Introducing Kyte, Designed by Carousel + Arriving Soon!

Designed in house by the team here at Carousel, a new vintage inspired range called “Kyte” is due to arrive at the beginning of September! We’re so excited to be able to share a little sneak peek with you today, as the first samples have just arrived at Carousel HQ. We couldn’t wait to try them out for size, and see how they fit and look on us.

1950s vintage style dress Kyte sample

The first thing we noticed about the Kyte dresses is how comfortable they are. Made from fabric with a little bit of stretch, that extra bit of give guarantees a great fit for everybody. That, combined with their simple yet structured classic shapes, makes them flattering on all of us who tried them on – and we all have a range of body shapes here at Carousel! Each sample we received was in a solid colour, which makes for versatile and easy styling. We can see ourselves wearing them on a night out with a statement necklace and heels. They will also be available in vivid and fun patterned versions, a great way to make a style statement!

60's style Kyte dress vintage sample

We are loving summertime, but these samples have us wishing for Autumn, when we can see the finished frocks, and get our hands on some gorgeous Kyte pieces all for ourselves!

fit and flare dress Kyte sample red

Kyte sample retro shift dress Jackie o

1940s style vintage dress black Kyte sample

Which shape are you loving so far? Since everything at Carousel is always designed with you in mind, do let us know what you think!

Carousel xox

Musicgals: The Inspiring Style of Women in Music

It’s no secret that music inspires our lives every day, not to mention the musicians and their own personal style behind it. Women in music, past and present, are a driving force of inspiration and expression in personal style for us here at Carousel. Whats cooler than an all-girl punk band in mini-skirts singing about how powerful women are? Kathleen Hanna once said ‘I believe in the radical possibilities of pleasure, babe.’ She was talking about buying dresses right? Or did I get that one wrong, I mean, a full wardrobe of new threads seems pretty pleasurable to me.

Or what about a 50’s Jazz beauty, dressed to the nines in a gorgeous midi dress, telling us stories of her long lost love? By emulating these stunning and powerful women, we can be transported to a different era. Style is timeless, and if you wanna pop to the shops on a Sunday morning in an Ella Fitzgerald-esque 1940’s frock, then we are all for it! Style is about having fun! If metaphorical dress-induced time travel doesn’t float your boat, you can always stay right here in 2015, “Shake Off” the bad vibes, and dance to the good ones in your favourite party dress á-lá Taylor Swift. And well, that seems pretty perfect too. Just do you, girl.

That girl thinks she’s the queen of the neighbor hood, well I’ve got news for you.. SHE IS!” (Bikini Kill, Rebel Girl, 1993)

aretha franklin vintage style soul singer

Channel soul sensation Aretha Franklin with 1960’s inspired A-line dresses and sweet floral sundresses. Finish off the look with some accessories that are ‘sweeter than honey’.
(Green Claudette Dress here, Twiggy Dress here, Sunglasses here, Earrings here)

sarah vaughan jazz women in music

Emulate the effortless 1940’s femininity and grace of jazz singer extraordinaire Sarah Vaughan, but stay cool and moody and true to her jazz roots in dark, cool colors and dark cat eye shades.
(Grey Lillian dress here, Blue polka dot Ingrid dress here, Necklace here, Sunglasses here)

solange knowles singer retro style

Get colorful and daring with some bright retro styling like the eternally cool Solange Knowles.(Butterfly Betty dress here, Red Ava 1940’s dress here, 1940’s Sunglasses here, Daisy print scarf here)

Taylor Swift style pop music singer circus

Grab Taylor Swift’s perfectly pretty style in gorgeous separates. Our Olivia skirt (Which just so
happens to be the name of one of Taylor’s cats… Coincidence? I think not.) and Marlene blouse just ooze preppy-cool. Simply add a pair of Taylor’s signature wayfarer sunglasses to finish the look!
(Burgundy Olivia skirt here, Rabbit print Angie shirt here, Blue Marlene blouse here, Floral 1950’s Anita skirt here, Wayfarer sunglasses)

kathleen hanna style riot girl carousel

Steal riot grrrl icon Kathleen Hanna’s unique and rebellious style in super cool mini skirts, shift dresses, and huge glasses!
(Peach Angie blouse here, Spot Skirt here, Black Shift dress here, Sunglasses here)

Vintage Style Inspiration from Queens of the Screen!

Girls on Film – we get some vintage style inspiration from the movies!

For decades, women in film have inspired how we have dressed. The iconic ladies of the screen have an incredible way of creating characters that bring out a desire to “BE” like them. Here at carousel we definitely find some new vintage style inspiration every once in a while that influences how we want to dress. Nine times out of ten, it’s definitely dictated by a character, actress, or women in history, that we really admire.

First, lets look to fictional characters: Take “Penny Lane and the Band Aids” In Almost Famous (2000) for instance. Penny and her gal pals exude the quaint essential 70’s chick style. Too cool for school (did they even go to school?) and always effortlessly styled in loose-fitting spring time vibes. Now I’m not saying we should all copy these characters, because that wouldn’t exactly be creative now would it? Instead, how about we imagine we were part of their gang. Now that’s way more fun! (And who doesn’t love a super cool girl gang?) So grab your groovy gal pals, stick on Tiny Dancer by Elton John and blast it out on a highway while wearing these cool threads:

Almost Famous 70's style movie inspiration

movie quote style almost famous

70s style vintage inspiration movies

Next up, a woman with on and off screen style: Let’s take it back to the 40’s and 50’s with the ever chic, Jean Seberg. Muse of French New-Wave director Jean-Luc Goddard, and all-roundminimal beauty. Jean encapsulates classic cool French style on film, and in her own personal style, with pastel blues, baby pinks, and adding an edgy touch to her classic feminine style with a short pixie cut. Which (be warned) you may even be tempted to try out a pixie cut  yourself if you fall for her like Goddard did.

inspiration movie style jean serberg

vintage style inspiration retro dress from Carousel

jean seberg movie style blouse carousel

And last but most definitely not least in our current girls on film loves: A woman with incredible personal style – the unfathomable Bianca Jagger. How is she even a real person? Too hot to handle, queen of the 60’s & 70’s, the ultimate risk taker. Bianca’s style was, and is not, for the faint of heart. But luckily enough, its not so hard to emulate. So get your stilettos and head scarf wrap on, and take a look at how we re-create her style.

bianca jagger vintage style inspiration collage

vintage style inspiration carousel

Like The French Do

The French have always had a certain way of dressing…a certain je ne sais quoi! It has been much copied all around the world for decades, but what exactly is it that makes it so                                                                                   endearing?                                                                                      Well for me it’s about the simplicity. It is there in the pared back silhouette of a dress, the quality of the fabric, the unassuming colour palette. French women can stand out without trying to stand out.

It all started with the couturiers of the 18th century and escalated with the game changing ‘New Look’ created by Christian Dior in 1947. Sleek silhouettes with cinched-in waists were to set a standard of no-fuss, striking clothing.

Dior's New Look, 1947

Dior’s New Look, 1947

Nowadays French style is more relaxed. It can be as simple as jeans and Converse or a peter pan blouse and circle skirt.

FrenchStylePostStreetStyleStandingCollageSmaller

French-Style-Blog-Cycling-Carousel-m2.ilovecarousel.com

We find the best way to emanate this Style is to look at what’s happening on the streets of France. there’s no shortage of French street style photographs out there and we’ve even put a Pinterest board together to make it easier for you HERE .

French-Style-Blog-Street-Style-carousel-m2.ilovecarousel.com

We’ve put together a few items that will help you with your Chic new look:

Bicycle-Scarf-French-Style-Blog-http://bit.ly/1rQi7Vo-carousel-m2.ilovecarousel.com

Dusty Pink Dress, 59 Euros, m2.ilovecarousel.com

Dusty Pink Dress, 59 Euros, m2.ilovecarousel.com

Carousel-Light-Knit-Red

Bicycle Print Scarf, E15-E19, http://bit.ly/1sA073S

Fit and Flare Dress, E59, http://bit.ly/1qNhzz8

Light Cable Knit Cardigan, E59, http://bit.ly/1y8Hcgh

Here’s a French ditty to get you in the Parisian mood 😉

http://youtu.be/FWRCJhsz5t4

Carousel xoxo

Gingham is Great! Get Inspired With One Of Our Favorite Patterns.

We’re taking a look at and getting inspired by one of our favorite patterns today – gingham!

With a history stretching back as far as the 1600’s, when it was first imported to Europe, gingham has always been a fashion staple. Fresh, fun, and easy to wear, it’s the perfect pattern to welcome spring into your wardrobe.

Gingham gained a new found popularity with style leaders during the 1940’s and 50’s. Featured in many movie wardrobes, such as on Katharine Hepburn in “The Philadelphia Song” (1940), and seen on many glamorous stars of old Hollywood, this checkered classic was having a stylish revival. Brigitte Bardot even got married in a gingham wedding dress, causing a shortage of the fabric in France! We’ve gathered together some of our favorite vintage gingham looks below, and we’ll show you how to get the look from Carousel!

vintage summer style inspiration carousel

summer dress style inspiration carousel

marilyn monroe style fashon carouselretro icon style hollywood carousel ginghamwedding dress style vintage carousel

Get some gorgeous gingham from Carousel!

We have a major crush on this adorable fit and flare dress from Circus! It’s cute checkered pattern and beautiful blue color will add a breath of fresh air to any wardrobe. Combined with it’s vintage inspired shape, this dress is an instant classic. Based on gingham’s rich and long history, you can’t go wrong with this fab frock! You can find out more about this dress here.
Circus clothing gingham vintage dress carousel

Carousel xox

Introducing Circus: A Unique New Vintage Inspired Label!

Introducing Circus!

We are so excited to stock this brand new label – we just had to share it with you! Circus make vintage inspired pieces for the modern woman, and is a result of collaboration between independent fashion retailers in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Consisting of stylish separates and darling dresses galore, Circus is really something special!

Influenced by the classic and feminine shapes of the 1940’s, 50’s, and 60’s, Circus updates and puts a contemporary twist on old favorites. With colourful patterns, unique prints, shorter hemlines, comfortable fabrics, great fits, and a range of sizes, Circus is perfect for the modern vintage loving lady. The range includes a staple of fifteen shapes. More patterns and prints will be added all the time, mixing and matching as the line grows.

Circus vintage inspired dress retro carousel

Each piece is available in a size 8 – 14, and is so easy to wear. Circus make looking stylish and elegant a breeze! Made from cotton and cotton derivatives (such as rayon and viscose) these clothes hang beautifully, and haves a flowing, soft feel. This is especially evident in their dresses, many of which have full circle skirts. That extra swing makes them perfect for movement and dancing the night away!

Circus carousel retro dress style

We think Circus is made for the woman who knows what she wants. The collaborative nature of the Circus label means that retailers who can’t find the styles they are looking for can ask Circus to make them for them. Since independent retailers always love to get feedback and input from their customers, the clothing made by Circus is based on customers ideas and needs.

Circus clothing retro fashion carousel

Fun, unique, elegant, not afraid to be herself; a classic – does this sound like you? Then you’ll love Circus! Go here to see the full range, stocked exclusively in Ireland by Carousel!

Festival Fashion 2013

Festival Fashion 2013

Festival Fashion season is in full swing and we can’t wait to spend the weekend listening to bands and dancing in the gorgeous sunshine. Of course we’re gonna need some seriously stylish outfits to show off and we’ve got some must haves from Carousel!

1. Sunglasses! A must have for any music festival: http://m2.ilovecarousel.com/accessories/sunglasses.html

2. The flowing boho chic top (channel your inner Vanessa Hudgens) :http://m2.ilovecarousel.com/tops/desire-bird-print-batwing-top-desire-navy-98.html

3. The flirty summer dress: http://m2.ilovecarousel.com/dresses/casual-dresses.html

4. Hippy skirt: http://m2.ilovecarousel.com/bottoms/skirts/desire-floral-layered-skirt-desire-blue-98.html

5. The hipster backpack (a must!): http://m2.ilovecarousel.com/accessories/bags/chaos-canvas-back-pack-by-chaos-brothersrevive-red.html

6. A light scarf to use in your hair or to keep you cosy when the stars come out: http://m2.ilovecarousel.com/accessories/scarves.html

7. Always Aztec: http://m2.ilovecarousel.com/desire-aztec-pattern-dress-desire-white-98.html

8. The strappy simple dress: http://m2.ilovecarousel.com/desire-sphagetti-strap-dress-desire-navy-98.html

 

A little Vintage Guide

Okie dokie everyone. We know how fun it is to go vintage shopping. It’s like going on a treasure hunt where you’re not quite sure what you’re looking for and not quite sure what you will return with(or how much money you’re going to spend!)
So In order to get the best retro gear – I have a few tips to share so here goes..
First of all – know your measurements! that’s hips, waist, bust measure everything and keep those with you while shopping. Back in the day people were generally shorter and skinnier than we are now so do your best to ‘try before you buy’ as a size 10 in 1960 could be alot different to a size 10 we have today.
Keep you’re eyes peeled for details – patterns ,buttons, trims, linings, hand sewing, piped seams. These will all be tell-tale signs of good construction. Do a little bit of research and over time you will be able to tell which styles come from which periods!
when it comes to taking care of vintage I always say the safest way to clean is to handwash otherwise if its made from a sturdy enough fabric you may be able to put it on a gentle machine wash. Hang on padded hangers, keep them out of sunlight and treat them with love and care – they are old after all.
Lastly,(this is only a quick guide after all) Look for textiles that still have strength and integrity and garments that are in good repair, without any difficult or iffy mending to be done. Look for clean clothing that smells good and isn’t heavily worn. Mint condition is extremely rare for any antique; frankly it’s rare for any period of vintage clothing. So happy shopping everyone! x Bj

If you are looking for a little inspiration from the comfort of your own couch take a peek at our very own vintage selection: we’ve done the hard work so you won’t have to!

http://m2.ilovecarousel.com/dresses/vintage-dresses.html