Arabella's Fashion Blog, and other fun stuff

How to look like Joan Crawford ...

2012-03-02T01:45:00.000-08:00

Joan Crawford wearing her Boucheron jewellery

Tomorrow we'll be at Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair at Old Spitalfields Market, 11am-5pm.

Amongst our marvellous stock, we have a few beautiful original 50s cocktail necklaces, and a number of other fabulous 50s pieces.

There will be plenty of quality vintage clothing from other sellers too!

We'll be giving 15% off for holders of Judy's ADvintage card (free at every Judy's event).

Keep your eyes peeled and you could put together a look as elegant as Joan Crawford's.

From Home and Woman Magazine, 1950

2012-02-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Secrets of Personal Style for Men, a guest blog from Style Pilot

2012-02-17T00:49:00.000-08:00

Superdry £34.99

How to improve your fashion sense

Avoid the pitfalls of shopping in a hurry.

Who are you?

Shopping habits and conversely the style and fashion of men is too often driven by snappy shop window displays and what adorns the first few rails inside the shop door. Men find it very easy to slip into “that’ll do” attitudes when it comes to shopping. The sooner that attitude is beaten the quicker you’ll be on your way to an improved sense of fashion and style.

Know yourself and make a swift decisions around your style and the look you want. Are you going to religiously follow the latest trends? Or perhaps you’re going to maintain a vintage style while making small additions to your wardrobe from the latest styles. Your look becomes an extension of who you are so it’s important for it to be a true reflection of the person underneath.

Inject some life!

Chances are that if you’ve been a “that’ll do” type in the past, your wardrobe will be as exciting as a rainy day at the seaside. I’m imagining lots of basic denim, with plain t-shirts which were purchased as part of some “5 for £20” blanket offer which you thought seemed a great idea at the time. If that explains your wardrobe, then boy you have some work to do! It may surprise you that we won’t implore you to throw away your basic t-shirts, but you do have to start making them work harder to create a gorgeous look for you. Adding a bit of life into a tired and drab looking wardrobe can be straightforward.

Using the basics

Try to keep the pairs of jeans you own down to a few. The more pairs of jeans you own, the bigger variety you need and the more money you’ll spend needlessly on extra clothes that you probably won’t wear that much. The same can be said for shoes. As a rule, if you can keep the number of pairs of shoes down to the same number as jeans, then you’re onto a winner. If you have one excellent pair of shoes that goes with all of your jeans then you, sir, are a fashion hero!

Accessories

Unlock the secrets of a great wardrobe immediately with carefully chosen add on items which will truly round off and enhance your great look. Stylish accessories can make the difference between the ordinary and out of this world!

About Stylepilot:

Stylepilot.com is the first personal style engine for men – Style Pilot aims to help men navigate and master men’s fashion. It’s an automated stylist that gives personalised recommendations based on their physique and preferences. Style Pilot searches through 1000s of online men’s brands and retailers to find the best matches.

Vintage Valentines Day

2012-02-10T02:30:00.000-08:00

"My Dearest Miss, I send thee a kiss"
St. Valentine's Day card from 1862.

Embossed and printed in colour, with silk panel, addressed to Miss Jenny Lane [or Lowe, or Love] of Crostwight Hall, Smallburgh, Norfolk, and inscribed on the back "Good Morrow Valentine".

Beautiful.

Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair coming up ...

2012-02-03T02:10:00.000-08:00

Our first 'big do' of the year will be Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair, at Old Spitalfields Market, on Saturday 3 March. We're doubling up our stall with even more fab goodies, including two new amazing lines.

Here's how to wear a few of our items, a nostalgic look:

Art Deco Style Diamante Bracelet £24.50

Real Sheepskin Collar £35

Vintage Style Turban £9

Fabulous new handcrafted line with beads ...

2012-01-27T01:36:00.000-08:00

Very excited about our latest range of handmade beaded items. Unique and individual, here's a few snapshots:

Stone and Beaded Rings £6.50

'Stained Glass Window' Bracelet £12.50

and a close-up of our handcrafted sequin and bead drawstring bag:

Black-multi Sequin and Bead Bag £9.75

Hope you like them, have a fab weekend!

Book review ... Botty's Rules

2012-01-20T04:21:00.000-08:00

One of 2 books I read over Christmas was Botty's Rules by British entrepreneur Nigel Botterill.

I was a bit sceptical at first, but when I read he was the first non-American to win the GKIC Marketer of the Year award, and that proceeds of the book were donated to The Teenage Cancer Trust, I felt enthused and bought the book.

Loads of really useful and practical information inside. The most useful of which is a checklist of the 29 Botty's Rules at the back of the book. Nige is a bit self-obsessed at times, but let's face it you need to be to get anywhere in business.

Nigel is obviously an extrovert, and that's one other thing I've learnt, controversial as it may be, you need to be extrovert to run a successful business. Perhaps that should be the 30th Botty's Rule.

Speaking as a natural introvert, be brave, get out there and act extrovert (and read Nigel's book!).

A great book, a great read, highly recommended.

We're back

2012-01-13T07:05:00.000-08:00

Hello, we're back after a brief technical hitch! Our latest news:

We've sourced a really fabulous range of gold plated and silver vintage inspired jewellery for 2012, we'll be releasing details soon!

Our blog rose sharply last month in the Wikio fashion blogs to number 173, let's keep it going up!

Thought you would like to take a look at one of our chinese silk art print scarves, as the last blog post I wrote about them was very popular. That's it for now, have a relaxing weekend.

Chinese Silk Fun Cats Scarf £17.50

Happy New Year 2012

2011-12-30T02:07:00.000-08:00

Our last event of 2011 is on New Years Eve at Bromley Town Centre Market, where we'll be running our final stall of the year.

Happy New Year to you, and best wishes for 2012!

Christmas Wishes

2011-12-23T01:00:00.000-08:00

We are very busy with our Christmas Market in Bromley, ending Christmas Eve.

A huge thank you to all our Twitter followers, Facebook likers, blog readers, website customers and of course our customers in the 'real world' for making this our most successful year yet.

We wish you a very peaceful and relaxing Christmas.

Christmas Shopping ...

2011-12-15T00:20:00.000-08:00

Visit us tomorrow and Saturday at Bromley Christmas market in the High Street, for more details click here.

We have a really fab selection of jewellery and fashion accessories 'fun, sometimes quirky, and just that little bit different'.

Or visit our website for a great online shopping experience.
We send within 1 business day by 1st class post.
Orders of £18+ will receive a FREE glass crystal bracelet worth £5 plus FREE UK p&p.

Whatever you do, we hope you enjoy your Christmas shopping and find what you're looking for.

Christmas begins at Bromley Town Centre Market

2011-12-08T02:40:00.000-08:00

Gingerbread Man £9.50

We start our Christmas stall in Bromley high street tomorrow. The Christmas Market runs until Christmas Eve, and we have 5 bookings. Please click here for further details.

Great blog post about last Saturday's vintage fashion fair at Spitalfields, we're in it! http://tinyurl.com/cqcxzok

Have a great weekend.

Spitalfields vintage fashion fair tomorrow!

2011-12-02T02:29:00.000-08:00

Our highlight of the year, we're at Stall 113, be there or be square!

More Christmas busyness ...

2011-11-25T03:51:00.000-08:00


Vintage Bird Brooch

Vintage Flapper Brooch

Here are two fab vintage brooches that are ex-stock from the Grosvenor House Hotel, Mayfair, both priced at £27.95. Would make really lovely Christmas presents!

And some great quotes:

http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/2010/11/ten-inspiring-quotes-from-mimi-weddell.html

Hope you enjoy your weekend!

A Bit Busy this week ...

2011-11-18T00:50:00.000-08:00

Hi Readers,


Pearl & Sparkle Earrings £5.50

I've been a bit busy this week creating a new line of vintage inspired pendants (up on the website soon!) and generally preparing in advance of the most busy period in fashion retail, Christmas! Please take a look at our website for the latest offerings. Not alot of money around at the moment, but we have some truly special items at a reasonable price for the discerning customer!

Also here's a lovely couple of posts from the inimitable Fashion Editor at Large:

http://fashioneditoratlarge.blogspot.com/2011/11/gospel-according-to-carmen.html

http://fashioneditoratlarge.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-sweet-is-harvey-nichols.html

Have a fab weekend!

Another fabulous venue this Saturday ...

2011-11-11T03:49:00.000-08:00

Hi all, last Sunday we had very successful and enjoyable event at Langley Park Boys School. Find us tomorrow at another fabulous venue:

Colfe's School Christmas Market

Colfe's School, Horn Park Lane, London SE12 8AW
Saturday 12 November
11am to 4pm

On a vintage theme, take a look at these amazing LIFE magazine photos of Marilyn Monroe:

http://on.life.com/jRDOpB

Have a great weekend.

Our fabulous venue this Sunday ...

2011-11-04T01:56:00.000-07:00

Golden Dragonfly and Glass Pendant £10

Hi everyone.

This Sunday we're at the Langley Park Boys School in Beckenham with our fab jewellery and fashion accessories.

The Christmas and Craft Fair is the schools largest fund raising event of the year with many beautiful stalls selling handmade, fair trade, vintage and new products.

Why not give your Christmas shopping a brilliant kick-start?

Costume Jewellery made in China ...

2011-10-28T02:07:00.000-07:00

Seahorse Watch £10

Hi Readers, we tried out Old Spitalfields Market on Tuesday, and came away a bit disillusioned.

Yet again the popularity of costume jewellery made in China overwhelms everything else.

I have even started to stock some myself. I'm not a purist about selling specifically vintage jewellery, although the real stuff is by far my favourite and incomparable. I doubt whether Chinese costume jewellery made now will survive 30 years or more. I never see any jewellery 'Made in Hong Kong' that was manufactured in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

At the end of the day it's 'what peeps want'. I stock a few medium to high quality pieces made in China, and I have to say they really are attractive, and I'm sure I'll be down to the Chinese wholesaler for Christmas stock as it's just so popular.

Costume jewellery made in China is affordable, the better jewellery is well made, and can be rather beautiful too. In these tough economic times it really is 'what peeps want'.

I'd love to think that we could manufacture this kind of jewellery here in Britain, but of course it doesn't make economic sense, we don't have human rights issues, but that's another story.

What do you think about costume jewellery made in China?

Vintage Costume Jewellery, the 1980s ...

2011-10-21T04:50:00.000-07:00

Vintage 1980s Christian Dior Earrings £65

The 1980's are currently the most recent 'vintage' decade, vintage being defined as 20-75 years old.

1980's vintage costume jewellery is easy to find and quite luxurious. The pieces of the time were bold and fake gold! Necklaces tended to be fairly short, around 46cm, and many earrings were still clip-ons.

Christian Dior produced beautiful quality gold-plated items, some with imitation pearls and swarovski crystals. It was the beginning of bling.

Perhaps the British trailblazer of them all were Butler & Wilson. Always well made, incorporating fantastic designs and high quality materials such as rhinestones and pearls, Butler & Wilson costume jewellery has always been sought after, and were at their height in the 1980's. I have a pair of Butler & Wilson earrings and they are absolutely gorgeous. Look for the B&W mark for authenticity.

Getting started with vintage costume jewellery ...

2011-10-14T01:45:00.000-07:00

Vintage Napier Cleopatra Necklace £39

What I really love about vintage costume jewellery is that it is so well-made, available and affordable. There are always such exciting pieces to be discovered at local antique/vintage markets!

Most vintage costume jewellery is unsigned, but with experience it is fairly easy to identify a piece. If the jewellery is signed, it makes research alot easier. There are many sources of information, but I find the Illusion Jewels website most useful. It is an American site absolutely packed with facts about researching costume jewellery, including an indispensable A to Z of jewellery marks and signatures, http://www.illusionjewels.com/costumejewelrymarks.html.

A couple of tips. Pat pending dates a piece to pre-1955. In 1955 the American copyright law was amended to allow jewellery to be copyrighted, and jewellery companies began to use the copyright symbol (a c in a circle).

For an excellent solid background read the gorgeous book 'Costume Jewellery' by Judith Miller, which features many vintage collectable pieces.

By the way vintage is defined as 20-75 years old. Anything older is antique, and younger 10-20 years old is retro.

Fun, glamour and style... the fascinating world of costume jewellery.

Costume Jewellery (DK Collector's Guides) Buy from Amazon UK
Costume Jewelry (DK Collector's Guides) Buy from Amazon USA

Paris Fashion Week October 2011

2011-10-13T01:45:00.000-07:00

Not for your average shopper, but stunning creations!

http://www.look.co.uk/pictures/the-louis-vuitton-ss12-fashion-show/alexa-chung-at-the-louis-vuitton-ss12-show-at-paris-fashion-week-2011

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

2011-10-06T00:33:00.000-07:00

On stage in San Francisco, 2005

Steve Jobs RIP

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/steve-jobs/8810049/Steve-Jobs-key-quotes.html

Arabella Bianco ... , and that potato exercise ...

2011-09-30T03:37:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

1950s Vintage Dress

Announcing our first ever Arabella Bianco offer! A FREE glass crystal bracelet worth £5 with website orders of £18+ (offer ends 31st December, one offer per customer). Enjoy FREE postage on all orders of £18+. Not bad!

Don't forget this Sunday we're at the Essex Vintage Fashion Fair, be there or be square!

And now for something completely different ...

EXCERCISE FOR PEEPS OVER 40
Begin with a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Each day you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer.
After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags.
Then try 50-lb potato bags and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand . (I'm at this level.)
After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.

Have a great weekend.

Carl Art Vintage Jewellery ...

2011-09-23T03:30:00.000-07:00

We've just taken stock of the most exquisite pieces of vintage Carl Art jewellery.

The Carl Art jewellery company began in Providence, Rhode Island in 1936, and was founded by German immigrant Carl Schraysshuen and American businessman Arthur Loercher. They manufactured fine quality gold, gold-filled, and sterling silver jewellery. After his death in 1953 Carl's half of the company was sold by his wife.

Vintage Carl Art 12K Gold Filled Bracelet £75

Vintage Carl Art Sterling & Crystal Earrings £49.50

New In to our Jewellery & Fashion Accessories website ...

2011-09-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

Beautiful vintage inspired crystal statement ring measuring 2.1cm x 1.7cm.

Set in silver tone metal, ring size between L and M.

A modern interpretation of a classic vintage ring for £7.50.