Birthday celebrations!

To celebrate my birthday this year I am forgoing drinks for ice-cream. Super childish, age-denying ice-cream. I'm talking knickerbocker glories.

At the seriously swish, rather retro ice-cream parlour at Fortnum and Mason.

I am going to wear a dress that makes me feel like Grayson Perry and possibly even ankle socks.

ps - no vintage as generally they're all too close fitting for the amount of ice-cream I plan to consume

It's my birthday!

It's my birthday today! Yay! Happy Birthday me!

I would like this please! Or a frosted brownie from Hummingbird Bakery. Since I work about 5 minutes away from the Soho branch, I know what's going to be on my plate at lunchtime... ;)

And no, don't ask how old I am!

More images from the vintage fashion photo shoot!

Here's another image from the photo shoot, this time taken outdoors.

The dress actually belongs to my friend Charly, I gave her it for Christmas and she kindly lent it back to me for the shoot. Doesn't it look good? I'll put some photos up of Charly in it too when we went to the Grand Vintage Ball at the Rivoli Ballroom last year.

The photographer was Ray Morris-Hill and the model was Rai Quartley.

ps the bag's for sale too, it's on eBay here

pps - the Grand Vintage Ball is happening again! 8th May at the Rivoli Ballroom! Ooh, I want a ticket! More info here, under What We Do.

ppps - and there are a few other things ending on eBay today, check them out! :)

New stock: vintage shirt - silk, Italian and handmade

I love this shirt. It's so beautiful. I'd keep it but I just don't need things this smart in my wardrobe any more.

The colours are perfect for this spring, totally on trend for the Celine shades of beige, camel and taupe trend beloved by Garance Dore et al. I think it would look great over capris with a pair of big heels. A vintage twist on the trend of the season.

I found the shirt in Glasgow and the girl I bought it from got it in Italy. It's handmade, or at least at hand finished and is silk. I think it could be as early as 1940s.

Happy bidding! Here's all the other stock available at the moment too.

ps - even my photo looks like Celine!

New stock: super sweet summer vintage dress

This vintage dress is so lovely! I found it in South London earlier this year. It's around 1950s or 1960s. It's a white knit fabric, with contrasting pale cornflower blue strips and a belt. It has a matching cardigan/jacket, which makes it very useful. The hem has been turned up too, so if you're tall, there's another few inches it could be let down (I'm 5' 5").

On sale now on eBay! Happy bidding :)

Blogs of interest: The Girl Can't Help It Vintage Blog

I prefer to put blogs up here that are starting out but I couldn't resist 'The Girl Can't Help It Vintage Blog.' Along side posts about vintage, there are some brilliant random finds. For example, check out handerpants...

Yup, that's handwarmers made to look like y-fronts. I kid you not. I think they might actually be real, they have a website and everything.

Full of treats like that!

The great stocking debate

I admit it, I am a dedicated wearer of stockings at every opportunity.

In vintage clothing this presents no problem. But the reality is that I don't wear vintage daily and modern clothes reveal stockings/suspender belts much more easily. I spent all of yesterday terribly conscious that when the wind blew it revealed the outlines of my suspender belt.

Solution: Henry Holland for Pretty Polly. These are GENIUS. Ok, so I'm about 6 months late but I got pair of last seasons' Super Suspenders and the look like stockings but are dark tights! (That's the other problem with stockings, ever tried finding a pair thicker than 15 denier?!)

Problem: this seasons are much lower and potentially more visable under skirts. Great, if that's your look, not so great for the vintage lover.

Why didn't I buy more pairs at the time they were out?!

This seasons are available at lots of retailiers, including ASOS.

More vintage accessories!

A lovely vintage handbag from the 1960s and a beautiful 1980s vintage belt.

I found them in South London this year. The bag is in very good nick and is a nice size, big enough to be useful (measurements are on the listing.) The belt is brilliant and if it was bigger, I'd be keeping it!

And here's a link to my other stock, more is being transferred from Etsy this week, as part of the ongoing Etsy/eBay.

More images from the vintage fashion photo shoot

Here's Rai wearing one of my favourite dresses, the 'Ike Dress.' I adore this dress - it's from my personal collection - but I've only worn it once as it's rather delicate. We went with a rather pin-up feel for this shot, with the little sailor hat too.

It's American (obviously) on printed cotton. I'm not 100% sure about the age, I feel 1950s.

The model was Rai Quartley and the photographer was Ray Morris-Hill.

Shoe storage ideas

Loving these shoe storage ideas from one of my favourite blogs! I have soooo many shoes... they regularly spill out from under my bed in an attempt to take over my room!

I like the idea of displaying them on the wall. They certainly deserve it! Maybe just my favourite pairs on artfully arranged on a shelf with a vintage handbag or two? And a beautiful cut glass perfume bottle? I can dream ;)

Do you have many shoes? How many do you have? From memory, I've counted 32... how many is too many?!

ps - and none of them are vintage shoes, do you know how hard it is to find large vintage shoes?!

And a few vintage accessories...

Here's the final few things that are already up and listed on eBay that finish on Monday. The vintage handbag is a little hard to date but it's around the 1960s I think. The vintage headband is much easier - clearly the 80s! Both are really fun! I hope whoever ends up with them enjoys using them.

Oh, and this shirt too! I nearly forgot it! :)

And here's the remainder of my stock :)

Fabulous vintage 70s maxi dress

I love this dress and am slightly surprised it hasn't sold earlier. It's really lovely, a gentle cream colour, full length with slightly puffed sleeves and a high neck. Definitely 70s, it's a cracker of a vintage dress! Here it is on eBay, happy bidding!

And here's my other stock, if should wish to peruse it too!

Awesome vintage jackets

Lots of stock on eBay at the moment. Here are a few of the jackets. Most of the auctions are ending on Monday but more stock is being put up today...

First images from the photo shoot...

One of the reasons this week has been quiet on the blogging front is that I have been working on my first ever proper photo shoot!

Just for the photographers' and model's portfolios, we were able to have a lot of fun. I provided the vintage dresses and the styling, such as there was.

Here's the first image, as yet untouched, but looking great! I just love this dress.

Taken by Ray Morris-Hill, his website's got more of his work on. More photos to follow!

Blogs of interest: Small Town Vintage

I often find vintage blogs can be a bit twee (hence the black background for my blog!) but I think Small Town Vintage has got a great balance. Not overly about vintage fashion itself, although the owner has an etsy shop, it has a nice selection of vintage things, food and her pets.

How cute is the picture! So spring like! And finally, apt for London! Woop woop!

And don't forget to check out my stock on eBay, there's lots of bargains to be had!

how I feel today

How I feel today (for no real reason)

What might solve this (yup, that's the world's largest Easter egg!)

And, I have to prepare for the first ever photo shoot I'm styling for! Excited but nervous! Anyone got any tips?

And they're off!

So, the election has been announced and the fashion race is on! SamCam v. Saran Brown. My money's on the Cams to win the war but Sarah Brown to fight a strong resistance. Just think of the Osman Yousefzada gown at the Elle Style Awards. One thing's for certain, it's going to make entertaining spectator sport!

Photo from The Daily Mail.

The great eBay trial

Given that the majority of people reading this blog are British, I thought I'd try selling via eBay for a while, as Etsy just doesn't have the reputation yet in the UK.

So, I've transferred a selection of items to eBay (by hand I might add, what a fun Easter Monday!)

Now I shall watch with bated breath to see if more is sold this way...

Happy Easter lovely readers!

My stylish family - real vintage fashion

Inspired by the Sartorialist's vintage fashion photo series and My Mom, The Style Icon I thought I'd post a picture of my family.

Here's my grandfather, grandmother, aunt and mother (she's the youngest) walking along the prom in St Helier, Jersey in 1961. Look how swaggeringly cool my grandfather is! And glamorous my grandmother is. And how cute my aunt and mum are? Just look at those white ankle socks. And the handbag my mum is toting. It was the start of a life long love affair.

Vintage fashion from real life not fashion photographs.

Have you got any photos you like submitted? I might do a little series. The other side of my family deserves an airing too!

New stock: Vintage headband 80s velvet

boy und schwester vintage brings you this fab vintage velvet 80s headband. You can't help but love it! It makes me smile every time I see it. And, it's only $10/£5. What more could you ask? :)

Available on boy und schwester's etsy shop here. And don't forget to check out our other stock! :)

What I'm wearing: Walter Sickert colours

I posted last week about Walter Sickert's use of colour and here's an outfit inspired by his palette. The eagle eyed amongst you will recognise the necklace - I changed the cord for the ribbon to inject more colour.

Dress from H&M

Necklace Accessorize with ribbon from MacCulloch & Wallis

Tights M&S

Shoes Zara

I really want some teal and green-y greys to take this further. But I must resist, it's been an expensive month!

Under the weather :(

I've been day dreaming about wearing some of my vintage dresses this week and I wish I looked like this today (another favourite Walter Sickert painting)

but in reality I am wearing old jeans and my brother's jumper and am developing a deep and meaningful relationship with my Kleenex.

New stock: beautiful summer vintage dress

What a gorgeous dress brought to you by boy und schwester vintage clothing! I found this little gem in South London a few weeks ago. It's in very good condition with no staining. It's white knit fabric with a gorgeous cornflower blue stripe running through it. There's a matching cardigan that's very cute and makes it very versatile. It's mid 1950s but is still a bargaineous $50/£25!

On sale here, at boy und schwester's vintage clothing shop on Etsy.

Blogs of interest: My Mom, the Style Icon

Every now and again I come across a blog which makes me realise just how awesome they can be! On My Mom, the Style Icon readers submit images of their mums looking stylish. It's vintage fashion heaven! I can get lost in it for hours. Enjoy!

My current favourite - what a perfect photo.

It reminds me of the competition the Sartorialist is running to submit old photos of your family and he'll publish the best. Give it a go! Details under the Celine Book Contest post of 24 March, can't link to it directly, sorry.

Inspiration: Walter Sickert's Venetian palette

Are you finding the weather hard to dress for too? I have this huge sense of spring coming. I want to wear bright colours, light fabrics and be outside but the weather swings from sunny to overcast to rainy to cold to sticky at the drop of the hat.

I'm finding solace in the colour palette transition. Beautiful tones of grey, blue and green but mixed with shots of gold and yellow. I love Walter Sickert's work, I hope you find his colouring inspiring too!

Photos from The Telegraph, Country Life and The Independent.

Etsy: the Etsy edit and random search terms

Because the fine people of the UK are less familiar with the wonderfulness that is Etsy, I thought I'd do a series of posts on them to introduce it.

Etsy is a hand-made, vintage and supplies version of Ebay. It's based in America, hence all the prices are in $ but you can buy from the UK easily.

One of my favourite Etsy activities is 'the random search term browse.' For example, today I was eating raisins so I entered raisin and here is a selection of the incredibly, randomly brilliant stuff I found on Etsy...

Here's an American artist's amusing yet serious comment on the current situation of farmers in the US. On sale here.

Or how about a vintage 1940s raisin bran cereal box? Yup, a vintage cereal box. You gotta love the dedication.
This has to be a winner... a Sun-Maid raisins light switch cover!

And that's the genius of Etsy!

New stock: lovely cream handbag

I do like this handbag. Sometimes you find small treasures where you least except them! I found this beauty in South London a few weeks ago. It's listed for $25 - that's about £12.50, so a bargain for a piece of late 1950s-1960s loveliness!

The rest of my stock can be seen here.

Vintage fashion dichotomy

When I wear vintage clothing I am torn between two looks.

1. Bettie Page
Photo from moviestill.

2. Icy, covered up, composure.
Photo from My Vintage Vogue.

Resolution: it's all about what's underneath. Bettie has the answer for everything.
Photo from Threadless Tees.

ps - the film, The Notorious Betty Page, is brilliant. Full of the most amazing outfits, watch it!

Blogs of interest: Klswan

So my very stylish and lovely flatmate Katie has just started her own blog, reviewing films. We're very 21st century and social media aware here!

It's a great blog and has round ups of films being released soon and reviews. Have a look!

And since I write a fashion blog, here she is, surprised this morning on her way to work! Katie would win the Olympic gold medal for stylish layering. And here's a great example.

Hotty McTotty spotting!

I really don't think my 100 or so Twitter followers were excited enough about the fact the I saw David Gandy in the street on Monday.

Then I realised the name might not mean much so I thought I'd post a picture of him. He is the Dolce & Gabbana model.
Ok, I just could not resist posting this.

And to top it off, on Tuesday, the day after I saw Hotty McTotty number 1, I saw Hotty McTotty number 2, Dominic West in Soho! Dominic West of The Wire, 300 and The Devil's Whore. I am a lucky (and very happy) woman.

Oh, and they are both as attractive in real life.