New Cardiff Vintage Store: Annie & Co.

One of the things I love about vintage events is that they're an opportunity to meet like-minded souls, and to find out about other vintage-related events that you otherwise wouldn't hear about.

At the wonderful Vintage Flair event the other week, I met a few stallholders, who excitedly told me that they were about to set up shop in Cardiff, at the top end of St Mary's street by the castle.  The shop was to be an eclectic mix of craftsmen, upcyclers, artists and vintage clothing sellers.  Intrigued, I popped in to the opening evening of Annie & Co. to have a thorough browse.

Book Review: Men I Have Known, by Eileen Younghusband

I’ve mentioned previously on this blog that a wonderful author, Eileen Younghusband, is someone to look out for if you’re interested in WWII history, or are generally interested in feisty women who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.  Eileen’s third book is ‘Men I Have Known’, and is a series of recollections of the men who have crossed paths with Eileen in her adventurous lifetime.

The cameo appearances of various menfolk happen across three main stages of Eileen’s life, from her war work, through being a hotelier, to the present day – where Eileen had her first book published at the age of 89!

Charity Shop Wedding Dresses

Would you wear a charity shop wedding dress?  With the 'average' price of a wedding gown topping £1,000, it's no wonder that brides-to-be are searching for affordable alternatives.

One option is to look in charity shops.  Some of you will recoil at the idea of wearing a secondhand wedding dress, but not all wedding dresses in charity shops are secondhand.  Some are unworn, donated by individuals, others are end of line from the makers.  Personally, as I wear vintage clothing, it really isn't much of a stretch to imagine myself in a secondhand dress.

Martinis to Celebrate the Dismantling of the 70's FIreplace

I had been looking forward to our next DIY project, erasing yet another '70s touch from our house by dismantling this feature wall, with built in mirrored knick-knack shelf.  It was with great relish and gusto that we got out the sledge hammer, chisels, and steel toe-capped boots.

Before...

Autumn Vintage Inspired Wishlist

I've been getting wardrobe inspiration from the Autumn colours recently.  Wandering around my parents' garden I noticed that as well as the usual oranges, browns and deep reds that we all associate with the season, there were also shades of silver, lilac and sage greens.

A vintage inspired clothing retailer I return to again and again - mostly windowshopping - is 20th Century Foxy.  Their range just gets better and better.  Here are my top picks of what I would buy if I had the money this Autum.

Warm colours - orange, brown, red, yellow

The Death of the Garden Ring and the Arrival of the Bling Ring

A little while ago, I shared the tale of the engagement ring found in the garden.  Not a day or two later, tragedy struck!  The break in the band snagged on a scarf (a new scarf as well, that now has a bit of a hole in it, how annoying), and the ring was wrenched open.  I pressed it roughly back into shape, and that lunchtime went to the jeweller recommended to me, only to find the shop shut and a handwritten note on the door stating he was on holiday.  I didn't realise that the metal was now weakened, and continued wearing the ring, intending to pop back the next day.  By tea time, it was in two pieces, the band having snapped in a second place.

It was good timing that it happened to be the day that my 'proper' engagement ring arrived in the post, so when I arrived home I had the delight of opening a package that contained this beauty.  The poor lighting in this photo doesn't do justice to how pink the centre stone is, or how sparkly the whole thing is.

Collectif 'Simone' Houndstooth Dress & 1950's Veiled Hat

There's something Autumnal about this flared 'Simone' dress by Collectif.  The brown houndstooth fabric is reminiscent of that seasonal staple, tweed, and the longer length is welcome as the air gets chillier.

Vintage Flair Event

Last weekend I had the great pleasure of attending 'Vintage Flair', a local event here in South Wales.  At a community hall near Caerphilly, a group of ladies from the WI (Women's Institute) had put together a vintage fair that included stalls, tea served in proper china, lindyhop demonstrations, fashion shows, makeovers and more.

A Year in the 1930s' House

We recently celebrated our first house anniversary!  A year ago we moved out of the city of Cardiff and headed up the Valleys to our new home, in a truly beautiful location.  We dressed up to celebrate, and raised a glass of bubbly to the four walls that have brought us so much happiness.

The Tale of the Engagement Ring Found in the Garden

When my Baby proposed, he didn't present me with a ring.  He knew that I perhaps would want to choose something myself, and he also might have been slightly scared to offer me a ring, given that on more than one occasion I have ranted on about it being an outdated, sexist tradition that came from men making a downpayment on their 'goods'.  And then I might have followed that with a rant about the unethical nature of a lot of the diamond industry, blood diamonds and all, coupled with their stockpiling of gems to inflate the prices, and the whole 'tradition' of a ring being a month's salary coming from a De Beers advertising campaign in the 1930s.

Earlier this year, when we were digging over the patch of garden destined to be our veg patch, I came across this ring, dirty and a bit bashed.  Here it is, in all its unearthed glory.

'Jeanette' Diner Style Dress by Lindybop for Porthcawl Elvis Festival

Elvis festivals pop up all over the world, but we're lucky in South Wales to have one of the biggest right on our doorstep, at the seaside resort of Porthcawl.  Held at the end of September over three days, the Porthcawl Elvis Festival welcomes thousands of visitors each year to its programme of events, including tribute shows at the Grand Pavilion, and fringe events happening all across town.  Pop-up stalls offer any Elvis merchandise you can dream up, and everywhere you look there are Elvises!

We headed down on the Sunday afternoon, on a gloriously warm Autumn day, and of course I had to wear something fitting - I chose the 'Jeanette' dress by Lindybop, in the red colour way with contrast black pockets, collar, and heart shape buttons.