Enough to Tickle You Pink

(Detail) The sweetest little powder puff by Butler & Wilson, only £12.50 … in 1974.

Between the 70s theme of my last post, and reading in the latest issue of Australian Vogue that the 70s are back in fashion (again), I decided to go to the source: a modest pile of original Vogues of that glamorous decade that I have in my possession.

In 1974, British Vogue published two issues in September; I have the issue dated the 15th. There weren’t any ‘glamazonian’ fashion editorials, but these two beauty images shot by Norman Parkinson caught my fancy. I love their ethereal look, the pale styling, the classic 70s hairstyle on the blonde – centre parted and straight on top, curly on the bottom. And how about that bare breast, eh? Risqué, softly seductive, yet sweetly innocent.

Click on image for larger version.

Butler & Wilson’s ‘ladylike powder puff’ with its porcelain head is adorable, a gorgeous piece to take pride of place on one’s dressing table. At £12.50 I’d totally snap that up. Let me do some quick calculations – or rather, punch in some figures on an online calculator … The equivalent today is £91.08, or in Australian dollars, $138.57! Woah!

That’s enough to make me blush. 

Photos: Norman Parkinson, British Vogue, September 15th, 1974