The Original Flappers

Celebrating the Roaring Twenties in a Special Series

I love the idea behind this fashion shoot, presenting 1920s inspired clothing that has in turn been inspired by the style of the original flappers. The editorial, photographed beautifully by Martyn Thompson, presents fashion that is vintage in itself, for it dates from the October/Novomber 1988 issue of FOLLOW me magazine.

The Roaring Twenties remains such a fascinating period for so many factors, chief amongst them being that it was such a period of lighting fast change; a wild party set between the dark days of First World War and the dismal days of the depression. There was the emancipation of women and a new revolution in fashion: bobbed hair and short frocks, and a new breed of la garçonne. Here’s fashion inspired by Edith Sitwell, Daisy Fellowes, Nancy Cunard, and Ladies Diana Cooper and Thelma Furness. Click the images for a closer look and read a little about each of these fascinating women.

Nostalgia Day

Australian Vogue's first stand alone cover, shot by Helmut NewtonToday on Australia Day I’m looking back on Aussie history with a fashion perspective. Australian Vogue was first sold as a supplement to the British title, and its first stand along issue was published as Spring/Summer 1959. In the editor’s letter of this issue Rosemary Cooper refers to it as a ‘double number tied to the British issue’. The magazine features Helmut Newton’s photography and there are also plenty of fashion illustrations still being utilised, many of them in advertisements.

Editor’s letter from Australian Vogue’s first issueContents page in the first Australian Vogue magazine

In the late 90s, Australian Vogue ran a story featuring photographic spreads from its archives (focusing on white fashion). Nothing beats a Little White Dress for summer in Australia after all.

Erm, except for today. Today’s weather on this day of all days was about as unAustralian as you could get: chilly, windy and overcast with a pathetic day high of 21.7°C. And I did in fact have a little 50s style white sundress to wear, with the cutest little print of tiny strawberries and black polka-dots and wide bow-tied straps. I guess it’ll have to wait til Melbourne gets more into the spirit of things.

Happy Australia Day!

Click on images for larger versions.

A Real Aussie Summer

A real Aussie beach – from Australian Elle magazine, Jan 1999, ph Hugh Stewart

This is my homage to the glorious Australian summer of blue sun and sea and white, white sand, and endless memories of childhoods spent running round bare-legged and free. A terrible drought tortured the country for a decade, ending only recently, and every summer the countryside rages with fires (right now in fact, in country Victoria and Tasmania) and it is water we respect, hoard and hold dear – a fairdinkum Aussie won’t leave the tap running while they brush their teeth! We flock to the beach if we can, or the local swimming pool. If all else fails, a sprinkler and a rubber hose or a wading pool in the back yard will do.

Scroll down, sigh nostalgically, and click on images to view larger versions. I have provided credits where they are known. 

OH! That feeling! – from Australian Elle magazine, Jan 1999, ph Hugh StewartThe view from Aussie designer Trent Nathan’s Pittwater, Sydney home; Australian marie-claire, ph Mike NewlingChildhood memories, kids play, from Donna Hay magazine, ph Hugh StewartSummer scenes, Childhood memories, from Donna Hay magazine, ph Hugh StewartOh that rubber hose – only beaten by the summer sprinkler on the lawn; Aussie actress Rachael Ward, from Australian Vogue, ph Graham Shearer Get your body beach-ready, from Australian marie-claire (?), ph DelvesThe beach house, from Australian Vogue, Jan 1991, ph Monty ColesBeach house with a view, from Australian Vogue, Jan 92, ph Richard BaileyEveryone should have a sunbathing deck like this; this picture is just one of a 30-page fashion editorial from Australian Vogue, Jan 1992, ph Monty ColesSummer sets you free; Country Road advertisementBeach shack; the Hipstamatic Bondi HipstaPak was inspired by this Aussie photographer, Ben Watts Hurtling down the dunes, from Australian Elle, Jan 1998, ph Grey ZisserThat inimitable sound as you plunge into a pool of water, ph Walter Rambaldini

R&R

I wasn’t quite lazing about in my underwear today, but I have been burning the candle at both ends lately, and exhaustion finally caught up with me. I spent a lot of time simply resting – the cloudy and rainy day encouraged this aberrant behaviour too. So this fashion editorial seems particularly appropriate today. The lingerie is pretty and the gentle light is soothing. Righto, I’m off to bed now. Good night!

Photos by Christian Ketteger for British Vogue. Click on images for larger versions.

Party Girl of the Ancient World

Click images for larger versions

Salomé –the original wild party girl of the ancient world. Here the femme fatale models the essential accoutrements of the successful dancing girl: foot-long fringe, harem pants, beaded bra tops, hotpants – and, nothing at all except for a seductive smoulder (and a little Lancôme makeup) for the camera.

Manuela Pavesi of Italian Vogue styles the shoot, and the photographs are by Albert Watson – most likely from an early- to mid-nineties issue.

Here’s my take on Salomé, plus a few historical images.