Monday 21 March 2016

I've Got A Pair Of Gohill's Boots


There was no need to bin yesterday's work outfit as we had a respectable day's trading in Clapham, South London. 

The Kinky pitch
A lot of people are under the illusion that the capital is packed with rich idiots who'll pay over the odds for vintage clothes and that Londoners are more stylish and switched on than the rest of the country and they tell us to double our prices when we're selling down there (which we don't). Having traded in cities & major towns throughout the UK I can confirm that cool, well-dressed people live everywhere and that Londoners are no more likely to buy over-priced vintage than anybody else.  

Some of yesterday's stock (clockwise from top left): 1960s wool shift; Mister Boutique kimono sleeve maxi; Wool beret; Sheepskin & suede jacket; 1970s folk midi; Block printed midi; 1960s Astrolab for Weathergay PVC raincoat; Afghani dress; Suede & crochet waistcoat; Slinky 1970s maxi; Frye, made in USA cowboy boots; Psychedelic corded maxi; Bavarian A Line skirt.
 The reason why the London vintage fairs work is because of the sheer number of people who pay to come through the doors and yesterday we saw them all, from families out for a stroll before lunch, hipsters hunting for quirky festival gear, pensioners taking a trip down memory lane, costume departments buying for television and stage productions, professional couples wanting to update their wardrobes, performers looking for outrageous stage wear and skint students in need of a bargain to foreign tourists after an unusual souvenir of their trip and the drummer from 1980s chart topping jazz funk super group, Shakatak.


Jon wore some 1970s green Crimplene Farahs he'd skinnied-up himself, a 1960s Tonic blazer borrowed from the Kinky rails, some vintage cherry red DMs, a leather Baker Boy hat from the End of the Road festival & a Pal Zileri shirt a mate found him in a charity shop which we've since discovered retail in Selfridges for £185! I wore a puff sleeve plum velvet maxi by Quad, courtesy of Miss Rayne about five years ago, my antique tribal pendant, the waistcoat I bought in Mumbai in January and some feckin' amazing footwear.

Source
A few months ago Jon & I were at an artisan fair in Walsall having a drink at the bar when we heard "Hello there, Victoria & Jonathan". It was a teacher from our junior school (Jon & I were at school together in the 1970s) neither of us had seen for almost 40 years. She'd followed Jon's musical career and seen me in a few publications. Back in the early 1970s I'd idolised her, she was the original hippy chick with waist length red hair worn with a centre parting & John Lennon granny glasses and she was just incredibly cool, a far cry from the other conservatively dressed teaching staff. After a couple of pints I admitted that my love for her style had remained with me even to the point of hunting down a vintage green leather trench coat at considerable expense solely because she used to wear one. She told me that she still owned much of her original hippy gear. Fast forward to a fortnight ago when Jon bumped into her at the Post Office. She said she'd had a sort out and wondered what size shoe I was. Miraculously it turned out we're both a UK 6.5. The rest, they say, is history.



Hand-made from exotic snakeskin by Gohill's of Camden and sold at legendary hippy emporium, Granny Takes A Trip. Syd Barrett imortalised them in the Pink Floyd song, Nobody Home. You can even buy the tee shirt.

Available HERE

My fabulous junior school teacher bought hers in 1966, the year I was born. Now too slim-fitting for her, they fit me like the proverbial glove and were on my feet from 4.30am yesterday morning until it was time to pack down 12 hours later!


The biggest stars of the psychedelic era owned gear bought from Granny Takes A Trip. Marc Bolan, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, George Harrison, John Lennon, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, a cool junior school teacher from Walsall ....


...and now me!

Linking to Patti and the gang for Visible Monday before slobbing out on the settee for a catch-up of last night's Indian Summers & The Voice. These 16 hour days are a killer.

See you soon!


107 comments:

  1. Love that velvet dress its gorgeous , I loved mark bolan i had a huge poster of him on my bedroom wall , Dave use to take the mickey out of him when he saw it because of the makeup he used to wear lol xxx

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    1. Thank you! I know you love a bit of velvet.
      Marc Bolan was gorgeous, fabulous cheekbones. Nothing wrong with a man in make-up. I've still got a massive thing for Boy George. xxx

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  2. What a fab story! The Gohill's shop is still there in Camden, I don't think many people realise what a history it has...

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    1. It is! Me and a pal were chatting about it on Facebook and have decided to have a day down in Camden reliving our youth next month. x

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  3. Oh such fab boots with a fascinating history. You and Jon are looking wonderful, happy and busy. Stay fabulous and thanks for linking, xo

    Patti
    http://notdeadyetstyle.com

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    1. The advantages of never leaving one's home town, huh?! xxx

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  4. Love this story! Love the fact you got a fab pair of boots even more!
    Zxx

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    1. Glad you liked it, Z! I'm dying to see what other treasures she kept. I know my Mum crocheted her a few bits back in the day. xxx

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  5. You have some seriously cool stock there Vix, I really need to come to a London gig, next time you're there I'm working but hopefully you'll have other dates later in the year? What a stunning plum frock, you look beautiful and no wonder you were beyond excited to be given your ex teacher's boots. The red slingbacks of my primary school teacher made quite an impression on seven year old me, funny eh? Love that pic of Pink Floyd. Off to watch Indian Summers meself now....thanks for explaining the Alice thing. xxxxx

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    1. Hopefully we'll be back in London in the Autumn.
      I've just been chatting to some friends about how we can recall how our junior school teachers dressed really clearly, talk about impressionable!
      Can't wait to catch up on Indian Summers, love it! xxx

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  6. How fabulous that the person you idolised still has so much of her wardrobe and that you can now share it - it was meant to be! x

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    1. Isn't it fantastic? I still keep pinching myself! x

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  7. You were in south London and I missed you! Yours, That's Not A Rich Idiot ;)

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    1. Boo!! One day we will meet and I definitely won't try and rip you off with overpriced clothing! xxx

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  8. Yay! What a great story. So pleased for you, and I'm sure your ex teacher is thrilled they found the perfect home.
    The velvet maxi is divine! xxx

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    1. Thanks, Em! She's a fantastic woman and since she retired she's been a dynamic Labour councilor who has done loads of great things for the people of Walsall. xxx

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  9. I absolutely adore your maxi!!! Gorgeous and I'm v envious!
    I'm so glad you saw your teacher, that is so weird and how fab to own her boots!
    I had a recorder teacher who taught me from 5-18and she had a really cool quirky style and I loved her Amazing dangling earrings. Now we are colleagues as she is the music adviser for our borough and she often says she loves what I am wearing and I reciprocate-definitely she's been a huge influence on Me!!x

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    1. I bet you'll be one of those teachers children remember for years afterwards because of their kindness and great dress sense. xxx

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  10. Purple velvet the object of my fantasies, with that and Marc bolan in the same post its teen fantasy time

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  11. It was obviously meant to be! How nice to see your old teacher again and how kind of her to pass her boots on to you xxx

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    1. I still can't believe she remembered us (and my brother) after all those years and hundreds of kids later! x

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  12. What a wonderful story - and what a cool teacher! Your Quad maxi and your fab Gohill's boots are a match made in heaven, and how great to have them given to you by your old teacher, and to know they came from Granny Takes A Trip.
    Kinky's pitch is always a joy to behold, stuffed with wonderful pieces at reasonable prices. (Sue Ryder - take note!) But you and Jon do well at fairs not just because of your stock, although that's undoubtedly great - it's about your personalities and presence too. You are passionate and knowledgeable, and interested in your customers, and that goes a long way towards making shopping with the Kinkies a fantastic experience. Sellers who sit there all arse-faced ignoring their customers do NOT cut it with me!
    Glad you had a good one in London. Work's playing havoc with our Voice textfests!
    Love you! xxx

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    1. You flatterer, you!!
      I know, work is playing havoc on our Saturday night Voicefests. Catching up on a Monday isn't half as much fun. Will.i.am has caused divisions in this house. I wanted fish boy and Raheem. xxx

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  13. Wow! What a great story!

    I'm a huge Pink Floyd fan and never had the slightest idea what Gohill's boots were until just now. LOL

    So very happy you had a good show.

    You are both looking ever the part.

    bisous
    Suzanne

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    1. No way! Glad to give a Floyd fan a bit of extra knowledge!!
      We're happy we had a good show, too. Those bad days don't half knock our confidence. xxxx

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  14. I love true life stories, your teacher one is brilliant and how amazing to have the same shoe size. Jon boy looks quite dashing. Love the trousers and your frock.
    We don't find London prices expensive, in fact we've bought quite a lot of clobber on our trips down there.
    Glad you had a good weekend. Who you having for the winner of the voice ? Xxx

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    1. London's vintage prices are mixed but, like you pair, I've found some cracking bargains on Brick Lane.
      Cody is the winner in my eyes, I've loved her since the first auditions and she's on Team Boy George, who I've worshiped since the 1980s when he was living in a squat in Walsall! xxx

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  15. Love those boots! How lucky that they fit. I would love to see more of her vintage fashion! :)

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    1. Neither can I! I hope she digs it out just so I can drool over it. xxx

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  16. What a wonderful story. Your teacher sounds like a lovely human being, and I'm sure it made her happy to know those boots are going to a good home where they will be loved for years to come.

    I'm going to follow Jon's lead and skinny up some of my kid's trousers. He's too tall for children's clothes, but the men's sizes are all a bit wide in the legs for him (which bothers him no end). Thanks for reminding me there's a solution to what an eleven year old considers the biggest problem in his life (yeah, I keep telling him to just wait!).

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  17. What a wonderful story. Your teacher sounds like a lovely human being, and I'm sure it made her happy to know those boots are going to a good home where they will be loved for years to come.

    I'm going to follow Jon's lead and skinny up some of my kid's trousers. He's too tall for children's clothes, but the men's sizes are all a bit wide in the legs for him (which bothers him no end). Thanks for reminding me there's a solution to what an eleven year old considers the biggest problem in his life (yeah, I keep telling him to just wait!).

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    1. She was so excited when I put them on minutes after handing them over, they were so comfy I did a happy dance on the doorstep.
      That's how Jon got started with his sewing, he was a tall & lanky teenager heavily into punk and without the means to afford Vivienne Westwood - he either had to DIY his own clothes or look like a normal human being. No comparison! xxx

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  18. Wow what amazing boots and what a story too, that's just what I love about vintage clothes, the back story. I still remember my junior school teacher Miss Harrison she was gorgeous and a complete hippy chick with flowing curly locks and off the shoulder gypsy tops. I believe my Dad and various other Dads will remember my brother's teacher more though, she used to roar up to the school on a huge motorbike in skin tight leathers!

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    1. They sound like two memorable women!
      Isn't it great just to make up stories about our vintage clothing's original owners in the absence of any facts? xxx

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  19. Those boots are absolutely glorious. What an amazing story and what an amazing teacher to have. She sounds brilliant. I bet she was/is a lot of fun. All the teachers at my school were much more restrained but I have very fond memories of how kind some of them were and how keen to encourage us. A green leather trench sounds wonderful. Xx

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    1. She was/ still is a completely fabulous human being. I'm astounded by her generosity.
      The green leather trench is probably one of the costliest vintage pieces I own but it gets admired by everyone who encounters it! xxx

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  20. What a wonderful story about your high school teacher and the boots! Score! They look fab on you. Would have come down to Clapham but running around after a one year old all week meant I spent Sunday recovering. Hope you sold lots!

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    1. Thanks, Miss V! I don't blame you for having a day of rest. Maybe next time. xxx

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  21. Fabulous story and amazing boots, Vix! And I love that they are from the year you were born - it was meant to be....

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  22. The jewelry you wear is so cool. Where do you get it? I have picked up a mine what I believe would be charity shop. That we call a thrift store here in the states.
    I found a couple of neat items at a thrift store for up coming grand daughter.
    Coffee is on

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    1. The antique pendant is from a flea market, Dora. Most of the rest of my stuff is bought in India. Silver used to be very cheap there, not so much now. x

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  23. In addition to the snakeskin boots I'm loving the gorgeously embroidered bolero in the first photo!
    Being from trippy dippy hippy northern California I'm surprised I'd never heard of "Granny Takes a Trip." San Francisco's Haight Ashbury district is still the hip & trendy place to pick up overpriced vintage items in California - not that San Franciscans are any more stylish than the rest of the hipsterified US.
    Funny how before the 90's "skinnied" pants were called "pegged." Love that 60's silhouette on men.
    xox

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    1. There was a Granny Takes A Trip in LA for a few years.
      To us Brits "pegged" trousers have pleats in the top. xxx

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  24. Cool boots! And the velvet dress is a stunner, as well as that embroidered waistcoat!

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    1. The waistcoat reminds me of your cool jacket! x

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  25. Fabulous dresses, and so glad you didn't have to get rid of your new waistcoat :)

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    1. Me, too! It's a long journey if I had to find a replacement! x

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  26. uber cool boots!!!!!
    and with that very personal history! marvelous!!
    you and jon have the best working clothes! that velvet dress and you new folky waistcoat are a pairing in heaven!
    if i had a chance to visit your stall i would take both of that folky dresses and the cute little blue beret! and would wear them with the lace up boots you mentioned :-)))
    much love! xxxxxx

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    1. You would look incredible in both those folky dresses, Beate. xxx

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  27. Oh wow! Beautiful boots in their own right, but when you know the story behind them, they're even more special. Those boots must've meant a lot for her to keep them for so long, and she might know you're the right person to own them next.

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    1. Thanks, Mim! They must have cost an absolute fortune fifty years ago. I'm overwhelmed by her kindness. xxx

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  28. I just think its pure serendipity how your former teacher gave her treasured boots, I bet you were squealing with glee when you first wore them! They are truly amazing though and what a provenance!

    You're wearing a gorgeous trading outfit too - love your Quad dress xxx

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    1. I still can't get over it!
      Gotta love a bit of Quad, always groovy. xxx

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  29. First, both of you look fabulous, Jon looks handsome and cool, and you look absolutely gorgeous, love your dress and waistcoat ensemble! (ohhh, those sleeves). And second, that serendipious meeting with a woman which style influenced yours, it's a Wonderful Event!
    And that fabulous boots are just perfect!!!
    besos

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  30. Now that is a cool way to get an excellent pair of boots!

    The two of you look so good dressed for that faire. Your colour choices go well together too, almost like you planned it. xo

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    1. You're right, we do match in a way. Don't tell Jon though, he has to get changed if we both attempt to go out wearing the same colour coat! x

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    2. I had a pair of sage green suede boots handmade by Mr. Gohill and designed by me also a pair of blackberry snakeskin 40s style sandals designed by me and made by him. Loved them!

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  31. Nothing pleases a teacher more than to see the children she thought should have interesting lives doing exactly that. Well done, "Victoria and Jonathan"! Consider those extraordinary boots a special prize for becoming the woman she saw in you -- and I'd wager she reviewed her wardrobe to select it.

    The plum velvet is sweetly elegant, lifted from Jane Austin into the 21st C by the souvenir jacket that is nothing less than wearable art. I'm admiring the added *pop* of the doodads on the string ties!

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    1. It was such a shock to be addressed by our full names, neither of us get called by them since our parents and grandparents died!!
      Jane Austen goes day-glo pom poms. xxx

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  32. sweet boots. Told The Doctor about your comment that he should learn to sew. Think he's still laughing about that. He is a bit of a bumble finger

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  33. I'm glad you didn't have to bin that gorgeous velvet maxi. Oh, and those boots! And isn't it great that they have such a story attached to them! As far as I remember I never had a teacher whose clothing style I would have wanted to copy. Jon's outfit is pretty great too. xxx

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    1. Ha! Me, too.
      You've been in my thoughts today, hope you're okay. xxx

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  34. Utterly fab boots, but 5 years ago for that dress! Flippin 'eck!

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  35. Love that velvet dress, Vix. I always want to stroke velvet even on other people! It looks terrific on you and the waistcoat is so cute with it.

    How lovely it was that your ex teacher recognised you after 40 years!

    The boots are fab but I'd never heard of Gohill boots; I'm afraid. I had heard of 'Granny Takes a Trip,' though. I think it was in Portobello Road; I used to live near there and one of my friend's, Marsha; her dad had a hatter's shop on Portobello. We used to go every Saturday and look at all the groovey people going in and out of the shop and in a and around the market. I particularly remember military jackets in bright red hanging up outside the shop. Oh, those were the days!!

    Have a great week - no more Happy Valley though - Tuesday evenings won't be the same again!

    Veronica
    vronni60s.blogspot.com

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    1. It was on Kings Road and was open from 1966 - 1974. They did a roaring trade in ceremonial jackets, I think Jimi Hendrix bought his from there.
      Have a fab week yourself. We're filling the Happy Valley shaped gap by watching that new Danish series we missed at the weekend. xxx

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  36. Aw that's a lovely story about the boots!! I hope you enjoy wearing them for many years. xx

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    1. I hope so, too! They've had quite a few hours wear since Friday. x

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  37. Gorgeous blog :)Have a great day dear :)
    I follow you :) Keep in touch!

    http://itsmetijana.blogspot.rs/

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  38. Sure, I guess this London fair full of beautiful people ... but you two are absolutely my favorite, you have a unique style, you are fantastic! And then we country people know we dress well, very true!
    The boots are great, and your Indian pendant is a marvel!

    ;***

    serena

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    1. Thanks Serena! We sold to some lovely Italian ladies on holiday from Sicily. xxx

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  39. What an incredible story about your teacher, Vix, I enjoyed it so much! You look fantastic wearing these cool boots, love the whole ensemble. Jon is such a dandy! I also enjoyed the way you summed up your customers, you have a kin eye for people.

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    1. I am a people watcher, Natalia! I think that's why I love doing vintage fairs so much. xxx

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  40. How is that for kismet? What a wonderful story. Granny Takes A Trip. Such a terrific name for a shop. Victoria and Jonathan. Such a fabulous couple. Jon's peg legs are so cool and you are a regular Carnaby Street dolly in your velvet maxi. So one day, I just know this will happen, some little girl is going to come up to you and tell you what a fan she is of Kinky Melon and how you've inspired her. You and Jon are becoming fashion legends!!

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    1. There were a couple of little girls who took a shine to me on Sunday, they nagged their parents to get round the fair quickly so they could talk to the "nice Indian lady!" xxx

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  41. I just love that story - full of serendipity! It is just so cool that you idolized her style when she was your teacher, and now you have a pair of her boots (and what fab boots they are - I've heard of Granny Takes a Trip!). If I had been at the fair I would have tried on that kimono sleeved maxi.

    By the way, Season two of Happy Valley just became available over here on Netflix - I'm so excited!

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    1. I'm so glad I was courageous (or merry enough) enough to tell her what an impact her style made on me. Fortune favours the brave and all that!
      Yay! Can't wait to hear what you thought of season 2. xxx

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  42. Your love for vintage is obvious genuine. It makes people follow your blog, buy from you, write stories about you and so on.I am curious about the black and white kimono. Is it thin? Flutters? For sale? How long ...?

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    1. You are kind!
      It's a thick polyester so not floaty. Its still in stock but in the stockroom over the road. I can pop over tomorrow for measurements if you're interested. xxx

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    2. Kind aswell! I was hoping that it should be a floaty robe. Thanks for answer!

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  43. You look fabulous in your plum maxi with the gorgeous waistcoat from India! And Jon is as dapper as always. How wonderful that you ran into your teacher! The snakeskin boots are spectacular!

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  44. What a brilliant story, with a fab ending, how cool are those boots?!

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  45. YOu just brought memories of the 70s flooding back for me - Portobello Road market for my clothes, and Marc Bolan! he was my idol and my bedroom wall was covered in his pictures. Those boots are fabulous - and I love the story that goes behind them. Betty

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    1. He was gorgeous, wasn't he? I remember photos of him in My Guy! x

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  46. How lovely to bump into your style muse after all these years, and also lovely of her to give you such a gift - the boots are all shades of awesome!

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    1. I know, living in the same town all our lives has got it's advantages. She's got two other pairs, apparently. I hardly dare think about them. xxx

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  47. I really liked the story of your teacher and the boots. I used wear my sister's pegged pants. The black and white photo of you is beautiful! x

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  48. Oh how lovely that she gave you her boots, you lucky thing! When I was at junior school there was a teacher there who I always thought looked so stylish and cool - she definitely influenced the way I dress today x

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    1. I bet she'd be thrilled to know how her style had influenced yours! xxx

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  49. Be still my heart, they're utterly magnificent! Happiest congratulations on these cooler than cool boots, Vix. I hope you two enjoy many terrific years together.

    Oodles of hugs from this side of the pond,
    ♥ Jessica

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    1. Thank you, Jessica. I've got a feeling it's the start of a boot-iful relationship! xxx

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  50. I love every element of this story. From the start 'Hello there Victoria and Jonathan!' to the amazing end, those boots! She sounds a pretty special person, what generosity! And to take interest down the years, that's why somebody teaches children, because they are genuinely interested. I also love to think of you and Jon as kids together, messing about in the playground with your friends. Have you got any old school pics anywhere? The boots are fabulous. I hope we get to see more of her collection. In the meantime, I really love that Quad plum dress with your lovely waistcoat. Great outfit and Jon is the King of mod cool. You make a winning team. Curtise is right, your big smile attracts them in. Xxxx

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  51. Oop, my comment took off without me. Anyway, was saying that there's nothing better than cool than cool boots with a Story! You were lucky to have such a cool teacher and to still run into each other from time is time is amazing. Crimplene pants for Jon? Oh, yes.

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  52. That velvet dress is beautiful - I now really want some velvet as its getting very cool here! (although I don't want to sew any velvet stuff - that's bound to end in tears!). I also think the story about your old teacher is so sweet, I love that she remembered both of you and kept an eye out for you - that's just lovely. Also she sure knows an amazing pair of boots when she sees them!

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  53. I had a pair of blackberry snakeskin sandals

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  54. What a lovely pair of vintage boots! I love the story about your hippy teacher who influenced your style and how you met her after all these years. Plus, it's really cool you and Jon used to be in class together and you both know her.

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  55. This can't be real. And it makes me think I have lost my mind. I randomly had the song "Nobody Home" stuck in my head and it occured to me that I have been on this planet 40 years and have no idea what a pair of Gohill boots look like. Google brought me here. It must be some... revenue producing, A.I. generated blog. Surely no human thinks that Syd Barrett wrote "Nobody Home".
    We're in so much trouble. Or at least I am. Unless I'm not real either. Please don't let me be real.

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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