Final collection ready for fittings.

So these are pictures of my almost finished collection, I just have to add trimmings such as zips and accessories then fit them to the models and I will be done. Which is kind of terrifying to think I've almost finished college! As I've said before my collection is based on the women's land army of the second world war, but bringing some of there styles up to date. Hopefully by now you will all know that I love vintage so of course I enjoyed researching for this work. If you read my blog around Christmas time I did a lot of blog posts about the women's land army and there style, so to save me from repeating myself just look back to the end of December.

I know the play suit doesn't look much now but once I've got the exposed zip on and belt as well as rolled up bottoms (which will be similar to the ones on my shorts) I think it will look really cute! The dress is possibly one of my favourite pieces as I feel I spent the most time on this and after the issues it began with, mainly thanks to me sewing the panels the wrong way round.... its turned out pretty well. Also I'm not sure if you can see the print of my pencil skirt and play suit arms but its map patterned fabric unfortunately I couldn't get any of the underground but this actually works really well (its a USA map with the routes on) And the collars on my garments were all found on eBay and bought all together, there is also another one going onto my play suit.

Today was the start of fittings week, so be prepared for a fair few posts either to do with my collection or just totally random because I may be waiting around for models. So one of my models came in today her name is Natasha and she was truly lovely she will be wearing my shorts and blouse which I fitted her in. She was nice enough to let me take some pictures of her to put up on here so I'll be putting those up tomorrow! Now I'm off to update my diary for my collection and hopefully get a brew.

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Dearest Fashion Film.

This is a film to go along with my final collection, my theme is based around The Women's Land Army and the era itself the 1940's. this video is portraying the visual differences between the of now and then as well as how the core of relationships within the war is still the same. By this I mean that the boys leaving the women to go and be soldiers still write and miss there loved ones. And that the women will feel exactly the same but have to keep going or do something to help the war ethic. Also within this film I am showing the contrast of women's clothing of the 1940's and a soldiers uniform from today. Obviously the clothing in this video is not original and is all generally inspired by the uniforms, but it does the job here.

I am in fact the girl in this film (note to self, do not ever become an actress!) and the pieces I'm wearing are not from the 1940's but I think help capture the essence of the look quite well. If you have been a reader of my blog for a while you will notice the first look from and outfit post I did inspired by the women's land army I just added a few changes to the original look as well as pairing different pieces together because in the land army the women wouldn't of had many clothes as it is so would of had to all most always wear the same trousers. In my second look I'm actually wearing a mans flannel shirt which I do wear quite often anyway (its one of those pieces you instantly feel comfortable in, if you understand what I mean?) because a lot of pieces the land girls would of worn would of been pretty shapeless and really rather practical. I added the brooch and headscarf because these could of been pieces which they had brought with them to the farms and possibly just an little amount of possessions they had left. Though they wouldn't of sported a brooch while working it would of been adorned to either there cardigans or blouses when off duty on the farms. And as I've said in some of my older posts based on the Land army the scarf was used to conceal there hair while working, which would of been knotted up in rags until the evening where they would be let down and left with beautiful ringlets.

The Soldier uniform is inspired by today's army look, and was borrowed from a very dear friend of mine Joe, who has the pieces as part of his uniform in the cadets (though this time next year will possibly be training for the army) this look consisted of camouflage trousers, fitted t-shirt and body vest. The bag Finn is carrying is in fact a camping stool, yes I realise how cool that makes me, though it was my brothers idea because Finn wouldn't just be walking away for war with nothing carrying his belongings really.

The basic story of this film is that they are spending there last moments together before he goes away to war, they say goodbye at there special place (which is familiar to them, and classes as 'there' place) and we see how the women copes and becomes a land girl, as many of the girlfriends did in the Second World War. Then she gets a letter but yo don't know what it says....
and I'm not going to say the ending just in case you haven't watched it! The song I chose was Buddy Holly - Dearest, some of you may of heard it on the Juno soundtrack (this is where I found it.) the main reason I chose this song is because of the lyrics and in my opinion they fitted to the story quite well, not only did we choose to shoot this film in the woods and farmland because it looks nice but its also because trees spend 100's of years next to each other, this will make more sense if you've watched the video. We filmed in the lanes about 5 or so minutes away from my house for the scenes with me and Finn. Then for the shots of the land girl at work these were taken in my Granny's orchard and field.

I would like to say one last thank you to my brother who kindly shot it for me and rented the equipment from his uni to do it. (My brother is in his final year at uni studying media so I was helping him as well by making this film)

I hope you enjoy the video and understand what I was trying to put across with using fashion as communication, I would genuinely like to know that you thought of it, so please let me know with a comment.

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Come home , keep me from these sleepless nights.

These top three photo's are some my brother took of me today while we were doing a little filming in my Granny's orchard. Now if you follow me on twitter you may of seen a few tweets about shooting or filming something along these lines well we've been shooting a kind of fashion/music video for my college unit at the moment, it is based on my theme for my final collection which is women's land army and the 1940s ( you may of seen a few posts based around this during Christmas). My brother is a 3rd year film and media student at edge hill, so he got a camera out and came home to film this for me.

The basic outline of the video is that even though the uniforms and what women and men now do in the army are different to the 1940s there relationships and farewells are still very similar. Thankfully I have a pretty wonderful friend who dressed up in some army gear and I must say he did look pretty dashing (to his annoyance when I said this, along with a number of other things haha). I wanted to show the contrast of a 1940s land girl and the modern day soldier, though obviously my outfit is only inspired by the land army look and is not completely perfect. The simply story we put for the video is based on a buddy holly song dearest (though my original idea came before it,this song just fitted really well) there's the soldier and the girl they take there last walk to a place they always go before he's sent to war, they say there goodbyes and he leaves, then we see how the girl helps the war effort by becoming a land girl, she gets a letter but you don't know what its about... and I' ll leave the ending a secret so you'll have to wait for my video.

Here's a quick note on what I'm wearing in these photographs, The shirt was purchased on my trip to Antwerp in November and was from the amazing 2 euro shop where I seriously need to visit again. The peg leg cord trousers are from asos curve and you've seen them a time or two on here, my cardigan is from new look inspire range about two years ago and has gone pretty baggy but is still soft and comfortable. Then my sweat guard is made from two pin brooches I bought from a vintage fayre before Christmas and I made the pearl chain between them from and old primark necklace. And finally the Chelsea boots I'm wearing I won from style369 on a twitter competition.

I'll post the video up as soon as my brothers finished editing, hopefully I'll have got my hands on the rough cut by tomorrow but I might wait and show you all the lovely finished piece instead, And on one last note I'll just state it now before you actually see the little film, and its that I definitely don't think I should become an actress. I hope you all watch my video and please tell me if I've missed anything out on the styling point of view because all the editing side is my big brother, so I can't change any of that the same.


p.s here is a awkward photograph of me and my soldier, my lovely friend finn who let me play dress up on him even walking down the street like this, bless him.

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Inspired by... Womens Land Army

This is a little outfit post to not only show one of my wonderful pieces I grabbed in the Asos curve sale, but also to show my own interpretation of what a girl who was in the land army may of worn in the 1940s. There are a few aspects to my styled inspiration which they wouldn't of worn while working in the fields these primarily being my shoes and the necklace. Originally I think they would of worn heavy duty boots or wellingtons and the necklace could of possibly been a family heirloom which was kept in a secret box under the bed they slept in.

What am I wearing? From research and general information I have collected and thanks to family members I do know what they wore and why. This blouse I picked up in the 2 euro shop in Antwerp I may of mentioned this store before in my posts from November but this place I really fell in love with some of the clothes were so crazy. I am in fact tempted to go back to Antwerp in the future with empty suitcases just so I can just fill them with things from here!
Sorry for digressing anyway I chose this blouse because of the darker colour and the cute little floral print as I think a young women working on the land would wear something similar to this.

Next our my wonderful fine corduroy peg leg trousers I snapped these up from the Asos Curve sale for a tenner and I have to say they are so comfortable and I did not aspect them to be really. They are also perfect for recreating the Land army style, right down to the colour of them. I added these as inspiration from the trousers they wore in the Land Army as well as there formal uniforms. I teamed these with my little shoes from Evans which I have to say are my favourite pair of shoes but unfortunately they are completely sold out now! I know these wouldn't of been worn in the fields working but I think it adds a slightly more modern twist to the outfit. My head scarf is one I acquired from my mum and I used it to gather my hair in just like now the girls wore them, to keep there pin curls and rags in while they worked. Then finally I added my porcelain necklace which I picked up during the Christmas holidays from one of my favourite charity shops, and for the price of 1.99 I thought it was a lovely piece to add to my vintage jewellery collection. The lipstick is a new one I bought which is a deeper red wine colour from collection 2000 and It's supposed to be long lasting and you know for once it actually really is! The lipstick does take a lot to get off, which I think has to be a good sign.

So what do you think of my Land army inspired look? Did i capture it well enough, I have planned for other inspired outfits from this era also. So I hope you also look forward to seeing these.

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Let me take you down, cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields.

On this post I'm going to talk about the costumes in the television series. The land army uniforms them selves seemed to be created perfectly to fit with the original pieces from the 1940's as were the rest of the women's costumes throughout the series. During the second world war they had to make do and mend and if it wasn't amendable another use was found for it, in aid to limit waste of infinite resources. If you have read my post on The Land Girls film I feel I may repeat some pieces from that in here, considering they are both about the women's land army.

Nancy, Joyce, Bea and Annie all wear really adorable and sweet blouses under there overalls. These overalls were the statement piece of land army uniform for working out in the fields and around the farm. I feel in this they have made the land girls a little more glamorous and pristine compared to the film The Land Girls where they showed them getting really involved with the farming ethic, which included them actually looking like they'd spent a long hard day working instead of looking as clean as they started.

The patterns on the blouses are also intricate and detailed just like a number are now. One of my favourites being the pussy bow blouse worn by Joyce in the series. the green background and orange/red coloured flowers really compliment each other.

The beige coats the girls are wearing in the top image are something of a iconic item for many people wardrobes today, but during the 1940s they were more of a practical necessity than a fashion accessory, they were for warmth and to protect them from the elements. But I have to say that Bea's coat looks utterly lovely on her. Oh and finally in case any of you were wondering I do realise strawberry fields was in fact writing in the 1960s not the 1940s I just don't know any other songs involving fields.

And one last thing I'm sorry for the lack of outfit posts lately but once my package of sales goodies arrives I promise to try ands take plenty of photograph's for you!

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Land girls.

Straightforward and patriotic land girl Joyce, tries her best to serve her country and do her bit to help win the war.Her parents were killed in a German bombing raid, and her house and possessions were destroyed. In addition, she is worried about her husband John, who has been posted abroad.On the surface, Joyce is sunny and optimistic, but – like the war rhetoric she spouts – it's all a way of coping with the inner pain. She's genuinely the most caring of the girls as she knows the true meaning of loss.

Forceful, opinionated, and whiney, Nancy had to enlist when female conscription started, but she worked in a recruitment office in Cambridge which suited her as well as it could. Then, to her horror, there was a shortfall in women going to work on the land, so she was transferred to the WLA.Nancy hates it at first, but realises that she can't escape the war and will do her bit. She's not work shy, just perhaps the last to volunteer for a particular task.

Bea is a 17-year-old innocent who lies about her age to join the WLA, discovering a world of adventure as a result.Inquisitive and fun-loving, Bea is headstrong with a desire to change the world. Sometimes irritating due to her constant energy, Bea will happily launch campaigns for justice, albeit ill-considered ones.Bea fluctuates between being a child and a woman and struggles to navigate a course between the two states. Her older sister Annie has always looked after her and it's no different now they're both land girls.

Annie is the oldest in her family, and has always been the responsible one. She and her younger sister Bea are already living and working at Pasture Farm when Nancy and Joyce arrive. Annie is the peacemaker of the group, holding the girls together as they face the challenges of life in the Women's Land Army.

I got the chance to watch this one off series when it was on the BBC for a week long special event. The show is set against the backdrop of war-weary Forties Britain. Land Girls is set in the Hoxley Estate, as the girls balance their working lives at the run-down Pasture Farm, and the opulent Hoxley Manor. Nancy, Joyce, Bea and Annie have all joined the Women’s Land Army for very different reasons, but they all have one outright goal which is to serve their country and help win the war. The drama follows the women as they try to live out their lives in very challenging circumstances, with lots of laughter and tears along the way.

I just wanted to borrow the little introductions for each of the women from my original source (this being the ever so lovely BBC) because I do feel that through out the episodes you really get to know these women as if you lived with them, and I wanted you to know them while reading this. When I originally watched this special series, it was because my grandmother wanted to really, But I think I got more involved with the characters and plot lines than she did! If you have read the small paragraph's on each women you can see that they all come from different walks of life. Annie is the over protective sister of Bea and always looked after her until Bea lied about her age to join the land army, so now her and Annie are equal.

Many things happen to Nancy, Joyce, Bea and Annie during there time together working on the land. They loose people close to them as well as gaining a few (at times unwelcome) guests. Over all I think land girls drama does truthfully portray how life was for the women during the second world war. Though obviously for television time purposes some aspects of the women in the land army's day to day tasks were not included in part. I also feel that the actresses brought the characters to life extremely well.

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It's a long way to Tipperary, It's a long way to go.

Military uniforms comprises standardised clothing worn by members of the armed forces of a number of nations. Military dress and military styles have gone through a lot of changes over the centuries from colourful and elaborate to extremely mundane. Military uniforms in the form of basic and distinctive dress are intended for identification and display. They are typically a sign of organised military forces equipped by a central authority.


Right I just wanted to show how the Military uniforms in general have changed now since the 1940's. And yes that is a picture of prince harry it's only up because of the uniform he's wearing (and because hes possible rather beautiful). I think that during the 1940's the soldiers really only had one uniform and possibly a change of socks if they were lucky. And thankfully today I'd like to think and hope that our soldiers are treated with a little more comfort.


You can see a contrast between the uniforms I would say that from what you can see if the "formal" uniform of today's army is tailored and smart. It is also in royal colours with the navy, blue's and red's. They also have a vast amount of detail within its pieces unlike that of the 1940's wartime and this uniform was very basic and the reason for this was that it was going to get dirty and that it had to be cool during the hot days then it also served the purpose of trying to trap in warmth which is the reason behind the choice of almost potato sacking fabric.


For my designs I am concentrating on the women of the war and how they brought fashion to the rations. But we can't have the blokes being left out can we? While were on the little subject of boys I was just wondering if anyone would like to see me doing any guys styles. Not on me obviously but I am not too bad at stylist guys outfit's for certain themes. So just let me know by dropping a comment or something if you fancy seeing that.

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The Land Girls.

I was lucky enough to catch this film on TV during the Christmas holidays. I was planning on renting it anyway as part of my research but somehow film4 read my mind, that clever little thing. Anyway before I go on about the story and why I watched it and everything, I just have to say I genuinely loved this film because to be quite honest I did not aspect it to be as good as it was. From watching this film it looks like there was a fair amount of scandal going on in the country side! The basic outline of the story is that three young women from very different walks of life join the women's land army during World War II and are sent to work together on a farm in Dorset and the experience circumstances that change their lives forever.


Quiet Stella (Catherine McCormack), young hairdresser Prue (Anna Friel) and Cambridge graduate Ag (Rachel Weisz) arrive on a remote farm in the glorious Dorset countryside. These three women are the 'Land Girls' all are originally from the city and have volunteered to take the place of young men who worked agriculturally on the land have gone to fight in the war. I think these women were an unlikely trio: Prue is outgoing and blunt; Ag is quiet and well reserved as well as being innocent about life at the start; while being quite and almost in a world of her own Stella is in love with Philip her fiance a dashing naval officer, who is charmingly played by Paul Bettany, who in my opinion almost all of his characters are always the quintessential English gentlemen. Though the girls obviously have strong differences they soon become close friends but in the situation they were in I think you would be friends with anyone as long as you weren't alone. The film follows their relationships with each other and the men in their lives in the face of the war. And believe me the situation with the men in all there lives gets pretty complicated. I won't tell you the whole story of the film because then there would be no reason for you to watch it! and if you feel your a little bit like me I feel you should love it! But these three individual women don't just become friends due to there situation there friendships last a life time.


Now I'm going to talk about the uniforms and clothes. Yes there were ration books, no they couldn't just pop to Primark like so many of us do now. They had to make do with what they had and if that wasn't good enough they altered it or mended the problem. I wish I had this mantra to my life more, then maybe I would be able to wear more of my existing wardrobe. When these women dressed up or had dances they really did make the best of themselves and they looked beautiful. Postbox red matte lipstick perfectly applied, their hair hidden under scarves during the day while working, ready for the rags to be removed for the evening and to have beautifully curled hair.


In fact I have to admit I do tend to walk around my house with my hair just like this, not just because its retro or anything but because its practical. It keeps my hair from falling forward and getting in the way and if I just can't face spending an hour washing and driving it the scarf hides my greasy roots from sight. You all have to agree with me the women of the land army new what they were doing with what they wore and how as well on how to fake a great stocking (gravy browning and eyeliner pencil and if you didn't have eyeliner then coal worked quite well too). For a number of my designs and drawing I have taken inspiration from their official uniforms which you can see from a snapshot out of the film above. The woman's land army also had armbands with which group they were a member of embroidered and sewn into it. ( well as far as I am aware this is what they were for) I am lucky enough that my grandmother still owns her armband and has been kind enough to lend it to me for a day or so next week so you will definitely be seeing it up on my blog.


In the next number of week I am also planning to try and do a few outfit posts inspired by the women of the second world war. From uniforms to there outfits for functions, dances and working the land. Please tell me if I've missed anything else out about the clothing from the film, or if you want to ask me any questions about the land army and I can try and answer them.

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