How a chance remark, a Yorkshire winter and a love of 1930s tailoring led us to rediscover the glamour of country dressing.
I remember a customer at Goodwood Revival many years ago remarking on how the 'vintage look' was really a summer look and it got me thinking. Although she didn't say 'evening' or 'party', it dawned on me that many of the styles we, and other vintage brands, were creating did demand a warmer climate. In our defence, probably due to most events being in the summer months. But where were the woolens? the tailoring? the warm and cosy coats? And what were the women at those times wearing?
You'd think i'd know better living in Yorkshire...!
A thorough emmersion in researching outdoor styles did give me reason to celebrate. I will admit a leaning towards the glamour of our favourite eras in the form of evening gowns was my norm but then i rediscovered all that lovely (and glamourous) outer and sports wear.
Who knew that dressing for a good country walk could be quite so glamorous?
Fast forward a few years and we have lockdowns when all the events grinded to a halt and dancing stopped too. What did we do? We focussed on vintage style walking attire (because we could go for a walk during lockdown) and birthed the ladies plus fours, sports backed jacket and coordinated waistcoat.
Lo and behold a plethora of glamourous walkers. It seems Vintage Fashionistas will not be reduced to anoraks and joggers....whatever is happening in the world at large.
These days I find myself positively looking forward to autumn. In fact, it has become my new favourite season for dressing. Layers, texture, beautiful woollens, rich colours, a bit of velvet here, a touch of georgette there... There is something wonderfully satisfying about building a wardrobe for the colder months. One that is warm and practical, certainly, but no less glamorous for it.
And this brings me rather neatly to our latest Autumn/Winter collection, with its gorgeous Mahogany Herringbone tailoring and a renewed love affair with one of my favourite discoveries from the 1930s: the ladies' plus fours.
Because, as it turns out, women of the 1930s knew a thing or two about dressing for the great outdoors.
What Are Plus Fours? A History of Ladies' Plus Fours
If you've never come across ladies' plus fours before, you're in for a treat.
At first glance, they might seem a rather curious garment. Neither trousers nor shorts, with their wonderfully generous shape gathered neatly below the knee, they were originally associated with outdoor pursuits and sporting dress.
Their name comes from the extra four inches of length traditionally allowed below the knee, distinguishing them from ordinary knickerbockers (an amazing word not used enough in my opinion). Although more commonly associated with gentlemen's golfing attire, variations of this practical style also found their way into fashionable women's sporting wardrobes.
And when you start looking through fashion illustrations and photographs of the 1920s and 1930s, you discover some absolutely splendid examples of women dressed for walking, golfing and other outdoor pursuits.
Often worn with a beautifully tailored jacket, waistcoat, blouse or knitwear, and finished with sturdy shoes and long socks, these outfits were practical, certainly, but they had a wonderful sense of character.
For me, it's the proportions that make them so appealing. The fitted waist, the fullness through the leg and the neat finish below the knee create a silhouette that is both delightfully eccentric and surprisingly flattering.
And, of course, they're rather good fun to wear. They did get a short revival in the 70s (and were indeed called knickerbockers) but have yet to return fully to modern contemporary style. That's ok - we will keep them for ourselves!
How we designed our Ladies' Plus Fours
There are plenty of examples of ladies wearing breech style trousers from the 1920s onwards in sears catalogues, photographs etc No patterns seemed to exist that i could find though, which suggests a particular class. We created the plus four for our menswear collection first and it was the popularity of them that drew me...and a few women buying a pair for themselves.
Clearly there was an appetite for them, but I felt they needed a more feminine touch.
Now, we do love a cinched waist here at The House of Foxy, so a deep waistband with belt loops was a natural starting point. This would allow the waist to be pulled in with a belt, creating that lovely defined silhouette we associate with the 1930s.
We also introduced a soft side-button fastening, keeping the front neat and uncluttered.
And then there was the rear view! I was determined that our ladies' plus fours should be properly fitted around the bottom, rather than simply hanging loosely. After all, we wanted the wonderful fullness through the legs, but in the right places.
No bagginess in the rear end, please!
Rather surprisingly, the design came together very quickly. I had expected a little more trial and error, but sometimes a design just seems to fall into place, and this was one of those occasions.
The result is a garment that retains all the character and practicality of traditional plus fours, but with a shape designed to flatter the female figure.
The Joy of a Proper Country Suit
Of course, a fabulous pair of plus fours is only the beginning. What really caught my imagination when researching 1930s country wear was the wonderful way women put together an entire outfit. A beautifully tailored jacket, a smart waistcoat, perhaps a blouse and tie, sturdy shoes and a rather splendid hat. Practical clothes, certainly, but with such character!
There is something particularly appealing about the sporting suits of this era. They borrowed quite freely from traditional menswear, but there was often a distinctly feminine silhouette underneath it all. A defined waist, a beautifully shaped jacket and just the right amount of fullness in the trousers. It was a look that managed to be both rather dashing and wonderfully elegant.
Our sports-back jacket was a natural companion to the plus fours. The sports-back detail is one of those lovely features of traditional country tailoring that I find so appealing. Originally intended to allow greater freedom of movement, it also adds a wonderful bit of interest to the back of a jacket. And I'm rather partial to a garment that looks as good from behind as it does from the front!
Add a coordinating waistcoat and suddenly you have a proper three-piece country suit. But the beauty of separates is that you don't have to wear everything together. A waistcoat with a blouse and skirt, a jacket thrown over knitwear, or the plus fours worn simply with a cosy jumper. There are so many possibilities, which is precisely what makes this style of clothing so enjoyable.
And that brings me to our new Mahogany Herringbone collection.
I've always had a soft spot for herringbone. There is something about the texture and subtle pattern of the weave that lends itself so beautifully to vintage tailoring. It has interest without being fussy, and in this gorgeous rich mahogany shade it feels particularly suited to autumn.
The beauty of creating several pieces in the same fabric is that you can build a whole wardrobe around them. Our ladies' plus fours, tailored jacket, fitted waistcoat and flutter skirt can be mixed and matched depending on the occasion, the weather or simply your mood.
And whilst I absolutely adore the complete country suit, I rather like the idea of these pieces finding their way into everyday wardrobes too. After all, you don't need to be heading off for a weekend in the country to enjoy a bit of tweed tailoring.
A trip into town, a Sunday lunch, a crisp autumn walk, or just an ordinary Tuesday when you fancy looking rather fabulous.
Why ever not?
A Renewed Love Affair with Autumn
So here we are, all these years after that chance conversation at Goodwood Revival, and I find myself looking forward to autumn more than ever.
There is something rather wonderful about getting dressed for the colder months. The layers, the textures, the rich colours and the excuse to indulge in some really beautiful tailoring.
And if our adventures into ladies' plus fours have taught me anything, it's that practical clothing needn't be boring. The women of the 1930s certainly knew that!
So here's to crisp autumn mornings, glorious tweeds, cosy woollens and being just a little bit overdressed for a country walk.
After all, why should summer have all the glamour?
Maybe you'll discover your love for Autumn / Winter in country attire...
