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 :)

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 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?!

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?

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.

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.

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!

Vintage gold leather frame handbag with matching mirror and purse

More new stock! Wow, I'm on fire this week! :)

Lovely vintage evening handbag in soft gold leather. It has a matching coin purse and a mirror, which is original.
On sale now for $18! Bargainaous! Click here to buy it.

New stock! Beautiful 80s belt

New stock! Finally!

A small string of accessories will be put up over the next week and here's the first item, a lovely 80s belt. It's navy and beautiful. I wish it fitted me, but it's too small :( I hope someone out there fits it and can enjoy it! A bargain at $18.
Look at it here and the rest of it my shop here!

Brogues and braces

I was feeling inspired by Kleidsam yesterday when I got dressed and so I whipped out my brogues and men's trousers and wore one of my favourite looks 'girls in classic men's clothing.' You can just about see the braces too, which I'd not worn before. I love them! So pleased I finally wore them.

At my mother's house, with a suitable back drop for brogues and braces.

1950s dress with incredible strip skirt

Photo from MyVintageVogue.com
This dress is incredible. It looks so modern yet it's old. Does anyone know anything more about it? It reminds me of Prada Autumn/Winter 2009.
Photo from Style.com
I think the idea would lend itself very easily to a DIY project. You could even just buy a leather pencil skirt and slice it up. Simple.