Life in glorious technicolour

How has your weekend been?

Good, I hope.

 

I managed to wangle a weekend featuring some of my favourite things;

 

 kids out having fun with their friends, a Chinese takeaway, wine, a jumble sale with friends, a vintage/secondhand market virtually at the end of my road, some sunshine, and the man is making tea so I can get this blog post done, hurray!

 

 

First up - some jumble joy from yesterday;

Top l-r;

padded coat-hangers (you can never have too many, can you, Clare?)

1970s St. Michael swimsuit

1970s St. Michael pink slip/nightie

huge wool blanket (instant nostalgia - reminds me so powerfully of my childhood)

Swallow print tie top

1970s leather shoulder bag

tablecloth

pomander (to add to my growing collection)

1970s curling tongs

1960s Midwinter bowls

 

 

1970 and 1973 calender tea towels.

(If these are anyone's birth years and you would like them, I'll happily wash and iron them and send them on to you!)

 

 Favourite finds of the day;

 

 

 

Groovy 1970s embroidered cat picture - weird and so wonderful.

 

Box of Tootal Chic handkerchiefs - 3 original hankies still with their stickers on, plus random others squashed inside the box too.

 

1950-60s Pixie vanity case and a wedding cake topper.

I remembered Loo's advice and took another spin past the bric-a-brac stall, checking underneath the tables, and spotted the vanity case. The man on the stall apologised for the fact there was no key - but it was hiding in the pocket all along! The case needs a good clean, but it makes up for my previous disappointment, immortalised in Melanie's Rumble in the Jumble cartoon (in my side bar.)

Is it fanciful to imagine that the wedding cake decoration and vanity case belonged to the same lady? 

 

I am no great fan of marriage, but I couldn't leave this charming couple behind, so 20p later, they were in my bag. They are sitting on a broken plastic base and I think they would originally have taken a sedate battery-operated spin around the top of the cake. 

Bruised and battered, paint peeling, but still arm in arm. I'd like to believe in the possibility of that.

Denim jacket, sequin beret, bangles and Office shoes - charity shopped

1970s maxi skirt - vintage fair

Planet t-shirt - jumble sale

Belt and necklace - retail (sale)

Brooch - flea market

So much fun - friendly chat with the stall holders, a post-jumble show-and-tell with my pals over a coffee, quirky treasures (there were also some tops for Eldest, a pair of boot stretchers, and paperbacks for the man), and all for under a tenner. 

 

That makes me happy.

Today, Littlest and I wandered back from her swimming lesson by way of a small vintage market, part of National Antiques Week. 

I loved this nest of tables, the annodised soda siphon and wooden ice bucket.

But I was very good and didn't buy anything...

...until I reached the Beads 4 Aid stall run by these two lovely ladies.

 

One of them said to me that I looked like someone who enjoys drama and colour; true enough, but only sartorially speaking!

 

They donate a percentage of their profits to a charity supporting Ugandan women who have suffered  injuries during childbirth.

Unusually for me, among all the bright colour, I chose this understated but oh-so-pretty silver and marcasite ring. It was labelled as 1980s, but I suspect it's a little earlier - maybe a 1970s homage to Thirties Art Deco style?

 

Orange and pink - Nature doesn't fear bright colours or fabulous clashing combinations, so why should I?

That's right, Charlie, I'm leaving the monochrome to you today.

 I've had a lovely weekend, I'm bright, I'm colourful, and I'm being visible over at Patti's for our usual Monday get-together!

 xxxx

Modelly

Perhaps Spring is finally here.

I walked to school this afternoon without a coat on!

 

 

All the better to show off this beautiful dress, which my dear friend Vanessa sent to me, along with assorted other goodies.

 

Green beads, a peacock brooch, handmade card, and two Woman's Weekly books.

The dress was one of Vanessa's own favourite frocks - it is time for it to start a new adventure, she wrote, and I am so happy she entrusted this fabulous 1970s dress to me, it fits me perfectly and I adore everything about it.

I did start the day with a jacket.

I like the fact that this outfit exists because of blogging.

 

 The dress and bag are gifts from bloggers, and the boots were bought with Vix at the legendary Second to None in Walsall, which I would never have visited if not for blogging.

 

I can't tell you how much this delights me!

Velvet jacket, necklaces and bangles - charity shopped

1970s midi dress - gift from sweetest squirrel Vanessa

1970s suede bag - gift from soon-to-be-mum Kelly

1980s boots - Second to None

Brooch - car boot

Sunglasses - vintage shop

In other news, the flea market proved interesting this week. No clothes, but all manner of other treasures came home with me.

I have been on the look out for a globe lamp for ages and finally found one; four early Ladybird books; and my first cardigan clips (the stall holder from whom I bought them seemed impressed that I knew what they were!)

Fabulous 1966 Boyfriend annual.

And these;

Magic lantern slides.

There was a little pile of six (they were tricky to photograph and 2 of the pics were unclear) and I just thought they were beautiful. 

 

No idea what to do with them... I wonder if they could be fixed in a frame somehow and displayed with a light behind them? Any suggestions? They are about 3" square. And how old do you think they might be?

Can I say again how much I love this frock?

 

(The greens in the print are actually quite vivid, the sunshine has bleached out the colours somewhat.)

Thank you, Vanessa, I'll treasure her.

 

 

Here you go, vintage label whores!

 

 

 

I'm all Modelly!

There are jumble sales and vintage markets to go to this weekend, the kids will be here, there and everywhere doing various activities with various friends, and there's a bottle of wine with my name on it in the fridge.

Hope you have fun this weekend!

xxxx

Nonsense and sensibility

The only time I read anything about fashion (trends and seasons and all that guff) is either on the occasional blog, or in the Guardian and Observer newspapers.

A cursory glance, usually accompanied by a snort and some eye-rolling, and that's as far as my interest takes me. Thankfully, I don't think anyone comes to this blog for cutting-edge fashion analysis or trend-spotting. 

 

You'd be sorely disappointed.

 

 

 

So I had a little chuckle to myself when I read in Saturday's Guardian magazine (read on Sunday because I am slow) that this season, black and white is trying to be fun.

 

 Just look what I was wearing at the time!

Get me - as on trend (just try and imagine the disdain with which I say those words and the accompanying facial expression) as you like.

 

Charlie and Min have no idea what all the fuss is about - they always rock black and white.

 

The dress was bought in a charity shop for £4.

  

It's easy enough to wear - no ironing required, pull on, add accessories, job's a good 'un.

But something about the shape brought out my inner Regency lady - and who knew I had one of them?

I'm ready for my reticule and poke bonnet now.

 

What do you mean, poke bonnets are soooo last season? 

 

 

 

 

 

It's good to know satirists poked (ha!) fun at fashion trends back then too.

 

 

 

 

Loving those turbans and feathers; and like me, they added a splash of red to relieve the monochrome monotony.

 

 

I'm the mistress of the cotillion and the quadrille, the belle(nd) of the ball.

 

 

Now throw your hands in the air, and wave 'em like you just don't care.

 

 

 

 

 

Those Jane Austen heroes don't really do it for me, although the women have a bit more spark about them. 

 

 

 

 

 

I always thought Elizabeth Bennett deserved better than sour-faced Mr Darcy, and Emma was in for a life of very proper behaviour but few laughs with Mr Knightley.

Yes, Fitzwilliam, the sun does shine out of your moody and magnificent arse, but when does the fun start?

I've been told black and white is supposed to be fun this season, darling.

 

 

Everything charity shopped (even my unseen bra), apart from a bangle from Miss Tania Freckleface, esteemed spinster of this parish.

 

 

I hope you all had a most ladylike and elegant weekend.

 

I will be joining Patti and the lovely ladies over at Visible Monday - you'll spot me, I'll be the one in black and white wearing a bonnet!

 

xxxx

 

Purple days

So I've got stuck on a colour again - please bear with me.

 

Friday's outfit.

 

 

This 1970s Co-op Crimplene skirt is such a favourite. I always feel good in it. 

 

Everyone needs an item of clothing like that, several/lots if you can find them. 

Hmm, I probably should be looking moody and angry for this shot, but Eldest was taking the photo and made me laugh.

I'm fighting really, just doing it with a smile on my face (for once).

1970s maxi skirt - vintage fair

Blouse, belt, necklace and bangles - charity shopped

Vest - flea market

Other bangles - gift from darling Tania

Bastard massive Cancerian pendant - gift from Catsuit Queen Vix

Had some success on the crockery front at the flea market this week.

The Midwinter jug and dish, and the 1960s Alfred Meakin lidded casserole dish were out of the 3-for-a-quid box on one of my favourite stalls on Chesterfield flea market. 

The brooch and other Meakin pot were £2 each.

I gasped when I saw the donkey in a charity shop, because I had the exact same fellow when I was a little girl. The sight of him evoked such a powerful wave of nostalgia, I had to bring his sweet tacky 1960s self home with me.

He probably dates from around this time - 1969. I was 5, my middle sister was 9.

My dress was pink and white gingham. And very short.

 

 

 

Today's purple.

1970s skirt (shortened by me) - Ebay

Tights, t-shirt, cardigan and belt - charity shopped

Necklace - retail (sale)

Sunglasses - vintage shop

Shoes - jumble sale

 

 

It's been a beautifully sunny day today. Everywhere looks better for a bit of sunshine, even this city.

 

 

 

 

That's Vulcan up there on top of Sheffield Town Hall.

 

We called in at City Hall to buy some tickets...

 

 

 

...and went for coffee.

I will do my best to wear something other than purple tomorrow, honest.

 

I hope you are having a lovely weekend.

xxxx

I spy...

...with my little eye, something beginning with "S".

A silk shift in the sunshine.

 

 

a sketch by the super-talented Anne at Spygirl - she has been kind enough to add me to her fabulous digital catwalk of blogging beauties;

 

and my dear blog friend Shelley sent me a splendid selection of gifts - a gorgeous beaded purse necklace and a colourful rustling taffeta confection of a maxi skirt. 

 

Thank you so much, Anne and Shelley - yet again, blogging has brought me into contact with such creative and generous people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had a few comments at school about this outfit - complimentary, yes, but along the lines of I could never wear all that bright colour. 

Why ever not?

 

 

The very windy conditions were far more of a challenge than the clothes!

1960s silk dress - gift from our poor injured darling Sarah

Lurex fishnet tights - gift from my favourite Panty Ho Vix

Belt - gift from Supermodel Tamera

Cardigan, shoes and belt - charity shopped

1980s sunglasses - vintage shop

Bangles and necklace - charity shopped, retail and gift from gorgeous Tania

Being upstaged by a beautiful cat - courtesy of Jessie

These amazing fishnets were a real surprise.  

 

They seemed tiny when I got them out of the packet and I thought they would reach about as far as my knees and no further. And that's never a good look...

 

Just shows you have to give things a go - they do fit, and they are wonderfully sparkly in the sun.

 

I'm a lurex Panty Ho!

 

 

And I know I am preaching to the choir here, but there's nothing like blogger friendships, sharing the vintage love, and some bright colour to warm the heart.

Neutrals?

 

Err, not today, thank you!

xxxx