New item on the website: retro pin-up black&white tailored dress.

This is another dress that was finished just before the photoshoot. It is exquisitely tailored (it is based on a blazer pattern I drafted last month which I am planning to use very very soon ;)
It features a collar and lapel neckline -standard blazer collar- and short puff sleeves, all trimmed with white satin bias. It is very 40s/50s inspired. It is so classy and the fabric is timeless and smart (cotton sateen with a bit of stretch), I think it would be perfect for both day and evening and that gorgeous lapel is screaming for a breath-taking brooch, I'm thinking of a jet-black spider....

More info on my website: http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/product.php/77/retro_pin_up_black_white_tailored_dress

Elizabeth Taylor, R.I.P

One for the Dita's fans

Sorry for the lack of posting, time flyes and I don't notice. If I carry on like this I might wake up one day with grey hair!! Anyway, nothing has caught my attention so far...apart from the winter collections (love 'em!) and the nazi/Galliano rant, which I am still shocked about...
I came across this article about Dita's home which I thought you might be interested in. It was in an american issue of InStyle magazine. I-ve picked the most stunning pics, if you want to see more and even zoom in! to read the articles (it includes personal cooking recipes as well as tips to shop for vintage at flea markets), please check it on its original format: TheSwingFashionista blog.

http://www.swingfashionista.com/2011/01/dita-von-teese-at-home-in-instyle-magazine-february-2011/

One for the (retro) boys

I came across this post through a google search. "The Husband: the american gentry", is a book for all gents out there who want to know about old fashion etiquette.
Its full title is The American Gentry, The Handbook of Class and Distinction of the Modern Day Gentleman.
It will be on my St Valentine's hot-list. He loves Mad Men....

Fashion catwalk (better image)

As I promised, this is the video (with slightly better image and more close-ups) of my mini-catwalk at the Liverpool Design Show. Hope you find it better.

Fashion Catwalk.mp4

I took the chance to film the mini-catwalk of my clothes. The quality is not very good, I am afraid. I think the other video is better, which I-ll post soon.

New clothing items!

Because of The Lpool Design show, I haven't had the time to update the blog with my new items, some of them finished just before the show. I will be posting them in the next following days. I hope you like them.

The first item is a over knee-length dress, with puffed long sleeves. Heavily inspired by the 1940s starlets such as Veronica Lake, this figure-hugging little dark number features a draped neckline and a pencil skirt with an interesting drape on the hip. It is made of two different shades of black crepe-like jersey to add more interest to the garment.




















The second item is another over knee-length dress, with puffed long sleeves. Very 1950s style, I designed this dress thinking of those funny pics of Marilyn Monroe with her do-I-look-smart? glasses and secretary style dresses. It features a square neckline trimmed in velvet with a bow on the side. The skirt is fitted with a slight godet, giving it a sleek A-line shaped, which I think fits better and looks less ridiculous than those very pronounced fish-tail skirts.

Click on the links to see more pics of my dresses.
http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/product/1940s-style-draped-dress-48
http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/product/1950s-inspired-tailored-dress-with-velvet-trims-49

Lady in Red (Me) in a 1950s themed wedding

Last weekend, my boyfriend and I were invited to a wedding in Morecambe. It took place in a gorgeous Art Deco hotel called "The Midland".
As usual, in weddings, I wasn't sure what to wear, as you don't want to out-stage anyone, even the dogs, specially in wedding where you don't know anyone and you are not a relative (the groom was an old friend of my bf).

I just finished a couple of designs that I will soon upload to the website.
One of them is the one I am wearing in the pics below. It is a red maxidress in silky vibrant red viscose jersey. I wanted to go for a 1940s inspired look, with a bit of Valentino glamour flair as well, so I teamed this gorgeous red maxi with black satin accents and a crystal silver necklace that I made (coming soon to the website).
It turned out to be very appropiate as the wedding was vintage themed (1950s, as you can tell by the ice-cream van and the bride's gorgeous dress, adorned with organza roses. It was made in the USA).

New items!, "black rose tote bag"

Yet another new item I have added to my website.

This beautiful dark beauty is made of canvas like the earlier tote bag and it has this black rose bouquet that I hand-drawn. The difference from the earlier one is that this tote is flat, it doesn't have depth and the bouquet is not so "full". Although you can still perfectly fit a magazine of DIN-A4 size book or publication inside it.
It features a black and white polka dot fabric panel at the bottom and the handles are made of the same fabric.
The interior is a minuscule tiny polka-dot fabric in black and white as well, with a slight contrasting zip in biscuit/cream colour. It also fastens with a very strong magnetic fast.
At only £25 is a real bargain.
Let me know what you think.

Here is the link for more pictures:

http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/product/black-rose-tote-bag-42

New items!, "Polka-dot black rose tote bag"

More new items I have added to my website. (More bags!)

This romantic dark piece is made of strong cotton canvas fabric, in a natural colour. Its main feature is a beautiful bouquet of black roses that I hand-drawn myself onto the fabric. The touch of black lace and the black fabric with tiny red dots intensify its gothic flair.
The inside is fully lined in black poly-cotton fabric, with a big open pocket to keep your mobile/i-pod/keys within easy reach. (There is nothing I hate more than spending more than two minutes "exploring" the bottom of my bag trying to find what I am after...Some people have described my bags as "Mary Poppins' bags" because of the amount of sh#t and unthinkable things I came across while looking for something. Examples? a lighter (I don't smoke), a knife (I used to fix the micro-tiny screw of my glasses), euros (I only use them when I go home, to the continent or even worse! plane tickets from last time I went home....half a year ago!) chocolates or chewies that had expired quite a while ago...newspapers that are a week old...

I think I need help. I keep complaining but it keeps happening....

Anyway, here is the link if you want to see more pics of this gorgeous gothic inspired tote bag. It is only £28!

http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/product/polka-dot-black-rose-tote-bag-41

New items!, "Vintage style framed bag with flower print"

I am thrilled to announce that I have new items on my website. All of them are accessories, bags!, which are really my obsession, well above shoes. So I decided what better items to expand my accessories range than with my favourite items. Hope you like them.

My first item is an elegant and classy vintage style framed bag in a medium size. I have always loved this type of bags, they can hold more than what you might expect! Specially if they are not stiff.

This fabric print features a big floral print in deep red and dark green. I think they are poppies but I am not quite sure.

Sturdy glossy metallic frame with big snap lock in deep red. (Very easy to open and not painful!)

This beauty is handmade by me. It is for sale on my site for £34 (shipping costs are free in UK). Let me know what you think. I am so in love with it.

http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/product/vintage-style-red-flowery-framed-handbag-40

Fashion tips for: draped front soft-jacket

Hi everyone! After years of enjoying and getting inspired by Polyvore, I have decided to add my bit to the Polyvore universe and create my own "moodboards". I thought that it would also be good way to inspire customers and readers and help them with the little dilemma of what to wear with what.
This stunning draped front soft-jacket (£60) has a beautiful waterfall of drapes at the front than can be worn either loose or cinched with a satin ribbon. The neckline is adorned with a discrete frill of satin (lined with jersey).

This type of shape will work wonders with a well structured or tailored bottoms such suit pants or a pencil skirt. It will look perfect on a pencil skirt or any other fitted bottoms. Never something baggy on the bottom as this will hide and destroy your shape. In one sentence: it will make you look big.

In the first set I've decided to pair it with a par of well tailored high-waisted pants, skin-tone shade accessories. It is a very classy combination of colours that will work with any skin tone and in any ocassion (work, daywear or even a quite evening out)

The second set is about pair this beautiful dramatic piece with a simple pencil skirt. The beatiful drapes will draw attention to your waist which will look tiny! thanks to that ultra-feminine satin tie and that long sweetheart ruffled neckline will elongate and stylise your neckline. (That's the reason I kept it simple and naked).
As you can see, pastel gray or just gray is another "neutral" colours that would work wonders for your everyday wear specially, workwear. It is not harsh, goes with everyone and goes with every other single colour.

As you can see, my polyvore sets have that "somehow retro/vintage feel", trademark of TheBlackWardrobe... ;)
I hope you liked my "polyvores"

Check out the jacket on my website:
http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/product/draped-front-soft-jacket-with-frills-15

1930s, the decade of Glamour

After the "tomboy" look of the 1920s, there was a return to a more grown-up and sexier look that will characterize not only the 30s but also the 40s and 50s.
In the 30s clothes were still simple but feminine and became even more sophisticated and glamorous at night.
Feminine curves were highlighted through the use of the bias-cut in dresses (this technique allowed the fabric to drape better and therefore the garment would fit like a glove, similar to the effect that jersey/stretch fabric offers).

Through the mid-1930s, the natural waistline was often accompanied by emphasis on an empire line. Short bolero jackets, capelets, and dresses cut with fitted midriffs or seams below the bust increased the focus on breadth at the shoulder. By the late '30s, emphasis was moving to the back, with halter necklines and high-necked but backless evening gowns with sleeves. Evening dresses with matching jackets were worn to the theatre, nighclubs, and elegant restaurants.

Skirts remained at mid-calf length for day, but the end of the 1930s Paris designers were showing fuller skirts reaching just below the knee; this practical length (without the wasteful fullness) would remain in style for day dresses through the war years.

ACCESSORIES

Gloves were "enormously important" in this period. Evening gowns were accompanied by elbow length gloves, and day costumes were worn with short or opera-length gloves of fabric or leather.

Another key piece in the 30s was fur: extravagants pieces of fur decorating the garments or worn as wraps or coats were the final touch to finish that sophisticated look.

HAIR

Short hair remained fashionable in the early 1930s, but gradually hair was worn longer in soft or hard curls.

Hats were worn for most occasions, almost always tipped to one side and decorated with bits of net veiling, feathers, ribbons, or brooches.

Info taken from this link: wikipedia

I suddenly became a Goth.....part 5

Remember my "suddenly became a Goth" series"? Well, I didn't know I would find more "chapters" to add to the series :)
I don't really know if this chapter is legitimate but I just can't help thinking that the new look is dark enough to fall into not the proper goth but at least "dark" category.

I-ve always been a fan of Scarlett Johansson-s look. I love retro (1930s-1940s plus victoriana) and her looks are never too much colorful, au contraire, she usually plays with pastels (that-s why I-m not a big fan of the 50s although I can say that I still like it...).
Miss Johansson has paired her stylist (whoever he/she is, is doing a very good job) with D&G and you can see the result: strange, well, quite unusual. It is femenine, it is glamorous, it is rich and voluptous but very very dark indeed.
Why did this happen to....her?
Well, Gothic or dark will still be a big thing for next winter (due to the gloomy economical situation) but also retro, 1930s retro, to be precise due to the similiarities of this recession with the one from 1929. So I think that-s why miss Johansson's stylist has decided to embrace the dark side of retro.

You might still be wondering why Johansson looks "dark"? Well, here are some clues:

Firstly, the hair: that beautiful ginger/auburny colour is very very dramatic enough. It is one of the right shades to emphasize the already pale skin and accentuate her facial features. (Remember my post: Gothic make-up tips: an alternative to raven-black hair?). IF you have pale skin, any dark shade of hair will do the same job so, there is no need to go the raven hair to get that goth look.

Secondly, the makeup: those feline eyes, those bright red lips that look as she just had a glass of blood....It is retro makeup indeed. However, combining retro make-up plus pale skin tend to result to be a certain look:VAMP. And what is a vamp? A mix between a dominatrix and a vampire, a femme fatale! Which is the whole concept behind the female goth look.

Thirdly and last: black lace! There no need to say more. She couldn't have gone any more stereotypical. That stunning hugging figure outfit it only helps her to look even more vamp than what she already looks.
And she looks gorgeous....