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The History of Vintage Sleeves with Alicia Vellante

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So we love an over the top sleeve here at The Octopus Garden! But where did it all begin? We chat with the incredible Alicia about the history of sleeves! Hi Alicia! So when did over the top sleeves become a thing? Well, sleeves have had many ‘big’ moments throughout history. Examples of exaggerated sleeves span thousands of years and across hundreds of cultures. From the wide, layered robe sleeves of Japan’s Heian period to the excessively long, flowing sleeves of the middle ages, in 12th century Europe and beyond.            (Japanese Layered Robe Sleeves)         (Sleeve depiction from the Middle Ages)     I’ll highlight some of my favorite sleeves throughout pre-20th century history, as they are what influenced the amazing sleeves from the 1960s and 1970s that we know and love. I’ll focus on Western fashion, as that is the scholarship on which I am most informed! The Renaissance, particularly the 16th century, gave a vast variety of extravagant sleeves. In Europe, these differed f
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Earth Day: How to make your vintage clothing last forever!

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  Happy Earth Day TOG babes! Did you know the very first Earth Day was held in 1970? What a year. So obviously as a purveyor of vintage clothing I am always looking to find ways of making both my own clothes and our pieces on TOG last forever! And OK maybe they can't last FOREVER, but I've compiled my top 5 pointers on how to make your clothes last longer, which is better for your clothes, for your purse, and ultimately - the Earth!  And if you can't be bothered reading my gibbering, head to the bottom where I've done a summary! 1. Wash them less! This is my absolute number one tip! Obviously washing your clothes is necessary sometimes, but it is without a doubt the fastest way of your clothes deteriorating, and more often than not they don't actually require the washing machine - just a spot wash or freshen up. Not only does the washing machine make your clothes fade, become misshapen, and decrease their structural integrity (so more likely to rip), but every time
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Music with Mark!

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Hey! For a while we'd been talking about sharing some of the music that I help to pick for the videos you see on our Instagram and TikTok accounts, so welcome to Music With Mark! This will be a regular feature on our blog to showcase some of the incredible hidden gems from the 60s and 70s! It can be really daunting starting to discover music from a different genre that you may be interested in but feel like you don't know the way in to it.  For me, the best decade for music is the 60s. Not your typical chart music but music from the underground. My interest in the 60s started when The Horrors burst on to the scene with Sheena Is A Parasite back in 2006. Up to that point, the indie that I was finding in the NME was great and enjoyable but there was something completely different about The Horrors and it was exciting! As a friend of mine at the time described it:  "the drums are like a skeleton in a metal bin falling down some stairs." - this would go on to form the bas
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TOG Talks: Meet Your Maker, Helen!

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  Hello and welcome back to the TOG blog, where we are starting an exciting new series called ‘TOG Talks’! We will be catching up with some of our favourite, most inspirational people and getting to know them a little bit better. We are kicking off by meeting your maker: sensational seamstress - Helen Ronald, a.k.a Caitlin’s mum! She has been a seamstress and costumier for over 30 years, and we have been working with her most recently on our psychedelic 60s Magic Meadow collection! Helen makes the most ridiculous visions into reality with her amazing experience, creativity and wonderful attitude to sewing.  Hi Helen! So can you start off by telling us how you first got into sewing?          Like most little girls I had a number of dolls, but I wanted to dress them differently to what you could buy in the shops. My Nana was very good at sewing, so she taught me the basics and I just made the rest up as I went along! You know so much about fashion history - what is your favourite period
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60s Trends That Inspire Our Handmade Collection!

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  60s Trends That Inspire Our Handmade Collection! The 60s are iconic for so many reasons, from Mary Quant to the emergence of the hippie style, there is a reason it is one of the most memorable decades for fashion! Just landed on our site, our handmade collection consists of babydoll dresses, berets, pattern clashing zip up dresses AND capes - scroll to the bottom to check them out! We are so excited about restocking our best selling handmade collection, so we wanted to share some of the incredible trends that inspired us!  The Babydoll Dress A silhouette that flatters every figure, the 60s are legendary for the birth of the mini dress - more specifically the babydoll dress, which can be defined by its trapeze shape going out from the bust. Both comfortable and glamorous, it's as good for dancing as it is for running errands on a Wednesday. Our favourite piece in the handmade collection - the babydoll dress, see at the end - is heavily inspired by this 60s shape because of its eas
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