Categories / Bags, Women's Fashion

Betseyville by Betsey Johnson shoulder bag

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Betsey Johnson is a designer who celebrates her roots in the 1960s with style and flair, but sometimes her quirky side comes out with a little piece of retro kitsch.

This is especially evident in her Betseyville collection, full of pieces with humour and a bubblegum sheen. This Call Me purse is a perfect example. Just the sort of 50s Americana throwback that brings out the girly side of many a fashion lover.

This vinyl bag won’t cost an arm and a leg like most designer pieces, available at Fred Flare for $68. Perfect for wearing soundtracked by your girl group songs about handsome boys called Bobby and Jimmy.

Find out more at the Fred Flare website

Categories / Design and Interiors

Fredericia Furniture’s mid-century Icicle tables

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Remember the Stingray armchair from Fredericia Furniture? Well, the same people are responsible for these Icicle tables.

Specifically the work of  Thomas Pedersen and designed to sit with the Stingray, the 60s-styled Icicle tables are based on nature – pebbles for the top and icicles for the legs. The standard Icicle is slightly lower and in all black, with the Icicle Round standing taller with a more circular white top on the removable oak legs.

Both retail for around £500 each.

Find out more at the Pid website

Categories / Travel

Retro Retreat: Sixty Hotel, Riccione, Italy

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The Sixty Hotel boasts of its “70s styled atmosphere in a clash of colours, shapes and materials”. This at first seems confusing for a hotel named Sixty, until you realise that Sixty in this case does not refer to the decade but to the fashion group to which is belongs, which also owns Miss Sixty.

The hotel is located in centre of Riccione, an Italian city that offers visitors plenty of shopping and an enviable beach. Each room has been decorated by a different artist, so each is unique. Whilst the overall style of the hotel might be 1970s, the amenities are hi-tech, so you won’t have to forego any modern luxuries.

Visit the Sixty Hotel website for further details, room rates and reservations.

Categories / Kids

Dumpling Dynasty Shoe Shine Kit

ShoeshineWorth it for the brand name alone, the Dumpling Dynasty Shoe Shine Kit is a cute but practical little gift set.  It is part of a series of Dumpling Dynasty sets that are probably aimed at children, but this one is good enough for grown-ups.

Inside the decorative tin, you’ll find everything you need to keep your footwear in top condition – two polishes (one neutral, one black), two brushes and two cloths (one for each type of polish) and a shoe horn.

It costs £14.99 from Strawberry Fool.

Categories / Design and Interiors

Celia Birtwell launches first-ever home textile collection – Pop Story

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Iconic textile designer (and Retro To Go favourite) Celia Birtwell has launched her first collection for the home under the name Pop Story.

The initial range consists of four of her most popular fashion designs (Candy Flower, Mystic Daisy, Pop Check and Posh Dot), transferred for use in the home and available in a selection of colourways.

All fabrics are 137cm wide, with prices from £55 – £65 per metre. If you haven’t got the skills to use the fabrics around your home, upholstery and cushion making services are available too – prices for this on application.

Find out more at the Celia Birtwell website

Categories / Men's Fashion, Watches, Women's Fashion

Swatch introduces three retro-styled watch designs – 60s Style, Orangeade Drive and Urban Scene

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You could argue that anything by Swatch is retro – identifiable as it is with the 1980s. But now it has gone one step further, introducing specific designs with a retro feel.

The top image is 60s Style, named due to its psychedelic 60s looks, with the middle image titled Orangeade Drive – a bold orange, black and white design with a feel of the 1970s. Finally, there is the Urban Scene watch, using a similar colour scheme, but slipping a record deck into the face’s styling.

As you would expect, all have the Swiss inner workings and affordable price tags. Urban Scene retails for £30, while 60s Style and Orangeade Drive sell for £35.

Find out more at the Swatch website