A festive outfit for work

First and foremost, I wish all my blog readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

This will be the last post of the year and I decided to make it a festive one.  I have wanted to do some work outfit posts for a while but it is difficult because I leave for work early in the morning and I'm too tired by the time I get home.  I'm not a vintage purist when it comes to work clothes either - comfort and practicality is important for me - so I mix vintage with repro and mostly wear separates.

 

Whilst I don't buy repro dresses, I am a fan of certain repro separates and I cannot get enough of this Collectif skirt.  In fact, I did a swap with my friend Vicki exchanging one of my vintage plaid skirts to get this one!  Swapping vintage for repro, crazy isn't it?!  Except the vintage one was a little too big for me and this one fits quite nicely so it was a good swap. 

 

 

I wish they did this skirt in other colours, I would definitely get more!  It has easily become my go-to work skirt this festive season.

 

 

I don't own many Christmas specific vintage items but I just love these holly leaf screw back earrings!

 





Do you wear purely vintage to work or do you like to mix vintage and reproduction clothing?

 

 

Top: Vintage sweater from I can't remember where!

Skirt: Collectif

Shoes: Clarks

Necklace: Vintage from trader at Bows and Braces Fair

Earrings: Vintage from Etsy

 

Atomic Festival!

So since my last post there have been a few changes in my little world... I have moved into a new place with my guy... and it's great!  I also have a new job... or I will do in a few weeks when I start it.  I will still be working in clinical research but in a different role with more responsibility (and more money!) in a different research facility so yay for me.  And I booked a holiday to America for 2015 (Yes, I will finally get to revel in all the VLV fun!)  And I managed to do all this in one week.  But now on to more important things such as....

Atomic Festival!  At the beginning of May, the first ever Atomic Festival was held at Sywell Aerodrome in Northampton.  I had tickets for the Saturday but I kinda wished I had weekend tickets because it was so much fun that I didn't want to go home on Saturday evening!

 

I am so glad that it did not rain... and although it was very sunny, it was a pretty cold start to the day!  This plaid dress was perfect to wear to this 1950s Americana event and I teamed it with my Rocket Originals wedges and then, later on in the day, my saddles shoes. 

 

 

This is actually the second Mr. Mort dress that I own.  The first Mr. Mort dress I have yet to wear even though I consider it to be one of my favourite dresses (how is that possible, to have a 'favourite' dress that I've never worn?!)  This one has a fully lined circle skirt and it's pretty heavy (it swings and hits your partner when you jive in it!) 

 

 

 

 

One of the reasons why I'm a bit gutted I was only there for the Saturday was that I missed the Poodle Parade on the Sunday.  I did get to snap some photos of this super chic lady and her lovely dogs though.

 

 

 

So I have to admit, I was not that enthused to see Demon Drome's Wall of Death but my guy really wanted to go so I went too... AND THEY TOTALLY BLEW MY MIND!!!  It was definitely one of the highlights of my day at the festival - the two guys and girl were amazing and I still can't get over the stunts that they did (they went so fast that I did not get any good photos but if you ever get the chance to see them at an event - DO IT!!!)

 

 

 

I love Classic American cars and I'm glad we got to have a good look around the cars parked in the field.

 

 

Not only was the Festival lots of fun but it took place at such a fantastic venue!  The beautiful Art Deco surroundings of the Aerodrome building and Aviator Hotel looked like they should be the backdrop for an episode of Poirot (rather than a 1950s event!) and I would love to go back one day to explore more of this venue.

 

 

There was so much going on but we managed to see The Revolutionaires later on in the day.  They were so lively and energetic, I hope to be able to see them again in the future.

 



 

To be honest, I don't remember much of Bobby Brooks Wilson's set at Rhythm Riot so I made sure I was right at the front when I caught him at Atomic.  He is so charming and sounds just like his Father, it was a great end to a great day.

 

There was also lots that I didn't take photos of, such as the racing on the drag strip, roller disco, Jive Championships, vintage traders, great food stalls...  Definitely an event I would like to go back to (and next time, hopefully, for both days!)

 

Dress: Vintage Mr. Mort from Etsy

Shoes: Rocket Originals

Sunglasses: Vintage from Vera Mode

Bag: Vintage from Etsy

Earrings: Vintage from Etsy

Bracelet: Vintage from trader at Rhythm Riot

 

 

Saddle Shoes

I have wanted a pair of saddle shoes for so long!  At first I tried to seek out a vintage pair but couldn't find any in my size and I was quite reluctant to buy vintage shoes online without being able to try them on first.  So I looked to the reproduction brands out there and when I saw the Rocket Originals saddle shoes, I thought they would be the ones for me.  When I tried on a pair early last year, I was a bit disappointed because they looked too chunky for my small feet.  So I gave up hope in finding a pair until I saw that Morellos sold saddle shoes... and I got the chance to try them on at Rhythm Riot (which was a good thing too as the size 3 I would have purchased online would have been too small!)  They didn't have my size in the colour I wanted at the Riot so I waited until after Christmas when I finally purchased my first pair of saddle shoes...

 

 

I have always been fascinated by the 1950s 'teenager' subculture and the saddle shoe is the epitome of style of that generation. 

The wool skirt is from Fab Gabs Vintage on Etsy and has woven hash symbols throughout in white and yellow (which match perfectly with my yellow Lucite confetti earrings!)  I love most of the items in this Etsy store but most are not in my size (this might just be a good thing!)  But this skirt was my size and I knew it had to be mine.  It has a lovely swing style and I can't wait to go dancing in this outfit.

 

 

 

Saddle Shoes: Reproduction from Morellos

Skirt: Vintage from Fab Gabs on Etsy

Sweater: Gift

Brooch: Vintage from Clerkenwell Fair

Lucite confetti earrings: Vintage from Etsy

Belt: Vintage from Etsy

Bracelet: Vintage from Rhythm Riot