Salute to the 40s... in Chatham?!?!

Last year when I'd first moved down to the glorious area of which is Kent, I found a 40s event at a place called Chatham dockyard, I didn't know anything about the event then and I wanted to go dreadfully! But having only just moved, I hadn't made many friends so I had to give it a miss. When I found out they were doing it again this year I was thrilled and even better I had my man to take me there too! I checked out the website and found out it was 70 years since Dunkirk so it was also a remembrance as well as a jolly good day out!





  So off we went just after midday, I'd dolled myself up to the nines wearing my brand new Vivien of Holloway turquoise pencil dress and Hawaiian wedges, which after my man getting us lost and taking us on a tour of Chatham it seemed, my feet were lets say a bit on the sore side. However this did not put my spirits down and when we got there I felt like a little girl at Christmas!

    I didn't quite know what to expect as Chatham's not got the most going on but as I walked down to the main event it was fantastic to see everyone in original  40s clothing and in world war 2 uniforms, including police, army, firemen. Oh it was magnificent! Everyone was so friendly and looked like they were having the time of their lives! I was a bit nervous at first thinking I'd over dressed, how wrong I was! I felt under dressed in the end. Ladies in beautiful tea dresses and Dior inspired suits and hats, men in double breasted suits or sailor outfits.

Every girl's gotta have a man in the army..or two

Four lovely ladies lookin good!

    Every now and then I had the urge to have my photograph taken with a plane or with a car ( as you do!) and as my man was taking my photograph,I noticed other people doing it as well, how nice of them! I guessed from this event people put on their glad rags here and love to have their picture taken so I let them snap away!

My favourites from the day,opposite from each other but just as good

   There was live music from singers and bands, I only caught a few of them, two of my favourites were a t-chest bass blues band who did a lot of Elvis, of which I was happy to hear! Don't get me wrong I adore forties music but it was still a delight to hear my favourite! And also a very Andrew sisters inspired girl group who were just fabulous, they had the look down to a tee and their voices were just gorgeous!

      I gave out a few business cards hoping for some work to come my way, but if it doesn't I don't mind, there was a few stalls to buy clothes from and of course there was the Best of British magazine there so I made sure I got myself a couple of copies of that magazine, there was a woman making hand made snoods too so after treating myself to a pretty one on eBay I made sure I got myself another so I have a choice now! I'm still trying to get the hang of wearing them at the moment, because when I try it on, I seem to look more like a dinner lady then a forties starlet, better keep practising I say!  I also had to stay away from a lovely vintage dress that caught my eye, it was a beauty but I thought I'd better not!

Some lovely ladies getting their hair styled

   Do you know I could actually go on about this day forever, when I was walking home I kept saying to my man how I'd had such a good time and I honestly did, being a fifties girl I was a bit wary that I would get fed up with a day of the forties but how wrong I was! I definitely could tell a difference between the 1940's scene and the rockin scene. There is a lot more drinking involved in the 50s scene and the music where as 40s is more about the clothes and dancing, which to me is still just as good, I loved watching the couples lindyhopping and would love to do it myself but I'll just stick to my jiving, I can do that, I think I'd trip over my own feet and that would not look good!

  So after a long ole day we retired back to my house to go get ready to go out in the evening. A long day of glorious 40s music, dancing and great people.
    I'll be reporting on the London tattoo convention over the next few days so keep your eyes peeled

 Until then

Toodle Pip

xxx

 

In rememberance to people who lost their lives in the war