Thing I Love Thursday

So, I promised you evidence that the 1970s boasted some great style today (don't worry, there's plenty more to send chills down your spine, but snark is like cayenne pepper, a little goes a long way), and here it is:

I really like this bag- it wouldn't look out of place in a lot of clothing and accessories stores today. It's a little bit country, a little bit rock 'n' roll. Mostly, though, it's quite 'boho'- it seems like something Sienna Miller would float around carrying when she's on her way to break up with Jude Law (or get together with Jude Law, or break up with him again...). I like the bead detailing, especially those big lovely beads on the handles, and the fringe is lovely. If I saw something like this in Paper Bag Princess (awesome Wellington vintage clothing store), I would seriously consider buying it.

However: 'maid in the suede'? I see what you did there, advertisers, I'm just not sure why. Also, all macrame is not good macrame, as we shall see tomorrow!

Shows what I know...

So, as I mentioned yesterday, having grown up in the neon-Cyndi Lauper-power dressing stylings of the 1980s and, indeed, the Global Hypercolour t-shirt-busy floral print-parachute pants dystopia that was the 1990s I know very little about timeless style. McCalls, however, know ALL about it. How do I know? Because they told me so, with this confident pronouncement:
Argyle? I had no idea! Nobody I know under the age of 35 rocks the argyle unless they're attempting to be ironic, but maybe we're the poorer for it. Maybe Argyle really IS forever, and not diamonds, as I had previously supposed. However, I do have to wonder exactly how timeless the McCall's interpretation of argyle is. This is the design that accompanies the above description:
What we have here, ladies and gentlemen, is a trifecta of 1970s fashion keynotes- big bold print? Check! Print continuing on both top and bottom of two piece outfit? Check! Orange and brown? Checkity check check CHECK! It says 'three autumn colours' in the description. Maybe it's just me, but I can only see the rust orange, and the chocolate brown. Get used to these colours, you'll be seeing quite a bit more of them. The only thing missing is a mushroom, owl, or tiger somewhere in the picture (you'll be seeing a lot more of them, too).

You might be getting the impression that our journey through the 1970s is going to be all about the snark. But you would be wrong! There is plenty to love about 70s style. Like anything fashion forward, sometimes it endures, sometimes it doesn't. I'll leave you to make your mind up about the argyle. But tomorrow, I'll be bringing you something that might change your mind if you're inclined to think of the 70s as some kind of style wasteland.

New Directions

My current job sucks. I'm not going to prevaricate. However, I do have one or two really lovely colleagues (they get a little lost amongst the awful ones, but there you go). Last week, one of them brought this in to work to make a photocopy of a pattern:
This fine craft publication is the McCall's Needlework and Crafts magazine for Fall/Winter 1972. There is so very much to enjoy in here, from the horrifying to the frankly fantastic. I thought it would be fun to have a look together, wouldn't you agree?

Let's start with a rather wonderful advertisement that caught my eye in the back of the magazine:

Yes, that's right. For the ridiculously cheap price of $6.95, you can crochet your own hot pants- in machine-washable Orlon!

I can't help wondering, though, about the yarn. Orlon rather sounds like a pointy-bearded, green-skinned villain with a silver cloak and huge shoulder-pads that Captain Kirk did battle with.

The colour choices for your own hot pants are very much of their time. Sure, you've got timeless colours like French Blue, Emerald, and Scarlet (I think I may even have seen similar colours- and designs- on Ravelry...) . But if you were really fashion-forward in 1972, then Wyco Yarns had you covered with Avocado and Coral. Personally, I think Avocado is more a colour for bathrooms, but then I'm a child of the 80s and don't know anything about timeless style. More about that tomorrow!