Paper Dress Vintage - birthday party!

A direct repost (below) of the invite I received.  This is a lovely vintage shop, on Curtain Road in Shoreditch - they have a wide selection of beautiful and reasonably priced vintage from 30's - 70's and a cute little tea room.  Worth a visit if you are ever around.

I'm still hankering after a certain 30's evening dress I saw last week...

********************************************************************




Third Birthday Party and new Autumn Apparel
I am very happy to announce the celebration of Paper Dress' THREE YEARS in business on Friday 1st October from 6-11pm. It's been a turbulent few years, but with your help we have survived and blossomed, so please come and enjoy free live entertainment, drinks and a 20% discount (which will last all weekend) at this riotous event.

/// Live music from Jukebox Collective & more to be announced ///
/// Hoola hooping highs ///
/// Face art ///
/// Rum punch ///
/// DJs ///
/// 20% discount ///
/// Free cupcakes ///
/// Fire poi show ///

info and event details or join our group HERE

I am also welcoming the cold with some fab new Autumn stock. Cosy cream cardigans, furs and fakes, pretty eiderdowns, dreamy day dresses and slinky nightwear, check out the pics below...

Love all at Paper Dress x

Paper Dress 114-116 Curtain Road London EC2A 3AH Tel 02077294100 Or email us at paperdressboutique@yahoo.co.uk

, , , , ,

Broadwalk Empire - I gotz high hopes!

So, there I was casually flicking through Stylist magazine today and I come across a beautiful image of a Depression era bar.  I read the article and it turns out there is a new Mad Men on its way - or at least that seems to be where most of the comparisons lie.  Boardwalk Empire is set in the Prohibition Era in Atlantic City, US, the time when, as the tagline states "Alcohol was outlawed and outlaws became kings." 


Its been written by Terence Winter, who penned The Sopranos, it stars Steve Buscemi, the delicious Michael Pitt (he always did have a vintage look) and Kelly MacDonald.  What's more, the first episode is directed by Martin Scorsese. 



It all sounds too good to be true right, its bound to flop, well the first episode aired in the US on 19 September to what seem to be rave reviews (Newsweek called it "naughty, shocking and decadent" while Metacritic, a review aggregate site ranked incredibly high reviews) and the second series has already been commissioned.


I'm looking forward to gorgeous styling, a great script and some damn fine acting.  I've also heard great things about strong female characters like Mad Men (which I've never seen - for shame!)



It comes to Blighty in January on Sky1.  Is this enough to convince me to sign up...?  Hmmmm, almost.


Now, anyone wanna lend me their Mad Men box set until this starts up?

Good Hair Days - recent vintage hair fun

Hello lovelies!

I just wanted to let you know what I got up to on my three days off this week. 

As some of you know I’m devoted to my bottle blonde hair – it’s my main beauty extravagance and though I keep thinking I really should try a cheaper alternative (a different salon, an easier to maintain colour...whaddeva), I just can’t break my blonde habit.  The evil dealer in this tale of addiction and woe is Billie Crago – colourist at my favourite salon, The Chapel, in Islington.  She is just too good and has recently taken my hair from Kelly Osborne grey to Mrs Slocombe pink and back to a lovely creamy blonde – which, to my chagrin, suits me much better.

Billie and her business partner Georgia set up the salon in 2007 (though I was a customer of Billie’s at her previous place of employment ) and the place has gone from strength to strength since, winning multiple awards.  The salon is based in Islington, on the Sadlers Wells side of Angel station, and is an absolute haven of tranquillity.  It has been designed to feel calm and airy – it really is a huge space - being on the site of a former pub – and even when busy the place feels spacious.  

Well, last time I was in getting my roots touched up and working my way through a few glasses of the house red, ahem, Billie asked if I’d be willing to be a hair model for their next training session on vintage hair.  Of course, I accepted, but I had to point out that I’d been cutting my own hair for the past year and that it might not be ideal for her to play with.  Well, bless the angel, she only went and offered me a free cut into the bargain (a benefit of being a long standing client) and lo and behold that where I ended up on Tuesday morning. 

Ironically, that morning I got up and styled my uncurled hair into probably my most successful quick victory rolls to date.  I really didn’t want anyone touching these magnificent beasts but hey – I’d promised...

The cut:

I took along my diagram of the middy cut (a little history to come) and asked the lovely stylist, Lucinda, to cut mine into the longest version of it she could manage with what hair I had.  Being a bit of a vintage fan Lucinda understood what I wanted straight away and she did a fine job, I must say.  Though I love cutting it myself it is nice to have a pro do it occasionally, I felt lighter afterwards!  Here is the cut in its unstyled state (scuse the tired face, its been a long, slow day at work here and I don't wear foundation in the week).

The middy is really the classic 1940's cut, you will see it referenced all over vintage sites and there is a whole thread devoted to at it on the Fedora Lounge.  In essence its heavily layered, which allows the curls to fully billow.  I managed to get hold of a scan of a certain famous vintage hair book by Daniela Turudich and so took in the pages from that.  I think mine would count as a middy plus (4 1/2 inches all over with an elongated U shape at the back).

I have yet to style it myself but that’s tonight's project and a future post!

The styling:

So, back I trotted on Thursday all ready to be thoroughly fiddled with (ooerr!) Unfortunately however, I’d made a bit of an error, and hadn’t managed to wash all the oil from Wednesdays effective, but very painful, massage from the back of my hair so poor Billie had to work around that.

In any case, she decided she didn’t want to do hair up, as everyone else was going along those lines with their models, but instead wanted to try and recreate a fingerwaved look with a curling iron.

With the help of a super hot curling iron and about 10 litres of Redken spray starch (yes, spray starch) we manage to coax my recalcitrant barnet into this wonder of wonders.  I’d have been quite happy to leave the salon like this but I think Billie wanted her clips back...

So, after it was left to cool for around 10 minutes it was taken down and gently brushed into shape.  We went for a sort of pageboy look with soft waves at the front and a little kisscurl.  Sadly the photos don’t really do it justice but I can assure you it looked lovely and I got lots of nice comments on the way home.

It was a really enjoyable day and the updos the Chapel team were putting together were incredible – sorry I didn’t get pics of those, I was being fluffed at the time.  There were lots of great victory rolls, rolls at the neck and a couple of quite spectacular Mad Men style dos.  Such a talented team.

I’m back again for my root touch up next week, I think they should give me my own chair.

I can’t recommend this salon enough – they really are wonderful.

Oh, AND you get a Tunnocks teacake.  <3 <3 <3

Singing in the rain? Surviving miserable weather vintage style.

Oh its mighty strange weather out here in Blighty.  I know we are famous for our weather obsession but it actually IS worth talking about right now.  Yesterday was so gloriously sunny that I was sat outside a pub with the lovely Naomi from Vintage Secret having lunch, today however has been one long rainstorm.

This set me to thinking - how to cope with miserable rainy Autumn weather without sacrificing your vintage credentials.

Here are a few ideas I have come up - feel free to suggest any others - I need all the help I can get being a summer child.

Coats:
Its not always cool enough for a coat at this time of year (unless you are me and even one cloud in the sky sends you shivering) but I am rather taken with the PVC macs from Suzie High Gloss.  I know, PVC, a little....kinky..right?  Not really.  I'm thinking more 60's Mary Quant cool.  Suzie High have this great coat in two different lengths and several patterns.  I'm rather taken with the clear one - after all sometimes its a shame to hide a great outfit and at under £40 its a bit of a bargain too.  It even featured in this months Elle in a retro fashion shoot.

I'm also rather smitten with the waterproof cape from Cyclechic (above), its meant to be a cycling cape (very district nurse) but I don't see why it couldn't be worn just as everyday rainwear.  Apparently they have matching spats too!


Hats:

For me there is only one way to keep my set from drooping in the rain and that is the classic rain bonnet.  I wore one today in fact, and while it does raise the odd eyebrow, frankly I don't care.  My hair is worth it.

Again you can find these at Suzie High Gloss, they are also available super cheap at dotcomgiftshop.

Personally, I get mine from the local cheapy shop - three for a pound - can't argue with that, eh?

Footwear:

Ah - a tricky subject for the vintage maven.  Sites like the Fedora Lounge are humming with sightings of vintage rain and snow shoes at this time of year.  These are usually fur / sheepskin lined and are very hard to find.  I think similar shoes were still being made until recently as I'm sure my Nan had some.  The closest I've been able to find to those classic granny boots are these expensive little numbers from Drapers, out of stock currently but, according to the sleuthing powers of a certain Fleur de Guerre, due back in stock in October.

An easier though less authentic option would be to get a pair of wellies.  Either classic Hunters for the Sloane Ranger in you or something fun like the Cath Kidston's below (there are also loads of cheap knockoffs in the likes of Primark, Matalan etc etc).

Umbrellas:

...and finally we get to good old  brollies - if there is one thing every Brit should own its a good brollie.  Sadly, this is also something I lack.  I just lose them.

It can be hard to find vintage umbrellas, though they do crop up on eBay, and even if you do find one with all its spokes attached and no tears in the fabric you may not want to use it.  I really think that repro is a better option in this case and one of the best places for beautiful umbrellas is Brollies Galore, the two below can be found on their site.

For a more classically British look the tartan brollies from Cox's are rather fab.

Or, if you are even sillier (like myself), then one of these spotty or  leopard print babies might be just perfect to get you Singin' in the Rain!

Happy showers folks, don't forget to share your rainy weather tips!

Anyone for tea?

Well, I bought the set I was after and it arrived this morning at the undignified hour (for a day off anyway) of 8am.

It is beautiful, a cream background with tunning and somewhat loosely painted orange, yellow and grey flowers.

I've got a teapot, 6 trios, 4 side plates, 2 cake plates a jug and a sugar bowl. Gorgeous! I also picked up some lovely silver tongs and a 4 matching teaspoons for 50p recently so I'm all set in the tea party department.

Here is my new baby in all her glory!

  I've tried to find more of that rugged yorkshire dales pattern but there isn't a bean on the 'Bay.

Anyway - my yellow pattern is called "Sunburst" and while there are a lot of tea items available there isn't much in the way of dinner sets.  Infact I saw a tureen on eBay with aprice of £119!  It must be quite rare.  I might try and find something complementary but easier to find for my dinner service.


I also treated myself to a lovely new (old) sewing box today - and have totally tidied my craft cupboard.  Look at this lovely thing.  I think its possible the cats like it even more than me!  It was from my very favourite second hand shop - Past Caring on Essex Road in Islington - an absolute treasure trove of vintage lamps, glassware and sewing paraphernalia.

I also had a fantastic hair day today - but that's all part of tomorrows post!

Quick catch up

So, I've been lax again, and have neglected this little corner of my life.  I have however been rustling up a whole host of weird and probably not that wonderful ideas to blog about.

I've been speeding through the knitting too, so once sewn together, I should have a few things to show you too.

Hurrah!

there is always something more I want...

Yep, I'm never satisfied me, and following Helen Highwater's recent post on her vintage china collection I've decided I really need a pretty tea and dinner service.  I've persuaded myself that this is OK because it means I'll invite people over for tea / dinner rather than meeting them at the pub and drinking.  That is blatantly an excuse though and I just want to buy pretty things.

Thing is china is such a new thing to me that I just don't know where to start.  I've been trawling eBay looking at china patterns and one I like is Paragon "rockingham" which featues incredibly over the top filigree type decoration and pictures of birds.  It comes in both red and green and there seems to be a fair bit about.

I've even seen a few pink and yellow pieces though these seem to be much rarer.

Probably too grand for me but I've enjoyed looking at it.

On the other hand, I also love this deco design.  Its more homely and yet much rarer.  It makes me smile just looking at it:

I think this might be the one.