Having been tipped off by fellow fab blogger LandGirl 1980 and happening for once to have a free Saturday, we prepared to descend on the Vintage vs Antiques Fair in Ewell in Surrey.
It was half an hour on the train out of London Waterloo so easily do-able. The fair was held in a groovy 1970's futuristic building which looked like a flying saucer, but the Munchkin was more taken with this Vauxhall in the car park. Who would have thought it of Vauxhall?!
The Fair was spread over two floors, upstairs being for antiques and homey things and downstairs being for fashion. No guesses that I headed straight down for the fashion.
We had a jolly time chatting with Sadie from FleaMarketChic (that is her beautifully styled stall in the top photo) and we did indeed bump into that LandGirl who looked fabulous in her rosey print dress and red lippy. I have to say that on the whole, the Fair was a disappointment for me. When I think of vintage, I want 1940s and 1950s and it really was apparent at this Fair that so many people now think of vintage as 1980s (often pretending to be 1940s). Each to their own, but it's not vintage to me (especially when I can remember what I consider to be the fashion faux pas of the '80s!) It's official, I am old!
I could count the 1940s dress on a couple of fingers and there was not an awful lot more from the '50s. True, there was the odd lovely piece, take this little number for example.
Anyway, all was not lost. I bought a cute pinny and some vintage 1930's magazines and other than that, the pennies went on having my very first 1940's "do". Behold my barnet, mid-transformation. Mr HH found far too much pleasure in taking snap after snap of me during the backcombing session...
But gradually, a roll began to emerge. Yay, victory indeed!
I could get used to this pampering. Pass the champers, dahling!
And there I was, a mere fifteen minutes later, all perfectly coiffed, vintage style!
(My dress was enjoying its first outing after I discovered it at a very wet and muddy Shepton Mallet Flea Market last Sunday. £20, a wash and a mend later, and it just goes to show that you can still find original, truly vintage pieces at reasonable prices in not necessarily the most obvious places!)
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Those victory rolls look great; I'd love to have my hair done properly like yours.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you about the plethora of 'vintage' fairs about that have more 1980s and newer clothes on sale than proper vintage. When I see 'vintage' adverterised I expect to see clothes and accessories from the 30s (at least) up to the 70s. I don't class the 80s and 90s as vintage yet, either!
Love the hair- and M's cool shades...
ReplyDeleteLovely rolls Hen! I do like the picture of Mr Henhouse and the Munchkin having his tie fixed! Have a lovely Sunday. x
ReplyDeleteWhat a bargain your dress was and such a lovely colour too, you realy suit those "rolls" Lucey x
ReplyDeleteYou look gorgeous! Love the hair. That dress was a bargain too!
ReplyDeleteJulie xxxxxxxxx
i love your hair hen ;0) how beautiful x
ReplyDeletealso such a pretty 1940 outfits you all have ;0)
Well, you look fabulous dahling, and certainly the part. You have just the right face - gorgeous skin by the way - to carry off that look. I'd end up looking like Hilda Ogden on a bad day.. maybe a good day if she took her curlers out!
ReplyDeleteyour hair looks super dooper. At the last fair I went to I watched the hairdressers for ages and actually stopped a lady and asked to take a photo of the back of her head as her hair was so beautiful. Just bought the magazine with your article in - photos and write up were superb.
ReplyDeleteYou look absolutely fabulous! It's amazing how in a matter of minutes one can be transported back a few decades.
ReplyDeleteThe dress is gorgeous too.
Love the hair-do! Dress is beautiful - fantastic colour!
ReplyDeleteLiz @ Shortbread & Ginger
oh...how fun!! you look wonderful! the hair is fantastic!!! that color on you is just stunning! your little mr. looks so great in the cap and vest...I had to copy the pic you did with him on the train....it is one of the best pics ever..It is in my folder of inspirational pics ! he looks like my dear dad did when he was a lad....just love it!!
ReplyDeleteDon't you look lovely? I do admire the Munchkin getting into the mood too. Vintage for me is anything up to the early sixties, but then I was born in the mid forties so the 70s and 80s are still modern day.
ReplyDeleteWow, you look great! It's interesting who different definitions of 'vintage' can cause problems. I certainly have some 80s and 90s favourites which I've kept hold of, which are clearly coming back into fashion! Weird...
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely day out Hen and I love the hairdo! x
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you had a bit of fun in spite of the disappointment! I used to backcomb my hair in the 1980s but it never lasted very long - yours looks great. I have long since come to the conclusion that I myself count as vintage - and that vintage means stuff I can remember really well! But I don't think you are quite old enough yet - I am sure that the Munchkin has never asked you if you can remember the war!
ReplyDeletePomona x
Wotcha! So sorry I didn't manage to find you before you left. Could of had a proper natter. I forgot to tell you how lovely your dress was. I do like a spot of blue! I nearly parted with some monies for a beautiful Maderia table cloth at the stall we bumped into each other at. If it is still there next time - its MINE!
ReplyDeleteI admit - there was a lack of pre 60's stuff, but then I am firmly in the camp of its how you make the dress look, rather than the actual era it is from. Plus - as much as I adore 40's dresses - I seldom find them in my size and I am naff at fixing things! It was the first Vintage part of the fair too - so hopefully with more time it shall turn into something to suit everyone :o)
So pleased you came away with some nice bits and you were certainly sporting hair of victorious rollage!
You look completely beautiful, that hair style really suits you!! Did you watch how she did it? Can you recreate it do you think? Love your dress too, gorgeous and such a bargain!
ReplyDeleteAre you going to be at Vintage this year? We have tickets for Friday and Sunday but are in town all weekend. Let me know x
Oh Hen.. when I read the blog title I thought you got a new or vintage Rolls Royce! LOL Love the hairdo, you look adorable! Did you see the aqua glass Hen dish I found recently? I'll always think of you when I see it.
ReplyDelete((hugs)), Teresa :-)
What a lovely dress and a bargain price too. Your vintage hair style really suits you, beautiful.
ReplyDeleteCarol xx
wow love your hair! Looks like a fun day out if nothing else :) x
ReplyDeleteLove the hair do, Hen, it really suits you.
ReplyDeleteLinda O xx
Oh my your hair, Hen! You look beautiful!
ReplyDeleteMonica x
You remind me of my mum posing as a model for hairdressing competitions in the 50s! She looked beautiful as do you!
ReplyDeleteHen, you look gorgeous! That hair totally suits you. Great dress too. Sad it wasn't what you expected.
ReplyDelete