Wednesday 19 February 2014

We have moved.....

Hello lovely followers,
we have moved our NEWS to another location.

Please keep following us to our new website

VIVIEN OF HOLLOWAY NEWS

Thank you

Vivien of Holloway Team

Thursday 28 November 2013

Gone With The Wind at BFI




At Vivien of Holloway we take great delight in drawing our inspiration from starlets of the Golden Age of Glamour. Vivien often mentions that her love for the elegant attire of the 1940s and 1950s stems from watching classic movies as a child.
November marks the centenary of smoking Hollywood siren, Vivien Leigh. To celebrate, our friends the BFI are showing the mesmerising Gone With The Wind across their cinemas. Witness the breathtaking story of Scarlett O’Hara on the big screen in a new restoration. Find out where you can watch Gone With The Wind here.
Also, we have two BFI: Gone With The Wind posters to give away to Facebook fans. Find out more here.

Get Scarlett O'Hara's burgundy, sweetheart neckline look with our Burgundy Satin Sarong.

 

Thank you to all of our fabulous customers for staying patient through the implementation of our new website. We're very pleased to say it is now ready to use with 10% off of first orders. Please bear in mind that we are still experiencing some teething issues - if you come across any technical problems, email viviensale@aol.com to notify us of the problem.


Happy shopping!
x

Friday 22 November 2013

Brand New Sue & Swinging Circle Skirts

Good Afternoon, ladies! We're very excited this weekend to be spoiling you with 2 new additions to the website. Welcome the brand new and updated Runaround Sue. A Vivien of Holloway favourite for a casual yet glamourous look, the Runaround Sue is now available in new, block colours. This dress is a fabulous, versatile wardrobe staple and is perfect for the chilly weather when layered with a long-sleeved top. Browse our wide range of jewellery and belts to accessorise the new Sue.

Vivien of Holloway Run Around Sue

Want more swing in your step? Look out for new 1950s Circle Skirts in gorgeous new fabrics. Heavier than our usual Circle Skirts, we've introduced winter warmer Flannels in Red and Black for a simple yet show-stopping party season look. Or, add a 1950s fling to this season's Tartan trend with all new Biscuit and Bottle.

Both the Runaround Sue and the 1950s Circle Skirts will be available from early next week. Can't wait? Click the Notify Me button on your size and you'll get an email as soon as they're in stock.

For this weekend only, take advantage of our Free Shipping offer.


Please be aware that on Friday 29th November, our fabulous new website will become operational. While we hope everything will run smoothly, there may be technical issues on the site. With this in mind, please don't leave any urgent purchases to last minute.

Happy shopping, Ladies!
x

Friday 1 November 2013

A Passion for Pencil Skirts

Good Afternoon, ladies! We've got that Friday feeling here at Vivien of Holloway and we're extra excited because next week, our Pencil Skirts are making a comeback! We're very much looking forward to welcoming back old favourites such as the candy-cute Pink Tartan as well as some new contenders. Look out for variations on Pinstripe, Flannel and Check!


Vivien of Holloway Pencil Skirts are the most authentic to the 1950s you can find. They're dangerously curvy, hugging you at the waist and sculpting your hips creating an enviable wiggle. They're perfect for the chilly weather and translate easily from a daring daytime look to elegant evening attire.

A great Pencil Skirt is a must-have for any glamourous gal and has been replicated for decades. But, as you well know, Vivien of Holloway is more interested in delving into the history of a garment. Want to know a little more about this slinky, sophisticated wardrobe staple?

Believe it or not, what could be considered the first ever pencil skirt was a complete accident! In 1908 aviatic duo, Wilbur and Orville Wright, invited a certain Mrs Berg to be their guest as the World's first female aeroplane passenger. As Mrs Berg settled into the aircraft she was horrified at the sight of chains and propellors churning away dangerously close to her billowing skirts - imagine doing this in a Halterneck Circle Dress!


In a stroke of unintentional fashion genius, the brothers tied a rope around Mrs Berg's skirt, above her ankles in order to keep her sitting pretty in safety. The event was a press sensation and Mrs Berg's skirt even caught the attention of designers in Paris who scrambled to recreate this accidental invention. Dubbed the "Hobble Skirt" or jokingly "Speed Limit Skirt", much-like the pencil skirt it was tight at the knees and created a seductive wiggle in the wearer.

The Hobble Skirt was short lived however as WW1 paved the way for practicality. Women were wearing trousers and hemlines were creeping upwards due to fabric shortages. Life was too fast-paced for a hobble!
Shortly after the war, women finally won the right to vote in the UK (1918) and America (1920) and the younger generation began to question the values of their elders. Enter dropped waistlines and flapper dresses. The Roaring 20s was a fabulous time for fashion but it wasn't so great for our figure-hugging pencil skirt.


The first pencil skirt, as we know it today, didn't arrive until 1940. Christian Dior took inspiration from the controversial silhouette of the Hobble Skirt and shortened it, updated it and fine-tuned a more tailored, close-fitting shape. Dior's 'New Look' is infamous in the fashion world and the pencil skirt, usually part of a suit ensemble at this time, was embraced by women in search of a curvy alternative to war-time fashions.
It wasn't long until celebrities of the day championed the classic shape and made it an aspirational style. Among these celebrities are starlets who Vivien of Holloway still takes inspiration from: Marilyn Monroe, Bettie Page, Ava Gardner, Audrey Hepburn, the list goes on.

Channel Marilyn's outfit by pairing your Pencil Skirt with a Raglan Blouse.
 Today, women still recreate Golden Age style and even in modern fashions, you can spot a wiggle everywhere. Vivien of Holloway Pencil Skirts ensure that you walk (or hobble!) with confidence and we're certain they'll never go out of style. Don't believe me? Just ask our gorgeous customers!



Look out for new Pencil Skirts next week. If you're dying to get your hands on something, click the 'Notify Me' button on the product page and you'll be the first to know when it becomes available!

Happy wiggling, ladies! x

Tuesday 29 October 2013

New Arrivals: Skeletons & Sparkles

Dance your way into November in a swinging Circle Skirt! We've restocked our spooky skeleton prints just in time for Halloween and have expanded our array of tartan fabrics - bang on trend for this season.



Pair our 1950's Circle Skirts with a Gypsy Top for a carelessly cool everyday look or with a Halterneck Top for a slinky silhouette. Worn with one of our Petticoats, the circle skirt is a great alternative to a dress and maintains that element of something special. Experiment with contrasting colours: we love Red under the Pirate!


In our last blog post, I mentioned the new English Blossom and Royal Rose prints for the Grace. Well, here they are! Aren't they delightful? We love them for bridesmaids or for injecting some warm British heritage into your Autumn look.


Eagled-eyed Vivien of Holloway Vixens will have noticed an influx of something sparkly on the website. Look out for loads of new Jewellery additions in the Repro section. I love these exotic Palm Tree and cute little Spider earrings. The perfect finishing touch on your Hawaiian Sarong or SpiderWeb Lace Halterneck Circle Dress.

Happy shopping, ladies! x