granny hide-a-way

After many a day looking for the perfect granny spot i realised its a little more difficult, after all, they are normally rummaging through boxes of old clothes. But with a little help from an old friend i have succeeded and hit the jack pot!

Brief history of venue: The Amersham Arms from the people behind The lock Tavern in Camden have created something new for south London. Opened in 2007 it has brought a new live music seen to the south.

Enough about the venue, its a particular event on the last Saturday of every month which intrigues me and hopefully you! This very special event is called Going for a song and encaptures the desires of every granny including boys in Granddad jumpers. To start of its at a very call venue which is pub and a very old one this means you can have the odd sherry or two.  Its also an open mike night but don't expect Lady Gaga this is a vintage open mike with the likes of Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton. They also sell cakes for every desire to eat there or take home and eat with a cup of tea. So take a day out from baking, i no you love it, but give someone else's cakes ago. Saving the best till last and convincing you to leave your knitting at home its a jumble sale. So rummage with others and listen to music while your at it. Saturdays have never been so fun for you little young granny's, its defiantly not one to miss iv already started inviting my friends on Facebook. 

O and one last thing. Have you happened to find to many charity bargains recently? Started sleeping on clothes because you have run out of room? Well why not have a sort out and give some others ago. Its just 15 pounds to have your own stall which of course can be split between some friends to bring down the price.... A perfect excuse to make some more space to sleep or to buy more cardigans.

So whether you chose to sell or buy its an enjoyable day and and perfect for you granny's.

Don,t miss it else you will have to wait another month and trust me it will be your highlight!

Graaaan..can i borrow your clothes for a shoot?

A little granny inspired doodle.

Julia stone

 When looking at granny chic there are many obvious famous examples overused by the press. I'm not saying there clothes aren't pretty, they are a nice example...just not nice enough. To me granny chic is subtly hippy, not for the person who craves press ( not saying these people do, I don't no them) It just gets boring seeing the same faces.
 So this is lady who inspires me, she is called Julia Stone and is an Australian folk singer who loves tea dresses. She looks so delicate like a china doll. Her dresses drift around while she dances on stage with no shoes. Her stage presence is mesmerising to anyone who watches. But I'm here to talk about clothes and i just love the simplicity of an old tea dress and she seems to have many beautiful ones. She is not only a good muse for granny chic because of her clothes but for her attitude and the music she creates as i feel folk plays a big party in this group of little granny's.

click here for a truly inspiring granny web page from Angus and Julia stone

Prim and Proper tea Party

D&G spring 2011 ready-to-wear

D&G a cute tea party version of granny chic. Combining pretty floral’s and bright colours it’s the perfect summer look for a grey haired teen. Hanky head scarf’s appear throughout this is perfect for a picnic in the sun. The necessity’s for us granny’s are all there. I’m a particular fan of some high wasted cream trousers, very twee but with a casual young feel  ( the buttons look very cute!). The perfect trousers for warm summer evening and can be very versatile. Evening or day they would look amazing. So a perfect part of any wardrobe. In this case combined with a cute little gypsy blouse and a head scarf. Very sweet indeed!

In any prim and proper wardrobe there is always a tea dress and granny’s drink a lot of tea. So good combination, right? There is a particularly cute one in this collection. Long and yellow pulled in with a belt this dress could easily be great camouflage in a field of daffodils. I’m a massive fan of pretty dresses, well aren’t a lot of girls? Team this with a little cardigan for a perfect English rose look. Alternately grunge it up a little, Denim jackets aren’t really that granny but it would look cute.

A pretty trouser top set looks like it’s been made of your gran’s net curtains. Ok that doesn’t sound to nice but have a peek and You’ll understand. Delicate and summery wouldn’t always have to be warn together and would look amazing layered with other pieces from this collection or odd charity byes. Alternatively rip down those curtains and make your own ( i advise washing first).

So i could carry on through this collection but i may bore you and i think part of the excitement is looking for yourself. Have an explore and discover some beautiful pieces which will inspire you this summer.

Let me know what you think and rip down those curtains and get creative.


look for yourself here!

Grungy Granny

Westwood. Fashion royalty.  Another designer who’s inspired by the granny girls? I’m going for yes but unlike others it’s not obvious, after all it is Westwood.

When look at Westwood’s collections Granny chic appears more than accepted and in particularly her ready to wear AW 2010-11 collection. Of course it’s not obvious after all it is Vivienne Westwood but think of the key trends in granny chic and you will spot them in her own creative way.

Grungy Granny check list:

G     G   on a cold winters what did old ladies ( before they started to become mainstream cool) wear???  Fur. Oversized and shabby like vintage that you need but is just that little bit too big. Nipped in with a belt to add shape. ( in fact I have a large fur coat myself which I pull in with a belt....and when I mean oversized I mean massive, free vintage is free vintage!)

G   G   Patterned long socks and  large stockings. They never want to stay up, always fall to our ankles and can  cause some stress on a night out when an old ladies watches you yanking them up on the street ( the looks you can get, I have very skinny pins!)... So why pull them up Granny chic gave us this option and we went for it and so did Westwood. Thank god for that.

G    G   Petticoats are always so classically sexy but increase with desire when poking out of mix matched vintage. And once again it appears in this collection black lace in fact with a oversized head scarf to protect that perm! It couldn’t get more flirtatious.

G     G  Layering. It’s cold out there for a little old lady and for me to. ( the one thing I no how to do is layer to hide my thermals) So we have reached the pattern clashing and layering, one of my favourite parts of granny chic and I’m sure others to  (I can’t be the only one who appreciates being warm and fashionable?)

These are just a few key points I picked out but there are many more hiding in Westwood's and other designers work so I shall keep you updated when I spot some good ones!

Henry Holland AW 2011

granny’s??  Bright colours clashing, patterns, tweed, crochet. Well it’s all there in Henry Hollond’s  a/w 2011 collection. So was he inspired by this group of teens who rummage through charity shops and  would rather look at their gran’s for style inspiration than vogue? I’m going for most defiantly and why not? They look fun and colourful. Fashion is not about perfection.

Scraped back hair and deep red lips. The perfect combination to a less than perfect look. Red lips have and always will shout sexy but with the roughly scrapped back hair making it less obvious I feel it makes it even more intriguing. Granny chic is sexy it’s just not obvious and Henry Hollond realises this with the red lips and lace petticoats peeking out of long skirts brings an old fashioned elegance to sexy which is lost in miniskirts and crop tops.

One of my favourite pieces from this collection is a purple skirt suit (we all no granny’s love there purple) teamed with a yellow text printed tee. I Love the clash of purple and yellow and the modern band inspired t-shirt brings out the suit . Under the mid length pleated skirt peers a black petticoat with white lace and just enough to catch your eye without being obvious, that hidden sexy that intrigues and makes you want to no more.

I no I have just said my favourite piece but to be honest it’s hard to have one with this collection...getting a bit hasty I think. So what else has he got? Crochet blankets mostly found on your gran’s knitting chair. Good hey. Well there is some amazing ways he has used it.  (and yes i am now wearing blankets as scarf’s...great for the journey home on a night out..tried and tested!) But I’m not just talking scarves there’s dresses, skirts, jackets and even a playsuit! Considering this is so inspired by grandparents they may struggle to pull it off! Not saying they couldn’t try it I’m just a little worried about the playsuit.