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Prim Gets Pretty For Norwich Fashion Week

It’s pretty ace to think that since 2010 Norwich Fashion Week has been blasting out a heap of fun every year, growing bigger and better each time, and, that my shop Prim Vintage Fashion has been involved since the very beginning as part of the gob-smackingly gorgeous Vintage Show. Pink. That’s my favourite colour and it’s the signature hue of Prim so it was nothing less than excellent that the set for this years show was pink and sparkly. Boom. I showcased 8 vintage dresses from my store and, oh, a few of them were pink. I was in the pink. Big time. The models were lush, the 70’s music was perfection and the entire event stood out as the most fun and frolicsome of the entire week; well, to me anyways. The Vintage Show always has a very cool tone, a playful vibe, and it was so blummin’ well put together by the NFW team and in particular the marvellous Karen; thanks Doll, you did real good. I was happy as always to be part of this wonderful week; proper fun.
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Beautiful photographs by Andi Sapey

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Tricks For Throwing The Perfect Fifties Cocktail Party

Throwing a Fifties cocktail party can be one of the highlights of your year if you pay attention to a few little extra cute details. The Fifties may have come before the Swinging Sixties but the cocktail parties were somethin’ ELSE! Social events for the upper and middle classes, cocktail parties, featured great food, great music and beautiful, beauuuutiful dresses, gah, the dresses! One of the best theme evenings you could go to is a Fifties night – and not just for the amazing music! With these top tips, you could throw the best cocktail party of the year!

Invites- The Fifties were the decade of formality and etiquette and sending formal invitations out for parties were the norm. Make sure you include the correct details for your RSVP request and ring around the week before the party so you get your party numbers.

Food – To truly impress your guests, make sure you bypass the buffet and go for serving hot and cold finger food passed around by a waitress you can hire. This is exactly what a hostess would have done in the Fifties so emulating that era is a darling thing to do! Fruit kebabs, ham and cheese parcels, and anything in aspic would be a popular option! Offer cloth napkins instead of paper ones for a real Fifties touch of class.Fashion – One of the best bits of a cocktail party was choosing your outfit! As these are formal affairs, strapless dresses with a full skirt and petticoat were all the rage. Throw on some small fancy colour diamonds and you’ll be the belle of the ball for certain. High heels, up-dos such as a chignon and a small handbag would set the entire look off beautifully. Browse online images of 50’s movie stars for inspiration, it’s a super fun way to dress! 

Home –A cocktail party at home would have been the best opportunity a housewife would have to show off the home and all your skills for keeping your home beautiful. Cutting fresh wildflowers from the garden and arranging them around the house would be a classy and gorgeous way of brightening the home without going for standard décor. While you most probably don’t like smoking in the home, dot vintage ashtrays through the room, as smoking was popular in that decade.

Cocktails – If you have a drinks cabinet, it’s time to get those bottles polished! You can put together a drinks trolley and offer martinis, side cars, vodka highballs and whiskey sours for a truly Fifties feel.

Music – You’ll need something to bop to so if you don’t have a retro record player, download some timeless tracks onto an iPod and dock it for the night. Not too loud, mind, as you want to be able to have conversation over the music. Crank it up for dancing later on!Your Fifties cocktail party will go off without a hitch and you’ll be the talk of the town just by following these party tips. Vintage doesn’t get better than the Fifties so it’s time for a shopping trip for a brand new cocktail dress!

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How To Throw A Vintage Garden Party, Darling!

 

When you think of a garden party, usually only two things come to mind. Either a barbecue with water fights, or a posh and elegant affair for the ladies. Garden parties are so underrated, and rightly so given that the weather isn’t always the best and most people don’t have the space in the garden to even throw a garden party – especially those in the city! If you are lucky enough to have a collection of vintage items you can use, then your garden party is already successful so all you have to do next is pick an era! Most people like to go for the twenties and earlier, but you do get those who want to relive the Sixties hipster era!

For a vintage garden party, the best food is usually finger sandwiches and delicate cakes. Think an upmarket picnic without the dodgy sausage rolls. Think twenties elegance while you sit in the garden among the flowers enjoying crustless sandwiches and mini Victoria sponge sandwich cakes. A silver tea service (for the truly vintage) would be perfect for a garden party, even if just as decoration. If you happen to have a collection of cups and saucers, they would be perfect for a dessert service of ice cream or Eton Mess. Bonus points for sending them home as party favours!Given that you’re having a garden party I think it’s safe to assume that it’s sunny outside and the right season for beautiful wildflowers. You don’t have to go as far as hiring out Jason Swanson painters to do the exterior of the house, but getting in some vintage tablecloths for table tops and even to act as fabric for a picnic will do the job! Pastel hanging lanterns for the trees if you have them will also be an excellently economical way to decorate. Bunting is a popular decoration for a garden party so match your pastels and you’ll have an elegant outdoor display.Your party will be a picture of elegance and poise and if you have any shabby chic furnishings you can bring from the inside to the garden, you can save yourself some money on decoration as this would be an exquisite piece for food to be on outside. When it comes to music, you could choose to hire in a vintage band, or pop on some old records. If you don’t have a record player, downloaded music will work but there’s nothing quite so lovely as the scratch of a record on a vintage record player. It gives the party and atmosphere a little authenticity. Your garden party can be a huge success as long as you follow the rules of elegance and beauty for the era which you pick. You can also add in little additions like mini pies and quiches for something different to sandwiches and cake. I doubt anyone is going to complain about the range of cakes and puddings you can offer for your party so go and enjoy yourself, darling!

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The Perfect 1930’s Fashion of Woody Allen’s Cafe Society

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If movies were beverages, Woody Allen’s Cafe Society would be a cool glass of smooth Champagne; sparkling and decadent. A beautifully enchanting and bittersweet film, set in 1930’s Hollywood and New York. This latest Allen offering has his usual perfectly paced wit and charm, with Jesse Eisenberg captivating in his lead role, particularly personifying a younger Allen, a modern embodiment of the man himself with his faultless delivery of the dialogue and eager awkwardness. The film has a gorgeous, subtle and easy pace alongside the scintillating quickness of the script. Blake Lively and Kristen Stewart are the fashion in this film, gah, what era is more cinematically superb than the 1930’s? This is a feast of fashion indeed.

Floaty, feminine fabrics, dainty and fragile details, the 30’s clothes in this movie are so expertly selected, with pastels and ditzy florals in abundance for day wear and jaw dropping glamour when it comes to the evening wear. We’re watching the Bette Davis era, the elegance and sophistication is magnified and each outfit creates heart-shaped eyes for the viewer. Frilled cape sleeves, floppy neck ties, slim lines and below the knee hemlines conjure up a time when fashion was neat and beautifully effeminate. On a fashion note alone, this stunning film is worth watching just for the red silk gown worn by Lively, which in my opinion easily rivals that green dress worn by Keira Knightley in the film Atonement. Oh my.

You’ll come away from this movie with the 30’s on your mind, eager to add some of that look to your wardrobe, trust me, you really will. You’ll want sherbet colours, delicate details and prim gloves, you’ll be inspired to add a bias cut to your repertoire – which is flattering for every shape – you’ll want a neat short curled bob in your hair and a beaded bag on your arm. The day wear is cute and accessible and the evening wear is pure luxury on your skin, be it crepe or silk, no gal can feel unnoticed in a 30’s gown. Scour sites like Etsy for originals and replicas, or seek out online vintage fashion stores like mine which have done the hard work for you and have found the best pieces. To wear authentic items can be a pricey affair, but these pieces are a true investment with their value constantly on the rise, they’re an excellent addition to any collection, plus if you take the time to search you can find amazing items at fair prices or you can simply invest in some accessories of the era to add to your modern look, giving a discreet nod to this perfect period.

Cafe Society is available to own on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital download from 26th December 2016, courtesy of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, and I defy you to watch it and not be inspired to dress and dream as though you are living in the utter delight of the decade. Swoon.

 

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Get Married Like A Movie Star – Injecting Some Hollywood Glamour Into Your Wedding Day

Weddings are such joyous occasions. They are also one of the rare chances we have in this life to go all out and really bask in some old world glamour. Whether you go for a few Hollywood touches or completely live that Movie star fantasy all day, it’s always good to get glamorous!

Red Lipstick – So one of the most glamorous thing you can do in to make yourself into a gorgeous Hollywood starlet from the 50’s for the day. It is all about the makeup, which is so classic it goes with a lot of different style dresses, as well as just the 40’s and 50’s ones. The most important feature of the look is a gorgeous red lipstick. This looks so timeless against the white or cream, of your dress. But to rock a red lippy, you also have to get the rest of the face right. First, you will need to make sure that your teeth are pearly white and in the best condition. You will also need a good full coverage foundation, which you have left to set on your face. This will stop it smudging off on your dress. Then you need perfect dark shaded eyebrows and a strong mascara, along with that gorgeous cat’s eye flick of eyeliner. Use a matte lipstick shade for that will last all day even after kissing your groom.

Dress – If you are looking for some serious old Hollywood glamour, then go for a satin bias cut 30’s style gown. These are usually well fitted and often have a low back.  This is the quintessential movie star outfit to slink down the aisle in. Gooorgeous! If you prefer to wear something with just a nod to star glamour, then pick something that makes you feel like a beautiful bride. Lace or satin work well, as do 60’s style chiffon gowns. Remember it’s your time to utterly shine!

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Make an entrance – Don’t forget that movie stars like to make an entrance. We are talking Limos and red carpets here. Organize your car well in advance by contacting a company that offers Limousine Hire. Ask your reception venue to provide a red carpet that you and your guest get to walk on. Just make sure they know not to put it out if it is raining!

Decorations – One you have made your entrance, then you can make your way into the main reception space. If you want your guests to get to feel like movies start as well, you can theme the decorations in a Hollywood style. Maybe consider naming the tables after famous film star couples like Liz Taylor and Richard Burton, or Kirk Russell and Goldie Horn? Just maybe don’t use Brad and Angelina though! You could have an Oscars-themed wedding cake? How about life size cardboard cutouts of your favorite film stars from history like Garland and Monroe? Or, what about having a projector screen with your favorite movies playing in the background during the meal? Whichever way you choose to inject Hollywood glamour into your day, you gotta know that it’ll be you who feels like the true star…and so you should!

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