The best kind of dress is an IWGMU dress

So I think you already know how much I have loved the vintage scene in Norwich, what with all my vintage finds, but now I'm going to share something pretty special with you.

When I visited the Norwich Flea Market I picked up a few leaflets, one of which was advertising a vintage shop just down the road from St Andrews Hall, Prim Vintage. Now, can I just say, this has to be one of the loveliest and well stocked vintage shops that I have been in for a while. There was a brilliant selection of vintage outfits, ranging from the 40s to the 90s, so whatever you tastes you'll be able to find something that suits you. Everything is priced very competitively and the lady who served me was so friendly and chatty, buying clothes there was a real treat and a pleasure! If you're ever in Norwich, you absolutely must pay Prim Vintage a visit. But moving on to the most exciting thing, my purchase! Look was lucky old me got to take home...

Gah! I can't even tell you how much I LOVE this dress. The moment I saw it hanging up I knew it was the one for me. I love the fabric, the cut, and don't even get me started on the neck details! If the early wardrobes of Joan and Peggy had made a baby it would be this dress, don't you think?

Peggy's cut + Joan neck line detail = my dress! Can you see it?? :)

And if it's beauty were not enough, I discovered something even more exciting about this dress upon closer inspection after getting it home. This cheeky little label that was sewn into a seam...

My dress was made in accordance with the International Ladies Garment Workers Union! Meaning that I am now holding in my hands a little piece of women's rights history. How amazingly awesome and cool is that?! Plus, this label makes this dress much easier to date, because the design of the label means that this was made between 1955 and 1963, so I was dead right with my Mad Men reference! :)

So, as you can see, I'm a pretty happy bunny right now! Not only did I find a beautiful vintage purchase that fits me like a glove, but it's a part of garment making history, something that actually means a lot to a home-sewer like me :) 

I hope you like this dress as much as I do!

Katie x

Vintage Finds from Norwich

Hello there, readers, fancy taking a look at the goodies I've recently collected?

As I mentioned before I've found Norwich to be quite a goldmine for vintage finds, it's really refreshing to find lovely quality items that aren't being sold for the ridiculously inflated prices that you find in London. That's one of the upsides of touring, not having to deal with Southern prices! Anyways, last weekend I paid a visit to the locally renowned Norwich Flea Market at St. Andrews Hall, and I left ever so slightly more weighed down than when I entered...

My first find was a real thrill for me, because I have been searching vintage shops far and wide for the perfect cats eye sunglasses for such a long time, and the moment I entered the market there they were!

Sunglasses of joy!

These 1950s beauties were hidden on what was basically a junk stall, I couldn't believe they hadn't been snapped up before I had got there! I love the unusual shape and colour of the frames and they are in really great condition considering their age. I will definitely be taking these to Paris with me :)

Sunglasses of joy, close up!

I have always been a great lover of books (I tried to use a kindle for a while but I just couldn't make it stick, I missed the smell and feel of solid pages too much!) so when I find pretty vintage books I find it hard to walk away. And look how pretty...

I love a good book :)

When I saw "What Katy Did" I couldn't leave it behind for obvious reasons and "Swiss Family Robinson" was a favourite of mine as a child. As for the other two they had some beautiful photos and illustrations so I decided to give them a new home too :)

My final score at the fair is something I cannot wait to use. I'm really looking forward to being at home for an extended period of time to that I can invite friends and family over for tea and cake, and what would make that scene even lovelier? Why, a vintage table cloth of course!

Too pretty for words

I have always been a sucker for roses and the embroidery on this beautiful linen just made me melt! The amount of care and detail that went into this piece is ridiculous, I can't wait to use it for afternoon tea!

So, what do you think? A pretty good haul I'd say. Like I said, Norwich has been very good for me, I've really enjoyed all the vintage offerings it has, I'll be quite sad to leave!

Have you found any fun vintage finds recently?

Katie x

A Passion... for Pyrex!

It was only a matter of time really, after the long hours I spent drooling over other people's collections. Just a matter of time before I too was hit by the bug and fell, and fell hard. I'm pretty sure this is the start of an addiction, but I'm too distracted by pretty things to care. Ooo look at the pretties...

Images found here

That's right readers, I have started collecting pyrex! Unfortunately me for me my collection is no where near the standards of the above images, but there's still time yet :) I have started small, with only a few pieces of pyrex to my name but I'm already head over heels in love!

First up is this snowflake space saver casserole dish, circa 1957. Isn't she a beauty?

My second new baby is this gorgeous Blue Gooseberry Cinderella Mixing Bowl. I cannot wait to use this when I'm baking, it's just too pretty to be true!

And last, but by no means least, is this set of pastel ramekins. I'm not really sure what to cook in ramekins other than creme brûlée or melting chocolate puddings, but I just couldn't resist them in all their pastel glory!

And just like that a new obsession is born! I cannot wait to have a kitchen full of pyrex, how much of a desperate housewife do I sound?! But seriously, if anyone knows of a good seller of vintage pyrex in the UK I would be forever grateful!

What are your thoughts on vintage pyrex? Do you have a collection too? Perhaps I can persuade you to start one of your own... :)

Katie xxx

Manchester Adventures - The Northern Quarter

Hello there lovely readers! Today I'm going to share with you some of the adventures I've been having around Manchester, starting off with the wonderful Northern Quarter :)

Now firstly I need to thank Miss Marie and Hannah, both of whom suggested that I visit places in the Northern Quarter. Thanks for the advice ladies, I had a fab time exploring!

Now anyone who has been to Manchester will know about the vast amount of mainstream shops there are, if you like that kind of thing there is row after rows of chains, brands, anything you can think of, but I wonder how many of you have taken the time to explore the streets of the Northern Quarter? I must admit that this is definitely where my heart lies, among the little boutiques, cafes, vintage and charity shops, I felt right at home, almost as if I was back in London wandering the streets of Soho :)

Afflecks Palace, and it is a palace indeed!

First off I wove my way floor to floor in the epic construction that is the Affleck's Palace, I tell you, this place is enormous! It is stuffed with new designers, vintage clothes, body art and piercing stalls, it really was quite a sight to see. I must admit that it was a little goth heavy for my tastes, and there wasn't really a wide enough selection of vintage clothes to get me spending my hard earned pennies, but just looking at the selection of goods on sale was a really fun experience. Definitely worth a visit if you're interested in mixing a modern and vintage look, you wouldn't be short of new fashion ideas after browsing around this place!

Oxfam Originals on Oldham Street

The main street where all the lovely vintage-y stores seem to lurk is Oldham Street, it's the home of Paul's Vintage (a warehouse bursting with a huge selection of goodies, although mostly from the 70s/80s/90s), Oxfam Originals (a sexy version of your regular Oxfam!) and the Manchester branch of Forbidden Planet (a big hit with my Sweetheart when he came to visit!). But I have to say that my favourite place on Oldham Street was Pop Boutique. Now I have visited Pop Boutique on the Seven Dials in London many times, and I must admit I have never been that impressed with what's on offer, but let me tell you, Manchester's Pop Boutique is what the London version wants to be when it grows up...

Pop Boutique, Oldham Street

This fabulous store boasts two whole massive floors of vintage goodness, including a large selection of home furnishings, but in terms of clothes you'll find everything you could possibly want from dresses to bags to shoes to jackets. Just look at this beautiful decor...

Now, one thing I don't and have never liked about Pop Boutique is that they do have a habit of selling some vintage items as old-to-new, i.e. they take dresses and skirts and cut them off rather severely at the knee and then re-hem them, something that I have a real problem with (not so much when you're dealing with newer pieces, but when you find beautiful 50s/60s era dresses that have been treated this way you too would feel my pain!) however, in this instance I was able to forgive because of the incredible find that came my way on my visit...

Oooo... pretty!

Tucked away between some rather terrifying polyester creatures at the front of the Manchester Pop Boutique store was one of the loveliest dresses that I have ever seen. It was a beautiful grey silk satin with a delicate pattern of flowers in black, red and orange and when I saw it my heart skipped a beat. On closer inspection I found that it was not only in perfect condition but the construction details gave it away to be either late 50s or early 60s. I just knew that I had to have this dress, if only I could afford it. And you know what the best part is? I bought this dress at about half the price I would have had to pay in London! Result!! 

I'll be sharing this dress in outfit post soon, I cannot wait for you all to see it :)

I loved wandering about the Northern Quarter - particularly as the weather seemed to be on my side whenever I visited! - and I would definitely recommend a browse if you are ever in that area. For some good places to visit check out this article.

Anyway, that's it from me today, but check back soon for more of my Manchester adventures!

Bye for now!

As happy as a flea at a flea market!

Yesterday was my second to last day in Austria and so I decided to spend it doing something I knew I would enjoy, rummaging around the town flea market! The lucky residents of Linz have a huge flea market every Saturday morning (and also a farmer's market on a Friday) and as soon as I found out about it I knew I had to pay it a visit before the end of my trip. I even managed to persuade several of my cast mates that a flea market is worth a trip out, so I felt very pleased with myself and then prayed that the market would deliver on my promises and expectations. I shouldn't have worried!

The bustling market of Linz

The main square was stuffed with stalls and the variety was great, there was definitely something for everyone to be found if you took the time to look. There were some very specific stalls, selling just books or jewelry or paintings, but my favourites were definitely the more "junk" style ones with anything and everything crammed together. It gave me the chance to have a good old rummage which I always love :)

Junk stalls rock my world!

I'm pretty sure that some of my cast mates may have thought me a little strange for how giddy I became at the sight of all the stalls and as I flitted around making sure I gave everything a thorough viewing, but at the same time I think I may have converted a few of them to the joys of the thrifting way of life, so my work here is done!

Books - if only I could read German!

One of many beautiful paintings

Stacks of buttons and beads, swoon!

I spy fabric...

General nick nack-ery :)

Who wouldn't love a place where you can pick up
a crystal decanter and a violin at the same time?!

And now for the exciting bit, my purchases! I'm sure you will remember me bemoaning my lack of wiggle room when it comes to my baggage allowance - curse you Ryan air! - but that didn't stop me getting some treats. First up these beautiful brooches, I just fell in love with the little fly (I have named him Archibald) and the little acorns were too adorable to leave behind :)

Beautiful brooches!

And of course I couldn't go past a button stall without buying some buttons! Take a look:

Beautiful buttons!

And finally I picked up this gorgeous vintage buckle at the end of the market, just as everyone was packing up, so I got it for a song :) I'm dreaming of the outfits that I can make around it...

Beautiful buckle!

I'm a very satisfied flea market rummager right now :) Have you found anything fabulous through rummaging recently? I'd love to hear about it if you have!

I hope you've all had marvelous Weekends, check back for some new posts soon!

I found the only vintage shop in Linz!

At least it's the only vintage shop in Linz from what I have seen so far! It took me a while to sniff it out online, but find it I did and so a few days ago I headed off on my first adventure into the world of Austrian vintage (with two fellow vintage lovers in tow, what fun!).

Moshi Vintage, Linz

The store front

After about half an hour of wandering in the sunshine (the weather has been incredible here recently, hurrah!) we found Moshi, a quirky looking vintage store, tucked away but fairly close the Linz's main high street. I felt right at home the minute I walked through the door and was met by the familiar scent of vintage clothes :)

Stacks of vintage luggage and handbags

Rows of clothes and shoes 

Yet more handbags!

I was a little disappointed at the variety of clothes on sale. The store's website had promised me 1940s to 1990s fashion and I would be surprised if anything there was older than 1960s, which was a bit of a shame for a 40s/50s addict like myself, but there still a lot to see and the prices were fantastic (maybe that's just because I'm used to extremely over-priced London...!). I felt much less homesick after a good old rummage around a vintage store I can't even tell you! I was scuttling around on my hands and knees searching for treasure as happy as a clam. During this exploratory escapades I found some beautiful traditional Austrian dress, an adorable little suitcase (I believe a girl had used it as a school satchel), some red suede ankle boots and a little wicker handbag. All of these things tried to wheedle their way into my luggage home, but it was this beauty that won my heart and is therefore making the trip back with me:

Matching plaid waistcoat and skirt

They were just too adorable to leave behind! They need a couple of alterations in order to fit perfectly (really minor tweaks) but that's never put me off a purchase. I really do seem to have plaid on the brain at the moment!

That's it for my vintage excursions so far in Linz, and there probably won't be any more as I'm pretty sure this is the only vintage shop. I am visiting Vienna in a few days, so perhaps I'll discover some gems there. Do let me know if you know of any vintage shops in either Linz or Vienna, I'd love to hear if you know of any! I'm just happy that even though I'm miles away from the places I know and love I am still managing to get my vintage fix :)

I hope you've had a marvelous Weekend my lovely readers, bye for now!

The Vintage Kilo Sale - my finds

Hello there!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, I did, I finally got my sewing space all sorted out and organised (I snatched the chance in a break between projects, otherwise I wouldn't have even known where to start!) so I have a lovely clear space to work at last. And that's good because I have a lot to be getting on with, as you will soon see! As promised here are my finds from the Vintage Kilo Sale and my plans for them - Vintage Revamps Ahoy!

First up are two sweet blouses:

Yellow embroidered cotton blouse

Pink and white gingham blouse

These blouses are both much too big for little old me but they were such perfect spring colours that I just had to nab them. I'm a bit lacking in the separates department in my wardrobe, so these will hopefully start to fill that gap! Plus they'll both need very little alteration - just a little bit of taking in and a tweak here and there (the yellow blouse has a small burn on the sleeve that will need to be worked around) - and they could look very 1940s. Perhaps I'll add some ruffles like the bottom left pattern below, or some embroidery on the pocket like this sweet nautical blouse.

Source

Next up is this lovely plaid shirt:

Yummy green and orange plaid shirt

This shirt would literally drown me, it's so big! Luckily I have more exotic plans for this shirt. Because of the large amount of fabric I want to simply take the shirt apart and use the pieces to make a 1950s style jumper suit like the gorgeous one below. It will be a challenge, but if it works it'll be perfect for the summer, and it will go nicely with the yellow blouse above too!

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And then we have the dresses. First up is this nautical inspired number in teal:

Teal nautical dress

I'm not quite sure yet what exact changes I'm going to make to this dress, it needs to be taken in for a better fit and I'll probably take the hem up a little too, but I do want to retain the feel of the dress. Perhaps I'll remove the sleeves like the central dress below (taken from a 50s fashion magazine, in which the 50s fashions echoed the style of the 30s, even then vintage style was cool!), add a white belt and throw on some white shoes and a hat :)

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Then came this gorgeous peach silk number:

Peach silk (well a polyester imitation!), so girlie :)

I must admit when I saw this dress I grabbed it from the rail in a second, it seemed so unique and special. Some of you may wonder at my choice of dress, I realise that peach and silky may not be to everyone's taste, but it was just so sweet I couldn't resist! I mean, just look at these fabric covered buttons:

How sweet are they?

Le swoon, le sigh! My big plan for this dress is in fact to turn it into a glamorous golden age film star type dressing gown. Just imagine a little bit of quilting, a touch of embroidery, and I might end up with something close to Dita's fabulous boudoir gown below:

Oh Dita, yes please!

And finally we have by far my favourite find of the day, this 1980s-does-50s day dress:

Hot pink 50s style dress

This really was my little hidden treasure of the day, I found it stuck between a lot of baggy jumpers in a cardboard box at the sale, can you believe it? It really needs very little alteration at all, it is only a touch too big so it's really the perfect find, it even has a matching fabric belt! And look at the sweet white cotton detailing on the bodice:

So pretty!

I really love it, I think I may put it to the top of my revamp list just so that I can wear it as soon as possible! I just can't believe how 1950s it looks. Compare it to it's original 50s  counterparts below and you'll see what I mean!

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So as you can see I now have lots of lovely projects in the pipe line, I can't wait to get started! So expect lots of vintage revamps very soon :)

Happy Monday everybody, I hope you have a great week!