Vintage Old & Vintage New

Hello lovelies!

So way back in April, the lovely Caroline of Curvy Wordy fame and myself headed to the V&A for The Glamour of Italian Fashion exhibition. I was so excited when it was announced this exhibition was coming to the V&A and I had no doubt I would absolutely love it – and I was right!

The exhibition mainly focuses on haute couture, and each decade is a reflection of the sign of the times. The pieces from the 1940’s are subtle in structure and colours; it was more about durability and practicality due to being a time of hardship after the Second World War. The 1950’s and 1960’s is where the glamour really starts to shine through – flamboyant, vibrant, sexy, well tailored and indulgent. America came to town and thus, brought the Hollywood stars and glitz which rejuvenated Italy, not just creatively, but also financially.

My favourite pieces came from the 50’s and 60’s (no surprise there!), and Caroline and myself were literally gushing at how incredibly beautiful the dresses were – sequins, silk, draping, bone corsets, embroidery, it just went on and on. The exhibition isn’t just about the 50's and 60’s, and actually spans from the 1940’s to 2014. The earlier pieces were again my favourites, but seeing outfits from as little as a few months ago was also a joy. I have plans to go again to this wonderful exhibition and I will no doubt enjoy it just as much as the first time. Unfortunately we were not permitted to take pictures of any of the collection, but you can see a taster of what treats await you in this great article by Fashion Globe Magazine, including a simply breathtaking Walter Albini silk/nylon dress from 1973 *dress swoons*.

©Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Whenever I go to the V&A I always feel the need to dress up as going in jeans just wouldn’t seem appropriate (not that you will ever see me in jeans!), so I was looking through my wardrobe and saw the perfect dress for such an occasion.

Dress: Phyllis Doll Dress, Collectif

Shrug: eBay

Leggings: South (via Very)

Shoes: Dorothy Perkins

The stunning V&A building from the courtyard where we took our pictures.

I feel like a proper grownup in this dress. It’s so elegant, classic and mirrors the late 1940’s with it timeless shape and colour. I love the cross over bust as it allows ample room my large bust and can be easily adjusted according to the occasion. Being 5’1”, the dress is a fabulous length on me and I only wore leggings due to it being a bit nippy that day, but leggings will be left behind with the increasing temperatures. Talking of temperature, this dress is so breathable as it’s made from 97% Polyster, so I will have no worries about overheating under the sun.

I literally couldn’t have picked a more perfect dress – vintage old and vintage new.

‘til next time!

Love and hugs,

Isha

xxx