Huntress London

FOUND - His Obscenely Stylish Neck

2015-05-18T05:00:00.000+01:00

I find I envy my husband his 2nd hand neckties. His colossal collection, gathered over time and travel, is a fantastical print riot. Although I often style neckties as belts, I remain wildly jealous of the daily opportunity this accessory offers him; a simple but effective way of adding a pop of pattern to his well-considered sartorial vibe. He sports magnificent motifs and outrageous colour combos discretely corralled in the defined confines of a strip of silk. I hear you shout, "Man up Huntress! Wind your neck in and just wear one!" I can and I do but day-in-and-day out it's not a look I can make my own. Alternatively I collect bangles the way Him Outdoors collects ties.

A unique man-ccessory, the necktie is centuries old. Chinese terracotta soldiers uncovered in 1974 but created in 210BC are wearing a neck cloth that seems a precursor to the modern tie. But it wasn't until the 1920s that New Yorker Jesse Langdorf cut fabric on a 45 degree angle using 3 piece construction. This bit of haberdashing genius allowed the slash of fabric to lay flat after it was tied, no twisting and turning. And with that, the suit's contemporary companion was born.

From quality vintage the likes of Lanvin to thin, unlined demob versions, my husband's collection is highly democratic. While my step-mom consistently finds skinnies that fit the bill, I don't posses the knack for spotting examples that he deems keepers. Rightly his penchant is evolved, specific and idiosyncratic. Indeed Supreme Court Justice Potter's constitutional definition of pornography, "I know it when I see it," aptly applies to my husband's very personal taste in ties.

To See His Tie Clip Collection (naturally) CLICK HERE

TRY THIS - Liberate the Humble Hanky

2015-05-15T05:00:00.000+01:00

I found these Liberty handkerchiefs at Mary's Living & Giving shop in Ealing. Their folded fabulousness quite nearly sings, "everything old is new again." For decades, squares of fancy fabric like this have served as sneeze guards, sun protectors, nose wipers and more. Hankies have been flirty props for pulling and when soaked in perfume, acted to mask the odors emanating from poor public sanitation. Shakespeare's Iago hatched a hankie-based scheme to dupe ole Othello into offing himself and his sinless Desdemona. WWII pilots carried hankies printed with maps to help them escape danger if shot down behind enemy lines. Hankie history is rich (cotton) indeed. But in 1924 when Kimberly-Clark introduced the Kleenex as an aid to removing cold cream, hankies everywhere must have quivered. Within a few years the company was inundated with letters from customers reporting that they were happily using Kleenex as disposable hankies. And with that, the fabric accessory began its journey toward obsolete oblivion. Pop to the present, and today the sustainability movement ensures that the forgotten handkerchief is environmentally correct. My husband wasn't a believer when I pushed a hankie into his perspiring palm one hot day, but he's changed his tune. In the heat of summer on a muggy train, hankies are delightful pocket luxuries. Dab your brow and take pleasure in the fact that sweat can be stylish. I'm keeping the hankie with the white trim, but the rest belong to the husband. The lot cost £9.

To read Liberty's lovely, informative blog CLICK HERE

TRY THIS - Something for the Weekend

2015-05-14T05:00:00.000+01:00

I find the trend for vintage sales in pubs a marriage made in heaven. Beer and bargains, something for everyone really. And while East London hosts a plethora of fab 2nd-hand sales in its ultra cool watering holes, in my well-read book West is Best. To that end, this Saturday, 16 May, from 1pm to 5pm The Fox CLICK HERE, a bright, canal-side boozer opens its grounds to The Fox Vintage Fair and Tea. Hanwell's premier pub serves as a lovely backdrop to what is sure to be a parade of pre-owned pleasures.

Housewares, fabrics, accessories and jewellery await the discerning shopper. Browse, chit chat, buy. And there's more. This month's Fox fun features retro makeovers by hair and makeup expert Emma Freely from just £6. Fancy a Victory roll or a red lippy lesson? Ms Freely will be there to beautify your barnet and properly powder your nose. In addition, Clarence & Alabama will be selling vintage-inspired frocks - owner Amy is a delight and has a keen eye for retro re-makes CLICK HERE. An undoubtedly gorgeous afternoon tea will be served under the marquee in the garden for only £7, pre-booking required, ring 020 8567 4021. The Fox Pub is located at the end of Green Lane, W7 2PJ. The weather forecast for Saturday is sunny, so be clever like a fox and amble on over to Hanwell for delightful pub fair.

Follow Fox Vintage on Twitter @FoxVintageW7

FOUND - Red Shoes With Star Status

2015-05-11T05:00:00.000+01:00

I found these amazing vintage shoes at the monthly car boot in South Ruislip at Queensmead School CLICK HERE. This was my first car boot but definitely not my last. The traders were friendly, the stock diverse and prices rock bottom. These gorgeous Italian-made courts were £2, that's right just two Great British Pounds. They were made by GATTO, a famed shoemaker located near the Via Veneto in Rome - since 1912 GATTO has made footwear for royalty and the kings of industry alike. These red shoes put me in mind of the driven-to-dance footwear in the 1948 film The Red Shoes, the ballet epic that made Moira Shearer a star CLICK HERE.

An Original Painting by Ivor Beddoes Created for The Red Shoes

The ground-breaking film is part of my friend Selina's family history. Ivor Beddoes, her grandfather, worked closely with Hein Heckroth the film's set and costume designer to establish The Red Shoes' haunting look. Beddoes produced countless images associated with the film and while much of his work for The Red Shoes went uncredited, in 2009 the British Film Institute hosted an exhibition showcasing the storyboards he created for the big screen masterpiece CLICK HERE. Beddoes would go on to work as a sketch artist, art director and illustrator for numerous films including Casino Royale, The Dirty Dozen, Goodbye Mr Chips, Star Wars and Superman to name just a few. His filmography is extensive but his real legacy lives on in his granddaughter Selina. While she never met him, it seems to me she's inherited his creative touch.

Four works by Selina Scarvaci

TRY THIS - Art Is The New Black

2015-05-07T05:00:00.000+01:00

I find you don't always get what you pay for. Often, as in the case of a free exhibition I dropped in on this week, you get much more. For Arts Sake, an Ealing print gallery and framer, is currently showcasing the work of linocut artist and craftsman Paul Catherall CLICK HERE.

His work may look familiar - the likes of Transport for London, Penguin Books, Wallpaper Magazine and Mark & Spencer have commissioned Catherall to provide them with his distinctive urban images.

Catherall's colour combinations are thrilling. It seems with ease and confidence he adds pigment to an urban landscape that I often consider colourless or at best, grey. A sky shot red, for example, by a brown Battersea Power Station seems as right as rain in this colour blocked world.

If you live in the Ealing area, don't miss this bit-sized exhibition celebrating 15 years of linocuts by Coventry-native, and now Londoner Paul Catherall. But be careful, his work is tempting and For Arts Sake's monthly payment plan make owning an image budget friendly. I walked away with one - a limited-edition print that will inspire me for years to come.

FOUND - Sincerest Form of Flattery?

2015-05-06T05:00:00.000+01:00

I find ethnic-inspired fashion captivating. It engages my imagination and sets me off wondering, probing, researching. Whether a mock jade necklace or a tartan scarf, a java print blouse or Native American beaded bracelet, I'm drawn to styles that tell a story other than my own. I'm well aware that "the story" is highly managed and edited by the Fashion Industry. Very few of my ethnic fashions are authentic - made AND worn by the cultures they claim to represent. These 2nd-hand finds are a re-telling, a fashion adaptation. But is there anything entirely original? Influence can be subtle but it's unceasingly influential. In fact it seems to me the Fashion Industry would self destruct if it weren't able to call on the creative output of other cultures. That said, non-Western manufacturers, large and small, are producing ethnic fashions for a real and virtual tourist market CLICK HERE. They're adding their own twist - often an act of subtraction - to their own culture, Westernizing their fashion output to suit our perceived tastes. And what of designers like Yohji Yamamoto and Issy Miyake? Rather than capitalizing on the stereotypical exoticism of their culture, they travel a very personal creative road, in an effort to navigate their idiosyncratic vision rather than ethnicity's preordained path. My fake jade necklace - made of stone - was £4.99 at Oxfam in Ealing. A fiver for your thoughts on ethnic-inspired fashion?

TRY THIS - Be A Vintage Seller for a Day

2015-05-01T10:41:00.001+01:00

I find the people who sell 2nd-hand stuff as compelling as the stuff they sell. Recently I had a chit chat with Victoria and Emma, the driving forces behind the superb bi-monthly Fox Vintage Market hosted in the courtyard of Hanwell's canal-side Fox Pub. Victoria spots and sells real vintage jewellery. Her day job involves researching and writing text for encyclopedia publishers. But lest you think she's just a brainy wordsmith, she also trained as a Flameno dancer. Some years ago she performed in Trafalgar Square alongside the Strictly Come Dancing professionals. You can't help but wonder how her dancing feet effect her vintage seeking eye? Sparkle anyone?

Emma, who will also be out in force at the Fox Vintage sale, like me loves a good Deal. More specifically the quaint town on the Kent coast is her favourite - the very seaside town that's my default destination whenever I've a free weekend CLICK HERE. Emma recently took the plunge and made 2nd-hand selling her full-time career. She sells her pre-loved housewares at various markets, as well as Wow Vintage and Crafts in Kingston's historic Market House CLICK HERE.

Pitches are still available for the 16th. If you're local to the Hanwell/Ealing area and have quality, interesting vintage clothing, accessories or housewares to sell, contact the girls at foxvintagemarket@gmail.com

TRY THIS - A Basket Case No More

2015-04-30T05:00:00.000+01:00

I find I sweat the small things. With Trojan horse zeal I attack the big stuff but puny annoyances are apt to beat me and none more so than the day-to-day handbag switcheroo. Moving from rucksack on a gloomy Tuesday to straw tote on a sunny Wednesday creates no end of stress for me. At day's end, my Oyster card has ended up in the pocket of my mackintosh and my glasses are now next to my desk. My phone has disappeared entirely and somehow my favourite lippy is hiding in the recess of a dark, forgotten pocket. Inevitably after swapping over to a different bag, I leave the house several essential items light. But with a recent Avenue Vintage & Antique Market find, I think I've cracked the case of switheroo stress. When I arrive home I immediately dump the contents of my bag (and pockets) into this basket. It's wide opening allows me to see my indispensables with ease. Taking it by the handle, I poodle about the house collecting crucial bits and bobs that have strayed during the day. This is now the woven home base for all my vital belongings, ensuring I'm no longer a handbag basket case. Its miraculous daily effect makes it a downright bargain at just £14.

To read my recent post

on Henpicked CLICK HERE

FOUND - Stories Echo in A Silk Scarf

2015-04-27T05:00:00.000+01:00

I found this silk scarf at the monthly Avenue Vintage & Antique Market (AVAM) CLICK HERE in West Ealing. It's the product of an American maker founded by a husband & wife team on their wedding day in 1923. New Yorkers Edgar and Theresa called their new venture Echo, an acronym of Edgar C Hyman & Co. Eventually headquartered on 5th Avenue, the scarf maker built up an impressive archive of prints. In 1956, Edgar Haymen's son-in-law had the job of finding the best way of getting the company's product, now made in Italy, to American shores. He chose the newest and much-heralded transatlantic vessel, the Andrea Dora. On the night of 25 July, just off the east coast of the USA, bound for NYC, the ship collided with a Swedish liner, the USS Stockholm. Echo's Fall line of scarves was lost to the depths of the sea. It was the height of summer and the Italian manufacturers were due to close for the season but as a testament to the good will Echo had forged, the factories stayed opened and re-made all of the drown silk accessories.

In 1974 inspired by a request from the Smithsonian Institute to create a replica of the 1876 World's Fair commemorative scarf, Echo established a custom design division, working with the likes of MOMA and The Art Institute of Chicago. And the Windy City connection would continue when in 2003 Echo opened its first free-standing concession inside the city's famed Marshall Fields department store. This silk, I repeat silk, beauty was just £9 at AVAM. It's relatively new but I like to imagine it washed up on British shores, once a neatly folded passenger on the ill-fated Andrea Dora. Look out for 2nd-hand Echo scarves - they're quality items with a storied pedigree.

FOUND - Coat From Another Time & Place

2015-04-24T05:30:00.000+01:00

I found this cotton jacket at the Cancer Research charity shop near Ealing Broadway. It reminded me of the sort of thing that hung on hook in our garage when I was a kid in small town Ohio. My mom would have pulled it on before jumping in the car to zoom up to the local grocery after realizing she didn't have enough milk or eggs or tinned tomatoes. It's the perfect weekend topper; relaxed tom-boy style. When my husband spotted me wearing it, he said, "Nice Harrington." Not more cockney rhyming slang I thought. But it turns out this jacket is a Harrington, the sort of coat James Dean, Frank Sinatra and Rodney Harrington made famous. Rodney is the fictional character played by a young Ryan O'Neal in the 60s blockbuster TV soap opera Peyton Place. Rodney, a kid from a well-off family falls for Mia Farrow's character, Allison MacKenzie, a girl whose father is in prison. Ryan-as-Rodney wore a jacket not unlike this one, and it was consequently dubbed the Harrington. Not long ago I read Peyton Place, the book-come-film-come-TV show that caused a huge stir in the 50s when it debuted. It was once considered trashy and trite but today on reflection Grace Metalious' novel is nothing short of a classic, much like the jacket it inspired. The price of Peyton Place weekend chic? £10.

TRY THIS - It's A Novel Idea. The End.

2015-04-22T05:30:00.000+01:00

I find I judge books by their covers, not metaphorically but actually. Oh how often I fancy reading a 2nd-hand book because its graphic first impression captures my imagination. The vibe, colour combo, type face, even the size of certain books inspire my style eye. With that in mind, I've decided to accessorize with reading material. Of course the visionary Olympia Le-Tan is making clutch bags that LOOK just like books CLICK HERE, and I'd love to own one. Sadly my purse isn't nearly big enough to afford one of her's.

Turn the page and at the 2nd-hand bookstalls on London's South Bank I find these bound beauties. Once each is paired with the perfect clutch purse, I've got a book look that I can't put down. Admittedly it's not an everyday style, and the right bag is crucial if it's to work. But occasionally, making a hardback part of your ensemble is easy-peasy in my book.

FOUND - Reflection of One Not Yet Met

2015-04-21T05:30:00.000+01:00

I find secondhand gifts from my sister-in-law some of the best I ever get. She's aware of my penchant for pre-owned and so passes on to me little things that belonged to her mother. I never met my mother-in-law. Sylvia died a year before my path crossed her son's. But through small objects - this compact, my wedding ring, a collection of a hankies - I have made her acquaintance. The stories my husband tells me about his mother and family photos help to round out my mental picture of this much-loved woman.

Sylvia bought this compact from Kays of Worcester, via their once-ubiquitous catalogue CLICK HERE. Not unlike Sears and Roebuck - an American retailer that started out as a mail order business - Kays sold all sorts of items via catalogue, including ready-to-wear fashions launched in the 1920s. The scratches and worn patches on this fashionable compact are evidence that Sylvia really used it. She would have checked her hair and make-up or removed dust from the eye that looked on her children with constant concern. I wonder what price Kays put on the compact when it was new? Well worn it's priceless to me.

FOUND - Face to Face at My Place

2015-04-20T07:30:00.000+01:00

I find myself surrounded with like-minded women. They're an eclectic group of gals who've been my friends for years. We're a close knit group - I strip down to my knickers in front of them every day. They are the lovely ladies who line the walls of my dressing room.

Framed ink drawings, ceramic busts, old postcards, a needlepoint portrait, a charcoal nude, photographs and more; all images of women that I've found compelling.

Of course they're secondhand sirens. From flea markets, garage sales, Ebay, car boots and of course charity shops I've tracked down these highly decorative dollies.

Like mirrors, the images reflect the me I see and the me I wish I could be. My girls remind me that beauty is an expansive word, its permutations endless.

Faces from places far and wide, the girls mark my travels. I remember the estate sale in Washington DC, the secondhand shop in Florida, the window in Antwerp, the auction house in Chelsea, the antiques barn in Ohio, the roadside stall in Harare. From high art to cast offs, they are the company I keep.

From my dressing room, a self-important name for the room wear I dress, these lovely ladies wish me well. At day break do I hear them remind me I'm special, so special...

FOUND - Blogs Keeping Us in the Pink

2015-04-17T05:00:00.000+01:00

This from my pal, actress Gretchen Egolf:

"Recently on my way to see my friend Anmarie’s utterly charming and smart play, RE-TALE, I found I had a little time to kill before curtain-up so I popped into the Marie Curie charity shop just steps away from the Hen & Chickens theatre in Islington. In honor of the play and Huntress London (I'd been surfing the blog that week), I was inspired to buy this scene-stealing Diane Von Furstenberg number. Seen here at a film premiere, I felt picture perfect wrapped in DVF's fuchsia wool winner. The dress was just £40. I'd like to thank the Academy, the charity shop, Huntress London, my family..."

I'm flattered that Huntress inspired Gretchen. Her hot pink pick got me thinking about the blogs that inspire me. There are so many but here's a stylish sampling of what I've been clicking on lately:

Kerry Taylor Auctions website & blog CLICK HERE features an online catalogue that is glorious. KT's latest fashion auction is scheduled for 28 April and even if you can't afford to buy, the viewing days prior to the auction are FREE. The blog itself is full of fash history and style ideas. Read and Learn.

I'm a big fan of Caroline Jones, of Knickers My Own CLICK HERE. She's wearing clothes from Cancer Research Charity shops for the whole of 2015. That's 365 days of 2nd-hand chic. She's good at it too, Caroline makes charity shop style look easy, modern and cool. In the process she's raising money for Cancer Research - I like to think of her as a sartorial philanthropist.

I'm from the American midwest state of Ohio, so a virtual visit to Kent State University's fashion museum feels like coming home. The Online Catalogue CLICK HERE allows you to browse their collection, and oh my what a collection! Lovely photos coupled with informative descriptions. It's a nice way to wile away a Sunday afternoon.

Not surprisingly I'm both a regular reader and contributor to the Oxfam Fashion blog CLICK HERE. A relentless team of 2nd-hand style bloggers provide great ideas, content and photos, making this blog an eclectic style read. Contributor Britishette CLICK HERE is a personal fave, and writes her own rather compelling blog as well.

Clea Broad CLICK HERE is not just a milliner, not just a florist but a style story teller. Her creations have the power to transport you to an imaginary fashion paradise. I love looking in on her, virtually. I'm always uplifted by Clea's latest and greatest.

What style blogs are you reading these days?

FOUND - A Platform for Reinvention

2015-04-16T05:30:00.000+01:00

I found these Spring green platforms at one of the Retro shops around the corner from Notting Hill tube station. This cluster of 2nd-hand stores offers to buy and sell your used clothing, accessories and small housewares. One of the bunch is packed to the rafters with pre-owned luxury clothing, 'It' bags and designer shoes but even this unflappable hunter finds its cramped confines an unpleasant experience. I prefer to pop a few doors down to the Retro shops that sell more vintage, less high-end and bit of high-street. That's where I spotted these beauties.

Platforms can be traced back to 16th century Venice when women wore shoes - of a fashion - called chopines. They elevated ladies to as much as 30 inches off the ground and servants were required to keep the wearer upright. Not surprisingly chopines, often jewel encrusted, were a symbol of wealth and status. But it was the 20th century that saw three major revivals of platform shoes. In the 1930s a wedge platform made of cork became a popular seaside shoe. Later, in the 40s, platforms were made of wood, a practical solution to the war-time shortage of leather. Platforms would fall out of favor until the 1970s, when these green goddesses were made. After the modern, forward-looking designs of the 1960s, the 70s went nostalgic, resurrecting the chunky chopine-esque shoe of the past. The 70s - often maligned but NOW back in vogue - was actually the first era to significantly appropriate from previous decades. Today the reinterpretation of classics is commonplace, but it was the groovy 70s that used retrospection to recreate. My 70s does the 40s clod-hoppers were just £30.

TRY THIS - Secondhand Soundtrack

2015-04-14T05:00:00.000+01:00

The Bargain Store by Dolly Parton

My life is like unto a bargain store

And I may have just what you're lookin' for

If you don't mind the fact that all the merchandise is used

But with a little mending it could be as good as new

Why you take for instance this old broken heart

If you will just replace the missing parts

You would be surprised to find how good it really is

Take it and you never will be sorry that you did

The bargain store is open come inside

You can easily afford the price

Love is all you need to purchase all the merchandise

And I will guarantee you'll be completely satisfied

Take these old used memories from the past

And these broken dreams and plans that didn't last

I'll trade them for a future, I can't use them anymore

I've wasted love but I still have some more

The bargain store is open come inside

You can easily afford the price

Love is all you need to purchase all the merchandise

And I can guarantee you'll be completely satisfied

My life is like unto a bargain store

And I may have just what you're lookin' for

If you don't mind the fact that all the merchandise is used

With a little mendin' it could be as good as new

The bargain store is open, come inside

To my surprise and delight, I've found the Huntress London anthem, in fact the perfect theme tune for any 2nd-hand style siren. It's Dolly Parton's The Bargain Store, a sweetly melancholy track released in 1975. I ran across it after picking up The Very Best of DP, pre-owned of course. I'm old school, no music via a portable MP3 player for me, instead I enjoy and endure the sounds of the city when traveling about London. It's while comfortably confined in my own home that I pop in a CD and crank up the tunes. Behind closed doors I can safely dance about the sitting room and warble into a hairbrush. To hear the Dolly ditty that has me singing her praises, CLICK HERE. The Queen of Country's My Potential New Boyfriend and the classic Jolene make this song compilation a must-have costume jewel.

TRY THIS - You May Kiss The Bridesmaid

2015-04-13T05:30:00.000+01:00

Once again my friend Alma - actor and frequent guest blogger - offers her insightful 2nd-hand style observations to Huntress London readers. I Do - love a wedding. Don't you Alma?

"I find myself cast in an unexpected role, not on stage but in life - I am a bridesmaid. Maybe it's a role I should have considered sooner, but growing up in Italy it really wasn't a star turn I ever contemplated. As a little girl, dreams of the perfect wedding weren't something I imagined. My debut on a West End stage, yes, many times; a walk down the aisle, never."

"So when one of my best friends asked me to be her bridesmaid, I entered a highly unfamiliar world. I love this girl and I'm really excited for her big day, because in her case this is a dream come true, so I'm keen to embrace the wedding-sphere."

"Unfortunately, our first bridal mission did little to win me over to the white side - a wedding fair at the soulless Excel Centre in East London where the first stall to welcome the bride-to-be was hosted by Weight Watchers. I could bore you with 5 paragraphs on the myriad ways in which that stall galls me, but this is not the place. Instead, I want to tell you about the perfect antidote - The National Vintage Wedding Fair CLICK HERE."

"The venue, lovely Stoke Newington Town Hall, looked picture perfect decked out in well-chosen vintage stalls. The fair was small, friendly and full of good ideas. The exhibitors were approachable and everyone had a chat with us without a hard sales push. Offerings ranged from photographers to prop hire, wedding dresses to stylists, all with a vintage angle, naturally."

"Where at the Excel the entertainment was provided by a woman in a wedding dress singing the Disney anthem 'Let it Go,' here we were delighted by the dulcet tones of Rose Lancaster CLICK HERE and effervescent wartime trio The Victory Sisters CLICK HERE."

"We had a long chat with self-proclaimed "professional hoarder" Mandy of Something Borrowed Something Vintage CLICK HERE who, apart from having THE best business card ever (attached to a tea bag), hires out vintage china and other items to give a special touch to any wedding venue. Lula & Rye CLICK HERE offer a similar service with a hipster edge if that's your style."

"My personal favourites were the dresses. To my mind they were simply stunning vintage dresses - right up my street - that just happened to be white. If you don't mind your special dress being worn ahead of your big day, then you can expect to find a beautiful, unique and affordable frock. Bristol-based Heartfelt Vintage CLICK HERE stocked beautiful lacy dresses, Vintage Trousseau CLICK HERE offered rather elegant looks and Sally Lacock CLICK HERE really caught my eye."

"All in all we had a lovely day and came away with a few useful contacts and good ideas. I'm certainly feeling steeped in wedding spirit after seeing things through rose-tinted, vintage glasses."

"As I said to the bride, it will be just like putting on a fabulous show. The next few months will be spent sorting out costumes and props and on the day, as a bridesmaid, I'll help the leading lady get into costume, hair and make-up. I've got to remember my blocking and make sure no one misses their cue. Seems as a bridesmaid, I'm perfectly cast."

For more information on National Vintage Wedding Fairs CLICK HERE.

TRY THIS - Ladies, You've Been Framed

2015-04-09T05:30:00.000+01:00

I often find the graphic designs of album covers sing with style, and none more so than these. Bought several years ago at Ealing charity shops - La Traviata from Oxfam and Madame Butterfly (below) from Fara (both less than a fiver) - they were framed only last week at the Accession Community Shop & Picture Framing Studio in West Ealing CLICK HERE. Accession is an interesting local enterprise, a partnership between Ealing Council and West London Mental Health Trust. It seeks to support over 80 individuals with mental health and learning disabilities through opportunities to work. The West Ealing Accession shop, nicely laid out and filled with quality secondhand chic, also features an open plan framing workshop. There, people are learning this useful craft. Thrilled with the result, I'll hang these pleasing portraits in my dressing room. The framing cost was a rather reasonable £28 per album cover. Thanks Accession!

FOUND - Scenes Set in Aquamarine

2015-04-08T05:00:00.000+01:00

I found this Aquamarine ring at Avenue Vintage & Antique Market in West Ealing. The semi-precious gem is the birthstone for March, and while my birthday is in February, I can't resist the sparkling lucidity of this sky blue jewel. An incredibly hard stone due to a high iron content, the watery hue is a particularly appealing pastel. The earrings were actually mined near Zimbabwe and set in Harare - my home from 1998 to 2001. Memories of my Southern African adventure are the greatest gift the country gave me. From the hot wet spray off Victoria Falls to the wide Jacaranda-lined streets of Bulawayo, from the soulful sounds of native son Oliver Mtukudzi to the piercing, lyrical words of writer, my friend, the late Yvonne Vera, Zimbabwe lives inside me. Her people, troubled but eternally optimistic, burn bright in my head and heart. Zimbabweans deserve so much more than they've been given by their so-called leader. Uniting my Zimbabwe gems with the matching secondhand ring feels like connecting the dots of my life. With flawless clarity they represent my love of Zimbabwe and my life in London. I don't recall how much the earrings cost but the ring was just £20.

TRY THIS - Book Your Place in Style

2015-04-06T05:00:00.000+01:00

I find I'm in need of confession. Forgive me but I bought a glossy fash mag. Huntress London preaches the pleasure of fashion books rather than glossy pulp but over the weekend, in a moment of madness, I gave in to the fleeting allure of April's Vogue. The day before I'd picked up Shoes, a good-looking little read from Ealing Oxfam, so nestled on the sofa with a cup of coffee, I prepared to spend the afternoon style surfing. I dove into Vogue, enjoying a feature on author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (loved the dress she was pictured wearing, her own creation) and cut out a useful compilation of UK vintage shops courtesy of woman-in-the-know Harriet Walker. Otherwise, the magazine was the Cara show. No less than 5 adverts, 8 pages of editorial, as well as the cover featured Ms Delevingne. Please Alexandra Shulman, give us different faces, bodies, shapes, skin colours and attitudes. Cara is stylish but we're saturated, thank you.

I moved on to my little book. From the Renaissance to the Swingin' 60s, from button-up boots to Doc Martens, from Chuck Taylor to Imelda Marcos this publication is packed with facts, illustrations, photos and inspiration. Did you know that between 1927 and 1960 Salvatore Ferragamo produced 20,000 shoe designs and Charles Jourdan is credited with creating the stiletto?

Lesson learned. Practice what you preach Huntress! Secondhand books provide far more fashion inspo and info than the predictable pages of fash mags. And my solid shoe book was half the price of the latest but lacking Vogue.

For more style book recommendations read

Huntress London for Oxfam Fashion CLICK HERE

TRY THIS - Cracking Krakow Vintage

2015-04-03T07:05:00.000+01:00

I find I'm thinking of Krakow as Easter approaches. It was there that we picked up these beautiful hand-painted wooden eggs. They come out in Spring to mark seasonal renewal and ubiquitous bunnies. The vintage belt is also a product of Krakow - a fab find from one of the city's 2nd-hand shopping spots (sadly now closed). Vintage is new to Krakow, it's a growing fashion habit that's offering young women in particular a way into small business ownership. Odra - embossed on the gleaming gold belt buckle - is a river, a football club, a computer brand and a village in Poland. Secondhand that's word perfect. It cost about £8, and is a stylish souvenir of a long weekend in cracking Krakow.

TRY THIS - Blossom With A Posy Brooch

2015-04-02T05:30:00.000+01:00

I find I'm ready to wear Spring styles but the weather's not keen to cooperate yet. To mark the seasonal change (and remain warm), I've recently pinned this boutenniere to my outerwear. A gift from my step-mom, a seasoned secondhand shopper herself, my posy holder blossoms on a tweed or tartan coat. The useful accessory is inspired by the Victorians who carried hand-held posy holders similar to this; the flowering nosegay gadget masked unpleasant personal and street odors. Called a "Tussie Mussie," they were tiny, often silver vases with bone handles. A woman holding a Tussie Mussie was also signaling that she was enjoying the attentions of a gentleman caller. Today these are proper antiques, Victoriana that any collector would be pleased to own. They're also pricey. But brooch-y posy holders like mine, stylish and wearable, can be found in vintage markets and charity shops if you keep your eyes peeled. They're Flower Power with Purpose!

FOUND - Memento That Tells Tales

2015-03-31T05:30:00.000+01:00

I found this souvenir bracelet at the Avenue Vintage & Antique Market in West Ealing. Old travel mementos like these are a personal favorite - the writer in me not only enjoys wearing them but also imagining their hidden history. This little piece of Spain - those are bullfighters in the metal work - came to me via a dealer selling primarily French collectibles. It's seen some life - if only it could speak. I imagine it's the type of touristy keepsake that a man like Ernest Hemingway would have bought for his first wife Hadley when they were visiting San Fermin in Pamplona. This is where Hemingway became fascinated with bull fighting and would meet Pauline Pfeiffer, the woman who would become his 2nd wife.'Papa,' the cad, would buy a silly but stylish trifle like this for Hadley in an effort to put her off the scent. But it did not disguise the acrid smell of Hemingway's marital deceit. Fiction? Maybe. But I enjoy giving voice to this souvenir's secrets. The price for such an inspiring accessory? Just £10.

For more on Hadely Richarson's life with Hemgingway

read The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, CLICK HERE.

TRY THIS - Style Scripted On Stage

2015-03-30T09:19:00.000+01:00

Over the weekend the curtain came down on my play Re:Tale at Hen & Chickens in Islington. It was an exciting 1-week run that saw my nerves fray and pride swell, as talented cast and crew brought my work from page to stage. If you weren't able to see it, here's one of the character's mini rants, performed by the exceptional actress Zena Carswell. A rather 'Huntress London' sentiment, I think you'll find.

(customer exits)

SHOPGIRL: She left her paper. (a glossy fashion magazine is curled inside the newspaper) Oooo, and this. This. She had one of these. Bright, beguiling but evil. The devil in a red dress, Satan in satin, Lucifer in leggings, well for one more season maybe. Leggings.

(opens the magazine)

Shame.

Shaming us into wanting pricey frocks imagined by over-cool under-coiffed, occasionally anti-Semitic, wide boys who are having a laugh while disguising themselves as everymen women lovers.

Consider this darling demon! He’s over-thinking a perfectly acceptable mackintosh, in an attempt to justify making it ludicrously expensive. He claims “the trench coat is the most democratic piece of clothing. A farmer in Yorkshire, the Queen of England and Sid Vicious would wear it.” So then modern democracy is white, Anglo Saxon and sporting a bad haircut? Maybe he’s got a point. But fashion? Democratic? Democracy’s not even democratic lately, so how are frocks and baubles going to be? And why should they? Fashion is fluff, not politics, and no matter how hard it wishes it were significant and serious, it’s not.

Most women know it actually.

We don’t take this personally. Maybe we do. (starts tearing pages from the magazine) It’s a trivial, convivial con that makes us chuckle. It takes the edge off, really. Flipping through these glossy, saucy, worthless, clueless, pretty pages.

Surely we know this is rubbish. We do! But still. It’s this that allows us to think that she (points to a woman in the audience) is something less than thee.

Thank you to everyone who made Re:Tale happen.

It was dramatic, joyful and stylish. Thank you so much.

photos of Zena Carswell by Alex Grey

FOUND - Jacket that Drives Me Wild

2015-03-27T05:00:00.000+00:00

I found this silk jacket at the new Fara shop in Islington near Angel tube station. It's a product of Shanghai Tang, purveyors of Chinese-inspired fashions for men and women, as well as homeware. Save small light red stains under the arms, this overcoat is perfect and when I wear it the minor flaws are nearly unnoticeable. But it's the defects that fill me with a feeling of freedom to style this topper with abandon, rather than wearing it carefully, with conservative concern. Once or twice I've bought, owned and drove a new car, and each time I've breathed a sigh of relief when my sparkling auto suffered a knock or ding, usually in a shop parking lot. Rather than despair, I found myself feeling like my motor was becoming a useful set of wheels rather than a model kit car that needed protecting at all costs. With high-end clothes my feelings are remarkably similar. Now that it's got a dent, I won't have to save my silk Shanghai Tang for best. Instead I'll wear it over a black bathing suit on holiday, pair it with casual denim and drape it over a summer shift. This luxury fashion becomes all the more luxurious when I've license to wear it recklessly. It was a just £10.