Frock Me! 1960s style and beyond

 This post is long overdue and I have so been looking forward to bringing it to you!  We are back at the Frock Me! vintage fair at Chelsea Town Hall, making the acquaintance of the fabulous Frillseekers Vintage:

The next Frock Me! vintage fair will be at Chelsea Town Hall on Sunday June 30th, 11am-5.30pm

At first I thought that the stall was focused on 1960s design, but it turned out that it was just my inexplicable love for 60s design that made me zoom in on those pieces!  They do however carry a great range of items all the way from the 1920s and have the most beautiful pieces for day and evening wear.

I was oh so pleased to find the gorgeous jacket above, as I adore the tall 60s collars – think Jackie O, Audrey Hepburn.  The top above was just so beautiful in its elegant white, gray and black colours and the distinctive cut.  It was a size too big for me, but some lucky lady will buy it and I know that they will live happily ever after!

Buttons above that are so characteristic of the 60’s 

I found myself drawn to the patterns above, and from chatting with the trader Caroline we agreed that there were strong Marimekko influences in these pieces.  Marimekko is, as you might already know, a very famous Finnish brand that has been around since 1951.  I have always been surrounded with these beautiful patterns, and they are fascinating as the style seems to appeal to so many people.  I even ran into a lovely Marimekko wall piece in Cape Town once – you can probably imagine how proud that made my Finnish self!  I am now very pleased to have found a Marimekko shop in London, as  it is the perfect antidote to homesickness for me!

Now back to Frillseekers – I was very pleased to find out that we can make appointments with Caroline at her studio, or find her on Portobello Market on Fridays, and get the chance to buy these amazing pieces.  So to market, to market my friend! 

Your Secret Jewellery Collection – part 1

So I have asked you to send me a photo of your jewellery collection, as I am writing a series on your treasure troves, and will post Your photos for a change!  Hopefully this will inspire us all to do something pretty will the beautiful pieces that we have in our possession.  Your Secret Jewellery Collection part 1 is here with us today from the lovely Sweden:

Luminous pearls on gold – with that divine Princess Crown-detail, in a vintage glass bowl

We are being treated to sneak peek into a young lady’s beautiful collection where this elegant pearl necklace is being kept.  You can see the precious gold details on the necklace, as well as the delicate Princess Crown-design on the lock.  I love the simplicity of the glass bowl as it brings out the beauty in these pieces so well.  Glass bowls are always a great choice, as you can see the pieces without having to open the box – especially perfect when in a hurry!

Small gold coloured boxes with a beautifully painted lid are keeping the treasures safe and sound

These boxes add to the beauty of the collection and help you remember where you are keeping all the different pieces

These two beautiful boxes are also part of her collection, and the lovely colours and design give such a romantic touch.  Having a few different boxes for your jewellery will also help you remember what you are keeping in each one of them.  When I have kept my jewellery in one single box, I have often ended up rummaging through it in a state of panic, trying to find that one piece that goes so well with the outfit!

Simple and beautiful design for your hidden treasures

And finally she has also shared with us this lovely heart-shaped box, in which jewellery of the same colour palette reside.  This is very helpful for outfit inspiration, as you will want to wear something light and pretty when looking into this box.  Thanks hun for sharing!

We are now looking forward to seeing whose collection will make up part 2 in the series!

Elegant designs at the Pop Up Vintage Fair

We are continuing our adventure at Saturday’s Pop Up Vintage Fair as there are a couple more stands that deserve our full attention. 

Some glittering treasures caught our eye at this one stand, and since I am currently searching for a pearl necklace and bracelet for a bride-to-be, we decided to stop and take a closer look.  The stall was Arabella Bianco and I ended up having a very interesting chat about vintage jewellery with the owner, who is so passionate and knowledgeable about the trade.  I noted the excellent condition of her collection, something that can sometimes be hard to find in vintage jewellery. 

Arabella Bianco‘s stunning jewellery

I was actually looking at some jewellery in a shop in Cape Town last autumn, when an older lady started talking to me, explaining that she used to wear her finer jewellery only on special occasions and would always keep them tucked away in small pouches, to make sure that the metals and gemstones wouldn’t get scratched.   She then had a chuckle as she told me that some of the things that we were browsing through now were pieces she recognised from her own jewellery collection when she was younger.  So thanks to lovely ladies like her we are now able to wear these fabulous pieces in all their splendour!

Going the races, anyone?  Stunning fascinator at Titania Fisher Milliner – with a side of a roaring leopard

We then came across Titania Fisher Milliner, with these beautifully handmade fascinators.  She uses silk from old clothes, vintage crystals, Victorian costume jewellery, old buttons – basically as little new materials as possible for an ethical approach to her designs.  With a silversmith background she also does all her own the copper-work, something that really blew us away.  This puts such a unique touch to the pieces, all the way to the smallest detail.  Let’s have a look at her wonderful collection, which we also found to be incredibly reasonably priced!

Titania Fisher Millinery – loving the colour combination here… beautiful turquoise and greens

Fabulous details all the way down to the hand-worked copper details 

Glad to say that all the colours of the rainbow were represented

Fantastic variation in the styles as well, which we adored 

Gosh, all these incredibly talented women working with their passion!  It is a pure joy writing about you all, keep up the good work and keep making the world a more beautiful place please.

You have your chance to catch Pop Up Vintage Fairs tomorrow, Saturday May 25th, also at Old Spitalfields Market!  You can also find them  at the Islington Assembly Hall, Upper Street N1 2UD on Sunday 2nd June.

A Vintage Rose Collection to fall in love with

London is a Wonderland of vintage fairs, so if vintage, antiques, beautifully handcrafted pieces and sweet handpicked things are your cup of tea, every weekend will bring you a wonderful selection of places to visit.

On Saturday we went to the Pop Up Vintage Fair at Old Spitalfields Market, and boy were there beautiful things on display and for sale!  I love the atmosphere at these events, as it is always buzzing with excitement, the traders are happy to talk you through their pieces and the temptations are just too great..!  The Pop Up Vintage Fairs bring an array of traders who offer everything from ladies and menswear – designer and affordable – to a gorgeous selection of jewellery, fashion accessories, furnishings, homeware, posters, antique maps and more… we are in love!

This is the first blog post out of two from this lovely day:

I wouldn’t mind cruising around in one of these on a sunny summer’s day!

The first stop was the Vintage Rose Collection with their beautiful selection of home furnishings.  Shabby chic, country and vintage were the key words here, and I was especially drawn to the lovely owls that are such a strong trend right now:

Beautiful books with owl motifs 

Stunning metal owl t-light holder – we are loving the shabby chic look!

You get so many ideas for decorating your house at these fairs and I love buying these one-off pieces – rather than things from the high street – as it encourages these independent traders and really makes your home your own, as every piece tells their own little story, and together they express your specific style.  Finding the right trader whose taste is in line with yours is also such a treat, and I am pretty sure I won’t be the only one browsing through the selection of romantic teapots, farm yard trays, classic bird baths and stunning lanterns – just to mention a few – on the Vintage Rose Collection website.

 Milk Churn which makes me want to get my own cow to milk! 

Vintage Rose Small Jug – which would be so beautiful as a vase for a bunch of pretty flowers

In these Vintage Summer Cases you can stylishly store your treasures away

And this Lavender Pattern Watering Can makes watering the flowers a pure joy!

We were finally able to tear ourselves away from this beautiful stall, and continued on to the food section… mmm… these fairs are so amazing as you can find anything!  At the lovely Cherry Tree stall we obviously couldn’t keep our hands – or mouths – away:

How about some Piquant Pepper Jelly from The Cherry Tree – obviously wearing our favourite Monet bracelet!

If you missed Saturday’s glorious fair, Pop Up Vintage Fairs will actually be coming back to Old Spitalfields Market this coming Saturday, May 25th.  You can also find them  at the Islington Assembly Hall, Upper Street N1 2UD on Sunday 2nd June.

Happy browsing sweetheart – and yes, there sure is something for all ages:

The Great Gatsby movie review

So as you know Friday night was finally Great Gatsby-movie night for me, and since I have had quite a few requests for a review I decided to bring you one today – no spoilers, I promise!

Just some Great Gatsby-fever across London: Cineworld Cinema, Haymarket, London…

… Harrods’ window display

First of all, if you can read the book before watching the movie I would warmly recommend that you do.  Not only is Fitzgerald’s book one of the greatest books of the 20th century; having read it also gives you a whole new dimension to the movie.  Since you already know the characters and the enticing storyline, you will be able to focus fully on the acting, the style and grandeur that this movie so beautifully brings us.

All these charming accessories that you need for the perfect cocktail party – these specific ones can be found at Harrods’ 

Some people have had their reservations about Baz Luhrmann directing it, so we will start there.  His specific style of directing does shine through and you will inevitably think of Moulin Rouge in a couple of the scenes, but he has kept very close to the original writing, probably knowing that straying too much from it would upset a lot of viewers.  I really enjoyed hearing the familiar lines from the book spoken in the beautiful world of pearls, feathers and extravagant automobiles, and the way the parties, characters, surroundings and events are described by Toby Macguire’s character are just delightful.  The scenes are set up with glamour at the heart of everything, something that Luhrmann does best, so in my eyes this is the perfect movie for him and I take off my feather and sparkle adorned hat to him!

More pieces to create that perfect 20s look

 Stunning Tiffany window display

I was then swept off my feet in the scene where Daisy is introduced to us, as the most breathtaking light catches her and the exquisite jewellery that she wears – the dream picture for any photographer and jewellery enthusiast.  From that scene onwards I (of course) found myself zooming in on the jewellery and it was so exciting to be able to identify the Savoy Headpiece and the Pearl Tassel Necklace from Friday’s post, and to revel in this world of glamour and splendour.

In my eyes Carey Mulligan captures Daisy’s spirit very well and I think she did a wonderful job interpreting the part of this whimsical young lady.  Leonardo diCaprio is an amazing Gatsby and I understand that critics are raving about his performance.

Some funny (and not completely unexpected) comments were heard from the group of girls sitting in front of us:  “Leo wearing that white jumper… oh he was so hot!” “Yes, and he looked gorgeous in that swimsuit!”  This is something the movie does so well: capturing the look of the era so effortlessly.  Leo’s bathing suit is indeed one that we wouldn’t see a man wearing today, yet somehow he makes it work!  Ladies, you will appreciate the mere aesthetics of it, and gentlemen – you will start thinking about whether you can pull it off this summer.  Just Google 1920s bathing suit men and you will see how hard it is to make it look good.

I know that a lot of people have gone to watch this movie with the intention of comparing it to the original book and/or movie, and to look for faults and discrepancies.  It is however my firm belief that if you go and see it with the intention of enjoying the brilliance of the Roaring Twenties, the exciting costumes and the beauty in it all, you will have a wonderful experience.

So do enjoy my lovely, and I would love to hear your thoughts on it!

Friday night outfit in the air of the twenties

Tiffany’s Great Gatsby treasures

From the previous Great Gatsby post we know that Tiffany & Co have created the jewellery collection for the movie, and today we are getting to take a closer look at these breathtaking pieces.  What we love the most is that Tiffany give us not only the extravagant Jazz Age Glamour-collection, but also the more modestly priced pieces in the form of the Ziegfeld Collection.  The latter has been given its name after the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York which was built in 1927, but oh so sadly torn down in 1966.

An interesting fact before we dive into these treasures is that Mr Scott Fitzgerald himself used to be a customer of Tiffany’s in New York, so the jeweler is indeed very well suited for designing the pieces for the movie.  Since they were already a well established brand in the 1920s it must have been wonderful to take on this project, and go through old archives to capture the spirit of this amazing era!

  

Yellow Diamond Daisy Brooch

As we are introduced to the beautiful Daisy in the Great Gatsby, we all know that a fabulous piece of jewellery in the shape of a daisy is a must; and Tiffany don’t disappoint.  The Yellow Diamond Daisy Brooch comes with platinum-set diamonds and a Tiffany yellow diamond surrounded by white diamonds, and brings out deep sighs in all of us, as we simply love…

 

The Savoy Headpiece

The Savoy Headpiece

The Savoy Headpiece is a 1920s style headpiece adorned with beautiful freshwater cultured pearls and round brilliant diamonds.   I can’t think of anything in my wardrobe that wouldn’t go with this!

 

Pearl Tassel Necklace

This Pearl Tassel Necklace takes our breath away: lovely freshwater cultured pearls are the essence of this beauty, and it brings thoughts back to Coco Chanel’s golden days in the 20s.  Her way of wearing long pearl necklaces became the quintessential costume jewellery piece for the fashionable ladies, and with Tiffany also encouraging ladies to wear stunning pearls during this era, all we can do is put our hands up and surrender to their beauty.

Pearl Tassel Necklace and Pearl Necklace

Above you can see the beautiful Pearl Tassel Necklace together with another Pearl Necklace from the collection, and the pearl necklace consists of 87 inches of  5-8mm freshwater pearls.  I popped into Selfridges yesterday to take a closer look and it is even more divine in real life, with soft, luminous pearls that so elegantly glow in the light.  I am sure you can imagine yourself wrapping it around your neck a few times for that perfect 20s look, before grabbing your sparkling clutch and heading out for a drink with the girls!

 

Ziegfeld Collection Pearl Ring

The Ziegfeld Collection Pearl Ring  has become the favourite for so many with its clean Art Deco-design.  It carries a beautiful black onyx, surrounded by freshwater cultured pearls, and captures the air of the twenties so perfectly.  The colours make it such a versatile piece as it can be worn with a dress in any colour – we love!

I simply cannot wait until this evening, as I have tickets to finally go and watch the movie!  Since it is shown in 3D it gives us the opportunity to get really close to all the jewellery and see the fine details even better, which is why I think it was so important to get all the pieces just right.

And it is so easy to add a bit of 1920s elegance to your outfit:  red lips are a must, pearls draped many times around your neck and some Art Deco-jewellery and you are ready to go!

Red lips, pearls and art deco style jewellery is all you need to create the look from the Roaring Twenties! 

A Tiffany & Co. Love Story

A very special post is coming up tomorrow about the beautiful jewellery collection for the Great Gatsby movie, designed by Tiffany & Co.  In anticipation of it I wanted to give you a surprise-Thursday-post where we look at the history of this extraordinary jeweler.

Today is a perfect day to wear my favourite Tiffany’s bow pendant to get some more inspiration for this post

Few brands are as well-known around the world as Tiffany & Co and few others I would say bring out the same awe and admiration in us.  Tiffany’s contribution to the world of jewellery lists not only stunning designs, beautiful metals and precious stones, but also creative innovations, like the Tiffany Setting from 1886, which became the ultimate setting for a diamond engagement ring, allowing adequate light to enter the stone as well as providing a secure setting for it.  And do I even need to mention the world’s most wonderful movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which made the store on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street one the world’s most sought after places to visit?

The fact that Tiffany dates back 176 years makes it all the more interesting for our blog, as there are plenty of antique Tiffany pieces out there to dream about.  I have been in love with the brand ever since I first watched the Audrey Hepburn movie and so I am absolutely delighted to be looking into Tiffany’s history with you today.

I love wearing this beautiful necklace with an LBD – it goes from work to drinks so effortlessly, always looking elegant and beautiful

As way of background, Charles Tiffany and John Young established Tiffany & Young in 1837, selling stationery and other fancy goods.  They used the same blue box-design for packaging to display quality as what we see today, which makes up such a distinctive part of their image.  The company was renamed Tiffany & Co in 1853 when Charles Tiffany gained full control.  The 1929 stock market crash presented some challenging times, but they made it through maintaining their good name and quality goods, and eventually Tiffany stores could be found around the world, thank goodness for that!

As you might already know, Tiffany is known for its extraordinary diamonds, and the most well-known one is the incredible Tiffany Yellow Diamond, acquired in 1878 from the Kimberley diamond mines in South Africa.  It is one of the largest diamonds ever discovered and was cut from 287.42 carats to 128.54 carats to bring out its brilliance.  It has been displayed at many expositions but I find it so fascinating that it has only been known to have been worn by two women during its lifetime: Mrs Sheldon Whitehouse at the 1957 Tiffany Ball and Audrey Hepburn in 1961 for the Breakfast at Tiffany’s publicity photographs.  The diamond can still be viewed at Tiffany’s on 5th Avenue, now reset in a necklace with stunning white diamonds for Tiffany’s 175th anniversary in 2012.

Here is a sneak peek into tomorrow’s post my lovely, when I look forward to seeing you again:

© 2013 Tiffany & Co 

This is the stunning Savoy Headpiece created for The Great Gatsby-movie by Tiffany & Co.  Freshwater cultured pearls and round brilliant diamonds adorn the stunning 1920s-style design, and makes us wish that we were born a little over 100 years ago.  More to come tomorrow!

Charbonnel et Walker jewellery box inspiration

I have found that keeping my jewellery in pretty little boxes make me more inspired to choose something pretty to wear every day, so I wanted to give you a few ideas in case you are struggling to get your jewellery corner in order (in anticipation of that walk-in-closet one day) :

For the past six years I have collected my treasures in these beautiful Charbonnel et Walker boxes.  The joys are therefore twofold: first you get to enjoy the amazing chocolates and truffles, then you get to make use of the pretty box! 

So you can imagine my excitement when I walked into the beautiful Charbonnel et Walker shop on Old Bond Street:

I love that the boxes come in a range of beautiful colours, so you can easily match your golds with the warmly coloured boxes, and your silvers with the cooler coloured ones.  That way you will always get your colour palette right in the morning, no matter how rushed you are – yes, total jewellery-geek warning but oh so useful!

Gorgeous designs, amazing sweets – and then imagine these beauties in your summer jewellery collection…

Different depths and sizes for those chunky necklaces and bracelets – we simply love!

The allure of a magnificent leopard

We have briefly looked at this fabulous leopard bracelet when it made a brief appearance on Portobello Road, and today we’ll take a look at how it can be worn:

A vintage-style leopard bracelet in gold colour, with gorgeous black and sparkling stones

Perfect for jazzing up your work outfit for those after work drinks

I have found that really extravagant jewellery like this often go very well with a leather jacket, as it brings out an rock chic look which you simply can’t go wrong with!  The locking system is so very cleverly developed, where the tail locks into the leopard’s mouth, bringing it all together in a perfect circle.

 My favourite part about this bracelet is how well made it is; when you put it on the leopard drapes itself around your wrist and comes to a perfect rest.  This is a wonderful reproduction of real life leopards on the savanna, that enjoy lying motionless on tree branches, looking down at the world below.

If you want to read a bit more about leopards the National Geographic have a great page about them here.  They really are such magnificent creatures.

London in the grip of The Great Gatsby-fever

Right now London is dwelling in the most wonderful Great Gatsby obsession, excitedly awaiting the premier next week!  The windows of both Harrods and Tiffany’s are decorated so beautifully with pearls, flapper dresses, amazing 20s hairstyles, glitter and glamour:

Harrods stunning window displays ahead of The Great Gatsby premier next week

Flapper dresses and the famous 1920s bob  

We are dreaming away in this ocean of gorgeous jewellery – someone throw a 1920s themed party please!

Feathers, sequins, stunning fabrics… what more can a girl ask for?

The accessories are just divine in the window displays at the moment…

As you might already know,  Tiffany & Co has designed Daisy’s jewellery collection for the movie and I am hoping to be able to write a post about it next week… let’s be patient for now and make do with a sneak peek in their New Bond Street window:

A preview of Tiffany’s Great Gatsby collection – hoping to show you some more next week!

I just finished reading the book a second time, and if you haven’t yet read it I would warmly recommend that you do before watching the movie.  Fitzgerald’s use of language is so beautiful and the book gives a wonderful illustration of life during the Roaring Twenties in the US.

So I think you should get a bunch of girlfriends together, get dressed up in your favourite dress, put on some vintage jewellery and  go and watch the movie once it comes out!