A step into my past

Being a lover of vintage bits and bobs, I love anything old, when I say old I mean from the 1960s backwards, whatever people say I still cannot class 80s and 90s bits as vintage, even though it is, I just see it as mass produced tat I'm afraid. So as a lover of old things, I was rather excited to hear that my uncle had found some antique suitcases in our old family home oop in Coventry. As the house had to be sold, he had a lot of clearing out to do and he has come across so much family history. That house holds a lot of memories for many members and generations of my family so we were all sad  to see it go but also very excited to see what it unleashed!

Here are the suitcases my uncle gave my mum and I (he knew we liked pointless old rubbish and knew no one else would want them)

 This one is apparently from around the 50s or 60s, I should know this really but if I'm honest, I don't tend to look at luggage from those eras, more like what goes in the luggage! I really liked the unusual way of how it zipped up, I'm so used to seeing the zips going all the way round the case, not on the top! I loved the pastel blue colour of it too, I think this was probably used by my gran and her sisters. I got to keep this one and I'm a bit upset I can't use it! Apparently it's not sturdy enough for all my belongings... well whatever do they mean?!

 This one as you can see dated back a bit further than the 50s, apparently we weren't allowed to lock it because otherwise we couldn't get it back open again, there were some faint markings of a name but we couldn't make it out, I would have loved to know who it belonged to! I love the colouring of the inside, it looks like it was built to last, more than you can say for some of the cases I cart around today!

 

We think this little beauty might have been my great grandads, I think this was probably from around the 1930s maybe? It's more modern than the previous and in a lot better condition, I would quite happily take this on little trips away with me! Don't think mumma would let me though!

 Last but not least the oldest of the bunch, now I'm not sure if it was this one or one of the ones above but apparently one was taken by my Great, great grandmother to Australia which took six weeks to get there! You cannot imagine such a journey! I love this one because it looks like it could tell a few stories, it looks as though it should be a doctors case to carry the medicines around in! Once again in great condition for how old it is, I'm guessing 19th to early 20th century?!

Ohh the stories they could tell, if only they could talk! I am looking forward to seeing what else my uncle finds! He's already found us patterns from the 40s, jewellery, a dressing table set and my favourite, family photographs! Here is some of my family history...

 These are photographs of my grans side of the family, they have been gone over in pencil and paints which was all the rage at the time!

 My great uncle Chris on the left and my great grandmother on the right, apparently I have a strong resemblance of her but I can't see it myself!

These photographs are one we have had in our hallway for as long as I can remember, look it's me again!

There is still a lot I have to learn about my family, mumma's currently trying to piece our family tree together, it's going to be a biggun, considering we had family in Wales, Denmark, Australia, you name it my family has probably been there! I can't wait to hear some of the stories she unfolds so I can carry them on to my child in the future. 

This post is probably a bit more personal than my normal ones but I thought I would share a piece of my history with you all!
Until Next Time

Toodle Pip

xxx

London calling at Anita's Vintage Fashion Fair

Wow, I cannot believe how behind I have got on my blog, slap on the wrist for me! University has now completely took over my life and it will for the next six months... sad times ahead!

On a more positive note, last month I went to Anita's Vintage Fashion Fair where I got invited to blog about the event(I failed at that clearly ha!) because they were celebrating the four capitals of style with the fact that the fashion weeks were going on at the time, as part of my blogging I had to pick a city of my choice, and being patriotic I chose good ole London town.

Here are a few of the things I found which I thought were suited to London :

Farmer tweed caps, lovely stuff

I adore old suitcases, imagine some of the stories they could tell...

 Handbags like this are my favourite, so pretty and you can fit EVERYTHING in them, what's not to like?

I loved the way the store holders put so much detail into their displays, this reminded me of Miss Marple with the fox fur and the hat!

Winters coming! I did consider buying it but my eyes wandered elsewhere... It reminded  me of the 1940s land girls and is also so on trend with some of the printed jumpers on the high street currently.

 

This was from an alteration stall that was just outside the fair, make do and mend is as strong as ever!

Anita picked this out for me, 1930's nightwear and also very Alexa Chung, don't you think?

I saw these illustrations and fell in love, their from the late 19th century/ early 20th century

and I thought they were so quaint! I do love a good illustration.

Rule Britannia!!  I Wish British companies would make tins for their products like this today,

their so sweet and really collectibles!

Fellow blogger Jen of JJ noir, also a UCA student, great to meet her and we loved sourcing goodies!

These are some flyer's of one of the stalls, Rhapsody Rags, I had to snap them because of the London Mod imagery they had on their cards!

I made a friend don't you know! I wanted this mannequin so much with old newspaper cuttings plastered all over it, and the 90s Moschino jeans!

The fair itself, lots of busy shoppers having a rummage!

I shouldn't have tried this dress on because I fell in love, a reproduction 50s dress.

It fitted like a dream but was a little out of my price league, maybe next time!

The royal jewels, you've got to love a bit of bling.

The lovely DJ spinning the wax with music from the fifties and sixties, I was in my element!

Women even got to have their hair styled, I got asked if I'd had my hair done by them, I wish!!

London Style

These are just a few shoppers I snapped because I loved their style, what London is known for!

Loved this ladies outfit and the mismatch of prints, it worked so well!

This lady was trying this original Victorian dress on, you have to have a lot of confidence

to wear something like this, and she looked great!

anddddd finally these are my two little goodies that I picked up, I apologise for the rubbish quality image  but I purchased a vintage 50s beaded sweater and repro cats eye glasses, both for just over £30! Can't complain with that one even if I do say so!

I adored working at the vintage fair and would love to have the chance to do it again, all being well I'd be a bit more on time with everything by then! If you love a good bargain check Anita's fairs out, you never know what you might find, the garments, jewellery and handbags range from over 80 years, you can't get more vintage than that can you?!
Until Next Time

Toodle Pip

xxx