Beautiful South Coast

Yesterday, I had a day off work and wasn't sure how to spend it to make the most of the lovely weather that we've been having.  In England, you never know how long the good weather will last so you always feel you need to make the most out of each day.

And it isn't just about making the most out of the day, I have to make the most out of my summer wardrobe!  I do prefer vintage summer wear and therefore have more of it than colder weather clothes.  So as soon as the weather becomes nice, the challenge is to wear all your summer clothes as you will never know when it will be warm enough to wear them again!

I chose yesterday to wear this beautiful pale yellow sundress.  I purchased this Jeanne d'Arc dress deadstock from a trader at Viva Las Vegas this year.  I had seen the dress there each day but it was only until the Sunday when it was reduced (and so cheap!) did I decide I really needed it in my life! 

 

I am also wearing a recently purchased deadstock necklace and clamper bracelet from Bow and Crossbones.  I always feel a little sad cutting the tags off deadstock items, as they are no longer deadstock once you do that but I don't see any point in buying something if I'm not going to wear it.  At least I know I will look after it.

 

 

We went to Hengistbury Head which is only 45 minutes from where we live and walked along the coast and then back down along the beach.  A great day to spend on the beautiful South Coast.

 





Dress: Vintage deadstock from a trader at VLV
Bag: Vintage from eBay
Necklace and Clamper: Deadstock from Bow and Crossbones
Earrings: Vintage from Etsy
Sunglasses: Vintage from Vera Mode
Ballet Pumps: New Look

Downtown LA

On our last day in Los Angeles, we visited some landmarks in Downtown LA, including The Bradbury Building, Olvera Street, Union Station and City Hall.

 

Union Station and The Bradbury Building have some significance to me as they were used as filming locations in my all-time favourite movie Blade Runner.  I had been to these places on my last America holiday but it was still so fantastic to go back.  We also got to see the Ennis House later in the day which is also used in the movie.

 

 

 



This yellow dress and purse were recent purchases.  I just love yellow and I can't say that enough!  I also really like the fit of this dress and it is very comfortable to wear.

 

These photos were taken in the park outside City Hall.  City Hall is also featured in another of my favourite movies, L.A. Confidential.  Los Angeles has some really amazing buildings and architecture and it really is great to walk around the city and see so many recognisable filming locations.

 

 



You can't see in the other photos very well but the earrings I am wearing match the bracelet, I love a good matching jewellery set. 

Dress: Vintage from Etsy
Bolero: Vintage from Dreamtime Vintage, London
Purse: Vintage from eBay
Jewellery set: Vintage from eBay
Sunglasses: Vintage from Vera Mode
Shoes: Vintage but so old I cannot remember where from!
Ballet pumps: New Look

Beautiful Santa Barbara

One of my favourite places that we went to whilst on holiday was Santa Barbara.  Even though it was a 2 hour drive from our hotel in Los Angeles, it was definitely worth making the trip out of the city and up the scenic Pacific Coast Highway. 

Our first stop was the County Courthouse, chosen because of the beautiful location!  I loved seeing all the Spanish buildings in this city.

 

 

I admit that I didn't get many good photos of this outfit, sometimes you are just too busy having fun to remember to take "outfit photos."  I purchased this dress from Crush Vintage but through an Instagram preview.  It is perfect for Summer and I am glad that I decided to find out more after spotting it on the Crush Vintage Instagram page.  Sometimes it really is worth enquiring when you see a photo on Instagram!

We also visited Shoreline Park where we watched dolphins jumping over the waves!

We went for lunch at a great Mexican restaurant - Los Agaves - which I had found whilst doing some online research.  They have two restaurants in Santa Barbara and I really would recommend visiting if you like Mexican food - it was delicious and inexpensive!

We of course managed to fit in a visit to an antique mall on our trip and we stopped off at the Antique Center Mall.  The dresses were surprisingly rather expensive but I found a lovely 1950s charm bracelet and some very cool cufflinks (to go on a dress that requires some!) 

Dress: Vintage from Crush Vintage via Instagram
Sunglasses: Vintage from Vera Mode
Bag: Vintage from Etsy
Headscarf: Vintage but no idea where from

The last of the Anne Fogarty dresses (so far!)

In February I blogged about a wool Anne Fogarty dress and the original advert. I mentioned that there was another Anne Fogarty dress that I owned and this is it.

This was another good purchase from eBay and it fits very snugly!  I don't know if I will be lucky enough to find any more Anne Fogarty dresses at reasonable prices, many of the recent ones on Etsy have been over £100.  1950s wool dresses are great to have in winter to keep you warm and stylish.

What I particularly love about this dress is the detail on the back - look at those buttons!  I haven't seen many other dresses with this sort of detailing at the back.

And here are my Gloria by Miss L Fire boots, aren't they cute?  As I explained in a previous post, when the AW14 styles were released, I really wanted the Alpine boots but they sold out in my size in their pre-orders so I decided to buy these ones.  They are pretty comfy and keep my feet warm!

Dress: Vintage from eBay
Boots: Miss L Fire
Bag: Vintage from eBay
Stockings: What Katie Did
Brooch: Luxulite on Etsy
Earrings: Forbidden Charm on Etsy

Red Plaid in Bournemouth

It's been a little while since I did my last post but here is an outfit I wore on a day out to Bournemouth at the end of 2014.

 

I purchased this wiggle dress from a friend on the Ooh La La Facebook group (if you aren't part of that group, you should be!)  I love wiggle dresses but don't own many because I find it hard to get the fit just right.  It was a cold day in Bournemouth so I paired the dress with a black polo underneath and I quite like this look.

 

 



The black swing coat is also a recent purchase but I am not so sure if I suit this style of coat so I may end up selling it. 

You can also see my lovely fox brooch from Luxulite.  As soon as I saw this on Etsy, I HAD to have it.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I love foxes and have amassed a collection of fox themed items.

 

Dress: Vintage from OLL on Facebook

Polo: ASOS

Shoes: Office

Coat: Vintage from Hunky Dory Vintage, London

Bag: Vintage from eBay

Earrings: Vintage from trader at Rhythm Riot

Brooch: Luxulite on Etsy

 



Designed for the Young Elite

In this post, I present another dress from one of my favourite designers - Anne Fogarty.  I have blogged about Anne Fogarty dresses before here and here. 

 

I now have three wool Anne Fogarty dresses (with the last one to be presented in another post) and I have been incredibly lucky because they were all bargains from Etsy and eBay!  I won this one for $20 on eBay as no one else bid on it (why?!!!)  Living in the UK, I rely on buying most of my vintage online but I rarely find such bargains.

 

 

It has a wool jersey bodice with a thick mohair plaid circle skirt and it is very cosy!

 

 

The other reason this dress is special to me is that not long after I purchased it, I managed to find an original advert of this dress when searching online...

 

 

I have never found an advert for any of my other dresses so was really pleased to find this.  The advert dates from September 1962 and it reads "Our own Anne Fogarty makes news in black and white with this dramatic dress - headlining an exclusive collection designed for the Young Elite."  Have you ever found any original adverts for your vintage clothing?

 

I am also wearing my new Miss L Fire Alpine boots.  These are the second pair of boots I have bought from them this season but I just could not resist getting these.  The first pair I bought will be featured in another post but for now you can feast your eyes on this pair ...

 









I really wanted the Havana boots that they made a few years ago but never managed to get a pair so was so pleased to see that they had done a very similar design this season.  Unfortunately, they sold out of my size on the Miss L Fire website during the 'pre-release' last year so I bought the Gloria boots instead.  Then last week, I saw these Alpine boots on Zalando on sale and in stock with my size... So it had to be done.

Dress: Vintage from eBay
Shoes: Miss L Fire via Zalando
Bag: Vintage from eBay
Belt: House of Fraser
Earrings: Vintage from eBay
Brooch: Luxulite

Atomic Fleck

This is one of my favourite recent outfits...

This early 1950s Toni Todd dress was one of my more 'riskier' Etsy purchases in that there was a very limited description and the photos weren't great.  The price, however, was a bargain so after some of my questions were answered by the seller, I decided to purchase it and I am glad I did because I love it.  The photos have made it look like a blue but it is actually more a grey colour!

 

It has an "atomic fleck" to the fabric which is what I really like (as well as the cute red buttons.)  I love those 1950s men's sports jackets with the atomic fleck pattern but adding "atomic fleck" to an Etsy listing title seems to allow for an inflated price!



 

 

I also LOVE my new Miss L Fire shoes!  Especially as they were free!!!  I was lucky enough to be the UK winner of their Thanksgiving Instagram competition in which they were giving away a pair of the Manhattan (seen above) or Savoy shoes.  Although this is not a style of shoe I would usually choose, I think they look better than on their website and they are so comfortable to walk around in. I have quite a few red items of clothing and accessories in my wardrobe so I am glad that I did choose this style and in this colour.  Also, if anyone is interested, this pair (and many others!) is currently on sale on the Miss L Fire website!

Dress: Vintage from Etsy
Coat: Vintage from Vintage Fair
Bag: Vintage from eBay
Shoes: Gift from Miss L Fire!
Earrings: Vintage from Rhythm Riot trader
Bracelet: Vintage from Clobber Vintage
Brooch: Luxulite from Etsy

The Christmas Dress

Happy New Year!  My first post of the year reflects on what I wore on Christmas Day...

 

This dress arrived a few weeks before Christmas and it just made sense to wear it on Christmas Day with some red and white accessories.  I love the ivy embroidery around the neckline and cuffs.  Unfortunately it was a bit too big for me so since wearing this dress, I have actually sold it to someone else.  I have been quite ruthless in the last few months with some of my vintage items, ones that I know I am unlikely to wear again for whatever reason, I will try to sell on.

 



I am also wearing two petticoats with this dress!  A very full reproduction one with my less full vintage one on top.  I normally only wear the vintage one so it was very strange wearing such a full petticoat, I felt like I was going to knock things over wherever I went.

I am also wearing my new poinsettia hair clip from Rosie Alia Designs on Etsy, she has some great hair accessories in her shop.

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year :)

Dress: Vintage from Etsy
Shoes: Vintage (purchased so long ago)
Belt: Vintage from eBay
Hair clip: Rosie Alia Designs on Etsy
Bracelet: Vintage from Clobber Vintage, Bournemouth
Earrings: Vintage from Etsy

When in Bath...

... do as the Romans did and visit the Roman Baths!  And this is exactly what we did when we visited Bath back in October.  Bath is one of my favourite cities in the UK and I have blogged about it before. 

 

Here are some photos of my outfit before we set off.  I had gone for an early 1950s dress (which you can't really see as it is hidden) and jacket.  My favourite era is the mid 1950s - early 1960s but it was nice to go for an earlier look this time.  This dress was purchased on eBay for a bargain price, with the intention that I would wear it to work as it was so cheap.  But when it arrived, I really liked the pattern and decided it was "too nice" for my work.  This often is the case when I purchase vintage clothing for work.  As a result, I wear a mix of repro and vintage to work.

 



And here are some photos taken at the Roman Baths.  I have visited the Baths before but many years ago so it was nice to go again.  I always find it difficult to take outfit photos for this blog whilst I am out and about, as we often need to take a few with different poses and I do wonder what the other people around me must think!

Dress: Vintage from eBay
Jacket: Vintage from Blackout 2 in London
Bag: Vintage from eBay
Shoes: Office (but they have a great vintage style and are so comfortable!)
Earrings: Vintage from the Clerkenwell Fair

A taste of the good life

I am still trying to catch up with my outfits from the summer and this outfit was worn on a day spent in Bournemouth and Poole.

 

 

I purchased this Jonathan Logan dress on the Facebook group "Ooh La La."  Whilst I don't find a lot to purchase on this group, I do feel particularly pleased when I get a good bargain like this (£25!) from a UK seller.  Jonathan Logan is one of my favourite 1950s designers and there is a plethora of dresses on Etsy with this label.  I have a couple more Jonathan Logan dresses, which I aim to feature on this blog soon! 

 

 

This last photo was taken in Sandbanks -  the fourth most expensive place to live in the world!  It was lovely strolling around and taking a peek through the big gates of these mansions.

 

Dress: Vintage from OLL on Facebook

Shoes: Marks and Spencer

Bag: Vintage from eBay

Necklace: Vintage from Bows and Braces Vintage Fair

Earrings: Vintage from Clerkenwell Fair

Bracelet: Vintage from Rhythm Riot

Sunglasses: Vintage from Vera Mode (at the Midcentury Market)



Back when it was warm...

We have been blessed with some unseasonably warm weather as of late in England but this past week there has been a sudden drop in temperature!

These photos were taken a few weeks back when it was still warm enough to wear summer dresses and sandals.

 

 

I have had this early 1960s L'Aiglon dress for some time even though this is its first outing on the blog.  It's colours are perhaps more suited to Spring rather than Autumn.



 

I don't own many of these 1950s beaded cardigans but this one matches the dress pretty well. 

 

 

When I purchased this wicker bag, I never thought about pairing it with this dress but it matches the colours perfectly.  So much so that I think it was destined to be worn with this dress!  I now can't wait until next Summer when I can wear this dress (and bag) again.

 

 

Dress: Vintage from eBay

Bag: Vintage from eBay

Sunglasses: Vintage from Vera Mode on Etsy

Shoes: Next

Cardigan: Vintage from eBay

Bracelet: Vintage from eBay

Earrings: Vintage from Etsy

 

 

 

 





The dress that almost made it to Goodwood

In my last post, I showed you the outfit that I wore to the Goodwood Revival but that was not the outfit that I had planned to wear all along, this dress was the one I had wanted to wear...

I had originally planned to wear this dress with my straw tilt hat but the weather report suggested there might be some rain.  I am definitely one for wearing weather appropriate clothing and a straw hat with the possibility of rain did not sound like a good idea, which is why I made the change to my navy dress and hat.

I did not get to wear it to Goodwood this year but I am glad I got to wear it this Summer.  It has the perfect fit and works well with my white accessories.  Although black and white gingham is quite a popular print, I love how the white embroidery makes the dress a bit different.

I am always very happy to promote vintage shops that I have had good service from and this dress came from one of those shops - Cut + Paste on Etsy.  I bought another Jonathan Logan from this shop a few months ago (which is yet to feature on this blog but it will do some day!) and this dress has been my second purchase.


Dress: Vintage from Cut + Paste on Etsy
Belt: Vintage from eBay
Shoes: Vintage from many years ago!
Bag: Vintage from eBay
Necklace: Vintage from trader at Bows and Braces Vintage Fair
Earrings: Vintage from Etsy
Sunglasses: Vintage from Vera Mode Vintage

Goodwood Revival 2014

Last Sunday, my boyfriend and I attended the Goodwood Revival.  You may remember I blogged about the 2012 Revival here. 

As the weather looked like it was going to be somewhat unsettled for the Sunday, I decided not to wear the outfit that I had originally planned and went with a different outfit which you have already seen on this blog here.  So this post is more about the event rather than my outfit (although I did choose some different accessories to go with the dress this time!)

This year's event was bigger and better than 2012!!  As I didn't attend the 2013 event, I do not know if the changes made were present last year or were new to this year.  For instance, the "Over the Road" area was much bigger and they made more of a feature of the Car Show.  There were just so many cars that we didn't get to see all of them!

Pretty much my favourite car colour!

There was also a dedicated 1950s area this year (which I don't recall there being in 2012) which had hot rods, airstream food vendors and a stage with Rock 'n' Roll bands playing.  Despite our intentions to do some jiving during the day, we were just too tired from all the walking/ standing that we didn't get to do any!

I also managed to meet up with my friends Vicki and Nicky who went for the day.  Vicki runs the awesome vintage shop This is Vintage in Bournemouth.

When I went in 2012, the planes were behind the fence in the airfield but this year you could get up close and touch them!  This was definitely one of the highlights of the day!  You often see classic cars at events but you don't normally get to see these types of planes, so it was good to get some photos!

Another minty dream machine!

And as with 2012, I managed to get to the Best Dressed Finals but did not win...

You can see fellow Vintage blogger Alex from The Forties Floozy in front of me during the parade!

Photo taken from the Goodwood Revival website

Photo taken by Men's File photographer Matt Hind (my serious face is also my moody face!)

All in all, it was a great day out!  My legs hurt so much by the end of the day (I changed in to ballet flats at lunch time but even that didn't really help) - there is just so much walking around and not many places to sit down and relax!  You may also be surprised to hear that I did not even look at any vintage clothes shops!  There were a lot of vendors but I really couldn't be bothered to sift through racks of vintage when there was so much more to see and do.  My boyfriend also enjoyed his first Revival so I think we will probably go next year.

I would love to know if you went to this year's event or have been to previous events!