15 May 2010

Vintage Fashion Fair

Sunday was the Blind Lemon Vintage Fashion Fair in the Coal Exchange in Cardiff Bay. I was right, it was a fabulous building! Lots of wood and carvings (of dragon's faces!), I imagine it was an impressive place in its heyday.

AnnaP and I arrived nice and early. First thing early. Anna's Swedish, married to a guy up the road and I met her walking their two dogs. We hit it off and one of the things she'd mentioned is that she loves vintage. What could I do but invite her to the fashion fair?

We left the village at about 9am, drove to Cardiff Bay and parked at the Red Dragon Centre where we stopped for coffee and tea cakes and, coincidentally, validated our parking for the entire day, before heading over the way to the Coal Exchange.

The fair was much smaller than the one I'd previously attended, with only about 20 stalls in total, if that. It was small and intimate and I have to admit that the quality of merchandise available was a lot less charity shop and a little more vintage. I think I enjoyed this fair more, the atmosphere and the quality far surpassed that of my previous experience.

AnnaP and I trawled through all the stalls, twice (just in case!). AnnaP likes taking vintage jewellery and re-working it into something new. I was looking for a compact (again) and patterns. And we were both rooting for the £100 prize draw at noon so we could go nuts and buy everything we coveted. Alas, it was not to be. If we had arrived one person earlier we would have been in heaven, unfortunately most of the merchandise remained out of our price range.

I did, however, find 5 patterns and a head scarf (no compact, boo!) so I counted the day as a win! I also managed to fit into a 50's dress, although - once again - I didn't manage to get out of it (or into it) alone. The back was fastened with little covered buttons that were impossible to open and close by myself, poor AnnaP had to button me in and then get me out again. Also included in the day, as a bonus to ourselves, was a trip to Ikea and Bhs where I bought muslin and a tea pot (and sweets!). All in all, a fab day out!

Some fab undies we found almost immediately upon arriving

The carved dragons heads on every supporting arch, aren't they cool?

Yummy bag that AnnaP fell in love with

Finally a 1950's dress that fit my waist ... shame about the rest of me!

{ Bestway C.203 two-way slip and knicker set }

{ Style Print 1421 }

{ Butterick 3058 }
(don't ask me why, I have no clue, I have no partner to sew it for)

{ Le Roy Pattern 2322 maternity dress and smock }
(again, don't ask me why, because unless I'm the new Virgin Mary I'm not wearing this any time soon!)

{ Butterick 2198 Misses lingerie coordinates }
Possibly my favourite (I can't wait to make view D!)

Thanks for stopping by,

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