A Vintage Affair

I have just finished reading  A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff and simply had to share it with you!  A dear friend of mine gave me the book the other week, having told me that I must read it for so long; little did I know that it would take me right into the heart of vintage clothes trading and reveal so many behind-the scenes-secrets in this fascinating world!

The pretty pink cover of the book led me to believe that it would be another easy read, aimed at fashion loving ladies, but the story line has so many side-lines that positively surprised me, and enticed me from the first few pages.  It dives into the horrors of World War II and it deals with coping after losing a dear friend – it then so beautifully weaves all of this into the world of vintage fashion.

It so lovingly tells us the stories of these beautiful pieces of clothing – something that I can really relate to, at least when it comes to jewellery, and it takes us along on the journeys where they then bring joy to new generations.  It also gives us an exciting sneak peek into the world of auctions and vintage markets, when our heroine travels around to buy her stock.

So if you are interested in vintage fashion I am sure that you will enjoy the book very much.  As you know I usually focus on vintage jewellery but this has definitely awoken my interest also in vintage clothes, so I might very well find myself browsing a few shops this weekend…!

The fantastic Future Folklore

You might remember the post about Brighton the other day?  Well are a few of the photos that I took for the Voutique website of the Future Folklore collection.

Who would have know that photographing vintage pieces could be so much fun!?

Trained as a silversmith the wonderful designer Iona designs these amazing pieces, combining vintage and contemporary styles

The colours that she uses are so eye-catching and once you start admiring one piece you will find more and more fascinating little details on the jewellery 

I obviously love pearls and here the contrast between the delicate pearls and the skull is just amazing!

This one is so adorable – and how very Alice in Wonderland…!

These stunning feather creations come in a wide range of colours and styles… 

This is true love

I am just looking out the window and all I see is a rather grey October morning sky, so I wanted to create a post bursting with colour and beauty to keep us going until spring!

This beautiful yellow rose lives in a garden near to Johannesburg, South Africa.

Can you imagine having these beautiful flowers to wake up to every day?  They would also be absolutely gorgeous at a wedding venue – colour scheme butter yellow for example.

See how beautifully the light shines through this ‘Durban July’ rose?  Gosh it really is the little things in life…  

We get so much beauty from nature, so let’s look after it well so that it keeps on giving!

It is so easy to be caught up in work, commitments and general stress that we suddenly forget to look at the beautiful things around us.  I have probably told you before that one of my main reasons for loving vintage is that it is such a wonderful example of recycling, as you are not contributing to the headless mass production of jewellery today.  In addition to this you get the intricate details, the wonderful handy work…  they all just make the pieces so special to wear!

It is also very easy to think that my small every day choices can’t possibly make a difference, but I can promise you that they do – there are so many of us that producers simply have to listen.  By buying fairtrade products or demanding that the merino wool jumper you are buying has been responsibly sourced, you can enjoy your items with a wonderfully clear conscience.  Just think once extra before you buy something and together we will end up looking after our beautiful planet in the most wonderful way and our kids will be able to see the same animal species and surroundings that we are admiring today.

I know that this little seal family (and many others with them) is waving their thanks to you for looking after their home:

Happy seal family sunbathing outside the coast of Cape Town, October 2012

The Great Putney Clothes Sale

Buy

1920s Silver Cocktail Ring

Not everything on the table was for sale….

The most glorious cupcakes…

We had such a lovely evening yesterday when so many fashionable ladies came along for the clothes sale/swap!  Everyone brought along mountains of treasures in the shape of dresses, tops, accessories etc in order to swap, sell and donate to charity.  There was wine, tea and glorious cupcakes for all, and it was so nice to spend a very different evening in the company of good friends in such a fabulous setting!  We all had a great time chatting the night away and finding amazing bargains.

I also brought a few things along from my collection and it was so great to see everyone’s reaction when these glittery, sparkly pieces were finally on display.  I realised how much I love answering questions about antique and vintage jewellery, and it was wonderful to see how beautiful the pieces looked when the girls were trying them on!

I would warmly recommend that you get your girlfriends together and encourage everyone to bring along the clothes they are no longer using and price them £5 max – then you all swap and sell your things and have a fun evening together.  It is a lovely thing to do for our world – and of course also for your wallet and wardrobe!

Heading out on adventures….

Sarah Coventry Bracelet and Pearl necklace

… which I will be able to show you photos of tomorrow dear… until then you get a sneak peak above…

Making green choices without sacrificing elegance or style

Tammam – ethical fashion

Splendid Stitches – vintage clothes alterations and repairs

Who Made Your Pants – their website says it all

Here are some photos from fashion night out at Tammam, an atelier in central London which focuses on ethical fashion and sustainability – it really is such a great choice for a bride with an environmental conscience!

Wearing vintage jewellery is also a wonderful way in which you can help the environment, since you won’t be contributing to mass production of cheap jewellery.  I think it is amazing that we have this new movement of awareness; we are reusing what we already have and we are also more aware of our spending.  Unfortunately it took a massive financial crisis for this to hit home, but an increased awareness is one good thing that came out of it all.

So if you are a bride looking for that perfect piece of jewellery I think you might find a few pieces here – and you will be able to hold your head high on your big day knowing that your choice has also helped the environment!