Thursday 18 November 2010

Thursday Morning Finds - Car Boot Booty

I adore car boot sales, I can hardly contain my excitement on our drive out into the countryside. What will we be coming home with? It's just so exciting!
This morning was the last Thursday car boot sale of the season and despite the rain it was running as normal. Most of the stalls weren't up to much but, as always, the house clearance man had a couple of random treats to keep me happy. 
I'd had my 1960's Dansette record player since I was a child and was gutted when it finally packed up after forty years of near constant use. We've got another turntable but nothing beats a portable record player so I was thrilled when Jon found this cute Philips model this morning.


It works perfectly and only cost us £2!
Inside a lidded box and wrapped in faded tissue paper I discovered this beautiful 1960's wedding gown and full length veil. It looks remarkably similar to the dress Mum wore to marry Dad in 1966. For £1 I could hardly leave it behind. When I ironed it I discovered confetti trapped in the hem.

 
Very Priscilla Presley-like, I thought, but darling Jon said I looked more like the Bride of Frankenstein. As it fits perfectly I think I might revamp it into something more wearable or maybe just save it for the dressing up box (unless a certain royal princess wants to make me an offer).


I gave a couple of passers-by quite a fright when I was posing earlier.

50 comments:

  1. that wedding dress is so wonderful!!!

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  2. Get married! :) It's worth it just for the dress. It's gorgeous.

    Some great finds as always, love the sound of records playing.

    xxx

    p.s My hair isn't as long as yours yet. I won't rest. :)

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  3. Score! And don't you just make a lovely bride! LOL!!!
    I had a portable record player too,I think it was white & turquoise.I loved it,and would play my Abba records on it.Nice finds,sweetheart!!!
    LOVE!! Helga xxxXXXxxx

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  4. Ooh the cheek of Jon! You look fab in that wedding dress. I wonder quite what you could with it in terms of revamping though? I don't like to think of things like that being hacked up but it's not exactly the most practical everyday frock is it?!

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  5. That dress is stunning, and your figure looks so trim in it. I have never noticed before but your waist must be tiny. It would be a shame to cut into it, but it would make a loovely lace mini dress.

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  6. The passers by will be popping back ,for a glass of champers and some cake later hee hee ,...love the little greeen top you are wearing today ..love Jan xx

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  7. I would have so much more respect for Kate Middleton if she went out and bought a 1960s wedding dress for £1 at a boot sale...as would the rest of the country, I'm sure.

    And massive envy for the record player. I've been looking for a nice dansette for a while now, I think I'm going to ask nicely for Christmas and splurge a bit.

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  8. oh how I wish to go car bootsaleing with you..I used to have an 80's portable radio with lights..used to carry it everwhere in my cholo days..oh you need to go to the Cathedral and take pics with that lovely dress..you make a stunning bride...i love record players..I love the pic of you looking at your records..natural beauty.

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  9. That dress is almost the same as my mum's too, full lace top half, she looked like Priscilla too ~ she let me cut it up to make an evening gown when I played Cinderella many moons ago ~ terrible I know! Your dancette is fabulous - mum had one and I sat on the floor like you in that photo for hours on end. Those baubles are mega pricey that I am after aren't they - I have been wondering if I can make some instead :)
    kandi x

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  10. Fab finds! Our regular car boot keeps getting cancelled. I can't wait for it to warm up and be going properly again. x

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  11. Your so funny - Bride of Frankenstein! I hope you thumped Jon for that. That's twice in week I've seen you in a wedding dress - might just march you down the ailse yet! And with zero outlay for your grandma's dress and £1 for this one you're more than sorted to spend on a honeymoon!
    I had a toy portable record player when I was young. Impressed to see the real vintage version!

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  12. Aw how could anyone ever give their wedding dress away? It would make a lovely mini dress though x

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  13. Amazing finds, Vix. All partied up for 3 quid. I hope you 2 did a little merry dance to the Mamas & Papas in your beautiful new wedding dress! xxx

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  14. That dress is stunning, and how did i miss your Beetle post....its gorgeous! I got both of my Beetles from ebay :) your maxi dress is gorgeous too. Hope you have a lovely evening xxx

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  15. I love the weeding dress - so elegant and chic. You do look lovely - very Priscilla Presley:-)

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  16. oh it is very Priscilla (& not at all Bride of Frankenstein)! I can imagine it looking nice dyed and shortened.... something I want to do with my wedding dress one day!
    The last car boot of the season is always so sad, luckily we have a few all year indoor ones round here but i'm not sure how good they are! x

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  17. I am laughing again,hehehe.
    I feel the same thrill about car boot sales, jumbles, charity shops,as you know by now etc.
    You can always have a second wedding...
    Un abrazo my dear friend.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  18. Ha ha ha, you make a beautiful bride Vix!

    I have a dansette record player, it was given to me by one of my Dad's friends when I was 13. He was going to bin it! He's called Howard (the record player) after Howard from Take That (note I was 13). Howard is currently on sabbatical in my Dad's loft but is soon to be liberated to take pride of place in our new house, next to the wall mounted record rack I've just scored on ebay. I love vinyl and I especially love record sleeves

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  19. That pic of you on the floor reminds me of the Cornershop video! How lovely to find the confetti on the dress!

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  20. I am laughing in my mind imagining the expression of the passers by! But you do make a beautiful bride in that lovely dress!

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  22. Just rescued my portable record player from my Dad's loft this morning - it must be very late 60s or very very early 70s. Bright orange and either a Dansette or Dansette-clone. Now I just need to get it working.....

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  23. tres jolie comme d habitude et j adore ton environnement ;O)

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  24. that wedding dress is beautiful! Just my taste, sadly I'm a couple of dress sizes bigger than you and not getting married or I'd beg you to sell it t me!!xx

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  25. Gorgeous dress. What an absolute bargain! x

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  26. I love those portable record players, although I'm still made up about my portable radio. Music on the move vintage style is so much better than digital. That dress is great. I can't wait to see what the wedding dress turns into. Xx

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  27. Brilliant! Fabulous music bargain! I understand why you couldn't leave the dress behind. Really lovely for someone to put it on and have it admired again after all these years!
    XXXxxx Comtesse xxxXXX

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  28. haha, that's awesome, I just bought today a vintage bridal dress in sh shop :))

    kisses!
    Watching the waves

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  29. I love that dress!! I have just drafted a post about a gorgeous Mary Poppins style bag I got for a pound, I thought it was such a bargin, but I think a wedding dress beats that hands down!! Glad it has found a happy home as it so sad to think it was sitting in a box with a £1 price tag on it! Such a shame clothes can't talk! xx

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  30. Don't you just find yourself wondering what the story behind the dress is?! Who wore it, when they wore it, if they had a happy day, if they had a happy marriage, if they're still around, how the dress ended up at the car boot sale. It's just so fascinating! I think I'll always hold onto my wedding dress. It's amazing the things that people give away, isn't it?

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  31. How magical that you came across the confetti...I love finding things like that. The dress does fit you perfectly!

    It would be a shame to spoil it, but for the sake of getting use out of it you could dye it hot pink! And hem it to a mini? It would looks so cute on you!

    x

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  32. Oh Vix, you look exquisite in that dress - perhaps you could leave it as it and dye it? I could see you at a festival with flowers in your hair and velvet ribbons trailing behind you in that dress, perhaps in forest green or purple? And that record player, really I'm green with envy - it is so fab!! Sarah xxx

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  33. Oh Vix, I am so envious of your fabulous finds at the carboot today,I am desperate to find another Dansette to replace the one I had as a teenager.I love the cover of the Mamas and Papas album and their sound is so evocative of that wonderful late sixties flower power era and as for the wedding dress, how sweet and gorgeous it is. I'm so glad I found your blog, we are so like minded it's untrue, I love the way you mix hippy and vintage,I do that too and it just is so much fun going out hunting for all the groovy things we adore.Peace and love to you x

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  34. car boot sales sound like our "flea markets." Do I have the idea right or is there something different about it. The prices of your finds are incredible. Do you have to barter to get such low prices?

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  35. You look every inch a blushing bride, and VERY priscilla...naughty Jon!
    xx

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  36. The wedding dress is perfect and again, Confetti :)
    I can see many possibilities with the sheer veil and I bet if you chopped her into a mini, you'd have enough material for a skirt as well ;)
    Thank you so much for your loving and shining comments.
    They always make my day :)
    xXx
    Reva

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  37. Seriously, you always find the greatest things!:D

    That dress is amazing, looks lovely on you too and wow, you can't beat that price.:D

    ***** Marie *****
    allthingsmarie.com

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  38. Bride of Frankenstein!? Oh dear, naughty man, lock him in the hat cabinet until he's mended his ways, or at least 'til he promises to be a damn fine bartender and mix you a good few cocktails to make up for it.

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  39. I cannot believe you found that amazing record player - and it works!! I can understand your Thursday morning excitement when you're on your way to car boot heaven - it's even better when you're so excited that you share your finds so stylishly here with us:). OMG if the car boot sales are finished for the winter how the heck are you going to get your fix?!! xoxo

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  40. Even at a slightly higher price, leaving that dress behind would have been criminal! It is absolutely gorgeous, Vix, and it must be so nice to have that nostalgic link to your mum and dad's wedding day!
    xxx

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  41. That dress is lovely and also quite similar to the one my mum wore (although she slashed it to mid thigh on the morning of her wedding - my granny was horrified!). xx
    http://www.weshopthereforeweare.co.uk/

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  42. Hahaha brilliant! Love it and the princess would be silly to pass up the chance - very mad men and on trend xx

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  43. http://www.johnlewis.com/28718/Style.aspx

    link for the tights - a pack of 3!!

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  44. That wedding dress is just amazing! And for £1. Kate would save quite a few tax payers pennies if she would wear something similar. And guranteed she ain't gonna find anything as stunning :)

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  45. Hi there-you attract fabulous bargains like a magnet, the wedding dress and record player are just really great buys, well done indeed! Hope you have a good weekend my dear! xx

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  46. Snow White princess! Take no notice of Jon, you look amazing in the dress!

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  47. Oh goodness the wedding dress is so exciting, I think I would quite like one to play dress up in too. There’s always the mystery of whom this dress belonged to, was it a happy marriage? Or short lived? Great find, it’s really sad to see such a sought after item sell for so little, but I’m sure whatever you choose to do with it will give it a second life xx

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  48. I love that wedding dress and may even have something like it designed for my own nuptials next year!

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  49. Dear Vix, you make a beautiful bride and that dress is fabulous on you! Have a great evening. We're addicted to I'm a Celeb. Shaun is still my favourite. I also like Jenny and Stacey and definitely not Gillian! xx

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Thanks for reading and for leaving a message. Please don't be anonymous, I'd love it if you left a name (or a nom de plume).

Lots of love, Vix