Categories / Retro Women's Fashion

50s Pea Coat by Max C

Max c

There's an endless stream of 60s look coats on the market, whatever you're looking for, but finding outerwear from other retro eras isn't so easy. This 50s Pea Coat from Max C is a really versatile and genuine fifties look choice.

Made from a shiny cotton, it's light enough for all year round. The contrast collar works well with navy to give a coat that's perfect for regular wear but still makes a statement. A cinched waist and cuffs, large patterned buttons and a mid thigh hem finish this off to give a girly retro feel.

Get it from Oli for £70.

Find out more from the website

Categories / Design and Interiors

Treehouse fabric by Alice Stevenson

Treehouse

Though this Treehouse fabric is a contemporary design by Alice Stevenson, its skeletal pattern looks like it came straight out of the 1950s and the sketch book from someone like Lucienne Day. The design is from the St Judes stable and is made of two colours – the grey on grey option is shown but it's also available in faded red on grey – printed onto 250 gsm linen, perfect for making up curtains or loose covers. 

The fabric costs £44 but if you are feeling a bit lazier St Judes sell ready-made cushion covers in this design. 

Find out more online

Categories / Books, Retro Women's Fashion

Foale and Tuffin: Made in England 60s fashion exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum

Foale1

If you happen to be in the capital from October 23rd 2009 through to February 2010, make a point of heading down to the Fashion and Textile Museum to check out Foale and Tuffin: Made in England.

If you don't know, Foale and Tuffin were two of the more influential London-based designers in swinging London, with the label described as 'was what cool girls wore' – most notably, colourful, pop-inspired mini-dresses and trend-setting trouser suits. The exhibition will recreate their boutique, showroom and design studio, charting the story of the two women and of course, showing off some hip 60s fashions.

Read more

Categories / Books

Bill Amberg x Penguin leather-bound paperback classics

Amberg

High-end leather goods maker Bill Amberg has teamed up with publisher Penguin for some very special leather-bound paperback classics.

Bill has picked out six of his favourite novels for the leather treatment, A Room with a View by E.M.Forster, Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote, Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh, Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep, F.Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

Each one has a calves' leather cladding, specially worked so the more it is handled, the more beautiful it becomes. There's even a built-in leather bookmark and some rather stylish packaging too. Want one? You can pick up your book of choice for £30.

Find out more at the Bill Amberg website

Categories / Design and Interiors

Mibo sample sale – bargain retro-styled home design

Mibo

We have featured Mibo on numerous occasions in the past, including the wallpaper and lampshades for example. But if price has stopped you from purchasing, you need to check out the online Mibo sample sale.

Mibo is having a clearout of its studio, which means just about everything, including  lighting, wallpaper, cushions, mugs and artwork are up for grabs at seriously discounted prices.

As a couple of examples, the Hastings and Golspie shades and bases above are usually around £70, but right now you can pick up both of these Madeleine Rogers designs for just £35. Check out these and much more at the website.

Find out more at the Mibo website

Categories / Design and Interiors

Printing press stamps

Printing press letters

If you were a fan of the Kent and London alphabet drawers you may also like these printing press stamps which use the same idea although on a much smaller scale. Each stamp features a letter, number or symbol inspired by old printing press blocks. They are designed to be decorative and would be an attractive alternative to the ready-made vintage looking signs that you can buy for the home. 

The size of each block varies, starting at 7cm high, and each block costs £3.50. 

Buy them from the Graham and Green website