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This year has been a great one for Vintage Frills, at the beginning of the year it was still a little baby blog and I was still learning so much about blogging. It’s grown so much over the last year and become a really important part of my life. It’s great to share things with my readers and I’ve learned a huge amount from other bloggers.

Some of my most successful posts of the year have been advise posts and two of my top ten lists, these are the ones that are still just as popular today as when they were published and still get lots of comments. As the year draws to a close I wanted to share some of my favourite and most popular posts from 2013. I’ve chosen these as they are all full of advise and useful stuff rather than personal or outfit posts as some of you may find them useful.

1. So You Want To Start a Vintage Business

I find it amazing how many people find this post on search engines while looking for advise on starting a vintage business. I’ve had so many lovely comments from people who have found the advise in this post helpful and I really hope people have been able to follow it and take some of my experience as a vintage seller and put it to use.

2. My Tips For Selling at Vintage Fairs

Before I had my second daughter I used to sell at vintage fairs, I also organised a couple of my own events. In this post I shared some of my tips for selling at vintage fairs.

3. Ebay Selling Dos and Dont’s 

I wrote this post during an Ebay induced rage, it was great seeing other people’s comments on this one and how strongly people felt. I wish ever seller on Ebay could give this a read before trying to sell vintage.

4. My Top 10 Vintage Blogs

I’ve included this as it’s my all time most popular post, I wrote this one right at the beginning of the year and sadly not all the blogs still exist so it’s definitely time to do an updated version for 2014. It’ll be one of my first posts of the new year. I read so many more blogs now than I used to that it’s going to really hard to choose only 10. 

5. My Top 10 Reproduction Vintage Shops

Like the above post I wrote this at the very beginning of last year, and I love all the brands I included. I have discovered so many more lovely brands since writing the post and would definitely like to write a follow up post in 2014. Be sure to check out everyone I included for some very gorgeous vintage inspired fashion.

6. Making Vintage Dresses

This isn’t actually a post on this blog, it’s a guest post I wrote for the lovely Polk Dot Pink in which I share some advise for beginner sewers and people wanting to make their own vintage style clothes.

7. Chronically Vintage Interview

Another highlight of my year was be interviewed by the lovely Jessica of Chronically Vintage, her questions were fantastic and I was honoured to be featured on her gorgeous blog.

I hope you enjoyed looking back on these past posts and found them all useful. I would love to do some more advise style blogs next year, maybe in video format as I need to get back to baking videos for my YouTube channel. I’m planning a video version of my How to Clean a Vintage Dress post, and a guide to upcycling furniture.

If you have any posts you’d like to see on the blog in the future please let me know and I’ll be happy to give it a go. xxx

 

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I’m not a big shopper when it comes to sales. I hate crowds and like to get in and out of the shops quickly. The idea of elbowing fellow shoppers out of the way in the hope of getting a bargain is a bit much for me. One sale I do visit every year however is Boots. All their christmas gift sets are always reduced to half price and it’s a great way of stocking up on my favourite bath and body brand Soap and Glory.

I usual buy every gift set in the sale, as long as I will use everything inside, and it’s usually enough to last me a few months. Bath time to me is my little time for relaxation and luxury in a very busy day, so I like to treat myself to nice bath products. I also got a few make up bits to try including lots of lip glosses and a tin of eyeliner pencils.

This year I bought absolutely loads, as there was so much great stuff on offer, a couple of the sets featured below were actually christmas presents from my husband and I’ve also included the set I bought before christmas in the picture below. I popped into boots today and noticed that there is still loads in stock so if you’re a Soap and glory fan too and love a bargain I’d recommend popping down to have a look.

Sorry for the low quality photos, there is no light at all in my house. But never fear I have ordered some studio lighting and plan to take far better pictures in the new year!

This may seem a bit indulgent but I will use everything over the next few months and actually saved a lot of money – plus there’s no harm in treating yourself once in a while is there!

Apart from a few new clothes for the girls I haven’t bought much else in the sales. Has anyone else got any beauty bargains?

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Yesterday I shared the first part of My Year in Vintage, today is the second instalment. I had to leave out so many pictures that I wanted to include. It was great looking back at the last year and finding pictures I had forgotten all about, and remembering lot’s of fun things. Looking forward to next year I can’t wait to go to loads more vintage events and wear my vintage clothes even more than I did in 2013. I’m also looking forward to meeting lot’s more lovely people and discovering many more vintage treasures tucked away at car boot sales.

I could have fitted in a third post but I think you’ve probably seen enough of me for now! But I’m going to make a positive effort to post a lot more about vintage fashion next year – after all this is a vintage blog!

Here is a very brief description of each photo above…

Row One

1. The 1940s bracelet I bought from bakelite man and a copy of Astor Place Vintage, 2. A 1940s dress I fell in love with in a shop in East London, sadly it was too damaged to save, 3. A 1950s dress, which is awaiting a clean, but will be worn a lot next summer, 4. Me in a Lindy Bop vintage style dress on Brighton Pier, 5. A beautiful Balmain dress at the V&A.

Row Two

1. A vintage suit at the V&A, 2. Me at the Classic Car Boot Sale – by far the best event I went to all year, 3. One of the two dresses I bought at the Classic Car Boot Sale, 4. A haul of 40’s and 50’s copies of Heiress Magazine which I picked up at Wimbledon car boot sale, 5. A cotton 1950s dress at Claremont Landscape Garden.

Row Three

1. Wearing a 1950s dress I bought on Ebay in Soho Square, 2. A stash of vintage that I forgot was in my loft! 3. A set of 1940s jewellery I picked up at a car boot sale, 4. A 50s prom dress which was £4 at a car boot sale, amazing bargain which i have now sold on. 5. Posing in a 1940s crepe dress – I superimposed the final picture onto a vintage railway station picture trying to recreate a classic film, I was channelling Brief Encounter!

Row Four

1. Me at the launch of Tatyanna a new vintage style clothing website, I met Fleur and Bethan of the Vintage Mafia who were both lovely ladies. 2. My precious early 1940s Jacqmar valentines scarf. This had been hiding in the loft with a bag of other vintage scarfs and I couldn’t believe I had had it for years without realising what it was. 3. A red vintage dress from The East End Thrift Store – a bargain for £5. 4. Wearing another Lindy Bop dress on Wimbledon Common, along with a 1950s handbag. 5. The ultimate 80s jumper which I picked up for £1 at a car boot sale.

Row Five

1. An attempt and vintage curls (I’ll get there one day!) 2. Two car boot purchases the first was £1.50 and is just an eighties dress. The second was £4 and only when I got home, did I notice the Horrockses label. So by accident I managed to buy a 1950s Horrockses evening dress for just £4!!! Yes this is the stuff that car boot dreams are made of! 3. A sixties style beehive and a 60s dress along with a headscarf from Mizpah Designs. 4. An early sixties dress which I wore to a vintage fair. 5. A 1960s dress which I wore for my birthday afternoon tea.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my year in vintage, it’s been really fun looking back. If you’d like to do a year in vintage post too please send me a link as I’d love to see.

Here’s to a very vintage 2014. xxx

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I can’t believe how quickly 2013 has flown by, for me it’s been a really lovely year with plenty of ups and downs but lot’s of happy memories. I decided to look back on my vintage year in pictures, which meant a very long time going through all the pictures on my computer (there were a lot!)

I’ve chosen some of my favourites that include some of the vintage shopping trips I’ve had, some of the outfits I’ve worn and a few things I’ve made. So as not to bore you I’m dividing this up into two posts, the second installment will be up tomorrow morning.

Doing this has also made me realise how much of my wardrobe I’ve not cataloged or even worn as well as how much vintage I’ve bought and sold. I couldn’t include even half the pictures I wanted to, but I’ve also realised how many great vintage items I have to share on the blog over the next year. I always find outfit posts hard to do as when I’m out and about I have the kids and my family are all reluctant photographers. I have recently acquired a tripod and I have ordered some studio lighting so I’m going to try and photograph more of my outfits myself next year.

Here’s a brief explanation of each of the pictures above…

Row One

1. The fashion museum in Bath, 2. A vintage shop I visited in Bath, 3. Some vintage clothes I sold at Capital Car Boot, 4. A very colourful vintage outfit! 5. A 70’s sundress on holiday in Spain

Row Two

1. A dress I made myself from a vintage pattern, 2. Another dress I made myself from a vintage pattern! 3. A sinkfull of vintage hankies, 4. Another handmade vintage dress, 6. Pleasure Garden at The Museum of London

Row Three

1. A vintage sundress I wore to the common with the kids, 2. One of my favourite dresses from Love Ur Look, 3. My Cath Kidston dress, 4. Vintage patterns from a car boot sale, 5. Another Love Ur Look dress

Row Four

1. Pin curls in a vintage scarf, 2. Tonged hair and sunglasses, 3. Handmade dresses and an Ebay find, 4. Bakelite Man! – I became obsessed with a man who sold bakelite and saw him at every car boot I went to. I eventually made a purchase which will be in tomorrows post. 5. My 70s sundress with some vintage beads which I bought in my Grnadma’s shop when I was about 10.

Row Five

1. My handmade dress, which I’m wearing at the lavender fields, it’s made from a vintage sheet. 2. An Ebay dress and Primark belt selfie, 3. Some car boot sale finds, 4. Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair, 5. Beyond Retro where I never find anything!

Check back tomorrow morning for the second instalment. If you’d like to do a year in vintage post to, please send me link as I’d love to see. xxx

See part two here

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I managed to get through quite a few books over the last month and have already started planning what I’d like to read in January.

What I’ve Read:

Poirot and Me – by David Suchet

I absolutely loved this book about David Suchet’s time playing the famous Belgian detective. It went into great detail about each episodes production as well as exploring Christie’s original plots. It was beautifully written and engaging from start to finish. I was really sad when it was over, it was just like reliving the last episode of Poirot all over again. This is a must-read for any Poirot fan.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Poirot) – by Agatha Christie

My recent obsession with Poirot continued with Christie’s first ever Poirot novel which I read with The Vintage Book Group. This was not nearly as polished as some of her later works, however it was fantastic seeing how she developed Poirot as a character.

Poirot’s Early Cases (Poirot) – by Agatha Christie

I love short stories and this is a fantastic collection. It was great reading these at the same time as re-watching the television series and seeing how they adapted each story and what changes where made. This is an excellent collection.

Briefs Encountered – by Julian Clary

I spotted this in my local library ages ago and popped it onto my ‘to-read’ list, where I forgot about it until a couple of weeks ago when I needed something to read. This book is set in both modern day and in the 1920’s – 50’s and covers the life of a fictional modern actor and Noel Coward in the early 20th century. The book has a great mix drama, humor and romance, although some of the sex scenes made even me blush! I really enjoyed this one and sailed through it.

Death Comes to Pemberley – by P.D James

Read the review I posted yesterday here. This is another one which had been on my ‘to-read’ list for ages and I finally picked it up without even realising that it was about to be on TV.

Currently Reading:

Rivers of London (Rivers of London 1) – by Ben Aaronovitch

I started reading this after seeing Tanya Burr mentioning it in a video. I fancied something completely different and this was a great choice. It’s set in modern London and is a mix of police crime fiction and magical fantasy. It may sound odd but it works a treat. I’m about a third of the way through and I’m totally gripped. I rarely read anything too gritty as I’m really sensitive and only tend to read ‘feel good’ stuff and this does feature a few distressing elements but I can’t help but love it. This is great reading for any Londoner as the book goes into so much detail about the places, that when you know them all it makes the book all the more real.

What I Plan to Read Next:

Rivers of London – by Ben Aaronovitch

I know I’m going to want to move onto the next book in the series as soon as I’ve finished this one.

Less Than Angels – Barbara Pym

I’d like to read some more Barbara Pym books in the new year. Pym is a fantastic hugely witty author from the 1950s whose stories are simply yet pack a punch. Everything I’ve read by her so far has been really enjoyable.

What have you been reading this month? Do you have any recommendations?

I’m linking this post up to It’s Monday What Are You Reading on Book Journey