We Love Geometrics! A peek at some of our china hire collection

Detail from the Thomas Pinwheel Design from our hire collection

Geometrics. They manage to convey a sense of the modern and the retro at the same time. Geometrics look best in the brightest colours, and it's no surprise that some genuine examples of geometrically patterned 60s and 70s china have made the hire collection.

We have an entire tea set in the Eclipse design by Empire Potteries

A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes which often tend to repeat themselves, although this is not always the case as with our Empire Potteries Eclipse set.

Geometric patterns, with their neat uniformity appealed particularly to the mods in the early to mid 60s, not just through the surface pattern but also in the shapes of a-line skirts. 

It's no surprise then, that Peace, Love & Daisy Chains' hire collection includes some wonderfully vibrant examples of genuine 60s geometric china. 

We have several pieces in the bright Thomas Pinwheel design of repeating circles - a dinner or cake plate in orange, and a whole set including dinner plates, tea plates, mugs and a sugar bowl in shades of purple and pink. As well as orange and purple, this pattern also exists in blue.

The Thomas Pinwheel and Empire Potteries Eclipse Designs

Our ex-Yugoslav milk pail and enamel teapot, scavenged from the flea markets of Ljubljana, make perfect containers for flowers - a modern-retro twist on using rustic metal pails and containers.

A 1970s Slovenian enamel teapot 

....and our Slovenian geometric milk pail

Geometric pattern is a key tenet of Islamic and Moorish design; geometric patterns in Islamic art is often used to symbolize the transcendent, indivisible and infinite nature of God. Artists would even intentionally make mistakes in the patterns as a way of proving that only god could produce perfection.

As soon as I saw this Staffordshire tea set I knew it had to join the collection. It brings to mind sunny mornings in Southern Spain in a tiled courtyard. Indeed, as the 60s and 70s heralded new, easier ways to travel both for the hippies traveling the Silk Road and the less hip looking for package holidays, patterns which brought to mind foreign shores were reflected - in fashion, textiles and pottery.

Staffordshire Tea Set and Mug

...and did you know that we also have salt and pepper pots to hire? These are in the Kalabar design by Palissy, and look super 70s and also channel the southern Spanish-Islamic geometric look!

Kalabar by Palissy salt & pepper pots

Geometric shapes for clothes became fashionable in the mid 60s. Rather than the geometric shapes being reflected in the pattern of the fabrics, the fabrics were made up of panels of block vivid colours. The idea was that the fashion was centre stage and took most of the attention, rather than the wearer, transmitting a sharp, contemporary look.

From Vogue 1967, via Peter Harris on Flickr

Clockwise from top left; geometric makeup via Eyeshadow Lipstick, via Green Wedding Shoes, via birthanddriver on Etsy, via Style Me Pretty.

There are so many ways that Geometrics can be incorporated into a modern-retro wedding or party - from handmade bunting made from geometric-patterned fabric, strings of shapes made from coloured card, to napkins and cushions in geometric patterns. They can be mixed and matched with other styles from the era like our bold flower power china, or pop against more minimal decor. How about using vintage tiles as pot holders for your wedding breakfast?

If you are interested in adding a bit of retro geometric pizazz to your tea party then check our our website and get in touch on hello@peace-love-and-daisy-chains.com.

We are collecting all sorts of geometric inspiration on our Pinterest board.

Styling the Psychedelic Sixties Colour Palette

Did you know that as well as releasing their Colour of the Year, Pantone also put together colour palettes representing each of the decades since it began? These were released a few years ago, and I have to say, the palette they devised for the sixties, the Psychedelic Sixties Palette is a winner!

We do love an inspiring colour palette, here at Peace, Love & Daisy Chains, so decided to put together a photo shoot capturing our brightest pieces of the era.

Fabulous bright candy colours spanning the breadth and depth of the rainbow, the pink, green, violet, yellow, blue and orange shades perfectly encapsulate the look and feel of the late sixties psychedelic
era.

Say Pantone: 

Youth culture erupted in the '60s, and sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll were the (dis)order of the day. From Swinging London to Haight-Ashbury, Mod to Mondrian, and Jimi Hendrix to Janis Joplin, music and psychedelic drugs turned people onto color. Timothy Leary influenced the fashion scene as much as Mary Quant. Fashion models and photographers were becoming as important as designers, and Twiggy emerged as the face of 1966.

With this in mind, we decided to shoot pieces of from our flower power china collection which  fell into the colour palette – we ended up with a colour explosion!

The Spring Time collection by the Barker Brothers is perfect for this time of year, when the flowers are blooming their brightest, most psychedelic colours in anticipation of the sun.

I’m in love with these truly psychedelic plates made by Washington Potteries – we also have the cups and saucers that go with this collection. Did you know that Washington Potteries was designated the official pottery of the Beatles? It looks like they were certainly inspired by the Fab Four.

 Hendrix has been playing on our Spotify constantly this month, and I think he would have felt quite at home with our picnic.

Many of the most colourful pieces come from overseas, like these Arcopal coffee cups and saucers which abound in France the Netherlands but are harder to find in the UK.

Spain's Pontesa is also in on the act, with this fabulous cup and saucer in bold colours.

We hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as we enjoyed shooting it - and drinking the wine after! If you'd like to see more, then don't hesitate to follow us on Pinterest, where we have set up a special Pinterest board!

70s Wedding Dress Inspiration for Peace Love Brides

Hello and welcome to Peace, Love & Daisy Chains' new blog!

This is going to be a monthly feature where we will be providing 60s and 70s inspiration and championing some of the lovely brands and companies that we come across on our journey. As a small business ourselves, we are particularly keen to feature small and less visible brands that we may not have necessarily read about on the wedding blogs.

So we are beginning the blog with the most important sartorial aspect of planning a wedding - the dress!

Anyone with half an eye on the catwalks or high street could not have failed to see that the 70s is a big thing. And here at Peace, Love & Daisy Chains, we are huge advocators of the laid-back bohemian vibe of 70s chic.

Suzanna M Designs, Photographer credit: LiaTorosyan

The 70s was a long decade (well… as long as any other decade!), and encompassed a variety of styles. Ok, so we're not necessarily advocating you go out and don a flared jumpsuit for your wedding (although that would be awesome!), but bringing a bit of 70s inspiration into your wedding is a wonderful way to channel bohemian chic.

Here is my round up of the key 70s styles to look out for, as well as some fabulous places to find both genuine 70s vintage and 70s style wedding dresses.

Real Vintage

But for all the 70s dresses that you can find in vintage bridal boutiques, you’d almost be forgiven for thinking that the decade just didn’t exist. It’s not so much a question of era, more the fabrics they used. Polyester, viscose, the 70s was a huge fan of manmade materials. And these staticy materials don’t quite give the same desired vintage effect as a soft silk 1930s dress or a lace dress from the 1950s.

But there are some fabulous vintage online boutiques, where the sellers have found the cotton and lace among the polyester.

Buttoned Up, Edwardian Style!

While we love to hark back to earlier eras, in the 70s, vintage style then was all about the Edwardian era, with its high buttoned-up necklines and long flowing skirts. Laura Ashley was a big figure, and specialised in lovely, flowery romantic Victorian style prints and dresses - my mum’s handmade wedding dress in 1978 was in the Laura Ashley style!

Edinburgh-based vintage shop Sartorial Matters curates a lovely selection of genuine 70s wedding dresses, including this lovely high-necked Laura Ashley Victorian-style dress.

Sartorial Matters

Less chosen by brides wishing to evoke the 70s these days, it would make a striking and inspired choice.

Angel Sleeves

Also popular at the time were huge, bell-shaped angel sleeves. Also in store at Sartorial Matters is this lovely trumpet-sleeved Biba maxidress – how wonderful to come down the aisle in this beauty!

Sartorial Matters

And Saldana has created this lovely mini angel-sleeved version. As well as selling some vintage pieces, Saldana uniquely creates their own dresses using genuine vintage lace - a novel compromise for those who want to bring a flash of 70s vintage but with a more contemporary twist.

Saldana Vintage

Finally, although Abigail’s Vintage Bridal is mostly dedicated to the 1800s to 1960s, they do sometimes have genuine 70s items come into the boutique, like this 70s take on a Medieval gown (note it's no longer available, but contact the boutique to see what they have in stock).

Abigail’s Vintage Bridal 

Shopping vintage requires investment in time and money, and a willingness to see beyond what is presented before your eyes. Sometimes all a garment needs is a small adjustment and it can be transformed. Take a look at Love My Dress's guide to shopping for a vintage wedding dress.

Vintage style

Of course, relying on finding that perfect vintage dress for your big day may not entirely pay off - you just might not come across it as you peruse the clothes racks, or you might find the perfect dress online for it to have already been sold. But fear not, there are so many vintage-inspired brands with be eye in the 70s.

Loose, Flowing Bohemia

In the 70s, the boyish silhouette of the 60s shift loosened and lengthened into light, airy maxi dresses. The loose flowing bohemian silhouette speaks of flowers in hair and bangles on arms, and it's definitely easier to dance barefoot under the stars in a loose dress!

Suzanna M Designs is the online boutique to check out for lovely 70s-inspired bohemian gowns, with loose flowing lace skirts. Made in Greece, they feature relaxed forms and details such as three quarter length sleeves and low-scooped backs.

Suzanna M Designs, Photographer credit: LiaTorosyan

Saldana has several long maxi-dresses made from vintage lace and crochet - another 70s stalwart, including these two beauties; how lovely would they look with a vintage crown?

Saldana Vintage

Off the Shoulder

Such a beautiful,free style, dared by so few, the off the shoulder look is emblematic of 70s rock n roll style. A little bit gypsy, a little bit Mediterranean, this example from Suzanna M breathes freedom and happiness.

Suzanna M Designs, Photographer credit: LiaTorosyan

While Saldana has this crochet festival-ready version.

Saldana Vintage

Mexican Style

Travel became more about the experience, with hippies exploring the traditional dress of the countries they spent time in. Indian and Mexican styles were popular. Have you thought about having a Mexican-embroidered wedding dress? Aida Coronada sells the most exquisitely embroidered and colourful white wedding dresses from her workshop in Mexico. As Aida says, there is a little heart in each dress.

Aida Coronado

Finally, if you’re looking for 60s or 70s inspired bridesmaid’s dresses, then be sure to check out Molly’s wonderful creations, which can be custom made from genuine retro flowery sheets. I have never seen anything like this for bridesmaids, how wonderful would a mix of colours and patterns look?!