Being frockers of a certain age, we are avidly following the BBC’s four part series,The 70s, in which historian Dominic Sandbrook documents the myriad of profound changes that transformed Britain during the decade that good taste allegedly forgot.
Having missed the first episode and been tantalised on Twitter by teasers from @LadyKentmores and @LovelysVintage, we just had to catch up as soon as we could on BBC iplayer and we cannot recommend it highly enough.
Coincidentally, this retro inspired Raleigh Chopper shoulder bag in brown vinyl complete with metal fob, came in last week which took us right back to the 70s when the chief frocker’s brother, who was most definitely born to be wild, fancied himself as a bit of an Easy Rider on his chopper bike. Awaiting listing in our catalogue, it (the bag, not the bike) is available now for £18 including postage.
There has certainly been an upsurge in demand for, and general interest in, 70s fashion over the past couple of weeks, with Abigail’s Party style maxi dresses in particular flying off the frockery rails.
You could certainly rival Beverly in this After Six 70s over the top number by Roland Joyce, which has the most amazing floaty floral layers and fan sleeves – just be careful they don’t drop into your soup! Awaiting listing in our catalogue (size UK10), it is available now for just £30 including postage.
If you are keen to embrace 70s style for the first (or second) time, be it glam rock or boho hippy, we hope you might find something you like in our current catalogue; or drop us an email with your requirements and we’ll search through our stock room for suitable contenders!
For vintage inspiration in the meantime, be sure to catch the rest of The 70s series!
We should be processing the latest frockery arrivals today as we got a bit behind over the festive season and, thanks to new year consignments, the stock room is full to overflowing with frockery in need of cataloguing. However, we just had to take some time out to gush with enthusiasm over last night’s / this morning’s Triple A* showing on BBC4 of the Old Grey Whistle Test: 70s Gold, Top of the Pops: The Story of 1977 and Top of the Pops 1977: Big Hits from the 70s.
To say we were riveted is an understatement as we were transported straight back to our own youth by star performances from an era which encompassed the most incredibly diverse range of music (and fashion). Social media buzzed for hours with comments and reminiscences as nostalgia took firm hold of those of us who were there the first time around, while younger music aficionados also shared their appreciation (or otherwise!) of the featured acts. Even our local MP tweeted enthusiastically about musical “gems” from his youth as a Ramones and Clash fan, and to see Dr Feelgood trending on Twitter was, in the words of Whispering Bob Harris, “very cool”.
We frockers were blown away by the awesome performances of Johnny Winter, Captain Beefheart and Frankie Miller in particular, but there were just so many brilliant examples of 70s musical supremacy crammed into a few short hours it would be impossible to mention them all. Catch them on the iplayer if you can, but meanwhile here’s Johnny!
We had in fact tuned in to watch John Otway, whose career (with its many lows and occasional highs) we have followed since the mid 70s. A spectacular and painful mishap with an amp on the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977 resulted in his instant propulsion from dustman to stardustman with Cor Baby! That’s Really Free. However, despite his best (and worst) efforts, he remained a One Hit Wonder until 2002, when he finally achieved a No 9 chart hit with Bunsen Burner with a lot of help from his fans.
Our chief frocker was a member of Otway’s Hit Squad, sang in the Abbey Road choir which contributed to the B side (House of the Rising Sun) and had a front row seat at the Palladium on the night BB’s chart position was confirmed on stage by Johnnie Walker. Some might say it was a bit of a risk booking such a prestigious venue before even recording the Hit, but Otway is probably the least risk averse person/prat we know, and it worked out on that occasion. (Just don’t mention the World Tour). Later this year, Otway the Movie is to be premiered at the Odeon in Leicester Square to celebrate his 60th birthday and we feel sure it will be a success, again with a lot of help from his fans both old and new!
But back to the excellence of BBC4′s offerings:
Old Grey Whistle Test: 70s Gold included archive performances from a myriad of stars, including Elton John, David Bowie, Captain Beefheart, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Curtis Mayfield, New York Dolls, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Brinsley Schwarz, Gil Scott Heron, Blondie, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Jam, Talking Heads, Iggy Pop, Cher and Greg Allman, Argent, Steppenwolf, Lindisfarne, Dr Feelgood and Johnny Winter. Just wow!
Top of the Pops: The Story of 1977 featured our own Mr Otway with Wild Willy Barrett in the Queen’s silver jubilee year which saw punk and New Wave blast on to the music scene. We were treated to the Stranglers and the Jam alongside Donna Summer’s disco, Bob Marley’s reggae and pub rock greats like Eddie and the Hot Rods who remain one of our favourite still-touring bands. The programme also featured interviews with musicians and insiders who lifted the lid on the making of TOTP back in the day.
Top of the Pops 1977: Big Hits highlighted the show’s 1977 output with performances by Rod Stewart, the Jacksons, Queen, the Stranglers, Brotherhood of Man, David Bowie, Bob Marley, Baccara, Heatwave and Elvis Costello. Rod Stewart’s shoes raised a laugh in the frocker household, but prize for most ridiculous outfits had to go to the members of Heatwave whose rendition of Boogie Nights was especially energetic and hilarious.
We are now fully expecting a run on 70s vintage fashion (well, maybe not Johnny Winteresque sleeves!), if only as a means of helping to banish the winter blues. Nobody can deny it raises the collective spirits to see grown men and women dressed like Christmas trees, masquerading as extras from Star Trek, or held together with safety pins, but the era encompassed a wide spectrum of styles, not all of which were garish or overly outrageous – and the music was out of this world. Yes, even Boney M (talking of Christmas trees!)
Maybe we are showing our age, but we have to say that today’s reality ‘talent’ shows and so-called celebrities look and sound stale and sameish by comparison, with the exception, in our opinion, of Amy Winehouse, whose life was cut so tragically short in 2011. Simon Cowell et al have a lot to answer for as manufactured bands crowd out the grass roots talent, most of which is probably playing in a local live music venue near you, but which has neither the PR budget (nor probably the desire) to compete on such a cynically skewed playing field.
This time of year brings back memories of the Frockers’ youth when glam rock was at its peak.
Given that Slade, Wizzard and the Pogues are still giving the latest manufactured bands a serious run for their money in the charts, we were going to blog the Bowie, celebrate the Slade (and the Sweet) and turn on to T Rex.
But then the inimitable Lady Starduzt went and beat us to it and we absolutely share her sentiments.
“The fact that these songs have kept their popularity for the best part of 40 years shows that each and every generation are appreciating the halycon days of glitz and glam but this year there has been a noticeable increase in popularity.”
As if we needed convincing: So here it is, Merry Christmas!
Woman’s Weekly is celebrating its centenary this week with a special edition which includes a pull out copy of its launch issue.
Back in 1911, it cost 1d (that’s one old penny for those too young to remember pre-decimal coinage!) The first edition featured articles on fashion, sewing and knitting, cookery, careers and that ubiquitous topic, weight loss. With women’s wasitlines almost exclusively under 28″ in those days, some of us might do well to follow some of these early tips ourselves!
The original editor of the magazine undoubtedly possessed a clear vision of her target readership demograpic, asserting that the new title would not be catering for the upper echelons of society; rather it would serve the needs of “the woman who rules the destines of the home … in her life, her work and her recreation”.
The article mix has remained consistent for a century, which probably accounts for the magazine’s enduring appeal. We remember when Woman’s Weekly sewing patterns were available by mail order for 6d; in fact we have a goodly number of them in our stock room, many still in their original envelopes.
Now, with more and more modern women re-engaging with the traditional creative pursuits of home baking, crafting, knitting and dressmaking, Woman’s Weekly can surely look forward to a renewed lease of life as it enters its second century.
As the magazine’s current publishing director Sandy Gale says, “the past one hundred years of Woman’s Weekly provides a unique record of the lives of women and social issues of the last century and it remains as resolutely and proudly relevant to its hundreds of thousands of readers today.”
Just like It’s hip to be square, it’s nice to be niche; in other words, it’s cool to do your own thing, regardless of what the fashion police might seek to impose on the hapless shopping sheeple. As far as we’re concerned, embracing individuality is every bit as important to businesses as it is to individuals and, while many high street retailers are undoubtedly suffering the effects of the economic downturn, there is evidence to suggest that niche independents may be bucking the trend.
A Business Zone article which dropped into our inbox earlier today, headlined Why now is a great time to start a retail business, suggests that this feeling is not misplaced and that independent traders are well placed to take advantage of a perceptible shift in shoppers’ expectations. It seems that the cold and clinical, predictable, big store ‘factory’ retail model is gradually giving way to the more personalised customer experience offered by niche retail outlets, which provide both excellent customer service and individualised products and services. So small may yet become beautiful again, as it was in the 60s and 70s.
Growing up in the small Angus town of Montrose in the 70s, chief frocker Alison used to buy her clothes in the several small fashion boutiques that were dotted in and around the high street. She vividly remembers buying an emerald green batwing sleeved smock dress (which, with the benefit of hindsight, was truly hideous) in one such boutique. In another, she purchased a very distinctive (but a lot less hideous) black velvet two piece adorned with red stars, which she wore to her 18th birthday party with red shoes (on which she subsequently threw up after too many double vodka and pineapple combos). Her excuse is that Ziggy Stardust was big at the time!
The Boutique Elvira, which eventually metamorphosed into the Headline hair salon (currently run by a vintage hairdresser who cuts Alison’s hair and still has a collection of 70s splash patches in his attic) was a particular favourite, stocking some amazing pieces of funky frockery. This poem, Tie-Dyed T-Shirt, by Fiona Ritchie Walker (an old school friend of Alison’s), evokes distant memories of Elvira’s and other old familar places.
Occasionally, small town and country dwellers would make a special trip to Aberdeen, Dundee, or even Edinburgh, to sample the delights of big city shopping. Back then, there was still a strong independent retail presence, from smaller boutiques to big department stores like Dundee’s Draffens (long since gone) and Edinburgh’s Jenners. Retro Dundee has a wonderful collection of images which capture the essence of the city in past decades, including this picture of City Square and High Street in 1970, and provides an enjoyable nostalgia trip for locals of a certain age.
Although The Frockery has no immediate plans to make a move to bricks and mortar from its exclusively online presence (with the odd vintage fair thrown in throughout the year) we are always more than happy to recommend independent vintage retailers who have ‘visitable’ shops.
Talking of bricks and mortar, one of our favourites - RaRa and the Pretty Vacant Showrooms, based in Exchange Street, Dundee - is undergoing a major refurbishment right now, but we are hoping to go along and help celebrate its re-opening in the near future. It stocks an ecelectic range of fabulous clothes, accessories and curiosities from bygone eras and is run by the lovely Erin, who is as passionate about vintage as she is about showcasing emerging new designers.
Another small vintage boutique we like is in Forfar, just round the corner from The Frockery. GladRags is run by a very knowledgeable and friendly female duo and stocks some fabulous pieces, both vintage and contemporary. We were musing the other week that Forfar is fast becoming a vintage lovers’ paradise as no less than three small antique and collectables shops have sprung up in the past year to complement an already enviable range of independent retailers. The regular Farmers Market also features gourmet epicurean and gift products, from Cairn o Mhor (say it out loud!) fruit wines to farmyard inspired ceramics from our friends at Eeksy Peeksy. How cool is this cake stand!
In our experience, independent retailers not only want to go that extra mile for customers but also want to support each other in business. You could say “we are all in this together”, but in a nice niche way!
“The extracts from the catalogue over the past 100 years have been released as part of a ‘Cataloging Kays’ project by the University of Worcester which will turn the photos and sketches dating back almost to the Victorian era into 1,500 digital images.
Their aim is to show how fashion and lifestyle taste have changed over the decades – and give shoppers a glimpse into the changing face of Britain’s wardrobe.
Project manager Jenni Waugh said the Kay’s story is important because the catalogues were aimed at ‘working people, not glamour goddesses’.”
How some of the fashion photographs took us back!
Anita Harris looked especially fab modelling a belted dress for Kays in 1972.
There was some hideous 80s gear, of course, which included the ubiquitous velour tracksuit (worn with heels!)
But how cute is this 1950s mother daughter look?
The Kays collection includes an almost a full set of mail order catalogues, along with photographs, company accounts, reports and minutes of board meetings.
Excitingly, it is soon to become much more widely accessible thanks to a £55,000 grant to facilitate the creation of an interactive digital web archive. This will not only allow viewing of the archived material but will also allow members of the public to add content by sharing their own memories of Kays catalogue in photographic or anecdotal form.
A prolonged bout of lethargy on a dreary Tuesday morning was immediately cured after a chance conversation with a customer about northern soul music and memories of Wigan’s Chosen Few. Playing Footsie (or is it Footsee?) never fails to lift the spirits, but how many of us could stand that pace these days?
Our own Johnny Frocker has very fond memories of Wigan Casino all-nighters from the late 60s to mid 70s, having grown up in the north west of England. He was tickled pink to see this clip and enjoyed the welcome trip down memory lane.
It was gloriously sunny yesterday and the Frockers enjoyed a day out at Montrose beach, which Alison has been visiting since the late 1950s (when she still looked cute in a frilly swimsuit).
While enjoying an ice cream at the Beach Cafe, Johnny snapped this fab Chevrolet truck.
Some vintage pleasures never go out of fashion, even if the sun isn’t as reliable as it used to be!
Alison and Kirstin recently experienced a touch of déjà vu while looking through some old family photos, which we thought might be fun to share. Never mind the picture quality, look at the frocks!
We may post more later as Kirstin still regularly wears pieces from Alison’s vintage wardrobe, but here are a couple of examples of how vintage fashion has bridged the generation gap between mother and daughter at The Frockery.
This is Alison in 1979. Just look at that hideous orange vinyl chair!
Here is Kirstin rocking the same frock in 2011.
This is Alison (well half of her) wearing a glam velvet frock for a party back in 1984. Note how orange still prominently features in the background!
And here’s Kirstin (all of her!) looking stunning in the same dress in 2011.
Mother and daughter today – different generations, same love of vintage.
The Goodwood Revival takes place this weekend and promises to be another great celebration of the golden years of Goodwood’s automotive history, from 1948 to 1966.
Designed to recreate a unique heritage motor sport experience, with the original racing circuit restored to its former glory, the three day festival will showcase classic racing cars and feature celebrity drivers.
The Revival weekend is like taking a trip back in time, not only for motor sport enthusiasts but also for vintage fashion aficionados, as ladies and gents dress up in authentic period costume to reflect their favourite Goodwood era. Some take it very seriously indeed!
We are pleased to say that a selection of our own vintage frockery will be making an appearance at Goodwood this weekend, from military uniforms to mini dresses, and we are looking forward to seeing the photographs (taken with a Brownie camera, of course!)
The inaugural Vintage at Goodwood festival kicks off tomorrow with a promise to celebrate “creative British cool from the 40s, 50s,60s,70s and 80s” and a stated ambition to recreate a new, vintage focused Festival of Britain.
The three day extravaganza in Sussex is the brainchild of Geraldine and Wayne Hemingway, founders of Red or Dead and lovers of all things vintage, who wanted to bring together the fashion, music, art and culture of bygone eras to showcase Britain’s rich and creative heritage.
On the music front, Vintage at Goodwood will feature an inspirational line up of world renowned bands and DJs from each of the decades as well as contemporary performers who have taken inspiration from the original artists. Performing for the first time in many years, Sandie Shaw will be a special highlight for festival goers.
There will also be five clubs on site which will replicate ballrooms, clubs and disco venues of past decades: the 1940s styled Torch Club; Let it Rock, which will celebrate 50s rock and roll culture; the Leisure Dome for easy listening and light pop; the Soul Casino Nightclub, a two room re-creation of a 1970s Mecca ballroom; and the Warehouse & Roller Disco which aims to capture the vibe “from 70s Funk and Disco, through early 80s Electro, Boogie, Rare Groove and onto early Rave and Acid House, played out in a fully recreated industrial warehouse and adjacent Roller Disco”. Wow!
In addition to the music, the Vintage High Street will include shops, vintage hair styling salons, vintage cafes, restaurants and bars, as well as a marketplace packed with vintage clothing sellers. Meanwhile, the Vintage Timeline promises to “examine the lineage of art, design and the wider creative industries – culminating in Future vintage – future gazing about what we as a nation will be celebrating in 25 years”.
Vintage at Goodwood certainly promises to be the most amazing weekend, but it’s sadly a bit far for us to travel. We will be heading for Edinburgh instead for a flurry of fantastic Fringe frockery!
We have been so busy getting the orders out that there has been little time for updates, but we would like to welcome to all our lovely new customers and thank all our loyal returners for Frockery shopping! The website has seen a big increase in traffic over the past few months, as well as a corresponding increase in requests to source items as diverse as kilt jackets, military uniforms and clutch bags in a specific shade of green!
Having an online store means that we rarely get to meet our customers in the flesh, so it was a lovely surprise yesterday for Alison to find herself seated next to a young lady who knew of The Frockery because her mother is already a customer. Both were celebrating 55 years of the Esk Academy of Dancing in Montrose, whose principal, Miss Beryl Couper, looks every inch as glamorous today as she did back in the 60s when Alison’s mum made many of the costumes and Alison still looked cute in a tutu! Congratulations to a lovely lady who has inspired so many young dancers and who has contributed so much to local charities over the years.
Meanwhile, the Royal Mail industrial action has so far not caused too much inconvenience, with only the odd delivery delay being reported, but one item arrived just two hours before it was due to be worn to a wedding, which was cutting it rather too fine. Since the announcement that the industrial action is to be stepped up, we, like other online retailers, are considering all the options so that we can maintain service. We will of course keep customers ‘posted’.
At last the sun is breaking through in this corner of north east Scotland. Let’s hope it lasts so that we can give the woolly jumpers a bit of a rest.
It’s been a busy couple of weeks, with many of our recently added Clearance items having been quickly snapped up. We have also managed some successful sourcing of items for customers with specific requirements and have received some great feedback. We were especially delighted to hear that another bride-to-be will be wearing some of our frockery at her wedding next week.
The return of Ashes to Ashes seems to have fuelled a growing demand for 80s fashion, which – like Marmite – you either love or hate. As we have previously mentioned, what we all agree on here is that the gorgeous Philip Glenister (Gene Hunt) is unmissable!
There was some distinctly 14th century frockery in evidence at Arbroath Abbey today as hundreds turned out to watch the Scribe’s Tale, a re-enactment of the signing, on 6th April 1320, of the Declaration of Abroath.
The Declaration is the most important document in Scottish history and is said to have influenced those who drafted the American Declaration of Independence.
Members of Arbroath Abbey Timethemes regularly bring Scottish history alive and never fail to delight visitors and locals alike with their re-enactment events.
King Robert, pictured above with some of his royal entourage, wears a particluarly fetching full length velvet cloak, but that helmet can apparently cause some serious neck cricking. Chainmail could well be the next big thing – or not as the case may be!
It has been a case of ‘frocks around the clock’ since the turn of the year as The Frockery has been coping with an increase in orders from customers new and not-so-new. Vintage and retro party dresses have been in particular demand throughout January and many of our own favourites have found new appreciative homes.
Meanwhile, there is evidence of some serious green resolutions being made and kept by a number of our customers who are moving house, downsizing or just having a good clear-out. This has resulted in The Frockery taking delivery of some fabulous pieces for our catalogue, so look out especially for the arrival of some glam 80s frockery which would have had Joan Collins and Victoria Principal tearing each other’s hair out over back in the good old days of Dynasty and Dallas!
The 80s look certainly seems to be enjoying something of a revival among the younger set, who are once more embracing shoulder pads and over-the-top statement outfits like we all used to (without even a hint of embarrassment!) Frank Usher dresses are endlessly appealing for posh parties and proms and the more colourful and dramatic the better!
Vintage and retro themed parties appear to be gaining in popularity and The Frockery has recently helped dress a newly 40 year old for her 1960s themed birthday party, as well as a newly 50 year old who wanted a memorable 1950s look for her half century celebration. Meanwhile, one of our younger fashionistas stuck to a 1980s theme for her 21st birthday party when she and her friends got fully into the spirit of the era, ably assisted by The Frockery team, a supply of sparkling wine, some retro fashion magazines and an original December 1986 copy of Vogue.
Still on the subject of vintage themed events, we have also just had notice of the dates for this year’s Culzean Autoclassica international heritage motoring event in Ayrshire which will be another great opportunity to dress up in period costume from the 40s, 50s, 60s or 70s to reflect a particular transport era. Billed as Scotland’s equivalent to the Goodwood Revival weekend, it promises to be a fantastic event for all the family and will take place at Culzean Castle, Maybole, Ayrshire from Thursday 21st to Monday 25th August 2008.
The Frockeryfirmly believes that the upcoming season of goodwill should be extended to looking after our planet as well as the people around us.
Having recently floated the idea of green stocking fillers and sustainable ‘secret Santa’ gifts, we have been encouraged by the positive response of some of our eco-friendly customers, who say they do want to exchange thoughtful gifts with family, friends and colleagues, but really don’t want any of them to cost the earth.
Rising to the eco-challenge, we have now included a selection of goodies with suitably green credentials in The Frockery catalogue, which means they are all affordable, as well as being quirky, vintage, retro and/or recycled, in what we hope is a much needed antidote to the rampant consumerism which abounds in the run-up to Christmas every year.
Meanwhile, dedicated fashionistas will still find plenty of affordable party wear for the upcoming festive season and, by Frockery shopping, they can congratulate themselves on reducing unnecessary style miles in the process!
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