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At the Couturier
For an elegant lady who lived in the twenties and thirties in an environment of liveried servants, clothing was an investment. Here I imagine her in the setting of the show lounge of her couturier,...
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A Stroll in the Rain
Some of the nicest childhood memories are those of strolls we took in the rain. Isn't it a treat to be almost isolated in a bubble of peace while it is softly raining? My Parisienne looks cosy and...
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The Barrel Line
Utility clothes worn by women during World War I, was extremely drab. Wartime fashion gave us a heavy wide skirt in rough material, not a pretty button in sight! At last in 1919 at the end of the war...
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Swimwear Revolution!
Covered from head to toe, our great-great grandmothers were allowed to "take to the water"! The early Twenties brought some light relief with constructions called tank suits. The legs were naked but...
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Ample make this Bed
I have done a set of belles where I have used soft pastel colours.The hair is straight from the Twenties! It was the ideal style for ladies to wear under the lovely cloche hats and little gold croched...
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The Plain Suit
By the end of the Twenties the Eton crop and severely bobbed hair made way for shoulder-length hair. Little hats were now often worn at an angle to show the hair. Suits of good design became very...
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Reading on the Patio
Being French is all about being feminine, even when you sit alone under the wisteria, reading and relaxing. My belle is looking ageless with tied hair with a live flower in it.
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Wearing a scarf with Flair
There is one thing about a Frenchwoman: she definitely knows how to wear a scarf! In my bedroom there are some hooks brim-full with the most beautiful scarves which friends and family brought me.Every...
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As French as....Eating Al Fresco
We all know where we first saw a pebbled courtyard with outdoor furniture and umbrellas attached to a good restaurant. It was in France! Now, all over the world we are fortunate as everyone has their...
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Sweet Spring Rain
A little bit of rain, nothing serious! My sweet blonde belle's umbrella is more for the show of it! To sing her praises, I chose this extract from a17th century poem. It shows that femininity is very...
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The Little Straw Boater
Now is this true or not: we had our fill of a couple of ridiculous hats this week, on viewing and reviewing the Royal Wedding? What was true of the previous centuries, is true today, and that is that...
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I Will Remember Your Kiss
I took the title for this post directly from one of the songs in the vintage songbook. There is no publishing date on it, but the fashions look like it could be from the 20-30's. On top of the cover is...
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Irresistible Lavender
Lavender plants are noted for the flowers from which aromatic oils are produced. I cannot pass a lavender bush without rubbing some of the buds through my fingers. How wonderful also that these tiny...
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Hello, Young Lovers
Hello young lovers wherever you are,I hope your troubles are few,All my good wishes go with you tonight,I've been in love like you.(Words from The King & I, Rodgers& Hammerstein)Oil on canvas...
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Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day
Shall I compare thee to a Summer's Day?Thou art more lovely and more temperate:Rough winds do shake the darling buds of MayAnd Summer's lease hath all too short a date.....(From Shakespeare Sonnet #...
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Hats for Smart Wear
Towards 1927 smart suits were worn by women and "misses" alike. The world started a lasting love affair with crisp white shirts, also called overblouses in the Twenties as they were not always tucked...
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The Edwardian Era
This blog started off as a fun blog with pretty fashion ladies and other French symbols! But since beginning it, I have ordered books from all over the world and collected lots of clip art. I often...
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The Edwardian Era: The Wasp Waist
The Victorian era had a somewhat austere atmosphere under their queen who was for ever in heavy mourning gear, under shawls, pleats and petticoats. Edward VII brought with him a licence to lightness,...
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The Edwardian Era: The Walking Dress
The fashions of Edwardian Era is defined by the moneyed classes. Ladies could get into many outfits during the day! Shopping was a typical morning activity during which the lady would buy linens for...
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The Edwardian Era: Parma Violets
Among the very affluent classes in Edwardian times, fresh cut flowers was brought indoors to decorate each room of the house. "Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management" (1906) declared that they added...
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