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The Girl In The Pretty Dress Guide to Vintage Shopping

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One of my favourite purchases this year (and by no coincidence, one of my favourite outfit posts) was this fabulous canary-yellow vintage skirt. I was bitten by the vintage bug and I’ve been seeking out vintage sales ever since so I thought I’d share what I’ve learned so far…

1) Vintage shopping can be a tall shoppers heaven. The added length of yester-year’s dresses/skirts makes them perfect for those of us who are long and leggy. (Waist-height can still be tricky but it’s amazing what you can find if you’re prepared to rummage through the rails.) It’s also the perfect way to nail throw-back fashions like the current 70’s trends.

2) It’s about more than just the clothes. It’s a costume-jewellery paradise (I’ve never seen so many sparkly things in one place) and perfect if you’re looking for a one-off piece of furniture.

3) It pays to think about your underwear in advance of your shopping expedition. Most vintage sales have make-shift changing booths so make sure you’re covered just in case. At the last vintage sale I went to one of the booths was no more than a wicker screen…

4) There is always cake. I don’t know why but every vintage sale I’ve attended has had a cute little tea-and-cake cafe running in the corner. Which suits me just fine. The added bonus is that you can usually buy the seat you’re sitting on if it takes your fancy.

5) Do your research beforehand. Most vintage sales are one-off or annual events so it helps to follow vintage stores online to see where they’ll be showcasing their wares next. I’ve included some links below to get you started!

Vintage at Manchester Cathedral – Manchester (pictured below)
Pear Mill Vintage Emporium – Stockport
Rif Raf Furniture – Manchester
The Vintage Village – Stockport
Nells Loft – Liverpool
Lou Lou’s Vintage Fair – Newcastle
The Vintage Furniture Flea – London
Portobello Road – London
Judy’s Vintage Fair – Various locations and dates

The Great Yorkshire Show 2015

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I have been dreaming of the perfect day out at Great Yorkshire Show for a while – and this week I got my wish. After missing out in recent years, I finally managed to get time off work to visit this annual celebration of all things rural and Yorkshire.

I grew up in a rural community and love spending time in the great outdoors. I’m also very aware of where my food comes from – I always ensure my food is free-range and do my best to shop local. Events like this are pretty much paradise for a foodie like me, but they also support other local businesses and help to maintain/promote countryside traditions which might otherwise be lost.

After a short journey I arrived at the show ground. The sun was beating down, there were ice cream vans everywhere, and white tents as far as the eye could see. I grabbed a quick mid-morning snack and settled down to watch the sheep shearing competition. It’s safe to say I have no idea what the rules were – or even who the winner was – but it was a terrific atmosphere all the same.

Afterwards I made my way to the fashion tent for the Fashion Show (more on that later this week!) before roaming the show ground and soaking it all in. In the afternoon I settled in by the main show ring for the ‘mane’ event (get it?) – the much anticipated Shetland Pony Grand National – and stayed to watch the show-stopping draught horses compete against each other.

If you happen to be in the area next July, I would definitely recommend you spend a day here.

Mirror Mirror

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I fell for this dress the moment I put it on. It’s the kind of dress that makes you love every bit of your body the way you should. The bold yet intricate print is cleverly designed to draw attention to the body’s curves in just the right way.

However, while the mirrored print is bold, the colour palette is understated – which means you can be very flexible when choosing accessories to pair it with. I stuck to neutrals for this post but it works equally well with metallics and pastels.

I have been meaning to photograph it for ages. Sadly I left it a bit too late and this dress is no longer stocked on the ASOS website. However I did manage to find some similar options here, here and here.

Dress: ASOS
Shoes: Next (Similar here)
Bag: H&M (Similar here)

Introducing Indi

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Last weekend we had another uncommonly good burst of sunshine, so I decided to put my previous troubles with self-shooting behind me and photograph a post on my new ASOS Tall shorts. Unfortunately Indi had other ideas.

I’ve introduced my dogs once before on the blog but Indi is not the sort of girl who likes to be outshone – so after my last post she took matters into her own paws.

You would never know it but Indi is actually a senior citizen. The problem is, in her head she’s still 10 months old, rather than 10 years. We called her Indi after Indiana Jones, and she likes to live up to her name. 

Top: F&F (similar here)
Shorts: ASOS Tall (exact ones here)
Shoes: Primark
Sunglasses: Accessorize