Granny chic

Forget about the purple rinse, mothballs and baggy hosiery; granny chic is back and with a rose-scented vengeance. For the last few years dressing like someone of pension age has made its mark as a major trend in young, edgy fashion circles, with nightclubs and cooler-than-thou hotspots of London filled with an eclectic – if not a bit shabby – mix of fashion from decades past. It’s all about dressing like you’ve raided your Nan’s wardrobe after a sherbet binge, adding a playful ladylike elegance and a touch of costume to an otherwise humdrum noughties wardrobe. Young twenty-somethings can be seen proudly in pretty floral tea dresses, fox furs, nylon stockings, fishtail pencil skirts, lace-up shoes and 1950’s box handbags, their hair wafted up into pompadours and pouts smackered with pillar box red lipstick – the perfect attire for heading down the WI for a jive masterclass or a drink at the Black Gardenia. And let’s face it, what lady doesn’t want to dress like Diana Dors circa 1958?

And the catwalks have followed suit. Old-lady friendly staples – herringbone, paisley, hairnets, pearls and knee-high socks – are everywhere. We’ve seen tweed twin-sets, cat-eye glasses and netted gloves at Luella, pastel coloured dresses and quasi-orthopedic shoes at John Galliano and Betty Jackson, the fairy god mother of whimsical grandma chic, had a collection splattered with cheery ditsy blooms, a touch of lace and 1920’s inspired accessories.

Although today it’s practically impossible to miss this thrift-chic aesthetic, vintage only really began to get style status a decade ago with Kate Moss bucking the ‘current season’ trend and dressing her supermodel self in incredible designer one-offs – a beautiful one-shoulder canary yellow frock being her first foray. And now models, actresses, musicians – girls all over the world – are all over vintage like a rash. Alexa Chung is forever adorned in her little 1940’s floral tea dresses, doily cardis and tortoiseshell spectacles, a bright coloured pop sock zipping the look back to the 21st century, while Mary-Kate Olsen, with her floor-length crushed silk and velvet dresses, fur coats, backcombed bouffant and cascades of vintage jewels is practically grandma re-incarnate.


Lorraine Candy, editor of UK Elle, is not at all surprised by this resurgence of old, seeing it as a byproduct of our current financial climate. “You could see it as a make-do-and-mend reaction to the economic crisis. Or you could see it as simply beautiful investment clothes at a time when women need some convincing to shop. Either way, vintage featured in some of the season’s best collections.”


And if you like a bit of vintage, why not try these…

1. Pin up your Victory rolls, draw on your stockings and head to East London’s air raid shelter for a 1940’s Blitz party. You’ll be swaying to the Swing music in no time. www.theblitzparty.com/

2. Head to the Prince Charles or Electric Cinema for a nostalgic film in finest monochrome or sepia. www.princecharlescinema.com/,www.electriccinema.co.uk/

3. Embark on a course of lindy hop dance lessons. Jazz shoes at the ready… www.swingdanceuk.com/

4. Take a glimpse into the fairytale life of one of Hollywood’s most glamorous stars of the 1950s at the Grace Kelly exhibition at the V&A Museum. www.vam.ac.uk

5. Head to the Black Gardenia or Bourne & Hollinghurst for the finest retro tipple – Campari and orange is a must.

6. Treat your chum for afternoon tea at The Ritz. With freshly baked scones, jam and clotted cream to nibble on, ooops, there goes your 1940’s nipped-in waist in no time. www.theritzlondon.com/tea/

My favourite shoe

In a wardrobe littered with vintage heels, peep-toed courts, platforms and ballet flats, my Converse All-Stars stick out by a mile. Dirty, holey and on the brink of death, they’re the scruffiest shoes I own – and the ones I love the most. I remember the first pair I ever brought. Growing up on a farm I was desperately uncool as a kid – dungarees, woolly ‘animal scene’ jumpers and matching t-shirts and leggings being the sum of my wardrobe. But that soon changed (thank GOD).

As an angst-ridden teenager of the 1990’s, I idolised grunge bands like Nirvana and Incubus and hankered after their wardrobe of dishevelled jeans, plaid shirts and, of course, the ubiquitous All-Star trainer. Chuck Taylor may have given it superstar status way back in 1917 – before it rose to cooler than thou fame again in the rockability 1950’s and punk era of the 1970’s – but to me, as the shoe of my youth, those moody days of the late nineties was where my love affair started. When I slipped my feet into my very first pair – black high tops with gleaming white laces – they felt so amazing I practically bounced on paving stones made of clouds all the way home. They were comfy, lightweight, and without doubt, the coolest things I owned.


All-Stars have been a barometer of happy memories throughout my life. First gigs, first dates, first days at college... I even fell in love with my boyfriend over a pair. But perhaps one of the greatest things about them is their versatility. Anyone can own a pair of Converse All-Stars. They transcend age, gender and wealth, and there’s not one snoot of snobbery about wearing this sports trainer as a shoe in its own right – unlike sister athletic brands of say Adidas or Nike. They’re in a league of their own and their style potential is boundless. Equally great teamed with a floral tea dress and some pop socks than a lumberjack shirt and skinny jeans, they’re the perfect finishing touch to an outfit come summer, winter, rain or shine. You could even go all Florence Welch and team yours with a pair of glittery gold hot pants and a lace bolero.

And there are just so many styles to choose from you’ll never get stuck in a fashion rut. A never-ending rainbow of candyfloss pink, metallic gold, mint green, sunshine yellow, stripes, stars, spots – even ones emblazoned with colourful cartoons. Converse All-Stars; they’re their very own walk of fame.

Rant

Call me old fashioned, but isn’t anyone bored of Herve Leger bandage dresses yet? Yes they’re sleek, glamourous and enough to get any man’s eyes bulging out of his head like the “awooooga” dog in The Mask (if so inclined). But come on. They make anyone who doesn’t have a figure like Bar Refaeli look like a human tire stack on legs. And they may claim to be the high-end version of Spanx, but last time I checked, if you have tubby bits it doesn’t just go away if you squeeze something tight over it; it gets bulged out of some other unforgiving part of your body. And a muffin-top back or roly-poly knees isn't a good look for anybody.

And aren’t they just a bit boring? Strips of lycra sewn together to create, in essence, a human-shaped inner tube. Yawn. I’ll admit the designs have recently become more creative, moving on in terms of colour and print and even experimenting with texture – a streak of sequins here, a plume of chiffon there. And Rachel Bilson looked adorable when she teamed her caramel design with boho hair and a vintage clutch. But she’s the exception to the rule. For the rest of us they’re fundamentally an elasticated cylinder you squeeze into before spending the rest of the evening sucking your tummy in and hoping to God you don’t get wind.

To add to my infurity, the body con dress is so overdone. Victoria Beckham’s worn one, Lindsey Lohan’s worn one – hell, even Beth Ditto’s pulled and tugged her voluminous curves into a flurry of rainbow bright designs. And away from the starry lights of celebrity land it’s the uniform of the chav. Just look how many cheap, knock-off designs are slicked upon ex Big Brother housemates in Whisky Mist and you see my point.

Herve Leger bandage dresses, I implore you. You’ve been around for 25 years. That’s long enough for anyone; most of all me. So bow down gracefully (careful not to pop a seam) and let some other sucker have a go.