My latest enamel pin in the Vintage Pin Club is based on the 1940s classic scales and mixing bowl; something that most fans of vintage have and use! I remember growing up with my grandma using the mixing bowls and they fill me with a sense of nostalgia and fondness for her as she is […] Read more…
100 Years of Fashion Illustration is a new book, published by Laurence King Publishing written by Cally Blackman. It is a fantastic reference for any vintage fashion fan, sharing 400 illustrations from the Edwardian era through to the noughties which highlight to the reader how fashions have changed over 100 years. We are used to […] Read more…
For many of us in the vintage world we know all about a vintage festival, and in fact go to them regularly. But for many, it is totally new and people can be unsure what to expect, what to wear and how to choose which one to go to! Here are just some reasons to […] Read more…
The Festival of Vintage is back next weekend at York Racecourse and I am so excited to share that I will be there on the Saturday. And not selling or just shopping (although I bet I will be definitely doing the latter!) but helping to write an article for Vintage Life magazine. I will be […] Read more…
I wrote this article for Vintage Life magazine many moons ago and it still feels relevant today. Don’t get me wrong, I love stores like IKEA especially some of their reproductions of their original designs form the 1950s and 1960s but there is just something wonderful about the craftmanship in vintage furniture. Time for a […] Read more…
Recently I was invited to the Fashion and Textile Museum in London to see their Riviera Style exhibition showcasing the history of swimwear. It is flippin’ ace in every way – from the Art Deco Lido design, the vintage posters everywhere, the layout and information to the actual swimwear itself. They have just extended it […] Read more…
Last weekend I bought this three tiered vintage cake tin by Johnson Bros. I haven’t seen a tiered cake tin with a 1960s flower power design on for a long time, as usually you see the 1930s/40s version by brands such as Tala. While the earlier ones are truly fabulous, they don’t quite match my kitchen. […] Read more…
As you may know I run the National Vintage Wedding Fair as well as the new venture, Unique Bride Club, focusing on providing all the vintage styling, dresses, music and more for your wedding day. Creating an elegant, vintage look has become, over the last few years, one of the most popular and increasingly common ways to […] Read more…
Last Saturday, we popped into Bedford to enjoy the cinema, Pizza Express but also to see a new exhibition called Nostalgia, featuring the photography of Jez Brown and styling of Sarah Dunn from Sarah’s Doo-Wop Dos. The model October Divine is the face of Nostalgia It is a stunning exhibition of 1930s inspired black and […] Read more…
I have admired the Freddies of Pinewood’s Grease Monkey denim jump suit for some time. To be honest, when gifted a pair last year I didn’t feel confident to wear them. Silly really, as let’s face it, women of all shapes and sizes look great in their vintage style Freddies jeans. They are super flattering, […] Read more…
I love Instagram, I literally cannot stop looking at the wonderful photos that vintage loving people have taken all over the world. On one of my regular visits, a beautiful, colourful home caught my eye and I knew in an instant that I wanted to share it with you all. What is interesting about this […] Read more…
Recently we were sent a new book to read called Fashion in the 1940s, written by Jayne Shrimpton and published by Osprey.It takes the reader through all the fashions of the time, from wartime utility styles to the New Look designed by Christian Dior. You can clearly see how fashions evolved in a time of […] Read more…
Back in the 1940s and 50s, Americans knew how to wear jeans. To be fair they probably still do, but at a time when we were still living through austerity, the US wore their jeans with style. They wore them high, the wore them turned up, they wore them dark and they wore them wide. […] Read more…
To celebrate Royal Ascot this week today we are sharing some of our favourite vintage hats available to buy on Etsy right now. Click on the links to find out more 1. Rosebud pink veil 2. Snood pattern 3. Turquoise ruffle hat 4. Lemon raffia hat 5. Green sisal hat 6. Coral sisal hat 7. […] Read more…
Fancy being voted as Miss or Mr Vintage UK? Now in its 13th year, Twinwood Festival is the original and best festival celebrating the style and music of the 1930s, 40s and 50s. And this year, for the very first time, they are looking for the most stylish vintage guy or gal in the UK. […] Read more…
Although grouped under the banner of ‘vintage,’ lingerie styles changed considerably between the 1920’s and the 1950’s. In the 1920’s it was the flapper style; in the 30’s art deco reigned supreme; by the 40’s cotton satin and silk were the preferred materials and in the late 40’s nylon was the new kid on the […] Read more…
“In the 1940s china production in the UK continued but anything ornate was exported abroad. If anyone bought these styles they were usually factory seconds. Utility tableware was plain, nicely glazed, came in pretty pastel colours and was the choice of millions of Brits. Woods Ware made the classic pale green Beryl which was the […] Read more…
We love our vintage kitchenette that stands alongside our modern fitted kitchen. We think it’s from the 1930s due to its curved edges and patterns within the frosted glass. We use it as a bake station and store all baking kitchenalia in it. It is crammed full of 1940s things as well as items from […] Read more…
It feels like everyone is finally realising how suave and sexy fashion actually was in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Women embraced their feminine charm and curvaceous bodies, and now the modern woman is starting to appreciate classic dresses that accentuate a her hips and thighs. They love wearing stunning hats that can’t help but attract positive attention. […] Read more…
“Enamel kitchenware has been around since the 1700s but it wasn’t until the 1930s that it actually became fashionable. The inter war housewife loved it for it’s easy to clean, non-porous finish as well as its chic new look. As it came in a variety of bright colours such as terracotta, green, blue and white […] Read more…
I’m sure everyone loves Ladybird books and that they remind us all of our childhoods. Learning to read with Peter and Jane in the 1970s was the norm, as well as discovering new lessons such as nature studies, how our bodies work and about the kings and queens in our history. The first book was […] Read more…
In today’s blog we are very excited to introduce you to a new range of vintage inspired dresses called the Fabulous Miss K. They are simply beautiful and have a 1940s glamour to them. The range is made here in the UK by Karen James-Welton. We met up with her to find out more about […] Read more…
Boy has this week been a busy one! Yes, I know I say this most weeks but I can genuinely say I am shattered after last week! Last Friday we set up Twinwood festival and then rushed back to celebrate a family members 40th birthday. We missed night one of the festival but it was such […] Read more…
Happy Halloween my vintage readers! My children are spending the whole day in costumes, their aim is to scare everyone from the postman to the lady in the post office when we post the parcels! I will go off spooking with them..in the mean time here are some great vintage Halloween images. Lets start with […] Read more…
Our latest interview in the series called “My Favourite Era” is with Gemma, the lady behind the successful blog, Retro Chick. We have been reading this blog for what seems like forever and have long since admired her mix of vintage fashion with her love of getting a bargain, as well as all the other […] Read more…
Today was a fab day! The whole family downed tools and went out for the day (literally…Mr YVL put down his spade and I closed the laptop). We went to Milton Keynes museum who are hosting a 1940s weekend today and tomorrow. Read all about it on our sister site here. Not only was it […] Read more…
