Filed under: Antique, Authors, Bawdy Couture, Costume Dramas, Etsy, Fashion, Modern Victorian, Painted Ladies, Victorian, Victoriana, Vintage | Tags: Adaptation, BBC2, British, Drama, Michel Faber, The Crimson Petal and the White, TV, UK
Last week I breathlessly began watching the BBC’s four-part adaptation of Michel Faber’s epic novel, The Crimson Petal and the White.
Vintage Shoe Pin Cushion: $20 from Sweet Love Vintage - There's something eerily beautiful about this pin cushion. I'd love to have it on my dressing table with 'To Do' lists secured to it with hatpins, or just to display brooches.
I had been concerned that, for want of a better expression, they would bugger it up, and wrote in my last post about the unique type of fear that ripples through you when you discover they’re filming a book you’ve really enjoyed. I know not everyone feels the same, but I happen to think they’ve made a pretty good stab at adapting a novel which mainly consists of richly detailed descriptive passages of narrative – surely a difficult task by anyone’s standards.
Let the Light In, photograph: $12 by 3 Lambs Design - This is just stunning, I love the way the photographer has captured the light on the petals of this peony, and the shocking splash of red at the heart of the white petals.
(By the way, if you missed the first episode of The Crimson Petal and the White, catch-up by watching it here)
In the first episode we spend more time at Mrs Castaway’s house of ill repute, learning about the inhabitants and their various vices. We meet Sugar, just as the narrator introduces us to the cast of characters in the novel, and we know just as surely we’re in the wrong side of town.
Burlesque Red Hat: $155 by Order Abandon - People don't wear hats enough these days, do they? I think this is just darling and would make a welcome change to the usual creations one sees at weddings, Ascot and so forth. Great photo, too!
In my previous post, I squealed about how gorgeous the pictures of the costumes and sets were; having watched the first two episodes, I’m here to tell you the pictures don’t do them justice. I could gaze for simply ages at the way the sets have been dressed, that overarching Gothic gloom that shrouds both the worlds of the velvet-clad upper classes and the ghastly wretches in tatters.
Victorian Drawstring Bag: $12 by Giddy Now - This is an original Victorian bag, with the cutest little button bottom. Perfect for the next Gin & Whores event (see earlier posts!) or just as a unique evening bag. I love wondering who owned objects like these; how often they used them, what happened in their lives...
Even the filth and mire of the notorious St. Giles Rookery area of Victorian London is lovingly realised, with the raucous dens of iniquity thrown into sharp relief against the lusciously opulent interiors of the upper echelons of society.
Private Collection Victorian Tile & Pearls Bracelet: $75 by Wickedly Good - This is from the artist's private collection, unique items not previously available to the public. I always enjoy pieces which celebrate beauty and decay, and this bracelet perfectly encapsulates that theme
In the second episode we see the two worlds colliding, the velvet besmirched as the rot sets in. It’s wonderfully vivid stuff and, despite critics’ fears (hopes?) that it would be wall-to-wall rumpy pumpy; it’s really not that filthy, considering the subject matter and how salaciously titillating it could well have been!
Hand Blown Glass Perfume Bottle: $165 by Kiva Ford - There are so many utterly stunning hand blown bottles & glass objects in Kiva Ford's shop that I hardly knew where to begin. This one really caught my eye, though. I think it's those vivd splashes of red against the white background. Sinister and beautiful.
I think Romola Garai makes a wonderful Sugar – I especially liked the way she kept her facial expressions entirely free of emotion – except perhaps of sheer boredom – as she, um, welcomed her clients. So to speak. Until she knew they could see her face again, at which point it lit up like an overly decorated Christmas tree.
Oriana Ruffled Victorian Shrug: $165 by Countessa - Utterly delectable in every way, this shrug/jacket is just the sort off thing I'd like to have in my own wardrobe. Adore the rich colour and just the right amount of ruffles - pretty without being too frou-frou to wear in reality without feeling like the Sugar Plum Fairy.
All of this is nectar to me, as you may imagine, and very inspiring. Even before the first episode, I began building a collection of seedy Victorian items for use in an Etsy Treasury. The layout of that treasury may be seen at the start of this post.
Infatuation Antique Repurposed Tintype Necklace: $36 by Luminoddities - Old photographs are always engaging, aren't they? I wonder who this handsome chap was, if he was in love when this picture was taken, if his heart had been broken, or if he was a disreputable cad. Luminoddities has some wonderfully imaginative pieces, I love their style.
I hadn’t had time to finish that before posting previously, but it’s now been published (linked above), and I thought I’d share its contents with you here.
London Fog Fine Art Photograph: $12 by Keri Bevan - Gorgeously murky colours, here, that sickly yellow and the violet tinging, like a bruised sunset.
Pictures from my treasury are scattered throughout this post, or click the link to go to the full-sized treasury list, and browse from there if you prefer.
Red Curled Feather Hairclip: $13 by Midnight Boudoir - Release your inner harlot and wear red feathers in your up-do, I say. Make sure a few curls are escaping and that you recently rumpled, or it could look too prissy. And we don't want that. This clip is gloriously decadent - don't just save it for weddings!
Anyway, yes. It’s right up my street (or St. Giles alleyway), really, this tickling of the seedy underbelly of Victorian London. A look right up the lacy petticoats at the seething moral dichotomy which Victorian society so loved to wrestle with. Wonderful stuff.
1880's Stranger's Guide to London: $8 from sandp1 - This antique guide looks fascinating, I wonder how many of these places still exist, if any?
If you read my previous post on The Crimson Petal and the White adaptation, you will have seen that some people got all hot under the collar, they felt it was “gaudily over-painted” and full of “Victorian Gothic Melodrama” – as though they’re BAD things. Well, anyone who thinks that would put me off obviously hasn’t cast an eye over the rest of this blog, and we doubtless wouldn’t see eye-to-eye. The gaudier and more melodramatic the better, if you ask me!
Antique Postcard Couple, by Old Tyme Notions: $3.00 - I have a small collection of hand-coloured vintage photographs, they're fabulously romantic and tacky, but in the good way. Yes, there is "good tacky".
I find it rather amusing that sniffy people peering over the tops of their glasses are declaring it rather declassé, and in doing so, have completely and utterly missed the point. The Victorian public adored high Gothic melodrama, and both the book and the television adaptation are tipping the wink to this era in the form of an affectionate pastiche. As for gaudy, well, the Victorians could hardly be called minimalist, and thank the Lord for that.
Antique Velvet Photo Album, by La Petite Abeille Ruche: $21 - Gorgeously faded cover, just waiting to be filled with photos and scraps from your own life. I think an empty photo album is very poignant, somehow. Lonely, forgotten, mysterious. I wonder what images it once held...
Indeed, you could say it’s the decadence and the “pantomime characters” that serve as an attraction for me, in this austere age of dowdy realism and dull, lifeless, clumsy ‘re-imaginings’ of novels. I dare say that if you loathed the novel, you wont enjoy the BBC adaptation – just as if you detest mandarins, you should probably steer clear of mandarin flavoured sorbet. My advice is: Go for the lemon, old bean! Don’t put yourself through hours of torture on anyone’s behalf. I loathe Hollyoaks. I watched it once and hated it, and decided never to watch it again as it wasn’t at all my thing, but I shouldn’t dream of saying it should be banned, or criticising others for liking it.
Red Geranium Petals, dried, by Pleasant Hedges: $6.00 - These would be heavenly scattered over a table as the finishing touch to a decadent dinner party. Or strewn on a bed, as a change from rose petals (yawn), if you like. I have no idea what you lot get up to in your spare time, and prefer to keep it that way. Even the description of these is blowsily romantic: "I grew these flowers in my garden, here on Larkspur Hill, and dried them to be preserved until your special day..." How lovely Larkspur Hill sounds! Let's all don straw hats and eat strawberries whilst running through the fields at Larkspur Hill! It could be an industrial estate for all I know, but it sounds beautiful so I don't care.
I am here to tell you that television producers very rarely have my taste in mind when they make programmes. They practically never consult me before spending millions on their latest project. But neither should they, because I do not consider my taste (or lack of) is more or less important than anyone else’s. If I dislike a programme I may give it another go, or I may choose to switch it off and never let it darken my life again.
Turkish Mocha Victorian Teardrop Soap, by Stockwell Cottage: $2.00 - I'm a huge fan of handmade soaps, particularly those with goat's milk in, as they seem kinder and more moisturising to my skin. I have always hankered after a huge conch shell filled with exotic soaps, but instead make do with a Victorian looking wrought-iron cakestand, on which I place soaps, perfume bottles and other assorted nick-nacks. Again, I should stress that I'm not generally in favour of mimimalism... 😉
One thing I will never do, is apologise for liking gaudy melodrama. Never. I’m really quite awfully proud of it, as you can possibly tell by the merest glance at the rest of my blog! I rather suspect that persons who are troubled by things being too over-the-top and showy will have found their entire (albeit fleeting) visit to my blog to have been jolly upsetting…
Early Victorian Skate Cape, from Petrune: $750 - Now, there are probably very rare occasions when you could wear an early Victorian skate cape (except perhaps in an early Victorian skating party, of which there are shockingly few), but this is so colourful and jolly, in a sort of toothpaste stripe way, that I just had to include it.
Nurse! The smelling salts!
I do hope you make a full recovery, dearhearts. Don’t forget to loosen a few stays, put your head between your knees and breathe deeply into a paper bag.
If all else fails, have some gin!
Until next time,poppets
Yours Gaudily,
Miss Nightingale
x
Filed under: Costume Dramas, Literature, Painted Ladies, Victorian, Victoriana, Writers | Tags: 19th Century, Adaptation, BBC, Michel Faber, Novel, The Crimson Petal and the White, Victorian London, Victorian Prostitutes
Michel Faber’s The crimson Petal and the White, ticks so many of my boxes I hardly know where to begin. A richly detailed, viscerally engaging, beguilingly written novel that I fell deeply in love with when it first came out. Of course, ever practical, I got it in hardback and schlomped it around with me like a weighty talisman in the increasingly tattered velvet bag I carried everywhere at the time.
The narrative just drips with deliciously rank descriptions of The Great Stink which was Victorian London, the contrast between the perfumed, lace-clad middle classes and the guttersnipes living in utter poverty amidst unthinkable filth of every kind. Just my cup of tea, as regular readers of this blog will readily attest!
Here’s an excerpt from the start of Faber’s The Crimson Petal and the White, taken from Book Browse (you can read the first ten pages of the novel by following the above link):
Watch your step. Keep your wits about you; you will need them. This city I am bringing you to is vast and intricate, and you have not been here before. You may imagine, from other stories you’ve read, that you know it well, but those stories flattered you, welcoming you as a friend, treating you as if you belonged. The truth is that you are an alien from another time and place altogether.
When I first caught your eye and you decided to come with me, you were probably thinking you would simply arrive and make yourself at home. Now that you’re actually here, the air is bitterly cold, and you find yourself being led along in complete darkness, stumbling on uneven ground, recognising nothing. Looking left and right, blinking against an icy wind, you realise you have entered an unknown street of unlit houses full of unknown people.
And yet you did not choose me blindly. Certain expectations were aroused. Let’s not be coy: you were hoping I would satisfy all the desires you’re too shy to name, or at least show you a good time. Now you hesitate, still holding on to me, but tempted to let me go. When you first picked me up, you didn’t fully appreciate the size of me, nor did you expect I would grip you so tightly, so fast. Sleet stings your cheeks, sharp little spits of it so cold they feel hot, like fiery cinders in the wind. Your ears begin to hurt. But you’ve allowed yourself to be led astray, and it’s too late to turn back now.
It’s an ashen hour of night, blackish-grey and almost readable like undisturbed pages of burnt manuscript. You blunder forward into the haze of your own spent breath, still following me. The cobblestones beneath your feet are wet and mucky, the air is frigid and smells of sour spirits and slowly dissolving dung. You hear muffled drunken voices from somewhere nearby, but what little you can understand doesn’t sound like the carefully chosen opening speeches of a grand romantic drama; instead, you find yourself hoping to God that the voices come no closer.
The main characters in this story, with whom you want to become intimate, are nowhere near here. They aren’t expecting you; you mean nothing to them. If you think they’re going to get out of their warm beds and travel miles to meet you, you are mistaken.
You may wonder, then: why did I bring you here? Why this delay in meeting the people you thought you were going to meet? The answer is simple: their servants wouldn’t have let you in the door.
What you lack is the right connections, and that is what I’ve brought you here to make: connections. A person who is worth nothing must introduce you to a person worth next-to-nothing, and that person to another, and so on and so forth until finally you can step across the threshold, almost one of the family.
That is why I’ve brought you here to Church Lane, St Giles: I’ve found just the right person for you.
Now I am eagerly awaiting the first in a 4-part BBC adaptation which begins tonight on BBC2 at 9pm. I CAN’T WAIT! Well, I mean I can wait, I suppose, because it’s not going to be shown before then and I doubt the BBC are going to courier a DVD copy over to me, either. The rotters.
Romola Garai, Chris O’Dowd, Gillian Anderson, Richard E Grant, Shirley Henderson, Amanda Hale and Mark Gatiss star in a bold four-part adaptation of The Crimson Petal And The White adapted from Michel Faber’s best selling novel by acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Lucinda Coxon and directed by award-winning Marc Munden (The Devil’s Whore, The Mark Of Cain), produced by Origin Pictures for the BBC.
A tale of love, lust, desire and revenge, it reveals the true sexual politics of Victorian life. In the words of the heroine, Sugar: “If you dare enter this world, you had better tread carefully.”
As ever, when someone films or in any way adapts a favourite book, one is struck with an initial shivering thrill of excitement. This is followed hot on the heels by that slowly sinking dread that they are absolutely bound to bugger it up. Oh, they are going to RUIN IT for you; and that if they do, you’ll shake your fist at the skies, shouting “Why, God, WHY did you let these incompetent curs loose on my favourite book/film/other thing?” and then you’ll write a letter to the Guardian’s Media section, treating the editor to a frame-by-frame critique, entitled Everything That is Wrong with This Adaptation and including that well-worn line “I cannot believe the BBC have spent MY license fee on this utter drivel”, as though you, alone, fund The BBC and are entitled to personally approve of every single thing they produce.
But I digress.
Imagine how scary it must be to have written that novel, and to be watching your ‘baby’ reborn on TV. Luckily, Michel Faber entirely approves and was actually incredibly moved by the adaptation.
A few days ago, watching a TV show, I got tears in my eyes. That doesn’t happen very often. For a start, I haven’t watched television for many years, and also, it takes a lot to make me cry. My own private sorrows can make me weep, and occasionally a song can penetrate my defences (June Tabor’s “A Proper Sort of Gardener” does it to me every time), but when it comes to novels or on-screen narratives, I’m tough to crack. Pathos and poignancy are, to me, tactics and techniques; in my work as a writer, I fetch them from my toolbox and use them as required. Show me a tear-jerking movie, and I’ll sit stony-faced, analysing the hell out of it. “Oh yes, this is the bit where they hope people will start sniffling. Not badly done at all, I suppose, for this sort of thing. I’d rate it a 6/10. Maybe even a 7.” Yet a few days ago, sitting in front of the TV, I got choked up… I was anxious what TV would have done to my baby in the BBC’s adaptation, but its new artistic guardians have treated it very well indeed.
You can read his reaction in full in the piece he wrote for The Guardian today.
I am currently finalising my choices for an Etsy Treasury inspired by The Crimson Petal and the White (a themed, curated collection of items available at Etsy) and shall hopefully publish this in the next couple of days, after I’ve seen the programme and can let you know what I think of it!
Now, must be off as I’m trying to combine cooking Jambalaya, ironing and looking at delicious things on Etsy.
Until next time, darlings
Yours excitedly,
Miss Nightingale
x
Filed under: Authors, Etsy, Victorian, Writers | Tags: Dark Road to Darjeerling, Deanna Raybourn, Etsy Treasury, Novel
Last night, Deanna Raybourn made me cry.
I was going to say “not deliberately, of course”, but it was deliberate! Quite purposefully done, indeed. Disgraceful behaviour.
I finally got to finish reading Dark Road to Darjeerling – Raybourn’s fourth book in the Lady Julia series, which, to date, has been the most gripping series of novels I’ve had the pleasure of reading. I say ‘finally’ finished, as it’s been sitting beside my bed, looking at me in a disappointed manner, for the last few weeks. Tsk.
Vintage Coalport Indian Tree teacup & saucer from Elmstreet Market: $39 One of my favourite things is to cosy up with a cup of tea & a good book. This would be a fabulously extravagent way to enjoy a brew, I love the bold pattern & colours.
Organic Darjeerling Tea by Peacelovetea: $10 I drink both tea and coffee, but forced to pick, it would be tea every time. Tea, chocolate and a good book is my idea of Heaven.
It certainly hasn’t been lack of interest keeping me from reading it – I’ve practically been slavering to get my hands on it since finishing the third one – but I’ve had so much work reading to do (for various articles hither & thither) that I’ve had no time for pleasure-reading. For shame!
Embroidered Indian Slippers at Tati Tati Vintage: $25 Perfect for adding an exotic touch to your breakfasting or lounging-about ensemble, and far more stylish than fluffy bunny slippers, non?
50 Vintage Indian stamps at Precious Owl: $4.00 - The colours of these vintage stamps are amazing, I think they'd look really good grouped together as shown and framed, or for use in a craft project. They range in date from the early 1900's to the middle of the century. Little pieces of history.
For the last couple of weeks, though, I’ve had a trapped nerve in my back, and that has forcibly slowed me down & given me time to catch-up with some old friends.
Vintage Indian Cricket Box from Nonnie60: $18 Maybe I wouldn't keep crickets in it; I'm thinking more along the lines of perfume bottles on a dressing table, or scented soaps in a bathroom. I'm all for re-using beautiful and unusual objects in unexpected ways.
Decorative Peacocks Card by With an Indian Touch: $4.00 This card is designed by Radhika, a Textile Designer from India who's now settled in Canada. I'd be very tempted to frame this instead of giving it to someone!
I don’t want to say too much about Lady Julia Grey, Brisbane, Plum, Portia, Jane and the host of eccentric family members, friends and enemies that dog their every step, other than to say they are some of my favourite people to spend time with (in print). 🙂
Her Lover Returns, 1871 Illustration from Surrender Dorothy: $16:89 Another quirky illustration I couldn't resist. Don't buy utterly dull generic posters & mass-produced prints - source unusual pieces like this to frame. Love her wistful facial expression. She's waiting for some no-good bounder, I bet. This could only be improved by having her hand to her forehead, I think!
Vintage Anglo-Indian Hair comb from Elronds Emporium: $25 On Bad Hair Days (of which I have many), I'm a big fan of twisting it into a chignon or bun and shoving a pretty clip to hold it. You usually get the most compliments on the least you've done to your hair, don't you find? This comb is simply stunning.
You don’t have to have read the others books in the series to enjoy Dark Road to Darjeerling, but I would say it vastly improves (obviously) your understanding of the nuances between the various relationships, and merely for your own bring-out-the-smelling-salts swoonsome enjoyment of following the romance between Julia and Brisbane. Just go and read them all.
Temple at Dusk by Adix1977: $38 This is an original watercolour painting, signed by the artist, who was born & raised in Bombay. I love the feeling of mystery - wanting to climb over the wall and explore, and the beautiful way she's captured the light.
Whiting & Davis Mesh Snake Bracelet from Collectible Oddities: $47 I hate snakes, but have always loved snake jewellery - especially bracelets. Go figure, as our American chums would likely say. I can see this one worn high-up on the arm, with a floaty maxi dress. Adorable.
Dark Road to Darjeerling was certainly worth waiting for. All the elements were there – murder, mystery, murky family secrets, all in a wonderfully realised exotic location and laced with Raybourn’s eye for detail and that great balance of darkness and light I love so much.
Set of 100 Peacock Place Cards by Timeless Paper: $100 These are so pretty and unusual - great for a theme based around peacock feathers.
Peacock Print by Berkley Illustrations: $18 Another peacock-themed item - I just love Berkley Illustrations, they're full of so much character. This chap looks so dignified.
Some writers really struggle with one voice or the other, Funny v Serious, but Deanna Raybourn seems to glide effortlessly from one to the other, with great fistfuls of breathtaking plot along the way.
Oh, okay. About the crying, then.
Darjeerling Tea Silhouette by Barking Mad Arts: $15 This wonderfully eccentric silhouette really puts me in mind of a particular character, and I just love it. Would definitely give this wall-space!
Antique Crocodile French Doctor's Bag from Sally Luv Rose: $75 - I know it isn't as practical as modern luggage, but vintage pieces like this are so romantic looking. I wonder where this bag has travelled to and what it has seen?
Again, I cannot go into details for fear of spoiling the dénouement, but there is a particular scene in which Something Happens, and a short speech one of the leading characters gives in order to help another leading character deal with the aftermath [please forgive such convoluted ways of avoiding spoilering!] – and it was at this point I cried. The whole scene was handled with such overwhelming tenderness it just broke my heart.
Victorian Lady Photographs from Precious Playtime: $13 There's something that always fascinates me about old photos - wondering who they are, what happened to them, what they were thinking when the photograph was taken...
Mini Indian Spice Kit by Purpose Design: $12 A great gift for someone who loves cooking, perhaps to give alongside an Indian cookbook. My favourite flavours, hands down.
After reading the third in the series – Silent on the Moor – I was inspired to write a post in which I breathlessly exclaimed how much I loved the novel; and went on to specially create an Etsy Treasury based on it (a themed selection of items currently available from sellers on the shopping site, Etsy).
I really enjoyed putting that collection together, and thought I’d like to do the same for Dark Road to Darjeerling. So I did. If you click on that link, it will whisk you to the full-sized Treasury, which is a bit easier to browse through at your leisure.
Hope you enjoy my selection of goodies, which are scattered throughout this post, as you may have seen, and which are presented as the full Treasury, below. Do have a good ol’ rummage through the rest of the items the shops have to offer- I was quite spoiled for choice! 🙂
Filed under: Boots, Etsy, Fashion, Fripperies, Gin, Jack the Ripper, Uncategorized, Victorian, Victoriana, Whores | Tags: Alan Moore, From Hell, Gin, Jack the Ripper, Victorian London
I have no shame in admitting that I’m already planning my outfit (and accessories, of course) for a party that’s not due to take place until February next year!
This poster is very apt for the occasion and, quite apart from loving letterpress type (being a bit of an old font/type nerd), I heartily condone the sentiment. Also loving the name of their shop!
Letterpress Gin Poster by A Two Pipe Problem: $16
The party in question is not your run-of-the-mill kind, but the third incarnation of Gin & Whores: a semi-regular affair held by Mme Guillotine for various reprobate friends who share her passion for Victorian Ladies of The Night, Gin and Jack the Ripper.
Spooky Shades have various items to tempt those seeking unusual lamp shades, but this is one of my favourite. I really like the overlaying of medical illustrations with one of the infamous letters purporting to be from Jack the Ripper.
Jack's Anatomy Lampshade by Spooky Shades: $59
The wonderful Hoolala has been featured a few times on my blog – they do a number of Jack the Ripper themed items, but the one I most covet also happens to be the most expensive. Typical. It’s this luxury pocket watch charm necklace, based on Alan Moore’s brilliant Jack the Ripper graphic novel, From Hell.
(Really interesting story of how Alan Moore actually met the lady behind Hoolala, by the way – clock on the picture below to be taken to that page & read more…)
Jack the Ripper From Hell Charm Necklace by Hoolala: $125
For now, I have just purchased this necklace (featuring a silver Gin bottle label. HOW could I resist?) in preparation, and now can’t wait for it to arrive. I get terribly excited about this sort of thing.
Gin Necklace by Kat Designs NYC
Obviously, this one isn’t available anymore (ha ha), but do have a look at the other pieces in the collection (click on the picture to be whisked to the shop) – there’s a very similar Brandy one.
You cannot beat a bit of fingerless mittens action for adding an element of Victorian sauciness to an outfit, and these, by Hypericumfragile are just the ticket.
Evening Secret Gloves by Hypericumfragile: $35
I had to add this saucy greeting card by Coquinette (all the cards are very amusing, using risqué contemporary images and distinctly modern text).
Naughty Victorian Greeting Card by Coquinette: $5
Gin & Whores basically involves getting togged-up in Victorian-esque outfits (some guests go for historical accuracy, whilst others opt for modern re-interpretations of Victorian outfits or accessories), drinking Gin and cackling with laughter in locations around London’s seedier locales.
This pretty lace-edged, raw silk bolero would be just the thing.
The Paris Romance Bolero by Mary and Angelika: $83
Usually we frequent pubs dating from the Victorian period are preferred, those public houses which (in our wildest imaginings) may have served a glass or two to some of Jack the Ripper’s victims, or even [shivers of macabre excitement] Jack himself.
Antique Leather Doctor's Bag at Nacho Kitty: $375
That antique Doctor’s bag is just the sort of thing one imagines Jack the Ripper would carry about the place, don’t you think?
It possibly sounds a bit odd or mawkish to the casual observer, but we all have enormous fun and it’s all very much tongue-in-cheek. Much like this amusingly saucy Victorian ladies’ fridge magnet, by Pink Burlesque (who are based in Bristol). Really like all their items, actually!
Vintage Picture Fridge Magnet by Pink Burlesque: $2.99
In honour of the occasion, and my outfit hunting, I put together this themed collection of various favourites as an Etsy Treasury, I do hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek!
Direct links to all the items shown are available by going to the treasury’s page, HERE. Enjoy browsing all the lovely shops, but don’t blame me if you want everything, too. 😉
Until next time, duckies,
Miss Nightingale
x
Filed under: Alexander McQueen, Bawdy Couture, Couture, Decadence, Fairytales, Marie Antoinette, Modern Nostalgic, Modern Victorian, Trinkets, tulle, Victorian, Victoriana | Tags: accessories, Baroque, designer, Fashion, Michal Negrin, Victorian, women's clothing
From the get-go we know this website isn’t going to be a subtle affair: crimson velvet theatre curtains pull slowly apart to reveal the bizarre, charming and – if one is honest – slightly bewildering – world of designer Michal Negrin…
An explosion of colours, overwhelming Baroque pastoral scenes involving plump cupids, frolicking 18th century lovers, random Kewpie dolls, 1920’s flapper girls dangling from hot air balloons and, ultimately, a mind-blowing peek into her world of full-on, turned-up-to-eleven romantic historical WHIMSY. A world, as you may imagine, I utterly adore.
I can’t quite recall when I first came across her designs, but I know exactly which item it was – a sumptuously gorgeous Victorian style skirt with overlapping romantic scrapbook-like pictures and tumbling roses. Love at first sight!
I think it would be fair to say that I rarely come across designers whose collections make me gasp and want one of practically everything, but Michal Negrin ticks all my boxes. 🙂
This is a relatively staid design from the current collection, totally wearable – I’d wear it as a day dress with a little cardi, plum colored tights, black biker boots & lashings of pearls. Just beacause.
I ALSO completely covet the other design in this style… Dreamy, misty, dusk-like colours and a cameo in the centre of the lacey trellis of a Victorian lady wearing a striped bathing suit. Seriously, what’s not to love?
Michal Negrin has been creating a unique lifestyle for over two decades with vintage-inspired designs that include jewelry, fashion, home décor, and accessories.
This full-length gown is just jaw-droppingly stunning – I think it looks like something from an Oscar Wilde play. It actually makes my heart beat faster.
Yes, yes, I know the price may also make the heart beat faster, but it’s a designer gown. We’re not doing a feature on supermarket fashion here, are we? (And I’m not being snobbish – I am currently putting together a feature about supermarket fashions I love, as it happens! – there are just different categories of clothing. I think this rivals some of Alexander McQueens last collection, but at a price that, whilst still expensive, is certainly more attainable than couture!)
This design is particularly reminiscent of that Baroque style couture – inspiration surely from cheerfully gaudily painted ceilings and the artwork one finds in those sumptuous palaces that have the power to take the breath away.
I love the colours in this skirt, they remind me of hand-tinted romantic Victorian photographs of famous actresses and noted beauties of the age.
As you can see, these softer colours are probably easier to wear for those of a nervous disposition who shy away from designs and patterns they consider ‘loud’ – this little vest top could be worn classically with a cashmere cardi & pearls, or thrown on with jeans & leather jacket. It’s all about the styling, dahling. 😉
Born in Kibbutz Naan in 1957, Michal always knew she was an individual with her own vision and this was despite being brought up in an environment that preached group uniformity.
She was driven to follow her inner passion for self-expression and spent her childhood designing. Her mother was an inspiration and supported her in fulfilling her dreams despite the Kibbutz’s conventions.
Well, there is absolutely nothing that says ‘group uniformity’ in Michal’s designs, that’s for sure. They manage to capture the spirit of those vintage collectible ‘saucy’ postcards – Victorian beauties showing a well-turned ankle or – shocking – gadding about in their under-crackers.
This skirt depicts ladies swimming through a palace as various Baroque items of furniture bob past. If you cannot love such a scene, then I seriously doubt we’d get on. I mean it. 🙂
A dramatic kimono top featuring Victorian ladies in handcarts above a vast city skyline climbing ladders into the sky… Again, I ask – what’s not to love?
It is obvious that Michal is passionate about vintage images, the bejewelled, beribboned world of Baroque, of gilded palaces, the court of Marie Antoinette, intricate Victorian scrapbook pictures, the excess of 1920’s hedonism and those gaily painted barges or gypsy caravans that gleam with brightly painted bouquets of flowers. All passions I share, so no wonder I am so giddy about her work!
Little details like the placing of the curtain-call ladies arm-in-arm, circling the cuffs of this beautiful bolero… literally make me squeal. It’s such fun, I love the sheer exuberance of these images and the way they are placed on the designs.
I have only shown you a tiny proportion of the items I love (I’d have to lead you through the entire website!) and even then have only touched on the clothes… Oh my dears, there are stunning boots & shoes, jewellery and even items for the home, too! But I shall leave you to explore those yourselves. 🙂
Negrin’s designs are more than I could normally spend, but then these are hardly your average clothes and accessories. I shall own some of her pieces one day soon, I SHALL! I long for them. 😦
Oh, I know, quelle melodramatic hand-to-the-forehead – forgive me if I sink, breathless, onto a velvet chaise lounge, but I rather think it suits these styles I so hanker after. 😉
Until next time,
Yours entirely made of whimsy,
Miss Nightingale
x
Filed under: Fashion, Fripperies, Modern Nostalgic, Modern Victorian, Shopping, Trinkets, Victorian, Victoriana | Tags: 1928.com, ASOS, Miss Selfridge, Nemesis watch, Revlon lipstick, ROOTOTE
If yesterday’s Wish List selection of tasty trinkets had you clutching your credit cards and making death-rattle gasping sounds – as well they might – then I present for your delectation a platter of more purse-friendly gothic treats…
$45 – yesstyle.com
More ROOTOTE tote bags »
Filed under: Alexander McQueen, Bawdy Couture, Fashion, Fripperies, Modern Victorian, Shopping, Trinkets, Victorian, Victoriana
Flipping through the glossies reveals pages dripping with lace, leather, blood-red lips and more skull jewellery than you can shake a [skull-topped walking] stick at. Yes, my pretties, it would seem that GOTH IS BACK.
It makes me smile, as I used to be a dyed-in-the-wool Gothic Sort myself. I don’t count myself as such nowadays, though I do still hanker after some elements of the style, now and again. There are times when my inner goth still makes their presence known… and y’know what? Seeing some of the editorials infused with such trinkets does still make my heart beat a little faster!
I shall split this look up into items I can only, truly, dream about: Wish List; and items I could happily purchase without the bank manager having an apoplectic fit: Shopping List. First, bring on the dreams!
$2,685 – net-a-porter.com
More Alexander McQueen dresses »
Filed under: Etsy, Fashion, Fripperies, Paris, Perfume, Trinkets, Uncategorized, Victorian, Vintage | Tags: Andy Tauer, Carrillion pour un ange, France, Lily of the Valley, LuckyScent
Yesterday evening, whilst perusing my favourite perfume site, I came across an intriguing competition to win Andy Tauer‘s latest perfume to launch – Carillion pour un ange.
The competition was to submit a memory/story/poem or drawing inspired by Lily of the Valley – some of which may be used in a forthcoming publishing collaboration for charity, between Tauer and the wonderful niche perfume-pimpers, LuckyScent.
Andy Tauer shared his own very moving story from his memories and long-term love of Lily of the Valley, which you should definitely go and read on Fragrantica: A Moment with Lily of the Valley.
I always find it deeply fascinating to find what inspired a perfume’s creation, or someone’s love of a particular note. Everyone has their own story – maybe you should share yours and get involved with the project?
Well anyway, duly, I submitted. It was a short story dashed (and I do mean dashed) off on my iPhone, of all mediums. I found the theme inspiring, and writing it on a phone’s note facility seemed more informal, less daunting, somehow, than sitting before the ever-blinking cursor of doom on a PC or laptop.
Anyway, it begins…
The shock of perfection, the white bells shivering in the old fashioned bud vase, so incongruously placed there on the butcher’s block. Wiping her hands on the long striped apron she had nearly become used to, she plucked at the little card accompanying the mysterious bunch of Lily of the Valley.
I wasn’t entirely disgusted with the result, and you may read the rest of it here, should you so wish. [Scroll right down to the comments section and read the entry by Miss_Nightingale].
Lily of the Valley bouquet by Chiana Wedding Flowers
‘Tis a mere whimsical tale, but I hope you aren’t completely engulfed with nausea, at least. 🙂
The Fragrantica competition is now closed – I wasn’t lucky enough to win a bottle of the magical perfume, sadly – but you may still be part of the community book-writing project (see the end of this post for more details).
Warming to the theme, I have created a Treasury of items related to my story and the original inspiration of Lily of the Valley. I always spend a long time choosing items for my themed collections here, and this one was no exception. I’m quite pleased with the finished selection, it conjurs up some of the feelings I wanted to convey.
I do hope you enjoy browsing through these treasures – click the larger individual pictures to be whisked directly to that item’s page…
One of the first things I found to better illustrate my theme was this delicate, almost ghostly fine art photograph by Judy Stalus. I should love to have a dressing room and decorate it in these colours, with this photograph framed on the table beside my perfumes.*le sigh*
Lily of the Valley Photograph, by Judy Stalus: $17
Next to be discovered was the somehow (I think) very French looking simple linen dress by Pamela Tang. It’s the sort of dress that’s difficult to place in time, beautifully cut and with an elegance all of its own. It doesn’t have to try too hard.
Linen Dress, by Pamela Tang: $120
Almost any flower would look wonderful in this darling little bud vase from The Lovelys vintage shop, don’t you think? I should like it on the kitchen windowsill – the light behind the green would be very cheering in a world where the washing-up fairies never come to visit.
Vintage Green Glass Bud Vase, from The Lovelys: $9.50
This photograph of a tree-lined walk in Paris by the very talented Chelsea Victoria, brings back vivid memories of childhood holidays in France. I think it’s the perspective, with the tunnel of trees filling the sky above you, it almost looks like a child’s-eye view. So evocative, I love it!
Walking Through Paris, by Chelsea Victoria: $24
For years afterwards, I would shout “Tunnel of trees!” excitedly, whenever we walked or drove through such a formation. I cannot account for this, but can only tell you that I still get the urge, now.
One day I shall just blurt it out, I’m sure, much to the chagrin of the silver-haired fiance and various family members who are, one supposes, already twitching to get their hands on the key to the attic.
There is something tremendously appealing about bakers/butchers twine. I particularly like this minty green colour way by California Craft: Very thrifty chic when used to tie a gift-wrapped package, very romantic but unfussy when used to tie bundles of love letters. And of course you do have bundles to tie, I am sure, dearie. You look the type.
25 Yards of Bakers Twine, from California Craft: $1.99
If I had these exquisite little ‘Come What May’ shoe clips by Kate’s Cottage, I would spend the entire day looking down at my shoes and making joyful squealing sounds. And possibly bumping into things. Adorable for bridesmaids, too!
'Come What May' Lily of the Valley Nest Shoe Clips, by Kate's Cottage: $18
The wonderful Lantern photograph from Escape Monotony is another deeply evocative scene from memories of my holidays as a child – such wonderful colours. I can imagine running up that street in my patent shoes, my mother wearily calling out for me not to scuff them, craning my head back to better see the lanterns, cramming pieces of still-warm bread into my mouth. Happy memories. 🙂
The Lantern - Anercy, by Escape Monotony: $13
I’ve sure I featured Go Buggy Go‘s chicken pillow in a treasury some time ago, but I had to include this green piggy one, which I am sure is something Clara would want in her house. 🙂 I just love the line in the description that warns, “please do not use this as a guideline to butcher your meat or for exams.”
Pig Meat Chart Decorative Pillow, by Go Buggy Go: $36
This cherub goats milk soap by Dreams of Long Island almost looks too lovely to use (though I wouldn’t be able to resist it to get at the foamy scented goodness) and will look darling in your bathroom. Such a dreamy colour, too.
Lily of the Valley Cherub soap, by Dreams of Long Island: $3.50
Oh, this collection from Maria Marrese is like something you’d find on your grandmother’s dressing table – a wonderful old box and vintage perfume bottles – they would make a lovely display in your boudoir, I’m sure. There’s something so romantic about old perfume bottles – you wonder who wore the fragrances and why they chose them. Did they meet the love of their life whilst wearing one of those perfumes?
Vintage Box & Perfumes, from Maria Marrese: $15
I am so in love with these tiny little crocheted Lily of the Valley embellishments by Vivian Nicole Designs! I can see these adding instant appeal to a plain cashmere cardi, or sewn onto otherwise dull fabric buttons. SO cute, and such great detail.
Set of 3 Crocheted Lily of the Valley, by Vivian Nicole Designs: $6.95
Pieces that are of daily, practical use and also happen to be beautifully executed pieces of art, are fairly rare in this throw-away, buy-another age. This fantastic handmade wooden butcher’s block/cutting board by DaKine79 is one of them. Who wouldn’t want this wonderful item in their kitchen? I would treasure it every single time I cut a slice of bread.
End Grain Butcher's Block, by DaKine79: $59
Such a pretty and whimsical piece, that and one that could be easily worn today (especially when serving tea & cupcakes to the vicar), this vintage apron from 2nuttygirlz shop also has a French look about it, somehow. Nostalgic and lovely. 🙂
Crisp White Vintage Apron, from 2nuttygirlz: £9.50
I absolutely adore all the designs at Vintage Valise, but this sweet top was perfect for my theme – girly and whimsical without looking childish or too dress-up to be worn every day and by any age, if you know what I mean. I would absolutely wear this with my favourite old pair of jeans and my faithfully battered Converse. Add a large pair of sunglasses, twist your hair into a hasty chignon, pick up a basket and off you go to market. Seriously covet.
Victorian Cupcake Top, by Vintage Valise: $47
Vintage buttons find a new home at Letter Perfect Designs, where they are reworked into the most glorious designs and sewn onto pillows. Utterly scrumptious and highly desirable – the letter ones would be a really unique gift for a newly married couple, I think (or for anyone!)
'Oui' Pillow with Vintage Mother of Pearl Buttons, by Letter Perfect Designs: $55
My final pick for this selection is this simply delightful Lily of the Valley headband by VaVaRa. Perfect for a bride (or bridesmaid) at a Victorian themed wedding, I think – they were very big on the Language of Flowers. You could also wear this to a tea party, or just to pop to the supermarket, were you so inclined. And I very much think you should be!
Lily of the Valley Headband, by VaVaRa: $27
I do hope you enjoyed seeing my selection, and don’t forget to submit your own story, poem or piece of artwork to Andy Tauer, for possible inclusion in the charity publication. Again, the rules and further information can be found here (at the end of the article):
http://www.fragrantica.com/news/A-moment-with-Lily-of-the-Valley-by-Andy-Tauer-1547.html
Good luck!
Until next time, mon chéri
Miss Nightingale
x
Filed under: Etsy, Fashion, Modern Victorian, Spring, Victorian, Victoriana, Vintage | Tags: Spring Fashion, Spring Photos
Yes, there’s still a nip in the air (in fact, it’s absolutely freezing in our little town in the Kent countryside, today!) but whilst the sun is shining, one can quite easily feel that it IS Spring, and even though we might still wish to layer upon layer; it is time to turn our thoughts to softer, floatier fabrics and colours too.
UK farmer David Kennard's clever sheepdogs herd his sheep to form the word "Spring"
How about layering this pretty chemise underneath a slightly shorter dress, with just the broderie anglaise hem peeking through, teamed with a cute little cardi, opaque tights and dolly shoes? Warm enough to be worn now but with a hint of warmer times to come.
Victorian Chemise by Southron Creation: $45
Now you all know that I love all things Victoriana, especially the quirkier, seamier side of life. I am aware that not everyone shares that passion, however, and also felt the need to search for a softer, distinctly Spring-like feel that still kept the Modern Victorian look at its heart.
Loving the determined and somehow quite self-satisfied look on this charming gal’s face (below). It’s as though she’s bested some dastardly bully on the hockey pitch. Great just teamed with jeans or a flippy skirt, tights (blue legs are never a good look, ladies) and biker boots.
Victorian Girl Print T-Shirt by Designed Threads: $23
I just love this colour combination of sky blue (I always think of it as Wedgewood blue) with a light wheaty beige. Cosy yet distictly Spring-ish rather than Wintery looking, I feel. It’s a tonic for the heart, I swear.
Vintage Style Beret by Mojo Spa Style: $40
How can you not fall completely in love with this darling Bearded Lady cushion? It’s the traditional pattern & colouring with the striking overlay of the Victorian print that I adore – the conventional slammed together with the bizarre – my favourite style rule of thumb, from homewares right through to fashion!
Bearded Lady Toile Cushion by Utilitarian Franchise: $30
This pretty little white linen eyelet top has something incredibly feminine and frivolous about it – I could equally see this worn layered with a long boyfriend-style camel cardigan and leggings & ankle boots. Maybe even desert boots (though I’m not absolutely convinced about them yet).
Parisian White Linen Top by French Sugar Couture: $119
Do have a gander at all the shops listed below – they are a treasure trove of delectable pieces. 🙂
Direct links to items shown:
1st Row: 1) Designed Threads, 2) Bustle, 3) Designed Threads (yes, I like them both, so there!)
2nd Row: 1) Critter Jitters, 2) French Sugar Couture, 3) Southron Creations
3rd Row: 1) Mojo Spa Style, 2) Call Me Mimi, 3) Julishland
4th Row: 1) Ikvotha Mashiach, 2) Utilitarian Franchise, 3) Bunny and Pear
Well, I hope you have enjoyed this little tiptoe through a softer side of modern Victorian style, darlings!
Until next time…
Yours, with Spring in her heart,
Miss Nightingale
x
Filed under: Alexander McQueen, Alice in Wonderland, Decadence, Etsy, Fairytales, Fashion, Fripperies, Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Depp, Modern Nostalgic, OPI, Sue Wong, Tim Burton, Trinkets, Uncategorized, Victorian
Tim Burton was the obvious choice for the latest Alice in Wonderland adaptation. Quirky, dark, unsettling whimsy? Burton’s your go-to guy!
Ooh, it does look rather good, doesn’t it?
The Burtonesque version of the story begins with a hoity toity party in Victorian England, at which the now 17 year old Alice (the “virtual unknown” Mia Wasikowska) is about to be proposed to in front of the hideously toffee-nosed guests.
She falls down the rabbit hole (again) and is plunged headfirst into the crazy, mixed-up world of Wonderland.
A world populated by Stephen Fry as the Cheshire Cat (oh, rapture!), Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen of Hearts,
Matt Lucas as Tweedledum and Tweedledee (utterly terrifying, but great casting!)
Of course a Burton film must have a Johnny Depp in it, and this time he’s the Mad Hatter. One wonders if he’ll basically be reprising his role as Willy Wonka in Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
I do hope not. In fact, I pray that very little will ever resemble anything from that particular film, as I thought it was a complete disaster. But I digress…
Anne Hathaway’s costume looks lovely. And great lipstick, by the way. I want that lipstick!
So, Alice is back in Wonderland, but this time she’s all grown up. Of course, she’s going to need a few trinkets and fripperies to see her through…
When the film’s released, expect to see a plethora of Wonderland madness all over the place.
One of my favourite vintage-style designers, Sue Wong, has developed a niche collection inspired by Burton’s Wonderland, and utterly beautiful dresses they are, too. I would expect nothing less, her pieces always look as though they could be displayed in the V&A. Incredibly lust-worthy.
Ultra-chic Parisian department store Printemps have asked a number of their favourite designers to furnish the windows with bespoke, Alice-inspired pieces.
As Vogue reported, “Some of the fashion world’s best known names – including Christopher Kane, Alexander McQueen, Manish Arora, Maison Martin Margiela, Ann Demeulemeester, Bernhard Willhelm and Haider Ackermann – have been asked to create a one-off dress for Alice, which will then be displayed in the window of the Parisian department store during Paris Fashion Week.”
Urban Decay have been busy, too, developing an authorised”Book of Shadows” to tie-in with the film, in utterly delectable packaging.
I fear they may already have sold out, though! It’s a “…very limited release” (“limited” being a very movable feast whenever beauty manufacturers are involved, so I’ve found. Limited to what? 50? 500? 5,000?).
To be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t get that hot under the collar about the shadows anyway. I’m more of a lips gal, truth be told. I’m a sucker for a well-packaged product, though!
Probably more of interest to me is the news that O.P.I have also put together a collection of Wonderland-inspired colours.
Though I have to agree with the review at All Laquered Up – I think two reds were overkill in this collection, and Off With Her Red is terribly boring. With such a pool of inspiration to draw from, surely they could have gone with something a little more spectacular than plain ol’ tomato red? I love the suggestion (in the article linked above) of a white glitter with tiny heart-shaped confetti pieces in it!
And now to furnish my little corner of Wonderland…
How about this Tea Time vinyl wall decoration, for your very own Mad-Hatter’s tea party? I think it turns what could otherwise have been a drab wallpaper into a witty take on traditional design. Love it!
Tea Time Decal by Say It With Style: $35
To go to tea, Alice must have a wonderful dress, of course. This beautiful vintage number seems very much in keeping with the film’s style.
Tulle 50's Strapless Dress by Land of 1000 Dresses: $250
For something a little more everyday (but still fabulous), I’ve plumped for Abi Bansal’s midnight blue ‘Coachella’ dress. I can see a modern-day in this, can’t you?
Coachella Dress by Abi Bansal Designs: $160
A inspired by Suzie Chaney’s limited edition ‘The Queen’s Croquet’ print:
The Queen's Croquet Limited Edition Print by Suzie Chaney: $23
…I would team the Coachella dress with these great candy striped stockings by Poppy’s Wicked Garden:
Cutie Pie Candy Striped Stockings by Poppy's Wicked Garden: $25
…and these absolutely perfect vintage Mary Jane style shoes from Dear Golden Vintage:
Vintage Mary Janes by Dear Golden Vintage: $37
For the Red Queen, I think this corset would be just the thing. The detailing is wonderful, as are all the pieces at Boom Boom Baby Boutique.
Queen of Hearts Corset by Boom Boom Baby Boutique: $225
These “Drink Me” sticks would be perfect to decorate the cocktails at a Mad Hatter’s Teaparty themed wedding reception! Or any party at all. They’re from the talented Pink Cherry Momma, who also does a splendid set of “Eat Me’s” too (shown in my Etsy treasury style collection further down the page). I adore them!
12 Drink Me Party Picks by Pink Cherry Momma: $10.95
Well, I could go on and on with this theme, but suppose I should stop somewhere. 😉
Do have fun browsing through this gallery of temptations I put together for a future Etsy Treasury selection. Have a sneak peek at my choices…
Direct links to items shown, left to right:
1st Row: 1) Abi Bansal Design, 2) Cosmic Firefly, 3) Ju Ju Too
2nd Row: 1) Pink Cherry Momma, 2) Untamed Menagerie, 3) Five Sisterz
3rd Row: 1) Boom Boom Baby Boutique, 2) Suzie Chaney, 3) Amber Alexander
4th Row: 1) Nickel Design, 2) Les Delicieux, 3) Land of 1000 Dresses
Yours curiously….
Miss Nightingale
x
Beyond the Pale 