Vintage Essentials No.9: A Lace Camisole

Lace camisole from Biba at House of Fraser, pencil skirt and shoes from ASOS, pink bra from Curvy Kate, hair corsage from Accessorize, cardigan, handbag and earrings are vintage

When your wardrobe is bursting at the hinges with statement pieces, sometimes you need the perfect basic to pull a look together.

My love of cardigans and my massive, button-defying breasts mean that vests are an essential building block in my wardrobe, but a cotton top can undermine the glamour of an otherwise high voltage outfit.

That’s why I was so delighted with this camisole from Biba. It’s simple enough to wear with attention-grabbing items like this fabulous 1950s vintage cardigan and this hotrod-hot-pink pencil skirt, but the lace detail in the fabric makes it special in its own right. Stocking up on pretty-go-with-anything camis like this one makes getting dressed a far less traumatic experience.

The Summer Carnival Dress

Dress by Stop Staring, hair corsage from Accessorize, wedges from Amazon, handbag from Primark

Despite being girlier than diamante-studded pink fluff, this is a very practical outfit for a carnival as proved when I wore it at Notting Hill.

People said I couldn’t wear heels to a street party but they didn’t understand that if I was in flats I’d be too busy googling leg lengthering surgery to dance. I wore these wedges from the international designer label that is Amazon. They gave enough support to withstand the jostling crowds and they were so cheap I didn’t care if everyone went wild and spilled their drinks all over them.

The dress includes built in bra cups, which meant I didn’t need to wear a bra. Swept away by the mood of the carnival I felt liberated from all the constraints of everyday society, including underwear.

I chose a handbag with a shoulder strap to leave my hands free for expressive dance.