My love of vintage Laura Ashley has been well documented on Everything Looks Rosie; so much so that it could have a category of its own! There’s just something about the nostalgia and femininity of the designs that continues to draw me back. So when Laura Ashley asked me to pick out an item from their new collections to style with one of my own vintage numbers for their blog, it was my dream brief.
After being lucky enough to visit Laura Ashley’s London archive last Summer, and soaking up every detail of cut, colour, print and pattern, I’ve become even more adept at spotting a Laura Ashley gem at 12 paces. Whether waiting to be found under piles of vintage at the flea market, or hidden among dodgy ’90s dresses on a charity shop rail, Laura Ashley’s retro delights are the ones that always leap out for me.
The designs are so unashamedly feminine, referencing decades past, that they suit my style down to a tee. What’s more, the quality is unrivalled: when you buy a vintage Laura Ashley piece you know you don’t have to ‘save for best’; these are designs that tell a story, that were meant to be worn and loved, cherished and passed down, standing the test of time in more ways than one.
They’re totally timeless, and it’s these qualities that are still such strong strands of the company DNA today. Take this buttery soft, burgundy faux leather biker jacket from the AW15 Morello Collection – a wardrobe staple given the Laura Ashley treatment. A leather jacket is so versatile, looking just as good with a boho-style dress as a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, while the burgundy hue manages to be classic and contemporary at the same time.
I paired my burgundy jacket with a vintage Laura Ashley maxi dress, which I recently thrifted – complete with bargain price tag – in a local charity shop. The girly, ditsy print and figure-hugging shape are balanced by the toughness of the jacket, contributing to the modern, wearable vintage style I aim to create.
Do you have any vintage Laura Ashley pieces? Are you coveting anything from Laura Ashley’s AW15 collection?
I’m wearing: vintage Laura Ashley dress; vintage bag, jacket c/o Laura Ashley.
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A very pretty simple and comfy dress