Respect and hippie love

The heat has reduced many of the lush green lawns in the park to something decidedly steppe like and strewn across this semi-arid plain are barely clad bodies soaking up the sun. I'm not really one for stripping off in the city and as tempting as it may be I'd feel pretty awkward sprawling out on a blanket in the park in skimpy pants and a bra. Personally I feel I need a beach or at the very least a pool to don a bikini in public.

I don't know what it is but whenever I dress lightly in the city there is always some creepy guy that feels the need to comment on not so much what I'm wearing but what I'm exposing.

En route to the Post Office yesterday morning I had a guy walking behind me singing "I see you baby, shaking that ass" not that my ass was hanging out or anything, at least I don't think it was, nor was I shaking it but there you go. Then on my way back home another sleazeball  tooted at me and shouted "Hello, sexy legs". Maybe these chaps think that comments like that are flattering but rather than making me feel good about myself  they make me feel really uneasy.

I've never had this happen to me on a beach, so what's the difference?

Why do some guys feel that just because you are wearing something skimpy, trying to keep cool on a scorching hot day that gives them a license to perv away and also tell you all about it.

I'm not trying to be sexy for your ogling pleasure, so just frack off!

Anyway, I'm not going to let these creeps rain on my parade, I just wish they'd show some bloody respect that's all, maybe in another lifetime, eh?!

The vivaciously coloured mini frock that I was wearing yesterday is by French lingerie & swimwear label Janine Robin. I'm guessing it's from the 60s. The fabric has got a lovely waffled texture and I absolutely adore the detailing to the back...

I was really chuffed yesterday when the pictures from the Hippie Chic opening party started to pop up on FB. The frock that Jo got for her friend Lauren who is the curator of the exhibition got an almighty outing. I feel like a proud mother seeing one of her babies doing well for themselves in the world.

I borrowed these two pics from the Boston MFA facebook page....

Lauren looks absolutely spectacular and I love the beautiful floral crowns too. Jo also looked amazingly stunning in a vintage frock by Californian label Young Edwardian by Arpeja and her escort Chris looked very dapper too. You can read Jo's account of the opening night on her fabulous blog and enjoy some more pics too. If you happen to live in or nearby Boston then you won't want to miss out on this exhibition, it looks awesome and I'm just hopping it hits the Hippie Trail and goes travelling via London once it has finished its run at the MFA.

I'll love you and leave you with the formidable Aretha Franklin, enjoy :)

Take care peeps, 

Jennie

xXx

Groove is in the heart

Today my outfit made a dude burst into song :)

When we were taking these pics he passed us with his pit bull terrier and started singing  the chorus to Deee-lite's Groove is in the Heart.

I guess there's a wee nod in the direction of the fabulous Lady Miss Kier in this get-up ;)

90s T-shirt dress (Benetton), Tie-dye footless tights (Indiska), Clogs (Buffalo), Aviator sunnies (American Eagle), Handmade Turkish necklace (gift), Frocktasia earrings + handmade bag  & loadsa colourful bangles.

 On Monday I met up with Jo again, one last time before she headed back to the US yesterday. She very kindly treated me to a spot of lunch and then took me to a secret location.

Before lunch we popped into Traid in Dalston and both of us were sighing in unimpressed unison as we perused their rail of overpriced, crap quality quasi-vintage garb. I did like their Traidremade stuff but their vintage sucked!

 After lunch, a short train journey took us to Rotherhithe (don't worry I can't pronounce it either) and the secret location that Jo's lovely partner had stumbled upon recently and that Jo wanted to share with me, what a fabulous friend she is...

The Rotherhithe Picture Research Library is a tremendous treasure chest of inspiration. A vast collection of visual references for sets, costumes and a wide array of other subjects.

It is open weekdays 10am till 4pm and as an educational charity it offers free access to all this magnificent material, all you pay for is if you want to take photocopies.

Jo asked if we could have a look through some of their vintage fashion magazines and the lady in charge let us grab a whole heap of them before perching ourselves by the glossy green table.

We spent a couple of hours pouring over Vogue magazines from the late 60s and early 70s, chatting quietly and taking pics of anything that we deemed inspiration folder worthy. Jo was keeping her eyes peeled for hand-painted shoes, belts and bags and I was thrilled to come across several wig adverts.

I sent these pics to Sam and wrote that I'd love to see a Tangled Wigs advert in a modern issue of Vogue.

You could easily spend an entire day there and not even make a dent in their stash of thousands of books and magazines. This will be my go to place from now on, whenever I hit a bottleneck creatively and need some inspiration to get things going again, what an amazing place. Thank you Jo for sharing this fantastic "secret" location with me, you are a star :) 

Before getting back on the train home, we took some sneaky outfit pics. As I was giving my closet-goth tendencies a good old airing on Monday I thought it was rather apt for Jo to take my pics in a tiny graveyard. 

Jo will come back over in a few months time and hopefully there will be many more days out and dress-up fun on the cards then :)

This one is for groovy bloggy pals...

 Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx

Summertime

What a week it has been, my feet have hardly touched the ground.

Both Mark and I were completely zonked out after last weekend but thankfully managed to grab a reasonably restful Monday before charging full steam ahead into Tuesday.

We still try to squeeze in our daily jaunt to the park cause it lifts the spirit and is a great energy booster.

Fabulous 70s block print maxi frock, 80s sunnies & platform Hawaianas.

After a smashing Sunday at the Dandy pop-up market, I decided to treat myself to something I've been after for ages...

When my mum went to Morocco in the late 70s she brought back one of these fabulous robes and I remember playing dress-up in it as a kid. Sadly it disappeared in one of our many moves and I've been hankering for another one ever since. It is totally trippy hippie and I can't wait to wear it.

Whilst on the subject of hippies, I've decided to go with a "Far Out" theme for my rail at The Sunday Mini Festival next month. I am currently going hole punch bonkers making one-offs to bring along on the day.

Here's a fringe waistcoat that I made from a 90s suede dress...

I met up with Mike who is organizing The Sunday Mini Festival last Wednesday at the Biddle Bros pub in Lower Clapton for an evening of  beer & fabulous singer-songwriter performances by Allegra Shock , Jaime Wyatt , (fellow Swede) Emil Lager and Meg Cavanaugh. Meg is also one of the acts at The Mini Festi  :)

Then on Thursday I had another delightful visit from Jo. She came to try on some frocks for a friend in The States. I'd primed my rail with floaty creations and hippie style dresses galore. I even let Jo try on my favourite ever maxi that I was sent by Helga some years ago, she was smitten :)

I still have another meet-up with Jo before she heads back to the US. We are going for a spot of lunch tomorrow and afterwards Jo is taking me to a "secret location"...I'm very intrigued & excited:)

This was the beautiful view outside my home office window on Thursday evening...

On Friday I took some pictures of the geese. This is The Grey family, look how big Baby Grey is now...

There are two pairs of Canada geese, both with two young ones each. The goslings are loosing their down now and two of them are starting to look more like the adults. They are still adorably cute though...

Friday was also Summer Solstice or Midsummer as it is more commonly referred to in Sweden. It is much more of a big deal over in Scandinavia and people like to really celebrate it. I marked the day by wearing this very colourful and summery frock that I wore to my sixth form college graduation back in '92.

It had been raining in the morning and there were lots of snails that had been and still were trailing across the graveled path. I saved a couple by airlifting them to safety and putting them down in the high grass ;)

Happy Midsummer :)

Barbara our friend from Berlin came back from her shiatsu course in Wales and we had a lovely night in with veggie fajitas, red wine & a bunch of old photographs :)

The midsummer moon was magical...

Then along came Saturday and another eagerly anticipated colab with Tangled Wigs.
Sam has just launched her fabulous new Happy Feelin's Collection and a new issue of Tangled Magazine is in the making. Sam brought along four absolutely stunning wigs and I'd put together four festival inspired outfits for the photo shoot. Beautiful Natasha did a grand job modelling  and Sam & I shared the camera responsibility. The pics came out brilliantly and I can't wait to see them in the magazine. I had a wonderful time and I absolutely adore working with these fabulous gals :)

After waving Barbara off, I spent the afternoon editing pics. Mark had a boys night out planned with two of his best friends and headed out late afternoon. The three of them came back to the house around 9pm, laden with pizza and beer. We stuffed our faces before heading to the local watering hole for a quick one and then ended the evening by having a wee drinking session in the house before crashing.

I was incredibly happy that unlike last Sunday we could just kick back in the house all day and that is exactly what we've been doing. Mark and I perched ourselves on the sofa, "watched" a couple of DVDs and lazed the day away, blooming marvelous :)

So tomorrow I'm meeting up with lovely Jo and then I have to crack on with preparing my rail for the forthcoming Dandy Lion Market and organizing & promoting the vintage market for The Mini Festival...no rest for those who want things to be wicked ;)

To sing us out here's Janis, enjoy ;)

Hope you are all doing grand?!

loads of love,

Jennie

xXx

Sunshine on a rainy day

It's been a little while since my last blog offering but as the saying goes time flies when you're having fun.

Here I am basking in today's five minutes of sunshine :)

 As I was desperately trying to find something to pair this maxi skirt with this morning the doorbell rang and outside waited my ever smiling postie with a wee parcel from Sweden.

My beloved mother must have known that I was in dire need of funky summer tops cause the parcel contained not one but two of these crochet beauties.

Vintage 70s maxi skirt (eBay), handmade top (from my lovely mum), Boho belt,  retro sunnies & necklace (car booty), Hush Puppies sandals (chazza) and Frocktasia handmade bag.

Last Friday my beautiful friend Zandra came over from Sweden to stay for a few days. We went to school together in the mid to late 80s and remained pen-pals for a number of years after I moved to another town when we were in our teens. In the mid 90s I moved to the UK and lost contact with a lot of my old pals including Zandra but thankfully we found each other again through Facebook.

 This was the outcome of our attempt to do a 'Past & Present', I'd had a gin or two by then, so I couldn't remember which side I had to go on ;)...

I always admired Zandra's creative & individual style when we were kids. When the majority were jumping on the Adidas tracksuit bandwagon she would rock chunky boots, revamped jeans & oversized blazers. She was never afraid of doing her own thing and she had a real flair for quirky styling even as a youngster.

Here's Zandra back in the late 80s...

She's still one of the coolest cats I've ever met. Zandra and her husband Jens run one of Sweden's top tattoo and piercing studios called Heavenly Ink. 

We had a fabulous few days of reminiscing about old times, catching up on twenty years of life stories and just enjoying each others company, it was awesome and I can't wait to do it again!

Whilst on the subject of  wonderful women, a couple of days after Zandra left I had another fabulous visitor.

Jo who writes the blog Joyatri's Adventures in Vintage came for an afternoon of tea drinking, chatting and some light rummaging. I've met Jo three times now but it feels as if we've been pals for years, she's a gem of a gal and if you haven't as yet please check out her fabulous blog. Much like Zandra she's got a real flair for quirky styling, she's very creative and has a beautiful soul steeped in kindness. Jo brought the most delicious vegan muffins I've ever tasted, baked to perfection by her own fair hands. She'll be returning to the US in a little over a weeks time and then you'll be able to peruse and purchase from her fabulous Etsy shop again :)

On Sunday Frocktasia will be braving the elements and joining the fabulous Dandy Lion Market when it does a turn at the first ever Kentish Town Carnival...

According to the BBC weather website, rain is forecast for Sunday but I've been cosmically ordering sunshine for weeks so I'm simply not having that!

Rain or shine I'm sure it will be a fabulous day  :)

Hope you've all been keeping well.

Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx