Monday 12 August 2024

Days Like These


Hello! I'm just checking in before we head off to Beautiful Days.

We felt like we'd earned a drink when we got home from the vet on Friday afternoon! William's recovering well from his dental surgery although, as always, the journey was traumatic for all three of us. Once again I reached for my new-to-me denim waistcoat, this time teaming it with a 1970s cotton maxi skirt, made in West Germany by Luna and some sunglasses I found reduced to €5 in a little boutique we visited in Halkidiki last year.


Jon's wearing one of his birthday presents from Tony, a Skindred tee, the Welsh dub metal band we've become mildly obsessed with after seeing them live twice in the last nine months.


Since we got back from Womad we've watched the excellent Australian cop series High Country and the second season of the wonderful Danish retro series Carmen Curlers.  After seeing the adverts emblazoned on every bus and hoarding for weeks, we started watching Those About To Die on Friday evening. Its ridiculously over the top and must have cost an absolute fortune to make but it's well worth a watch.


Although it rained for most of Saturday morning, by the afternoon the sun had broken through the clouds and it was warm enough to lounge around in the garden and top up my festival/Kos tan. I bought this gauzy cotton Anokhi co-ord in 2020 from a lady who'd owned it since 1979. I've yet to take it on holiday with me, something which I ought to rectify before too long. It's wasted in the garden! 


The sunglasses are vintage 1970s Polaroids, bought from a car boot sale for £1 back in 2009.


We spent the majority of Saturday repacking the van so that we could shoehorn in our latest finds. We get asked all the time about if we worry about running out of stock between festivals...the answer is no! Not only is the Kinky Shed still pretty full but there's loads of interesting stuff out there,you just need to know how to look for it.


New additions since we returned from Womad include a bowler hat, two 1970s Disco wigs and three vintage brooches.


Four fake fur coats, five tee shirts (including an official Adidas Mexico footie top, 2 x Northern Soul and a 1990s True Romance promo tee) and six funky tops from various eras. 


This year's theme at Beautiful Days is Masquerade so we couldn't resist snapping up these six Venetian masks last week!


There's eight men's jackets (two Harringtons, two 1960s suede jackets and four vintage velvet blazers), an array of tartan trousers (Punk's Not Dead!) and fourteen mens shirts from 1960s through until the 1980s.


A few vintage skirts and, of course, an array of fabulous dresses....



On Sunday we popped over to Liz and Al's to drop off my overlocker and we sat in the sunshine chatting for an hour or two.


Jon  took this 1980s shirt off the rails earlier in the Summer as he claimed it needed sewing (which he did and promptly nicked it).


I've had this Lizzie 1970s cotton maxi dress for at least 14 years, a gift from an Australian blogger. I bought the Hermes sunglasses in Kefalonia back in May and Jon found the tasseled earrings in a charity shop last month.


William's Auntie Michelle's looking after him while we're at Beautiful Days.


We had torrential rain and violent thunderstorms this morning but they seem to have moved on so I'm off to join William in the garden. Midlands Today keep banging on about it being the hottest day of the year so far, it's pleasantly warm but nothing amazing.





If I don't see you down in Devon I'll see you back here next week!

29 comments:

  1. Good luck and I hope you sell lots! I meant to add to my last comment that it's so awful that the racist rioters have been so bloody stupid. Good for you for protecting that woman!

    William is such a handsome boy. Aw!

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    1. Thanks, Sheila! We'll be back in our happy place very soon, a field full of like-minded peace-loving people!
      William is a gorgeous lad, he looks especially cute in his rhinestone encrusted velvet collar! xxx

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  2. I can see you again!
    Gorgeous outfits. The denim waistcoat is working hard for you and I love your green striped dress! I need to do a deep dive into Skindred. Liking the t-shirt. I've snaffled a couple of band tees in recent weeks.
    Those punk tartan trousers are incredible! I'm sure they'll be snapped up in no time!
    William looks a little calmer now. You could do with a vet just at the end of your road!
    The weather's a bit meh today isn't it? The thunder woke me up!
    Hope the festival goes well. Catch you soon? xxx

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    1. Yay! Its Facebook that's been playing up for me over the weekend, the "like" button seems to have vanished!
      I'd forgotten how much I loved my old denim waistcoat, they're the answer to the eternal "what shall I wear with this skirt?" question! Skindred are amazing, I can't believe we only heard of them a year ago thanks to The Proclaimers cancelling their slot at Beautiful Days and them stepping in at the last minute.
      Those trousers are amazing, aren't they? I hope the right sized folk pop into the shop. We had a pair last year and the man who tried them on was almost in tears when he couldn't do them up!!
      The weather certainly didn't live up to the hype. I hope those storms don't follow us down to Devon in the morning, I hate setting up when it's wet! xxx

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  3. So happy all went well with the vet visit and that your cat is well! I love how you paired that denim vest and a maxi...the blue dress you wore in the garden is stunning as well. The green V-neck maxi dress is fantastic as well.

    The media is often overly dramatic when it comes to weather. However, when our news talks about a heatwave, they usually aren't playing- It's a quarter to 7 pm and I've just returned from the store. A two minute walk has left me exhausted, the temperature outside is 40 degrees C- and it's almost 7 pm.

    I think I heard about that show btw!

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    1. Thanks so much, Ivana. We've been so stressed about William this week, it feels like we can finally breathe again.
      Your weather is what I call properly hot - not these feeble 27°C temperatures. My washing didn't even dry outside on the line today! xxx

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  4. OMG those tartan trousers brought back memories. I was infatuated with a punk who had some. He was also short, spotty and ginger. I thought he was a god! He probably works in a bank now hehe x

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    1. Aren't they fab, Lisa? Jon used to live in his back in the early 1980s! I bet a lot of old punks ill go all misty eyed when they see them! xxx

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  5. The green dress and the Hermes sunglasses, fantastic!
    Wish you great beautiful days

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  6. Hope William is much better now. Poor little chap.
    Some lovely clothes in your new stock and some cool sunglasses. I had some red tartan trousers back in the day, not punk style but baggy ones. I loved them. I hope that you have a wonderful time at Beautiful Days away from the grim realities of Britain 2024. If I hear one more eejit crapping on and justifying their vile thuggery I might explode. I am now a mad old woman shouting at Radio 4!

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    1. Hello Carole! William's much better , thank you. Back to pulling all-nighters and running around the garden like a nutter after stocks!
      Like you, I lived in red tartan trousers back in the day, I used to wear them to Sixth Form, we were the first year group to be allowed to wear trousers to school. The lads from the comp used to call me "Rupert Bear!"
      I'm so looking forward to being at a festival where people can be who they are without bigotry or judgement. You're not alone at being the mad old woman shouting at the radio/Tv! xxx

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  7. Lovely to see you enjoying some sunshine (here we're having more than we can manage for sure), and looking so summery in your Anokhi set, such a beautiful piece for a greek holiday!.
    Great to get a glimpse of that fabulous stock, those tartan trousers have put a nostalgic smile in my face!, and those cute brooches and fantastic groovy tops and dresses!
    Looking particularly gorgeous in that cotton maxidress!, great find!
    Glad to hear that William is recovering, poor boy!
    besos

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    1. Hello Monica, I really am! It's never too hot for me!
      I don't know why I haven't packed that Anokhi set for a holiday before, it's so lightweight and easy to wear - too many clothes, too little time!
      We're very pleased with those bondage/punk trousers, I don't think it'll be too long before they find new homes! xxx

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  8. Oh be still my heart ..such a beautiful array of clothes ..I love everything ..glad you are enjoying the sunshine ..looking tanned and gorgeous ..have a great time at Beautiful Days .

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  9. Those are some really cool finds for Beautiful Days.
    Mark is obsessed with the Met Office and has been banging on all week about today, which started here with a thunderstorm!
    Anyway, it's been nice since, so fingers crossed for the festival. Have a wonderful time xxx

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    1. Hi Annie! Jon gets obsessed with the weather, too especially when we're festival-bound! Yesterday morning was most unexpected. The BBC kept saying thunder in the north and as far as I know the Midlands is in the middle!
      Thanks for the well-wishes! xxx

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  10. Those masks are amazing!
    It's lovely to see William wearing his fabulous new collar. He is officially the most stylish in the house now.
    Have a wonderful time at Beautiful Days. Xx

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  11. Pretty envious of that line up for beautiful days esp POKEY LA FARGE and Thea Gilmore. Only seen POKEY once live but what a treat. Enjoy

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  12. Hope you have a fab time and sell.loads of stock. Amazing finds and Iloved all your outfits. If Jon can sew his own shirt he deserved to keep it. William's looking very cool...xxx

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  13. That green dress is fabulous on you. Have a great time.

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  14. We've just had two days of 35 and 32°C and while I was wilting I couldn't help thinking Vix would love this weather :-)
    I'm glad to hear William is recovering well.
    You definitely found some fabulous stuff to add to your stock and oh my, those tartan trousers do take me back to my punk days! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you sell lots!
    Fabulous outfits, too, as usual, but the Lizzie dress is my favourite beyond a doubt, you look absolutely stunning! xxx

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  15. Hey Vix!
    I very much enjoyed seeing all your new Kinky finds! That granny-square waistcoat looks niiiiiice!!! You do find nice stock!!!
    I DO think of you when I see a Denim waistcoat!
    It's been boiling here in Essex!!! I'm surprised it isn't so hot in Walsall!
    You look amazing in that halterneck dress!x

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  16. Hope Beautiful Days is fun, the masks are going to be big sellers! how lucky you found them. I love your Anokhi dress and the lovely green halterneck from Australia. We must have had your share of the heatwave in sunny Surrey it was sweltering but only for a day. Jon's shirt looks nice and I think those tartan punk trousers would look good on him too. So how DO you shop for festival stock? When I shop in chazzas I scan the rails with beady eyes to take in the pattern if I like the pattern, I feel the texture, if it feels nice/natural fibre, I pull it out for a lookie. I think your biggest skill is knowing what people want before they do! :)

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  17. Oooo I'm eyeing the pink dress with red flowers you are selling! I would have loved to buy that from you. X

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  18. I hope it goes brilliantly well for you, you have some wonderful stock, so it should. William looks just like my Toby in the first photo of him, gorgeous boys ... both of them.

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  19. You're a household of heat-lovers, Vix. One can smell William's peculiar-to-pussy-cats-baking-in-grass furry scent even over here! * And are those Empress of India nasturtiums glowing like rubies at your doorstep? Mine fizzled this year, alas.

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  20. The green dress is amazing!
    I was crazy about the vintage skirts and in general all the clothes and accessories you choose are fantastic!
    You sure have good taste!
    When you have learned to choose the good you find it among many!
    I wish you a good sale, everything goes well!

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Lots of love, Vix