Cardiff Fashion Week: St David's Catwalk Show

I had such a lovely evening on Saturday, attending an event at St David's shopping centre as part of Cardiff Fashion Week.

I got to meet some other Welsh bloggers, including the lovely Gem of Fat Frocks face to face for the first time, and also Amy from Bonjour Cupcake.  I find networking a bit hard, as I'm shy in large groups of people, but I'm really glad to have met some fellow bloggers and hope we'll meet again in the not too distant future!

Here is a little pictorial summary of the fashion show...

What really pleased me was that as this isn't 'high' fashion - it was about showcasing clothes available in the St David's stores - there was no need to use standard models.  So they used dancers!  The show was really enjoyable, with a lot of energy, and because the models looked healthy and athletic, I found I paid more attention to the clothes themselves rather than getting completely distracted by the bodies underneath.

As the PR at St David's explained to me, showing clothes on 'standard' models (i.e. very tall and very slim) would not help 'sell' the clothes to the normal woman on the street.  As part of this wise approach, St David's hosted a competition for two ordinary women sized 14 and over on the street to become models for the day.  It's a step in the right direction - I would like to see more of this kind of thing targeting even more demographics e.g. women over 40, petite women, women with disabilities and the 'average' women who get left out of this kind of thing by being average height and a size 10 or 12 - too big to be a model, but too small to enter the 'plus size' contests.

Above: Winners of the Size 14 and over model search.  Photo by St David's.

Porcelina the Author!

I've been keeping my cards close to my chest, but I think now's the time to admit that secretly... I write!  Short fiction stories, to be exact.  I would really love to be the next Agatha Christie, but if I still can't work out whodunnit after reading her books over and over, there's not much hope of me writing that genre myself.

Recently I won second place in an international competition, and I am thrilled that my story is going to be published in an anthology.  My first interview as an author can be found on the competition website here.  (You will also find out more about who I am in 'real life' if you're curious!!)  The top prize was a holiday to Greece, what a near miss!  I would have liked that.  Oh well, maybe next year I will win outright.

Any other bloggers also writing in other forms?  I'd be interested to hear!

Outfit Post: '30s Trousers & Tie Blouse

1930's Reproduction Swing Trousers: 20th Century Foxy

White fan print blouse: Car boot sale

Brogues: Shu Crazy on Ebay



Historic Bristol

 Above: Gargoyle, alms houses, colourful homes on a hill, tower on Clifton Down

Below: Clifton Suspension Bridge

 I love being somewhere different - I had to go to Bristol for work, and made sure I took my camera.  A beautiful but cold Autumn day.

Cardiff Fashion Week Update

I got it a little mixed up in my last post - the date wasn't wrong on CFQ's website, it's just that there are TWO vintage fashion fairs this week in Cardiff!!  Gosh.  We're being spoilt.

The one happening tomorrow is this one:

The Cardiff Vintage Fayre, Sunday 21st October
More independent than some of the mass vintage fairs, I will be interested to see what kind of vintage and - more importantly - what kind of prices this fair will have.

Cardiff Vintage Fair, Sunday 28th October
Click here for their Facebook event page. There will be homeware as well as vintage clothing from the 1940s to 1980s, as well as tea rooms and a pop-up beauty parlour. Always seems a bit of shame to me offering hair and make-up on a Sunday, few of us can use it to its full advantage and spend the night afterwards on the town.

I popped along to Womanby Street today to Cardiff Fashion Quarter.  Quite a small venue, with only a couple of vintage clothing sellers, one of which was a lady called Belinda from Penny Lane Vintage Boutique.  We had a nice chat and I took a photo of her in her lovely dress, but it didn't come out very well.  Sorry Belinda!  Maybe I'll see her at the vintage 'fayre' tomorrow.  Below are a couple of photos from around the venue.

Vintage at Cardiff Fashion Week

It starts tomorrow!  Cardiff Fashion Week is running from 20th to 28th October, and there are lots of events running around the capital of Wales to celebrate.

I've sifted through all the events, and these are the two you'll be interested in because of the vintage connection:

Cardiff Fashion Quarter, Saturday 20th October
This is interestingly going to be located in a old converted cinema on Womanby Street.  I didn't even know there was an old cinema there!  Apparently we can look forward to both vintage and modern fashion clothing for men and women, vintage furniture and thrift items. There will also be entertainment, models showcasing the clothes, and photography and artwork on sale too.  For more information and a map, please click here.           

Cardiff Vintage Fair, Sunday 28th October
Please note that it's advertised as being on the 21st on CFW's website, but that's incorrect!  Click here for their Facebook event page.  There will be homeware as well as vintage clothing from the 1940s to 1980s, as well as tea rooms and a pop-up beauty parlour.  Always seems a bit of shame to me offering hair and make-up on a Sunday, few of us can use it to its full advantage and spend the night afterwards on the town.

That's all the vintage you'll get this week by the look of it.  If I go to any of the events I'll be keeping a close eye on the size of the models, after my recent Porcelina vs Fashion Retrospective debacle!!
   

Outfit Post: Working Girl

Blouse & shoes: Primark

Dress: Dorothy Perkins

Oh dear, a bit of a 'budget' clothes day!!  I think the whole outfit cost me less than £25.  I shall try and wear something expensive in my next post to balance it out.

Fashion Retrospective: A Weighty Issue

A little while ago I posted about attending the Fashion Retrospective event as part of London Fashion Week.  A fashion show put on to showcase how vintage clothes could work with modern trends, it was overall a great event, but do you remember I had a small complaint?

'Small' being the operative word - tiny, emaciated, child-like models.  I wrote to the B&H Group that had organised the event to lodge my complaint, that unlike the rest of London Fashion Week, they were not restricted to sample sizes because of using vintage, which is available in lots of sizes, and that it was a missed opportunity.

Eventually I got a response, and here is what they had to say:

"I would like at this juncture to make it very clear that absolutely all of the models used in our shows are healthy size 6-10 and we would most definitely refuse to employ anyone who we deemed to be unhealthy."

"With reference to your comments about vintage sizing: whilst you may be able to find all shapes and sizes (1950s onwards) in your local vintage shop, you may be surprised to find that this is not as commonly the case with the clothes we sourced from the various boutiques involved and we would have really struggled if we had used girls of an average 10-12 dress size."

So, I am left thinking a few things.

Firstly, it's amazing to me how year round women stand up for weight issues but when London Fashion Week comes around they seem to just accept that models should be super-tiny and stop fighting the issue.

I understand that the top-end vintage boutiques do tend to be quite 'exclusive' and often the
reason that the clothes are in such good condition is that they have been too small for much wear by following generations. The bigger sizes certainly get snapped up quickly and get worn more.

It really is a particular shame though if vintage boutique Lucy in Disguise was only able to supply very small sizes because of how co-owner Lily Allen feels about weight issues - she has openly spoken about it, and it seems quite contradictory of her to only stock small sizes in her boutique when she's speaking out about the issue of weight!

I'm feeling a bit frustrated, because this is such an important issue and people seem to think that it will just go away on its own.  It won't, and more people need to speak out about it.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this - what do you all think?

Inspiration: Meet Vintage Model Jacquelyn

The world of Vintage is full of interesting and inspirational people, and this lady is one of them.  Meet Jacquelyn, vintage enthusiast and model from Essex.

Above: Photo by James Reynard



I 'met' Jacquelyn on the internet after she was announced as the 2nd place winner in the Kiss Me Deadly 'Shoot Yourself' competition.  I stumbled on her facebook page, and was in awe of her photographs.  Not just a stylish lady, Jacquelyn was also lovely and agreed to a little interview for this blog.

How long have you been wearing the vintage look, and how did you get into it?
I have always been inspired by classic couture and have tried to dress accordingly as much as my fairly limited budget would allow. Probably in about 2000 I visited a Vintage Clothes fair and purchased a pair of 1950s evening gloves which I wore with a classic black coctail dress to the Theatre a few days later. I began to visit vintage fairs more regularly and soon amassed a wardrobe of items which were not only classic but actually of the period, mainly 1950s. My Husband is a very enthusiastic supporter of my decision to wear Vintage or Vintage inspired clothing, including lingerie, and this makes for domestic harmony.

Aside from clothes, how big a part does 'vintage' play in your life?
I usually dress in Vintage style whenever we go out for the evening whether on our own or with friends and family. For no particular reason I have some friends who adopt a vintage lifestyle but much more that do not. My house, though built in late Victorian era, is decorated inside in 1930s art deco style. I do not drive: my Husband does not drive a Vintage car because we are not fortunate enough to afford what he would really like, which would probably be a Cord.

Do you have any tips for budding vintage models?
A good way to begin pin up modelling is to invest a Vintage photoshoot with a photographer who offers a makeup and hairstyling service. This is quite a growth industry and simply by trawling the internet you should easily discover one in your area. Most carry a stock of props,dresses, outifts and stockings. You should also invest in at least one , preferably two, matching sets of underwear, one of which should be black. Don't forget the essential suspender belt. Once you have selected your photographer call him or her to discuss the look you want to achieve. The great majority will be very helpfull and if you find that your choice is not particularly helpful just say that you will be in touch and find one who is more attuned to your requirments.

Above: In an issue of Vintage Life magazine, photo by Retro Photostudio

Below: Photos by Laura Whittaker

 

 



What is your favourite item in your wardrobe?
It is very difficult to say which is my favourite item: after some very deep thought I would say it would probably be a contest between my full skirted sleevless floral dress with sequins which I bought from The Girl Can't Help It in about 2006 and my '50s style couture Grey Suit made for me by Thomas von Nordheim in the early 90s, I have probably worn these outfits each about 100 times and I'm still not tired of them.

What is your top beauty product for helping achieve a vintage look?
My top makeup products for achieving a Vintage look has to be black liquid eyeliner and a really good longlasting red lipstick. My favourite one at the moment is Poppy Cream by Elizabeth Arden.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Well I had hoped to have retired in 5 years time but as the Government has other plans I guess I shall still be working in the beauty industry and still collecting and wearing vintage clothes. At least our mortgage will be paid off so I may be able to afford to buy more. The value of Vintage clothes in good condition is still rising as far as I am aware.

 

Below: Photo by Laura Whittaker

 

Finally, congratulations for coming second in the KMD contest! What made you decide to enter?
It took courage to enter the competition as I think I was the eldest by far, but to be honest I feel that there are many beautfiul Women in their 40s and 50s out there that should be promoted in a glamorous way: so I thought I'd be a representative. I was really encouraged by all the positive comments and feedback that was left including some by the people who own the brand.

A big thank you to Jacquelyn for her time - isn't she a lovely lady?  

She's certainly inspired me to be a bit more glamorous.

Afternoon Tea Review: Hilton, Cardiff

 

 

 

Over the summer my friend Adie and myself treated ourselves to afternoon tea at the Hilton.  It was part of a Groupon deal and so included use of the spa facilities too for £29 for two people.  We had a lovely swim to work up an appetite.

 

Sandwiches: 3.5/5

These were rather nice, particularly the salmon ones because they had prawns in too!  Would have liked a bit more selection, and the bread could have been better.  The sandwiches looked quite beige and bland on the cakestand, and tasted far superior to their looks!

 

Cake: 1/5

What a disappointment.  A fairy cake that was misshapen, pretty tasteless and looked as though it had been decorated by a five year old.  There were some welshcakes too, nice touch for the capital of Wales, but I'm afraid that doesn't outweigh the other cake so the score's still 1 out of 5.

 

Service: 5/5

Impeccable.  Charming Maitre D, attentive waitress, and when a *hair* was discovered on our cakestand (I wish I was joking, it's such a cliche!) they couldn't apologise enough and swiftly replaced the entire tea selection.

Ambience: 3/5

The glass-fronted restaurant on the ground floor is rather nice, and you can people watch.  It's still a modern hotel chain at the end of the day, so nothing particularly special.

 

Crockery; 3/5

Yes, I am rating the crockery!  It wasn't vintage - just your normal run-of-the-mill white china that can be found in most hotel chains.

 

Tea & Prosecco: 4/5

A good selection of tea, with a bit of a ritual created around choosing it by the Twinings selection box of jars that you are welcome to open and sniff.  There are also little egg-timers to tell you when your tea is brewed, depending on whether it's black, white or green tea.  It's still Twinings though, rather than some local tea company, so I am knocking off a point for that.  The prosecco went down in one.

 

Overall: 3/5

I would have been sorely disappointed if I had paid full price, but I have a feeling that the afternoon tea was 'adjusted' slightly for the Groupon offer and that a different selection of items would have been available for customers paying the full price.  I really can't complain that I got a swim, a glass of bubbly, a pot of tea and some sandwiches for £15.  I don't think I would go again though - there are lots of other choices in South Wales with superior cake and crockery.

Outfit Post: Seventies Nod

In The Forest

It's wellies weather quite often in Wales.  Mine are pink and I like to wear them on a walk in the forest.  I know green would be more vintage but I like to think that if your average girl in the 1940s had a choice of green or pink, they'd have gone for pink!

In The Shops: Rosie Lingerie at M&S

Actress and model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has a new lingerie collaboration with M&S Autograph that has a somewhat vintage flavour.

Above: Bra, £22.50 and knickers, £12.50

My favourite?  Well, the deco-styling on some of the bras is rather lovely, but it's a chic looking teddy that I'll be putting on my Christmas list.

Below, from top: Teddy, £45

Camisole, £35

French knickers (Plain and floral) £17.50 each

 

There are some high-waisted knickers on the website that aren't in stock at the moment, so you might have to hold out for those if the tiny knickers aren't to your vintage taste!

You can read more about her collaboration on the M&S website here.

Photo: M&S