Reading Vintage Fair Once Again...

As always I headed on down the Reading vintage Fashion Fair (on the last Sunday of every month)... suffice to say I unfortunately had a little camera problems... unfortunately leading to the lack of photos this time to share. My battery depleted completely on me and my back up camera, I had sort of forgot to put the memory card back in... oops! and my phone well of course like all iphones the battery on that also lasted all of 5 seconds.  

So due to my photography technicality issues I am afraid I am unable to bring as many images to you at this time... However please  do have a look at what I managed to take through all the difficulties. 

All the usual stall holders were there such as Ali from Frock&Roll, Victoriah & Nat from Out-of-Time-vintage,  Georgina of Georgina's Vintage,  and the lovely Debbie... However there were also some great new stall additions to the fair with even more vintage wonders to lust after. 

With exciting news and more events to come in the following months by Vintagenie including a vintage village at South Hill Park for the Park Life festival on 9th July but also a pop-up vintage fair at Forbury Gardens, Reading on 16th/17th July for the Outside:Inside Festival. I will be sure to keep you informed of all the details and will hopefully be working alongside Vintagenie to bring you exclusive news and pics. 

Don't forget to visit the next Reading Vintage Fair on 26th June... this time I will ensure my cameras are all fully operational... see you there!    

www.thereadingvintagefair.com

My only purchase this time round was some beautiful cupcakes from the ever glorious White Rabbit Bakery... no word of a lie, the best cupcakes I have even had, truly delicious! 

Oh and again I must give props to my lovely friend Kate who lovingly made this beautiful shopper for me for a leaving present from work. Sadly my time at What Katie Did has recently come to an end, It was an enjoyable few years and I will miss the WKD team! But how can I be sad with such a lovely gift!

P.S be sure to follow my crafty friend Kate Zak on twitter!

Wedding Fever with a touch of Reading Street style...

Royal Wedding fever swept Reading Vintage Fair too last weekend, in amidst the big build up to the big day. Vintage Wedding assembles galore ... 

I do hope Kate does indeed opt for a Vintage Wedding gown...  

Vintage Floral prints are a real treat: 

The stallholders embraced the summer sun in their floral print dresses and tops L>R:  Ali from Frock&Roll, Victoriah & Nat from Out-of-Time-vintage,  Georgina of Georgina's Vintage,  and the lovely Debbie. 

Stylish individuals from french Parisian chic left, lovely ladies on her travels from France and Elegant Mother & daughter centre.

Accessories envy with this beautiful girls wide brimmed hat and the ladies woven clutch, ease summer looks that look incredibly effortless yet full score on the style meter.

Some Vintage shoppers chilling out to the sounds of acoustic music. 

Easter Day Treat - Reading Vintage Fair

You know when the months do really fly by when the Reading Vintage Fair monthly installment comes whizzing back around again. It was unfortunate that I was unable to attend the March Fair, so I endeavored that I would not miss my vintage fix yet again and on the most beautifully sunny, Easter afternoon I attended with my Mum the April Sunday Fair. 

Being on Easter Sunday there was a more relaxed atmosphere in the town centre with most of the shops shut, it was the perfect time to take advantage and shop some vintage (and Easter) treats. 

It was great to see some friendly stallholders and shopper faces as well as so lovely new additions to this months fair... one of them being the lovely Alexandra of Dolly vintage.    

She had a great selection which greeted you by the door, from gorgeous selection of dresses, floaty blouses, laid back tees and faithful leather satchels; including a Balenciaga and Mulberry number which I would die to own! 

Trying on a few delights from her rail I decided in the end on a pleated white floral number: (below).  

Yes I know, dare I say it an 80's dress, yes the era people love to hate but thankfully no shoulder pads in sight! technically being born in the 80's does that now mean I am now classified as vintage too? 

The dress I think will great for warm summer days, and would be perfect for a summer event... I need a wedding to attend now... 

DollyVintage new site dollyvintage.com is due to launch in May... so keep your eye out as I too I willl be waiting with baited breath... bank balance be ready.  

There was also some really lovely homeware bits and pieces added into mix (see more photos below) and I can't help but indulgent in my trinket obsession and picked up this little glass dish with a very pretty painted lid (right).  Fits perfectly I must say with my other vintage perfume bottles and with my egg blue walls.  The dish as stallholder Debbie suggested would be ideal for hairband and grips... so I have no filled it with exactly that, tidying up my dressing table in such style. 

My Faithful favourites were also at the purple turtle, Anna from Betsy and Sue Vintage, Georgina of Georgina's Vintage,  and the lovely Ali was downstairs with her mini Frock&Roll boutique. Venture outside in the glorious sunshine courtyard filled with yet more vintage stalls, and the delish White Rabbit Bakery where there with there was white Easter bunny biscuits adorning the towering pretty cupcakes. 

Live music filled the air as the talented signers and acoustic acts graced the stage.    

It was the best way to spend a lovely Easter Sunday, make sure you don't miss your vintage fix and head down to the May Fair, end of next month. 

If you are in the Oxford area, lucky you as the Reading Vintage Fair is infact on it's travels and will be arriving at the Purple turtle near you on 15th May. Find out more: VINTAGENIE presents Wonderous Pop up Vintage at Oxford If you are interested in selling or performing be sure to get in touch with the organisers. 

Stylish Reading Vintage Fair Shoppers

Now who says that Reading doesn't have flare, style and panache? These stylish and very lovely shoppers all attended the 2nd Reading Vintage Fair...

Vintage-trade Mother's & Daughters 

Mother's and daughters connected to the vintage scene L.R: Betsy & Lola Mother duo, Jill Barron & daughter of http://www.butterflygirlvintage.com/ and Georgina and Mum supplying endless support for her daughters vintage venture http://www.georginasvintage.com/

As you may be aware the Mother & Daughter vintage shopper has been a strong running theme throughout my project and watch this space for details of an event I am planning with strong links to Mum and daughter, or indeed vintage shoppers. 

Some More lovely Mother and Daughter(s) and even a very young gran and granddaughter at the end (right). 

Vintage is loved by many and is often a family affair, you often will see three generations of vintage shoppers, which is lovely to see families spending time together and sharing in their passions.  

Stylish Print Individuals 

From L>R: Gorgeous Anna from Betsyand SueVintage, Stylish twin no.1,  The Lovely Ali from Frock&Roll, Sarah from Dolly and the Clothespegs, and an expert individual clashing prints to the max.

Vintage Shopping duo’s 

How fabulous are these pairings L>R: Natty Dressers Vintage, Chalston Jive duo Hilda Davidson, Jeweller & friend, immaculately dressed friends and the vintage twins.   

Above: The vintage shoppers, from early teens to young professionals these vintage shoppers style stand out from the crowd.... how incredible does the lady far right look with her amazing pink hued hair and Vivienne Westwood patent red bag.

Last but by no means least… The Stylish Indivduals

From L.R: Two vintage shoppers, The Butterfly girl herself wearing a hello kitty necklace from spitalfields and playing dress-up with a vintage cap and Mustache kit. Vintage stall holder and the 'lady in red' Heather from Betty's Boutique. 

The Second Reading Vintage Fair

Sunday 27^th Feb – The second instalment of Reading’s vintage fair, arrived once again in the Town center bar, The Purple Turtle.

After January’s success the fair trebled in size this time round and had a great selection of local vintage sellers and creative individuals selling their wears across two floors, a vintage pop-up teashop in the courtyard local live musicians providing the soundtrack to the day. 

I was there once again to show my support and met some lovely people. The crowds are really embracing this new wave of vintage to hit this humble town, I say humble it is apparently one of the largest towns outside of London… so we are very thankful that local vintage sellers Georgina Webb of Georgina’s Vintage and Anna Spedding of Betsyand SueVintage were hot on the case and are now the proud founders of Reading’s monthly vintage fair.

As I spent most of the day there socialising, shopping, researching I have many, many, many photos and therefore this post has had to be split into two, The Vintage shoppers at the fair and the fair as a whole which you can see below.  

To find out more and see future dates see: www.thereadingvintagefair.com  

Please see some of my photo's from the day below, click more below to expand and to see further images...

Lovely, Lovely Weekend...

This weekend I decided I would finally go and mooch round Fanny's Antiques - a well established Berkshire Antiques emporium, situated surprisingly in the centre of Reading. I was on the search for an Edwardian style chair or stall for my dressing table and thought I would make sure I had a look round the renowned Fanny's first...  

 

The beautiful ground floor display, especially for Valentines Day was appealing and inspiring, and yet was quite a commercial visual display, set in a some-what unconventional leaky building which housed an eclectic mix of antiques. You need to be on aware of certain pieces and know what you are looking for in a place such as this. 

For me, a relatively new antique shopper, this is slightly overwhelming, however do not get me wrong I do think there is some real bargains to be found!  

I did discover a few nice pieces including a fabric wrapped chair (below), a children's christening trinket, an elaborate metal frame mirror (below) and some petite cups and saucers. Although I did not purchase any of them on the day, I am very inclined to visit there again soon, to see what I can discover, however perhaps not on such a wet and bitter day. 

The First Reading Vintage Fair

Reading's Vintage scene is well and truly flourishing, from vintage boutiques to vintage fashion fairs ... there is no better news than for my beloved hometown to finally provide an alternative fashion, (not to mention ethical and nostalgic also) to break up the cloned hightreet scattered with all the usual chain stores which are slowly eradicating any town or city individual personality... but to put a change to all that is the first Reading Vintage Fashion Fair, held at the formidable Purple Turtle Bar. 

After the previously planned December fair was cancelled due to the 'adverse weather conditions', I was overjoyed to see that this was not a plan that had just been snowed under and infact the fair was set to go ahead in the new year on 30th Jan.... and of course I had to turn up to show my support, and well maybe to do a little shopping... 

Frock&Roll Vintage gem - Q&A with Owner and founder

Happy that I had finally discovered a vintage gem in Reading, (my hometown) I immediately headed on over to the gorgeous Frock&Roll boutique on Watlington Street, (just opposite the Royal Berks Hospital). I was also lucky enough to be able to catch up with the ever so lovely owner and founder, Ali Redfern, who was able to fill me in on the details of how she came to open her dream shop...  

I understand Frock&Roll opened it’s doors in July of this year, what made you choose Reading as a location for your boutique?

I chose Reading because I felt there is not that much in the area of a vintage nature, so there was a natural gap in the market.  Also, Reading is my home town so I had lots of support from friends in starting my venture.

Left: Founder and Owner Ali and friend Claire.


What was the inspiration behind Frock&Roll?

I had been thinking about starting the business for a good few years.  I had always worked for large companies and wanted the challenge of working for myself.  As I was passionate about vintage clothing and liked working with people I felt Frock&Roll would combine my skills.