Blondie

So my bangs were getting really long, and I was overdue for a visit to the hair salon… I kept my appointment and thought, you know what? I’m gonna bite the bullet. I’m gonna take the plunge. I’m gonna take a gamble… I’m gonna do what I never did before.

I went blonde.

I feel very Debbie Harry tonight.

April Fool!

Carrying the Flag

Today is International Women’s Day. It is ‘a global day to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women, past, present and future’.1

Suffragette poster from 1912It all began exactly a hundred years ago with the suffragettes. These were women who were frustrated with their status as second-class citizens; women who fought to be recognised as the social and economic equals of men – to be able to vote, to open a bank account in their own name, for the right to work and earn money.

Their methods were militant – smashing, burning, even bombing – but they were certainly determined. Without them we wouldn’t be where we are today. Imagine being told that you were too emotional and could not think as logically as men, so you should not be allowed to vote! They were, but we are not.

suffragettes wore colours to distinguish themselves:
purple for dignity, white for purity, and green for hope

Back then the suffragettes wore colours to distinguish themselves: purple for dignity, white for purity, and green for hope. Unfortunately there are still millions of women around the world who are suffering just because they are women.

So keep carrying the flag!

Suffragettes in Swindon, in South West England, 1908

1. Source: International Women’s Day website.

Autumn Sunshine

What a glorious day to welcome in the new season! The sky is so blue and the sunshine so golden, why cavil at the end of summer? The trees are so pretty at this time of year, their golden leaves dance in the wind. Easter is around the corner, and there are still warm days ahead. Yet I am looking forward the chill of the wind on my cheeks, because out will come lovely woollen jackets and scarves, pretty coloured gloves and three-quarter boots. Autumn’s layered fashion is so much more fun than skimpy summer’s.

I found this cute little fringed poncho on Etsy last year; it’s vintage 50s, and is made from cream coloured wool, embroidered all over in rust red. How adorable is it? I’m looking forward to skipping through the autumn leaves in it.

Happy autumn!

I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air.
— Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864)

What does one wear to fall in love?

One summer when romance was blooming, Princess Tatiana was carefully packing for a holiday rendezvous in lands far, far away. She consulted the oracles to ascertain the climes and culture of that exotic country, so that she could be sure to bring with her suitable raiment.

Everything she chose was the best her slender purse could afford, for although she was a princess, she had fallen on hard times. Still, there were pretty dresses of silk and lace, and liquid silver; delicate sandals for dancing and beaded purses; deliciously impractical lingerie – and daydreams.

Will you choose your prettiest garments already soaked in happiness…?

A romantic moment on a dusky terrace, by George Barbier for ‘Falbalas et Fanfreluches’, 1921What will you wear to fall in love? Will you like Tatiana choose your prettiest garments already soaked in happiness, or like one of her friends find yourself discarding your customary sober colours and donning bright hues to express your joy? Would you be content with your existing wardrobe and its attendant comforts, or would courtship be the perfect excuse to indulge in a shopping spree?

Princess Tatiana wore a cream lace top that magical evening a lifetime ago when she tumbled into love. Already it was a favourite, but it was then imbued with new memories. And although autumn came and her fairytale romance withered like a summer rose, the pretty lace top still hangs in her wardrobe, waiting perhaps for a new summer.

It’s Valentine’s Day. Come tonight it’s the perfect excuse to wear something pretty, something you love – even if you’re not in love. Have a happy day! 

Scroll down for more romantic notions of 1910s and 20s fashion.

‘Le Jaloux’ by Georges Lepape

A boating scene, by George Barbier, for ‘Modes et Manières d’ Aujourd’hui’, 1914

Doeuillet dress, by André Marty, for ‘Gazette du Bon Ton’, 1913

Bangs for my Buck

So I finally got my hair cut! I’ve been talking about it for months, but yesterday morning I stopped dithering and picked up the phone to make an appointment.

I hadn’t been to the hairdresser for years, but I knew exactly where I wanted to go: Lady Marmalade. Years ago I read in a local paper an interview with a hairstylist who loved to cut bobs. That piqued my interest because I have worn bobs many times in my life, and the quaint name of the salon stuck with me long after the clipping fell off the fridge.

…he curled my hair with a slim straightening iron – novel!

Although I wasn’t planning on getting a bob (not right away, anyway), I did know I wanted bangs – a much lovelier description than a fringe – and around shoulder-length hair. I was happy to have layers, I told Alex; beyond that I was amenable to suggestion. In the end he didn’t cut any layers around my face, but he curled my hair with a slim straightening iron – novel! I hope I can replicate that look.

I loved it. “Such a different look!” I exclaimed. My curls bounced as I went out the door, the idea of a bob somewhere in the nebulous future.

~

Everyone knows it can be a scary prospect trying a new hairdresser, but I came away from Lady Marmalade so happy. It was a relaxed experience: Alex (and Bridget who washed my hair) greeted me by name; they chatted just the right amount and made me laugh; and after I refused all offers of tea and coffee, Alex offered me a glass of wine. “Now you’re talking!” I answered. I highly recommend the salon if you’re in the neighbourhood.