Forces Sweethearts at Christmas

Are you looking for something with a vintage theme to do at Christmas?  Our friends at Harrogate Theatres have a rather fabulous 1940s themed Forces Sweethearts at Christmas show on Wednesday 12th December 2012 at 2:30pm at the Royal Hall, Ripon Road.

Being a matinee show, it's ideal if you don't want a late night. The show will be a mixture of 1940s tunes from the original forces’ sweethearts Vera Lynn, Judy Garland and The Andrew Sisters, alongside some classic Christmas songs by the likes of Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra.  Plus, it's a tagged sing-a-long, so the audience can join in with singing along to White Christmas, I'll Be Home For Christmas, I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus, Winter Wonderland, and many more. 

They want to create a Blitz party, so they're encouraging the audience to dress up in 1940s gear.  You could always attend one of our vintage fairs, and buy some items to wear to the show.  We've got Harrogate Does Vintage at the Harrogate Theatre on 10th November and York Does Vintage on 2nd December at the Merchant Adventurers' Hall.  One of the easiest 1940s looks you can create is to wear a vintage headscarf.  We always have lots of beautiful scarves for sale at our events.

If all that has whetted your appetite for more Christmas music then Royal Hall are hosting a classical Christmas, A Viennese Strauss Christmas Gala on Friday 14 December.  this involves a thirty three piece British Philharmonic Orchestra performing some of the finest and most notable Strauss tunes along with traditional Christmas carols.  That's bound to fill the audience with festive cheer!

If you'd like to book for either of these shows, please see the details below.

Tickets can be booked securely online at www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk or through the Harrogate Theatre Box Office on 01423 502 116.

Production: Forces Sweethearts at Christmas
Date: Wednesday 12 December
Time: 2.30pm
Tickets: £14 - £12 (concs available)
Location: Royal Hall


Production: A Viennese Strauss Christmas Gala
Date: Friday 14 December
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £22.50 - £17.50 (concs available)
Location: Royal Hall

Vintage Style Lace Collars

I really love the fact that vintage style collars are very much back in fashion.  So many blouses, tops and dresses have pretty little collars on them.  Currently in the accessory section of some high street shops you can buy detachable collars that can be worn like necklaces over round neck tops.  Nice as these are, they can be quite pricey. 

If you look around at our vintage fairs you can find often find beautiful original vintage lace collars for sale, like these pictured on the left.

Earlier this year I bought a 1950s tatting book from our of our stallholders, containing a couple patterns for collars that I've since made up.  I finished my latest one last week, in the picture on the left.  It took me about three weeks to make, but it got me thinking there must be an easier way to make a lace collar!

So here are the instructions to making a very simple lace collar that you only need very basic sewing skills to make.

How To Make A Vintage Style Lace Collar

You will need:- Broderie Anglaise trim,  thread, hook and eye, two buttons, and an iron.

1. Cut a piece of Broderie Anglaise trim depending on how big you want the collar to be.  Mine was 43cm long.  Make sure you cut it so there's a matching pattern on each end.  You can buy Broderie Anglaise trim in most haberdashery shops, so if you bought a meter you could make two collars, or some cuffs.

2. Iron over the plan edge so you can still embroidery underneath.

It's not necessary, but I sprayed on some laundry starch so it make the fabric stiffer when I ironed the edge over.  Even though the ends aren't finished off they shouldn't fray if you've cut them straight.  You could use a fray stop spray just in case.

3. On the back of the top corners sew the hook and eye at a 45 degree angle.  To cover up the stitches you can sew a button on the front side.  I used some vintage pearly buttons.

You could sew ribbons on the end instead of a hook and eye and have a collar that ties up with a bow.  If you wanted to make the collar more fancy, a strip of lace or a ribbon could be sewed under the folded edge, or a tatted or crocheted trim can be added to the unfinished edge.

Here's the finished collar on the left.  It can be pinned to a top if you want it to be more secure.  The hook and eye with buttons should help weigh the collar down and keep it's shape.

The collar took me about 20 minutes to make.  Broderie Anglaise sells for about £1 a meter and I had the buttons and the hooks already.


If you want an easy sewing project with a vintage feel, give it go.

A Beginner's Guide to Vintage Shopping - What's Your Era?

If you ever wondered what is and isn’t vintage – there doesn’t seem to be a 'definitive' answer.  Some people say vintage ends in the 1990s and some might tell you that it ends in the 1970s, with the 1980s and 1990s classed as retro.

When you first start getting into the vintage scene, it’s often a good to get an idea what eras you like and start building up your wardrobe from there.  If you like a certain style for what ever reason - such as your favourite film or TV programme is set during those times, you love the music, or just feel you belong in that decade, then that’s a good start.

Of course you don’t have to go full on into that era dress up everyday (although it’s fun to do that!) if that's not you.  You can always wear touches of it, like vintage jackets and accessories with modern items.  Plus, why stick to one era?  I have pieces in my wardrobe spanning from the 1920s to the 1990s.  It’s simply about what you feel comfortable in and enjoy wearing. 

   

You might find it difficult to source clothes from some decades - simply because a lot of clothes haven’t survived. I find 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s are the easiest decades to find clothes from, but if you like the look of earlier eras but can’t find the clothes you can always go for replica clothing. A few vintage stalls at our events sell beautiful replica dresses, and they’re not always brand new. Fashion is cyclical and many styles keep coming back into fashion. For example this lovely 1940s style tea dress in the photo on the right, probably dates from the 1980s, so you can get a 1940s look and still be buying retro second hand clothing.

Also, if you've been in the high street stores lately, vintage style clothing is very fashionable at the moment.  There are loads of items in 50s style prints, 60s Mod styles, and 70s Bohemian styles on offer.  These can be teamed them up with a beautiful vintage silk scarf or some retro jewellery to give them a more authentic vintage feel. How about buying a vintage handbag from one of our stalls to go with your outfit?  One of the great things about vintage handbags is they have a pocket in them for a cigarette case – which is the exact size of a modern day smart phone!  

Don't forget we're still on the look out for the 'Face of Yorkshire Does Vintage' for our next issue of our magazine in the Spring.  So the next time you come to one of our events, why not dress up a bit and show off your collection of vintage finery? 

York Does Vintage 14th October - It Was Epic!

So, were you part of York Does Vintage on 14th October 2012?

It really was one of the best fairs we've ever had.  There was such an upbeat mood all day and we had an amazing 1600 people though the door!

Thank you to all of you who came along, because not only did you have a good day, but you helped our stallholders to have a good day too.  By shopping at our fairs you're supporting small businesses, proving that even in these hard times that we can have success!  You're also helping the environment by buying second hand and recycled items.

So, the public, our stallholders and the Now & Then team can quite rightly feel proud of how well it all went.  It was lovely to see so many happy people enjoying the day.

We had some wonderful entertainment in the form of Phil Lyons, who kept all the crowds entertained singing vintage style big band tunes.

Our Lindy Hop dancers were there all day running workshops.  What's so great about them is even if you don't join the workshops they're so fun to watch.










Plus, we had the fab Louise Jakobsen, from the Jewellery Channel running craft workshops to make some beautiful rings.





There were lots of cool stuff for sale!  There were gorgeous glove, beautiful bags, fab fur coats, and lovely lace collars!

Did anyone have a vintage make-over, or a photo taken in the photo booth? There really  was something for everyone!

Our crafts people brought some creative handmade goods to their stalls.  So many talented people have stalls at our fairs.  There were items made from vintage fabric, such as purse cushions and pin boards, you could buy knitted mobile phone cases, button hair grips, and really unique jewellery.

Oh and I haven't even mention the cakes!  Every good fair needs good cakes, and we had such a choice on offer in the tea room.

If you're now looking forward to our next fair, then we've back in York for a spectacular Christmas event on 2nd December 2012.

If you can't wait till then, our next fair in North Yorkshire will be Harrogate Does Vintage on 10th November 2012.

What better place to do your Christmas shopping than Yorkshire Does Vintage?  

York Does Vintage - It's Tomorrow!

Are you ready for York Does Vintage Tomorrow???

Starting at 10:30am we've got quite day planned. 

There's a real buzz about this fair online.  We're got so many new follower on our Facebook page, so thank you for everyone who's liked our page.  We hope you all come along and have a great vintage day out.

Don't forget while you're there to check in on Facebook or mention us on Twitter to spread the good news about York Does Vintage amongst all your online friends.

We have over forty stalls selling a range of vintage goods, from clothes, memorabilia, homeware, and so on.  Our stallholders make such an effort to make their stalls look beautiful so don't forget your camera!


Even if you're bringing someone with you who isn't into vintage there's enough to keep them amused, from dancing workshops, craft workshops, live music, a photo booth, and our charming tea room. 

Plus, were launching the Yorkshire Does Vintage magazine.

Remember, if you want to be part of it, all you have to do is turn up, and it's only £1 entry.  So, you're only got one day to wait!

York Does Vintage - The Full Line Up!

So here it is folks - the full line up for York Does Vintage on Sunday 14th October 2012!

• 40 hand-picked stalls
• A vintage tearoom, serving sandwiches and afternoon tea
• Lindy Hop dancing
• Live music
• A beauty parlour

• A fun vintage inspired photo booth

• A mini vintage cinema

• Children’s entertainment

• Workshops (Bunting and Ring making)

• An in house artist, creating master pieces while you wait

• Entry into the stunning Merchant Adventurers’ Hall 

 All this for just £1 entry!

 

Plus, we're launching our brand new magazine! 

Yes, if you've not heard Yorkshire Does Vintage has a new free magazine that will be available for you to pick up at the fair on Sunday.

We're on the look out for a cover star for the next issue, so if you love our events and would like to be on the cover, then come and introduce yourself on Sunday to us on the front desk.  You could be the face of Yorkshire Does Vintage.

It all kicks off at the Merchant Adventures Hall from 10:30am to 5pm.  See you there!

A Beginner's Guide to Vintage Shopping - Size Doesn't Matter!

With York Does Vintage coming on 14 October 2012, and all the other vintage events we've got planned on the horizon, I'm sure a lot of reader of this blog will forward to doing some vintage shopping. 

But when it comes to vintage clothes shopping, where do you start?  If you're interested in vintage fashion, are new to the scene, or simply would like some tips then hopefully this guide will be of some use to you.

Size Doesn't Matter

The first thing you should be aware of when shopping for vintage clothes is that size doesn't matter!  In fact modern clothes sizes are not the same as vintage ones.  Over the last 25 years dress sizes have decreased.  So, if you're a modern size 14, chances are you'll be a vintage size 16 and so on.

Therefore, don't be disheartened if at one of our events you try a dress on in your modern size and it doesn't fit - it's probably just the wrong size.  Keep in mind that in all likelihood they'll be another item for sale in the right size that will fit and make you look fabulous. 

Also, the shape of women has changed over the last 60 years.  A recent report revealed that in the 1950s the average woman's measurements (in inches) were 37-27-39, where as today they're 40-34-40.  This means that the average 1950s woman was around a modern size 12-14, or a vintage size 14-16.

Bare in mind that the 50s measurements are only an average, not an ideal, and women in the past were probably this shape due to less home conveniences when it came to the housework, less car ownership, and having lived through WWII food rationing (which didn't fully end until 1954).  What this does mean though if you're shopping for vintage clothes is you'll need to be aware in the past more people will have bought the clothes in average sizes, giving these sizes more of a chance of surviving the decades.  However, even if you are an average size, sometime things won't fit due to the cut of them. 

All this is why it's so important you try on vintage clothes before you buy them!  If you can't try things on then know your measurements and take a tape measure.  If you're not sure about measuring yourself, a good tip is to measure your own clothes that you know fit you around the bust, waist and hips and use those as a guide when measuring vintage clothes.

Above all though, when buying vintage clothing - have fun.  Try on a few things, get an idea of what styles suit you and what fits your shape best.  That way you'll be bound to find vintage clothes that are perfect for you.

Exciting News for York Does Vintage!

Yorkshire Does Vintage - the Magazine!

Yes, that's right, Yorkshire Does Vintage has got a fab free magazine coming out that will be available at our York Does Vintage event on Sunday 14th October.

You can see the beautiful front cover on the left, which gives you a bit of a teaser as to some of the things inside.  I've seen the mag, and I know I'm not impartial, but I'll tell you that it really is a rather good! There's instructions on how to get a glamorous vintage look stage by stage, a baking section, a street style section looking at what the people on the streets of York have been wearing, and much, much more.

So, if you'd like a copy, then pick one up from the front desk next week.

We've already planning the next issue, and (this is very exciting!), we're looking for someone to appear on the front cover as "The Face of Yorkshire Does Vintage".  So if you love vintage and would like to represent us by being on the front cover of the Spring issue, then get in touch with us via our Facebook page - or better yet come and introduce yourself to us at one of our events.

York Does Vintage Craft Workshops

We like to bring a bit of variety to our free craft workshops, and at York Does Vintage next week, we've got the Jewellery Channel presenter, Louise Jakobsen from Capricorn Creations.

She'll be demonstrating how to make two ring.  The first one is this swirl pearl one on the right, which you can make for FREE.  The other one a cluster ring can be made at the cost of only £1. So, if you've ever fancied having a go at making your own rings, then book a place on one of the workshop.

The workshops for Louise Jakobsen rings will run as follows:-

11:00am - 11:45am, 
12:15pm - 1:00pm  
1:30pm - 2:15pm  
2:45pm - 3:30pm 
4:00pm - 4:45pm

If you'd like to book a place then email us at nowandthenevents@gmail.com

York Does Vintage's Photo Booth!

And if the magazine, the jewellery making and all our regular stalls hasn't got you excited enough for next week, we've also got a fun photo booth in operation courtesy of Moon Booth.  Get your photo taken in a vintage style, maybe after having a vintage make over, or even wearing the some of the vintage items you've purchased.

Hope to see you all there on Sunday 14th October 2012 at the Merchants Adventures Hall from 10:30am to 5pm.  It's going to be quite a day!

Become a Vintage Beauty!

Have you ever wanted to look like a vintage beauty?  

Perhaps you'd like to find your inner Jean Harlow or Marlene Dietrich?  Well, at our events you can treat yourself to a vintage makeover at the beauty bar. 

If you're planning of going out in the evening after visiting one of our fairs, why not get the works done?  Get yourself looking glamours before you hit the hit the town!

These lovely ladies on the right are doing just that at York Does Vintage.  Depending on which event you attend there's a range of beauty treatments on offer, from hair and make-up, to getting your nails done and even mini massages.

And for the Durham Does Vintage Beauty Bar...

We can announce that at our Durham Does Vintage event on 24th November 2012, we've got Kathy Scott in charge of the beauty bar.  Kathy runs the Ginger Tree Holistic Health Beauty in Hawes, North Yorkshire.  She also does hair and make-up for wedding and special occasions, and is a distributor for Pure Lochside Organic Skin Care and Neal’s Yard Organic Health & Beauty. 

Kathy will be offering a variety of hair, health & beauty services at Durham Does Vintage.  If after all that shopping you fancy a bit of pampering, maybe your hair done, a makeover or your nails painted with Gelish or Spa Ritual polish, then head over to Kathy's fabulous beauty bar!