He's Here!

And travelled 10,000 miles to see me!

Yes, my Australian daughter and husband have arrived in the UK at last, to show off their new baby son and re-introduce their beautiful, nearly four year old daughter to the UK relatives, including their great grandmother. I shall be posting more pics later on, but for now I'm just happily enjoying my time in their company. All say , " Ahhh!"

*Back soon *

The Kennedys - two degrees of separation

A typical 1970s photo you might say

But the sweetie on the left, Flora, charmed Caroline Kennedy who was a student of Mr EM at a leading London auction house in 1975.

This meeting occurred in fashionable Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge (of course) while I was inside a lingerie boutique with Clare the elder daughter. Mr EM was waiting outside with approx 6 months old Flora in her pushchair when Caroline Kennedy hoved into view.

Caroline greeted Mr EM in a friendly way, and delightedly asked about his daughter. Then she held Flora's hand as they chatted. Inside the boutique ( the original Janet Reger) I struggled to fit into the 1940s/50s style lingerie as I had a '60s style figure (no bosoms or bum). Oh how I missed my chance on history's pages!

I shall be watching the current mini-series on BBC but expecting to scream at the screen as various inaccuracies are staged. I lived through that period of Kennedy being elected and of course after.  My father whose Irish Catholic family emigrated to New York in the 1930s, adored Kennedy and had great hopes for world peace after he was elected.

Two things I remember from those days when I was a teenager. Kennedy's speech in Berlin, " Ich bin ein berliner" as Kennedy reinforced the Roman boast,  " I am a Roman (citizen)" to mean, " I am a free citizen". What hopes the free world had then. The other thing I remember is the Beatles. Well I was a teenager and music was my world then.

Beautiful babies

Children of Flora, who have never met any of the Kennedys, holidaying in Indonesia before coming to England to see us next week. Hooray!

Audrey meets Coco meets Elegancemaison

She visited my stand at Frock Me!

A glimpse at the vintage loveliness of my stand

1960s tennis dresses, hats, patterns, scarves

19th century pith helmet and vintage leather bags 

My large dress rail

Bags and baskets

Shooooos!

Hats galore 
Above: 1980s Philip Somerville to the left and 1940s beauty to the right
Below: 1950s navy couture Chanel beret and Marten velvet and spotty net  

Oo-er Audrey Tautou is it you?

Lovely Basia who bought this hat is Audrey Tautou's double
And a dead ringer for a young Coco Chanel 

Basia looked absolutely terrific in every single one of my hats that she tried on. Including the couture Chanel beret style quilted hat that was made especially for the  owner by Coco Chanel herself in the 1950s. I wish I had taken photos of Basia ( pronounced 'Basha') in all the hats she tried as she was the perfect model especially with her hair rolled into a perfect low set late 1930s/early 1940s net snood.She loves vintage and is here dressed in a late 1930s/early1940s silk blouse and 1930s Riviera style sailor cut trousers. This very rare French straw hat is later 1940s with a built in snood for hair rolled slightly higher off the neck. I was so happy that she bought it as I know that it will be worn and enjoyed as intended. Her lovely partner adored her in it and indeed so did all who saw her.

The Last Frock Me!

Until September!

 Chelsea Town Hall Sunday 15 May 2011
(Note added Sunday evening - I meant 12 June!)

I have been washing, ironing, sewing loose buttons and tidying unravelling hems on vintage clothes. Then steaming, brushing and reviving lovely old hats, folding and packaging scarves, sticking and pinning price labels and getting ready for the 5.30am start tomorrow.

A tiny selection of new stock I'll be taking with me. 

1950s towelling made into a beach changing 'tent'

Love these pink sailing boats

Gorgeous silk 1950s cocktail dress with integral net underskirt

1930s/40s pleated dress

1930s purple velvet cap and 1950s navy velvet spotty hat

Handsome group of 1950s Macclesfield silk Gentlemen's handkerchiefs

These two even have hand-rolled hems like the best designer scarves

Then I relaxed with a much deserved tincture and my new book