If you had to choose a favourite decade for fashion and style, which would you choose?

Gwendacril. Marie France118. 1965.

Bas Cornuel Paris. Marie France 118. 1965.

Marie France 118. 1965.


From très élégant to trop cool! 1965-1968 Fashion and Style!

To answer my own question, I’ll say first that I’m a fan of the 1920s look, I love too the rebel flair of the 1950s, the glam and glitz of the 1970s, and the new wave punk attitude of the 1980s… but it’s decade numéro 1960s which takes my vote as favourite.

We could agree that fashion is often influenced by that which has preceded it; and in the images I’ve scanned below it’s interesting to see how some of the styles have a definite 1920s look, and there is also that natural crossover or bleed from the 1950s influence. But we could also agree that the sixties saw a genuine birth of new ideas which not only exploded onto the scene but perhaps defined in the first place exactly what a scene should look like. The style back then – whether it was the clothes you wore or the way you cut your hair, or the jewellery you wore, seemed to marry effortlessly into the music and films and the characters which inhabited the sixties landscape. Cool? Swinging? Fab? I think so.

Join me, as TVTA points a nostalgic lens on just some of the fashions, style and brands which appeared in this decade, via the pages of French publications Marie France (from 1965), and Elle (from 1968).

Elle N°1201. 1968.

Marie France 118. 1965.

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Fashion and Working Women in Socialist-era Hungary and Romania

Nok Magazinja 2. 1984. Hungary.

TVTA is pleased to welcome for the first time here vintage images from Hungary and Romania. These two countries join our ever-growing rosta of international advertising, posters and print images as seen in decades gone by.



Images come from the socialist-era print publications Nok Magazinja (Budapest, Hungary, translation: Women Magazine) featuring articles and photos of fashion, the arts and women’s interests; and Dolgozo No (Bucharest, Romania, translation: Working Woman) featuring articles and photos of working women and politics.

Both publications are represented here by dates from the late 1970s to the late 1980s.


“New Winds are Blowing in Fashion.” Nok Magazinja 5. 1986.

“We Wear it at Home.” Dolgozo No. Feb 1979. Romania.

Dolgozo No. Feb 1979. Romania. Cover.

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Spring and summer fashions of 1963

It’s been more than an extraordinary spring and summer 2020, thanks to Covid-19. For some of us the holidays and beach and the fashions which compliment these two seasons have been drastically modified, or cancelled altogether.

TVTA takes a look back at the pages of 1963 – to a calmer, pandemic-free time when spring and summer promised an abundance of fun and pleasure.

Photographs and illustrations courtesy of the 1963 spring-summer catalogue from La Redoute. La Redoute is one of France’s most successful clothing and home decor companies, founded in 1837 in Roubaix.

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The fashion of the cat – super cool retro clothing ads!

It’s official! Stuntman T-shirt. The Incredible Hulk N°301. 1984. US.

A TVTA Fashion Exclusive !!!

Wooof was so excited. The intrepid office cat had been busy preparing our Non-toy ad Tuesday segment when he came across a 1982 advert for Starburst sweatshirts!

“Of course I’ll order you some,” I told him. “After all you’re not quite sixteen yet and don’t have a bank account.”

Cue one happy cat and the order form completed of our first featured ad. Right, time to fire up the office time machine in the name of fashion and exclamation mark overuse as we go shopping!!!!!

Starburst Sweatshirts!

Starburst Sweatshirt offer. Rampage Magazine N°54. 1982. UK.

Official Doctor Who Peter Davison T-shirt.

I want this!! Wooof, can you add it to our Doctor Who wishlist?

Doctor Who Monthly N°78. 1983. UK.

X-Men Mutant Gear.

Mrs Coldkettle the TVTA tea lady has been after a Cyclops tour jacket since 1994!

Die Cut N°4. 1994. US.

Marvel streetwear. Perfect for kids, badgers and foxes!

Wooof’s best friends in the TVTA neighbourhood is a gang of friendly badgers and foxes. Wooof’s promised to order them some cool Marvel apparel for their birthdays, as seen in the advert below. Such a thoughtful cat.

Marvel Classics. Die Cut N°4. 1994.

JNCO Autopilot Trainers

Alessandro the pigeon who lives on the TVTA roof has expressed an interest in a pair of these.

JNCO. The Young All-Stars N°9. 1998.

Matchbox T-shirt and Team Members’ Cap!

Club gear awaits, courtesy of the Matchbox Junior Collectors’ Club!

Matchbox Collectors’ Catalogue 1987/87. Australia.

Matchbox Collectors’ Catalogue 1987/87. Australia.

Official Star Wars Clothing!

We’ll take twenty-four of everything thanks!

The Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition Offers Catalogue. 1997. UK.

Atari Super Cobra Flight Jacket.

Perfect for TVTA’s retrogaming winter weekend parties in our chilly office (we currently have no glass in the windows due to Wooof’s erratic yo-yo skills – see here).

Super Cobra flight Jacket. The Incredible Hulk N°292. 1984. US.


Booey-phooey! We’ve run out of clothing ads, real money, virtual money and time-travel fuel! Time to crash-land to the end of the post and dust ourselves down. Never mind, we’re certain there’ll be other retro fashion posts in the near future. In the meantime we’re off to listen David Bowie’s Fashion while trying on our new duds 🙂

Fashion, turn to the left,
Fashion, turn to the right,
Ooh fashion,
We are the goon squad and we're coming to town,
Beep-beep. (David Bowie. Fashion)

Battle jackets, Spider-Man jackets, cheese T-shirts and exclamation marks galore!!!

Yes, it’s another stunning TVTA fashion spectacular!!!

US. Creepy Mag. 1980. New Warrior’s Battle Jacket. Now you and your entire family can look incredibly cool and stylish at the baseball game, the disco, your back yard, or even in your own space fantasy!


SUBJECT: Fashion. INTERNATIONAL HOUSES: Italy, France, Denmark, UK, Brazil, US. MODE TIMESPAN: 70s, 80s and 90s. STYLE: Superhero, sports, kids.  EXCLAMATION MARK COUNT: 33. TOTAL TIME MACHINE TRIPS: 8. GIANT CAT BISCUITS AND PIZZA CONSUMED: 4. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: Please recycle this post at your nearest clothing regeneration outpost.


So, what’s hot for Autumn in the world of fashion?

Marvel jackets! Only $75.00 each!! This was way back in 1989, and according to Dollar Times that’s worth $150.27 in 2017!


US. 1989.


Cheese. It’s the big cheese! It’s the cheese of the decade! It’s what all the smart kids are cheesing on about! Look cheesy in these cheese-tastic Cool Burger cheese T-shirts! Did we mention cheese?

Denmark. 1984.


More T-shirts! This time hold the cheese… we got superheroes!

US. 1978.


But what happens if I want to put stars on my T-shirt? No problem. You can do that. All you need is a dollar and a Whoppers wrapper from 1979!

US. 1979.


Get Confirmed with the Lilly Confirmation dress!

Denmark.


It’s back! The drunken sailor look, fresh for Autumn!

UK.


Put pesky puddles in their place with Viking footwear!

Denmark.


Cycle in style! But be careful of catching those bell bottoms in your chain – ouch! Just look what happened to the kid on the right! No more bell bottoms for you young lad!

Denmark. 1978.


Still feeling sporty? Get yourself off to some tennis with these Iris trainers!

Brazil. 1983.


And still feeling sporty? Skate your way into the hearts and minds of the fashion world with these waspish yellow and black cool rollers from Italy!

Italy. 1984.


Two French ads by Hom. Yeah! 90s. Yeah, yeah, yeah!

France. Hom. 90s.

France. Hom. 90s.


Get kitted out vintage style! I went to some of these fairs when I lived in the UK. Always a good selection of clothing and jewellery! 

UK. Custard Factory, Birmingham. 2000s.


And finally, for the kids, or the young at heart, or just really small people, why not try out some fantastic superhero costumes!

Denmark. 1989.

As always, thanks for looking!

🙂

This post was brought to you by TVTA Fashion Under Statement Enterprises and is sponsored by Miow-Pow! cat biscuits and Pizza Au Feu De Bois, Vite, Vite, Vite! No exclamation marks were harmed in the making of this vintage post, only a few questions marks. Edited September 2018 for spleling mestakes and ponctuation errors.

 

Was Princess Leia’s white gown inspired by Princess Anne’s 1973 wedding dress?

And how about those ‘buns’?

I’m certain the answer to my question is a big royal no.

But while scanning newspaper ads from a 1973 UK royal wedding special, the moment I saw Princess Anne in her wedding dress my immediate thought was…

… that look … it’s just so Princess Leia!

Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips were married on November 14, 1973, at Westminster Abbey, England. Anne’s wedding dress was created by designer Maureen Baker. Made in Suffolk, England from a speciality silk, it featured a high neckline (Anne’s idea), military-inspired epaulettes picked out in seed pearls, a tiny waist, and long medieval oversleeves with short swelling undersleeves.

Anne’s hair, though not made up in buns like Leia’s, gives a similar effect with its swept back sides, backcombing and a centre parting.

Princess Leia’s simple white hooded gown was designed by John Mollo who had the outfit made at Bermans & Nathan’s, a London costume shop. For me, this costume and the similar one worn at the medal ceremony in 1977’s Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope, defines the ‘Princess Leia look’. I think it’s a tribute to great costume-making and the talents of actress the late Carrie Fisher who played the role.

Princess dolls

Certainly there are some similarities between these two famous 1970s Princess costumes. And one final similarity… both Princesses have been made into dolls – Anne as a Peggy Nisbet doll and Leia as a Kenner doll.

TVTA bonus…

Check out the following two wedding dress images from Hungarian Nok Magazinja #5 1980. The date is after Princesses Leia and Anne, but the style is similar.


images:

Princess Anne images taken from Daily Mail, Thursday, November 15, 1973.

Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia photos property of Lucasfilm / Disney.

Peggy Nisbet doll image taken from Bidorbuy.

Kenner doll image taken from imperialgunnery.

Wedding dresses from Nok Magazinja N°5. 1980. Hungary.