J'adore le 1960's.

With my impending trip to the capital city of romance becoming ever closer, I am recently finding myself more and more wishing I was Carey Mulligan in An Education. Not only is she one of my women of the moment (see last post), An Education is also one of my favourite films of recent years, combining traditional 1960's chic with Parisian culture and the vulnerability of a young girl swept off her feet by an older man. Although the dream-like bubble of Jenny's exciting lifestyle does eventually come crashing back down to reality, An Education gives both an escape from the monotony of one's everyday life with a much-needed reality check in the end, making it the perfect viewing for dreamers like myself, who regularly dream of escaping away from everyday regularity in order to experience and travel the world. No matter how you jazz it up, the reality is that a 30 year old man seducing a 16 year old girl is never right, however just as Jenny was seduced by the high life, I was too. As a result, I fell for Jenny, I fell for An Education, and I fell even more head over heels with the 1960's.

Part of An Education's appeal for me is the 1960's setting. A huge fan of all things vintage, the 1960's is one of my favourite decades; with style still maintaining the classic and traditional Hepburn-esque look of the 1950's with the emergence of the somewhat freer mini-skirts and shift dresses alike. I love the classic cars of the '60's and I love old bicycles, and I think, in reality, if there was ever a previous decade which I would like to have been alive in, it would definitely have been the 60's.

And although this wish is somewhat impossible to fulfil, all is not lost. With the vintage trend becoming ever more popular over the past couple of years, original 1960's pieces are now easier than ever to find, especially with the likes of Ebay, which delightfully gives you access to vintage from all over the world. The high street is taking note, and vintage replica's are found in everywhere from Topshop to New Look, the former producing beautiful Chanel-esque boucle jackets that would not have looked out of place in '60's Paris. Fashion is one never-ending cycle, and new trends are only ever developed, transformed versions of former trends from previous eras, meaning that 1960's style was in in the '60's, and is now, and probably will be in another fifty years time. So although I will never be able to live Jenny's lifestyle in the actual '60's, I can still pretend and dream, with original one-off vintage items and '60's-esque items being so readily available to me.

Satchels galore.

 Luckily, the Cambridge Satchel Company offers the classic 1960's schoolgirl staple.

Holly Golightly.

 These Dior cat-eye sunglasses are bang on '60's style:

Also available in tortoiseshell (my fave sunglass print).

Lomography provide original '60's looking camera's that produce gorgeous-looking photographs, on film of course.

Lomography Diana Dreamer. How divine.

If you want a classic mac to go with your classic car, then Burberry is your only answer.

Emma Watson, looking quite the babe in her Burberry with a 60's pixie crop.

And for accessories??

1. Vintage Patent Leather Handbag; 2. Dior Cat Eye Sunglasses; 3. Chanel No.5; 4. Vintage Cigarette Lighter; 5. Antique Camel-Back Settee; 6. Vintage Lamp; 7. English Coffee Pot; 8. Nordstrom Keyhole Gloves; 9. Armitron Black and Gold Watch.

In the end, of course, Jenny had to go back to her Penguin Classics and leave the Chanel behind. Luckily for me I can watch An Education again, and again, and again. And I, like Jenny, will be seduced by the high life and the 1960's again. And again. And again...