Other than an all-day session in 'Spoons on Monday I haven't really done a fat lot this week but I did manage to squeeze a quick tour of the Walsall chazzas before hitting the pub and found this velvet beauty for less than the price of a round of drinks.
The London Mob was part of the British Boutique scene in the late 1960s. There doesn't seem much of it about but if all the designs are as fabulous as this jacket I can understand why people hold on to them.
The reason for my imposed house arrest? Other than it's been absolutely freezing and utterly miserable, Jon's been in the workshop rebuilding an engine so I've been waiting in for deliveries of car parts as his project, a 1977 Volkswagen, is well underway. He's had it for 7 years (and I've yet to see it for real) after spotting it rusting away in a hangar on a RAF base he had to collect an eBay purchase from. An airman had found it abandoned in France and towed it back home never finding time to restore it. It's a left-hand drive and Dutch registered. Once Wolfsburg send us her birth certificate along with her original registration plate we'll be able to name her appropriately. This means that poor old Gilbert will have to be sold next year.
In cat news Frank has pretty much moved in. On Monday night he slept on the bed with us and there he's stayed for pretty much the whole week. He's obviously a fan of patchwork! It was sleeting the other night so, cool as a cucumber, he trotted into the utility room and used the litter tray. It's the vets next week (but don't tell him!)
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| Handmade culotte dress worn with Lamani coin belt (bought in India) |
Yesterday, rather than waste energy venting on social media, I channeled my dismay (so sorry, America) into doing something constructive and made a crushed velvet culotte dress using the fabric I mentioned I was planning to buy from the market on Monday. There were loads of other colours to chose from and after a lot of dithering between aubergine, chartreuse and turquoise I went for the emerald green.
I quite like it with nothing underneath (a bit Studio 54) but the plan was to make something to wear with my vintage blouses and funky tops over winter. Here's my trusty 1960s St Michael ruffled shirt, from back in the day when Marks & Spencer wasn't an elasticated waist, greige acrylic frumpfest.
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| WEARING: Handmade crushed velvet culotte dress worn with vintage St Michael blouse (courtesy of Jo, 1980s purple suede Juhani Palmroth of Finland boots (bought from Liz ), Frida Kahlo pendant (handmade by Tamera), Patchwork & pompom bag (Xmas present, handmade by Izzybird Bags) |
The parcels have been signed for and I'm off to the corner shop for cola. It's the Apprentice tonight (the British version, mercifully Trump-free) and that means rum! We're back to business this weekend and we'll be at Vintage Village at Stockport Market Hall this Sunday (see HERE). Come and say hello if you're around.
See you soon!
Velvet, VWs and what an amazing bathroom! Just what we need to cheer us up. Yes, I remember St Michael's. M&S now is so dreary!
ReplyDeleteHello Tanya. I think we all need cheering up this week. Poor old M&S, I only use it as a cut through to the train station, it's so drab and dowdy! xxx
DeleteThe crushed velvet rocks and that London Mob jacket is pretty amazing. Wow, what a load of work for Jon restoring that VW. Can't wait to see the final product!
ReplyDeleteThanks, CC! I'm looking forward to seeing the finished van, apparently it won't be long now. xxx
DeleteThat culotte dress is amazing! It looks so fabulous on you! Thanks for the sympathy over Trump, it will take me awhile to recover from this I'm afraid. But I voted, so at least I can complain as much as I want! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Laurie! Thank you! It's a very comfy and cheery fabric. Yes, if you voted you've got every right to complain and I don't blame you one bit. xxx
DeleteOh something to smile about. Thanks Vix! That London Mob jacket. I have to whip one up for myself. ah, but does it have to be all black now?... Green velvet was a most excellent choice for your velvet culotte jumper. And smashing with the lilac blouse. The two kitties approving of your new patchwork bedspread, so sweet. And a new, renewed, VW in the works. My, my, creativity never stops at the Vixen's household.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I've given you something to smile about, Pao! xxx
DeleteLove, love, LOVE the colour good choice!
ReplyDeleteThank you! It was quite the decision! x
DeleteAbsolutely loving velvet right now, you look incredible! xx
ReplyDeleteVelvet is fabulous, I've always loved it. Thank you! xxx
DeleteThe "new" VW is looking good. Back in the 1970's we had a Rabbit that color. "Trump free" sounds wonderful. Sure hope he doesn't hang a Trump White House sign. Hope the misses can deal with living in sure a plain Jane house
ReplyDeleteA Rabbit! They're called Golf's here and the old ones are very desirable.
DeleteThe White House will be all blinged up in no time, neon signs and plastic mock-classical pillars, I can see it now. xxx
Whee velvet & VW's!!!
ReplyDeleteLooking gorgeous in green! What's the '77 VW van's name? I vote for Tangerine, she is all they say.......
Aww, Frankie's found a home!
xox
Tangerine is cute but we're not sure whether she needs a Dutch name yet. xxx
Deletebrilliant green crushed velvet creation, I love the VW, hope we can see more of it's progress (patchwork interior decor perhaps?)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Betty! I am thinking of patchwork, surprisingly! x
DeleteThe jacket is fab- that little bit of blue lifts it completely. So glad to hear that the two cats are getting on- felines are such fickle creatures!
ReplyDeleteArilx
Hi Aril! I love that spot of blue in the print of that jacket, too.
DeleteThe cats never cease to amaze me. I still can't believe that after months of hanging around the garden Frank just walked into the house two days after we lost Polly and decided to stay. xxx
Oooh, green velvet! I love it.
ReplyDeleteThat will be exciting to have new wheels to take to the festivals.
After the last few days if anyone was counting on my liver for a future transplant, they'd better reconsider-I think it is shot well and good now. I'm not sure I can stay drunk for four years...but I'm going to give it my best effort.
Thank, Goody! It was good to work with too, I see more velvet appearing in the wardrobe very soon!
DeleteThe news emerging from the States is enough to drive anyone to drink. I did the same after Brexit. xxx
The cullotte dress is fabulous, as is that gorgeous patchwork bag. Ah yes, time to shout at the useless apprentice line-up again. Maybe I'll hit the home bar myself, although I polished off the brandy lastnight so not sure what I will drink. Have a wonderful evening xx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Louise! I love the shopping list challenge, it's always my favourite. xxx
DeleteI hope Frank doesn't read your blog ;-) Anyway, emeral green definitely was the right choice and that ruffled shirt is perfect with it. The new van looks amazing, but I guess it will be sad saying goodbye to Gilbert. Oh, and I think your bathroom is fabulous. I wish mine was a bit bigger but alas. Have fun at Stockport on Sunday! xxx
ReplyDeleteMe, too. He is sitting behind me as I type.
DeleteLike many old British houses we had a downstairs bathroom when we moved in. We sacrificed a bedroom for a luxurious upstairs one. Nothing worse than having to run downstairs to use the loo in the middle of the night. xxx
Noooooooo, the Apprentice! I hate the BBC, I can't watch it now!!! Boo!!
ReplyDeleteYour velvet halter suit is fab! You look Amazing! That blouse of yours is an absolute favourite of mine and included in the 'Vix's pieces I'd love to buy of it ever got culled as part of the one-in, one-out regime'- along with various others!
Ha, goodbye to Frank's goolies!!!
Your bathroom is marvelous!!! It looks do inviting! Xx
Oh no! I love the BBC - The Apprentice, 6 Music, all the foreign thrillers on BBC4, The Missing, The Fall....how one earth do you cope without it?
DeleteYou'll have to give me a copy of that list - then I'll give you first refusal on anything I do decide to part with! xxx
That jacket is something else! I can't imagine it will hang around for long on your rails. I didn't think you followed trends...velvet is supposedly all the rage this season dahling, according to the Daily Mail. No I don't buy it but it's a toss up between that and the Mirror at work...(they are freebies) and I have to relieve the interminable boredom somehow. OMG, the VW is utterly gorgeous, and what a great history. Surely he'll have to have a Dutch name? I obviously got the wrong end of the stick as I thought Frank was already a permanent fixture chez vous. Hope Stockport is good to you. xxx
ReplyDeleteI might have to give it a couple of outings first!!
DeleteGet me, all trend setting and winning the approval of the Daily Mail! God, you must have been bored reading that!! xxx
Ooh la la! Look at you in your crushed green velvet! Well, that certainly worked out OK!! Glorious. Are you secretly slightly tempted to have it all those delicious sounding colours?
ReplyDeleteCor, he's cracking on, isn't he? No shirking there. It's already looking amazing. Did this all happen with Gilbert too in the early days or was he in better shape to start with? I'm looking forward to seeing how your Dutch friend looks when he's properly suited and booted. Mighty fine would be my bet. Good luck on Sunday. Knock 'em dead! Xxxx p.s. Good work Frank, these two are pushovers!! :D
I'm rather tempted with a few of those colours. I did think it might have been a nightmare to sew with but it was a breeze!
DeleteGilbert was in decent shape when we got him, Jon did quite a lot of work on his interior but he was pretty much rust-free, unlike this Dutch lady! xxx
Wow, I love your culotte dress, emerald is definitely the perfect colour! And Gilbert's going? How sad, it's delightfully 70s! Xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jess! It'll be sad to say goodbye to Gilbert but someone else will love him! xxx
Delete# She wore gree-een velvet! Greener than velvet was the night # (before Trump). This fab outfit made me burst into song. I think I need to make something with velvet next, it's so sumptuous. X
ReplyDeleteHaha!! I'm singing along now. The crushed velvet was nice to work with, I was a bit worried it might be really stretchy and a bit of a nightmare, but it wasn't! xxx
DeleteThe green crushed velvet took me back 35 years to our first home together when I had curtains made up in it. At the time it was quite shocking that the material was from Russia.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving Frank already, he has such style. He's weighed you all up and realised he's onto a good thing at your gaff.
Fingers crossed you find some great flights soon.
See you Sunday you gorgeous guys xxx
That gives behind the iron curtain a whole new meaning!!!
DeleteFrank is rather sweet, I think he likes Jon more than he does me, apparently I'm too noisy - but I'm sure he'll learn!
See you on Sunday! xxx
usually i do not like crushed velvet.... BUT on you it´s marvelous! you look like a star in that suit!
ReplyDeletemaybe because you are a star! :-)
i´m already in love with your new VW! and jon seems a handywork wizard!
wish you great business on sunday! xxxxxx
Hello Beate! I'm glad I've converted you to crushed velvet! I was a bit worried I'd end up looking like I was wearing one of those Juicy Couture tracksuits that were big in the 2000's.
DeleteJon's completely self taught thanks to some geeky VW forums, YouTube tutorials and a car maintenance handbook from the 1960s. xxx
That jacket is so gorgeous. I'd be amazed to find it with a vintage seller, let alone in a chazza.
ReplyDelete(Do you think the Americans will keep Farage and we can have Obama? I'd call that a good swap.)
Isn't it fab? I was amazed to find it.
DeleteNow wouldn't that be a great deal? I wouldn't mind chucking Boris Johnson in for free. x
I'm picturing all the colors the clotted could have been and green is terrific for dreary November.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sam! It does seem a cheery alternative to all the grey I keep seeing on the drab British streets. x
DeleteThe only word better next to velvet than green is purple lol, but that emerald is amazing and the purple suede boots set it off perfectly. That jacket = wow! xx
ReplyDeletePurple was a close call, I can tell you! xxx
DeleteLove the colour of the jumpsuit, great choice! That's definitely a better use of your time, after the initial results came through I switched off social media and tried to forget about it! Hope you have a great weekend xx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sarah! Social media drives me daft when anyone famous dies or when there's political upheaval. Talk about stating the bleeding obvious, it all gets silly. x
DeleteYou have in your bathroom what we call here in Australia glass bricks.I adore them.I have about 500 ,bought them extremely cheap,the place was closing down.You just give an idea to put them in the bathroom.
ReplyDeleteGreen velvet,suits you just fine.I am very fond of velvet and emerald color my favorite.
Wow! 500! I'd have loads of fun with all those glass bricks.
DeleteOur bathroom hasn't got any natural light so by positioning them opposite the window on the landing our problems were solved. xxx
That is a cracking bathroom, Vix! So luxurious. I love glass bricks - such a clever idea.
ReplyDeleteYou do find absolutely amazing things. That velvet jacket is so beautiful and the vibrancy of the colours is so intense it looks as if it just came off the sewing machine/factory floor.
I love your green velvet culotte dress; a beautiful shade of green and I love it with your M & S blouse. What I find with M & S is that everything is too fussy, frilly or flouncy and has too many doo dads on it. The one we have in Bedford is only small but they rarely have something I'd like and I wouldn't pay their prices anyway.
It's lovely you have another cat in residence now. They do tend to do that. We had a cat when my children were small called Pussy Woo Woo. She had kittens which were re homed and I paid the equivalent of a week's shopping to have her 'done' so there would be no more kittens ever - and she moved in with our neighbours 3 doors along!
Its a shame about Gilbert...
Hope you have a very fruitful weekend!
xxx
Veronica
I had to laugh about Pussy Woo Woo. Cats really are a law unto themselves. Since Frank moved inside he's refusing to eat anything but the finest cat food and cried like a baby if we get cheese out of the fridge. A couple of months ago he was eating stale crusts we'd left out for the birds.
DeleteSuch a shame about M&S. If only they'd concentrate on great quality, British made basics rather than try and compete with the cheap fashion available elsewhere on the high street. xxx
She wore green velvet...yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Much better than politics. You do look wonderful in it.
ReplyDeleteI am in love with that London Mob jacket, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh What a beauty, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Good luck to Jon with the Gilbert. You two do it all. AMAZED!!!
About Frank, I am not surprised that he moved in, you are light and warmth, and that my dear cannot be beaten, and cats know.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx
Velvet, how I love it and such a welcome diversion from the madness! xxx
DeleteOooh your bathroom! Almost as faboo at your velvet suit. And don't worry about us Americans - we can hold our own ((runs into a corner and cries)) it'll be ok!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm sure it will be opkay (like I keep telling myself about Brexit!) xxx
DeleteOooh...what a find!
ReplyDeleteI adore the colour for your jumpsuit and how you've paired it with purple.
That is quite the task with the van.
Well, now you won't need to turn on the Apprentice to see Trump daily, sad to say.
bisous
Suzanne
Thanks, Suzanne!
DeleteI must admit that I'm fascinated by Trump's skin tone and hair, I feel compelled to watch the news constantly just to see it! xxx
Crushed velvet? I'm such a fan, it looks great and a fab colour on you lovely lady. I am pretty cut up about that election, more than I thought I would be.... I kind of love you jumpsuit with and without a shirt underneath, without a shirt underneath it looks very glam though x
ReplyDeleteBrexit, Trump....the world's gone mad. I think we all need to join you in NZ!
DeleteI was surprised how nice crushed velvet was to work with. I'm definitely going to get more. xxx
The crushed velvet was worth the purchase and the effort, Vix. Here's versatility and literally timeless glamour!
ReplyDeleteWouldn't dream of troubling Frank with a fortelling of next week's introduction to the vet. Cats love traveling in a carrier and meeting new people, don't they?
"Cats love traveling in a carrier and meeting new people, don't they?" Oh this did make me laugh. Stephen had his check up at the vets yesterday and boy, have we had to pay for it in treats and more treats! xxx
DeleteI love velvet , My favorite fabric , That outfit is fabulous you look amazing as usual , I have some red velvet curtains a small pair i might try and turn it into an outfit , You are such an inspiration xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you! You should give it a bash! I do recommend the crushed velvet (Walsall market on Monday), it's really easy to wotk with. You could make a fab skirt. xxx
DeleteSo mch goodness in a single post! I love your new/old van. Way to go, Jon.
ReplyDeleteAll those colours of crushed velvet sound beautiful but I think you made the right choice with the emerald. The outfit is terrific! Looks very comfortable too.
Yay, Frank! He's made himself to right at home. He knew a good situation when he found it.
Thank you! I was worried I was a bit rambly what with cats, cars, charity shopping and crushed velvet. xxx
DeleteI know that fabric is NOT easy to sew. And to make pants that fit so well. Speechless!
ReplyDeleteJust loving purple and green together. Swoon. xo Jazzy Jack
Thanks, JJ! Honestly it isn't hard to sew with although I've had terrible trouble with proper cotton velvet, a veritable flufffest! xxx
DeleteWhen the world starts obsessing over what Melania is wearing, at least us sane people know we're better off hopping over here to see what you're wearing instead!
ReplyDeleteHaha! I'm happy to provide a diversion to all the madness! xxx
DeleteGreat news about Frank's residential status, he looks pretty at home. If only the rest of the world knew about venting anger via velvet and sewing! I adore velvet and the green culottes look fabulous on you, Vix. xx
ReplyDeleteSewing is a lot more productive than ranting on social media.
DeleteI love velvet, too. It's a "trend" here at the moment, apparently....yawn! At least that means those of us who wear it because we love it rather than because we're told to will be able to find it plentifully and cheaply in charity shops in a few months time! xxx
OMG a new VW Bully! Looks great, how exciting! ... Isn't it hard to let Gilbert go after all these years?
ReplyDeleteAsk me when he's up for sale, I think we'll both be sad to see him go! xxx
DeleteSorry for the late post, I have been off media since Tuesday. Unfortunately, I can't manage that for the next 4 years, so I've had to pull myself out of my funk. Dear God, our world is going insane! However, your green pantsuit looks gorgeous and I love the bright colored bag!
ReplyDeleteHello, Mrs.A! Never too late to join the party. I don't blame you one bit for lying low, all the constant sniping and backbiting makes a bad situation feel even worse. xxx
DeleteI've just seen your post and love the emerald velvet, it's so party ready :) also love the bathroom, the bath looks perfect for a long soak, bliss!
ReplyDeleteSally xx
Thanks, Sally! xxx
DeleteOMG - the London Mob jacket is a thing of beauty. I wish you weren't allll the way across the ocean because if you are selling it, I would snatch it up, although it's probably too small for me (that's what I'm telling myself).
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy Frank has settled in so well; of course he's a patchwork fan, he's got excellent taste! I adopted a cat this past weekend who will eventually appear on my blog. He's a lovely big boy, black with a couple of white splotches on his chest and a white "bikini bottom" and his name is Sylvester. He's taken over my apartment.
Even though I'm not American, I was devastated by the election results and was so sad for my friends who live there. I admire your ability to channel your anger into creative endevours.
Oh, Shelley! I'm excited to hear about Sylvester and am dying to see him on you blog. xxx
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