There's Only One Way Of Life

There's only one way of life and that's your own, I can't put it better than The Levellers. Festival trading isn't for everyone, the non-stop banging bass, the overflowing portaloos, the heat and the dust, the non-existent mobile reception, the 14-hour working days, the seething crowds and the utter mayhem & madness but it's the life we chose and we bloody love it.

Aloha, Bab! Jon wears a 1960s Hawaiian barkcloth shirt (Uncle Sam's, Bristol, 2016), organic cotton shorts, charity shopped Adidas hi-tops and his trusty leather cap

The Levellers founded Beautiful Days in 2003 as an antidote to the commercialism and commodification of the mainstream festivals and, nineteen years later, it has remained true to the band's vision, it's refreshingly alternative and delightfully anarchic. 

Psychedelia & sequins - vintage cotton maxi skirt (a gift from Ann & Jos, 2019), a charity-shopped bustier and some 1970s Tropical sunglasses

We left home at 8am on Tuesday arriving in Devon some three-and-a-half hours later. We spent until bedtime (and a large part of Wednesday) setting up and then, after rolling up the shop front at 10am on Thursday morning, other than nipping over to the Portaloos & popping out to say hello to a few trader friends (including Ellie and Jim of Karma Gear and Georgie of Save the Pixies), we didn't leave the stall again until Saturday night.

We'd heard varying reports from traders past and present so had no idea what to expect from the crowd at Beautiful Days but, I'm happy to say, they loved us....and we loved them! 

I wish I could have photographed everyone who visited us, tried and buyed (is that even a word?) So many incredible people all with beautiful, unique style. It was lovely to meet blog reader Julie, too!

My visit to Glastonbury trader neighbours, Asbeau, ended in a purchase - a festival headdress handmade by the astonishingly talented Kathryn.

 

People already say I look like a goddess in this 1970s silver lurex maxi Bernshaw maxi bought from Moseley Vintage Hub pals, Steve and Graziella back in 2018, but now I've been transformed into the High Priestess of Vintage. It was a struggle not to wear my headpiece to Lidl this morning.

Everyone wants to buy the shirts off Jon's back - the 1960s Luvisca leisure shirt (bought from Mel at Moseley Vintage Fair in 2018) is a particular favourite.

He found this 1980s Danish-made beauty printed with Moghul emperors and frolicking horses in a Walsall charity shop just before we flew to Rhodes last year.

This 1970s Hollywood Charmer, California-made maxi used to belong to my friend Cheryl.  I bought these handmade turquoise tasseled earrings from a lovely trader called Jan at Cornbury last month.

There were loads of bands I wanted to see but we were too busy to escape from the stall but we closed at 10pm on Saturday night so we could catch The Specials. The capacity for Beautiful Days is 17,500 and I'm pretty sure almost all of them had the same idea as us, it was so rammed it felt like Glastonbury.

Thankfully, unlike Glastonbury, the temperature didn't drop much at night although Jon nicked this 1980s Kangol bucket hat and Free People fleece from the rails just to be on the safe side.

  

My camera is brilliant by day but useless by night - hence the grainy images.

Sunday's theme was Peace and Love and our mates Jo and Daron (aka Old's Cool Traders) popped in to show us their outfits.

 

How exciting! Headliner, Katy T Pearson dropped in before playing the Big Top stage, bought a couple of things and told us that our stock was absolutely amazing. 

I escaped from the stall to catch her act and was beyond excited to see her wearing the 1980s midi dress she'd just bought from us on stage!

If you're not familiar with the Bristolian singer songwriter do check her out here.

I love spotting our stock being worn around festivals - this incredible 1960s linen dress was snapped up on the first day. We even saw a waistcoat and a old skool sports top we'd sold at Glastonbury. 

We'd never met our trading neighbours, Fairtrade Fairy before but by strange coincidence, I'd bought some Indian silver tribal earrings from their Etsy shop in the past and I bought another pair this year.

Jon hanging around behind the stall next to the washing-up area. There was a babbling brook and an empty field behind the fencing - a nice change not to be hemmed in by tents.

 

As is usual at a festival, I remained barefoot for most of the weekend (toilet visits aside). The sequinned polo neck was a frivolous charity shop purchase a couple of days before we left so I felt like I had to wear it to justify the £2.50 I spent even though it wasn't really sleeve weather. 

We joined everyone else and watched The Levellers closing the festival over on the main stage before oohing and ahhing over the spectacular firework display.

Despite trading within a few yards of each other at Glastonbury, it was the first time we'd met our neighbours, Spud & Nikki of Bournemouth's Rocket Records and we got along like a house on fire, meeting up on both Saturday and Sunday night for a dance. 

This has been my early morning visit to the Portaloos outfit at every festival this summer - camo, Christian Dior and Crocs (and my ridiculous vintage sunglasses to hide the puffy eyes). The John Galliano-era tattoo print nightie was a surprise from lovely blog reader Tricia and I felt very glam in it despite me not having had a wash for almost a week!

Despite selling loads, drinking all our booze and most of our food, it still took us six hours to pack down the stalol and another four-and-a-half to drive home - stopping at the legendary Gloucester services for posh sandwiches and crisps. We spent Tuesday washing our clothes, scrubbing the Gala tent and sorting fresh stock ready for our final festival of the season which is now less than a week away (sob!)

Beautiful Days, we loved you! See you next year.