After Dinner Dance Party // It's Summertime and Living is Easy

Hey amigos,


Hope you've all had a truly spiffing weekend! We've been in love with the recent rise in temperatures and in between the many events of the week, we have had been creeping out to spent some time in the sun whenever we can! Between us we've had a fancy dress 60th birthday celebrations (where a Miss Rhi made an appearence as J-J-J-Jessie J) whilst Lauren took an eve to babysit Little M, who was a little gem. Saturday night was so much fun, drinks with friends, watching The Moons perform and then a boogie at our favourite club night. We finished the weekend with a family Christening, and finally, some rest and sleep! 


For this week's After Dinner Dance Party, we're spinning some of our essential summertime tracks... 



 A teenage fave. The Strokes, 'Is This It' gets constant plays on the Twee Towers jukebox, but it's an absolute essential at this time of year. We're sure that Summer, more than any other season craves that feeling of teenage excitement... especially when Julian Casablancas & Albert Hammond Jr is involved! 


We came across Diane Birch in 2010 when she billed on the same festival line up as James in a run of gigs he did with The Lightning Seeds. We got hold of her album shortly after and it spent that summer on repeat. Adore this soulful, poppy number and the video is amaze too!




Last but certainly not least, the sensational Coconut Grove by The Lovin' Spoonful! This song instantly conjures up wishful dreams of faraway lands with a cool sea breeze! Enjoy... 


Next weekend is set to be another fab one as the Queen's Jubilee is almost upon us. What's everyone got planned for the long break?


Much love, 
Lauren & Rhi xx

Friday Flicks // Dark Shadows

Another Cinema trip for Rhi and her younger sister Livvy - last weekend we caught up with Gothic director extraordinaire Tim Burton's adaptation of the 1960s series, Dark Shadows, , and once again Rhi found herself completely distracted from the film thanks to the fashion fest throughout the film (She makes a habit of this, see: Hunger Games vs Devil Wears Prada) ...








Well known is the dream team of Depp & Burton, the pair have been knocking all other movies off the top of my favourites lists with each new release for as long as I can remember. However, I always get most excited when reading that my most admired costume designer of all time, oscar winning Colleen Atwood, has once again been drafted in to dress the characters in Burton's films (a la Edward Scissor Hands, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Alice in Wonderland, Big Fish & Sweeney Todd - not to mention her work outside of Burton's films in Chicago, Lemony Snicket and Memoirs of a Geisha - to name but a few). I don't think I have mentioned before, but while at London College of Fashion I had aspirations of working in Costume Design for film, so Atwood is somewhat of a heroine of mine, I get a little fangirly over her fantastical creations - so please bear with me!

The 1970s setting really worked so well with Burton's style of contrasting riotous colour with darkness, with costume and set design - like Edward Scissor Hands and his gothic figure standing out against the candy coloured suburban backdrop. Apparently the vast majority of the costumes were purposely created for the film - with a few vintage finds thrown in for authenticity (I spy original Ossie Clark on HBC in one of those promo pics, actually let out a squeal when I saw it!). Highlights above include: Victoia's capelet (swoon!); Eva Green in that jaw dropping red number (I could turn...); Chloe Moretz in the most amazing array of print dresses (especially that bib fronted one, want it and/or need it!); Michelle Pfeiffer's Karen Carpenter via Morticia Addams looks (apparently inspired by a David Bailey book entitled 'The Birth of Cool' - currently going for £300 on amazon, who wants to get me an early extravagant birthday present...?); Helena Bonham Carter's blouses with pinafore ensembles paired with an orange wig and huge sunglasses (essential due to her characters perpetual state of 'hungover') and, of course, in any incarnation or costume - Johnny Depp. Dish. 

No film set in the 70s would be complete without a sensational retrospective soundtrack - Danny Elfman (another regular Burton collaborator) writes yet another amazing score that sits alongside some truly great classics - and a performance by Alice Cooper ("the ugliest woman I have ever seen" according to Barnabas Collins, Depp's character). So I shall leave you with the Moody Blue's 1967 hit 'Knights in White Satin' - the opening track from the film.

So need to buy original Dark Shadows (the Barnabas Collins episodes) DVD, if only the full series was available in the UK! Feeling the need to revisit other supernatural families of the 60s - might be a good time to stock up on The Munsters and The Addams Family too, gosh don't get me started on the their iconic costuming as well, jeepers! Feeling my inner teenage goth creeping out!
Have a lovely weekend sweets!
Much love,Rhi xx

Cute Finds // Postcards from Italy

If Wes Anderson put all his genius into creating short films with the aim of capturing the quirks & charms of couples, we think it would like mighty similar to what Andrew & Carissa Gallo achieve through their join venture, For You Love Me. That’s a big accolade, but we think you’ll agree it’s well deserved when you see what they do! They describe themselves as a filmmaker and a photographer that fell in love and who now capture the lives of other lovers. Their films are a visual ode to love and romance, and impossibly sweet.


We stumbled across one of their videos quite by accident after re-discovering Beirut’s music and one fortuitous google search that sent us to this video instead of Beirut. We are not complaining, turns out it features another favourite of ours, Naomi of Rockstar Diaries.


Rockstar Diaries has been one of our daily reads for quite a while, it’s a wonderfully inspirational blog that offers snapshots of Naomi’s life with her husband Josh, their adorable baby girl (and current baby bump!) and, not forgetting their pup, Kingsley, as they embark on their adventures as a family.


Set to a soundtrack of Beirut’s ‘Postcards from Italy’, Naomi & Josh’s storybook romance is told through a haze of soft focused dreaminess, the effect of which is simply divine. The story itself focuses on the couple as they meander through the City, collecting items to set up home, and ends in their own, candlelight wonderland.We absolutely love the Abbey Road style shot as they carry what has to be the best chair in the history of furniture (no lies, take a look!) across the road and oh, that night time scene! We had butterflies in our bellies watching the footage that accompanied this uplifting, folky arrangement so we had to share with you!


Can we share one more? Here's a wedding video entitled 'Zach & Bree'...





Thanks for creating such magical videos Carissa & Andrew, you make us happy!


If you wanna see more, take a look at Andrew + Carissa vimeo channel. For now, we’re off to listen to some more Beirut! Au revoir amigos!


Much love,
L&R xx

Our Little Shop of Typography Treats!

Over the last week, we've spent a bit of time consolidating our range of typography prints that we offer on facebook. We must admit, it was getting a teeny bit crazy with the all of the personalised prints that we'd completely forgotten to update these in quite a while, oops! We are pleased to announce that our updated range has now been filtered through to our facebook pages and will be updated on Etsy very soon, too!

As well as the 'I Like You' personalised print, we now have customisable Wedding, Annivesary & Christening Prints as well as the newly added 'Dislike' print - for the more cynical friend or relative! We're so happy to say that our Ex-Boyfriend Series and Beatles prints have been really popular and they'll also be staying!

In addition to that, we've also been super busy creating new prints and we'll be featuring one print each day, on facebook over the next week or so. Make sure you're following us to catch the first glimpse!

To take a look at the range, please take a look at, PRINTS TO BUY.

A5 prints are now offered at £10 (framed options available at £15) and A4 prints are now only £15 (framed options at £25). 

As always, we love working with you to create a print that is personal to you, so please get in touch to discuss colour options or email us at info[at]shedressedinblack.co.uk for personalisation enquires. 

Big thanks to everyone who has already purchased a print, we've really enjoyed working on all of them!

Much love, 

L&R xx