Time to dip my toe into the 50s?

The embroidery on the Mr's
bargainous bowling shirt.

Gah! The DS Big Band concert I was going to this weekend has been cancelled. It does mean I can catch up with my friend Tom, however, as Mr Robot had bought the tickets before we knew Tom would be in Bath for the weekend.

I currently have a yearning for a pair of Vivien of Holloway jeans and a blouse for going to 50s/rockabilly-type events. My reasoning is this:

It looks like Mr Robot and I will be going to more events playing 50s-style music
I like to look appropriate
I look terrible in most 1950s styles as I have a 1920s/1960s body type
Dressing up very flamboyantly will draw attention to the fact that 50s is Not My Look
So I may as well sling on something simple and casual, then forget it

I am kind of worried that I will look a bit mumsy in this outfit, but then by my age most women are mothers, so I am going to look a bit mumsy no matter what I wear. (‘Do I look mumsy in this?’ needs to be filed in the same folder as ‘Do I look fat in this?’, the folder labelled, ‘Yes, but it’s you, not the clothes, so stop worrying about it and concentrate on having fun.’) It’s going to be a case of the accessories tipping the balance: a really fab pair of shoes and an eyecatching bag, plus properly-set hair, carrying the rest over into ‘laid-back cool’ rather than ‘mum’s going on a cruise holiday’. Anyway, it’s all academic right now, I need to do a bit more freelance before I start splashing out on new togs. I tend to do a lot of thinking before actually buying anything; having never been into disposable fashion I like to buy something and then get a lot of wear out of it. Plus I haven't worn jeans in 20 years. do I really want to start again now?

Mr Robot has a hair dilemma. He was able to find an awesome bowling shirt in a charity shop for under a fiver, but now is trying to work out what to do with his hair that will look okay for work during the week, but also appropriate at events. I find myself completely floundering when we discuss bloke clothes – there's a whole world of collar cuts and suchlike that I'd never even realised was there. So this rockabilly stuff isn't just fun, it's going to be edumacational...

Whose crazy idea was this?

On a scale of Risky Things I Have Done, volunteering to knit a vintage woolly for a bride probably ranks pretty highly. My friend Sarah, who I met at Mrs Stokes’ Secret Tea Party, is getting married in October. Without giving away too much information on her dress, she wants a cardi or bolero from the same era. I sent her some images and ideas from my old Stitchcrafts and other magazines, including the one you see here. I've also sent her links to things on Ravelry and a lady selling PDFs of vintage knitting patterns. It turned out Sarah didn’t have a friendly knitter to do the job, so I have offered my services.

I don’t think I’d have dared to make this offer a year ago, but I do believe I can do it, and do it well. I knit neatly, my making-up skills are good, and I know from the Wartime Farm Sleeveless Pullover that I am capable of knuckling down and getting something really nice done relatively quickly. I’ve only really made one disappointing knit in the past couple of years, the Jersey with a Soft Bow, and the problem there is that it’s too large. (I work it into a 20s/30s look instead of a 50s one to make the most of the extra length and looser fit!) As long as I check my tension, check my tension, and remember to check my tension, the wedding woolly is doable and will look beautiful.

Once Sarah’s chosen her pattern, I’ll get her measurements and adjust the stitch counts accordingly. Then we can set about choosing yarn, getting the right colour to work with the dress – I’m hoping to be able to find an exact match.

In case you’re wondering what the answer to ‘What Would Morticia Addams Knit?’ was, it’s a Spider’s Web Shawl (half-hexagon version) from Victorian Lace Today, in Lang Alpaca Superlight. And it’s looking lovely so far! 

Professor Elemental issue 2 [comics]

He's back! The second issue of the Professor Elemental comic is now out. I bought my issue at the Steamcheese Frome Steampunk Extravaganza, but was too shy to stalk down the Prof and get him to sign it. Still, I have it, and it's even better than issue 1. When I reviewed Professor Elemental comic issue 1, I commented that it felt like a good-quality item. Well, this one feels even nicer. The cover is thick and glossy, and the pages are in a pleasingly heavy paper stock. (My day job's in publishing; I love getting something printed on nice paper. It makes you feel good about an item before you even begin reading it.)

There are a lot of very short stories crammed into the 50-odd pages – nine this time, plus single-page pin-up pics. While the stories are incredibly brief, in a way they remind me of the classic short horror stories of yesteryear. Do you remember the Pan Books of Horror, or Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected? Most of the stories in Professor Elemental issue 2 have that sort of twist in the final frame or two, wrapping each little narrative up neatly. Chris Mole wrote most of them, although my favourite was 'The Case of Aunt Fanny's Horn', written by Paul Alborough. It's a little more sinister than the others, so perhaps that's why I like it best, having loved those aforementioned short horror stories. None of the stories are especially scary, though, not even 'The Case of Aunt Fanny's Horn', so this volume would also be suitable for younger readers.

What I'd really like to see is the wit and fun of the short stories put into a longer narrative. The final story, 'Funding Trouble', ends with a nod to HG Wells, and the words 'To be continued'. I hope this is carried on. The character of Professor Elemental is part Dr Moreau, part Norman Wisdom,  and I do like the fact that the stories don't have to join up, that the writers are free to place him in one bizarre situation after another. What the character does in one song or story doesn't become part of some concrete, never-changing mythos. However, a more involved storyline with a more involved plot than a twist at the end wouldn't go amiss, it doesn't have to form some definitive history for the Prof.

I'll definitely be buying the third volume (I expect there will be one). These are lovely little comics (and would make great presents for boys at that age when they're difficult to buy for – get one and sling a tenner in it, you'll be his favourite grown-up!) You can buy them online from the Professor Elemental website.

I've reviewed a few other comics. Click on the 'Comics' label in the cloud (right) to see the others. Or you could click on 'Steampunk' if that's your bag of cogs.

Disclaimer: I bought my comic and paid for it in full. No money has exchanged hands for this review. The Prof was looking for people to review it, but I was planning to do it anyway, and wouldn't have written it any differently if he hadn't been looking.

Crinoline Robot's Vintage Week

Oooh, I haven’t done a VW posting in aaaaages, usually because ‘read old books, knitted old pattern’ isn’t especially interesting week-in and week-out. However, this has been a more vintage-packed week than usual.

First though: Trowbridge and district vintage events news! 
Yup, if you’re in this little corner of Wiltshire, there are a few things going on. The DS Big Band are playing at the Arc Theatre on the 22nd of June. That hasn’t had a lot of publicity; I spotted it by chance and we’ve already got tickets. If you like the late 1940s-1950s big band sound, come along. (They sell beer at the theatre...) Then a week later, as part of the Wiltshire Armed Forces and Veterns Celebrations held in the park in Trow, there’s going to be vintage music, weapons displays and, I believe, a vintage market on the 29th of June. (The market's not listed on the website, but I've seen it mentioned locally.) In previous years there have been a few military history groups, re-enactment clubs and former servicemen’s societies taking part in the Armed Forces events as well as serving military men and women, so it looks as though this year they’re building on that aspect a little.

Mr Robot has been rediscovering his love of the 1950s since the Vintage Nostalgia Show, and bought a few CDs. It’s been all rockabilly, all night chez Robot ever since! I like rockabilly; we’ve got a lot of 50s music around the house, and some I love (Julie London, Frank Sinatra) but a lot is just too sugary and teenaged. Rockabilly has a raw edge that appeals to me. My favourite song so far is Vince Taylor’s ‘Brand New Cadillac’.

We’ve been thinking of learning to jive, too. There are jive classes every Monday at the Civic Hall in Trowbridge. It’s modern jive, but we’re hoping to pick up enough to be able to dance without looking totally ridiculous at events. This is really exciting! Hopefully it’s be good exercise as well as good fun.

I still look crummy in 50s styles, though. I tried wearing a nice blouse and full skirt to work. The trouble was, it drew attention to the waist - and mine is really chunky. I looked like a Lego man with a frill round the middle! The problem is that I see things looking lovely on other people, and think they will look nice on me too, even though I know these are people who comment on having trouble finding things with a small enough waist/big enough hips in high street shops. People with the opposite body type to my own narrow hips and thick tum. I need to make myself a Pinterest gallery full of flappers and mods to find inspiration. Gah! Dress for the body you have, not the bodies other people have. I should paste that above my mirror. And, indeed, buy a mirror larger than A4, so my life ceases to be such a succession of Unfortunate Wardrobe Choices. Do you think an elasticated belt would help with waist definition, or should I give in gracefully and accept that hourglass fashions are never going to work on me?

Camping fun at the Vintage Nostalgia Show

Lively night in the main marquee

Over the weekend, Mr Robot and I had fantastic fun camping at the Vintage Nostalgia Show in Stockton, Wiltshire. I first saw it mentioned in a tweet by Shona from Heyday, and thought I might be able to talk the Mr into going down for a day, but he liked the idea of camping, so we bought a tent and camping stove and decided to go for the whole weekend. I'm not sure how many years the show has been running; I get the impression that it's relatively new but growing.

We arrived on Friday night straight from work. We were put in the general camping field - not sure how you get into the vintage camping as it seemed to contain modern tents and vehicles, so I'll investigate that for next year. As we set up our tent, we could hear jazz and swing drifting across from the main marquee. After that, we got ready for the evening. Himself wore a black shirt, waistcoat and jeans, while I changed into my 1930s-style Able Grable Miss M. I'd been out on a photo and videoshoot for work that day and so was a bit sunburned, and the high neck and puff sleeves covered up the burns nicely.

When we arrived at the Ringwood Brewery bar right by the marquee, I felt both over- and early-dressed as people didn't seem to be dressed up, and those who were wearing vintage tended to dress 40s-60s, but a strawberry daiquiri followed by some beers soon took the awkward feeling away...

There were some smashing-looking people, including a very beautiful young lady with hair the colour of strawberry icecream who was wearing a yellow 60s (I think!) frock, another lady in a jade-green-with-white-dots pencil skirt and matching top, and a chap in his late teens or early 20s with perfect 50s hair, turned-up jeans... the complete James Dean package. ("I want to be him!" declared the Mr.)

Sticky Toffee Jazz were performing that evening (I say 'were'; it was one lady plus backing tracks, but she had a lovely voice), plus there was burlesque from Killer Heels, and a DJ to end the night. The music seemed to creep slowly through the decades, so while it started out around the 40s, by the end of the evening it had passed through the 50s and was finishing with a bit of soul.

Just a few of the wonderful vintage vehicles

Busy Saturday
The next day was the big day. The weather down here in Wiltshire's been atrocious all week, so I was prepared for a damp and gloomy weekend. BIG MISTAKE. I'd planned to wear a wool tartan skirt with my blue late 40s/early 50s jumper, and that would've looked nicely midcentury without being fussy. However, the sun was blazing all day, leaving me with no choice but to pair said skirt with a vest top, showing off Friday's glowing photoshoot sunburn, and then everyone else seemed to have decided to dress up with furs, full skirts, updos, the works, leaving me massively underdone. Mr Robot had a loud, fun shirt with a hotdog print all over – actually from Tesco, but it fitted in nicely.

We started off Saturday looking at the vintage vehicles, and there were some real beauties. I adored the cute frog-eyed Sprite. There isn't a car that looks cuter or happier! We were really impressed to see an Austin Six, as you often see Sevens (there were a few on show) but you rarely see Sixes. A late 1920s Buick, complete with wooden wheels, caught my eye, while my husband decided he liked any car as long as it was 50s and two-tone.

We were having fun trying to choose our favourite car, and then we saw IT. The car with everything. A silvery Chevrolet Fleetline, with immaculate chrome details. It looked fast without even moving, space age despite being a classic vehicle. It was fantastic. It was like something out of a comic book. That said, the cars and motorbikes were all wonderful. It was a real treat to see them, and their owners clearly love and care for them. There seemed to be groups of specific cars, and lots of gorgeous teardrop trailers (the tiniest, cutest caravans ever!), so I guess a few classic car clubs attended.

My favourite - a stunning Chevrolet Fleetline

There was a really good selection of stalls, with lots of great clothing, and some very nice handbags. There was plenty for the gents, too, which is always nice to see. We didn't buy anything as we hadn't really taken enough cash, but next year I will definitely take more money, and I picked up some business cards for stalls that had especially nice stock as I'll want to look them up in future. Heyday's stuff was even nicer in reality than it is online; I've bought a couple of things from there and have been considering other items but wasn't sure about the prints, and this event helped me make a decision or two...

The ladies of the Vintage Hair Lounge

There was also a hairstyling stall run by Vintage Hair Lounge, with a group of ladies doing updos and makeup. It was very busy – I booked before noon and got an appointment for 4:30 – but it was well worth the wait. Stylist Gemma turned my shabby, overgrown bob into an amazing beehive, and all around me other stylists were working equal amounts of magic on other visitors.

Gemma working her magic - who needs a fairy godmother?

People watching was great fun. Attendees dressed up with varying degrees of authenticity – quite a few women paired full-skirted 50s-style dresses with 40s-style Victory rolls, for example, which may not have been period-accurate but looked fab. There was a general midcentury feel. Chaps seemed to wear anything from tweed suits to military uniform to retro-style car club jackets with jeans. One lady dressed Audrey Hepburn-style, in a 60s shift dress with big sunglasses, while we both adored the toddler running round in his dungarees and flat cap. Thumbs up, too, to the boys dressed in vintage boy scout uniforms, who looked fantastic. We did a fair bit of dog watching too; the Vintage Nostalgia Show is a pooch-friendly event so lots of people brought their pets. My favourite was a longhaired Akita, which has to be the most fantastic dog I've ever seen. I want one. It'll look great in a Chevrolet Fleetliner...

Would you go home with this man? I did!

For the evening Mr Robot wore a grey suit with his fedora, and I wore my ivy 'Vivienne' dress from Fever with my 1950s atomic diamante jewellery. We wear these things to work, but people seemed to like them! It's always when you make the least effort that people like your clothes... The Roadhouse Roosters were the first act on, and they were great fun, with a very traditional 1950s sound that got people dancing. I loved the second group, The Obscuritones. They had a nicely dirty 50s-60s sound, just rough and edgy enough. Both acts were let down by the sound system, which was a tad ropy, but the evening was thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless, and as before took a slow DJ-driven trip towards the 1960s before ending.

We didn't see the whole of the Sunday, just taking a quick whizz around the site and seeing the new cars before packing up our tent and heading home. But we'll definitely be going back next year.

There were lots of these gorgeous little teardrop
caravans. (The tree was floodlit, hence the pink!)

Good things! 
The music, the stalls, the excellent choice of food at decent prices, the funfair for the kids (lots of families were on site, and it was wonderful to see so many children having a great time and not being bored stuck doing grownup things – if you've got kids, this is a fantastic event to bring them to), the cars, the weather, the fact that the portaloos stayed usable throughout...

Not so good things! (But nothing was actually bad) 
The sound system could have been better.
Because it's in a field, if you have mobility problems it would be worth contacting the organisers, I reckon – we wouldn't have been able to get the mother-in-law's lightweight scooter round, but heavier ones and wheelchairs seemed to get round okay.

Lessons learned 
Take lots of wet wipes (I did), and always have a 'pocket pack' of tissues in your bag.
It's in a field, so don't wear your best shoes. A little cowpat goes a long way!
Take clothes for bad weather and for good.
Take plenty of cash. If you don't spend it on clothes, CDs or homewares, the cocktail bar will take care of it for you!

New shoe bargain bliss

These will look gorgeous as part of a
20s-style or steampunk outfit.

'Oh good grief,' I hear you mutter, 'Is she still banging on about shoes? It's been over two months!' Well, not for much longer because I have had a very good stroke of luck. After ordering a pair from Agnes and Norman and having to send them back because they were too narrow for my fat little feet, I was a bit downcast. I'd been eyeing up a couple of Neosens styles on Sarenza... and they knocked both styles I'd wanted down to half price, so I could afford both!

The black ones are all leather, and the brown ones a mix of embroidered fabric and leather. (I'd expected embossed leather, so that was a bit of a surprise, but they are very pretty.) They do fit my feet, too – I wear a 5.5 when I can find brands that do half sizes, and these are wide enough, and the right length, with a little room in the heel (but not so much that the shoes slip) so they should keep their shape.

Ideal for work: just high enough, just ornate enough.

I was very pleased with the service I got from both firms. If you have narrow feet, I recommend looking at Agnes and Norman as their styles are beautiful and the workmanship is fantastic. I got my refund quickly. They used Royal Mail for delivery, which is my preferred option anyway as I can collect my parcels from the sorting office at the weekend when I'm in town. Sarenza use a courier, Yodel, which was not quite as convenient for me, but next time I order I will get the courier to go to Mr Robot's office as he is able to sign for parcels at work. The delivery took a little longer, but was not overlong, and I was able to track the items' progress online.

As always, I pay for my things! No freebies. So I was jolly chuffed to get these in a sale, and I shall cease to bore you about footwear for a few months.

Fascinating Rhythm [CD]

This CD is a compilation that I bought in Past Times years ago and is now available as a CD or download from the manufacturer, Past Perfect. It’s great as a taster for 1920s popular music because it’s entirely made up of hits from the decade but is quite varied nonetheless. You’ve got fast, dance-friendly, instrumentals such as ‘Turkish Towel’ by the Savoy Havana Band and ‘The Charleston’ by the Savoy Orpheans, and perky songs such as ‘Button Up Your Overcoat’ by Jack Hylton and his Orchestra and ‘Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue’ by the Savoy Orpheans. Duke Ellington’s ‘Harlem Twist’, with its marvellously dirty trumpet, is one of my favourite tracks.

There are some very big names indeed included on this disc, from the aforementioned Duke Ellington to Paul Whiteman, Louis Armstrong and the Charleston Chasers. The last of these existed purely as a recording outfit, not a performing band. Some of major performers of the 20s and 30s did stints in the Chasers including Jack Teagarden, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller and Jimmy Dorsey. (There’s a modern band called the Charleston Chasers, but they’re unconnected to the 1920s recording outfit.)

The one thing I do think is lacking from this CD is a female voice. A lot of the 1920s music I’ve got with female singers does tend to be less densely arranged, sometimes with nothing more than a piano for backing, and the tracks on this CD are all played by groups of musicians so there would be some jarring. However, something by Ruth Etting or Annette Hanshaw would have slotted in nicely. Nonetheless, you do get a good feel for the popular music of the decade from ‘Fascinating Rhythm’, and I’d definitely recommend it as a purchase if you’re getting interested in the 1920s and aren’t sure where to start listening.

Note: I’ll issue a mild of-its-time warning for terms for non-Caucasians in one song, ‘Let’s Do It’ (Arthur Rosebery and his Kit-Cat Dance Band).

Other CDs of 1920s music I have reviewed
Annette Hanshaw, I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling 
Annette Hanshaw, Lovable and Sweet