Loving all things Vintage

So I have suddenly had a realisation very recently.......not that I loved vintage because that is very obvious but actually, that firstly I can dress like that again and design my house in that style. I was so inspired by a women a met in a vintage shop who had her done her hair in the Victory Rolls and she was wearing a beautiful 40's style swing dress and silk jacket.

Secondly, I was recently chatting to a friend who complimented me on my favourite dress that I have. She also gave me great encourage to wear what I wanted to wear. She said that the vintage style suited me and I totally agree. I have always said if I had won the lottery I would wear vintage style clothes and drive vintage cars and live in a vintage house. Then I thought......wait I don't play the lottery.....that's not going to work.

Then I thought while I was watching Christmas at the Chateau yesterday in August

(shhhhhhhhhhhh......don't judge me) I realised, the women who had bought it was the same women had written my book above Vintage Tea Party Year........mind blown. I then re-read my book and looked at where she has been buying her clothes from. I then thought if she can do it I can do. I have loved this book ever since a lovely friend bought it for me. I feel that I have achieved some looks over the years but I have only done it halfhearted......UNTIL NOW!

Some pages from the book.

I am a Vintage women stuck in a modern women. I have always said I would love to be living in the 1920-1940's, the Downton era. With out the horrid bits of course-safest way would have been to be an extra on vintage films....Hint Hint Hollywood people.....!!

I have now have a few dresses that I want to buy (watch this space) and I've been doing a lot of research and looking at different websites and comparing prices. I think the cost varies but I will be mixing and matching places I will getting my new style from. I can't wait to build my collection. I hated wearing jean before I was ill (in fact I had an aversion to them.) Especially when I worked as an Art Consultant for an art gallery, I had two of my favourite dresses I owned while I was an art consultant, people would literally stop me in the street and would say you look amazing, wheres your dress/tights from-I felt my most glamorous (apart from my wedding day) working there and wearing those dresses/tights/heels. I always dressed up no matter what the occasion as well-that's just me!! This blue satin dress is my very smart swing dress, a lovely gift from my Mother-in-Law.

Totally forgot about this skirt but I loved it and I wish I hadn't got rid of it. I loved the stripes, and the side buttons. Just searched for any similar skirts but can't find one like this at the moment but I am determined to find one. I think it's similar to a Wiggle skirt, I will be searching high and low.

I had the these shoes many moons ago and I used to wear them with those tights and people would stop me......both believe it or not were from Primark. I loved them but they stopped doing the tights (crying face) and my feet swelled (didn't look that great squished into the shoes) when I was ill so I got rid of them (crying face.)

I stupidly got rid of this coat (on the left from Primark) quite vintagey but had moment of madness. I also had a moment of madness and then I got rid of another coat......now I need more coats (00ps!)

As you can see in this picture (to the right) I am rather ill and in a bit of a miss match outfit because I was cold so I put on everything I owned and had taken with me to the Isle of Wight. You can see my swing dress that I got from Matalan peeking out at the bottom (cry face-I can't fit into it right now so it is stowed safely under the bed-for now while slimming world does it's magic!) I also have a Polka Dot dress (also stored away) that I can add to my collection once I can fit back into it. This dress is definitely figure hugging so NOT one for work. This was on Valentines Day meal back in the day. I had a little flower in my hair which I'm not sure I still have but going to build my collection-watch this space (Etsy shopping spree soon.)

So I bought these shoes because they reminded me of my school shoes but cooler because they were shiny. They are also flat so when I was ill I could physically wear and walk in them. My ankles are quite weak because I haven't done much exercise in the last 4/5 years since being diagnosed. Now though I'm looking forward to wearing heels again but not like the 7 inches stilettos that I wore once, then slipped and fell over and dislocated my arm on a wet drain. I was also was quite ill but not yet diagnosed, so excuse the glazed expression.

I have been looking through some very old pictures (a vast array of hair styles and looks) and I noticed and found some dresses I have previously worn that definitely had the vintage them/retro style.

I my favourite dress (which my hubby loved as well) but it didn't fit any more so got rid of it but it was orange and lemon dress I wore on honeymoon (link to a lemon dress.) I also loved my hair band and belt in the bottom picture definitely vintage style and red lipstick. I think I have always worn eccentric fashion and I never followed the crowd.

My point of this blog post was to say that I am going to commit to my vintage transformation and throw more vintage themed dinner parties from now on (from my lovely book.)

I have also recently found an amazing Vintage Fashion YouTuber and Blogger called Jessica Kellgren Fozard , who wears beautiful vintage dresses and amazing hair styles, I can one day hope to achieve. I was totally inspired that she has a chronic illness and looks fabulous. I could barely brush my hair or even get out of bed someday's when I was ill-(chronic kidney disease/failure.)

A special thanks to a lovely friend who has encouragement to dress how I want and be embrace my style and quirkiness. Oh and look out for my unboxing blog of my new dresses coming soon.

ToodlesXX