Category Archives: Biba

First Evening Bag

nov19-13
My first evening bag.
I bought this bag at the legendary Biba on Kensington High Street to go with my first long dress from Laura Ashley.  I was fourteen and the occasion was a party for an ambassador’s son at Quaglino’s, a legendary restaurant in London.  The restaurant was opened in 1929 by Giovani Quaglino and quickly became a favorite haunt of royals and wealth socialites.  It was in fact so popular with the Windsors that a special section was cordoned off so there would always be a royal table available.  It was the first public restaurant in which a reigning monarch dined (Elizabeth II in the 1950s).  By the time of our party, it was a haunt for the rich and famous from all over the world.
The restaurant was made over in the 90s by Conran and is still a place to be seen.  The dress is gone but my memories like my Biba evening bag are still with me.
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Posted by Wendy Lawless  70s London, Biba, Chanel Bonfire, Conran, Elizabeth II, evening bag, Giovani Quaglino, Kensington High Street, Laura Ashley, Qualino's, Wendy Lawless

The Underground

Mother would never in a millions years have let us ride the subway in New York.  She never did.  Even with our nannies we would take the bus or Mother would give them cab fare.  But after only a year in London, Robbie and I were riding the Tube or the Underground everywhere — by ourselves or with a pack of other kids from school.  Busses were fun but the Underground was fast and filled with cool people and round and much cheaper than taking a taxi.

And when you’re saving all your money for platform shoes and trips to Biba, that’s an important difference!

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Posted by Wendy Lawless  70s London, Biba, London Underground, platform shoes, Robin Lawless, subways, The Tube, Wendy Lawless