Monday 31 January 2011

FOR SALE!


Just a quick post to give you all advance notice that I'm re-listing a few items from my own personal vintage wardrobe.

First up, I still have that absolutely darling 1950's deadstock housedress (UK size 14-18), Second, a late '40s / early '50s houserobe/dressing gown, in a marvellous psychedelic floral print. I'm not looking to make a profit, I just want my money back on them so I can buy something I'll actually wear! They're going for £45 each, and I will post for free anywhere in the UK. International buyers please get in touch for a postage quote.

I'll be putting them up on Etsy in a week or so if I don't get any takers.

Here is some more information on them:

A DEADSTOCK 1950's DAY DRESS from the United States in cotton, never been worn! Fab turquoise colour background, with checked square pattern in brown and blue.


Absolutely adorable ruffle trim around neckline and arms.

I bought it off a lady who had it removed from the packaging and dry cleaned. It has a teeny tiny little rust mark on the waist tie, from where a pin was on it in storage for those 50 years. Barely noticeable. Otherwise, it just needs an iron and it’s ready to wear!

As it’s a wrap dress it will fit a few sizes. Tied at its tightest, it’s a 30 inch waist, and a 38 inch bust approximately, but there is ample scope for adjusting to ample bosoms! I'm a 38-30 and I find it a little big.

I’d say it would best fit a UK size 14, 16 or 18. (depending on your bust size)

Be the first to wear this dress!!


LATE '40s / EARLY '50s SILKY PSYCHEDELIC DRESSING GOWN


Be the goddess of your boudoir! This slinky dressing gown is just the thing for throwing on while you paint your nails or put your rollers in! Bought from a South Wales vintage dealer who was unsure if it was '40s or '50s. Labelled 'British Made', the seams are strong and the colours are vibrant. Slightly longer at the back with kick pleat detail. Single pocket on the right hip. All original buttons are present and correct, and the matching sash is still there. Pictured on my mannequin with a 36" bust and 26" waist. The garment's actual measurements (laid flat) are approximately:

Waist 15"
Armpit to armpit 17" *
Shoulder to shoulder 13 1/2 "
Sleeve length 23"
Waist to hem 36"

*please note that it gapes a little over my 38" bust, so would best suit 36" bust or smaller. Fits just fine on my 30" waist.

The only flaw I can find is a small and very difficult to find stain on the back skirt - it's pictured for you to see, but I really had to hunt for it and because of the busy pattern no-one but you would ever know it was there.

Enquiries about either should be sent to porcelinaprecious at gmail dot com.

Tuesday 25 January 2011

Bra Sizing: The Definitive Word

Alas, I have been completely misled by purchasing Calvin Klein underwear and other such American brands in my teenage years! They use the modern sizing, whereas traditionally in Britain we use a different method. Now both have become common, and shops often don't state which method they use, to confuse us all I'm sure!





I refer you all to the What Katie Did website, for all you need to know about bra sizing. It now makes sense to me (sort of), although using the traditional measuring method I am now horrified at my back size, and disappointed in the cup size.




Let there be an end to ill-fitting bras in Britain, though it does mean you'll need to take your glasses shopping so you can read the small print. As a rule, the more upmarket brands use old British sizing, but this isn't always true - even Tesco uses the old sizing, and that's hardly an aspirational brand!




Good luck.

Recently Purchased Naughties

The dull, dreary nature of January and February has made me crave new underwear. Here's what I've bought recently, both on sale!

Deco bra from What Katie Did, on sale for £10



Kiss Me Deadly roll-on girdle in pale blue, on sale at La Magia for £12.50


I feel brighter already!

Friday 21 January 2011

Alfred Meakin Gravy Boat



On a very, very rainy day in Keynsham last week I did a trawl of the charity shops, and came across this lovely 1950's gravy boat by Alfred Meakin. My friend Victoria collects gravy boats and jugs and it was her keen eye that spied it first, but her husband has told her she has a problem and has to stop buying them and so I bought this one instead, for the sum of three pounds. This could be the start of a downward spiral into gravy boat collecting.

Saturday 15 January 2011

A Good Read: The Red House Mystery



I've just finished a 1922 novel, 'The Red House Mystery', the only detective story written by Winnie the Pooh creator A. A. Milne. In the vein of Agatha Christie, but with a bit more humour and a self-appointed Sherlock and Watson, it was a fun read and I was immensely satisfied when I guessed one of the 'twists'! That doesn't happen often with Agatha.

Wednesday 12 January 2011

Outfit Post: Off Duty





When I'm not wearing vintage, repro, pin-up style or just vintage inspired, I tend to either go for a classic cowgirl look, or I'll wear dresses that have a bit more of a '60s or '70s feel to them - either cutsey short dresses, or dresses/tunics that are oriental or hippyish.

One of my favourites is the Flamingo Dress pictured above. I wear it a lot!

Dress: Next Outlet, £15

T-bar Shoes: Marks and Spencer outlet, £22.50

Tuesday 11 January 2011

Weekend Car Boot Sale Finds

Slim pickings I'm afraid from the weekend car boot sales and a few charity shops - we were expecting a big haul as many people have a New Year clear out, and of course there are those unwanted Christmas presents - but alas, only a small number of stallholders turned out.

My only purchases were:
  • A 1953 copy of Woman's Weekly, £1
  • A print of a 1930 railway advert (need a frame for it now!), 50p
  • Some pinking shears, 50p, and some reels of cotton, 50p each
  • The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes, 10p

The highlight of the boot sale was spotting a well-known Vintage Dealer, and basically stalking her to find out which regular stallholders she favoured so that next time I can get there first! Isn't that devious or just slightly dotty? My Beloved had phoned me to tell me about the Woman's Weekly and I said I'd be over to have a look shortly, when I spotted the Dealer making a bee-line for the stall my Beloved was at, so I issued panic instructions to buy! buy! buy! as I knew she would snap it up and then sell it on for £4. In the end, she didn't have anything I was too jealous of, just looked like 70s stuff to me, from peering at her behind a stand of glassware...
Later that day I went to a local charity shop and spotted a 1960's dressing gown, went to find someone to ask the price, and returned to find a member of staff standing with it in her hands. Nope, not moving it around the shop, she was buying it herself. And the worst part is that it turned out everything in the shop was going for £1!!
Any other confessions of the dotty behaviours that a love of vintage has prompted in you, dear readers?





Thursday 6 January 2011

Poirot Fashion Special: The Third Floor Flat

It's Poirot time!

Did any of you Brits catch the Poirot special screened on Christmas Day? A very dark, rather depressing reworking of 'Murder on the Orient Express'. My brother commented that it was as if Christopher Nolan had directed it!

Die-hard fans of the David Suchet series will realise that the next episodes that should be in this fashion special from the first series are 'The Adventure of Johnnie Waverley', and 'Four and Twenty Blackbirds', however, these are nowhere to be found and I must get back to the kind soul who's lent me all these DVDs. So, the next in line is 'The Third Floor Flat', (not to be confused with Christie's short story about the cheap flat).

First, let's have a look at the victim, Ernestine (what a name!), who only has time for one outfit before she dies. It's a rather snazzy jacket, worn over a blouse, and matched with a good tweed skirt.



Next up are the two friends who inhabit the flat above.



The blonde is supposed to be the attractive one out of the two ladies - she's modern, with a striking haircut and has embraced the Chinese influence with that gorgeous jacket she has on later on in the evening.




The next pictures, in the kitchen, highlight the contrast of styles between the two girls - the blonde has a daring l0w-backed gown, the other is looking prim, and could pass for Edwardian from that style of hair and the white lace (is she channelling Helen Bonham-Carter from 'A Room With a View?').


Close up, I don't like that red gown so much. I think the sequin detail is too much, and that kind of satin is incredibly unforgiving, even on a slim actress.




Finally, Miss Lemon. She's perfection once more, but we've seen that polkadot outfit before, here.

Wednesday 5 January 2011

Sale Shopping


  • Red midi wool skirt from Warehouse (£25, was £45), worn with black knit bow top from Next.

  • Gorgeous suede navy with white trim gloves from Dune (£18, was £40)

  • Brogues from Schuh (£44.95, totally NOT worth it!)

  • And a little capelet style jacket (not pictured) from Topshop (£10, was £30)
Yes, the shoes are going back to the shop. I ordered them online and was massively disappointed when they arrived. They're very flimsy, sort of ballet-pump construction, and they don't fit either. Very frustrating. I have a pair of Heyday trousers but absolutely no shoes that go with them! I've been searching a while for the perfect black and white brogues. I can't go for the Rocket Originals version as they're far too clumpy (I have big feet, I need shoes to be dainty, not make them look bigger!) and I can't find a nice black and white brogue anywhere else. Office have some mens' but they have a long toe, which would make my feet look like clown feet.
Well, I am hoping to massively curb my spending for the rest of the month - apart from the Topshop item, all others were bought in 2010, so my aim for the rest of the month is only to buy things from charity shops, ebay, or car boot sales, if at all.
Anyone else feeling the pinch, I cannot recommend enough the Money Saving Expert website - give yourselves a financial overhaul and use their free budget planner and all the other wonderful information on there.

Monday 3 January 2011

New Year's Day

2011 began with a bracing rock-hopping walk along the seashore to start the year off right!

I don't make resolutions, but I do have a good long think about the past year, what I can learn from it, and what I want to achieve in the year stretching out before me. I find it's easier to think on a nice long walk in the country or by the sea - it's cleansing. So, a walk on New Year's day is always a good habit.

Last year, I had a few aims: start a blog (tick!), do more exercise (I joined Pilates and Yoga classes - tick!), learn to sew (I joined a sewing class - tick!), make time for relaxation (tick!), travel (Holland, Belgium, Gran Canaria - tick!), meet up with old friends (tick!) and start saving money (hmm...). Overall, I think I managed quite a lot there.

But there's always more to do! This year I want to keep up the good work with exercising, relaxing, travelling and visiting friends, and add in a few more things too:

1) continue learning to sew, moving from alterations to making something from a pattern!
2) be sensible and grown-up with finances - start saving, stop spending.
3) read more, watch less TV.
4) master victory rolls.
5) make a souffle.
6) take my career up a notch in the day-job (one for the alter-ego).

Over the next year then in this blog I'll start to relay some sewing misadventures as well as the home-baking ones, there will be some vintage star biography book reviews, I'll continue my Poirot fashion series, there'll be more charity-shop and boot sale shopping reports as I try to achieve vintage style on a meagre budget, and you can sure as hell expect lots of photos and tips if I do indeed master victory rolls!!

Here are a few pics of what I found on my walk, which was in completely non-vintage attire I'm afraid - I tend to wear high-waist jeans and cowgirl shirts on dress-down days, but I was even wearing trainers(!) on the beach. Cowboy boots aren't practical for scrambling over rocks!
















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