I had a lovely day out last week. A day at the V&A last week. I booked a few months back to see the Dior Exhibition I was really excited about seeing all the glamour, I’ve seen so many pictures of the Dior exhibition on Instagram. On arrival, I spotted the Mary Quant Exhibition and decided to buy a ticket for that too.
I’m sharing with you today the Mary Quant exhibition first and next week the Dior exhibition, so don’t forget to pop back for that! I thought both exhibitions were amazing.
Don’t ask how I managed to get that shot totally on my own. It was super busy. I just got lucky, or should I say my cousin that I went to the exhibition with was!.
The Mary Quant exhibition was two floors high. The lower part featured lots of films all about the history of this woman that changed fashion in the sixties. I remember fashion in the late sixties, mum was a real fashionista but Mary Quant was born literally the year that I was in 1963.
“The whole point of fashion is to make fashionable clothes available to everyone.” – Mary Quant
Mary Quant and Biba, both located on the Kings Road in London were brands targetting young teenage girls and the young working woman. It was all very new. There was a real shift in the late fifties regarding fashion, and the Mary Quant label was frowned upon quite a bit in the media.
The mini skirt and hotpants were her claim to fame. Maybe just the change in direction, giving teenagers and young women new choice is really what made the fame? Can you imagine all the arguments between parents and child if you were a teenager!
Mary Quant was one of the first mass producers of clothing
After not being able to find inspiring items to buy and sell from her boutique, Mary set about designing her own clothing. Starting off with a few seamstresses, this rapidly grew into an empire, selling all over the world.
I loved browsing all the clothes but other things caught my eye like the paper carrier bags with such vibrant designs on them. Why can’t stores do that now? So much better than plastic.
I have a photo of me when I was a little girl sitting next to the Christmas tree in a near-identical dress to this. I wish I could find it and share it with you.
I didn’t know that Mary designed underwear too. The whole exhibition was really interesting and I later found out that it was Mary quant who re-designed the continental quilt that we all have on our beds today instead of blankets and bedspreads.
It was Mary who made bright coloured tights so fashionable including the lurex variety. Everything is so colourful. Can you imagine being a young woman during this era? or were you even? I’d like to hear what you thought of it. It must have been so exciting and like a breath of fresh air.
Mary Quant make up
I do remember the makeup. I remember my brother’s girlfriend giving me her cast-offs of nail varnish and eye shadows. It was like being given the crown jewels!
The long strip of lashes caught my eye. I’m surprised we can’t buy them like that now. Or maybe we can and I’ve just not seen them. I’m wondering what the tan was like. I wonder how bad it smelt!
The Mary Quant Daisy Doll
Now, this brought memories flooding back! I still have my original Daisy doll stored away. Minus any hair, I must add. None of my dolls kept their hair very long after being adopted by me!
I also remember having this book. Did any of you have it? The Daisy doll was by far my favourite doll, hence why I couldn’t part with mine.
Clothes were copied from real fashion collections and Daisy was just sooo cool. I liked her more because she was smaller than the Cindy or Barbie dolls like me I guess!
Each boxed doll came with a folded small poster. I remember making my wishlist, which outfit I would like to put my Daisy into next. £1.30 per doll! The one I had is the one in the Gingham red dress on the right.
My cousin made a joke that the photo above was just like me and Beau! The dimensions are pretty spot on! I have since browsed eBay for a good condition Daisy doll but they’re really expensive! I’m so tempted to collect it all again.
It was a fabulous trip down memory lane looking at everything. There will be a film soon on my YouTube channel where so much more can be seen. The exhibition is on until February 2020 so you have plenty of time to visit.
Thank you for stopping by!
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Ahhh Laurie I love this post! I am going to book tickets for this exhibition. For some reason I thought that it finished in September, so thought I had missed out. I love the Mary Quant style of dresses, and they were very much my style when I worked in the City, despite not really being around in her hey day! Fab post x
What a great exhibition to catch Laurie. My little one loves fashion, so this would be something that would hold her interest. I’ve just seen that it’s open all year, so we’ll have to book tickets. Love that shot of you on the stairs! Thanks for sharing this fab day out in London with the #dreamteam xx
That first shot is just fabulous, Laurie! Now, this is an exhibition I would certainly love to visit, drooling over Mary’s fashion as well as her iconic make-up. As for the doll, I wouldn’t mind having her and her fabulous outfits in my collection. But I think my vintage Barbie dolls would get jealous 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing! xxx
Interesting exhibition. I would love to visit something like this. Have a great weekend.
Anna
http://www.glamadventure.com
What a fantastic display! Wish I lived in London or had plans to visit. Loved the V & A when I was there years ago. Love the clean lines of her styles.
That was really interesting, learning something new everyday!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Popping back #bloggerclubuk@_karendennis
I remember loving Mary Quant. She was very popular when I was in Junior High and High School. My mom made mod clothes for me and I wore them to school.
I remember going to Biba so many years ago. Now I’ll be in London in the Fall. I’ll check out this exhibit and the Dior. How did you get that photo of yourself. Good one. Fun memories of days gone by.
So very nice. Thanks for sharing this. #anythinggoes
I remember Mary Quant from back in the day. I always loved her clothes and I still think they are beautiful. Thanks for sharing the photos of the exhibition. You brought back some wonderful memories for me!
Author
Aw, Hi again Laurie! I’m glad you enjoyed xx
I would love this and I am pretty sure my teenage daughter would too. #AnythingGoes
Author
Hi Kate. The exhibition runs right into next year. I recommend you go xx
Oh my. I would love to have seen this exhibition. Mary Quant literally turned the fashion world upside down. The colored tights with matching dresses are some of my favs. And I had never heard of the Daisy doll. Now I feel like I missed out, since my Barbie’s clothes were not anywhere near as cool!
What a fun exhibit!
Author
Hi Tamar. It was an excellent day. The Dior one was pretty cool too. – To follow xx
How exciting visiting a Mary Quant expedition, how jealous am I?#anythinggoes@_karendennis
Author
Why don’t you go, Karen? I’m sure you would be looked after xx
Oh this is such a nostalgic post, Laurie!! I recall my much older sisters in some styles like these – although they would’ve been knock-offs!! I had a dress similar to a couple of the designs too. And my thoughts are that this fashion gave young women a voice, an opportunity to express themselves as they saw fit!! A wonderful movement!! Thank you for sharing, Laurie!! Donna 🧚🏻♀️❤️🙏 donnadoesdresses.com
Author
I agree Donna. It certainly gave women a voice. A loud one! xx
It looks like a brilliant exhibition, Laurie! Mary Quant certainly was an inspiration. I love the brightly-coloured tights she created. I would totally wear them now… well, in the winter lol!
Hugs
Suzy xx
Author
That’s the thing Suzy. I would say all of it would still be wearable today. Except that underwear! xx
I loved Mary Quant and the Beatles! When I went to London I went to Vidal Sassoon’s salon. It was one of the best haircuts I ever had. I went from long hair to one of his geometric ones!
Wow what great memories!
Author
Ah, the famous Sassoon cuts. I think his fame is literally built on Mary Quant Lucretia. Thanks for stopping by xx
Ha ha, you were born a hair dresser! And look at that dol in the box, print mixing. I remember I loved those clothes as I was a child. Those psychedelic prints. I loved it!
Author
Yep. Mum always said that too Nancy. Not one of my dolls had any hair! I bet mum could have killed me! When I started cutting my own I remember getting a telling off! xx
This is super Laurie. I didn’t have any clothes like this, only hand-me-downs from my sister and cousins – I’m the youngest!!! It was good to see all these old pieces and i remember seeing the make-up and wishing i could use it. Jacqui Mummabstylish
Author
The cast off’s that I got were from my brother’s girlfriend Jacqui. My brothers are a fair bit older than me. I bowed to that girlfriend like she was the queen! I thought she was the best xx