Sometimes I would like to be so interested in clothes and fashion and style, in the same way as Really in the above-mentioned novel by Lee Tulloch. And then I remember that it’s really hard work and the reason I dress the way I do (jeans, bright t-shirt, dark jumper or cardgan) is because it’s SO easy.
But it seems a shame to have all this fashion knowledge and interest and not use it for anything. Obviously I can’t advise anyone on how to dress (although that girl on the train who dresses like a cliche of a Japanese schoolgirl OBVIOUSLY needs my help !) but I do take an interest and I know a little bit about what I’m talking about.
A long way of introducing my latest day out – to the Fashion and Textile Museum, and the Horrockses exhibition. Ooh, who knew Bermondsey (sorry, Bermondsey Village) was so quiet and fashionable. As my friend F said “It’s like a little village”. Not that we wandered too far, as the museum has a nice little cafe where we had a pre-exhibition drink and a post-exhibition lunch.
Ooh, pretty dresses everywhere ! I don’t know why I had it in my head that Horrockses were a sewing pattern company, but they most definitely weren’t – these were quite expensive dresses but very well-made and using own-brand fabrics – they had a number of designers signed to them. Anyway, pictures were taken…
Oh, that last one ? Here’s a close up on the fabric used :
Isn’t that lovely ? I’d have done more close-ups but there were some outfits behind glass, and I didn’t want to get too close in case the museum attendants shouted at me. Pity, as I should have taken a close-up of this housecoat :
You might be able to just make out that the splodges are the British Isles. What you couldn’t tell (and I didn’t, until F pointed it out) is that the swirly lines are quotes from Shakespeare. Again, this is fabric from the 19050s, 60s and 70s – how cool is that ?
And we should bring back the word ‘housecoat’. I used to have one as a kid and it was only when I became a teenager that I started using the phrase ‘dressing gown’. Housecoat just sounds more glamourous in my mind, I don’t know why…
Actually, THAT’S why !
Dilettante Crafter 