Get some Vintage-a-Peel by Miss Peelpants

Curses!! Anna Friel, why I oughta.....

2009-12-30T22:54:00.003Z

The other day, I blog about my new sparkly flower printed tights from H&M. I haven't even had a chance to wear them out yet and bloody Anna Friel gets there first. You'd better be glad I REALLY like you Anna, otherwise I'd be REALLY mad with you. AND her shoes look like suede versions of my trusty stalwart patent Office darlings. Darnit. Now everyone's going to think I'm trying to copy her. *sniffle*

This is why I generally try to buy vintage, I'd almost forgotten how irritating this kind of thing can be.

[evil mode] Do we think they might sell out and I can get a pretty penny for them on eBay? [/evil mode]

Cor, knickers! I'm knicker-obsessed!

2009-12-30T00:01:00.012Z

Apparently I am. I keep wandering off and buying frivolous knickers on my breaks. Well, two days running anyway....someone seriously needs to distract me tomorrow, otherwise all the good I've been doing saving money lately will have been for nothing.

I'm pretty stridently anti- matchy-matchy underwear. I have a few matching sets, mainly for lounging purposes - as with the adorable lady from Nova magazine (above), but there's something a smidge Stepford Wife about only EVER wearing matching underwear (no offence to anyone who does...although I suspect that if you're that way inclined, you'll only take offence at the notion that someone could actually dare to wear non-matching smalls!). I don't like to be told what to wear, in any circumstance, and matching sets are inherently bossy and dictatorial. "Wear me together or risk being run over by a bus and THEN you'll be sorry you didn't match up. Ha!". Frankly, I'll have more things to be worrying about than the quality or symmetry of my underwear.

Besides, knickers can often be more frivolously decorated than bras (unless you wear very tight-fitting trousers, and I happen to think VPL is rather cute - so there!) and can make more of a statement. That and the fact that bras are such a bugger to get right. So why deprive yourself of gorgeous pants, if you don't have the bra?

No, a cheap and frill-ing way to cheer yourself up is in the pants-department. And remember, the bigger the pants - the more room for more frills and bows and suchlike.... Down with thongs! Errr. You know what I mean....

(the otherwise still-a-bit-evil Topshop seem to be hitting the spot with knickerbocker glories at the moment...Curses!)

With thanks to the gorgeous M for the title inspiration.

Hard to Choo: Another tacky Ossie rip-off

2009-12-27T21:41:00.007Z

Wandering around H&M on Boxing Day [Why on earth anyone else goes shopping on Boxing Day is beyond me. I was working two shows that day and had time to kill between them. No casual shopper has any excuse for being anywhere other than under a pile of chocolate wrappers, awesome presents and preferably a big fluffy duvet on Boxing Day. It's an insult to people who would dearly love to be doing all those things, but can't. Insanity.] I caught sight of yet another yawn-tastic Ossie rip-off. If you don't believe me, go in there and see one up-close; it's a duplicate, right down to the large expanse of flesh in the back, 'mock'-crepe and wrap cut.

Somehow it managed to annoy me more than many have lately. Perhaps it's because it's Jimmy Choo for H&M. It's bad enough for a dress designer to 'take inspiration from' another designer, but when you're peddling frocks on the name of a shoe designer, then copying Ossie's luscious 'Cuddly' dress is just an audaciously tacky thing to do (not to mention an astonishing breach of creative copyright).

Shame on you H&M. Shame on you Jimmy Choo (or Tamara Mellon or whoever it is behind this shambles). Saying that -elsewhere in store- I did buy a lovely pair of sparkly black lace tights with red flowers printed on them, so I've slightly [and grudgingly] forgiven H&M.

[Blogging really will be this sparse and sporadic until all Nuts have been cracked, but I'm still here...just about! Hope you all had a lovely Christmas.]

Those were the days my friends...

2009-12-23T11:37:00.004Z

...back when I didn't spend most of the festive season running around a theatre and having no time to even buy presents successfully, let alone blog on a regular basis!

Christmas 1982, I believe...

Ahhhh.....patiently waiting for my next pressie, wearing my absolute favourite red velvet Christmas frock. Good job I have a sense of humour about the cigarette in the background; my Nana's Benson & Hedges was certainly an essential ingredient of the Christmas pudding every year!

Merry Christmas to all you fabulous blog readers and other bloggers! I'm so sorry for my neglect of late, I will be back in the New Year (hopefully with a new website too!).

Made in England

2009-12-12T14:19:00.001Z

I was lucky enough to be able to attend 'In conversation with Iain R. Webb' at the Fashion and Textile Museum last week, in my inadvertent and faintly ridiculous new capacity as fashion book groupie. Iain is the kind of person who completely awes me into silence with his knowledge and experience, so it was nice to be able to just take a seat and listen to him for an hour or so - without feeling like a chump for being awed into silence.

If you don't already have a copy of Foale and Tuffin, then why on earth not? Put it on your Christmas list! Buy yourself one as a treat! Hunt me down and steal my copy! I'll whack you over the head with my copy of Arthur Marwick's The Sixties (a nice, hefty tome which would be perfect for book-stealing blog-readers) but I'll forgive you eventually.

When I first heard they were actually planning to do a book on those fabulous ladies, AND an exhibition, I nearly squealed in delight. I may actually have done so, but I was in a room with John Bates so there's not a lot I can remember from that night (if you want to put me on mute, lock me in a room with John Bates and Iain R. Webb and you won't hear a squeak out of me).

My dream Foale and Tuffin outfit. Photographed by the incredible James Wedge.

The book doesn't disappoint. As I have heard many people saying, not least those behind the project, the most appealing thing about it is that it isn't a simple biography of two people. It's like a window into their friendship coupled with a luxury chocolate box selection of Important People who, cumulatively, give a valuable insight into a most intriguing and endlessly inspiring period in history.

You often come away from fashion books with a strong sense of one person's life. One person's view of a cultural revolution. Often you can barely find mention of other designers within its pages; throwaway references to models, movers and shakers and maybe the odd two line quote. But here, in Foale and Tuffin, you have small essays created from interviews with the likes of Jean Shrimpton, Jenny Boyd, James Wedge, Marit Allen, Molly Parkin....oh I can't even prioritize them, they're all so important. It's like a proper documentary in book form. In fact, I'd be a very happy bunny if they had been able to produce this as a 'Beyond Biba' style film.

In between the photos and essays, there are excerpts from Webb's interviews with the gals. Much like the Ossie Clark and John Bates books before it, you'll probably flick through it a few times just to ogle the amazing photos and barely take in any of the detail. But eventually you'll find a window of time, when you can snuggle down and 'listen' to Marion and Sally nattering away. I've had the good fortune to have witnessed this a couple of times in person (although only tiny vignettes of F&T-ness, really) and have heard even more by proxy, so I'm delighted that an almighty natter with the girls has been recorded for posterity.

Why can't more books be like this?

My two favourite candid photos of Sally and Marion from the book. I can definitely relate to Marion's 'Sewing Machine face'.

Sugar Me, Baby

2009-12-10T16:37:00.006Z

This video combines two great Seventies things I have already blogged about: Sugar Me by Lynsey De Paul with very curious dancing by Pan's People, in the bestest ruffled flares you ever did see. Completely potty, but fabulously so.

Mmmm, now I want cakes and ruffles.

Don't worry

2009-12-09T15:08:00.004Z

I'm not turning my back on you all. The website has gone on hiatus for a wee while; it's in desperate need of revamping and I'm in desperate need of a break. It has been a bit of a stressful time for me lately, not least with moving house, and having lost my beloved camera to an unsteady-tripod-related-incident.

I will still be putting things on the Bay of E over the next month or so, but I decided the website was best left for a bit while I beaver away on a slightly new look and (far more importantly) lots of lovely new listings. Any suggestions on any features you might like me to try and implement on the website are most welcome as well.

I might offer the odd thing in the blog, here and there, if I am able to - so do keep an eye out. And of course I will be maintaining the blog as best I can. There is no hiatus for naff Seventies images, gorgeous magazine scans and picture spams of fashion icons and hot vintage dudes. No way.

How To Keep Your Head At Christmas

2009-12-08T18:14:00.003Z

Well for a start, you might not want to be wearing sexy Varon dresses (see below) around the office letch. It makes me awfully glad I don't have to deal with any office letches any more, but also a bit sad that I don't have an office party to wear a weird vintage frock to; there's something quite hilariously naff about the whole concept of such events and I think it would deserve a hilariously naff dress.

The article itself is a rather dull look at how alcohol affects you and how to survive a hangover (and no, they don't have the answer) so I won't bother to type it up, but I loved the accompanying photos and thought they deserved a post....

Mirror Magazine (December 20th 1969)

Sonia Rykiel for H&M: Je voudrais....

2009-12-05T14:46:00.000Z

....merci!

(can't wait to see the knitwear, although I might just hold out for an original....)

Get Wetter in Brighton

2009-12-04T14:26:00.000Z

Oh how I would love to have some of these outfits (and some 'Kinky Kaps') for running around on Brighton beach...especially given the appalling weather lately!

Petticoat (January, 1967)

Always ready for Freddie

2009-12-03T13:02:00.000Z

In many ways, I find Freddie more appealing and fascinating than any other glam rock gods. Bryan may 'float my boat' more, Marc might have been inherently prettier and Bowie a bit weirder....but Freddie was just so spectacular, with an element of vulnerability I find hard to resist.

I once happened upon his Kensington home entirely by accident, don't ask how - it's very hidden from the main road, and felt a strong sense of connection to him. Seeing that green door [which I remembered from when I was 12, watching news reports about his death] scrawled with messages from fans was genuinely rather lovely and I realised exactly how much the world needs, and misses, Freddie.

I also think he's wearing my black satin Ossie trousers in this picture. I know it was generally Zandra, but they look very like the Ossie ones....

p.s I would enjoy going into work at the Coli a lot more of this was the vision which faced me every day....

More from 'Boyfriend', 1969: The Moody Blues

2009-12-02T14:57:00.007Z

I can't even begin to express how devastatingly sexy this photo is. Not necessarily because of their physical attractiveness (though I should point out that Justin Hayward is looking very pretty there at the back and Mike Pinder looks very manly and yum on the left) but because of how they're dressed. Fringed shawls! Striped trousers! Gold braiding! Neckerchiefs! Paisley shirts! Moustaches! Men need to dress like this.

Ahhhhhh.....who can resist Nights in White Satin? A bit like The Air That I Breathe from my last post, and indeed A Whiter Shade of Pale (though, sadly, Procol Harum are not in Boyfriend for me to witter on about and show a gorgeous photo...), it always makes me well-up a little bit and go into a strange (but lovely) place very deep inside my psyche.

The Hollies

2009-12-01T21:40:00.007Z

I have to admit I have a serious soft spot for The Hollies. They're one of those groups where you can surprise yourself at how many of their songs you already know, even if you've never owned an album in your life. Flipping through a fabulous 1969 Boyfriend annual, I was drooling all over the incredible, super high-colour shots of various well known (and totally unknown) 'boybands' of the time. It's men's fashion at its finest, in my humble opinion, and I will slowly share all of them over the course of more blogs I hope.

But because I heard 'The Air That I Breathe' on the radio earlier, and it managed to heal the scars inflicted by hearing the Simply ~~Shite~~ Red version whilst having an otherwise lovely brunch a couple of weeks back, I have decided to start with The Hollies. I also can't resist posting both a video for that and for 'Stop, Stop, Stop' which is another brilliant song, and I adore their super puffy sleeved shirts in the video.

Random Picture Spam: Eyeliner

2009-11-30T22:57:00.020Z

I'm far too tired, achy and discombobulated to post anything too long and rambly tonight, so here's a random picture post so I can attempt to maintain my unusual prolificacy at the moment....

I wish it were profligacy though; I love how I have to really think about which word I want to use. Ah well, that will come soon enough when I've recovered from the multitude of stresses which are upon me at the moment. And when it does, I will be wearing lots of eyeliner and lashes and drinking a lot of brandy. So just you watch out!

Well there you go, I was a bit rambly. Ha!

Gorgeous customers in gorgeous gear: Part Deux

2009-11-29T19:18:00.001Z

How on earth did I forget to post this photo before now? Especially given that I took it. (I would take a mini bow for that achievement, but I'm a pretty lousy photographer!) In a very sexy Travelodge, after much stressing about clothes and make-up, about half an hour before we got soaked to the skin trying to see Duran Duran in Edinburgh Castle. Ah well, at least we had some record of our fabulous outfits...

Miss Senti in Bellville Sassoon and Charley in Quad. One day, I'm going to take them onto the Yorkshire moors, with a half-decent camera and get them to run around in all the lovely things they've bought from me over the years...cos I'm just so damn proud.

Silent Hair Inspiration: Long, lazy and loopy

2009-11-27T23:35:00.009Z

Madge Bellamy

My hair is, quite frankly, ridiculously long right now. I straightened it the other day and it totally, and irrationally, freaked me out. My beloved stylist, Miss Senti, is at the other end of the country and I can't see her for another few weeks. All I can do is pincurl, shake and hope for the best.

I'm looking at silent film stars to make myself feel a bit better about it. The ones who hadn't had it all hacked off into a bob obviously. I simply cannot take that style; I have too much hair and too much jawline.

But what do I want to do with it otherwise? I'm a bit lost and any suggestions are most welcome.

Lillian Gish

Gloria Swanson

Dolores Costello

Doctor Who Girls: The Eightieeeeeeeeees

2008-09-30T13:53:00.022Z

I've actually surprised myself by how much I've enjoyed writing about the Eighties Doctor Who companions. Perhaps it's because I'm on quite an Eighties trip at the moment, perhaps it's just because I remember these ladies from the first time around, but those early Eighties gals are really doing it for me right now.

Starting with the lovely, lovely Nyssa (Sarah Sutton, 1981-83). Nyssa is a criminally underrated companion of the old school variety. Perhaps it's because she's an alien, perhaps because she's clearly the sweetest person ever to have graced the Tardis or perhaps it's because she was so very much overshadowed by her fellow companions. Indeed, for the first time in a long time, the Doctor could barely get a word in edgeways between three different personalities.

Nyssa was a noblewoman from a planet called Traken, whose father's body was stolen by the Doctor's fellow Timelord, The Master. Brought back to the Doctor by his future self (long story) she saw her planet destroyed and, unlike so many other companions, really had no choice but to stay with the Doctor and her new friends. Ok, well Tegan. The less said about Adric, the better. Besides, he carks it soon enough. Hurrah! Ahem.....no, it's very tragic and weepy and.....yes.......well.

Nyssa was adorable but highly intelligent and with that slightly alien quality, subtly played by Sarah Sutton, which separates her from the usual riff-raff humans who have tramped through the Tardis over the years. She also bore the brunt of the new decision for the companions to have set 'costumes' in a similar way to the Doctor. So for an entire season, Nyssa was tramping around in very subtle variations on her velvet flower fairy-esque ensemble from her first story. Gradually she lost bits and pieces, gained some more practical trousers and generally adapted a lot better than her fellow Tardis residents. But still, must have been a bit whiffy in there after a while?

Who do we think was the stinkiest of the three? I'm going to say....the teenage boy.

Eventually they saw sense though. After all, they did have two gorgeous young women on the books and what are gorgeous young women good for in Doctor Who? Yes, that's right, dodgy fashion statements and gratuitous flesh-baring. Which Nyssa did to perfection. Her first foray into fashion is a slightly bonkers striped skirt, sailor shirt and gigantic pussy bow in Snakedance. Which I sneakingly love at the moment. You can see the crestfallen look on her face as the Doctor fails to notice her loveliness in her new get-up. Boo hiss Doctor. You'll [probably] bonk the living daylights out of some guttersnipe like Rose Tyler but gorgeous Nyssa you ignore? Crazy fool.

Eventually she goes the way of all good companions. She randomly strips off to her underwear on Terminus and decides to stay behind to tend to the sick. To her credit, she hasn't just fallen in love with some man she's only just met (see Leela and...most of the others) but it's still an abrupt end for such a good character.

The same cannot be said of Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding, 1981-84). Who the Doctor couldn't bloody get rid of. Now I must confess that Tegan was my 'first' companion (alongside the ginger god that was Turlough....remind me to do a blog about the tasty men in Who over the years!) and therefore holds a little place in my heart. And I used to love her I'm sure. However, she doesn't stand up to repeated viewing with the hindsight of much better companions before and since.

Tegan was an Australian air stewardess who accidentally wandered into the Tardis (Logopolis) thinking it was a real police box. The murder of her Auntie Vanessa, courtesy of The Master, and a few wrong turns on board the Tardis left Tegan unable to get back home. And didn't she let us know it! Frankly I'm surprised he didn't boot her out on some deserted planet, as she was clearly not the type to leave him after falling in love with a man she's only just met [I'm not sure anyone could put up with her!].

She was also a fatality of the costume concept, and lumbered with the worst of the three. A 'charming' and wholly impractical purple air stewardess costume which probably never saw a spritz of febreze in its life! Eventually she got back to Heathrow to catch her flight, but realised (too late) that she really wanted to be in the Tardis instead. And that, it would seem, was that.

But oh no. The Doctor wasn't so lucky, and she managed to find him again the very next season. Just when Nyssa had got him all to herself!! She returned without the uniform and with possibly the funkiest Eighties fashions of the entire era, which means she is rather forgiven for the whining and the pouting. It was all abstract print mini dresses, leather mini skirts, stiletto heels and big brassy fur coats, which are now starting to look a lot more charming than they did when I first started to rewatch the episodes back in the 90s. To her credit, she also makes a great statement by leaving. By this point there has grown a grudging respect between Tegan, Turlough and The Doctor. But the death and destruction becomes too much and she simply has to walk away. Brave heart Tegan!

I wanted her wardrobe as a five year old, and now I'm old enough to wear it - I think I want it again! Life is kinda good like that, isn't it?

Next up was poor Peri (Perpugilliam Brown. Played by Nicola Bryant, 1984-86). Poor in threefold ways. Firstly she had about five minutes to enjoy the gorgeousness that was Peter Davison before he regenerated into cranky old Colin Baker. Secondly she spent most of her tenure wearing leotards and formal shorts and was first seen wearing an itty bitty pink bikini. The greatest victim of the one-for-the-dads mentality. Thirdly she had her head shaved, nearly carked it in a body swap storyline [which I still, to this day, cannot watch because it freaked me out so much when I was 7] and instead ended up married to Brian Blessed. Which is possibly a fate worse than death, I couldn't possibly comment.

As I mentioned, we first meet the American botanist in Tenerife in a pink bikini. Of course! The only positive aspect to this for us ladies is that she needs rescuing, and Turlough does his thing in a wet t-shirt and skimpy speedos. Hurrah! We can immediately see the two big reasons why Peri remains such a popular companion in the face of being really rather whiney. I still can't understand why writers and producers think that we want a companion who doesn't seem to actually want to be travelling with the Doctor at all. Ungrateful hussies!

Saying that, she did have the most tetchy Doctor since Hartnell which makes her behaviour slightly more forgiveable. Although I must say that the sexual tension between the two is possibly the greatest I've ever seen on the show. Many may not agree with me, and perhaps it was more to do with Baker and Bryant's natural off-screen chemistry but I find myself wanting them to end each big argument with a bit of 'make up' hanky panky.

"Hmmm, could have sworn the Tardis wardrobe contained more than skimpy leotards and formal shorts. Funny that. Can't think where it's all gone. You'll just have to keep wearing them....."

It had started off well enough in The Twin Dilemma, with a blousey tartan, err, blouse and a poufy mini skirt combined with black mid-calf boots. In fact, a very Autumn/Winter 2008 look which is possibly why I'm looking upon it so kindly.

Her only full season in 1985 showed us a dizzying array of leotards, stilettos and odd formal shorts. Fairly innocuous for the most part, but miserably impractical and not even that stylish for the time. I do remember wanting to wear my pink ballet leotard outside of ballet classes for the sole reason that Peri seemed to do the same thing. [Funnily enough, I do actually wear black leotards nowadays because they're really rather awesome for wearing underneath skimpy Seventies tops and blouses].

There was one extraordinary costume in The Two Doctors which involved a tie front spangly top and headband, but the less said about that one the better. Anyone who says I secretly want to wear it is lying. Honest. *cough*

Apparently Bryant insisted that they cover her up a bit for the latter stories of the season, and they responded by insisting that she wear the same outfit two stories running (with the addition of an 'interesting' blue coat and beret for the snow scenes). It was a more tailored, burgundy jacket and black trousers, certainly a more stylish and sensible outfit for Miss Brown.

She returned for just two stories in the next season, and the covered up theme continued with a rather dapper looking striped jacket and blousey yellow top (plus newly permed hair and a gentler, more post-coital type of relationship with The Doctor). It's a shame we didn't get to see more of this Peri because it certainly feels like a few years have passed and she's grown up considerably from a girl to a woman. Buuuutttttt, aliens and Brian Blessed intervened and, as pleasure must always be balanced with pain, the next companion looked like this:

Now, now. Don't get me wrong. I love Bonnie Langford (who played Mel from 1986-87), I really do. She seems lovely, hilarious and she's looking pretty fab for her age now. But, she wasn't suitable for Doctor Who. Lots of pantomime-style over-acting, nose-wrinkling and shouty delivery of her lines, not to mention feminism-obliterating thcweams, simply were not suited to the show. On the other hand, I think some of her stories are totally under-appreciated and she's not unwatchable. She's just.....well, Bonnie!

The character also had zilch backstory, appeared before she became his companion in some weird timey-wimey paradox and then left the Tardis to travel with a bit of rough called Sabalom Glitz. No hanky panky, just decided she wanted to reform him or something equally daft. Thus she really rather challenges Dodo for the most pointless companion with the most illogical departure.

She also had some truly, truly insane clothes. I'm not going to say they're awful, they're just very.....Eighties. Late Eighties. Not terribly good Eighties. But entertaining and cute in an odd sort of way. I'm not even sure where to begin and where to end. There were bows, lemon leisure suits, polka dots, studded denim and, my favourite, the biggest puffed sleeves known to the universe (left). I'll admit it was precisely the kind of stuff I was 'designing' at the time, but then I was a child. And children do tend to think that polka dots and puffed sleeves are ceaselessly stylish. Which makes me wonder how old the costume designer was.....

"Kang outfits are well better than Mel outfits"

Eventually, Glitz waggled a studded shoulder pad in her direction and she left just as Ace (Sophie Aldred, 1987-89) arrived. Now this is where it gets really boring, because Ace marked a return to a stereotyped and costumed companion. Touted as a 'streetwise' teenager (example of streetwise-ness, she calls bad people 'toerags') and permanently kitted out in the biggest, blousiest black bomber jacket you'll ever see in your life. She also had a ghettoblaster (didn't think it could get funnier than toerags? Ha!!) and a wide range of shapeless t-shirts, tights and baseball boots.

To analyse it takes about 2 seconds, [t-shirts and leggings slowly gave way to slightly tighter off-the-shoulder tops and fitted jeans to show transition from girl to woman....that's about it!] so unfortunately I must end my history of Doctor Who companion fashion with something quite lacklustre. Which I suppose is an appropriate metaphor for the way the show ended.

Ace's fate is unknown, she was last seen walking off into the sunset with Sylvester McCoy's Doctor in 1989.....still wearing that bloody bomber jacket!

So, that's it for now. Only time will tell how history will view companion fashion in the Noughties, but I'm going to hazard a guess at.....badly. Not because they're bad clothes, they're just dull. Not representative of the era at all. Far too practical because, for all my comments about practicality, practicality is dull. We couldn't have had bonkers Biba Jo Grant or the trip-tripping of Tegan's stilettos running away from the Daleks without total impracticality. And I wouldn't be the person I am today without having had those ladies in my life for inspiration as an impressionable child and teenager.

Doctor Who Girls: The Seventies (Part II)

2008-07-23T12:57:00.025Z

The departure of Lis Sladen in 1976 saw the first 'Who foray into the notion of a 'themed' companion, which would prove to be a popular move by the production team and influenced the show until it went off-air in 1989. Leela (1977-78) was a warrior woman, human but from another planet where society had devolved into tribal rule. Yeah yeah. Mainly just an excuse for a sexy woman, Louise Jameson, to run around wearing a scanty leather bikini. However, we will forgive this rather sexist development because, quite frankly dear reader, Leela kicked serious ass.

She was also not the most conventional looking of women, and you can just visualise a modern version of Leela would involve silicone breasts, big capped teeth (*cough* Billie Piper *cough*) and perfectly coiffed hair and make-up. Leela was authentically a bit grubby, skinny and tribal in her movement and expressions. The outfits as well, are sexy in a mid-70s porn kind of way. Revealing, but not particularly enhancing and I spend most of my time watching her wondering if she's feeling a bit chilly. I mean, Sarah Jane goes scampering back to the Tardis in her bikini in Death to the Daleks (The Doctor promised her a beach holiday, the swine!) but Leela just ploughs on through every situation in her teeny tiny leathers. Atta girl! Occasionally she relented, usually only on Earth though, and picked up some more appropriate clothes for the adventure.

Sadly by the end of her story, the writers dumped on her character from a great height. Her departure involved rapidly falling in love with some guy she's only just met on the Doctor's home planet of Gallifrey, shacking up with him and K9 the dog. What? Leela, Warrior Princess does housewife duties? Where did that come from? Thankfully Gallifrey gets destroyed in the Time War just pre the new series, so hopefully Leela went into battle all leathers blazing and redeemed the character we all knew and loved.

Once more, The Doctor was companion-less. But this time, for the first time ever, he would not choose his travelling partner. It would be chosen for him by his own people. Yes, finally the Doctor travels with another Timelord. Well, a lady. Romana (short for Romanadvoratrelundar - cos you would wouldn't you?) was more of an equal intellectually but, rather like those fresh out of university 1st class honours type people who think they know everything there is to know about the world, was very green when it came to anything out of her comfort zone of education. So we still saw the Universe from the perspective of one like ourselves, which is clearly an important aspect of the show's success.

Romana (Mark I, 1978-79) was aloof, frosty but a perfect foil for the exuberant, worn-around-the-edges Tom Baker Doctor and remains possibly the most glamorous companion the Doctor ever had. She initially appears in a breathtakingly beautiful white goddess dress and also dons a luxurious feather coat, which I'm almost 100% sure is one of Servalan's old cast-offs from Series 1 of Blakes 7. That's a fan fiction I'd like to read.

Frankly her entire season is a masterclass in late Seventies glamour, from the stunning white dress and boots in The Armageddon Factor to the purple velvet ensemble (with covetable jaunty hat) in The Androids of Tara. Not necessarily to everyone's taste but Mary Tamm looks incredible in everything. Then, she'd look amazing in a used bin liner quite frankly.

When Tamm regenerated into Lalla Ward as Romana (Mark II, 1979-81), she also lost the assured glamour of her predecessor, as well as her haughty demeanour and frosty relationship with The Doctor. Her first costume is a pink version of The Doctor's. Which is either a stroke of genius or the most unthinkably twee and patronising thing to ever happen to a companion. I still can't decide which.

Poor Lalla seemed to get the bum end of the deal when it came to her wardrobe throughout her entire tenure in the show. From maternity smocks to Victorian bathing costume to pseudo-riding gear, even a school uniform.

So Doctor, what first attracted you to Romana?

Ah yes. The school uniform. If ever you need an explanation for why Romana Mark II is such a popular companion in the face of her being....how you say...a bit crap, then the heady combination of school uniform and formative male minds and hormones should give you a bit of a clue. By way of explanation of my previous comment about her crapness, I find Lalla Ward's acting to be atrocious. Dodo was positively Shakespearean compared to her. I'm sure she's a lovely person, and she was terribly engaging with Tom Baker (mainly because they were bonking by this point) but I just can't warm to her. And I like all companions. But then, her target audience really was the male of the species. All flicky fine blonde hair, big teeth and kinky outfits - but nothing substantial enough to capture my attention.

Her one saving sartorial grace is the stunningly beautiful dress she wears in Creature from the Pit. But rumour has it the dress was intended for Mary Tamm before pregnancy meant she had to leave, which is why it doesn't really suit her shape very well. But it is a lovely dress, so she gets one single gold star for that.

And that, dear readers, brings us to the end of the Seventies companions. Lalla borders into the Eighties, but I really don't want to have to touch on her again, so I will return with: a noble native of Traken, the Mouth on Legs, a fake American, the most unbelievable teenager portrayal in the known universe and......Bonnie Langford.

Oh yes. You have been warned. We've already kinda hit the peak. It's just downhill from now on. But I've started now, so I have to finish. Dear god, do I? Really? Yes.....my OCD tells me I must.....*sigh*

Doctor Who Girls: The Seventies (Part I)

2008-07-19T13:25:00.011Z

Caroline John as Liz Shaw (1970). Possibly the best pins in Who History, Caroline John was the natural successor to Wendy Padbury's brainbox character of Zoe. Except Liz (great name, non?) was a modern day woman who just happened to be a brilliant scientist in her own right.

Brought in as UNIT's replacement for The Doctor initially, she would end up 'assisting' him (in his exile on Earth) for four stories in Jon Pertwee's debut season as The Doctor. She was the perfect foil for his slightly pompous, dandy Doctor, being as she was rather down-to-earth and of a relatively equal intellect (for an earthling anyway).

She also ran around in some seriously scanty skirts, fabulous knee high boots and even a floppy hat in The Ambassadors of (ping!) Death. Thus showing that the length of a gal's skirt is not relative to the size of her brain. And also, yet again, proving that Doctor Who was no place for maxi skirts.

Overshadowed by her successors, and sidelined somewhat by her brief tenure by The Doctor's side (she never even got a jaunt in the Tardis, poor love!) Liz Shaw is one of my favourite companions - for she was an intelligent, independent woman who neither needed, nor fell in love with, The Doctor.

Dear, lovely intelligent Liz Shaw. So of course the producers decided to continue in their inspirationally modern slant on the screaming companion character in the newly liberated Seventies. Right? Wrong. Say hello to Jo Grant (1971-73), and her knickers.

I've already blogged about Miss Grant as a Fashion Icon, thanks to her prediliction for dressing in head to toe Biba. Jo was wonderfully ditzy, seemingly rather dim and considerably younger than her predecessor. The implication was made that her promotion into UNIT was thanks to some healthy nepotism, but she was certainly a bright spark when it was needed. Although always with a giggle and a flutter of those spidery Biba eyelashes.

The Doctor certainly seemed to enjoy her company, although I would dispute that he preferred his companions to be a little bit screamy and stupid. He was certainly frustrated by her silliness, and charmed by her hidden depths, which would imply that he really does prefer a bit of spunk and spark in his companions. Jo was rather too much the adoring girl though, which often brought out the most patronising aspects of her mentor's character.

All this aside, and I'm not even sure where I stand on Miss Grant - except that I would happily stand on and squish her in an attempt to get into her wardrobe and steal most of her gear, she was certainly adorable, always fabulously attired and occasionally quite brilliant. I won't go into specific episodes because each and every one is a gem where Jo's clothes are concerned, and each and every one is a Biba gem at that!

They returned to a slightly more sophisticated young woman for the next occupant of the Tardis wardrobe. This time dressed in Biba rivals Lee Bender for Bus Stop, Sarah-Jane Smith (1973-76 and beyond) was a fiesty reporter/journalist type who would stride headfirst into situations and enjoyed an occasionally snippy dialogue with her first Doctor. This first generation Sarah-Jane was my favourite and, unlike most people, I truly loved (and never questioned) that she was paired with Pertwee in The Five Doctors in 1984. Alas though, it eventually went horribly wrong with The Doctor's regeneration and the introduction of a certain Mr Harry Sullivan.

Originally, the replacement for Jon Pertwee had been intended to be an older actor in the same vein as William Hartnell's interpretation of the character. So producers had hired Ian Marter to play a new male companion (the first since Jamie left in 1969), because they felt they needed a virile young man to do....well, virile young man things. Nevermind that they already had Elisabeth Sladen as a strong female character, of course they needed a chap for chap things. In the end, as we now all know, they hired a young Tom Baker for the role who was perfectly capable of running around and in no need of a Harry Sullivan. So with effectively a 'spare' companion, they had to relegate poor Sarah Jane to mere screaming, girly companion character to give Harry enough to do (and provide enough of a contrast to the two male leads).

Doctor: If I touch these two wires together, I can go back to having just one sexy, confident and intelligent female companion.

Harry: I say Doctor, steady on now old chap....I mean.....golly.....gosh.....that's really rather beastly....

Sarah Jane: *wibble* *scream*

Doctor: There's just no debate is there?

Now I love Harry and his excessive poshness. But thankfully he was let go by the end of this debut Fourth Doctor series, and Sarah Jane was finally able to regain her place as The Doctor's main squeeze. Although she never did quite recover from this volte face in her characterisation, and remained perhaps a little too girly and screamy for my liking. Luckily, Sladen has had another chance (or three) at the role (most recently in her own series spin-off from 'Nu-Who') and has returned to the stronger character I so adored in her first series with Pertwee.

Style-wise, she must be applauded for never wearing a mini skirt and thus breaking with classic Who tradition that, regardless of how long skirts may be outside the Tardis, the companion always deems a mini skirt to be suitable quarry-sprinting attire. She donned a very cutesy print maxi dress in The Masque of Mandragora, one of Victoria's alleged cast-offs (peculiarily Edwardian for Miss Waterfield but we'll let that go) in The Pyramids of Mars and who on earth could forget the Andy Pandy striped dungarees from her departure story, The Hand of Death?

Let's just pretend her rescue from a little tumble down a slight incline in The Five Doctors never happened shall we?

Part II coming soon (where we see the true meaning of the phrase "One for the Dads", see where Servalan's cast-offs ended up and try to work out why on earth a fully grown woman in a school uniform would be such a popular companion?).

Vintage Inspiration: Loretta Young

2009-11-26T11:41:00.000Z

Wearing what I'm assuming is Irene (from He Stayed For Breakfast, 1940) but what I know is one of the most exquisite dresses I've ever clapped eyes on....

Vintage Inspiration: Efva Attling

2009-11-25T14:25:00.000Z

I didn't know who Efva Attling was until I noticed I'd saved this image on my computer at some point and promptly googled her. I think I was entranced by the whole look of it, and I still am. Her boots are amazing, as is the rest of the outfit, and I wholly approve of the arm candy - whoever he may be. A sharply dressed man with big hair and facial fuzz...mmmm!

I also love the fact that her first name looks improbable. Efva....I love it!

Patti Quatro, please may I borrow your boots?

2009-11-24T12:34:00.000Z

Thanks Patti Quatro.

Kisses.... Miss Peelpants xx

Danielle Dax, an alternative fashion icon.

2009-11-23T14:45:00.025Z

Before I knew her music, I knew these two photos of Danielle Dax from my research into early Eighties goth and new-rom fashion for a degree project. Only later on when I heard Big Hollow Man did I realise who that mad-haired, madly made-up goddess really was. It's something of an outrage that she's not better known, for both her music and her incredible style.

She once asked "Why are the nicer people not as successful as the shitty people?" and I have to wonder the same thing. Check out this lovely interview with her (oh how I used to love that programme!) and marvel at her hair. Check out the video at the bottom of this post and marvel at her make-up.

Strange Fashion Collaborations: Bill Gibb Nail Polish

2009-11-22T11:54:00.000Z

I've seen variations of this advert across several Vogues I own, and it always baffles me. I mean, I don't see why Gibb shouldn't have done such a thing, but it also seems at odds with the 'crap businessman' label usually attached to him. It does make one wonder. He might easily have ventured down the road marked 'mediocrity through licensing', so well trodden by so many.

Perhaps there simply wasn't much call for nail polish to match your Gibb frock. Perhaps they didn't really match very well, they certainly don't in the advert. Perhaps this is actually an example of his crap businessmanship? Very curious indeed....

I will be listing an incredible Bill Gibb piece very soon, and I'll be sure to let you all know here on the blog. Woo!

Vintage Inspiration: Greta Garbo

2009-11-21T11:16:00.000Z

What a collar. What a woman.