Charlie Chambers Exclusive Collection for House of Beth

This limited collection of upcycled dresses has been lovingly crafted from reclaimed waste textiles. Loosely based around the 'make do and mend' ethos of WW2 England, ethical fashion designer Charlie Chambers creates each piece herself from conception through to production.  Lovely Lucy was inspired by a visit to 'The Manor', the home of the children's author and renowned patchwork creator Lucy boston. The magic of the house is captured in Boston's depiction of 'The Green Knowe' novels, written during the cold winter months along her patchwork projects. Charlie wanted to echo this through her intricate yet playful patchwork designs whilst encompassing her strong ethical principles.  After being approached by the founders of the Red Light Campaign, Charlie produced this small capsule of dresses for retail through House of Beth.  15% of each purchase from Charlie's upcycled collection will be donated to Red Light Campaign's work to support the survivors of human trafficking.  Collection coming very soon so watch out.  Here is a brief preview of the items to come!

The Head Piece and the Headdress

Friday afternoon, and I am fighting the temptation to leap into the outdoors and perform some sort of pagan sun dance, celebratating the hot sun that we are ephemerally blessed with. If I were to discard the co-ordination of House of Beth’s wardrobe for my blazingly beautiful sun mistress however, I would need a head-piece (as well as rather good excuse to give to Talia.)

Yes, a head-piece or a headdress is a historical necessity for any form of worship. From the tribal to the Pope today, they all don their hair in preparation for celebration and worship with feathers, jewels and gold.

And as we, the secular masses, prepare to celebrate the summer and worship the sun, do we too don ourselves with a head-pieces? Well, I suppose we wear sun-hats, but as glamorous as they can be, they lack a sparkle that speaks to the sunshine, for they are far too practical to be considered true crowns. For the head-piece, the perfect head-piece, should act as pure adornment, for our own personal jubilee.

Recently flower crowns have been a massive festival must, a wave to the flower power of the ’60s and your inner fairy-princess. You can purchase them from £3 to £75, from Spitalfield stalls to tiny vintage boutiques. New in for the festival look, are the Native-American inspired feather warrior crowns, which is a fun alternative to flowers, albeit a heavy one.

If you don’t fancy the ‘Hiawatha meets the 21^st century look’, House of Beth has provided you with it’s own range of affordable head-dresses, that differ from both the flower power 60s’ and the feather fun. These headdresses are mirrored with our collection of clothes we are releasing this summer that draw upon the cultural event of the year – the Olympics. To me, Olympics says ancient Greece, rather than panting around in sweats, and as Talia’s all time favourite poet was an ancient Greek poet who sang bravely and magnificently on love, we decided to base our ‘look’ and thus head-pieces this season on Sappho.

Wile Weaving Daughter

Sappho embodies the sensual woman, who is beautiful because she expresses her love and vulnerability, fearlessly. She is renowned poetically by sages, through out the ages, for this. And today we too, pay tribute to her love poetry by our collection’s headdresses that celebrate this poetic beauty. When wearing these headdresses, they will transform an ordinary outfit of a simple white dress and sandals into the Sappho goddess, celebrating your own beauty and worshiping life, love and death. They make you feel at once beautiful and strong, like the ancient Greek poetess herself, with gold and pearls.

On this note, I will put on my own headdress and give my skin to the sunlight so I may cleanse the winter away.

Love

S x

N: B Our Ancient Greece inspired head dresses are made for us by the endlessly talented Justine Silverstone, who takes a few jewels and creates the personality of the woman who inspires our collection. Luckily for you, although they look far from high street, they are high street prices, for House of Beth pledges to always offer high range apparel at mid-range prices.

Sappho

“Violet-haired, pure, honey-smiling Sappho”

She was about sex, love, poetry. Smart as hell, and sassy to boot. An enigma who’s given us access to her deepest thoughts. A woman about whom we know nothing of use, and everything of importance. Doesn’t she sound a little like your best friend?

Sappho was born on the Island of Lesbos in the early-7^th century BC. She wrote poetry. And that’s about all we know of her. A violet-haired mystery. But through her poems, she’s left us keys to the innermost rooms of her heart.

I have not had one word from her

Frankly I wish I were dead
When she left, she wept

a great deal; she said to me, "This parting must be
endured, Sappho. I go unwillingly."

I said, "Go, and be happy
but remember (you know 
well) whom you leave shackled by love

"If you forget me, think                                                    
of our gifts to Aphrodite
and all the loveliness that we shared

"all the violet tiaras,
braided rosebuds, dill and
crocus twined around your young neck

"myrrh poured on your head
and on soft mats girls with
all that they most wished for beside them

"while no voices chanted
choruses without ours,
no woodlot bloomed in spring without song..."

--Translated by Mary Barnard

(via http://blog.michelleragoltd.com/butterfly-kisses-and-wishes-on-wings_767/)

Yes, that’s a woman she’s pining for.

 Sure, there have been debates about whether these poems were autobiographical. Sure, same-sex romantic love was more common in Greece than in other historical periods. But let’s be clear about this: Sappho was absolutely subverting norms when she wrote this. Loving women was a brave thing in a world where (even high-status, intelligent) women were ultimately expected to keep house, have children, and behave. Writing well was a brave thing in a patriarchal society where men held political power, and men’s education was most cherished. Writing better than men – well. That was just foolish.

Except somehow, it wasn’t. Through her genius – the beauty, clarity and feeling in her poetry – Sappho gained not just acceptance, but admiration. Plato called her the 10th muse. Students study her work to this day.

Sappho is a muse, but not just for men, not just for poets. House of Beth is basing their next collection on her – strong, sensuous, loving and intelligent – and the spark that she brings to the world through her writing.

Take heed:

That country girl has witched your wishes,
all dressed up in her country clothes
and she hasn't got the sense
to hitch her rags above her ankles.

--Translated by Jim Powell

Have the sense. Make like House of Beth’s Sappho and you’ll never be the country bumpkin! Combine sexy confidence (those cheeky hints of skin) with the heady romance of a floaty dress. Twine flowers through your hair, or beads. Get fierce, brave, and inspired.

After all, we can all use a little extra poetry in our lives.

By Saskia Deerson