Vintage Twirls

Last weekend I went along to Vintage Glasgow 2013, a festival in its own right and being held this year in Glasgow for two days as part of the bigger Merchant City Festival event. My friend and I went on the Saturday and enjoyed lots of what the festival had to offer. A large chunk of our day was spent indoors at The Old Fruitmarket, putting our best feet forward at Let It Rock (and by the way, whoever decided to hold a club during the day totally deserves a high-five) and learning a few new steps. Let It Rock was excellent and had a great, friendly atmosphere. It was wonderful to see so many people joining in the dance lessons and the live band, The Coy Dogs, kept us jiving with their excellent covers of songs by classic artists like Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran.

 Many of the other events were also being held indoors and after Let It Rock finished we took a little wander elsewhere in the City Halls. We took a peek into the Tiki Bar, found a couple of workshops and screenings being held upstairs and even spied Vintage festival founder Wayne Hemmingway sitting on a sofa chatting!

Back outside, the streets were filled with people and it was great to see so many people out enjoying the festival. Lots of people were dressed in outfits inspired by their favourite decades and as it was such a nice day there was no risk of perfectly coiffed hair getting wet! I was hoping to get myself a vintage pin-up girl hairdo at the Vintage Salon, but I was not the only one with that idea - the appointments were all fully booked by the time I arrived! Never mind. I still enjoyed seeing the end results on the other girls, their hair looked gorgeous! 

We took a trip into the Vintage Marketplace and enjoyed having a rummage at the vintage clothes and homewares (including a brilliant/ terrifying bust of Elvis' head and shoulders...that kind of looked a little like Roseanne Barr as well...). There were some local indie designers at the marketplace too and I spotted stalls from We Are The Robots, Tatty Bon and Gillian Kyle amongst others. I bought The Boy a couple of presents from Beardcraft's stall - a shop I haven't come across before but I was glad that I did! Brilliant products and branding and The Boy loved his loot.

Never one to shy away from a photobooth I also took full advantage of the Dr Martens free photobooth van, I promise that getting in the back of a van and having our photo taken was NOT as seedy as it sounds! The photobooth was a very nifty touchscreen device and automatically printed a full colour glossy print - I could have happily played in it for much longer! There were also plenty of food and craft stalls on the surrounding streets (did someone say CANNOLI?!) to explore - after all, dancing sure builds up an appetite!

Ever since filming my Blogcademy Scholarship entry video I feel like I've caught the iPhone video bug! If you never made it along to Vintage Glasgow 2013 (or even if you did), here is a wee video I made of my time at the festival - I'm sorry it's so narrow, I forgot to turn my phone around and film it widescreen (rookie error)...

 

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I hope you've enjoyed my little summary of Vintage Glasgow 2013. I had a ball and really hope it comes back to see us again next year!

Did you go to Vintage? What was your favourite part? Did you spot the Elvis/ Roseanne bust?!

Thanks for reading!

PS: the song on my little video is Gator's Groove by  Willis Jackson.

July Round Up

July, you've been and gone like a flash of sunlight! Here in Glasgow we've seen some of the warmest days in a very long time and despite the odd grumble I suspect many people have been making the most of it! For me, this month has seen some excellent times spent with The Boy, family and friends. Barbecues, feel good music, long walks in the sun and slapping on the SPF - it sure feels like a Scottish summer. This month has also seen some awesome events - not least the Vintage Festival  in Merchant City, and I even found myself being a tour guide in my own neighbourhood for a day (quite happily I add).

Here's my July round up (in photos of course):

1. "an ocean of violets in bloom"  at the Botanic Gardens   2. Donut day at the office  (DROOL)

3. Family barbecue day   4. An exciting find in the record section while shopping

5. Mandatory police car posin' at TriBeCa   6. Skin Guru spritz in the heat has been a SAVIOUR!

7. Clever girl...dino spotting at Kelvingrove   8. A visit to Burger Meats Bun on opening day

9. Blogcademy giggles (full post here)  10. Starbucks Refresha (my new summertime beverage)

11. Dinner with The Boy at The Lansdowne  12. Beautiful building-spotting in Dundee

13. Another glorious day at the Botanics   14. Photobooth action at the Somewhereto_  launch 

15. Rainbow cake - truly a feast for your eyes!   16. Shopping for my beardy Boy at Beardcraft's stall

17. At Vintage Festival (more on which very soon)   18. Enjoying my annual McFlurry! 

I hope you had a marvellous month of July! I'm looking forward to seeing what this next month brings.

How was your month? What did you get up to? What is your favourite Summertime treat?

Thanks for reading!

It's Vintage, Darling!

As the West End Festival draws to a close and we still have a couple of months (fingers and toes crossed) of Summer left, there are still lots of weird and wonderful events going on in the city centre to get involved in. This month, Merchant City Festival hosts Vintage Glasgow - a festival-within-a-festival if you will, celebrating fashion, food, art, music, dance, design and film from years past. The award winning festival is being brought to Glasgow to take over the Old Fruitmarket for two days and transform it into an epicentre of glamour and fun.

Vintage was founded by Wayne and Gerardine Hemmingway and was voted the UK's Best New Festival in 2010. With seven decades of British Style covered (from 1920s to 1980s), Vintage Glasgow will be the perfect hangout whether you're a rockabilly Pink Lady, a Charleston-dancing flapper girl or a beehived beauty. Or maybe you aren't sure what style to go for - that's fine because there will be makeovers galore over the weekend too! Cue the makeover montage (with soft lighting and a suitably dreamy retro soundtrack OF COURSE)!

As well as makovers, there are also going to be film screenings, club nights, a vintage-inspired shopping market, a tiki bar, dance classes (I already have my ticket booked for Let It Rock - maybe I'll see you there for a twirl?), catwalk shows, workshops, and all manner of hip and happening hangout spots, daddy-o!

You may be able to tell that I am just a little  excited for Vintage Glasgow, eh? I have a big love for vintage fashion and retro music, so this event is right up my street. The Merchant City festival is always brilliant fun (it was at the MCF last year that I discovered my love for roller-disco after all!) so having the Vintage Festival as part of the celebrations is, I hope, the start of a new tradition. Founder Wayne Hemmingway (MBE) describes the theme of the weekend as:
"Whether your thing is swing, rockabilly, soul, funk, disco, fashion, film, art or design, or if you just want to dress up and get an authentic make-over for a day, Vintage Glasgow will be a sensual delight, a big dressing-up box, a collector’s dream and joyous creative feast"

Sounds divine, darling! I'll be there with bells on (and red lipstick of course!).

Vintage Glasgow is taking place on Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th July. You can find much more information about what events are taking place as part of Vintage Glasgow (and the Merchant City Festival in full) at the Merchant City Festival website. There is also more information on Vintage Glasgow at the Vintage Festival website.

Will you be going to any of the Merchant City festivities? How about Vintage Glasgow? What is your favourite decade?

Thanks for reading!

Photo Source: Merchant City Festival website

Weekend Wear: Do The Bartman

I first set eyes on this reworked Bart Simpson denim shirt while gallivanting around Spitalfields a few weeks ago. When I seen it, I smiled instantly and maybe even laughed a bit. That's normally the tell-tale sign that I REALLY like something and there's pretty much no going back at that point. Two minutes and £20 later it was mine, "Woo-hoo!" as Homer would say.

Since then I've worn it a few times and as it's a vintage shirt (and there wasn't any choice of sizes since it was the only one in the shop) I'm still getting to grips with the fit. It's very long and the arms are a tad short and the middle is a bit baggy. Very 80s! Yet in all other areas it's a great cut so I've made a few adjustments by rolling up the sleeves a bit and either tucking it into my skirt or wearing it long with a belt to bring the waist in, like I did today. It's also very thick - almost like a denim jacket so I only had to wear a tank top under it today and I was still warm.

I love the print and the bright colours - people tell me I dress like a cartoon character half of the time anyway (I take it as a compliment) so I figured I might as well take it one step further and wear clothes with actual cartoons printed on them! I also haven't bought anything thrifted/ vintage for a while so it was fun finding this.

Today was super windy (I somehow managed to get some pictures where my hair wasn't completely all over the place), so I wore a longer skirt - this one is from Topshop, super soft and goes great with t-shirts. My blue tights and white hair flower are both from H&M and my shoes are by JuJu - a brilliant British brand who manufacture squishy, colourful jelly shoes. I like wearing mine with contrasting tights in the city, although I know a lot of people like to buy them for trips to the beach. They come in a rainbow of colours (including glitter!) and different styles. I've got my eye on a pair of their Babe style ones next!

Finally I wore this necklace by GoGo Philip x Disney - an anniversary gift from The Boy. Continuing with the cartoon theme, it's a necklace with a charm of Mickey Mouse's gloved hand holding a heart. Too cute! I don't wear a lot of gold coloured jewellery but this is too adorable to resist.

I wore this to go into town and somehow (by sheer luck) avoided the rain! 

What did you wear this weekend? Do you (or have you ever) owned jelly shoes? Have you found anything awesome at the thrift/ vintage shops lately?

Thanks for reading - Ay Carumba!

A Sunday Granny Would Be Proud Of

After that freak snowstorm the other week it was nice to wake up to a nice calm and sunny Sunday. When I looked out the window and seen the weather I couldn't wait to go for a stroll around the neighbourhood (my new favourite Sunday activity). I'd heard that Granny Would Be Proud vintage and craft fair was on at Hillhead Bookclub and being no stranger to the GWBP events or Hillhead Bookclub itself I knew it would be well worth a visit. With the promise of a lazy Sunday lunch following a browse round the stalls I was happily accompanied by my beau.

Hanging about Hillhead Bookclub on a Sunday whether there is a fair on or not is still good fun, thanks to the shabby-chic decor, relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff and great food (more on that later). While weekend regulars and visitors alike lunch on the ground floor all of the vintage and craft stalls are set up on the mezzanine looking over. Today there was an excellent selection of vendors and a few really stood out to me as being extra appealing.

First up were the friendly and very helpful guys of Eyedresser Vintage, set up at the top of the stairs next to Flamingo Bakery's tasty treats. I loved this stall and it really made me wish I needed glasses (although having to work with computers every day makes me think my spectacle-free days are numbered...). Eyedresser Vintage specialise in vintage, retro and antique-style glasses. They had literally hundreds of styles and as professional opticians they offer to expertly fit prescription lenses. The staff were very attentive and assured me that although the website isn't quite ready yet (keep checking back), they can be contacted by email at the moment (eyedresser@gmail.com). As a fifties vintage fanatic I was especially drawn to Eyedresser Vintage's cat's eye style glasses, but there were far too many fabulous frames to pick just one favourite pair.

A selection of glasses available from Eyedresser Vintage

As we wandered around the fair to an excellent soundtrack (I could have sworn they had my iPod on shuffle...) the next stall to catch my eye was the handmade goodies by Something Different. I remembered seeing this vendor from previous craft fairs, including Say No To Plastic at Oran Mor and it's always nice to see what cute creations are on offer.

Something Different's stall

Today I was especially excited by the bow-shaped shoe clips, which can be seen at the front of the table in the photo above. At first glance I assumed these were bow hairslides, but these little cuties actually clip onto the front of your shoes, instantly glamming them up from drab to fab! Genius. The shoe clips (£6), along with pretty headbands and other accessories can be purchased online at Something Different's store if you didn't make it along today and want to see more.

Lastly, but by no means least, I fell in love with some of the original handmade pieces at West End-based Pure Brass Neck's jewellery stall. With earrings, necklaces and brooches made from silver and plastic, featuring skulls and animals (two of my favourite motifs) I was truly spoilt for choice. Also, the girls at the table were cheery and approachable, which always makes for a pleasant shopping/browsing experience I think!

A selection of quirky jewellery by Pure Brass Neck

Even though I didn't buy anything from Pure Brass Neck today, something tells me I will next time. Until then, there is always the website to peruse or I am reliably informed pieces are locally stocked at Lupe Golightly (639 Great Western Road) too. Bonus!

Phew, after all that I needed a sit down and the boy was ready for food so we headed downstairs for some lunch. Hillhead Bookclub is a local haunt for many people on a Sunday and getting a table between 12 and 2pm can be slim pickings but we still managed. The brunch menu is a little more succinct compared to the lunch menu, but the prices are great and the food is yummy so no complaints here. I had the french toast & bacon (below) and the boy had the biggest burger we'd seen in a long time!

Lunch at Hillhead Bookclub (soon to be demolished by yours truly)

After a long and lazy lunch we were suitably stuffed and headed out into the sunny afternoon to walk it off. All in all, a great day.

Be sure to check out the vendors' websites (all linked above) for more info.

What did you do today?

Please Give Fashionably

This weekend I looked at local and national campaigns that offer 'fashion for a good cause'. Earlier in the week I was delighted to hear about one of my favourite designers, Dame Vivienne Westwood, designing this years t-shirts for Comic Relief sold exclusively at TK Maxx stores across the UK. I couldn't wait to see the designs for myself and yesterday I trotted into town with the boy in tow to grab a piece of the action. I found a good selection of t-shirts featuring a range of designs for men, women and even teeny tiny children's' ones. If only I got to wear Westwood when I was that little!

Vivienne Westwood is no stranger to advocating the need to contribute to a good cause. It's rare that we see her do mainstream media interviews, but when she does she uses the platform to raise awareness for cultural and political issues - most recently acting against climate change - more than to promote her designs. Her manifesto, Active Resistance to Propaganda and her blog have more detail on her campaigns and her thoughts. As a pioneer of statement fashion, Westwood has displayed her views and campaigns through her collections for several years (see Spring/ Summer 2007's I Am Expensive collection as a noteworthy example), so it seems like a natural choice for TK Maxx to collaborate with her on their latest 'chari-tee' range for Red Nose Day (which takes place on March 18th).

The collection features striking prints of historical figures, art, classic Westwood images and even characters from Blackadder on soft, fairtrade organic cotton and given a Comic Relief twist. Never ones to shy away from a bit of Westwood, the boy and I both got t-shirts, coming in at a total of just under £25:

'The Laughing Audience' by Hogarth T-shirt, £9.99 by Vivienne Westwood for Comic Relief


'Louis XIV Lady' T-shirt, £14.99, by Vivienne Westwood for Comic Relief (featuring a pair of cheekily placed red noses)

With at least half of the proceeds going towards Comic Relief, which promises to help people across the UK and Africa, this is a win-win situation. Nice one, Viv. If accessories are more your thing, TK Maxx are also selling limited edition Liberty print scarves and tote bags for the same cause. All the Comic Relief pieces can be bought in-store or by visiting TK Maxx's website.

On a more local level , I headed off to Oran Mor today to Say No To Plastic's vintage, charity and craft sale to enjoy a rummage through the vintage rails and show my support to home-grown designers. This wasn't my first visit to Say No To Plastic, so I was already aware of their campaign, set up over three years ago to help encourage the eradication of plastic and polythene bags. As there was a similar vintage fair being held over at Hillhead Bookclub at the same time (the rather excellent Granny Would Be Proud event) I was unsure if it would still be busy today, but I was glad to see lots of keen shoppers and lively ladies excitedly browsing at both Oran Mor and Hillhead Bookclub. I guess us West End Girls were blessed with a double whammy of retail therapy too keep us occupied during today's football! Lucky us!

Taken at Say No To Plastic, earlier today at Oran Mor

Say No To Plastic gently encourage a charity donation on entry, which most people are only to happy to contribute to. It's a small price for a great selection of handmade and pre-loved pieces. I meandered round the stalls and saw old favourites We Are The Robots selling their ever popular Scrabble and Lego inspired jewellery, countless vintage treasure and had to stop and look at Bunny's Beads' cool cameo pendants (really wishing I'd bought the skull one now), sweetie jewellery and cute rings.

A selection of goodies from Bunny's Beads

More vintage trinkets at Say No To Plastic

I always enjoy these events, and setting them up to help a good cause is even better. So whether it's a national campaign or a local held event, 2011 could be the year that sees feel-good fashion with a heart go from strength to strength.

Say No To Plastic at Oran Mor

My lazy Sunday this week was transformed into an impromptu day of shopping and cake-eating after hearing about Say No to Plastic's Vintage and Craft fair over at Oran Mor. A mere stone's throw away from my flat, and with the promise of goodies from top local creative types, I deemed it too good to pass up. And so, best gal-pal in tow, we headed over to the top of Byres road to see what was on offer.

After climbing up the spiraling staircase and entering the main hall, the first thing I noticed was just how busy it was. Jumpin', as my Dad would say. There was a huge variety of stalls (over 35 at last count) and lots and lots of customers in between. We squeezed through the crowds and slowly browsed around the hall, taking in all of the vintage and reworked clothes, gorgeous gifts, home baking and independent designers.

I couldn't possibly list everything that I liked, but highlights included the super kawaii table set up by I Love Lexy & I Love Spoilt Pig (whose goodies included the very tempting £3 lucky dips), pretty hair accessories by Something Different, knitwear and tweed to keep us warm by Missy Montague & Breagha and far too many vintage stalls to mention (but Vintage Fray and Vintage Inspirations had some particularly lovely pieces). Phew!

Say No to Plastic, as well as showcasing products from local talent, mainly aims to raise awareness of environmental causes - hence the title - by influencing people to reduce their use of plastic bags (more information on this can be read at their website). The event at Oran Mor had an overall message to reduce, re-use and recycle - but certainly showed that being kind to the environment can be stylish with the impressive collection of re-worked and second-hand clothes on offer. As well as the usual vintage fayre, I spotted shoes by Marc Jacobs and a gorgeous Chloe frock.

I enjoyed having a look at all the stalls, there was such variety and the atmosphere was really friendly. I don't know if it was all the cakes, the well-priced fashion, the fact that it was all in aid of a good cause or the fact that Christmas is just around the corner - but whatever it was, it was making people happy. One jolly shopper exclaimed "this is like a car boot sale with attitude" as I squeezed past - and I have to say I agree with him. I purchased a fab ring from the We Are the Robots girls and some gorgeous tights from the ever talented and all-round nice folk at Tights For Sore Eyes...


Love them. A mere tenner and officially my New Favourite Tights.

After the shopping fun we hopped on over to Three Steps to Heaven on Byres Road, to round off the day with tea and cake.

Be sure to keep en eye on the Say No to Plastic website for news, updates and information on any upcoming events.

Were you at Say No to Plastic?