Happy Sunday, dearest followers! I hope tonight finds you well? I’ve been a bad blogger of late – no update since Wednesday! As a usual once-a-day updater, I’m suffering withdrawal symptoms. Do you guys get that? I can’t bear to be away from my blog for more than 5 hours! Sneaky checks during official work hours are a must, and I get all my comment notifications to my phone, so I’m constantly checking and giggling to myself at what you have to say. Obsession is a word I’d use quite readily! 🙂
Anyway, on to more pressing matters. Yesterday I went to a vintage kilo sale in Leeds. I’m a huge fan of The Affordable Vintage Fair, who come to Leeds quite often. It’s great to see everyone dressed up in the era of their choice (the 50s girls are my favourite) and hunting through so many vintage goodies is like a very stylish history lesson. So when I heard that there was a new vintage gal in town, and that she was selling her wares at £15 a kilo (so cute!), I had to check it out.
It really makes me sad to say I was deeply unimpressed. Maybe it was because I was an hour late and all the pretty things had been snapped up… but that musty church hall was definitely the place style came to die. Everything that was bad about fashion through the ages (lurid lycra cycling shorts from the 90s, polyester printed batwing tops from the 80s, dowdy, drab dresses from the 70s, mustard suede waistcoats from the 60s and about 26 million slightly soiled striped tops from the 60s) had been strung up on rails, where gullible girls with vintage rose-tinted specs were grabbing them with both hands. I walked around with a wrinkled nose and full purse, despairing the crinkling clothing and battered bags. Most things were in terrible condition, yet people had sackfuls of stuff on the scales, handing over their hard earned pennies.
I’m all for second hand shopping, but I think ‘vintage’ has become the new fashion buzz word. Vintage doesn’t equal quality and the same rules should apply here as they do in everyday shopping – you wouldn’t buy anything stained or ripped on the high street, so why does something described as vintage make a difference? Needless to say, I walked out empty handed and popped into my favourite charity shop instead. And I struck gold…
6 piece Royal Stafford White Lady tea set, £1.99
Rose printed bone china bowl, £1.49
Straw tote, £2.99
I am in total and utter love with the tea set. It even came with a sugar bowl! All in perfect condition without a mark on it. I have a teacup and saucer on my dressing table and the rest stored away for best. The adorable rose printed bowl is perfect for storing my cotton pads, and the straw tote is just wonderful for warmer weather and taking a towel down to the beach on a hot, sunny day. As well as this little lot, I also got a brand new Topshop skirt, a brand new Kookai wool and silk cardigan and a beautiful printed kaftan. I’ll be wearing them all this week for your viewing pleasure!
So, you’re all caught up on my weekend. How was yours? I’d love to know!
PS – I’ll be catching up with all your blogs as I munch these delicious marshmallow cupcakes (made by my own fair hand from a Hummingbird Bakery recipe!) and drink some tea. Like I said – happy Sunday!
6 piece Royal Stafford White Lady tea set, £1.99
Straw tote, £2.99
Marshmallow cupcakes? Amazing! I need that Hummingbird book!
Although I don’t always blog every day I am always checking back for new comments and new blog updates, oh dear.
I’ve missed your updates and it only been 3 days! I’m a bit like you, always check my comments and my blog. I’ll admit I’m addicted…
Those cupcakes look very yummy! I’m dying to get my hands on that cookbook, it will be mine soon :D. Enjoy your cupcakes! xx
those tea cups are beautiful and a steal!
What fab finds in the CS! Can’t wait to see the rest.
Those cupcakes look deeelicious.
Vicki xx
I agree with the whole vintage thing. It has become the new “it” thing. But one should now buy really ugly, work on clothing simply because they can say it is vintage.
& looking at those cupcakes officially made me go get a cupcake, so off I go!
http://www.sonyasark.blogspot.com
Wow, oh wow!
I wish so badly the charity shops around where I live had such beautiful things! That tote is super and will be great on holidays and the bone china bowl with your face pads in! I was just desperately trying to find something like that in town for my hair bits! It’s beautiful and so is the china set!
Lucky, very lucky!
Love, Amy Marie.
“I’m all for second hand shopping, but I think ‘vintage’ has become the new fashion buzz word.” I could not agree more with these sentiments, Jen. It’s as if “vintage” is simply a term being tossed around without any true meaning behind it nowadays. It can be quite frustrating. Though I must admit I am very impressed with the teacups you’ve picked up – I truly cannot resist teacups myself – there’s something so cozy and charming about them!
Loving those last two pictures. It sounds like you will be having a wonderful afternoon, my love! I only wish I had a few Marshmallow Cupcakes to nibble on myself!! 🙂
What great finds! Lovin’ the pretty china and that cute bag will be fab for the summer.
Must say that I’ve only ever been to one vintage fair and avoid “vintage” shops like the plague. To me the whole pleasure is finding a retro treasure for yourself not having it labelled and thrust down your throat.
I despair at the kids in TopShop forking out £60 for a 80’s frock that they could find in their local chazza shop for a couple of quid. Mind you if they’re daft enough to do that then it means more goodies left for thrifty chicks like you and me.
Vix
xxx
Oh I love love the straw tote, I have been stalking a few on ebay for a while but that one is really different. *Goes back on ebay for a hunt*
Agree with the overuse of the word ‘vintage’, there is a world of difference between that and ‘secondhand’.
Happy weekend
Roo xx
Lovely tea set! I have issues with the recent fashion trend of “vintage” as being fashionable. Don’t get me wrong i’m not against people like vintage stuff for old times sake, but just the ones who just go into it for the phasing trend to be “fashionable” without knowing or caring for the history and in turn just morphing into being identical to a thousand others.
Ahh rant over!
Such a shame. What’s worse is when people say an item is vintage, only to find out it was made a few years ago in some mass market factory.
I think people use the term vintage as a style, rather than clothes that are from at least twenty years ago.
Great charity finds though lovely!
The tea set is to die for….ahhh. True gold 🙂
You know my love for charity shops. I think vintage is a tough concept, as so many girls are lusting after it the who ethos of it seems to have gone a little blurred.
Don’t get me wrong I love browsing through them, but I just think it takes something out of it. I love hunting vintage items down by myself. If you go to a vintage shop, the ‘hunting’ part is done…
&& I’m glad it’s not only me who has ‘a favourite charity shop’ ! 🙂
The term Vintage is so over used now I agree with you all if you go on ebay and type in vintage clothing you get alls sorts of crap coming up. I swear people just go through their drawers pull out any old faded tatty clothes and call them vintage. Im sorry but how can something brought from primark last year now be vintage? Am I wrong in thinking thats not what vintage means?
Those cakes look delicious – very jealous!
I agree with this whole post – in regards to the vintage aspect, & the being obsessed with your blog aspect. I thought I was compulsively checking it because it was new & a bit of a novelty, but obviously not!
http://www.heart-shaped-bruise.blogspot.com
Dear, it really can become addictive! I wanted to stay away until Monday, but not only am I back here with you I also posted today AGAIN. The fact the ‘vintage’ has become such a hype is really a bit sad. In the past it was possible to find great 2nd hand items in charity shops, now everything with a bit of value gets passed on to more expensive, ‘professional’ vintage sellers and one is left with the highstreet things from the last 5 years (but at least everything is clean!). But in the end you struck lucky! Congratulations to your great finds, Jen!!
Wow – im new to your blog but im already addicted! Marshmallow cupcakes? DELICIOUS! And even the plate is delightful!
Much love
lucie
tasteslikevogue.blogspot.com
x
Oh I’m glad you’re back Jen, I’ve missed your lovely posts 🙂
What a great find the teaset was! There’s just something incredibly pleasing about finding beautiful crockery. And I want that bag!
ps – I scrolled past the cupcakes at top speed. That’s just unfair to those of us on diets 😉
Agree with all of this. I hate the fact that vintage has now become a word that shops can tack on the end of an item to hike it up in price!
The tea set is adorable! As is the little bowl. And I’ve made chocolate hummingbird cupcakes tonight! haha x
Sorry to hear the fair was a disappointment. But what great finds at the CS. The tea set is very pretty. x
I love the tea set too Jen… so pretty. I can’t wait to see what you bought… please do your usual outfit posts. I’m missing you. xoxo
I totally get what you mean about the whole ‘vintage’ thing. I was visiting my family in england a few years ago and I popped into the corn exchange in leeds. There was a vintage shop down the bottom floor, and I swear I saw at least 3 tops that were definately primark numbers, with the labels ripped off and price tag bumped off being sold as ‘vintage’. It really shocked me! So many places will get away with stuff like that though. Im a lazy high street girl with one vintage piece to my name. Anyways, glad you had a productive wee day even if you didnt end up buying any clothes 🙂 xx
I love tea sets too! There is a new alice in wonderland tea set that just came out that I’ve been dying to get my hands on! Soon I hope. And totally agreed with the whole vintage trend. i wouldn’t get anything ripped or stained from a store no matter how cheap it was.
-Marz
The affordable vintage fair is in cambridge on the 6th 🙂 GOING!!!
Dont know if you’ll be interested, but take a look at the top on my giveaway. Maybe you’ll win 🙂
http://www.clashingtime.blogspot.com <3
YUMMY cupcakes ^_^
I adore your friends. Especially that lovely tea set!
These pieces are so lovely 🙂
They’re absolutely adorable.
satinsugar.blogspot.com
Oh my good god! I want those cupcakes… they look delish!
X x
Amen to your thoughts about vintage being a buzz word and not meaning quality.
LOVE your charity shop finds and those cupcakes <3
Wow marshmallow cupcakes, I’ve never had one before!
And I’m in love with your tea set too, so dainty and pretty! Now you just need to go make some tea:)
xx
The tea set is adorable 🙂 And the cupcakes look delicious.
xx
wow you really did strike gold! i LOVE looking through china and tea sets in thrift shops. your new ones are so pretty. and the straw tote is just awesome. ~joelle
Oh, I have blog withdrawals all the time!!! last week I was away in Melbourne so had no interent access. Come home was still recovering from my huge weekend had no time to blog… get ready to back into it and our internet gets cut off! HOW RUDE! But tonight it’s back on and catching up on all my fave bloggers…. which includes YOU! x