Dress Of The Day with Angela

  Pink broderie anglaise hat. Photo by Trevor Sharot. The pale pink hat with the brim is broderie Anglaise. I have a lot of broderie anglaise for summer, so I hope that hat's colour will either co-ordinate or contast. The label is John Lewis age 6-8. I was considering giving it to my grand-daughter later. Meanwhile, I am on the small size so it fits me.  But I shall want to add a ribbon to secure it, either tied under my chin or at the back, or perhaps a piece of hat elastic. I add ribbon to most hats with and without brims, to stop the hat blowing off in the wind, or falling off as I look down.   It cost one pound sterling from St Luke's charity shop in Hatch End, one of several such shops in North West London. They usually have one rummage basket of adults clothes which have not sold and are reduced after a certain number of days. A separate box has children's items. I love to buy and bag a bargain. I also like to know my money is going towards hospices caring for ...

 Brides carry bouquets as accessories. Ushers wear flower buttonholes. When looking for an adornment for a hat, top, or to hold in your hand or as a backdrop, look for flowers in a garden or a vase of flowers in a hotel, restaurant, shopping mall or building. You can see the green bauble with white dots alongside my face. The white flowers were a gift to us for a lunch. The flowers came from Sainsbury's. They are supposed to last at last five days. They incude a couple of white lillies, carnations, greenery prwayed white, and a flower which looks like a cabbage on a stalk. The best bit about the bouquet was the included gift of a fabric bauble with white dots on a green half dome on a stalk, like a green version of th pretty but poisonsous red mushoom with red dots, resembling what looks like a green mushroom - to hang on a Christmas tree. You can buy assorted bouquets including gifts inside or attached or alongside. Champagne. Teddy bears and soft toys. But this one was the msot o...

RN number on my garment label. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. I noticed an RN number on the label of my Anthony Sicary white cardigan. (Details in Post 450 I had always assumed that was the garment's number for the shop to re-order, and the manufacturer to keep track. I thought that a number on an old garment from a company which was no longer in business would not help you in any way, unless the numbers started from one until they went out of business, in which case you might know which of two garments you owned was made earlier. However, when at last, I decided to check up on this Ifound that the the manufacturer was obliged to add the number, it was a USA thing, and you might date your garment from the number. This is what AI told me. Since AI does not give me the source, I cannot tell you the origin to confirm it. I also hope I am not infringing the copyright by giving out information which comes from AI. Her you are: RN numbers and dating gaments I looked up RN numbers i...

 This is a strange garment. A sleeveless, summer theme,thick cardigan. Suitable for all temperatures? Or none. I hesitated, then bought this item.  Photo selfie taken and edited by Angela Lansbury. A Marks & Spencer garment usually has a practical feature. Sure enough, I found a spare button. Summer Colours The background colour, the predominant colour is whte. White accentuates the colours. The colours are lively. Red, yellow. Blue, green. Brown and white. Summer white.  Pretty Pattern The parasol is an attractive and appropriate summer motif. The eye-catching parasol. Suitable for a beach or cruise, for four-season countries' summers. Or all year in the tropics. The advantage of a cardigan is that you can unbutton it to loosen it when you get warm, and remove effortlessly it without inelegantly struggling and dragging it over your head, which might remove your spectacles and make you elbow diners sitting alongside at lunch or dinner. Good for in and outdoor yo-yoing...

 A great idea for adapting a wide scarf. Six small shirt size buttons down the front fasten it for added warmth in winter. Six of the same down the back fasten it so it stays tight and fitting to the bust and body  and stays hanging level. This garment has machine made button holes. But you could upscale it with fancy buttons and ribbon ties. Or sew on Chinese knotted double side fasteners. Or use assorted tie pins or brooches. Please follow my blogs and  share links to your favourite posts.

  Angela Lansbury wearing a white knitted cardigan, vintage label Anthony Sicari. Photo by Trevor Sharot.  The Sicari Cardigan's Features  The cardigan has short sleeves. These allow the wearer to display parts of the blouse underneath, especially one with elegant sleeves and cuffs. The style is a mid-season style, neither very light for hot August nor very heavy for a snowy winter. The style.adds warmth. But the garment can be removed quickly if the temperature changes. Fabrics The knitted white fabric is 7% acrylic, 25%, exclusive of trim.Hand wash. Lay flat to dry. Do not iron. Do not bleach. RN 67384. The Fabric edging to the neck, vertical front and sleeves is the typical Anthony Sicary brightly coloured shiny fabric.  The hem is curved. This softens the look, and echoes the rounded neckline. Colour The predominant colour is white, snow white. The fabric for the edgging is white with dark pink and dark green. Green and pink are opposite colours on the spectrum a...

  I admired my lunchtime dinner guest's tie. It co-ordinated with his button up jumper. The tie pattern was a swan. I asked, 'Where did you get it. He told us, "I had it specially made for a club of which my wife and I are members.' ''Oh,' I gasped. "That was enterprising of you. What is the name of the club?' 'Richmond weekend walkers and holidaymakers' club.' I don't live in Richmond. Nonetheless, not wishing to pass up the opportunity of finding out about a club and possibly joining a group where I already have a friend, I asked, 'How many members are in your club?' He grinned, 'Two.' An amusing joke. Now I don't know whether it was just an off the peg purchase, perhaps from Tie Rack, or a gift from his wife,, or he'd forgotten, or had really ordered a personalised tie. Some companies such as Vistamprint offer you an array of items featuring a design you have chosen for your business card, single items of ...

Jumper with the green blouse. Photo by Angela Lansbury.  Here is my jumper with the white blouse. For a change I have worn a green blouse. The neck label is Match Set. 100% polyester. Made in Britain. An attractive, smart, feature is that the shoulder pads are covered in the blouse fabric. I did not even realise that the blouse had had shoulder pads until I turned it inside out. The sponge insert into the shoulder pads has disappeared, disintegrated. Another additional design is that the gathering of the sleeve at the top is not attached to the shoulder but underneath, a one inch overhang. Size 16.   The pussy bow is from the eighties. I like it. I think that a bow at the neck is flattering because it draws attention to your face.  I have searched online for the label Match Set but receive results only for matching sets. Not even another vintage blouse with this label. So, instead I searched for pussy bow. That wording did not produce vintage garments but new ones. T...

  Could you identify this photo? I did. it is the nineteen forties. London. Probably at the Rembrandt hotel, where the wedding took place. Or at the phtographer's studio. But there was not much time and opportunity for travelling around. I think there was petrol rationing. The reception was interrupted by a siren so everybody had to rush down the nearest tube station. The jacket was made in a hurry by the groom's father, because the original was stolen. How do I know this? Read on. First, what's in it for you? Lessons learned - how to label photos. Tips On Laabelling Photos 1 Make sure each travel photo is labelled with the date, country, and the people shown.   Don't write on the back, especially not over faces or features. If you must write, write along the back of a white edging strip. Indentations of the tip of a pen such as a biro will show through. You can edit out shadows, but this is a time-wasting nuisance. I worked in a photo agency where we were taught to ins...

Grandfather Frost in blue and white. From Wikipedia. Public Domain. Grandfather Frost Grandfather Frost or Ded Moroz, wearing blue and white. He differs from Santa Claus in colours. He also wears a full length coat instead of one helf length showing matching trousers. He has a long beard instead of a shorter one. I always thought Santa Claus had a long beard until I saw Ded Moroz. Instead of elves he appears with his grand-daughter.   https://bridgetomoscow.com/curious-fact-ded-moroz-and-santa-claus

Colour and Colour Blind Because my uncle was colour blind, somebody, he, or more likely a friend, had written instructions on which of his regular ties went with which shirts. For example,  this is a blue tie to go with the blue shirt with the white collar.  The items were all in a drawer..  An alternative matching system would have been to hang all matching items on a hanger together. You can buy multi-colour sets of wire hangers.  Labelled Hangers Etsy has lots of suppliers of stick on labels for hangers, bride and groom, other relationships, the person's first name, and they can simply print to order so you could add a colour such as bride's red dress, or blue clothes, green clothes, white outfits, black. Or bride and groom handgers come in black and white with a ribbon around the neck of the hook. You could copy this with a ribbon tied in a bow. Add a suitcase label which has the colour written large with a felt tip pen. Alternatively, print colour names in the c...

I inherited an old waistcoat or two from my late uncle after he died. They were in facy colours and patterns with half belts at the back, a bit worn but too good to throw away,  Plus of course, the sentimental value. The waistcoats were plain colour or black and a colour pattern. He had non matching bow ties with elastic which had overstretched, black and white. He was a musician. He had to dress in smart evening wear to play in a quartet in the Ritz hotel in the lunch time and evenings. Also in a BBC radio orchestra, which might have had a live audience. Even if none, the orchestra like early announcers on BBC radio wore smart clothes for two reasons. So that they respected their job and felt important and responsible. To distinguish performers from doormen and other staff to quickly round them up for the start of an event or direct them to the correct performanace or rehearsal room.  Impeccable I bougght end of season discount waistcoats from Impeccable in Hatch End. Waistco...

Cagoule - What is a cagoule?  It sounds French. Yes, it is. Apparently, originally French for hood. It has come to mean a light weight, often knee length jacket, rainproof - or at least shower proof. It might roll up. My recent choices 1 I found one online which looks good. It is not knee length, unless it is on me as I am around five foot tall. It is a good price. At eight pounds fifty pence. Amazon. UK. Orange print. I would buy it, if I had not just been banned from buying anything. Because I have a house full of clothes. And more in storage. 2 Another one. Pink. Solid colour. Hooded. Reflective at night!  Clearance Just under ten pounds. Good price. Donkey Jacket Here's another name for a jacket. From people who worked with donkeys. An English language word. Gilet French. Pronounced Jee-lay? A sleeveless 'vest', as the Americans would say. I would say, British waistcoat, sleeveless, often padded. It may have pockets. Are they useful and secured for hiking? Useful websit...

  My jacket has four types of fastenings. The hood has a drawstring and a snap press stud. The front has a  zip, a second press stud at the hem, and a series of short Velcro or hook and close pieces holding the front.  This jacket is pink. I bought another in blue but the pink one is the one I wear all the time, even though I often wear red underneath which clashes. If I have a red top and a black skirt, when the pink jacket is done up, it hides the red top. So that is okay. I just have to do it up all the time I am wearing it. The Advantages Of Pink Why do I prefer to wear the pink one? Firstly, because happy pink it lifts my mood more than the sober and ordinary blue. Secondly, because I am less likely to forget, or lose it if I take it off at  an event, wheether in a home or public place, in a crowded rail or pile of clothes. My item is vintage. It washes up well by and and dries quickly. I checked what's currently online in December 2024.  From Amazon you ca...

  Angela Lansbury, the author, wearing a Christmas jumper, brand F & F. Selfie Photo by Angela Lansbury. You used to be able to buy Christmas themed jumpers only from party shops and specilists, but nowadays supermarkets and chain stores seem to have lots of seasonal jumpers, as well as ear-rings. Brooches which flash lights are in novelty and souvenir shops. Holly has prickly green leaves and red berries. The leaves and berries are still there in Christmas time in the UK. Six set of holly designs have little red bobbles attached instead of the flat red knitting yarn berries. This Christmas or winter jumper is from F and F.  I expect prices to come down on Christmas goods after Christmas Day. Time to stock up for next year. The White blouse You can dress the jumper up for the evening and parties, or down for daytime, by adding a blouse. Cotton for daytime. Silky and shiny for the evening. Also plain black or white. Or red or green.

  Orange Santa hat. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. "How did you get that Orange hat?" I asked. "Is it meant to be that colour?" "Yes, it's the company colour. The boss thought it was a good idea and ordered them for all of us at a company do." Originally the winter season character was dressed in green. The story goes that a department store, in the USA, or its advertising department, produced a Santa wearing jolly red, for a change. This was so popular that red became the company's colour, spread around the city, across the USA, and around the world. Russia has a Grandfather Frost in a different colour scheme, and can have a hat or red or blue or white. Useful Websites https://bridgetomoscow.com/curious-fact-ded-moroz-and-santa-claus Please save your favourite posts by bookmarking. Follow my blogs. And share links to posts with your family and friends. 

My paternal grandfather was a tailor, a master tailor, with a workshop. Not just a tailor who machined the seams and often cut out the pattern. He was the boss of the business, chatted up the customer, showed them the styles, took their measurements. He might employ one or two tailors, younger borthers, or youger members of the family such as nieces and nephews. His wife, my paternal grandmother, sewed the buttonholes. She could do it by hand, neatly. She was deft. She used to knit, very fast, whilst chatting to friends, looking at the friends, not at the knitting.  Making Buttonholes If you don't have a machine to make buttonholes, you can sew buttonholes by hand.  Basically, a buttonhole has a slit large enough to take the button easily, without letting it pull out easily while you are wearing it.  My first attempt at a buttonhole, I cut the slit first. You would want to mark the line with a pin or washable pencil or tailor's chalk, doesn't crumble, and which washes out...

  Angela in a white winter jumper. Cinzano Collection. Photo by Trevor Sharot. Angela in a white TRU blouse with double button at waist, Patra vest. Photo by Trevor Sharot. White TRU blouse The blouse brand is TRU. Vintage.TRU as in truthful. Not to be confused with TU (which is you in French) which is a label for Sainsbury's supermarket in the UK which sells clothes as well as groceries. Superior Style The blousehas only two buttons on the front. Such a large plaquet, I had to hunt for the buttonholes. What Is The Fabric?  Silky soft. Feels like silk.Yet 100% polyester.  Vintage. Washing instructions.  I hand wash. Beautiful Buttons Two horizontal buttons at the waist. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. One button is below the bust. A second button is a hand breadth below, at the waist.  I discovered a second button and buttonhole horizontally, enabling you to wear the blouse tighter or looser, for different styles, losing or gaining weight. Also, for the sho...