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.