Wednesday 30 June 2010

Outfit Post: American Girl



Jacket: Vintage, borrowed from the Boyfriend
Dress: 50p from a car boot sale!!
Bag: gift
Sunglasses and trainers: from those big monopolizing superstores, sorry, am really trying not to buy from them!

Saturday 26 June 2010

This Weekend in Cardiff: Vintage and Burlesque Events at Oxfam Boutique

If you're at a loose end in Cardiff this weekend then pop along to some of these events - I think I'll be popping in to get some vintage hair styling tips! Originally they planned to have vintage make-up experts too but that is no longer happening. There's even some burlesque tomorrow, including a performance from my dear friend Miss Violet Noir.

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Oxfam Boutique
34 St Mary St, Cardiff

Saturday 26/06

10.30 – 12.30 – Learn to Crochet Flower Brooches (Materials provided)
1 – 2.45 – Live music and models
3 – 6 – Vintage hair

Planning a night out on Saturday night in that fab vintage outfit you bought from Oxfam? Why not pop in from 3-6 to get your hair done for the night? £5 suggested donation.


Sunday 27/06

12 – 1.30 - Learn to knit (Materials provided)
1.45- 2.45 – Music and models
3- Afternoon tea party – cup cakes and tea.
Followed by
4.15 – Afternoon Delight. £5.
Burlesque performance by Burlesque Cardiff
Miss FooFoo La Belle
Miss Sandy Sure
Miss Betty Blue Eyes
Miss Violet Noir
With tea party, cup cakes and tea coffee refreshments.

So invite your friends, come along, have a fabulous weekend and help us raise lots of money for Oxfam!
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Psychedelic 1920's Biscuit Tin!

The other evening my friend Katy and I were doing a spot of home-baking when I spotted the most incredible psychedelic biscuit tin in her kitchen. My first impression was that it was new, and that she must have bought it one of the those kooky little shops that she's so fond of - imagine my surprise when she said that it was 1920's and that she'd inherited it from a relative.





I'm blown away by the vibrancy of the colours on this tin, and just how good the condition is - usually tins get dropped and bashed, but this looks like new inside and out. Amazing. I want one!

Wednesday 23 June 2010

A Day in Bath, Part 2: Consuming Nature Exhibition

After the Costume Museum I had a lovely wander around Bath, met a friend for wine, discovered a new vintage shop called Scarlet Vintage, and then headed to the Octagon for the exhibition. Here are some pictures of the evening, I particularly loved the vintage flag's transformation into art!









This was the first outing for this dress, didn't wear a petticoat as was travelling by train and it's always a crush!
Dress: Pin Up by Sophie, Ebay
Brooch: Vintage, mother of pearl, car boot sale
Shoes: Faith
Hair band: I made it! Using a Japanese tie-dye technique!



Here's Victoria in front of one of her pieces of work - it's actually part of the Inbloom homewares Boudoir collection at M&S so you can buy this shower curtain as long as you can find it in stock, as they keep selling out!

Dress:
Vera Wang
Cardi: Principles
Scarf: Own design
Shoes: Moda in Pelle
Necklace: Vintage, 1930s glass beads, inherited from Grandmother

I still didn't get to do everything I wanted to in Bath, but that means I'll just have to make another trip soon, to see the Jane Austen museum and take a dip in the Thermae Spa. I can't wait!

Tuesday 22 June 2010

A Day in Bath, Part 1: Fashion Museum

Last Friday I had a lovely day out in Bath which involved immersing myself in the Georgian architecture, browsing in vintage shops and making a long-overdue visit to the Fashion Museum at the Assembly Rooms.

The 18th Centure Assembly Rooms were built as a social hotspot and continue to hold functions and events today, and I am sorry that my pictures can't do them justice - the rooms are truly breathtaking!







I amused myself with this picture of me and a long line of empty chairs, it looks like everyone's been asked to dance except me!



The Costume Museum is underneath these rooms, and well worth a visit. My only disappointment was that the 1920s to the 1950s were sadly neglected in the costume collections, and those are my favourite decades! I managed to spot a couple of 30's dresses and some 50's accessories but that was pretty much it from that time period, with the focus being on the pre 1900s and the 1960s onwards.






I should also mention that you have a chance to try on a corset and a big ole heavy crinoline if you fancy!

Monday 21 June 2010

Only 3 Days Left: Consuming Nature Exhibition, Bath


If you're in Bath it's well worth popping in to this free exhibition - it closes this Thursday!

Consuming Nature is a mixed media exhibition being held in the fabulous Octagon, an impressive building originally a chapel and now mostly disused, that's well worth a peek on its own!

Highlights include some stunning florals and work using vintage textiles, such as naval flags (pictured above).

I went last week and will be posting pictures soon of my day's adventures in Bath.

Thursday 17 June 2010

A Bad Wardrobe Day

This morning it took me 45 minutes to choose an outfit. 45 minutes!! I just couldn't find anything that felt right, and it was a very grumpy start to the day. Most of the things I wanted to wear needed ironing, and I thought I didn't have time so I put them in an ever-increasing pile on the bed. It didn't help that some clean items hadn't been put away, and that while half the belts are in a drawer, the other half are in a cupboard in a different room, so I had to go back and forth. I also realised that I have some items that don't have basic items to match! A skirt and cardi that just needed a navy vest top underneath, which I don't have. I have a winter jumper that goes with the skirt, but nothing for the summer.

I therefore am making the following wardrobe vows:
1. Always iron things before you put them away
2. Actually put them away. In the right place.
3. Keep accessory groups together, i.e. all the belts in one place, all the bags in another.
4. Make sure you buy the basics that make your wardrobe work!

So I have some wardrobe organising to do this weekend, and some shopping for basics like vest tops and tees.

Eventually this morning I gave in and ironed a dress, found a belt and was good to go. Then I cut my hand on the wardrobe and dropped blood on the dress! I could've cried until I remember that episode of Frasier where Niles is getting ready for a date and cuts his finger amongst a catalogue of other disasters. Hilarious, here's the clip so you can feel better when you're having a bad-wardrobe-day!!

Wednesday 16 June 2010

Burlesque Prop Wish List


On the weekend however I went to the local antiques emporium and burlesque came to mind when I spotted this giant hand! Can you imagine sitting on the palm of this giant hand blowing kisses to the crowd and peeling off stockings? (Taken at the local antiques centre, The Pumping Station, Cardiff)


There are giant props for hire out there across the UK but you'll need a few hundred pounds to spare. From Event Prop Hire you could get a giant teacup, a giant vintage suitcase, or copy Dita and get a giant compact.

I wonder how much papier mache and chicken wire you'd need to recreate these on a budget?!

Tuesday 15 June 2010

Etsy Roundup: Champagne Lace Dresses

I've been trying to find similar dresses to my lace and silk wiggle dress to see what other people have accessorized theirs with! Not much luck on the accessories front, but I have found a few champagne coloured lace look dresses on Etsy, so here's a round up of the best, in case you're hankering after such a dress yourself!

First up, Salvage Life has this 1940's lace dress with rhinestones and pearls (far more glam than mine!).


And Foxy Brit Vintage has not one but two gorgeous 1950's lace and satin dresses!




Finally, a 1930's showstopper from Fab Gabs. It's more 'nude' than champagne, but let's not quibble over that, it's very beautiful.



My accessories hunt continues, I'll do a post when any progress is made!

Monday 14 June 2010

Calling All Vintage Styling Experts: Help Me Accessorize My Outfit!

I've got a dilemma. It's my sister's wedding next month, and it's being held at a city hotel. I have the dress (Warehouse silk dress with lace overlay, I thought it was quite 30's or 50's, £1 from a car boot sale!), and I now have the shoes (champagne satin slingbacks, BHS, £25).

But how do I finish the outfit off to make it look interesting and vintage?

A full hat isn't necessary as it's not a church wedding and it's my sister's second marriage, but I wouldn't mind some kind of headpiece or a simple flower. Also, what colour lips and nails?
What kind of handbag/purse? Should I wear jewellery?

Any suggestions would be greatly received!

Thursday 10 June 2010

A Jane Austen Adventure

We've all seen Pride and Prejudice and wished we could go to a ball and dance with our very own Mr Darcy. This little dream partly came true for me this evening at Tredegar House, a 17th Century Mansion where I attended a Regency dance evening with my beloved! It was a dance class rather than a ball, but it was held in one of the stately rooms with huge chandeliers twinkling above us. I can't say I was a flawless dancer though - if you've seen the dance scene in Pride and Prejudice with Mr Colins going the wrong way, well that was me at more than one point! It's easy to cover up mistakes when you're dancing alone, but this simply isn't possible in a group situation.

After the dancing we went down through the house (passed a Penny Farthing bicycle, took a photo) and then had some drinks and food in keeping with the era (rum punch, rose cordial, marzipan discs, pork pie, cucumber sandwiches, jam tarts, cinnamon shortbread - nothing we wouldn't eat today, and I was both disappointed and relieved that there wasn't any aspic or suchlike!).

I cobbled my outfit together from a dress and gloves from a boot sale (50p each!), little pumps that didn't really go but they were the best I had, and then just found a ribbon from an old corset to put in my hair (which was very hastly pinned up, wasn't really sure what to do with it). All in all it looked the part, not bad for £1!
Out of the 25 or so of us, there were a few well-turned out ladies who had made their own dresses, but quite a few people hadn't dressed up (no men in breeches, or wet shirts alas...).

Tuesday 8 June 2010

Send Me a Postcard: Vintage Souvenir Jewellery

I was recently permitted to browse through my mother's normally-locked-away jewellery collection to see what treasures she has, and found a small collection of souvenir jewellery. I have photographed them for posterity and to share with you all in just how delightful they are!

This first piece is a seaside souvenir from Folkestone, Kent, England, and was bought in the 1940s. It still has it's original card, and opening the miniature book reveals a set of tiny photographs.






There is another mini photo book, this time attached to a bow brooch, from Ilfracombe, Devon, England, in the early 1950s.






This hand pendant is a Canadian piece, and my mother thinks it's from the 1950s also, a souvenir bought by her father.



Finally, a souvenir that my mother bought herself in 1960 on a trip to Florence, Italy. I've seen a few very similar brooches in the car boot sale recently.



Such lovely mementos!

Sunday 6 June 2010

1950s Gingham Beach Halter Top - Car Boot Sale Find of the Day!

Yeehah! A genuine 1950's halter top was nestling amongst all the tat in yesterday's car boot sale! It was being sold by its original owner, a very stylish older lady sporting lipstick red sunglasses and a chic hairdo. When I asked to take a closer look at the red and white gingham I could see peeking out from other clothes hanging on the side of her car, she sighed and said, 'ah, my Marilyn Monroe top!' and went on to tell me how she had worn it on the beach in the 50s with white shorts. She was very keen for someone else to enjoy wearing it, but alas it doesn't fit me!

So, if you like the look of it you can place a bid here on ebay, as it's up for grabs! This is a top that needs to be worn by another carefree young lady on a beach somewhere.


Thursday 3 June 2010

Ahoy There!

One of my latest and best charity shop finds is this adorable nautical dress. It's 80's but done in a very 50's style, and I love the button detail on the back, to me they look like tiny white sails in the ocean.




Anway, the dress can be yours! It pains me to admit that it doesn't fit me, so I'd like to pass it on to someone who can enjoy wearing it. You can find the ebay listing here, or search for it's item number: 180516131321

I hope one of you Sailorettes gets it!
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