Vintage Is Driving Me Up The Walls

Not really! Well, it's driving me to look at wallpaper...not quite the same. I've just bought a set of old wooden drawers that I intend to decorate in vintage or vintage influenced wallpaper. It's all well and good painting old wood, but papering them will make even more of a statement! But of course, you can stick the stuff on your walls too...

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I've tried to find an array of styles to suit all tastes and budgets, but if you think I've missed something really special then please share a link to it below! I'm a fan of a statement wall in a living room or bedroom, but sadly, I'm renting and I have little to no decorative control. Boo and hiss.

eBay is a great place for bargains, so if you're on a budget I would head over here. This print is available in three colours and only £8.99 a roll, nifty.

Not On The High Street is home to a tonne of kitsch wallpapers. This 50s housewife monochrome print is kooky cool. Also comes in a whole range of products and home furnishings.

Going subtle and traditional? Laura Ashley is fabulous. The sale is still currently on so many of the prints are under £16 a roll. This is my favourite print and it is produced in a range of colours. 

Wallpaper Direct is crammed full of wallpaper, as you would expect by the name. In the same vein as the previous Laura Ashley print this dusky pink is a great alternative to the brighter florals that are everywhere at the moment. Having said that, I love this clashing pink and yellow floral design too!

The Vintage Galaxy is a new find for me! Boy oh boy, it's a find. Genuine unused rolls of wallpaper from the 50s onwards. This childrens' bedroom paper is so cute and to say it's decades old is only £25 per roll, definitely worth it.

Cath Kidston are the obvious go to for kitsch patterns and this circus print is no different. For kids bedrooms and grown ups rooms alike! £25 per roll.

William Morris is THE name in wallpaper design. A classic designer who won't suit all tastes, in fact it took a lot of umming and ahhing for me to decide on a pattern I wanted to share with you, but since I'm a sucker for birds, it had to be "trellis" at £49.95 per roll. 

Sticking with the famous names, Orla Kiely at John Lewis echoes the 70s with this famous print. Great for a feature wall and available in a range of different colours. £49 per roll. 

If you're not in the decorating mood, maybe you don't have time well pop on over to

 Not On The High Street where you'll be astounded at just how many wall stickers there are! My goodness I struggled to whittle it down to just three examples for you. Some are not quite as...stylish as others (!) but they're a much more affordable way of creating a statement in your home. 

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Do you have any incredible wallpapered walls to share with us? Gimme! pop an e-mail to blog@thevintagefair.com or leave a comment on our facebook or below. What can I say, I'm just nosey!

Love Gina x

Bésame Cosmetics Giveaway: Part 2

I'm feeling generous today dears, I was going to save this giveaway for another time but what the hell, you deserve it. Special thanks goes out to the ever growing number of followers and wonderful comments on this blog and all the different posts, we really appreciate it! 

So then! We've already told you all about Bésame Cosmetics in our previous giveaway, but just in case you missed out on that one, here is a bit of info on the vintage inspired cosmetics company. "Besame Cosmetics was a culmination of the passion for design and desire to create an original cosmetic with details and formulas that make women feel glamorous and unique. Bésame are also used by some of our vintage hair and make-up salons including The Vintage Hair Lounge."

The Giveaway!

Now you're up to speed, let's get onto the best bit. This time around we have a very indulgent product to give away. The Brightening Violet Powder is a translucent face powder that gently illuminates the complexion giving a lifted appearance. It suits any skin tone and can be worn alone or over foundation or on targeted areas such as tired looking eyes. 

 "How do I get my hands on this fabulous product?!" I hear you cry. You have two chances to enter...

1) Follow this blog and comment below.

2) Share the blog post link on Facebook from any of our pages, main page or individual pages. 

This giveaway ends on the 29th January (next Wednesday) and is open to UK residents only. 

Good luck ladies (or boys, this would make a splendid Valentines' day present!)

Gina xx

Get Your Skates On

The snow may have left the likes of me stranded at home with blankets and endless cups of tea (woe is me) but those of you who have waded your way into work like a trooper, bravo!

It didn't take long for me to hear "back in my day school didn't close blah blah blah" but it got me thinking about all the pretty retro snow outfits from "back in the day". Ice skating and skiing has never looked so fashionable than during the 1940s and 50s. We must be thankful for the birth of the skater dress, it has never left the high street and has become a wardrobe staple. Nipping in at the waist and flaring out over the hips, it flatters pretty much every body shape out there.

I could have browsed vintage snow photos for hours, everything seemed so much more glamorous, even winter sports! Chaps skiing in shirts and ties, ladies frolicking in fur, splendid stuff. I've narrowed it down to this bunch of retro snaps to share with you.

If you are a vintage purist then I advise heading to Etsy where you can find America's best vintage, especially rare and beautiful dresses from the 50s and earlier. I found this gorgeous ice skater dress with mink sleeve cuffs and I'm so sorry to say it has been snapped up! But it's so stunning I have to share it with you. Swoon. Etsy is also a fantastic place to buy vintage sewing and knitting patterns, the skater style is quite common so grab an original pattern for your very own original skater dress! 

  

Over the years the basic skater shape has not faded out of fashion and can be found in a range of fabrics and patterns with with various lengths, sleeves and necklines to suit every body shape. The original super short flippy circle skirt used in figure skating dresses seen in the example above has (thankfully) lengthened over time making a more practical, wearable dress. I've picked out four very different dresses for you to nosey at...

Black 80s skater style dress from Hoy Boutique

"The Figure Skater Dress" for the very brave from American Apparel

A gorgeous velvet, low scoop back example with a print that's out of this world at Urban Outfitters

More of a swing shape, flaring at the bust in a very modern print from Oh My Love at ASOS

Love

Gina 

x

The Beauty of the 1920s: Louise Brooks

Today I found some film online that I simply had to share with you. It is some of the "earliest colour film you will ever see" from 1922. I'm not going to say anymore, you just have to watch it.

Incredible...right?

Ever since watching this film I've been going mad for 1920s photography and the beautiful models, bodies, prop and fashion styling.  Who better to put the spotlight on than the face of the roaring 20s, Louise Brooks, the woman who made the bob haircut infamous. Brooks was American born in 1906, seventeen silent films and eight sound films later she retired in 1935 and despite her short lived acting career, she made a huge impression.

Then how is it that Lulu, as she called herself, and her unsuccessful acting career become the face of the roaring twenties? During the next few years she began writing about film and making some close friends in the process, whether this part of her life mixed with her other work as a courtesan is unknown. Then during the 20th century, various Louise Brooks 'revivals' occurred, historian Henri Langlois even declared "There is no Garbo, there is no Dietrich, there is only Louise Brooks!" And therefore it's fair to say her career, image and life are firmly planted in the "icons" box despite a large amount of her films having been declared as lost.

 Louise Brooks developed a reputation for being sexually adventurous, and apparently had a one night fling with Greta Garbo, who she described as being a "tender lover"! Well, despite her decisions to occasionally bat for the other team, she later said that none of her lesbian affairs meant anything to her. And while searching for some Brooks footage to show you, I found this scene from the 1929 silent film Pandora's Box where she dances with a female co star while seductively watching a young man in the corner of the room. Quite possibly one of the very first portrayals of bisexuality in cinematic history? I'll let you ponder that one. But definitely fitting for what we've just learned about Brooks personal life.

A very interesting woman all in all, sadly she died of a heart attack aged 78 but you can find out more about her Hollywood life in her book Lulu in Hollywood and one of her rare interviews in the documentary Looking For Lulu. And let's be honest, we just want to look at some pretty pictures don't we? So I'll leave you with more gorgeous images of this beautiful woman.

Gina 

x

The Russian Cossack Hat

We're lucky to do quite a lot of people watching at The Vintage Fair, cooing over all of your fabulous outfits and being nosey, wanting to know what you've snapped up! Call me a vintage magpie. One accessory that just kept coming to fair after fair was the big Russian inspired furry hat. The first thing I think of when I think of the Cossack hat is Julie Christie in Doctor Zhivago, ultimate winter elegance and glamour.

With Keira Knightley making waves in the film Anna Karenina in the Autumn of 2012, cossack hat sales shot up on the British High Street according to this little Guardian article. And looking at the screen shot below, it's easy to see why. The Russian influence can be felt elsewhere in the fashion world this Winter, but this hat is simply everywhere.

Emma Elwick-Bates, market editor at Vogue, said Elizabeth Taylor and 60s model Penelope Tree also favoured the look. "It might not be the kind of thing you will buy and wear a lot but when the temperature plummets, it adds immediate glamour to your winter wardrobe,"

This style of hat certainly didn't escape the AW/12 catwalks and Alice Temperley really stood out for me, well, it is absolutely huge! And of course, the FROW wouldn't dare be seen wearing anything but the absolute height of fashion (darling). The fashion week regulars Poppy Delevingne and stylist Caroline Sieber are seen at Chanel's show looking very stylish and incredible warm!

But its' you guys who influenced this blog post, not the aforementioned FROW! Let's have a look at my gorgeous vintage fair punters who are rocking this look and keeping their ears toasty.

So where can you find your next favourite accessory? Well our fairs are a good start! I picked up a sheepskin beauty from one of our traders and I absolutely adore it, it is the warmest thing ever too! But if you don't get quite as lucky as me, then the high street is a great place to start...

Cream Fluffy Cossack ASOS

Brown Cossack ASOS

Black Earmuffs Topshop

Leopard Print Raven Vintage

Burgundy Cossack Miss Selfridge

Wolf Faux Fur River Island

Dead Men's Spex

I'm sat writing this blog post in my favourite glasses. They are vintage tortoiseshell cat eye frames with my prescription in the lenses. It took me an age to find a pair of glasses I felt comfortable wearing on a night out but these are a statement pair of specs and they match my style perfectly. Matched with a bold lipstick, I never feel like the classroom four eyes or the ugly duckling like I have done in the past.  And these frames are from Dead Men's Spex . I am always telling people where my frames are from, so now I'm telling you all! We got in touch with Darren at Dead Men's Spex to aska  few questions about vintage eye wear...

                                                     

How did it all begin?

As with all good stories it started with a dream. The dream was to be able to run my own business out of the main stream of optics (I had managed opticians for over 15 years) but still using the skills and experience that I had gained. I have always loved the craftsmanship of old spectacle frames and collected them for myself. About 10 years ago I started selling those that were surplus to my own collection on eBay and Dead Men's Spex was born. We moved to North Norfolk 6 years ago and I took the fulltime plunge and Dead Men's Spex has settled in country life and gone from strength to strength with it's own website and a presence at local and national shows. We have a growing stock of 4000 plus frames at any one time much to Claire's (my wife) unperturbed resignation - "it was an impulse purchase" has become my clarion call as I try to hide another box of frames! .

Why not go out and buy vintage repro frames on the high street?

There is a world of difference between true vintage eyewear and repro frames. The major difference is the quality of materials. Most pre 1970s frames are hand cut from slab acetate or shaped from rolled gold or gold fill wire. Unlike injection molded modern plastic frames and plated metal frames, vintage frames hold there colour and luster far better and with gold fill you get real gold running through the frame that doesn't rub off like modern plating can. And while we're on the quality high horse, vintage frames have properly engineered joints that can be re-pinned and and changed if a problem arises. So it comes down to quality and superior design. Why buy repro when you can get the original for cheaper in most cases?

Have you found any frames that became your favorite or they you couldn't quite let go? Or any ridiculous ones?

Yes I still maintain my own collection of frames that range from the late 18th century through to the late 20th. I have early Georgian silver frames that will never be sold including Martin's Margins  right through to whacky 1950's cocktail frames. Usually it's the rarity of a frame that attracts me along with classic styling.

(Diary Of A Vintage Girl aka Fleurre De Guerre did a shoot with Darren's private collection, oh my goodness it's definitely worth checking out that blog post, so click here!!)



Where can we find you?

On the web at www.deadmensspex.com or at one of the shows we attend - listed on the events page of our website when they are confirmed.

There are plenty of frames for both ladies and gents so go and have a little lookyloo folks! 

Gina x

PS. Here are my frames just so you can see them in real life wearable action

It's A Brand New Year

Happy New Year to one and all! We've had a tremendous break over the holidays at The Vintage Fair, but it's back to business with our first fair of the season on 26th January at Sheffield Town Hall. And if, like me, the High Street sales have let you down this year then you're in luck! Because our first fair in Sheffield is a sale special! Vintage bargains as far as the eye can see, I can't wait!


So while we are feeling thrifty, I've gathered the best vintage and kooky sale bargains that are still out there online for you to snap up! My Top Ten starts with the forward thinking sale shopper, it'll be warmer before you know it and don't forget, It's Always Summer Somewhere.

 White Crochet angel sleeve dress/tunic from Bang Bang. Now is the time to bag style statements for S/S13, when they're on sale! Add a big tan floppy hat and tribal flats for a 70s boho look. Oh and at 40% off? Lovely.

 A site with an interesting selection of vintage, Lovely's Vintage Emporium brings us a tritone 70s suede skirt. It may not be to everyone's taste, but the styling really caught my eye, I love the autumnal colours, and I doubt they'll disappear from next season either.  Down from £79 to £20.

Tatty Devine are a firm fave! I adore this Parakeet necklace, it's only the medium sized one but it's definitely still a statement piece down from £60 to £40. The sale has a tonne of great perspex jewelry so I suggest you go and have an online rummage. 

It's still bloody freezing. So grab a cape! We love capes at The Vintage Fair and this full length neutral one will see you into those chilly Spring days and at £33 (was £65) Rokit have a winner.

Classic print, classic shape. Sales are the time to invest in pieces that won't date as well as to buy those crazier numbers at a more affordable price. Vi Nouveau have this polka dot dress on sale at £18 (was £24). Can't argue with that. 

So I mentioned "crazier numbers" and it's this sort of thing from Topshop that I'm talking about! Persoanlly loving the red version of this feather capelet, and at £15 I love it even more. I wouldn't be caught paying £45  for such a whimsy but at the sale price I could definitely be persuaded...

Agent Provocateur stockings for £10 anybody? I know right?

J Crew are a label known for simplicity in their cuts and colouring. This shirt dress would be at home in any rockabilly, 40s or hippy girl's wardrobe. Now, it still rolls in at £95 but thats nearly half price! Originally it was £190, call it an investment.

Collectif are my absolute favourite repro brand. I've been after a leopard print fur coat for quite some time and this is perfect. It's a fairly small discount, from £90 down to £70 but once again, an investment for any vintage vixen. And it's started snowing so get caught in the bad weather looking glam!

If you're more of a grungy vintage lover but can't stand the fusty vintage grandad jumpers then hop to the Urban Outfitters sale. Over there this Owl beauty is on sale at £20 alongside a load of other similar retro inspired pieces of knitwear. But let's face it, owls aren't going anywhere.

Did you get any vintage bargains over the festive sale season? If so, send us a pic! We love to hear from you. And you lot based in South Yorkshire, see you in Sheffield on Janury 26th! xxx

Gina x