the lost art of...
The Lost Art of Shopping at a Haberdashery
As all veteran shoppers know well, all the very best shopping surprises to be found on the High Street can be discovered in those little-known surprises; that back street boutique or the charity shops dotted here & there. But an oft forgotten fact is that there is a sadly dying-out breed of shop that frequently holds a vast treasure cave of wonders… the Haberdashers. Few & far between, haberdashers are a closely held secret once found by over-zealous shopping mavens. But as The Lady is feeling benevolent today, she may be inclined to share a few…
As shown by Our Gok (bless his cotton socks for trying, God does love a trier), crafting need not be the realm of the Gran. It can be a vital tool in one’s wardrobe, taking a Primarni special into an indistinguishable boutique find. But it is a road to tred with care! (Gok) Haberdashers hold the means and inspiration; stacked chock full of buttons, trim, threads & any number of other amazing finds. Not to forget, of course one of the main plusses a haberdashers hold… the Haberdashers her/him-self… a veritable mine of information & ideas for future projects & ideas. The Lady has yet to find an unpleasant member of staff working in one of these establishments. All goes to prove, crafting is good for the soul! Key things to look for: buttons (ALWAYS – a garment can be made to look a thousand times more expensive merely by the snip of a scissor & the addition of an amazing button), shoulder-pads (seriously. Balmain, anyone?), trim, ribbon & basically any number of miscellaneous objects you will never have known existed before you entered the hallowed portals of a haberdashery.
Local to the Lady is the wonderful Clarks of Ramsbottom. Beware, before you step in, to park up your other half in the nearby Railway pub, should he/she be in attendance – as you may well be some time… Unless they too are a fan of buttons, cross-stitch, craft books etc etc. There is also a very lovely shop-dog to pet. Manchester-bound, there is the infamous Abakhan on Oldham Street (good selection of upholstery & suiting fabrics) & John Lewis in Cheadle who also hold frequent knitting & sewing workshops. For those down South, is of course the London incarnation: Peter Jones (where many hour of mine has been whiled away mooching among wool & zips). Nearby, a little further down the Kings Road, is the incredible, the incomparable VV Rouleaux, favourite of many a London-based stylist or two.
But of course, the creme-de-la-creme of the all-time haberdashery experience has got to be the haberdashery section of Liberty. Pay no mind to the vaulted ceiling & wood panelling of the interior architectiture, instead delve into the enormous wooden tables laden with glass jars of treats & the racks stuffed full of ream upon ream of Liberty print fabrics. A recent visit there saw The Lady’s heart stolen by the exquisite manners of the lovely Koh, who charmed away both heart & personal details as he cut my fabric selection… entrancing me into signing up for a store-card (something a Lady never does on principle) as well as purchasing sets of Liberty fabric covered buttons & belt buckles & a Liberty print hankerchief (to be worn as a cuff). Other delights included: felted needle-books with intricate cover designs, hot pink monogram pins with black italicised initials, knitted cuckoo clocks & sinamay berets. The incredible fabric selection can also be found online, so do not fear fellow country-mice, you too can festoon yourselves in sprigs of delicate florals!! Other good online portals include: Josy Rose & Bedecked. There now, don’t be saying we’re nothing but generous with our tips.
object of lust
Frog, I love you.
The Lady was happily browsing her favourite website the other day, when she accidentally happened upon an article in The Storque on the art of display. Inside was an object seen before but certainly did not know of a use for… until now. Meet the Frog – an object previously used by flower arrangers and now hi-jacked by vintage loving nest makers as desk display art for holding pens & paint-brushes. The Lady wants one. Now. Get yours off ebay or etsy.
the lost art of...
The Lost Art of Shopping at a Haberdashery
As all veteran shoppers know well, all the very best shopping surprises to be found on the High Street can be discovered in those little-known surprises; that back street boutique or the charity shops dotted here & there. But an oft forgotten fact is that there is a sadly dying-out breed of shop that frequently holds a vast treasure cave of wonders… the Haberdashers. Few & far between, haberdashers are a closely held secret once found by over-zealous shopping mavens. But as The Lady is feeling benevolent today, she may be inclined to share a few…
muse of the month
Muse of the Month – Daphne Guinness
The Lady has always had the biggest girl-crush on Daphne Guinness since spotting her in one of Vogue’s many photographs of her in their celebrity-at-play sections… Far too-cool-for school, with her platinum hair & its shock of black, fingers full of enormous silver knuckle-dusters. So, when The Lady discovered that Nancy Mitford was her great-aunt and that she grew up in an artists’ colony with Dali and the Surrealists, the crush grew to epic proportions.