Review: The Vintage Furniture Flea Marylebone.

As a lover of all things vintage, I am always up for going to a vintage fair on my Sunday off! Whether it is clothing, home wear or furniture I am there! This Sunday it was The Vintage Furniture Flea at Marylebone, organised by Judy's Vintage Fairs and as I had only ever gone to the furniture flea at Bethnal Green, I thought it was about time I gave this one a go!

After finding the leisure center where the fair was being held on a back street off of the Edgeware Road (we had a lovely "detour" around the streets of the west-end passing some very beautiful houses in styles spanning from Georgian to Art Deco!) we was met by a big old fashioned leisure center, possibly originally a swimming baths.
The fair was being held in the main hall, which had a beautiful glass roof, so it was very bright the perfect light for looking at vintage home wear and furniture, and seeing the bright colours in all there glory.

The glass ceiling provided excellent light.

After all of the walking of our little tour, we was feeling rather hungry and in need of a spot of tea, something that is well catered for at all vintage events! Yes it is true us vintage girls do love a good cup of tea and a piece of cake! And I was please to see that at this particular event they had Pear of Peas to fill or cake and tea needs! 
I had sampled Pear of Peas cakes before and of all the vintage events I have been to where tea and cake is available, I must admit that theirs are the best! They serve tea and coffee, along side an extensive range of freshly made cakes ranging from salted caramel and coffee to a good old fashioned Victoria sponge. They also have freshly made sausage rolls, and will make crumpets with butter and bacon rolls to order. They are available for hire for a wide range of events, and all tea is served on very cute vintage cups, saucers and plates, check them out at www.pearofpeas.com 

 

This time I choose a white chocolate and raspberry sponge cake!

After out little refueling, we went on to see what delights the fair had to offer us, and oh boy there was a lot! 

Shelves of Pyrex stacked high on a table caught my eye at first, I'm not much of a collector myself but I have many pieces that where my nans that we still use today, and I can appreciate that people want to collect something that has 50's and 60's design in bucket fulls but is still very functional today and can still be used in a modern kitchen. This particular seller seemed to have many different designs and colours, some of which I had never seen before and seemed to have items in sets that matched, again something that can be hard to find. For any one who is interested they where called Top Tat and can be found on Instagram under the name @TOPTATDB

Top Tat sell a range of vintage Pyrex. (pictured)

Moving around the fair (away from the Pyrex before it all came home with me) once again I was draw to certain items that always seem to catch my eye, this time in the form of 1950's kitchen cabinets. For some reason I have always held a soft spot for these and quiet often find myself browsing the internet or antique shops for them, even though I have no room for one and they are not the most functional piece of furniture! This one was very striking in a lemon yellow and white colour scheme, with sliding glass cupboard doors and a small work surface that pulled out, just was I was imagining my dream kitchen, my mum pulled my back down to earth and informed me it would not be coming home on the tube with us, nor would the glass cocktail cabinet I had been eyeing up that was from the same seller. I had just been thinking moments earlier that the cocktail cabinet would be the perfect place to display my collection of 50's and 60's glass wear! Spoil sport! 

Dregs of Society who these cabinets belonged to are on facebook and stock a wide range of homewares, kitchenalia and cocktailia.

The two cabinets that I wanted! I love how they have been set up with all the relevant pieces.

There was still so much more to see though! The Vintage Furniture Flea does not just sell big pieces of furniture, it also sells a wide range of home wear both vintage and new. Everything from lights and kitchen wear to maps and record players can be found, even if you are just looking for a piece of vintage glass wear to fit into a very modern room you will find something there to take your fancy! 

There are stalls that sell cushions made from vintage fabric, so if you don't want to have an all out vintage home you can just add subtle hints of vintage in the form of cushions and curtains, or for example there is often a wide range of vintage film and music posters that would look great even in a very modern room.

The next stall that looked appealing was one that I had seen before at the furniture flea in Bethnal Green. They are a company called Retro Bazaar and they specialize in restoring old telephones and record players so that they are suitable for modern use. I managed to grab them for a quick chat to find out exactly what they do:

"We take out all of the insides, of say a record player for example, we renew or remove the valves, depending on if they are in good condition or not, we then fix any underlying problems with the working of the item and replace all of the orignal wiring with new modern wiring that is safe. We take to pieces the turn table and clean everything so it is dust free and runs smoothly again. Everything that we sell gets PAT tested so that the people buying can see it is safe and up to modern standards. We never touch the outside of a record player, phone or radio as we believe that it is the little dents and scratches that give it character and age. A lot of people will renew all of the casing as well but if you are going to the trouble of doing that then why not buy a new one!?"

Retro Bazaar can be found on facebook and twitter, and also at retro-bazaar.co.uk

Retro Bazaar sell a range of lights, telephones and record players.

All to soon it was time for us to be making our way home, although this time there wasn't much for me to buy there apart from a couple of West German pottery vases and an LP, if I had a house that wasn't already bursting at the seems some of that Pyrex and a cocktail cabinet would of defiantly been making its way home with me! Oh well always next time! 

Two photos of the stalls at the furniture flea.

So many colours!

Vintage Sizes: What you need to know!

We can all find vintage sizing a bit tricky from time to time! Do I got up a size from the one on the label? Do I take my normal size? What do all these measurements mean? Before you get yourself in a flap over it all read these simple tips and the whole experience will seem much better.



Measuring. 
The biggest and most important piece of advice I can give you is this: Ladies know your measurements!
It might seem simple but knowing your correct bust, hip and waist measurements can make buying vintage clothes a lot simpler.

Measuring the bust. 
To get the correct measurement of your bust first make sure you are wearing a bra that is not super padded or made to enhance your boobs in any way as this will give a non accurate measurement. Take the tape measure under your arms and around to the front of your body, making sure it is on the fullest part of your bust. The figure where the tape measure crosses is the accurate measurement of your bust.

Measuring the waist.
The waist is the smallest part of a womens body. It is the area on your torso where you are at your narrowest point, and also the point most dresses (modern and vintage) are cut to to show off or give the illusion of curves. Take the tape measure around your narrowest point on your torso, make sure you are standing straight and not breathing in or out in a unnatural way. The figure where the tape measure crosses is your waist measurement.

Measuring the hip.
The hip is the most difficult measurement to get right. Most people struggle to identify what area is the hip, where it stops and where it begins. On me my hips are my widest point, so I take that into consideration when measuring them, I look in the mirror for the area of my hips where it looks the widest and roughly place the tape measure there. Use your hip bone as a guide to where the tape measure should go, checking that the tape is level all the way round (you may need someone to help you) the figure where the tape measure crosses is your hip measurement.

A diagram of where to measure.

Knowing your measurements is very important when buying vintage clothes, as the sizing can be off or different for brand, item or era. Keep these safe write them down in a safe place and take them with you when you go vintage shopping, or memorize them.

Shopping in stores.
Vintage shopping in stores and fairs is easier as you have the item in front of you and you can try it on if needs be.
When I go vintage shopping I always make sure I take a tape measure with me to double check the measurements of an item before I try it on, or to measure something if there are no fitting rooms available.
To take the measurements of an item I either lay it flat or hang it on a flat surface e.g a door or wall. You then measure the bust pit to pit, across the waist and across the hip. you then double these figures to get the accurate bust, waist and hip measurements.
If you are still unsure or want help with measuring the item ask a sales assistant or the person whos vintage stall it is. They should know how to measure vintage clothes accurately and can help you if you have any quires over the size of the item. Don't be scared its what they are there for and will be happy to help!

Shopping online.
Vintage shopping online is always more tricky as you don't have the item in front of you to measure, try on or read the label. Most people that are selling vintage will put up an accurate modern day size as to not confuse you with the vintage size of the garment, they will also list the measurements for that item, normally when it is laid flat so you will just have to double them. Also read the description carefully for any additional information about sizing e.g is it a plus size vintage? is it a junior or young adults item as these are smaller?
Again if you are unsure of the measurements or require more detailed ones then don't be scared to drop them and email and ask, remember you are the customer and nothing is to much hassle. And just think you will get a gorgeous vintage dress at the end of it!

Vintage labels.
Vintage labels can be very deceiving little things! They say a size 12 but really the item is a 10 and you end up in tears in a fitting room because you think you have put on a stone over night!
Stop there are read this!
Labeled vintage items are in general one size smaller than the size stated on the label. For example the label says a dress is a size 14, but when you measure it and check them against a modern day size chart it is actually a 12.
This applys very much to vintage brands such at St Michael, C&A and other well know vintage brands.
But this is not gospel...
Some vintage labels can have double meanings...
For example I bought a dress once that fitted like a glove, I loved it, it fitted perfect on me as it was smaller on the bust and then flared out. When I inspected the label I realized that it had the words "Young Miss" on the bottom. And I realized it was a dress for a young adult of probably about 14 years old.
So heres the rule, if it has the words "Young Miss" "Miss" "Petite" "Mademoiselle" it generally means it was made for the young teenage market. If it contains the words "plus" "fuller lady" "mother" its generally a plus size vintage item or maternity wear. And so this determines the fit of the item.

Junior petite label form 60's dress.

2 Examples of vintage labels for teenage girls, c. 1960's.

I hope that you are now a little more confident with sizing of vintage items. It can be a very trail and error thing to get right at first, but when you do you will able to have a far better vintage buying experience!

Happy shopping!

St Michael: A Brand History.

Firstly, welcome to These&Those Vintage's blog! On this blog we will mainly be talking about old vintage clothing labels, where and how to find good vintage clothes and also the care of vintage clothes. But I'm going to start with a brief history of a brand that as vintage fans you will all know: St Michael.

St Michael was the in house brand for M&S. Marks and Spencer was founded by Michael Marks in Leeds, England in 1884, Thomas Spencer joined the partnership in 1894 and the first shop was opened in 1904, and the Marks and Spencer brand was born.

The St Michael's brand was registered in 1928, and began by mainly producing lingerie and household clothing such as aprons.
It wasn't until after the Second World War when clothes rationing finished in 1949, that the brand really started to take speed producing a wider range of clothing and accessories.

The 1950's: The 1950's saw a new area for British clothing manufactures. There was a wider availability of fabrics, colours and patterns after the end of the Second World War and a wave of optimism swept over the country. This was reflected in the clothing that was produced, as with brands such as St Michaels already partly established it paved the way for them to take hold and make affordable fashion for everyone. They also moved more into accessories that had no real use, such a scarfs and handbags, items that during the war years where not a necessity. The clothing label was still a small part of the brand.

The 1960's: In the 1960's the first real youth movement happened. Young people where earning better money than their parents, and had a lot of disposable income, which they spent on the things that mattered most to them, music, motors and clothes. These where the boom years for St Michael, they where producing more clothing than ever and had expanded their range of clothing into mens and womens, and the ranges included clothing, accessories, lingerie, hand bags and shoes. They also started to copy the high end fashion and trends that where being set by Chelsea boutiques and where one of the first companies to mass produce the mini skirt and mini dress. Colours and fabrics become more wild than ever, these where the real boom years for St Micheals.

The 1970's: By the 70's the St Michael label was a house hold name and was still in high demand. It was now well known for producing high quality, inexpensive garments that where made to last and where also on trend with what was happening in the high end fashion stores. The 70's was when the mens range of St Michael came into it's own, big lapels, wide flares and jazzy ties where becoming the normal across most Marks and Spencers clothing departments. But although the clothes where still as fashionable and great quality as ever, the events that where happening outside of the St Micheal department where already shaping it's future, and so by the end of the 70's the brand was failing, as little money was being spent on clothing.

The 1980's: The 80's began the era of when women picked careers over being a housewife. These hard working women needed a working wardrobe that was smart, practical and inexpensive, so they turned to the shop their mothers had turned to for party dresses just years before: St Michael. The brand had now become the home of the pencil skirt and blouse, although still very on trend and fashionable, all of the flare and creativity from earlier years had vanished and the brand had now become practical and a little bit boring. For everyday outfits the brand served it's purpose but for the more fashionable dresses for going out people had moved on. 

The 1990's: The 1990's finally saw St Michaels become out of fashion and out of touch with the youth. It was regarded as old fashion and even a bit grannyish. Marks and Spencer as a brand was moving on to more fashion orientated clothing and it saw the St Michael side of the brand shrink to just a small part of it. And then finally in 2000 the St Michael brand was no more and it was indeed the end of an era for many. 

But that was not the end...

The St Michael brand is now well sought after with vintage fans and collectors alike. It has become so for the very reasons it thrived, its good quality, lasts a long time and you can put it in the washing machine without worry! Amazing! Not many of the high street stores today can do that!

Thank you for reading. Please not all images of labels are from my own collection of St Michael clothing.