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. 

Anita's Vintage Fair & Lipcote Film

ANITA'S VINTAGE FASHION FAIRS - Mother's Day Special with Lipcote Film

Celebrating its 7th annual Spring Fair, the ever - anticipated AVFF is devoted to offering the ultimate, most authentic, vintage fashion experience.

Anita Bott, founder of the original Vintage Fashion Fairs in Battersea & Notting Hill, recognised the importance of vintage fashion and has thrown her energy and enthusiasm in this direction for close to a decade. Nonplussed by the competition, she is delighted to invite you to any one of her fairs...

A Mother & Daughters Vintage Fair Special
20th March 2011
BAC, London

THANK YOU
to all those involved, our beauty sponsor Lipcote, BAC and & those who kindly attended.

www.lipcote.com


Music by Glenn Miller Stealing Apples

Filmed and edited by BrightRain Photographics.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bright-Rain-Photographics/147574...

http://www.andrewseot.com/

Truly Coquetteful!

Lucky moi... myself and my good friend Kate attended the marvelous Coquette at Kettners last Saturday... read all about our exploits on the day at the What Katie did Blog or below: 

On the most glorious Saturday afternoon Myself (Zara: part-time WKD office assistant and fashion blogger) and Kate (Operations manager at WKD HQ), hot-footed it down to the rather fabulous Kettner’s in Soho for the very first Coquette. Based on the successful ‘Tart at 40 Winks’ we were all overjoyed to hear that the exquisitely dapper Mister Carter was expanding his afternoon of vintage treats to a larger yet just as suitably glamorous settings of the infamous Kettner’s of Soho. 

With the ’Dressiquette’ of simply looking ‘drop dead gorgeous’ we made sure we had our best glad rags on, matched with our vintage accessories and of course with our perfect underpinning of WKD Lingerie we did indeed feel every-inch glamorous.

Our map of delights

It's my birthday and I can cry if I want to!

Yes it is indeed it is my birthday *cough*...er....my "21st" and yes I have indeed been extremely spoilt! I want to say a huge THANK YOU to all of you who sent me such lovely birthday wishes... feel very loved. 

I just wanted to share with you a few special gifts I received from work and my good friend Kate yesterday! She is an ever so talented little lady and handmade both of my gifts (below) which personally I think shows so much thought, consideration and effort, they are items to be cherished (well minus the sweets... which will not last long!)

So from the What Katie Did team was a beautifully decorated jar full of sugary favourites, with a Alice in Wonderland twist and a wooden vintage brooch on top... it is a little bit to good to eat I think.

A plea to all the talented web designers out there!

LOOKiNG FOR A ::: Website Designer/ Developer

Myself – 3^rd Year Fashion Promotion Student 

I am looking for a talented designer to create a dynamic website, which will be part of my Final Major Project. The website I am after is to represent my creative vintage solutions agency, &7:

“&7 provides creative solutions for vintage brands, solving any press and marketing dilemmas.  It is often tough to market a Vintage or Retro aesthetic brand within contemporary society.  &7 bridges the gap between nostalgia & modernity, supplying clients with a unique stance in a versatile society.”

Unfortunately with not a web design bone in my body I would indeed struggle to create the vision for the agency into a live website, which would be a fantastic bonus for my FMP. I would love to be able to work with someone who feels they would be able to translate my ideas into reality and in turn produce some great work for themselves and their own portfolio.    

It would be an ideal project for any student, or a recent graduate, as it would not only help build experience but could be used for own projects and portfolio. &7 is a live project and is partnered with many industry clients therefore it will not only allow for great exposure, but there is also the possibility it could be displayed at Graduate Fashion Week.   





Website: www.And7London.com

Hours: I have been advised that my proposed website should be achievable to develop within a few days.

Salary: £10p/h - negotiable

To apply: If you are, or know of anyone, who may be interested in this opportunity  please email me Zarayk@gmail.com. I am happy to discuss any aspect and provide still mock-ups of the proposed website for consideration.  

Closing date: Ideally to be completed before the beginning of May 2011 – (ideal project for over the Easter Break). 

Afternoon Tea at 28 Portland Place

Yesterday I was invited along to accompany Anita of AVFF to a rather lovely Afternoon tea at 28 Portland Place. Hosted by a events agency aptly known as 'It's The Agency' we were treated to a glorious afternoon of indulgence, champagne, canapes and of course meeting some great people. 

28 Portland Place as you can see is a beautiful historic building dating from 1775. Designed by the celebrated Scottish architects the Adam Brothers it is one of the finest surviving town houses of its type. It was nice to see that it had been sympathetically restored to maintain the character and tradition of the house with ornamental mirrors, sparkling chandeliers and magnificent fireplaces in every spectacular room. 

We were greeted with a champagne reception in the grand Adam Room, accompanied by the beautiful sound of string quartet, Bryden Strings, to which we were then led into the interconnecting Sainsbury Room (below). An extremely beautiful and elegant room with large floor-to-ceiling bay windows, it truly does have the mind running wild with the possibilities of what such a room could cater for... ideal for a corporate presentation or perhaps a wedding... (must get a hat!)

Up the magnificent staircase which has the most breathtaking glass ceiling, we entered the extensive Halbern & Heggie Suite where a full array of afternoon treats by Ampersand awaited us. The selection of precisely cut finger sandwiches,  delicious smoked salmon canapes,  homemade fruit tartlets and elegant victoria sponge were all truly mouth-watering and extremly well presented. The regal chocolate cakes hinted to 'It's The Agency' prime role in the Royal Garden Party; lucky enough to sample such delights the food indeed matched the exquisite reputation. 

After sipping on tea the option to have your tea leafs read by the enlightening fortune teller was avaliable in the grand entrance hall, predicting the bright futures for all the guests. 

The gift bag with spring daffs and branded sweets. The 'It's The Agency' & Ampersand Team.

The beautiful surroundings of 28 Portland Place perfectly partners the traditional with the modern. The versatile and luxurious townhouse rooms are fit for any occasion. 


To find out more about this splendid townhouse or alternative venues in the capital,  It's The Agency can organise any and arrange your every events needs: 
www.itstheagency.co.uk

www.itstheagency.co.uk

A Big Thank You. 

Thank you to all who were able to make it down to Anita’s Vintage Fashion Fair, Mother’s Day Special on Sunday, It was great to see you!
I received a fantastic amount of support for the event from friends, family and peers and cannot thank you all enough!  

On March 20th 2011- AVFF hosted their 7^th Year Spring Fair at The Battersea Arts Centre (BAC). It was a fantastic success with guests, trade buyers, designers (and even some celebrities) able to sample the delights of the vintage fashion from the wide selection of exhibitors. 

Offering a unique shopping experience open to all appreciators of vintage fashion while paying homage to Mothering Sunday. Mum’s indulged in the delights of vintage fashion and were treated with some well-earned pampering. Sharing in the memories of yester-year, the styling team recreated the cherished looks from beautiful old photographs, truly a nostalgic journey for all.

Retro Photo booth. by Lulu & Mimi
As special features, there were styling and pampering from “LULU & MIMI’s” vintage hair & beauty, photo-booth team and the chance to pick up expert alteration tips from the lovely mother & daughter duo at “Recycle & Sew”, who specialise in restoring and restyling vintage clothing of all eras. 

Recycle & Sew

DJ Duo Truckin' Laura's  www.myspace.com/truckinlauras

The lively atmosphere flowed with the soundtrack of live music by Retro DJ duo Truckin’

Laura, & the Vintage Café did a sterling job in serving the delicious Afternoon tea and the extra special Red Nose Day cupcakes.

Vintage Cafe & Cupcakes

To those who were unable to make it on this occasion, fear not as AVFF will back with yet another fair brim-full of vintage treasures at The BAC on May 22^nd.

Mother's Day Special Vintage Fashion Fair

The Enchanting BAC

I find Battersea Art's Centre (The BAC) one of those buildings which is truly and utterly charming... Everytime I visit I love the relaxed yet creative atmosphere... intrigued about the beautiful building I decided to look into it's history abit more:

Background of The BAC:

Battersea Arts Centre is what used to be Battersea Town Hall. The town hall was built in 1893 by Edward Mountford. The grand hall was designed for ‘recreative entertainments of a high class for the people’ (BAC 2011).  It hosted early silent pictures, astronomy lectures with lantern projections and organ recitals. It is still used today for weddings, fairs and performances.

In 1965 the building was threatened with demolition and a local campaign was formed to save the building, resulting in a Grade II listing and a new community arts centre. The building is still very much on a journey from town hall to 21st Century home for creativity. BAC’s environment continues to evolve, with each new artist who walks into the building and sees potential in the spaces and stories that they hold.  

I had to take a few phone snaps of it's quaint display which was put together in conjunction of their main show The Red Shoe... which unfortunately I just narrowly missed out on seeing although deeply wanting to go, it had fantastic reviews. The beautiful set, which was homed near the cafe is enough to make anyone want to see the play... especially the ingenious hanging red shoes. 

I advise anyone to pop by The BAC and check out the the architecture inside and out of this mesmerizing building... 

www.bac.org.uk