Categories / Design and Interiors

1950s fabric designs reissued at V&A website

Daisy fabric

What with the Prey tins featured early today, or the Zara Home Pina design we featured yesterday, it's clear that Fifties fabric designs are still as popular as ever. You can grab another piece of the look with these 1950s fabrics designs that have been reissued by the V&A

Available exclusively online or through mail order, the printed cottons are adapted from designs made for Horrockses Fashions. We've previously featured some of the V&A's Horrockses-inspired products and these designs share that colourful, floral look. Daisy pictured above is also available in a pink colourway, while there are two further designs which use stripes with the flowers. 

If you want to delve a bit further back in time, they are also selling original fabrics inspired by the textiles in the V&A's quilts collection, which we also featured earlier this year

A metre of the 1950s-style cotton costs £8.50 while prices for the other designs vary. 

See them online

Categories / Retro Women's Fashion

Slash Neck Jersey Dress from Marks and Spencer

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Marks and Spencer might be last on most people's list of places to look for a vampish retro look, but you can count yourself pleasantly surprised thanks to this Stripe Jersey Dress from their new collection. Taking inspiration from an early sixties style, this is a dress to turn heads.

The jersey fabric is the ideal choice to enhance the wiggle dress style of this piece, with the contrasting stripe and black panelling creating killer curves too. The high slashed neckline ideally balances a slinky fitted bodice, while capped sleeves add some youthful appeal.

It's now available from Marks and Spencer for £45.

Find out more from the website

Categories / eBay watch, Homeware

eBay watch: English Rose 1950s kitchen units

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The English Rose of Warwick kitchen is a 1950s British design classic. The units, which were manufactured by the same company who made the nose cones for the Spitfire, were built to the highest standards and made to last. 

This particular set is in the iconic cream and red combination. From the photos, it would seem the units require a little TLC but, with these complete sets becoming more sought after, this is a great opportunity to grab a slice of 50s nostalgia. If you fancy something a little different from the usual DIY store fitted kitchen, it's currently at £251 and is available for pick up only from Pembrokeshire.

Find out more from the eBay website.

Categories / Kids

1950’s Child’s Carousel Car

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This incredible Child's Carousel Car is a fantastic piece of fairground memorabilia from antique salvage site Elemental.

It's Italian in origin and dates from 1950, embodying all of the typical style characteristics of the era; classic fins, bubble windscreens front and rear and colourful atomic-style paintwork with great chrome detailing.

It seats four and measures 1.8 metres long, so it's a pretty substantial little vehicle.

It's currently in the sale, down from £4300 to £2800 – you can admire it from multiple angles and purchase it here.

Categories / Homeware

Iroko Teak Sideboard from House Plan

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Sideboards are a design classic that no aspiring mid-century modern home is complete without. There are some great reproductions available on the high street at the moment and UK-based furnishings company House Plan has achieved a particularly authentic modular 50s look with the Iroko Teak sideboard.

The use of teak, the shape of the handles and even the design of the base are all faithful to the the original G-Plan designs from the mid 1950s. There are three different sizes available (medium pictured) and there are other matching pieces in the range, allowing you to create a flawless modular look in your home.

The Iroko Teak sideboard starts from £995 and is available from House Plan stores in Brighton & Bristol or online.

Categories / Retro Women's Fashion

Embellished Prom Dress from River Island

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Among the end of sale rails and the last of the Winter season's fashion fodder, the high street is beginning to show us a taste of the Spring months to come. While it might seem a lifetime away, some retro retail therapy might be just what January calls for.

This Embellished Prom Dress from River Island has a cutesy fifties vibe that's ideal for the warmer weather. With a high neckline and fitted waist, the circle skirt combines to create the perfect vintage silhouette. The light cotton fabric provides a unique take, moving away from the heavy, stiff fabrics of many fifties looks to create a convincing retro look.

It's available now from River Island for £44.99.

Find out more from the website