Vintage Nostalgia 2015 - my review

Vintage Nostalgia Show festivalgoers
There were some lovely dresses to be seen
This was the third year Mr Robot and I had gone camping at the Vintage Nostalgia show. It's interesting how much it's grown; in 2014 weekend camping tickets sold out fairly quickly, and this year they sold out waaaay in advance. I'm not surprised at that in some ways, as it's a small, friendly event in the beautiful Wylye valley in mid-Wiltshire.


This year the facilities included the cocktail lounge. In 2013 there was just the one marquee, and in 2014 that was joined by a small tent near the food trucks, with room for maybe 20 people, where people played guitar or jammed informally. For 2015 the organisers turned that into a good-sized tent complete with cocktail bar and live performers, and it was a lovely little second stage. The cocktail lounge felt more relaxed than the main marquee, and it was easy to bimble between the two depending on what acts were on.
Vintage Nostalgia 2015 cocktail bar
Cocktail lounge - Pimms on tap!
The vehicle display is always a tremendous highlight, though I was sad that the cute teardrop caravans, which are usually close to the main part of the site, were nowhere to be seen - I'm guessing they'd been relocated to the vintage camping area. It's fun to look round the classic cars and admire them all. Mr Robot and I usually end up falling in love with something massive and American with fins like a shark, and there were several beautiful, enormous midcentury cars in the lineup. We also loved the frogeyed sprites because they're the happiest little cars in the world - that's the top-right one in the collection of cars below. Look at its smily face! Where the teardrop caravans usually go, there was a WWII display, with military vehicles and tents, and even a field gun which got fired from time to time.
Vintage Nostalgia Show cars
There was a good selection of stalls. Shopping is always enjoyable at the show. I pounced on Heyday! on the Friday; I'd been considering buying a pair of high-waisted trousers for ages and wanted to see which size would fit me best. Shona was really helpful and showed me how the inlay included in the construction of their trousers means you can have them adjusted to get a precise fit. Sadly, it turns out that my apple body type really doesn't look good in any size of high-waisted trousers, so I wound up buying a 'wonky wedges' Judy dress instead. On the Saturday, from other stalls I also got another dress and an old Vogue Knits magazine, and the Mr got a leather jacket, so we were happy shoppers indeed. We also dropped by In Retrospect's stand to say hello to Mat and Ava. (I've got a feature in the new issue, but I'll save talking about that for another post.) And somehow, despite knowing she was there, I completely missed Porcelina all weekend!

The food was also excellent, as usual. We didn't even bother taking a camping stove this year! From wood-fired pizzas to pulled pork to pies to salad, it was all there if you wanted it. Plus crepes if you fancied pudding afterwards. (We did. Twice.)
Vintage Nostalgia Show pizza van
They really were cooking on wood fires in there

Vintage Nostalgia Show My Favourite Things
These are My Favourite Things
In past years the entertainment has felt strongly leaning towards the 1950s/rockabilly side of things, but things were more diverse this year, with acts including a skiffle band, a gramophone DJ in the cocktail lounge, and a couple of female harmony trios. The skiffle group, Railroad Bill, did a song involving chicken noises, which is by far the funniest thing I've heard in months. Even the music outside the beer tent was good - it's brilliant to go somewhere and hear unfamiliar vintage music.
Vintage Nostalgia Show festivalgoers in uniform
Great outfits!
The 1940s outfits to be seen on festivalgoers definitely got my vote for best overall, because they looked accurate and the wearers looked completely at ease, as though they dress like that all the time. It gave the impression of 'clothes' rather than 'costumes'. The mature gents holding an impromptu game of cricket were entertaining, and there were some very dapper people in military uniform too.
Vintage Nostalgia Show cricketers
A different sort of swing...
If you're interested in trends, prom-dress-with-victory-rolls seems to have had its day; updos plus scarves were what a lot of people were going for. I felt like there was less genuine vintage clothing to be seen overall than in previous years, especially on the younger festivalgoers, who favoured either 50s/pinup repro dresses, or modern clothing with vintage accents such as a headscarf or red lippie. I think as the event's popularity has grown, the emphasis has shifted a bit from 'vintage' to 'festival', and the clothing to be seen reflected that.

I remembered to book an appointment with the Vintage Hair Lounge (if you don't prebook, you've got no hope of getting in), and in a complete stroke of luck got Gemma as my stylist - somehow she remembered doing my hair in 2013. Well, I had a lot more to work with this year, and she did an amazing job of putting it into a giant red beehive.
I planned my Saturday outfit to go with the beehive, popping on my Top Modes dress for a bold 1960s look. On the Friday I wore a 1940s jumper and trousers during the day (it was raining and we had to put the tent up) and a late 1950s/early 1960s Mode O Day dress in the evening.
Now for a grumble. Not owning either a vintage car nor vintage tent, we've always gone in the standard camping and had a super time. This year the campsite felt VERY crowded and, unfortunately, we got put next to a noisy family who lit a fire every night, and the smoke blew all over our tent. So, we got very little sleep, resulting in us being too tired to stay up for the late evening entertainment, and everything stank of smoke. I also found a small burn hole in my side on Sunday morning and am counting my lucky stars that it was raining so heavily - had the tent caught light thanks to their carelessness, I might not be typing this now. Anyway, the camping side of things kind of spoiled the weekend for me. That makes me feel quite sad, because I had such a good time in 2013 and 2014. I wish I'd had more chance to meet up with people as that might've balanced out the camping side of things. Ah well, maybe next year, or at another event...

Comments

  1. Mim, I looked and looked for you!! That picture you took of 'My Favourite Things' - I was literally standing a few metres away from you?! I was right in front of the stage, more to the left. I didn't find the Heyday stall either, so actually came away from the festival empty-handed despite money burning a hole in my pocket.

    Can I just say how fabulous your hair looked? Stunning! And how nice to see you in that fab frock.

    That family was naughty, no real fires were allowed I thought?? We were in a very quiet spot actually, we deliberately avoided people with children!

    We did enjoy it, but I have to say that camping just kills me these days. A nice B&B is in order if we go again.

    xx

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    1. Ha, I thought I might miss you - I have mild prosopagnosia, and it can take me a while to learn to recognise people, though I'd hoped seeing pictures on your blog regularly would have done the trick.

      I very nearly missed In Retrospect; lord knows how I walked past them two days running without spotting them.

      Open fires weren't allowed, but as this was raised in a sort of barbecue thing I guess it passed. I wish they'd just mentioned it when they saw us setting our tent up - if they had, we'd have put it up further away. I usually enjoy the camping, but this year it was awful.

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  2. I've never heard of a vintage event that was complete with camping, what fun (except for the burned tent bit). I'm loving what was done with your hair, that beehive really suits you!

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    1. Thank you!

      The camping is good fun. A few do it - Twinwood, probably the biggest vintage music festival, has it, and I believe Atomic does too. I should try to get to more, though we've talked for years about going to Hemsby for one of the weekenders, so perhaps we'll do that instead. (And stay in a real 1950s holiday chalet!)

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  3. Isn't it interesting how festivals grow? We've been going to a V Dub one since it started and there were four of us in the entertainment tent on the Saturday night, now 5,000 people attend and the tickets sell on eBay for up to 5 times their face value.
    Love your hair in a beehive, perfect with your cheery 1960s shift. Love all your outfit choices. Glad to hear that the Victory rolls/fake prom dress look is petering out. The head scarf and red lipstick thing was massive with the teens at Glasto last year.
    Awful about the inconsiderate neighbours and luckily nothing horrible happened. xxx

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    1. Four people? From party to festival! It must be amazing to have seen it grow so much. How many years did it take for the visitor numbers to hit 5K?

      I've seen a lady at work with a scarf, hadn't realised it was becoming more of a 'thing'. It can look dead cute on the right person.

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  4. Sorry that the pyromaniac family spoiled the weekend for you. For what its worth though the rest of the weekend looked great and I love your hair :)

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    1. Thank you!

      If I learn to do it myself, maybe I can hide plastic dinosaurs in it...

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  5. I haven't heard much about this event before so it was interesting to hear your review. It sounds like a great event and I'd love to go if I can next year. It looks like you had a wonderful time, apart form the noisy neighbours, how inconsiderate!! Your hair looks amazing and I bet it lasted a few days like that too! x

    www.pearlsandpurlsvintage.blogspot.com

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    1. It's really good fun - keep an eye on their website as tickets usually go on sale around August/September, and they seem to sell out faster and faster each year.

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  6. Nothing worse than dickheads on the campsite to put a downer on things, been there done that.

    I've said it before and I'll say it again I love your hair, especially the colour. x

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    1. I've decided to keep the colour! Now I have to learn how to backcomb...

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  7. Shame about the camping issues, but apart from that, it sounds like a fun weekend.
    Your hair looks fantastic in that beehive, what a great look! xxx

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    1. Thank you - everyone seems to love the 'hive. Gemma really is a wizard when it comes to hair.

      I like the event, it's very laid back and you can dress up, dress down, whatever. I thought of you and Vix, and Miss Peelpants, when there was a BIBA fashion show. Bit outside the event's usual sort of thing, but as I say, there was a wider mix of eras this year.

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  8. The beehive hairdo and I were both born in Chicago around the same time. Naturally, I'm envious of your gorgeous hair (my hair was always a bit too thin to manage the style, even with tonnes of hairspray). Your Mode O day dress goes perfectly with the hairstyle. I also really like that 40's jumper you wore.

    Sorry the jerks in the next camping space were so horrible, but I'm really glad you escaped with only a burn hole. Otherwise, it sound like it was a fun time.

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    1. I had no idea the beehive came from Chicago! My hair is very fine and straight, but there's masses of it, so it backcombs quite nicely. I need to find some tutorials online and work out how to do one for myself.

      I made that 40s jumper! One of my more successful projects, though I've nearly finished a fair isle cardi which should look nice too.

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  9. Your hair looks fab, I love the colour ❤
    I love looking around classic car shows, there were oodles in town over the bank holiday x

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    1. Thank you!

      Every time we go to Lacock there seems to be a classic car meet. I don't know why there seem to be so many round here - you're in the county next door, I believe, so you probably get loads too.

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  10. What beasts with their fire! I'd have threatened them with my knitting needles! What I want to know is how your hair fitted into that tent?! Looks like it was a great weekend. I am now going to look at my new issue of In Retrospect to find your feature! Congratulations.

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    1. The hair brushed out pretty easily - but I have gone and bought myself a backcombing brush and will be practicing. I did keep bumping it on things though!

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  11. Your red hair is gorgeous, it really suits you. Deffo a keeper.

    Interesting write up; I've never been so its great to read your views on it. But, the camping episode was a real pain. I love camping but my anger levels raise if its noisy late at night and I can't get to sleep. I've been known to wreak revenge on inconsiderate campers the next morning!!!

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    1. Indeed! And it's a family event, even if they didn't give a stuff about their own kid getting any sleep, they could have had more consideration for other peoples'.

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  12. I really love camping but don't always love the people I am camping next too! How annoying. That aside it does sound like a fabulous weekend and the beehive is brilliant!

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    1. I am honestly amazed by how popular the beehive has been!

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  13. Every time I read one of your reviews of Vintage Nostalgia I wish I'd gone. Unfortunately it always lands just at a time when I'm extremely busy, so never find the time to fit it in. Maybe next year!
    I absolutely love your beehive hairdo, it really suits you and goes wonderfully with your dress. This is definitely your era!
    I loved that you and Porcelina missed each other despite being there all weekend!

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    1. Yeah, I think I have to give in gracefully and accept that the late 50s/early 60s is kind of where I belong. I don't like to go too far into the 60s though - all that Crimplene! *Shudders*

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  14. Great outfits.
    Stellar looking folks.
    Your hair was amazing, dear Mim.
    This is one of those posts that I lack on my blog, simply because I don't have places like that to go to. Places that I do go to are lot less glamorous: a book reading, a evening of poetry, a local gallery is exibiting something new.. and there's not much "blog material" there. Not that I don't LOVE those events.. I do..

    I took your advice.
    I wrote about my dog. With pictures. It will be posted tomorrow morning.

    Marija

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    1. Woohoo! I look forward to seeing the dog photos! Puppies are excellent.

      And there will always be glamour wherever you go because YOU are there and can bring it with you. There's no situation that can't be improved with a bit of diamante ;-)

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  15. goodmorning Mim,
    what a nice post:lovely photos and Your hair looks fabolous !
    Your outfits too...so charming looks...cheers!
    greetings

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