Well this will be a short blog I think, as I’m having to do a bit of research at the moment . Also having relayed my own personal history, I’ve already introduced some of the themes I will be exploring. Therefore I apologise if I repeat myself.

When I began this blog back in January I was aware that some people would think that it was frivolous and self indulgent. That writing about my personal interest in fashion can be viewed as vain,trivial and vacuous. Ps this isn’t me putting the line through this paragraph. Don’t ask why but it’s refusing to let me change it!!!!

But clothing has been important throughout the ages as a barometer of history and society. It has reflected the highs and lows of history . For example after the Second World War, Dior introduced the New Look which catered for the need for pleasure for the sake of it after the austerity of the war. Fashion has always been on the leading edge of changes to, and how we view others around us.

In the beginning we were born naked but after our initial entry into the world we spend most of our lives clothed . Society will allow us to starve to death but not go naked in public!!

Ps listened to the fashion designer Paul Smith on Radio 4 this morning . He has run his independent fashion company for 50 years. He declared how challenging times were, and suggested that he thinks after COVID there will be a return to a longer fashion cycle. Collections both in designer and the high street, will be paired down along with an even greater emphasis on being conscious of our environment when purchasing. Again,fashion reflects and adapts to major historical events.

I’m re writing my blog post from yesterday as friends have said that they didn’t receive this post, only the links I sent afterwards. So here we go.

During the last 10 years not only did I buy plenty of cheap, fast fashion but I became a devotee of Emily and Fin. Started in 2002 on a stall on the Portobello road it expanded into a small independent label.

I love the bold and colourful prints and the 50’s influence. The dresses are timeless and fun. They fit me, and on the rare occasion that one needed altering a seamstress friend declared that the dresses were very well made. They are mostly cotton and always comfortable to wear.

So during the last few years I’ve gathered a collection together, both new and second hand. Therefore I was saddened to see that they had closed operations down including their mail order business until COVID is over. I do hope they won’t be a casualty of this ongoing crisis.

I must admit this week to having looked at some dresses on line and wished I could indulge my passion. Why? I guess it’s the excitement of the parcel through the door and the anticipation of something new. Instead I’ve bought a lipstick in a new colour . That should brighten up another Groundhog Day.

In the next few weeks having traced my own personal fashion journey , I’ll be looking more closely at the psychological and environmental facets of fashion.

Week 20

Week 20

— Read on nonewfrocks4me.fashion.blog/2020/05/16/week-20/

Creatively Considered clothing. A partnership of distinctive prints and considered cuts designed in-house by women, for women. Emily and Fin creates thoughtful clothing that is carefully crafted.
— Read on emilyandfin.co.uk/

About Us – Emily and Fin
— Read on emilyandfin.co.uk/pages/about-us

During the last 10 years not only did I buy plenty of cheap, fast fashion, but I became a devotee to Emily and Fin. Started in 2002 on a stall on Portobello road it expanded into a small independent label.

I loved the bold and colourful fun prints and the 50’s influence. The dresses were timeless and fun. They fitted me,and on the rare occasion that one needed altering, a seamstress friend declared they were very well made. They were mostly cotton and always comfortable to wear.

During the last few years I’ve gathered a collection together,, both new and second hand . So I was saddened to see that they had closed operations down including their mail order until COVID was over. I do hope they won’t be a casualty of this ongoing crisis.

I must this week admit to having looked at some dresses on line and wishing I could indulge my passion. Why with nowhere to go? I think it’s the excitement of the parcel through the door and anticipation of trying on something new.Instead I’ve bought a lipstick in a new colour!!! That should brighten up another Groundhog week.

In the next few weeks having traced my own personnel fashion journey, I’ll be looking more closely at the psychological and environmental facets of fashion.

Well it’s a short blog this week. As I’m unable to buy clothes ( with 1 exemption) , I decided to knit myself a COVID lockdown cardigan. I obtained a original 1940’s pattern and settled down to it. I had knitted as a child and like riding a bike it all came back to me. I successfully completed the back with only one minor mistake and had completed nearly all the front right hand side too. Watching Dev’s last night and I made another minor mistake. This time I tried to unravel the mistake. Wrong thing to do, matters got worse and now I’ve abandoned it. I had nearly finished and now I have to start again!!! Lucky I haven’t got anything better to do with my time!!!

This is my exemption ( sorry). I felt it was justified as all proceeds went to charities. Watched comic relief and had to support in some way . This week the T-shirt was advertised in The Sunday Times style magazine in Editors choice!

From the end of the noughties till the present day my fashion consumption changed. No longer was I saving for that designer dress or visiting Bicester shopping village. I’d stopped buying Vogue ( when we moved I donated a large proportion of them to the local art college, the rest to my daughter in law). Cheap affordable fashion was exploding everywhere, and I was one of those consumers. If I’m honest I gave little thought to slave trade labour or environmental issues. Sadly my attitude was if I didn’t buy it someone else would.

Also growing up my family hadn’t had spare cash for me to indulge my love of fashion and that continued into student days and beyond. Also being small made it difficult too, as for along while fashion had not acknowledged that some of us weren’t tall and willowy and a standard size 10/12 upwards. Now there seemed to be a vast array of affordable wear that fitted.

I discovered H and M ( the quality was better in the early days) and Zara and later Massimo Dutti . Both the later Spanish and therefore designed for smaller people, at last I found jeans for those with shorter legs which actually flattered my pear shaped figure.

Occasionally I still found that treasured designer piece but now in charity shops not designer outlets.