every single show featuring a number of
items embellished with some kind of threedimensional decoration. At Holly Fulton there
were geometric, brightly coloured flowers
made from thin plastic sequins, and at Mother
of Pearl there was a whole host of beading
and embroidery, giving the collection a
complete, quality and luxury feel. This sort
of thing is surprisingly easy to find vintage
– look out for knitted jumpers with sequins
or beading, that can be worn with casual
outfits to give them a slightly kooky feel, or
for embellished denim shorts or jackets. For
something truly one-off, you can even get
embellishing a plain garment by hand for
yourself.
APRIL SHOWERS
The designers this year seemed to have
acknowledged British weather, meaning
most had incorporated a few anoraks or light
jackets into their collections to keep off the
rain or springtime chill. Coloured leather was
a popular option, shown at Topshop and Miu
Miu, with the longline tailored coat being an
obvious favourite. Both are easy to find at a
vintage fair – most coats are oversized, and
if you have a good look around you are sure
to find an unusual colour, style or print to
make you stand out from the usual plain black
rainmacs!
SIXTIES
The sixties has been making it’s way back
into high fashion for a while now, but this
season it’s influence was so clear through
the styles on show that you could easily
have been watching a catwalk in a different
decade. Crazy colours, shapes and that sort
of sixties revolutionary feel came across in
beautiful rebellious waves from Meadham
Kirchhoff, while Miu Miu captured the perfect
high-waisted, short-skirted silhouette every
sixties girl dreamed of. Matching a crazy
dagger-collared shirt with a high-waisted
skirt and thick belt would easily do the trick
of mastering this look, and without a doubt
all three would be easy to find vintage (and if
you hunt around, sometimes even for about
£5-£10 a piece!).
So, next time you want to get that straight-offthe-catwalk kind of look, maybe try having a
rummage around your next Judy’s vintage fair
or nearest vintage store. I’m quite certain that
with most styles, you can find them
second-hand for a much better price, and
often with a much more authentic feel…who
knows, you might even find a real designer
piece after all!
To read more from Ellie, visit her blog Rose &
Vintage.