with gold thread work in the form of the Taj Mahal. Its kinda kitsch, but the detail is incredible and I love it!

Shoes (Bruno Premi), vintage bag, trousers (H&M), top (H&M),

Make-up shot below - I always wanted to be able to do mad black and white 60's eyemake-up (you know, like this)...but everytime I try, I fail. I think my eyes are too small to carry it off properly, but I'll keep practicing and eventually get something with more oomph than this.

Weight On My Shoulders

A couple of months ago I was fortunate enough to purchase an exquisite example of Victorian attire. When I saw this black beaded capelet come up on ebay, I knew I had to have it, and I feel lucky to have got it for under £100. The work that has gone into it is incredible, furthermore, its condition is remarkable. When I received the capelet, there were only a few areas where beads were missing, and I have spent the past couple of days fixing these, mainly along the collar. There's no doubt it's the most extravagant piece of clothing I own. The sheer amount of beadwork on the body in addition to the long beaded fringing, means it weighs a lot.  

Rogue pink bead (below), no idea why it's there...some mad Victorian did it?

Yesterday was a lazy, not-leaving-the-house kind of day, hence the messed up hair and leggings/vest combo. But I took the opportunity to take some photos in the sunshine. I can't think when I'll get the chance to wear this, but hopefully my future holds some sort of fancy event. Part of me wants to keep it on display, but I think I'm correct in saying that hanging it would cause undue stress to it? For now, it is tucked away in its tissue lined box. My favourite aspect of the capelet is the zig-zag hem of the fringing- just makes it that little bit more special.

Of course, exaggerated shoulders and fringing are bang-on trend at the moment. Whilst this is a Victorian piece, I don't think it would look out of place in a modern context. Many Victorian pieces are quite stuffy ...strict ...fuddy duddy ...just generally old fashioned (duh), but this example of Victorian eveningwear is rather desirable even today. I could see someone like Eva Green wearing it on the red-carpet (love her). There are a lot of fancy, beaded/fringed/lace capelets/evening jackets about at the moment, with a distinctive Victorian feel to them. The following 4 are all by Topshop. A large part of me wants to buy the fringed jacket at the bottom, but I feel like its one of those pieces that everyone will have. Plus, I don't fancy giving Topshop £120 for a jacket, especially when I'm paying an inflated price for its affiliation with Kate Moss (who, I couldn't care less about). 

Topshop Premium lace beaded jacket - £85

Kate Moss for Topshop ss08 - £80

Kate Moss for Topshop Christmas 07 - £?

Kate Moss for Topshop ss09 - £120

images from topshop.com