Why I love Vintage

Petals the Pony a Mastercraft Scotland Creation

I do. I love old and interesting. I find new yawn worthy and boring but more than that I find it doesn’t hold up to the test of time or the test of my family.

I find new doesn’t last these days. Most of the time. This is bad news with such a boisterous bunch using what’s in the house so I find another to buy older stuff.

The lovely creature above is Petals the pony. there is some heated debate as to whether petals is a he or a she but one thing is for sure Petals is TOUGH.

S/he is made mid century by Mastercraft in Scotland and I think it is made from old fighter planes (possibly, citation needed!) and although we bought it as a wacky ornament (albeit a large, beaten up and rather expensive ornament) we found our children love it and use it too. Luckily Petals is up for this with a very stern solid riding action (yes s/he moves under rider power, you move the pedals up and down- it’s pretty scary for me but the children adore it). A modern ride-on would have been in the bin a long time ago sadly. I am not sure why they are so destructive but until this phase passes I am not buying susceptible toys!

Another child proof vintage but is our Formica kitchen table setting, the seat upholstery is getting worse for wear but the table and the chairs themselves are going strong (you see the green of this table in many of my photos so you will get sick of seeing it!). I don’t mind paying for Vintage as it gives us good hard-wearing products as well as adding atmosphere to our interior decorating (is that what it is when we put all the things we like in our house? Let’s say it is!).

There are so many other benefits, not least the minimising environmental impact by not using up more resources and stopping things going to landfill as well as the act that buying vintage sees more money go to small family businesses rather than large multinationals which my have dubious working conditions for their overseas factory workers and a lot of new furniture is made with compressed board which is not only not durable (especially if it gets wet – like a Mogwai) but it could be made with weird glue which can outgas at you (also like a Mogwai? Our cat looks like some sort of gremlin and he definitely outgases!).

Do you have some great durable vintage pieces? Did you buy them or inherit? What benefits have you found?

Vintage Pinup Style The Dull Roar Way.

This outfit cost less than $10. Sorry about the quality of the pic, still getting used to selfies.

Before I had children you wouldn’t catch me in jeans and runners. ever. I didn’t have jeans and runners were only for exercise. Then after child#1 I fell into a pit of practicality. Lots of walking and pram pushing and attending playgroups and renovating left me a conservative frump in the abyss of style we mothers seem to fall into. More recently I have realised the relative merits of having a bit of style and that despite the protests of many it doesn’t have to be impractical (although I must admit my favourite styles are very impractical.

I don’t follow fashions trends. It is unsustainable and the clothing tends to be poor quality produced in ethically dubious circumstances but worst of all a lot of it is ugly and unflattering for a 30 something mother (or anyone one could argue of some trends… jeggings?) But my favourite style is easy to adapt to reflect the personal style of any woman. I am talking Vintage pin-up style cues from the 1930’s through to the early sixties offer a plethora of options for everyone. It can be expensive (oooooh some of the floral fit and flare dresses you can buy for a couple of hundred dollars on Etsy!) but with a bit of thoughtful buying and accessorizing you can slap together something to stop the feeling of frump from squashing your natural fabulousness for next to nothing.

Check out your local op-shops ( or thrift shops in the Americas or Charity shops in the UK) for key basics. Pencil skirts, cardigans, belts both skinny and wide, peep toe shoes in good condition, scarves, classic handbags and if you are lucky some genuine vintage clobber, I often find that 1980’s does 1950’s gear makes its way to the fancy dress section (and then I swoop!). Accessorise a look for pin-up prettiness with minimum effort and cost, Plastic pearls, diamante hair bobby pins.

Bold florals, and polka dots in easy care fabrics are great at distracting  from baby dribble and arrowroot biscuit leavings in a way that classic black can never be.

Mums often claim that dresses are impractical but I find them very suitable, you can get front opening for breast-feeding, full skirts to hide wobbly tums, foot wear can be sensible but as long as you are wearing a nice dress you will keep  up your feminine style. you can just pop a dress on and you are fully clothed, saving you having to match up separates when you are bleary and should be making breakfast and the coffee hasn’t kicked in.

In winter add opaque stockings, flat knee-length boots and a classic trench or cardigan to the same dress you wear with low heeled (or flat) sandals in Summer.  Not pure classic (and gorgeously impractical) pin-up with seamed stockings and stilettos but a great way to rock a ponytail without being mumsy with it!

Have you found any classic vintage bargains lately?