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