Merry Christmas!

Ah, its that time again, there's a certain "fizz" in the air (and in the alcohol)-everyone is racing around to buy novelty things that will be in the loft by January 3rd and wondering if 15 pints of milk will do them for 2 days. I loves it!

Christmas seemed to start early this year with the lights being switched on by that local celeb and ex-Python Mr Cleese. We stayed open late enough to see the swathes of people clutching glow sticks and sporting cold, red noses. Since then it's been a shopping frenzy as everyone begins looking for "The Perfect Gift". We made sure we had some vintage sparkles in stock for those who were looking for something a little different, or wanted to jazz up that LBD for the Christmas party!

As an "also"...we recently had some amazing 1920's, 30's and 40's pieces in. We tend to be very picky when it comes to pre-1950 clothing, we see an awful lot of it that is essentially unwearable-badly marked or with holes etc. Our ethos has always been about "wearable vintage", your vintage should be able to be mixed with a good quality modern piece. However, these pieces came in and they are immaculate. Literally, pull them (carefully!) from your wardrobe and put on, they are that good. So exciting. A few items have gone already, obviously, but if you're passing-just pop in and i'll be happy to show them off!

So, back to Christmas-we are forecast snow, but nothing as yet. I know it causes havoc, but it does look pretty! Maybe a gentle dusting, please Santa...In the meantime, hope one and all are home and happy and looking forward to the holidays! Merry Christams one and all!!

Private Vintage Club

Phew! Been a while since I blogged but what with getting married (yay!) and jointly organising Bath's launch of the first Private Vintage Club night, things have been a bit busy!

Just a small taster of what our guests were treated to last Thursday at the Private Vintage CLub - the girls (in part provided by the glamorous Shoot DHS model agency (www.shootdhs.co.uk), run by the impossibly fabulous David Hill-Souch) were consummate professionals. They showed Scarlet Vintage's gowns off to perfection and did the same for the gorgeous Hannah Dulcie undies, which we were all desperate to purchase!

As the guests arrived they were treated to complementary champagne by BUTTLERS (www.buttlershk.co.uk), our lovely, toned waiters and a goody bag provided by ourselves and those masters of avant garde style as modelled on the runway, Artizan Hair of Bath (www.artizan.co.uk) Make up was designed and executed by the brilliant talents of Sophie Bee (www.sophiebee.co.uk), Lucy Aitchison et al

Later our boys gave out some delish canapes (mini cream cakes) to keep the guests refrshed whilst the girls got ready for the next show which consisted of a mix of vintage and underwear, think fur coat-frilly knickers!

We were also in the company of several top class photographers; Piers Cunliffe, Marc le Galle, Bertrand Vessier, Alexandria Reynolds (of Vintage Doll Magazine), David Hammond and Tim Baker. Add to that several well respected bloggers and Josh Micheals, cinematographer-we were well served for talent! Unfortunately cannot fit everyone's pics here-but rest assured you will see them around in the near future!

A good night was had by all, with everyone asking-"when's the next one?!"

Festive Road....

Finally this week saw the opening of the famous Canary Cafe in Queen Street. The original Canary Cafe closed down about 20 years ago and has been sorely missed since then. I regularly get asked, "Where's The Canary? I've heard so much about it!" It was an institution in Bath and has now rightly been reinstated in a new guise. The walls have been covered in a creamy yellow and each large window is decorated with fresh yellow flowers. The old swing sign is moving once again in the wind and the smiling waitresses are handing out wholesome sandwiches and homemade cakes to the hungry customers. We started the day off right by indulging in two of their cupcakes (which were heavenly and baked on the premises, no food miles to worry about here!) and now is the mammoth task of resisting popping back for more sweet treats!

I am so pleased because Queen Street has become a proper little Festive Road (Mr Ben reference...showing my age..);

I present....
The Canary Cafe,
The Wild Cafe (hearty, locally sourced food cooked in front of you),
Rare and Vintage Guitars (what those boys don't know about real music and guitars, could be written on a guitar string!)
The Raven (lovely established old pub-great for pies!),
Haringtons Hotel (bijou and elegant town hotel)
No 12 (THE interiors destination for those in the know)
Bo Lee Gallery (edgy and interesting art. very cool)
Officina Tessile (Italian tailors who are "sew" good!)
oh, and a little boutique called Scarlet Vintage....

Perhaps its time to have a wander off the beaten track and explore Bath's historic side streets, they really make this amazing city what it is...xx

Confetti, lipstick and Jean Shrimpton.

Wow, great day with the guys and girls involved in today's shoot! The genius behind Shoot DHS agency (David) approached the shop with the idea of doing a Jean Shrimpton styled shoot around Bath. Of course, we jumped at the chance. Apart from the fact that I am probably The Shrimp's number one fan, I just love those striking 1960's looks that were ubiquitus back in the day. The two girls chosen (sisters) had the perfect doe eyed, elfin looks that fit with the bright colours and bold poses of that era.
David and the gang first shot Sarah and Alice in a pink mini dress with daisies appliqued on, and a white 1969 handmade Guipure lace dress, with wicked sleeves. Then we moved on to a more beachy, colourful couple of dresses that would match their orange lips (thank you, the lovely Sophie Bee) and bouffant hair do's (courtesy of the brilliant Phil at Artisan). The final looks, shot in a local cafe were straight out of Breakfast at Tiffany's-all long elegant evening gowns, glittery clutches and clip on jewels.
Everyone worked spectacularly well together including the very talented photographers Piers Cunliffe, Lee Martland and April Samantha. Can't wait to see the final shots!

In other news...the sale is still on and going great guns! Some ridiculous bargains to be had as we try to make space in the shop for more pieces that arrive on a daily basis. Had a couple of stunning would-be wedding gown just in too. In case you were looking for that something a little different for your big day. One of them (1950's), after we had had it cleaned, had what looked like a small pink mark. On closer inspection, we realised it was confetti, still trapped in the folds- a mere 60 years later....that just about made my day.

Til the next time you lovely people....xxx

Vintage scooters, Bath Life and It's Darling!

Well, here we are again!

Hope you like this little photo, just an example of some of the great shots we got from our 1960's "Scooter Girl" shoot in Bristol. Loads of fun and some amazing vintage mopeds!

Just so you're in the know, The Scarlet Sale yesterday and we've already had a lot of positive feedback. We are so massivly overstocked (with more pieces coming in every day!) that we felt it only right to have an exclusive sale event. It may not become a regular occurence, so I'd get some incredible bargains whilst you still can.

We were lucky enough to be featured in the latest edition of Bath Life in a lovely double page spread which you can view online at their website www.bathlifemag.co.uk or try and snaffle a copy from your local coffee shop! Take a look if you can, I think the guys at Bath Life have done a fantastic job of showcasing Marc Le Galle's fantastic photographs and the team's amazing work from the Corsham Court shoot last month.

We have also been featured on a couple a cool blogs, most notably www.alicias-blog.com and www.hatirose.wordpress.com. Always nice to see bloggers and lovely to read their views on our little boutique!

Next up for us is the It's Darling Fair (www.itsdarling.blogspot.com) at the Guildhall on the 16th July. Lets hope its a sunny weekend so all you vintage and craft enthusists will pop along to see us!

On the 17th we have another photoshoot to attend with a bit of an Alice in Wonderland theme going on....more details once we have completed it, but another exciting development I think!

Just took possession of a huge amount of gorgeous 1960's pieces, all kept lovingly in their original garment bags,perfect for summer weddings and in keeping with Vogue's prediction of a 1960's resurgence next season! If I can let them go (I kind of have to!) they will all be on our shelves by this weekend.

See y'all soon I hope!

Fairs, photoshoots and fun!

Gosh, sun is finally here! Yay! Let's hope it stays eh? Especially as we have a busy few weeks coming up. First up this weekend is another photoshoot in Brizzle with a few glamorous lovelies getting involved and the super talented Sophie Bee (www.sophiebee.co.uk) creating amazing make up.

After that we are participating with a couple of choice fairs that are coming up-this is a first for Scarlet, we never got into the whole "vintage fair" world before and thought it was time to try our hand!

First up is Pimp Me Vintage at the stunning Stourhead Gardens on Sunday July 3rd, 2pm to 9pm. This is being held in aid of CLIC Sargent charity and looks to be a good bash! If the weather is good it will feature stallholders from far and wide, live music, a retro bar and a beauty parlour-a mini Vintage Festival! We can't wait!

Next up is the It's Darling Fair (www.itsdarlingfair.co.uk) Saturday 16th July 930-5pm at the historic Guildhall, Bath. A great regular fair that encourages local artisans and traders alike. This time it will also offer vintage make overs in the Pop Up Parlour-how much more girly and exciting can you get vintage-istas!

Well, that's all for now-oh, and a few more pieces on the website too (and my left leg is cracking walnuts, as they say...) One of our new pieces came from an actress (which one, my lips are sealed!) who has given us a Belville Sassoon beaded dress to sell. Its very sparkly and very glam, perfect "make an entrance" dress!

Enjoy the sun (any sun!) whilst it lasts! xx

All change at Scarlet, Vintage Mini's and Marilyn Monroe....

Well, we finally did it-we finally expanded the shop and made a new posh changing room! Yay! Took a bit of doing, but we got a man who can in to do the heavy stuff and then I flounced in with a can of paint and did the finishing touches (like you do). So, we've created a large new rail at the back of the shop to take more of our dresses (which is lucky as we just had a delivery of about 5 full skirted 1950's dresses). We also moved our deco mirror so it gets the full attention it deserves.
And I am so pleased we now have a large, luxurious changing room with gorgeous mirror and relaxing chair (all I need to do is add a cocktail bar and i'd never get people out!)
We also recently took a trip to The American Museum (www.americanmuseum.org) to see the Bath Spa Uni exhibition on the Legacy of Icons. Super cool! A little vintage Mini Cooper, some great dresses (ok, some of them mine!) and some brilliant magazine cuttings from 56' to 66'. Whilst we were there we thought it rude not to take a peek at the Marilyn dresses on show at the temporary exhibition. Wow. Just Wow. Amazing. Admittedly, I spend a lot of time explaining to people that the blonde bombshell wasn't a size 16 in today's sizing, but even I was shocked at the size of the dresses, teeny!! All your favourites are there; the cream full length gown from The Prince and the Showgirl, the red sequinned one from Gentleman Prefer Blondes and the rique black beaded one from Some Like it Hot. Heaven, I was in heaven. What was most poignant was all her trinkets; the champagne bucket, the pill bottle, the tea caddy from when the door was closed and she bacame Norma Jean again. A sad end to a lovely lady, but what beautiful gowns she has left us behind.

And, interestingly, the sparklers on show at the exhibition weren't diamonds, but rhinestones...

Mick, Keith, Jerry and R-Patz....

Today you find me exhausted, but very, very happy and BEYOND excited about the vintage

shoot we did at a secret location outside of Bath on Sunday.
The team all rocked up bright and early Sunday morning to go through our plan of action; Zac (of Artisan and Great British Hairdresser fame) was planning some extreme 70's meets modern day BIG hairstyles to complement Sophie Bee's amazing, retro terra cotta coloured make up. Marc (le Galle-photographer) had all the vintage shots planned, so we just had to get our fabulous models looking the part and we were off.
The setting was stunning, a number of Hollywood films have been shot here and you can see why. The atmosphere is dark, gothic and dramatic, it's steeped in history. I honestly think a better setting for these clothes would be very hard to find. The backdrop of the antique wallhanging and the priceless panelling was an amazing juxtaposition to the floaty and sparkly disco gowns the girls were rocking.
Our models looked stunning; Jenny had an almost vampiric beauty, a young Helena Bonham Carter was mentioned more than once on set. And If Kristen Stewart ever tires of playing Bella to R-Patz's, Edward in Twilight, Jenny could step right in. Frankie, our second model, was a consummate professional - with her tumbling pre-raphaelite curls and bee stung lips, she was a dead ringer for a young Jerry Hall and creating some stunning lines in the clothes, even racing to be shot when we spotted a willing peacock!
The two girls were given the brief that they were early morning explorers, wandering the rooms and secret passageways, the morning after the most decadent country house party ever. They were so convincing, one could almost imagine Mick and Keith sprawled out in some distant bedroom amidst the hedonistic wreckage of the night before.
After the majority of shots were finished in the house (along with a behind the scenes video), we decamped to the gardens to take the final few shots of the day whilst the sun was still in high in the sky. The secret walled garden, the peacocks and the ancient bath house added that extra frisson of drama to a perfectly pastoral scene.
And then, just as soon as it had started, it was over. As we packed up our equipment, accessories and leftover lunches everyone agreed it had been a storming success. A brilliantly talented team of professionals and a one in a million setting, it really doesn't get much better in fashion photography.
Will keep you posted on the results when they are ready....I for one CANNOT WAIT!!! xx

Lauren Hutton, Jerry Hall and Talitha Getty...1970's chic, baby.

People, I am SOOOO excited about the photoshoot this weekend! We are going to a stately home near Bath to spend the day taking some shots of our very favourite 1970's pieces; floaty maxi gowns, vibrant colours and hippy chic a-go-go! I can't wait to see the clothes come to life on our stunning girls in such a dramtic backdrop. And that's not all...we have the talents of the famous Zac from Artizan (who is best known for working his magic on the likes of Amy Williams and was last seen straightening up a storm on The Great British Hairdresser) and the super smiley and mega talented make up artist extraordinaire Sophie Bee (www.sophiebee.com) to work their magic on our beautiful girls. With the genius that is Marc le Galle at the lens, I for one think this will be a fashion shoot to die for. Stay tuned for pictures, vintage bunnies. xx

Weddings, Movie Stars and Ossie Clark.

Well, busy few days for everyone, eh? Haven't blogged for ages as its all been go here at SV. First up-we have our brand sparkling new website up and running (Merci to Mr Alex at Zonkey!), few lovely pieces up there now (though its only lil me taking photos, so it will take some time to have the whole stock up there!), not least of which a fab little Ossie Clark tea dress in perfect cranberry red-just gorgeous *sigh*. Also a cute little Lanvin dress, ideal for throwing on if you don't know what the weather is doing. We are also going to be moving a few things around on the shop floor over the next few weeks-stay tuned for more details!
We had an unusual day off for the beautiful Royal Wedding last week and oh my, what a spectacle. Call me a soppy ol' fashion lover-but that day was perfection. From the early moring start on the sofa, to the arrival of the dashing Princes, to the unveiling of the That wedding dress. So, so pleased to see it was Sarah Burton for McQueen (although it sort of give the game away when she arrived the night before with a few tell tale signs it was her!) I loved the slight bustle, the elegant silk tulle veil and the embroidery over the skirt. All that workmanship, some things just can't be reproduced by machine, they just have to be done by hand. And its nice to see there are still artisans out there who have the skill to complete it. When it was all over in our street, people started spilling out of their houses clutching jugs of pimms, and bags of sausages for our traditional street party. What bloomin fun! And what a brilliant way to get to know your neighbours. Highly recommended. So, a great day (and night) was had by all. In the future I shall try to get to bed before 3am...but that's another story.
Next day was suitably jolly in town, with an air of hope and happiness clinging to every one of the shoppers. Something had lifted in the UK and people were realising it was ok to smile at each other (goodness knows how long it will last!). I made it to the end of the day (slightly hungover)and had the pleasure of serving a certain Anne Hathaway (Devil Wears Prada, Get Smart, Oscar host...) who stumbled across my shop whilst spending a secret weekend in Bath-Hollywood A List comes to Scarlet!Whoop!
An exhausting, but satisfying few days, I certainly needed my lazy Sunday with the papers after that! xx

Online Shop Coming Soon...(hopefully!)

Well peeps, have spent the whole of last week madly photographing and uploading pictures for the new website (no mean feat whilst still running my shop in busy Bath! Round of a applause please...)So now we have a few different things in each category and we are thrashing out the final particulars on postage and delivery etc. So all things being well, we should be up and running this week-yay! So you will be able to peruse the treasures of Scarlet from the comfort of your chaise longe, my honeys.
But my, how this weather helps with the shoppers! Lots of lovely people around to have a look through our new stock: some great vintage shoes (gold ones are my faves) and some lovely 70's chunky knits that have been going down well. Add to that a few lovely little floral 50's dresses and the shop is looking quite full!
Am also in love with our new kelly bags that just came in, particularly the light coloured ones. Sold a beautiful cream Ackery one to a very pleased lady last week. They are perfect for carrying around as they hold their shape, open up widely (so you can see where that mobile is when its ringing) and close securely. AND they are on trend for the ladylike vibe that is the alternative for the relaxed 70's look that is around this Spring.
Aanyhoo, better go-got more photographing to do, what else should I add?...the 1960's tennis mini skirt or the 1940's evening dress.....mmmm, think its going to be a good day. xx

Spring has Sprung!

Whooop! Spring! Where have you been! Finally our Georgian city is bathed in Californian light and it seems as if the city is waking up like a very big, very sleepy Bagpuss (dressed as Jane Austen). And we are finally vindicated in our display of floral frocks, and no longer look like delusional, dress shop owners.

And the floral maxi's we are now displaying are soooo in keeping with this season's 70's vibe, that (as we all know) will be everywhere come summer (in fact most of the shops are stocking flares and pointy collared blouses now).

And the 70's are one of our favourite decades, especially for summer-cos its just so easy! All shapes and sizes and ages can wear 70's pieces, mainly because the fashions don't rely on showing body parts off, but covering them up seductivly (and colourfully!). Yes, there were those that bared the flesh, "Hair!" styly in the 70's, but most people were discovering the delights of the dinner party and entertaining friends at home required clothing that was at once elegant, but relaxed. So out went the mini and in came the maxi.

The genius of Ossie Clarke, John Bates et al saw to it that the shoulders and arms of said maxi became the new focus of attraction. Sleeves became bell shaped and elegantly cuffed and shoulders raised their profile with little puff peaks. And so, an expanse of fabric gained some interest that didn't involve flashing the flesh.

So come on, grab that Mateus Rose, put on some Demis Roussos and join me in toasting "the easy vintage era"! Alright, Ange?

Prom Time...!!!!!

Well, its half term and its Prom Dress Panic time. I completely forgot about this until some stressed looking parents wandered into my shop...luckily have a few crackers to put on my dollies that would look A-May-Zing at a prom.

My advice? If you don't want that awaful moment when you spend all day preparing for the big night, only to enter the party and come face to face with your mortal enemy in the same frock-then, go vintage, my doll! Whether you like the cool, laid back vibe of the 70's, the Marc Jacob-ness of the 80's or the ladylike primness of the 50's, vintage has an era for you. Yes, it takes some individuality and personality to wear a vintage frock, but seriously, all you need is to up the attitude a bit and add a "what, this? Oh yeah, sourced it in a cute vintage store..." convo, and you're there.

Want everyone talking about your fashion sense, or would you prefer to melt into the background and look like all those girls who took their mother's advice and "didn't want to stand out"-BOOOOOORRRRRRING!!! Think Sienna or Kate think like that? Think Alexa gets ready in the morning and thinks, hey, lets try and look like everyone else today. Or Mary Kate calls up Ashley worried her dress is too "out there"? Nope. Doesn't happen.

Wanna BE someone? Well, ya gotta LOOK like someone first......xxxx

Silk scarves and Vintage Lace....

Well, gosh, what a bloomin rainy day-but are we downhearted? No!! Cos we have lots of fabulous vintage pieces to look at. I just picked up a fabulous silk brocade dress from a vintage market in London, all mint greens and light golds-practically eat it up its so yummy. And not your usual teeny tiny size too, so should work for a number of people. Also, as I got engaged in Marrakech (yep, its all happening wedding-wise this year, eh?!) i've been looking at vintage wedding dresses. All very beautiful, but the main thing is, i've started getting into vintage lace. Just picked a load of stuff up from the states, thinking i can add some bits to my black dresses and t shirts. And the fact it is a bit yellowy from age, makes me love it even more (is that weird? who cares, eh?) Hey, there is so much you can do with lace; make it into a corsage, put it in your hair for that Victorian/1920's look....a myriad of things, i tell you!
Found a gorgeous silk scarf in a charity shop the other week. Is my new favourite thing, might try and put it on here. You know when you just have a favourite thing and you put it with everything, like, including your PJ's? Well i'm at that stage with said scarf. "It's so choice!"...
Anyhoo, hope the scarf picture comes out. And hope you are all keeping dry, warm and happy...xxx

New Dresses!

Thank Crunchie January is over! My that is one looooong month, no? Least from now on things will be getting brighter as we head owards spring and then summer. And in preparation for this "coming of the sun", i have started stocking some cheer us up florals! Love the simplicity of the 1960s and their shift dresses, its something i think we can all embrace reagardless of size or shape. But whilst thatwind is still biting, we will keep out warm coats and jackets, so if you want that 60's silouette but cannot face having just a piece of silk between you and the elements, our coats are for you. Snuggle up with an alpine white furry collar or snuggle under a thick blanket of camel cashemere from the 70s-the choice is yours!

Mmmmmmmmarrakech.

Ok, Marrakech-firstly, incredible place, crazy, but incredible. Not as much hassle or as many bargains as i thought, but that was fine. The desert was amazing, get a 4x4 and get out there. Try the tagine......ummmmmmm *does homer simpson, head back-tongue lolling out look*. Wow. Chicken cooked slowly in herbs and olives, and nectar from the gods, i think, deeeeeeelishhhhhh.

The souks (market), good fun, watch out for the snake charmers-literally, like snakes on the floor, man! Free! And those mental Indiana Jones cobra ones too. Eugh. Freaked me out a bit.
See th old kasbahs and palaces, now home to massive storks who make their nests on the ramparts (but have to say, the way some animals are treated in Marrakech, if i was a stork, i'd be as high up as possible....)

Stay in a riad if possible, they are beautiful. Nothing but a studded door from the outside, but absolutely gorgeous and calm inside. Like a marharajas palace in the middle of the dust and bustle of the city centre.
People are so lovely, very good service everywhere. Try Kosybar, off the main souks near the old palace for a beer, up above the crowds. Chill out music, massive cushions, If you like a good cushion, its the place for you.

If you want to be pampered, les bains de marrakech (www.lesbainsbesmarrakech.com)is a pretty cool place to visit. Pop into the steamy hammam, then onto the rose baths and finally enjoy a relaxing massage (yep, nearly fell asleep, it was that good.) Once again. looks very little from outside, but is an oasis of rose petals and mint tea inside. A must for spa lovers.

Temperature was about 23-26 deg when we were there, perfect, but apparently about 48deg in summer, might not be as comfortable, so i'd recommend an out of season visit! But do go, to see a place that seems not to have changed in a 100years (if you minus the camel owner on the Nokia!) xx

Marrakech Express.

Well, to chase away those gloomy January clouds, we are taking a little sojourn to Morocco this week. Not sure how much in the way of vintage there will be, but am happy to browse their markets for silver and leather tinkets instead! Scarlet will still be open for business, but we won't be available to buy any pieces on Wednesday, but you are welcome the following week and thereafter.

Looking forward to next vintage fair at the Assembly Rooms, Bath. We haven't been for ages (as shoppers, not sellers!) so it will be good to see who's there and how its progressing. Think that's 23rd January-date for your vintage diary!

Also enjoying my subscription to Vintage Life magazines, everything a girl could want in the way of vintage information-hair, make up, clothes, drinks etc etc! Worth the subscription price, those little mags are packed with info!

Anyhoo, better run as its nearly closing time and i have hoovering to do....now where's my vintage floral pinny...?

Baby, its cold outside...

Well, it has been a while since i've sent this into the cybersphere from Bath, been tweeting too much i guess..over on the vintage dark side! Been a busy year for us here at Scarlet Vintage, more and more lovely peeps coming to find us down our little cobbled street that is Queen. We are getting more people bringing us their fabulous goodies too, lots of interesting wardrobes in and around Bath-amazing the clothes that people have hoarded away; 1910 sequinned overdress in pristine condition anyone? (very Downton Abbey, m'lady), also some fab 1980's Givenchy vintage pieces and a lovely vintage Burberry (when it was BurberryS) mac, not that we are slave to labels-also had some un-named 1960s shift dresses and the ubiquitus 1970s maxi dresses and, my personal favourite, some super floaty "take a letter Miss Jones" secretarial blouses (perfect for this season's 1970s vibe) Anyhoo, better run off as am filling this in on a Saturday (why not mid week when its a bit quieter! Always do things in a roundabout way!)Till next time peeps-toodle pip!