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10 of the best 1970s-style watches

10 of the best 1970s-style watches

Five of the best vintage Adidas trainers reissues

Five of the best vintage Adidas trainers reissues

Vintage and 1960s t-shirt designs by Mr B’s Soulful Tees

Vintage and 1960s t-shirt designs by Mr B’s Soulful Tees

Categories / Homeware

Dwell Round Dining Table Set

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Without harking back to one specific period, this Dining Set from Dwell has a decidedly retro look to it.

 The set comprises of a round dining table made from wenge veneer, accompanied by four high backed chairs in an off-white linen-like fabric. The chairs have been designed to fit around the curve of the table, so they do not take up much space when not in use. The chairs come fully assembled, so all you need to do is add the legs to the table to complete the set – good news for anyone who has struggled with flat-packed furniture.

Priced £695, the set can be ordered from Dwell online.

Categories / Retro Women's Fashion

Leopard Print Ballerina Shoes from Barratts

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Leopard

The amped up sex appeal of skyscraper heels is something of a staple for fifties style, but if you want to carry the pin-up look on when heels aren't an option, these Leopard Print Ballerina Shoes from Barratts are ideal.

Available in both classic leopard print and a red version, these simple flats still have enough style and flair to carry off a high glam look. A slight point is given a retro edge with perfect curves throughout.

They're available now from Barratts for £20.

Find out more from the website

Categories / Retro Women's Fashion

Knitted Lipstick Top from Topshop

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Love

Jumpers are a much underrated aspect of retro wardrobes, and a well done version can fit with any era's look. This Lipstick Top from Topshop is a great piece of 50s look knitwear that's versatile enough to mix and match.

With a great combination of nautical style stripes and a kitschy lipstick logo, this makes knitwear a little more sassy. The great fitted shape and petite look added by the 3/4 length sleeves adds an extra edge of a pin-up style sex appeal.

Get it new from Topshop for £32.

Find out more from the website

Categories / Design and Interiors

Jens Risom armchair at Design Within Reach

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Jens armchair

While Knoll still sells Jens Risom's Lounge chair, one of the very first designs produced for the company, Design Within Reach (DWR) exclusively offers the Jens armchair and ottoman. They are based on designs Risom originally produced for the Caribe Hilton Hotel in Puerto Rico in 1949. Though they still look the same, DWR have collaborated with the designer to update the production techniques, meaning you get mid-century style married with contemporary cost-effectiveness. 

Sadly, this is a treat for North American readers only as the company doesn't offer international shipping. If you do reside that side of the Atlantic, the chair is currently reduced in their sale to $935. 

See it online

Categories / Books, Kids

Reissue of Tomi Ungerer’s The Three Robbers

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Three robbers

Tomi Ungerer's children's book The Three Robbers has been reissued in English. The book was originally written in 1961 and shows, through 20 fantastic illustrations, the story of three gruesome robbers who encounter an orphan girl, Tiffany, who is not afraid of them at all. 

The book is the first of twenty children's book titles by Ungerer being reissued by Phaidon, who describe him as 'the most famous children's book author you've never heard of'. Ungerer's prolific illustrative career in fact stretches far beyond kids' stories, as he also produced posters protesting the war in Vietnam and erotic adult titles. 

If you would prefer to stick to his child friendly offerings, this book is for sale for £9.95.

Buy it online

Categories / Books, Design and Interiors

Penguin Donkey 2 by Ernest Race for Isokon Plus

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Donkey2

When we first started Retro To Go, one of the first items we wrote about was one of our all-time favourite designs, the original Isokon Plus Penguin Donkey, which dates back to 1939. But for some reason, we've not got round to mentioning the update, the Penguin Donkey 2 by Ernest Race. Until now that is.

For the uninitiated, the Penguin Donkey is a small bookcase, designed in 1939 to hold (as you've probably guessed) Penguin paperbacks, but good for storing everything in practice, from magazines to CDs. The Penguin Donkey 2 is an update, with iconic British designer Ernest Race asked to re-design the Donkey back in 1963, producing something more 'modern', a little more simple and with a flat top so it can double up as a side table.

It's still in production today, although it is less common to see than the original. However, Skandium sells them in a mix of white and solid cherry, priced at £410.

Find out more at the Skandium website