Bath with bloggers

Nope, not offering you the chance to take a cheeky dip with anyone – this is Bath the city, not the tub. On Sunday I met up with Sarah from Porcelina's World and Catherine from Vintage Frills, plus two lovely friends of Sarah's, to have a poke round the Vintage Market being held as part of Bath in Fashion's Vintage Sunday. Sarah and Catherine were also going to a couple of talks later, but I was there mainly for shopping and to go to lunch.


There were some lovely things at the fair, which is always held at Green Park Station, a former train station. I was really pleased to spot Cock-a-Doodle Vintage there, as I've seen them at a few events and their stock is super. I met Sarah at that stall, identifying her by her pink fur collar and spiffy Baker Boy cap, and we had fun browsing through the stock and admiring the details on the 1940s suit on a mannequin. (If you're not able to come to events in the south-west, here's Cock-a-Doodle Vintage's Etsy store.) I also eyed up a nice selection of feather hats on another stall, but reminded myself that I really don't wear hats very often, and I don't have anything that would work with those hats. Sarah tried on a gorgeous 1960s dress, but decided it wasn't quite right.

While there were lots of covetable wares on show it did strike me that the selection of stuff on sale wasn't quite as old or as high end as it was when I went a few years ago, but vendors are there to sell, not to give me pristine 1930s chiffon evening gowns to drool over and then walk away from, so perhaps it was for the best that the things on sale were affordable and more wearable. Bags and hats seemed to be the best buys, though if I were able to sew I would have paid more attention to the fabric. Things weren't too crowded, possibly because the weather really was dreadful, with high wind and drizzle approaching full-blown rain. The market was under cover, but walking there would have ruined a good hair set. You could say it was a day for the dedicated!
1960s feather pillbox hats
I was *that* close to buying the hat on the left
I was determined to be good when it came to shopping, and my one purchase was a sensible black handbag, which I needed as the handle on my regular work bag has finally cracked completely. It was priced £14 but the seller knocked it down to £8 without me even asking. I'm going to repair the handle on my old bag, because the body of it is perfectly nice and I don't like throwing things out if they just need a simple repair, but who knows when the repair will be done? It's needed repairing for months and fixing hasn't happened yet. (Oh lordy, the same goes for my Riviera bag, which the bottom has dropped out of. And I haven't replaced the cabochon in my Susan one. I need to have a monster handbag repairing session, or I'm going to wind up drowning in broken bags!) Having a pure black bag again means I can be more creative with the handle on my old one, which I think I've been putting off because I know I won't be able to get an exact match for the black vinyl, so perhaps I'll make one in tweed, or even a novelty fabric.
A stall at Bath vintage market
Lovely things to buy
Sarah's friends had their hair done – local hairdresser Artizan were doing 'dos for charity – and we all poked around some more, then we headed off to Bath Brewhouse for lunch, where we met up with Catherine, who'd had a long train ride into town. On the way out we passed a whole group of people in full 1940s outfits, and very nice they looked too. I'd been quite nervous of meeting other bloggers because they all seem so polished and together online. Well, Sarah and Catherine are very chic (we all admired Catherine's blue and brown 1960s wiggle dress) but they're also extremely nice people. Meeting people you encounter online is great, I have decided, as it gives you a chance to discuss the little things that perhaps we don't talk about on blogs because they seem too trivial or off-topic. We had a good old mardle about bullet bras, Meakin china and all the events we're planning to go to this summer, and I honestly felt as though I'd known everyone for years even though we'd only just met.

And finally, here's my outfit – it's a bog selfie taken in the pub, I'm afraid. Black velvet jacket (free from a friend who had outgrown it) with midcentury gold brooch (a gift from my colleagues when I left Simply Knitting magazine), 1950s cotton shirt dress (CalendarGirlVintage on Etsy), shiny tights in an effort to mock nylons, Hush Puppies Freya shoes, and a little boxy bag I got for a few pounds at most in the Red Cross charity shop. My hair had been up, but it was immensely windy and so my updo was more of an upmess by the time I'd reached Green Park Station. I'll never win any prizes for looking good, but at least I try...

Comments

  1. Hello Mim.
    This was a wonderful thing to read (and as much as you think you envy me on my waist - that is not nearly as much as I feel green when I read about fellow vintage-lovig gals meeting) - you have people close to you, that share the similar interests, and THAT is magnificent.
    You looked lovely, dear gal.
    Truly do.
    You know, I magnified the image, to check out your glasses, I rather like them. :)

    Marija

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! The glasses are from Specsavers. I've never been able to find a vintage pair that suited me, so I usually buy modern glasses.

      Delete
  2. Hi Mim!! Thanks again for meeting up, it's a bit odd meeting up with people you don't know, but like you said, I felt like our common interests in vintage and such meant that we could relax like we were old friends. So lovely to meet you both in person! Let's do it again xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed! I love Cardiff, I should head out there at some point, though I've got a busy couple of months ahead - for some reason, everything happens in Spring/early Summer.

      Delete
  3. I think you look wonderful and how nice to be able to meet other bloggers, I haven't met a single one.
    The weather's been quite something these past few days and the howling winds actually woke me up last night xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hate the wind. I used to worry that our old Victorian sash windows would fly out and kill someone. Since we've had them replaced, I've been convinced the chimney will drop off the house!

      Maybe I will come to annoy your and your bunnies at some point ;-)

      Delete
  4. Maybe I should have come after all I could have stalked you all! I must admit the weather did make me glad I hadn't been paid yet and couldn't afford it.
    I'm doing that I can't believe how long your hair is again, it looks lovely.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My hair grows at a stupid rate. I'm thinking of chopping it again, I just pull it into a ponytail and whack a few inches off the end.

      I should hop on a train and come to stalk YOU! Though the next couple of months are tricky with events already booked, plus we need to go up to Bolton again to collect the ashes and sort out house repairs up there...

      Delete
  5. Sounds like a lovely day out, it's always fun to meet up with fellow bloggers. And now I know that "Porcelina" is really Sarah - I've often wondered!
    Love your dress and smart little jacket. xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The jacket was a freebie, and I wear it loads. I think the person who gave it to me also got it secondhand, so it's certainly had a lot of use.

      Delete
  6. Your hair looks glorious-the wind must be good for it!

    How fun to meet up with friends to do a bit of poking around the market. I'm glad to hear you found a new handbag that will work for you (I don't know about you, but I'm "one with my purse" the way some people are with their smartphones, and not having a black bag would be the end of me).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was carrying a dark brown bag and wearing black shoes for work, and it was making me seriously twitchy. I don't care if matchy-matchy is seen as old fashioned, I like to be co-ordinated!

      Delete
  7. You look lovely, your hair is fabulous. Blogging meet-ups are the best. Good to hear that you had fun! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Everyone likes the hair! You can't see that it's two-tone at the back... (erk!)

      Delete
  8. I do like a snoop round something like that, such larks! Your hair looks lovely, it's such a nice colour. I'd love to have someone who could do proper vintage styling do mine. I developed an auto immune problem some years ago and among other nasties it's wrecked my hair which I'm very self conscious about. The front sides, not even frizzy but like candy floss, and will not behave now! I have tried so many things to no avail, it would be nice to have it done properly, if possible. Even just for the day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, that's got to be annoying. I can't do mine, but it's pure ineptness (and I think my Asian heritage comes out in my hair, as it will not curl. I have been looking at vintage photos of Asian ladies for inspiration.) Would a really heavy conditioner help yours? I guess you've probably tried that.

      Delete
  9. Great photo of you, I love the colour of your hair.

    I've brought some things from Cock-a-Doodle Vintage at fairs before and you're right about their stock, as I've found that its always quality and well-priced too.

    There's nothing as good as meeting up with like-minded folk who can appreciate the finer points of bullet bras and Meakin china. Happy days!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was so lovely meeting people. When I get time, I aim to meet more.

      Delete
  10. I love a good blogger meet up :) And your shoes :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! They're Hush Puppies - really hardwearing and comfy, a very good buy.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts