Polka Dot Couture #6 Balmain 1952

Black penny spots on white chifon over a crinoline of pink tulle.
Corseted bodice. Spring Collection 1952.

The Avengers: The Girl From Auntie 1966

This is one of my favourite episodes, Mrs Peel is kidnapped and is to be auctioned off to whichever foreign power will pay the most for her brilliant mind. She is replaced by an actress in the hopes that by the time anyone notices she is missing it will be too late.


Mrs Peel leaves a charity ball and is trapped in a gilded cage.


The fake Mrs Peel (the delightful Liz Fraser) becomes Georgie Price-Jones.


Georgie reads up on self defense.


Georgie, Steed & Mrs Peel immaculate after the 'big fight'.

Bacardi Cocktail

At the weekend I was reading JB Priestley's 'Three Men in New Suits' which was written in 1945 and is about 3 men who have been de-mobbed from the army.

In it was mentioned the Bacadi Cocktail - "The short drinks, which included
some excellent pink Bacardi cocktails, were waiting for them in the library."
so I rushed to Bernard's '100 Cocktails' and sure enough, there was the recipe.



Equal measures of Bacardi Rum and lime juice,
2 dashes of Grenadine
shaken with crushed ice, then seived into small glasses
served with a cherry

Interestingly, the 'Hollywood Cocktail Book' has the Bacardi Cocktail in it but the quantities are quite different. I have noticed in Bernard, that there are several versions of some cocktails, so even in the 30s there was adaptation. This pink version originated in America while the original, from Cuba, had Gomme syrup instead of Grenadine as the lime juice is quite tart.

The Giveaway Winner

Is Elise. Congratulations!

Please contact me by clicking the "Wickedlady Collectables Shop" advert in the sidebar, then find the contact link, that way your email address will be kept private.

If you don't know what size stockings you take, please measure the length of your feet in INCHES, this corresponds exactly to the sizes 8.5 -11.

Phyllis Dixey in Dual Alibi 1946

Phyllis began her stage career as a child and worked her way up through the chorus until by the mid 30s she was playing character parts. In 1939 she introduced her Fan Dance in Hull and then took it to London.



In 1941 Phyllis was appearing at the Phoenix Theatre London, the show was called 'Piccadilly to Dixie'. Roye photographed her in 1942, producing 2 small books - 'The Phyllis Dixey Album' and 'Phyllis in Censorland', and at this time she began her famous Peek-a-boo revues at the Whitehall Theatre which were similar to those put on at the Windmill, Nude tableaux and variety turns, these continued for the rest of the war.



The Roye book had a series of poems to accompany the photos which describe how the censor becomes enamoured of Miss Dixey

In 1946 she made a film with Herbert Lom - "Dual Alibi" a low budget thriller in which Lom plays a double role as Jules and Georges, twin trapeze artists who win a French lottery ticket. Phyllis's boyfriend (terence De Marney) plots to steal it from them and the twins get their revenge by killing him, they get away with it because no-one can identify which one of them actually did it. However, there is the inevitable trapeze accident....


Advert for Dual Alibi, there was nothing to do with Christmas in the movie so, presumably, it was a Christmas release.

Phyllis put in a creditable performance and her notoriety was not exploited by way of semi-naked scenes or coquettishness, its a shame she didnt make any more. Her only other film appearance was in the 1936 farce 'Love Up A Pole' which doesn't seem to have been shown on TV.


Terence de Marney persuades Phyllis to vamp the brothers and steal the lottery ticket.

Phyllis went back to touring after the war but changing audience expectations led to bankruptcy in the late 50s. Before the war she had been considered very raunchy, but afterwards too tame! She spent the last few years of her life working as a cook and died in 1964 from cancer.


Herbert Lom as Jules et Georges

Phyllis often had sensational billing:
The Girl the Lord Chamberlain Banned
England's Queen of Glamour
Queen of Striptease
England's Popular Pin Up Girl
The One & Only Phyllis Dixey


Books:
The One and Only Phyllis Dixey by Philip Purser and Jenny Wilkes. Futura Publications 1978. also a TV docu-drama of the same name faturing Lesley-Anne Down.

If Cars Were As Cheap As Dresses

Yesterday I passed my driving test and since then I've been living in a fantasy land where I run around leading an exotic life in all manner of desirable vintage cars.


1927 Bentley 4.5L (This is what Steed has in The Avengers)

My love of vintage cars started because my parents were both 'car-mad' in fact when they married back in 1965 the headline in the local paper was 'car rally enthusiasts marry'. Then when I was a teenager Dad restored a 1953 Sunbeam Talbot 90 Drophead Coupe (or Cabriolet) like this



However, I resisted learning to drive for years and have never really needed to until now. So if I could have a wardrobe of cars I would choose:


A 1938 Triumph Dolomite (black and cream goes with anything)


A 1953 3L Lagonda, definately in this lovely blue shade.


A 1949 Jaguar XK 120 (can't go wrong with black)


1966 Jensen Interceptor in British Racing Green

The Avengers: Small Game for Big Hunters 1966

Mrs Peel arrives in her Lotus, John Bates provided the black and white
outfits: target beret, flared trousers with black stripes and pvc 3/4 length coat.
Boots by Rayne.


A Black and white shoulder bag completes the outfit, and a black cutaway stretch top tucks into the low rise trousers.


The fur coat seems to be a continuity error but she could have brought it with her.

Banana Cow

Having read Andi B Goode's blog about The Gang's All Here and seen the banana dance in a clip in Myra Breckinridge over the weekend, THEN read Miss Matilda's Bananas to You blog I thought I'd make it a hattrick with a Banana Cow cocktail.

I wasn't originally going to include this cocktail in my series as it is a 1970s producution and I wanted to keep to the classic era but it is a favourite of mine and fate decrees...




1 measure Bacardi
1 measure Creme de Bananes
1.5 measures cream
a dash of grenadine
3 slices of banana
nutmeg

Pour the first 4 ingredients into a shaker with plenty of crushed ice.
Shake well.
Strain into a cocktail glass and grate some nutmeg on top.
Adorn with the banana slices.


If you haven't seen Myra Breckinridge, it is worth watching for
1. Mae West
2. Raquel Welch
3. Raquel Welch's clothes

which are exact copies of outfits in 20th Century Fox movies from the 40s. After 40 years the story no longer shocks, it's more like a bad trip than the-worst-movie-ever-made, and its fun trying to id the old movie clips.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway.

Giveaway Day

My 100th Blog slipped by a few days ago without my noticing. I had meant to make it a Giveaway but heigh-ho.

So here it is now at no 104

Whats invovled:
A 60s sheer silk scarf with a brown, sage, beige and white paisley pattern, a pair of Genuine Vintage RHT stockings in YOUR SIZE* A lovely organza rose wired corsage from the 30s.





Who can enter:
Anyone, thats Anyone.

What to do:
Post a comment on this blog page.

When it ends:
Sunday 24th January at 18:00 GMT.

What happens next:
I willl post the name of the winner with instructions on how to gauge your
stockings size (if you don't know) and contact details. Simples.

*I have selected a pair of stockings in each size from 8.5 - 11 so the winner will receive a pair that fits.

Schuh Albie Brogue Lace Up

My love affair with brogues continues apace, I daren't count how many
pairs I have in my wardrobe.




Schuh's Albie in black & white and tan & white will be heading there very soon, they have classic 40s styling, a medium height cuban heel, round walled toe and high cut vamp. Just perfect for formal or casual events, town (b&w) or country (t&w) wear.

Angel's Kiss

I was looking through my 1930s Cocktail Book the other day
100 Cocktails by Bernard (pronounced, I'm sure, the French way BerNARRRRRD)



and I came across this delightful 'mixed drink' Angel's Kiss, which is equal parts Benedictine and cream. The ingredients are poured into the glass slowly; first the Benedictine then the cream, the cream rises to the top so at first you drink cream with a hint of Benedictine and then vice versa. Sublime.



I looked up the drink on the internet and noticed that it has been changed into a full-blown cocktail with several alcoholic ingredients (and no Benedictine at all). This seems to happen a lot these days. Though it's not really surprising as many of the drinks in my 1930s book have absinthe and calvados as ingredients. Both of which were hard (impossible in the case of absinthe) to find in England until a few years ago.



Anyway if you don't have Benedictine try brandy or a fruit brandy instead, or cognac, the idea of the drink is that it is very smooth to the taste. Bernarrrrd says (over the page) that it is very popular.

Blonde Fever

Belita in The Gangster 1947

Carole Landis

Wynne Gibson

Isabel Jewell

Glenda Farrell with Spencer Tracy in Man's Castle 1933

Betty Grable in Tin Pan Alley 1940

The Avengers: Room Without A View 1966

A Pale check wool suit with long jacket that has bracelet length sleeves
and a single double button fastening, slim knee length skirt, both have a picot
edging. Worn over a silk blouse with tie neck.


Mrs Peel reluctantly becomes a hotel receptionist and wears black ski pants and a white
blouse that buttons down the back

To Die For: Shoes

Bottines by Lotus October 1948.


Platform sandals by Bentalls June 1949.


Rainbow platforms by Ferragamo 1938.


Lilley & Skinner strappy sandals July 1948.


Floral slingbacks by Schiaparelli 1960s.


Brocade 1950s stilettos available on ebay now.


Silver glitter stilettos, 1960s. Available on Etsy now


Embroidered linen 1950s stilettos. Available on Etsy now


1940s green & white Polka dot platforms. Available on Etsy now.

Cold Snap

Reading the recent blogs of The Vintage Baroness have really made me shiver.


This is Britain today, picture courtesy of NASA, the red dot marks my house !!

This is much more my dream wardrobe at the moment....

Greta Garbo wraps up warm.

Myrna Loy cuddling up in a taxi (sensible girl).

Joan Crawford in trouble again.

Digby Morton October 1938.

Jacques Fath November 1947.