A recent flood of Cilla Black images on Instagram and Pinterest led me to wonder what the heck is going on with Cilla Black? Was the world rediscovering her or something?
After a quick check with Mr Google I see that a new TV series has been released in the UK telling the story of Cilla Blacks rise to fame and life in Liverpool. The pictures look so amazing with Sheridan Smith playing Cilla getting about in some amazingly adorable outfits, giving me serious dress envy
I really hope the full series shows here as she was quite popular in the 60s even in Australia. I'll probably have to wait a year, but I'm going to be impatient and dream about her now
I always think of Cilla, along with Sandie Shaw, Petula Clark and Lulu as those lovely pop song birds of the 60s. Singing catchy songs that get stuck in your head or that cheer you up on a bad day like "Anyone who had a heart"
Cilla also has the added bonus of being wonderfully fashionable! The woman has so much flair for colour and pattern, and with that giant ginger bouffant, I think I'm going to need to do something about it one day. Like perhaps replicating this dress below!
Cute yes? I already have some purple paisley, so I'm half way there!
Lets see what other fashion fantasies Cilla can inspire...
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| Red velvet mini designed by John Bates with huge balloon sleeves on her wedding day to Bobby Willis |
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| With Cathy McGowan on the set of Ready, Steady, Go! |
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| Wearing what I think is a Mary Quant polka dot dress |
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| With Pattie and George Harrison and Brian Epstein |
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| Paisley with a quilted solid colour collar - very cute! |
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| With Paul McCartney |
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| Source |
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| With Cathy McGowan helping to move Biba to their Kensington Church street store |
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| The best bouffant by far! |
Did you get to watch the show? How did you find it? Or perhaps what is your favourite look of hers?
Till next time lovelies!
Cat xo
I'll be looking for this series, dear Catherine. Hopefully I'll find it on BBC America. I love Cilla Black and will be featuring her recordings in a special blog series on Brit pop girls and girl groups. You're right. Cilla was a fashion trend setter as well as one of the most successful female vocalists in the UK during the Sixties.
ReplyDeleteGood night, dear friend Cat, and have a wonderful Thursday!
hello! Oh im sure it will pop up on TV somewhere at some point - she was such a popular lass! I'll look out for that post of English girl groups, I must go catch up on your other posts first!
DeleteHope to see the series here in the US!
ReplyDeleteyes hopefully! i wish they would just make things available to buy and download like music!!
DeleteFreaky! I was looking for a picture of Cilla's wedding dress earlier today as it was designed by Jean Varon (John Bates) and I've just bought another of his pieces.
ReplyDeleteI haven't started watching the series but I do like Sheridan Smith. Whilst Cilla's a national treasure I'm afraid her singing sets my teeth on edge and for me she'll always be associated with naff TV shows like Surprise Surprise & Blind Date. xxxx
i love her wedding dress! So different and yet typical for the year she got married in - to do something completely far out.
DeleteI get what you mean about her singing - sometimes i cringe a little, but its ok i guess! We didn't have those shows here, and thank goodness by the sounds of it!
Ha, Vix took the words out of my mouth! I've recorded the TV show ready to watch another time, and I adore her 1960s style, but I dislike her voice intensely, so shouty and harsh when she starts belting... Dionne Warwick's version of Anyone Who Had A Heart is soooo much better. I remember watching her 1970s TV show (called, imaginatively, Cilla!) and singing along with Step Inside Love - showing my age now! I love the images you've chosen, I would happily copy some of the hairstyles, and she always had fab legs!
ReplyDeleteSandie Shaw always looked amazing, she had fabulous style too. Stop me before I start singing Puppet On A String... xxxx
yes! Dionne's is the one i think i remember most. I definitely can hear there difference and hers is better for sure!
DeleteSandy Shaw! Oh she is so fantastic! my favourite of the Eurovision birds! She had the best dresses. Actually now that I think of it, im surprised Cilla was never in Eurovision... too much competition with Petula and Lulu perhaps?
I haven't seen the show yet, I've recorded it though so will catch up at some point this week. Like Vix, for me Cilla will always be associated with naff tv shows and I'm personally not a fan of her music. Her 60s bouffant was amazing though!
ReplyDeleteawww i seem to have brought up a few bad memories for people! Poor Cilla such a good start and then doing all sorts of naff shows to stay on telly. But yes. the best hair. I wonder how many inches it got to?
DeleteYoung Cilla! To me, she'll always be the helmet haired presenter of Blind Date in the 80s/90s. I hope you get to watch the show before too long :)
ReplyDeletehaha oh dear! everyone seems to remember her for her shows! I supposed thats what happens if you survive the 60s and so on for long enough... you either age ungracefully or end up on silly shows. Unless your the rolling stones and refuse to get old. haha
DeleteI like Sheridan Smith, so will look out for this. Cilla certainly wore the sixties style well - love the shift dresses and boots. She's not a favourite singer but she was a success in her own right, who went the distance, adapted and diversified, was a worker - cheerful in front of the camera too! As for your purple paisley - might the Lady Skater pattern adapt? Fun post, thank you.
ReplyDeleteyes totally! I imagine it must be really hard for former stars to stay relevant and not become sort of ghosts of the 60s. So you would totally have to work really hard to keep in the public eye, perhaps even if it makes you look a little dorky
DeleteHmm lady skater is good... I have a bodice pattern that could work but id have to add on sleeves and skirt from another pattern...
Haha I was just about to say exactly what Vix and Sarah have already beat me to! I grew up having to put up with her awful '90s TV antics so I've just never been able to warm to her and find her rather aggravating, and I can't say I've ever been fond of her music either. I do plan on watching this show though, I'm waiting until all three episodes have aired and then will watch it on catch up as I hate having to wait a week between each episode. I mostly just want to watch it for the lovely '60s setting and Brian Epstein/Beatles links rather than Cilla herself. I'm sure it'll end up on YouTube or something for the rest of the world to watch!
ReplyDeletehahaha oh no!!! I love the reaction of all the UK readers! No one seems to know her other then for Blind Date! ahaha
DeleteThe show is good and yes there is plenty of Beatles and Ringo involved. and the clothes, of course!
Oh I hope that this comes to Netflix/Hulu in the US!
ReplyDeleteAh I hope so! Or you know they could just list TV shows like they list music... that would make sense...
DeleteShe's pretty awesome! I remember her show growing up in Australia, my folks used to watch it. I'd like to see that doco!
ReplyDeleteLOVE that first frock, it's A-MAZING!!! XXX
Really? I didnt take the time to ask my mum if she remembered the show, but Im sure she knows Cilla for sure.
DeleteI totally want to make that dress. Watch out for it!
Oh wasn't Cilla just so wonderfully fashionable? She needs a lot more recognition in the 60s fashion world, she had such a sassy style! I always especially loved her John Bates wedding dress with the white tights. I'd love to have an outfit just like that to prance around in.
ReplyDeleteyes! how awesome is that dress? Seeing people in unconventional wedding dresses really makes me want to try a different colour or style for mine... We'll see when it comes to that though.
DeleteI watched episode 1 today and it's really good. Lots of amazing clothes and music but they also captured the fun and excitement of the time. Can't wait to see how it continues, hopefully as good as it has started?
ReplyDeleteOoh i watched it too! I can see why everyone is irked by her voice, especially when she gets really into the funky songs. Her current hair-do reminds me of the lady from the St George add in the 90s. Do you remember that one? haha
DeleteWow, that red velvet dress, amazing! Didn't hear about the series yet, so thank you very mich for telling!
ReplyDeleteEtte
No worries! You should seek it out if it ever comes to your local tv network. I totally will!
DeleteAh honey you've got to watch it if you can. Sheridan Smith is the actress playing her and she is incredible plus OMG what a life she has had! Forget how much this section of 60s fashion I love :)
ReplyDeleteI totally have! Episode 1 was pretty exciting and i felt so bad about her stuffing up her audition! Poor girl! Cant wait to see the rest - she definitely took advantage of her fame and ran with it!
DeleteThe TV show is very good! The costumes and sets are well done and Sheridan Smith is really good. My favourite Cilla outfit from above is her burgundy velvet wedding dress, and I LOVE her white shoes in the second pic! Such simple shoes - wish modern versions of the Mary Jane were more like this!
ReplyDeleteooh yeah! her shoes are great. Actually that whole outfit is pretty awesome! Ive seen episode 1, I cant wait for 2!
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