Just In - My Latest Acquisitions

On Saturday we traded at our first fair this year. I know, lazy sods, aren't we? Despite the iffy weather and Brex*it uncertainty, Pop-Up Vintage's Walthamstow fair was wonderful. We caught up with our trader pals, our super stylish regulars and made lots of vintage lovin' folk very happy.

I love these girls! They always look amazing.

Could this jacket have fit any better? It looks like it was made for him. 

Forget Lent, deprivation and giving stuff up, this month I've been acquiring stuff like its going out of fashion. Buys included the vintage block printed kaftan I wore on Saturday. I could have sold it ten times over but it ain't for sale. These things are like gold dust and although my eBay find wasn't cheap, it was listed in a strange category with none of the keywords (ie., block printed, vintage or kaftan ) so I won it for a fraction of the crazy prices they're currently commanding.

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The kaftan has a Made in Pakistan label which, with most of my acquisitions, inevitably leads to a trawl of the internet to discover more. Back in the 1970s Pakistan was firmly on the hippie trail - here's some of the freaks (how the original hippies referred to themselves) chilling out in downtown Karachi.

This necklace was £1 in Sense and I couldn't part with my cash quick enough. On the other hand I dithered over the £2 top in Cancer UK before sticking it back on the rail. It preyed on my mind for ages so I was relieved to see it still hanging up when I went back to the shop a fortnight later. Thank goodness the people in Walsall don't have the same taste as me!

I ferreted these supersized Goggles sunglasses from out of the 50p junk basket on a chazza shop counter. Designed by Oliver Goldsmith (that's the designer as opposed to the 18th century Irish novelist) they were quite the thing in the early 1980s and ever the massive sunglasses fan, my Mum had at least two pairs. Remember this TV advert? I do.

 I spotted this 1970s cotton velvet maxi skirt on eBay. The embroidery is identical to the green Indian dress I bought a couple of weeks ago. I was the only bidder and won it for £2.50. War on Want is an anti-poverty charity which was founded in London in 1951. The skirt was made in India, an early fair trade piece.

We passed the Jaipur blue pottery workshop several times during our stay but never visited. I'm not sure if this jug originated in Rajasthan but I loved the cobalt blue glaze, its pleasingly chunky proportions and the fact it was £1.99. It shows off my daffs a treat.

In a sea of shoddy man-made tat, this vintage calico bed cover stood out like a beacon in the Age UK clearance shop and was priced at £1. Ghalamkari is the Persian method of block printing. This piece came from Iran and was bought from a stall within the Grand Bazaar in Isfahan. This is the second piece I've picked up in a local charity shop, we're a well-travelled lot in the Black Country, aren't we?

Do I turn the bed cover into something wearable? I'm thinking that I should.

After looking at these photos of the Grand Bazaar I'm desperate to go to Iran but sadly the British Foreign Office are currently advising against travelling there.

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This American craft book printed in 1972 is incredible. Jon and I did a macrame workshop in Goa last year & I'm hoping that I can remember enough to give it another bash, that neck piece worn over the black maxi dress is giving me palpitations, I need it! I've found this book on-line for £35 - mine cost £1.50 from the local hospice charity shop.

It's not all buying though, I've been sent lovely things from some fabulous women...

This vintage quilted waistcoat and leather drawstring bag were gifts from talented Sarah aka Little Acorn 73 (find her Etsy shop HERE).

I collected her parcel of joy from the Post office earlier and, as luck would have it, the contents matched my outfit perfectly (she knows me so well!) It's appeared on my blog many times before but just in case you missed it, I'm wearing a tissue silk gauze maxi dress by Treacy Lowe that a friend found for me in a charity shop.

Another virtual friend, Aril, who blogs HERE sent me this gorgeous Moroccan cuff and a card featuring Indo-Portuguese embroidery from the XII -XIII century.

The fabulous Jode, who I met doing vintage fairs a few years ago, sent me these two brilliant prints which she designs herself. I'll be on the lookout for some secondhand frames on my travels this week. Blame it on my vintage heart needs to be hung up next to my overstuffed wardrobe. Fancy some of your own? Find her HERE.

Right...it's finally stopped raining, I can finish unpacking the stock from the van.

See you soon.