A Century Of Style In One Outfit

Earlier this week Lucy asked: How many eras/decades can you cram into one cohesive outfit? What a fab challenge. My heart may belong to psychedelia but I'll wear any period of clothing as long as it's second-hand and suits my style. To me slavishly dressing in the same bygone era is no different from being a slave to high street fashion or decorating your home in wall-to-wall Ikea. Mixing things up and being creative adds both depth and interest, allowing your true personality to shine through. 

What have we got here then? A 1960s Sambo by Samuel Sherman panne velvet maxi dress (£3, car boot sale) worn with a 1970s crimplene floral waistcoat (in a surprise parcel of Parisian loveliness from Elizabeth) and a 1920s Ottoman carpet bag (a family hand-me-down).

1960s felt hat (from Zoe) worn with a 1930s Liberty of London silk scarf (£2, car boot sale)

The carved wood ring was made by my Mum in the 1960s, the other two are modern junk pieces.

This rolled gold wristwatch was a gift from my Great-Grandparents to my Grandpa when he qualified as a chartered accountant in 1933. It has his name engraved on the back. Being a bit of a witch watches don't work on me so it's just decorative.

1980s brass bangles worn with another of Mum's 1960s carved wood rings, a 1970s Indian dress ring and a contemporary cocktail ring.

1950s copper leaf choker which was 50p from a church Christmas fair last weekend.

1903 Ruskin pottery cabochon (inherited).

Modern brass earrings bought in India from a women's refuge charity.

Victorian button boots (eBay, £2.20)

So we've got Victorian, Edwardian, 1920s & 1930s and the 1950s through until the present day (omitting the 1990s because the decade they were so lacking in style I spent the entire decade dressed like a 1970s Starsky & Hutch streetwalker). I'd like to say I've got a gas mask in my handbag to represent the 1940s but it's over the road in Dad's attic.