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Posts Tagged ‘London’

The Twelve Days of Tree Ornaments: Day Six

Posted in Events, Fashion, Vintage, tagged , , , , on December 30, 2021| Leave a Comment »

We are half way there! Day Six and it’s one of my very favorites.

This London Double Decker Bus is an actual ornament that I bought at Kensington Palace. When my partner and I traveled to London for the first time together, he had us taking the bus all over the city. I usually take the Tube so this was a whole new view of London. I learned that just getting on a bus and riding anywhere is a great way to see all kinds of neighborhoods. The bus we took the most was the 44. I wrote in black ink “44” on the front of this bus. It’s our bus, full of our London adventures!

Another ornament that, when I unpack, takes me to another time and place.

There’s more to come tomorrow.

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Fashionable Quote of the Week by Orla Kiely

Posted in Arts, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , on June 22, 2020| 1 Comment »

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Orla Kiely’s iconic pattern called Stem.

Fashion is both fascinating and contradictory. It creates trends and follows them, it welcomes and rejects; it judges. I love the fact that I am a part of it but I also relish the knowledge that my design language is different. I can be an outsider. Incapable of following trends just for the sake of it, I’m not in the business of reinventing myself to be this year’s sensation. My need is to feel both inspired and satisfied by what I achieve. I do my own thing. I love fashion but I would never want to be its slave. 

Orla Kiely – Irish born fabric pattern and fashion designer.

This quote is from an article about Ms. Kiely in Selvedge magazine, a British publication covering “The Fabric of your Life: Textiles in Fashion, Fine Art, Interiors, Travel, and Shopping.” Each issue has a theme and this one is Britannia (Issue 40 May/June 2011).

I like what Ms. Kiely says here and I believe there are many ways to live fashion. She and I share a desire for independence.  I’m not into trends or brands or what I call corporate fashion. Still, I follow it all and forge my own path.

Here’s to independent spirits in fashion!

 

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Cape Crusader: Lessons in Sewing

Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on April 5, 2017| 6 Comments »

IMG_20170325_143802082As many regular ODFL readers know, last year I embarked on a journey learning to sew. I took four classes and made a pair of pants, a knit dress, an a-line skirt and … ta da … a cape!

It’s not a superhero cape but, I am a superhero for finishing it!

Yikes what a challenge. I started the project in November and just now finished. Full disclosure – I had my seamstress do the buttonholes. But I cut and stitched (by machine and by hand) every inch of the rest of it and let me just say, it was a challenge.

There were some starts and stops, thanks to the holidays and winter maladies. As well as me just not wanting to work on it. I do think this project was cursed. Right from the start I had problems – cutting the fabric took me twice as long. (I like to blame Trump because I was so upset and distracted by his presidential win, I found it hard to concentrate.)

IMG_20161103_084014163The cape came about in the first place from my visit to the UK last fall. At  Cordings in London, I saw some lovely capes in tweed and got inspired. Convinced I could make my own, once I arrived home I found a Vogue pattern and brownish tweed in a lightweight wool.

IMG_20161209_133847477_HDRThe project offered several new tasks for me: lining, a collar, and buttonholes. Undaunted was I!

Turns out the collar was the easiest. The lining was a pain because I bought traditional lining fabric, which is nice now that it’s in, however, it slipped and slid and made sewing tricky.

What frightened me beyond reason was the buttonholes. I practiced over and over, getting the hang of it but also realizing that these holes had to be spot on or the cape would be ruined. Also, as my friend pointed out, home sewing machines don’t make very nice buttonholes. After many weeks of avoidance and lots of guilt-tripping myself I decided to let it go and contacted my seamstress.

She did the buttonholes (so nicely), I sewed on the buttons (vintage glass, BTW) and the cape made its debut on a Saturday evening out.

This was the hardest project so far and it feels like a big accomplishment, even though I outsourced the buttonholes.

Sometimes the lesson is: Call the seamstress!

 

 

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Finding Great Style in Great Britain: Cordings in Piccadilly, London

Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , on November 30, 2016| 2 Comments »

img_20161105_142904On our way to a music concert at St. James Church in Piccadilly, my eye caught the most lovely of old buildings and whaddaya know it was a clothing store – Cordings. I took a quick peek in the window and liked what I saw …  tweeds galore.

After the concert we went back and I perused happily taking in all the wonderful and very British jackets, trousers, shirts, and sweaters. It’s a country look for sure, but with a large chic factor thanks to quality fabric and construction.

What is a British country look you might ask? It’s all about appropriate clothing for country outdoor activity such as walking, horseback riding, bicycling, and I have to mention shooting but I don’t approve of that so … enough said. Construction for ease of movement is key as is heavy fabrics for warmth. The look is tweeds in trousers, jackets and waistcoats (vests). Other fabrics include corduroy and velvet. Knits too! Macintosh raincoats and of course boots, including Wellingtons. What attracts me is the simplicity and timelessness of the style.

Cordings has been around since 1839 providing country clothing for gentlemen and in recent years for the ladies. One of the store’s best customers and biggest supporters musician Eric Clapton says Cordings, “… is a place of tradition … the heritage of England.”

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Velvet Cuff Jacket. Image courtesy of Cordings.

Being the anglophile that I am, no wonder I love the place. I also like the idea of mixing a bit of country with city. Such as sporting a tweed jacket over a sharp t-shirt or a cape belted and paired with a mini-skirt (a current trend in London) and thigh high boots.

Thank you Cordings, for making the country chic and for inspiring my inner country.

 

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Finding Great Style in Great Britain: Yvonne van der Heul

Posted in Arts, Fashion, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on November 2, 2016| 3 Comments »

I have recently returned from three weeks traveling in the UK. We started in London for nine days, then hopped on a train north to Sheffield to visit friends. After that we took a bus to Bakewell (lovely countryside). Chesterfield next, back to London for last minute theater-going and home.

Along the way, I kept an eye out for fashion and style. The next few weeks I’ll be posting some of what I discovered. First up: my new friend Yvonne van der Heul.

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Yvonne told me a friend made her skirt 25 years ago. Still looks smashing. I love her color combinations and her hat! And how fabulous is it that she’s getting around London on a bike.

My partner and I were lunching near Sloan Square just before attending a play. It was a cool but sunny day so we sat outside. Along came a very interesting looking woman on a bike. She pulled up next to us and asked if she could park her bike next to our table while she ran into the cafe/shop for a few things. Of course!

I pulled out my camera and a card as this woman was destined for ODFL.

The delightful Yvonne is originally from South Africa, she’s an artist and quite the fashion maven from way back. Turns out she was a Carnaby Street girl who won several awards for her window displays. She also owned her own shop and designed clothing. For the past 30 years she has taken up the paint brush, illustrating ballet and symphony performances. Her work is exhibited in galleries around London.

London fashion is a mixed bag but all within a certain conservative realm – tweed, trench coats, skirts/blouses, boots. Very British Boden and that’s fine. But what Yvonne has is individual style.

Thank you, Yvonne! What a pleasure to meet you.

 

 

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Fashionable Quote of the Week by Anne Pitcher

Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , on June 20, 2016| 3 Comments »

97CqAHCSkewVMFOioYZA_ocean-awards-winner-anne-pitcher-selfridges-1260x1760In recent years, the global retail landscape has become boring. There is very little to discover or explore in another country that you’ve not already seen online or in a store near you.

– Anne Pitcher, managing director of Selfridges department store, London.

I agree with Ms. Pitcher. I’ve noticed in my travels to the UK there is nothing unique to be found. It’s all the same stuff made in China and sold everywhere else including online. That is if you shop at department stores.

There is an alternative. Unique treasures abound at antique markets. I like the Covent Garden Antique Market held every Monday, where I find jewelry, silver, vintage clothing and accessories. Antiques not your thing? On the weekends the market offers locally made arts and crafts.

So it can be done … anywhere you travel, look for antique markets and locally owned shops that feature handmade merchandise.

 

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