1930s outfit and new vintage finds

Sorry I’ve been quiet this week but everything is rather chaotic at the moment because my Dad has started taking my kitchen units out ready for the new ones to be installed in a couple of weeks. Every evening last week I came home from work to find yet another layer of dust settling on everything and the kitchen turned into further disarray. It makes cooking the evening meal a challenge, that’s for sure!

Anyway, I’ve been to a couple of vintage fairs over the last few weeks, so want to show you my finds but first I want to show you the complete 1930s outfit I wrote about in my 1930s fashion obsession post. I finally purchased the flutter skirt I’d been lusting over and yesterday I put it all together, so I asked my mum to take some photos. I have to say she’s not the best photographer in the world so I’m thinking of getting her photography lessons for Mother’s Day!

My 1930s outfit

Sailor Blouse: 20th Century Foxy
1930s Flutter Skirt: 20th Century Foxy
Burgundy Leather Belt: TopShop from Ebay
Burgundy Leather Bag: Etsy
Burgundy Shoes: B.A.I.T from Deadly is the Female

The skirt is an unusual mid-brown wool tweed, although it looks slightly grey to me. It’s not an obvious brown. It is very authentic in its cut and drapes absolutely beautifully as it’s not a very heavy fabric. I was a little worried about the length as the website said it was four inches longer than one I already own which is fairly long on me. However, this isn’t exactly correct and when I put them together the flutter skirt is only about 1 and 1/2 inches longer so it sits at a really elegant length.

I find 20th Century Foxy’s sizing to be on the generous side and was pleased that the size 10 fitted me really well, although going by their measurements it should’ve been too tight. I’ve worn it a couple of times now and have had a lot of compliments, I think because it is very different from any skirt worn today. The only thing that lets it down slightly is the fact that it is only half lined, it stops on the the lower thigh. Because the fabric is wool it can be a little bit itchy and if it was fully lined you wouldn’t notice it.

My 1930s outfit

Another bit of news is I had my hair cut about three weeks ago which for me is a big deal because it’s been about 2 years since my last one. I had about 4 inches chopped off of it, although everyone who knows me says it doesn’t look any different! The lovely hairdresser at Elsewhere Salon in Wantage has done loads of vintage shows, including Goodwood, so didn’t look at me like a complete freak when I asked her to cut it into a U shape. She did a lovely job of it and it’s made it easier to curl, although yesterday it decided it was just going to form ringlets all day long! I’ve booked another appointment with her at the beginning of April to have it cut much shorter to make it much more manageable. I can’t wait.

Chinese dressing gown

A couple of weeks ago I went to meet someone up at Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair in Leamington Spa. It was a long drive but well worth it as it was a really lovely day. I love Judy’s as everything is really well priced and I managed to pick up this stunning Chinese coat/jacket/whatever which I’m going to wear as a dressing gown. It cost me £5! I’ve had it cleaned but there are still a few marks on it which i will try and get out myself but other than that it’s in fantastic condition. I have no idea of the age but it’s probably 1980s judging by the shoulder pads. However, this just makes it look more 40s, so I don’t care.

After we had a piece of cake each from the huge selection on offer we took a walk up to Blighty Bazaar. It’s a fabulous shop full of loads of individual sellers all under one roof, a bit like an antiques arcade. There were vintage sellers, repro sellers and a very large record section which we spent ages in reminiscing about all the old 70s and 80s stuff. I bought three records, Alison Moyet – That Ole Devil Called Love (I’d forgotten just how good that is!), Harry Connick Jr – Recipe for Love / It had to be You and The Flying Pickets – When You’re Young and in Love. I couldn’t wait to get home and play them.

90s Records

Then yesterday I met up with a friend at the Vintage Bazaar in Devizes. I’d only ever been to the one at Frome before but loved that one so thought I would check out the Devizes one as it’s closer to home. There weren’t as many stalls but it was as equally fabulous with lots of different things on offer, not just clothes and textiles. There were two stalls in particular I loved, one which was run by two beautiful ladies dressed head to toe in 1940s who sold some really lovely pre-60s clothes and accessories.

1940s bed jacket

The other was where I picked up this exquisite quilted bed jacket. The stall was run by Donna Flower Vintage, a vintage shop down in Barnstaple, Devon (which I am already planning to go down to) and she had some absolutely stunning 1930s dresses at very reasonable prices. Unfortunately the one I liked had just been bought by two amazingly dressed girls who clearly were out to shop (their bags were stuffed full!).

The bed jacket is handmade, although you only notice this when you look really closely at it. It belonged to an old lady who brought it into Donna Flower’s shop asking if anyone would ever be interested in it. Donna snapped it up straight away, clearly seeing how beautiful it was. It looks 1940s when its on because the puffs on the sleeves really stand up but it could be 1950s, I’m really not sure. I’m already on the hunt for a matching pink full length nightgown now!

1970s skirt

I also picked up this 1970s skirt which came from a huge collection of dead stock the seller acquired a little while ago. It still has the original shop labels on it which come from a brand called Dominant. When I saw my mum later in the day she decided to try and research it but, as you can imagine, only came up with Fifty Shades of Grey style clothing lines!

Although it’s 70s, it has a real 1940s look about it and looks lovely with my 1940s style tan coloured lace up shoes. The abstract design is woven into the fabric and is tan, emerald green and bottle green. I’ve already managed to put together a lovely summer outfit with it but I’d like to get a bottle green blouse or jumper for colder days.

1940s books

After we left the fair we had coffee in a cute little tea shop that looked like someone’s house and then hit the charity shops. I picked up yet more books, both of which are based in the 1940s. I missed Restless, starring Hayley Atwell of Agent Carter fame, when it was on the BBC but heard it was very good so am looking forward to reading this.

So that’s my last few weeks, what have you been up to?

Cate

Just a vintage gal suffering from the Golden Age syndrome. A lover of all things old, especially the 1930s, seamstress, crocheter, maker of hats and enjoys rummaging at flea markets.

5 Comments

  1. Oooh, you have done some good shopping there. I had no idea the Devizes vintage bazaar was so good; I’ll have to try to talk the Mr into going over for the next one.

    The flutter skirt outfit looks really lovely on you, so well co-ordinated. The burgundy touches give it a nice edge.

    • Oh yes, you should definitely come and perhaps we can meet up! Not sure when it is but I’ll definitely be going to the Vintage Bazaar Giant Jumble Sale at Frome in May. That sounds like a lot of fun!

  2. I know this is a slightly-late-to-the-party post but…. i’ve just bought the same flutter skirt and am now slightly concerned it will be too big! I am 27” on the waist and 37/38” on the hip. Could you let me know if that’s close to you? Thank you! Daphne x

    • Hi Daphne, I actually sold this skirt after a while because it ended up being too tight. Yes, it fitted me okay but in terms of creating a more authentic 1930s look it should be looser around the hips, whereas this was skin tight. I’m going to be buying the next size up now they have new stock in, so I would imagine you’ll be okay.

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