Did you ever buy a Mary Quant dress?

In 1968 I was only earning £4.10shillings a week, not much left after bus fares, money to Mum , so I could never have afforded to buy one.

Yes and a coat also, saved up for ages and ages , and used birthday &. Christmas money gifts towards them, but didn’t I feel the bee knees ?

Yes trisher I did but I have to say it was because I was very lucky to get a big staff discount when I worked in the Honey boutique section of Lewis's Manchester in '66..my first proper job after leaving school. I was sooo happy as I'd lusted after Mary Quant (and Biba) dresses for ages but could never afford one. I got very proficient at making my own on my nan's hand sewing machine but there was always something a bit wonky about them so the joy of actually being able to buy a genuine Mary Quant was immense. It was in a slippery cream satin with a giant brown kipper tie sewn with oversized gold sequins and I just loved it.

I was watching that programme too, and remembering a dress I bought in 1965 or '66. No idea how I afforded it! Travelling the following year around the U.S. I gave it to my friend's sister who we were staying with at the time, together with a Biba dress. I cut out the ginger group label before giving it to her, and it's on my pinboard even now

Oh Grans, do any of you have pictures of yourselves wearing these wonderful dresses? Would you feel comfortable sharing them? Would love to see them

There were plenty of good copies out.

Patriciagg I worked in a Honey boutique too!! Not for long though, because the management of the shop it was in didn't really get it and I left in disgust!

Oh gaunt47 those were the days! (The Manchester one went on to be a very early Miss Selfridge but I too had left by then). And dottygran like many of us I only wish I had photos of my finery

I went to the Quant exhibition at the V&A some months back - what I hadn't realised was that she was a couturier and so her customers were Lady This and Lady That, and showbiz personalities. This is evidenced by the names of those who donated items for the exhibition.

I was a bit young in her heyday but do remember having a Quant-inspired pop-art bag with a bullseye motiff and a friend had one with the Quant black and white flower.

No but I did buy her nail varnish and her make up

Yes, it was Black and White

Dottygran I do have a photograph of me looking gorgeous but alas not the technology to post it. So just imagine a brunette Jean Shrimpton without a fringe

I could never afforded one but I worked in C&A and it was a matter of days after a show that copies of her things were hanging on our racks I had a few black and white ones I particularly loved a navy and white pin striped hipster mini skirt with a wide white belt I think it was £3.99 my Dad was horrified but I loved that skirt.

I wore my Quant black and white dress to a wedding, deep trouble with great aunts, wearing the two forbidden wedding
guest colours , black and white

I bought all my copies from C&A tanith the big one in Church Street Liverpool my favourite was a black & white shift dress very short and a pair of white boots which where cut out at the top.I loved them

C&A was such a great shop. I remember buying a navy and white pin stripe dress there with a white collar as well. It had a zip up the front.Probably made of the same material as your skirt tanith . Funny isn't it we just didn't have that many photos taken then so nothing to post or show.

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Some pics from the V&A

Good old C&A and Chelsea Girl too they were saviours for any working class girl with more dash than cash as Vogue used to say.

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Few more

I splashed out in about 1968 on a (not Quant) beautiful mini dress with matching hot pants - it was £11 !!!!! - I felt really guilty - that was a huge amount of money in relation to what I was earning - but I loved it and felt a million dollars in it.

I had a dress which wasn’t by Mary Quant but in her style. I think ai got it at C&A. I referred to it as my op-art dress.
It was sleeveless, a simple round neckline and very short, made in a knitted fabric with black squares and rectangles. The basic colour was aubergine but there was the odd splash of gold too.
I do have a photo of me in it, but it’s a head & shoulders portrait that my Dad took just before I went off to the school dance in 1966

I was given a dress skirt and jacket by a friend of my mothers, who no longer wanted them.
The dress was blue with an orange stripe, the jacket was the same. The skirt was in a blue denim.
It was interesting to see the similar items at the exhibition. A school friend had the little PVC boots, they flower on the heal left the daisy mark when she walked in the snow.
I wish I’d kept them, along with my Biba dresses!

Oh thanks Riverwalk . That yellow cape reminded me of the one I had, it was blue tartan, Totally impractical (how did you carry anything) but great for swishing around and feeling great in!

This sort of thing!