Monday Challenge for Mary at DeluxeVille

Bloggers across the world are setting challenges that must be met if one is going to be given any credit. This one I do not like - Mary over at Welcome to DeluxeVille is keen to make us all vulnerable and uneasy, and post anti-vintage shots of ourselves. NOT the kind of image I am trying to present here!

But then I realise that when people start out looking into the vintage loving arena (and by vintage, I mean both pure vintage and in a vintage style, as I wear both, and both get stares from Jo Public), it can be easy to think that it is:

• a heck of a lot of hassle
• a club in which you might not fit
• Once you get started you will have to be full on 100% all the time
• the Vintage Fashion Police (VFP) will be after you if you slip up (I am yet to meet one, though Jenny from Yesterday Girl lives near me, and said she has seen me "about", possibly on my posting run, which fills me with dread)

Oh as if we don't have better things to concern ourselves about in the world!

Hopefully this might re-assure you that, even though getting vintage-ised is my preferred dress style, I do wear other clothes if the job at hand or my mood dictates it.

Well I am going to do this fast and quick. And hopefully no one will notice.

Today was a good day for it as I had not one but two slobby outfits, the first is not really vintage in my books because it is ONLY late 70s/early 80s and it is throw-in-the-wash-who-cares kind of a dress. No ironing, no zipping up even. Brill!

(NB: I can't call 70s vintage because I was born in the 70's!!).  Still it is a familiar silhouette so I feel pretty and carefree out and about in it.

The shoes I am not sure about because of the ties cutting through my already short legs, but they are super comfy, vintage like, and I do have a thing for bows - well perfect for mucking about in.

Note the belt? I painted the once old brassy coloured rose buckle with radiator paint and now I love it.

And non-done hair - the day after washing and with no product and no styling 'cept a brush. Passable?

Oh so then, after super-marketing and then doing hand washing of real vintage, I was a bit damp (I am a vigorous hand washer!) and cold, the weather was turning so I decided to get comfy.  I am heading to my sewing room to finish the dresses Peter from Male Pattern Boldness wants to see, and it is cold in there...

Have YOU ever jumped about for the self-timer? Let me just say it is not happening again.

I suspect the neighbours had a laugh at least!

The hoodie says "Sweet As" ( a very Kiwi turn of phrase), Translation:"I confirm that what you are proposing is good by me".  I don't wear it out cos British males seem to get all worked up about that written across a full bust. Not dignified!

Ok so who else is going to show yourself in your un-glam-ness?

Ohh look, there are bows again!

Shona x

Exciting things bubbling away at Heyday!

I have been busy at Heyday, working with Fleur de Guerre to bring you something special!

We are not quite ready to tell you what yet, but these pictures hold some clues :

(cat pic source here)

eeee! Exciting! More exciting than munching on bubble wrap...

Have a great weekend.

Shona x

Not so Grace-ful

Mr Wolf and I tried to make it to the V&A Museum to see the Grace Kelly museum on Sunday.  Despite me getting ready in record time we arrived too late to make it to a "veiwing".  NOW we know we need to book tickets in advance - probably well in advance.

All was redeemed when I looked about me in amazement to see London out dressed in their Sunday best, children and grand dames included. There were floral frocks galore, skirts, wedge sandals, cute print blouses and lovely beads, and (jaw droppingly) a couple of hats! Even the men were in a nice shirt and a pair of chinos, Prince-Wills-goes-casual style. What's going on? It might be the fantastic blast of weather we are having, it might be that dressing for Grace (like I did) is the norm amongst V&A goers, or maybe the places I normally go just don't attract the same stylish clientèle. It was like going to the races but better - I left with a healthy wallet and no hangover/sunburn/migraine from screaming too hard encouraging the horses. And so, I will be going back and not just for Ms Kelly.

My quick hairstyle: When Mr Wolf suggests going to see a Grace Kelly exhibition, you don't stop to question it, you get ready before he changes his mind. This is the last of the curls left after my do that I wore to dancing on Friday:

Yep that is all of my hair curled, and then tucked under and pinned. It wasn't planned, and a bit scruffy perhaps but I liked it. No one noticed the amount of cleavage on show, being first concerned I had cut my hair - clever trick that one!
Dare I tell you that I washed my hair on the Monday, set it on Wednesday, set it again on Friday and finally washed it again on the following Monday.  Eeewww. But actually it was ok, I am blessed with REALLY thick hair, and clearly I didn't do much dancing on Friday (I ate cake instead?!).  This not washing was un-intentional, a case of life being more important this week that squeaky clean hair. Now no shampoo ad will EVER tell you that!

Shona x

The info bit:
Red and white 50s sundress (fits like a dream) from Debbie and Mickey, next showing at Hep Cat Holiday
Wedges and pearly-ish earrings (of course pearls for Grace Kelly) -charity shops
Hairflower - homemade and then stolen from my own stall
Navy and white polka dot dress - Laura Ashley in the end of winter sale. (winter? short sleeves?yes really.)
Metal and Enamel 30s (?) broach - car boot at Hemsby

Hemsby Rock'n'Roll weekender

Now that I am starting to recover,(read: I can string some sentences together now), I must report on a fun weekend selling at Hemsby Rock'n'Roll weekender.  Hemsby is in Great Yarmouth, and I am amazed at how many people in the UK think I am making this destination up! Yes it exists and it is on the east coast in Norfolk.

On the way to the May event I am always in awe of the fields of sunshine produced by the rapeseed that are cultivated there. Since it was a particularly sunny day this time the whole landscape seemed drenched in a happy yellow - including me! 

Hemsby itself is a really nice weekender - run twice a year. They get big names in from all over the world and the shopping is great.  Lots of my favourite fellow stallholders are there. Including of course, Darren from Dead Men's Spex, who gets me all in a fluster every time I see him (he would like to think it was his manly charm, but it is really just his glasses).  

Because there was a bit of a stuff up last time, we ended up with spare lenses of my prescription to put into glasses.  Ohh the choice had me in agony!

Finally I settled on a 50's pair that has a kind of Cats-Eye-style-gone-wrong thing going on, which I hope will not look too out of place with a 40's outfit as well.  

On Friday night I wore my 50's dress.  Note the blue admission wrist band tones in well

I had a bonkers time out with other fellow stallholders and still managed to get up and out to the Sunday car boot, run as part of the weekender. Last time, Fleur came with me, and we dashed around like the women on a mission.  

Here's my treasures:

1930s Depression Glass bowl - LOVE IT!  I have a wee collection starting.

Two Vintage knitting patterns.  I am an ok knitter, but really I think I just love the pictures, so I held back and only went through ONE box of them. (Do you worry, like I do, that while I might be searching for one bargain, others are getting sold nearby that really ought to be mine? That makes me go tornado fast!)

And some bits and bobs of jewellery. The little orange and wood earrings go well with that orange broach, don't you think? Even though they were bought separately!

  

The next Hemsby weekend is in October - do check it out if you are into the 50s scene, and I will see you there!

Shona x

The info bit: From the top down

Freddies of Pinewood dungerees, yellow blouse from my own collection (now sold out in that colour) 

Green cardigan from Jenny at Custom Clothes (this one is hand knitted, though I understand she is now doing similar ones on the knitting machine)

50s vintage dress (as before) from Home Sweet Homestyle, Shoes from Johnson's Shoes, hair flowers from Accessorize.  

Gypsy top Salvage No.2 and SHOES

Here is Tuesdays Gypsy top salvage # 2.  It was £2 at the Next sale in Jan and I also bought its close cousin in orange.  Again, it has been turned from a smock style into something me-wearable with a massive seam in both sides.  I am super happy with it! 

And some new Miss L Fire shoes turned up.  My Postie is getting used to me squealing when it is something good.  He also turns a blind eye to hot rollers and fluffy slippers.  Now these babies are going to go great with my new 40s dress I have been beavering away at.

I have actually met Miss L Fire herself, and she is a very clever lady. She does all the designing and is very hands on in production. She is stunning, and nice, and had a cool hairdo that day (note to self, must copy).  I got to dribble over her winter range. It was a good afternoon.

Shona x 

The info bit:

Miss L Fire: They were on sale and I fluked them in my size from ASOS These are called Catalina, but I think you might have to try other sources now - Ebay perhaps?

Pencil skirt - my own design from Heyday - only a few sizes left until I get more stock in.

Shoes and belt - charity shop

Chestnut Sunday

Yesterday we were off on an adventure to Chestnut Sunday in Bushy Park.

Just because I spent 4 days in the house with a horrid migraine, I felt like dressing up a bit.  Here's a Me Made May Skirt contribution. (It was too cold to go about like this, so I quickly covered up with a vintage coat)

The parade was an assortment of vehicle types.

This lovely lady was one of the few that dressed in period to match her vehicle. She got the thumbs up from us, after all, being in a parade is BEING IN A PARADE! No matter how small.

I hope next year we can get Fleur or Kitten on the back of some of those jeeps, adding some more Glamour!

Bushy Park and the gardens around Hampton court Palace are looking lovely.  But watch out for those crazy nuts that hang about in there...

Oh yeah, that would be me then.

Shona x

Introducing The Wolf

I would like you all to meet The Wolf, Aka Hubby van Beers.  His workmates gave him the name after Winston Wolf in Pulp Fiction - the one who cleans up all the messes and introduces himself with the words "I solve problems".  My wolf cleans up messes of the IT kind. He is brilliant at it, and too modest really. Here he is helping me on the stall in his uniform.

He can dance really well.

If left to his own devices, he will be a quite a prankster. 

He often has to drive so I can do my hair and make up, cos we are  I am often late.

He is Dutch - so posing here with Tulips, though I met him in New Zealand.

And he makes me laugh! 

Shona x

39 Steps

On Wednesday I got a night out at the 39 Steps.  It was a "vintage" evening, where many dressed up and added to the atmosphere.

I wore my 1950s dress and suit, even though, as we were heading out the door, I thought...the price is £19.39... I wonder if that is an indication of the year I ought to dress in?  Oh well, it was too late then, nothing to do but grab the camera and go.  

Having long hair means it is not easy to wear these little scull caps from the 50s, but I had a go at pinning up sections and I was really pleased with the back.  Next time I will do the front and sides differently:

And hubby wore a suit, it is actually modern one from a Mr Albert's store (Cleveland, USA)

He was very excited to get photographed for the Esquire best dressed man competition!  

Shona x

Gypsy top salvage No.1

Yesterday was a really busy day, so I didn't get a pic until late. 

Here is my Me Made May contribution, which is Me altered.  It is a Ex Primark top purchased at a Cancer Research Charity shop. 

Lots of last seasons blouses are hitting the Charity shops and I am going through the same anguish as I did when they hit the high street shops. The prints are all gorgeous but the style would be much better suited to me if I was 8 Months preggers.  So this is one that I got on a whim and have whipped it down the sides and put some quick and dirty darts down the front, just enough so it falls in the right place.  With the success of this one I have some more coming.

Ohh... and I got these vintage earrings out of Winter storage - Yippee!  I look blue not just because it was getting late in the evening, but also because it was freezing outdoors.  Brrrr.  (The flash made things look even weirder sorry)

Shona x