BLAST FROM THE PAST OR FASHION OF THE FUTURE?

So how many times have you seen something in the shops and thought 'I used to have one like that', wishing you'd never thrown it out?  Well I'm sure it will be no surprise when I tell you that fashion is cyclical, it's known in the industry as 'The Pendulum Swing', where trends swing backwards and forwards.  They may be tweaked slightly in line with where we are at that point, but there is often an influence or inspiration from a previous era.

As part of my fashion research, I was fortunate enough this week to spend some time looking at original copies of fashion bible, VOGUE from the 1940s and 1950s.  All I can say is WOW!  Not only that, but we got to look at American VOGUE copies from the 1920s

AMERICAN VOGUE, 1920s

Preserved in envelopes and a certain cool temperature, with the recent Gatsby fashion inspiration, the images and illustrations were as beautiful as you'd imagine in these original American VOGUE from the 1920s.

ORIGINAL AMERICAN VOGUE, 1920s

Flicking through the pages of the 40s and 50s and smiling at the ads for nylons, cruise liner travel and bespoke cosmetics there's a definite revival of some of these fashions on our streets today.

AMERICAN VOGUE, 1950s - cosmetics made-to-order, remind you of Benefit at all??

With the key focus being on the waist and the Dior New Look in full swing, the late 40s and 50s represented a feminine figure with a definite sense of occasion

Faux-fur detail on cuffs and collars?  Watch out for the same trend in Autumn/Winter!

Waist-cinch belt anyone?  Look familiar??

What I love about browsing through this kind of fashion history is everything it tells me about the time and how woman lived their lives, but also the beautiful way in which clothes were made.  Whilst we have such great choice now, clothes are more disposable, which has positive and negatives.

The laws of chiconomics are as much about getting value for money as about finding pieces that are investment and well-made.

This isn't licence to hold onto every clothing item you've ever owned, but it does mean casting an eye over items and seeing what kind of longevity it may have.

Hold onto those classic, timeless pencil skirts ladies, they've been in for a while and aren't going anywhere soon!

So if you have something you think is really well-made, holds its own, stays timeless or you think the style is going to make a comeback, think again before throwing it in the trash can!