VINTAGE: THE ART OF DRESSING UP by TRACY TOLKIEN

VINTAGE: THE ART OF DRESSING UP

BY TRACY TOLKIEN

THE BLURB:-

The kaleidoscope of fashion, ever-turning, ever new but never new- what goes around comes around- and rediscovering and reinventing the past is fun.

Clothes have always been a significant reflection of the cultural and political climate. Dior's extravagantly full skirts flounced in the face of postwar restrictions; the Seventies swung between hot-pants and maxis as the economy rollercoastered towards the power obsessed Eighties, when shoulder pads signified female presence in the boardroom. As retromania has conditioned trends at the start of the twenty-first century, the interest for fashions of earlier decades has hit an all time high, reviving a maximum of the Sixties: nothing is out because everything is in.

Tracy Tolkien runs the famous vintage clothes shop, Steinberg and Tolkien, in London's King's Road, where Balenciaga ballgowns rub shoulders with Op Art catsuits, and neat Jackie-O style pillbox hats contrast with flowing kaftans of the Beatles-in-India era. A graduate of the Courthauld Institute, Tracy Tolkien combines her talents as a writer with her passion for vintage clothes and jewellery. Her expertise combined with a wealth of specially commissioned photographs make Vintage an essential resource. It is also an invaluable international guide on what to look for and where to find the best pieces from every decade, with over six hundred shops in a source list. She knows how to recognise a vintage treasure in a stack full of second hand mediocrities, how to recreate the authentic look of everyone from Audrey Hepburn to Madonna, how to care for fake fur and delicate silks... Vintage is the definitive companion to retro style.

THE REALITY:-

I've heard this book described as pretentious and patronising and it's nothing of the sort- instead it's a very fun read and quite informative. But the mealy-mouthed blurb on the back is both of those aforementioned words, and that combined with its bad English (which I've done my best to correct for my review) is enough to alienate a potential reader. Which would be a shame.

Tracy Tolkien is married to the grandson of J.R.R.Tolkien (of Lord Of The Rings fame) and once operated the magnificent vintage clothing shop, Steinberg and Tolkien, in King's Road, with her father, Mark Steinberg (1927-1999). Sadly, rising rents forced the shop to close after fourteen years of trading, in 2007. I ventured into there whilst studying fashion 20 years ago, along with other such vintage clothing delights as Cornucopia, Blackout II, Rokit and another place down the Holloway Road (the name escapes me) right near to one of the betting shops I worked in as a student. I've no idea whether any of these others still operate as this was when vintage clothing was more niche, and before it became BIG business.  I've always preferred the unusual to churned-out mass market clothing so these were happy days for me.

I enjoyed reading through this educational-but-plush book, although it comes across as a bit dated (it was first published in 2000, after all) and learnt a lot with regard to designers I was unfamiliar with, and trends which may have escaped me- and I'm someone who's clued up! My only real gripe is that there was no mention of the Victorian or Edwardian times, the First World War era or the 1920s and 1930s. Even the 1940s got only a couple of pages dedicated to them. It would have been nice to see some pictures and stories with regard to clothing from this period, as I don't doubt that it's still out there. I didn't learn much about the pricings of any of the garments mentioned; but that's just subjective, as the cost anything will sell for depends on ever-changing fashions, sale and demand and the condition of each individual object. I did disagree with advice that suggested that, 'You can tailor to make something smaller, but not bigger.' Wrong! The addition of a clever panel of fabric can make a piece fit, but it will no longer be authentic. But, if you are not a dealer, why would you buy something if you weren't going to wear it?

My advice to anyone seeking out vintage pieces nowadays, in a world where place such as Portobello Road serve up tat for inflated prices, is pop into charity shops in good areas. You never know what cast-off treasures you might find- I own a pair of genuine Jimmy Choos my ex-partner found in a charity shop in Dublin for 8 Euros! With a variety of lovely photographs and informative text, this book is a very good read for anyone who likes their vintage clothing, and fashion in general. A bookcase stayer.