BY INVITATION ….. FLOWERS and FASHION ……….

Our By Invitation subject this month is Flowers and Fashion …..

Flower Power is back and, sad to say, I was in my late teens / early twenties when it made it's first appearance !! 

I was a mod and spent hours in Biba and went down the Twiggy route rather than the hippy, flowery one.

….. but, even Biba entered into the flowery spirit of it all with  strong pigmented make up with flowery names …..

….. and subtle, ditzy florals in dark browns, burgundys and purples.

For a more Edwardian, feminine look, there was Laura Ashley. You could match your dress to your sofa, to your curtains to your wallpaper if you wanted to !!!!!

….. and now, in 2015, it's all back again.

Not being the biggest fan of florals when it came in in the 1970's, I don't think that I'll be buying into it this time.

I'll stick to reading about flowers …..

picking them …..

….. and growing them !!

I am paying homage to the florals by wearing my new perfume, Maison Martin Margiela Replica Flower Market ….. it really does smell like a flower shop !

Were you wearing florals the first time round { I bet some of you men out there had some flowery trousers !! } and will you be wearing it again this year ?

For more flowery frippery, the other By Invitation contributors will be putting their own take on it so, as usual, Marsha has all of the links.

image 1 & 13: via sleepless, image 2: via byronsmuse, image 3, 5, 7 & 15: via pinterest, image 4: via superseventies, image 6: via barbara hulinicki, image 8: via zsa zsa bellagio, image 9: via john rocha, image 10: via preen, image 11: via kero i am, image 12: via good reads, image 14: via nibs blog

MONDAY MAGIC ….. ANDROGYNOUS DRESSING …..

Androgynous trends are the name of the game in fashion for 2013/2014 

It's a girl / boy thing !!

From brogues to suits, with a feminine twist

Of course, this is nothing new ….

Katharine Hepburn did it …..

….. as did Marlene Dietrich

….. and, Twiggy in the 60's

….. and, here's a page from the catalogue of my favourite shop, Biba. I bought a very similar jacket from Biba in the mid 60's and I still have it. The very same one was on the Antiques Roadshow and was valued at £600 to £800 !!!!

That shows how old I am !!!!

But, we won't forget our pencil skirts and high heels !!!!

XXXX

image !: via sunday in bed, image 2: via night tattoo, image 3: via keri.i.am, image 4: via love with a proper stranger, image 5 & 9: via zsa zsa bellagio, image 6, 10, 11 & 12: via brown dress with white dots, image 7: via envers du decor, image 8: via margadirube, image 13: via dalje, image 14: via fashioning, image 15: via la garconneme, image 16: via interest, image 17: via biba catalogue, image 18: via the 60's fashion, image 19: via tumblr

BY INVITATION ..... TO WEAR OR NOT TO WEAR ..........

Our BIO subject this month is :

Choose one outfit from the A/W 2013 collections that you LOVE .....

&

Choose one outfit from the same collections that you HATE.

Now, this is me to a 'T'. I have always loved this slightly masculine look whilst still looking feminine. This is from the Ralph Lauren Collection and, I have already paid homage to Ralph with the black tie, white shirt and black jacket and skirt { albeit a slightly cheaper version !!!! } ..... all I need now is the sweater. Being on the older side !!!!  I think that I would replace the schoolgirl socks with black tights !

There were many outfits that would come in my ' outfits not to wear ' category but the following really do leave me cold .....

No words are necessary !!!!!!

If a model can look this bad in them then there is definitely no hope for me !!!! To me, the coat is shapeless and does nothing for the model and those popsox things on her legs well .................... !!!!!

I don't think anything more needs to be said ..... there are no words ! I do understand that fashion is all about pushing bounderies but ..... ????!!!!!!!!

Now, I don't think that it would be right to leave the men out completely so .....

..... don't you think that the above outfit would be perfect for Mr. Home to pop to the supermarket in ?!!

..... and finally .....

Please pop over to Marsha's to see what everyone else, who contributed to this BIO post, thinks of fashion today.

image 1: via umla, images 2, 7 & 11: via zsa zsa bellagio, images 3, 4, 5 & 6: via ralph lauren, image 8: via giles deacon, image 9: via simone rocha, image 10: via we heart it, image 13: via versace