The Nest: Magpies & I Pop-Up Shop at Room 212 on Gloucester Road

The pop-up concept is alive and well on Gloucester Road as The Nest opened at Room 212 today. Tucked away under a colourful stripy canape, Room 212 occupies the same part of the road as Billie Jean, Fig and the Golden Lion pub and is Bristol’s smallest art gallery.

The gallery has been transformed into a magpie’s nest, and for the next two weeks will be full of vintage clothes, handmade jewellery and tasty looking cupcakes.

Sian is the woman behind The Nest, which is an extension of her popular market Magpies & I. Split between Bristol and Altrincham, the vintage markets are a passion that Sian juggles alongside her full time job. As a result, the pop-up shop will open at 12pm during the week, trading until 7pm.

The Nest stocks a range of local designers, including Priormade who create hand-finished geometric jewellery, and Faith & Betty, who make delicious smelling organic bath bombs and soaps. Another brand that caught my eye was Re Be, a Bath based clothing company specialising in transforming pre-loved clothes into child and baby clothes, including adorable playsuits and dungarees from old shirts.

I went to the opening yesterday evening (I’m still kicking myself that I forgot to try one of the delicious looking Pearly King Cake cupcakes) and discovered not only some wonderful accessories and homewares, but also that The Nest is hosting a swap shop this Friday evening. If you have any handmade or vintage pieces you’d like to part with, you can trade them with a piece from one of the traders. I love a good bit of swapping so I’m tempted to pop along – see you there?

The Nest is open 12-7pm Tuesday to Friday and 10am-6pm Saturday to Sunday until 25th May. The Swap Shop takes place this Friday (19th May) from 6-8pm, and for more information you can visit the Magpies & I website.

Vintage dresses and wedding vows

On Thursday I had the best Valentine’s Day EVER. Is that becuase of bunches of flowers, boxes of chocolates and cuddly toys? Hell no! It’s becuase I watched two of my friends marry one another in a perfect winter wedding ceremony. The church, on the outskirts of Bristol, where the bride’s parents had married, was freezing but the sun shone high, and the vows were beautiful.

I haven’t been to a church ceremony since I was a child and I was surprised at how magical the event felt. After the ceremony we headed to the Avon Gorge Hotel in Clifton to celebrate until the wee hours. The hotel overlooks the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the stunning views were the perfect backdrop for the shot above, as well as plenty of the bride and groom.

For the occasion I wore the white and navy vintage dress that I found last year at Bath’s Vintage Sunday, paired with a tan belt, frilly H&M ankle socks and a pair of Grandma Ship-Shape‘s dainty peep toe shoes. I did attempt styling my hair into victory rolls but by the time these photos were taken they’d kind of fallen out! Not long afterwards I also switched my shoes for a beautiful pair of glittery boots, but more on those later.

Here are a few more snaps from the day, including the bride’s gorgeous bouquet…

Vintage Blues at St Werburghs Farm

Despite living in Bristol for eight years, St Werburghs City Farm is somewhere I’ve only ever jogged past when running through the neighbourhood  That’s a massive error on my part as there are so many adorable animals there, which I found out when Mr Ship-Shape and I went for a wander with our cameras on Saturday.

The farm backs on to a set of allotments and is a really relaxing space to visit, except for when you see a duck being sexually harassed by three other ducks, which I did. Then it can become quite stressful, as you shout at the male duck to stop standing on a very disgruntled looking female duck, “that is not the way to get her to like you!” I digress…

Ducks aside, the farm is charming addition to the already laidback St Werburghs, and I thought it would be a great place to road-test the new lomography film I bought a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, as it was still rather cold, most of the animals were tucked up in their pens so I’ll have to wait until the roll is developed to see if I managed to capture any pigs or rabbits on film.

The blue dress is a vintage number I found at a market near Brick Lane on my recent trip to London, and was a bargain at £5! The bird necklace is from The Cutworks, a new Bristol-based brand that have a soft spot for, as it’s run by the lovely S from Beautiful Plumage. The necklace reminds me of the plump little birds in Snow White and I love wearing it against the busy backdrop of the royal blue dress. It also comes in white and black, too, so take a look at the Facebook page to see the whole collection.

Dress – Vintage market, London / Necklace – c/o The Cutworks / Belt – vintage / Cable knit cardigan – Tesco / Ankle boots – Primark

Floral Tea Cups and Other Sterotypes

Sometimes, when I look at the slice of fashion and lifestyle blogs that are in the mainstream press, I think about how cliched it can all be. As well as DSLR and laptop, it occasionally feels mandatory to blog about, or express a love of, lots of beautifully twee things like macaroons,  vintage cameras, Pashley bikes and the drinking of tea, preferably out of a floral china teacup.

While I’m partial to the odd macaroon, obsessed by vintage cameras and desperately seeking a Pashley knock-off, I don’t drink tea. Can’t stand the stuff. Nor do I like coffee, which is a bit of a shame given how much I like pretty cups and comedy mugs. Fortunately  after a trip to the Birdcage on Baldwin Street, I now know that I’m partial to a chai latte, which sounds far more grown up than ordering a hot chocolate (with extra marshmallows, please), if a bit pretentious.

Anywho, while I may not enjoy drinking the stuff, I do own an essential blogger accessory – the chintz teacup! The set above (which simply says ‘Lord Nelson England’ on the underside of each cup) belonged to Grandma Ship-Shape and, much to Mr Ship-Shape’s distress, my nan and her sisters have a habit of passing their clothes, accessories and crockery on to me : )

My growing collection of plates, bowls and teacups are vintage, yes, but they’re also from my family, which makes them more sentimental than anything else. I’ve had the rose teacups for a few months, but after a vist home this weekend I found myself returning with more crockery, in the form of these gorgeous plates and bowls, below.

The oriental blue plates are ‘Willow’ from Barratts of Staffordshire, and the bright green and turquoise designs are a 60s design by Midwinter Pottery. I once saw an entire coffee set in this design for sale in a vintage boutique on Bristol’s Christmas Steps, but since I didn’t like hot drinks at the time, I didn’t buy it, which I still occasionally kick myself for.

As we continue to turn our house into a home, I find myself more and more drawn to homewares like these. And while the cups and saucers do sit unused on our hand-built shelves, they’re are much loved. Am I alone in my love of crockery, or are you a fan of chintz teacups and plates, too?

Something for the Weekend: Pop Up Parlour and The Lanes Vintage Fair

Saturday

Beauty, vintage and a ‘pop up’ shop rolled into one – what’s not to love? This weekend Inma and Lou, aka Pop Up Parlour will be at Cox and Baloney’s Vintage Boutique on Cheltenham Road to offer vintage makeovers – from victory rolls to the perfect red lip. The duo can normally be found working their magic on hen parties, brides and at corporate events but this Saturday see’s the launch of their first ever Saturday Salon. The pop up salon will be there from 11am till 6pm and you can contact the duo or the boutique for prices. For future Saturday Salon locations, check out their Facebook page.

Sunday

On Sunday Gimme Shelter!‘s vintage fair returns to The Lanes – and Ship-Shape and Bristol Fashion will be there, too! I’m joining forces with Beautiful Plumage and Annie by Amy to sell my vintage wares, and we’re not alone – some of Bristol’s best vintage traders will be there selling jewellery, clothes and homewares from the 1930s through to the 1980s. Entry is free and the action kicks off at 11am, check out the Facebook event page for more info. See you there?

Friday – Sunday

It’s not strictly fashion, but this weekend the North Bristol Art Trail takes place across, well, North Bristol, kicking off with a preview evening tomorrow night. Artists and designers will be opening their homes and studios to the public in this annual free event, and there are over 100 artists involved across Redland, Cotham, Montpelier, Bishopston, Westbury Park and Henleaze. Disciplines featured include screen printing, textiles, ceramics and photography – check out the trail map to find your nearest participating locations.

Have I missed any other local events? What are you up to this weekend?

Fat Face vs All Saints in Wales

Greetings from Wales! Ok, so I’m actually in Bristol right now, feeling ill and a bit sorry for myself, but for the August Bank Holiday weekend I went to cottage in the middle of the Welsh countryside, which is owned by my friend’s family.

I’ve been lucky enough to go to this cottage, formally a cowshed, every summer for the last few years, with a large group of friends. The agenda is always the same; cheese, hiking, boardgames wood burning fires and drunken singalong sessions. There is no radio, no TV and certainly no Wi-Fi, so a long weekend here is a great way to disconnect from the world for a few days.

I wouldn’t climb a mountain in this outfit but it’s great for pottering around the cottage. The chunky knit jumper is from Fat Face and the cream lace skirt is from All Saints. I’ve had the skirt for a few years and I remember that when I bought it, in London during a stint of interning at i-D magazine, I was nervous about spending so much money on one item. In reality the skirt only cost around £55 but at the time it seemed like such a huge amount of money to me.*

The jumper is a slightly newer purchase, from a shop that I rarely go in to, but I found it in the sale last spring and it’s so comfy and warm - perfect for this time of year when the weather is starting to turn. The scarf is one I picked up from the Ashton Gate vintage fair and the boots are my newest footwear purchase from Cotswold in Broadmead.

Being in Wales is so relaxing (apart from at mealtimes, when there is a scramble for the food!) and it’s really refreshing to be without a phone/computer/tv for a few days. I can’t wait to go back next summer!

*which it kind of does again, now that I’m a grown up with a mortgage and bills to pay!

Ciao Ciao!

I’m looking forward to action packed day today as the Stokes Croft Market is taking place today, which I totally forgot to mention in my Something for The Weekend post, as is Bristol Doors Open Day, but before I head out I thought I’d share another holiday outfit from Italy.

These shots were taken in Ortona, a beautiful harbourside town that is packed with little cafes, ice cream parlours and a mix of architectural wonders, from pastel coloured apartment blocks to rickey old brickwork buildings like this one.

The dress I’m wearing is from Warehouse – I got it in the sale and I feel in love with the floral print and keyhole detail at the back of the dress. I picked up the sunglasses while in Italy, and the jewellery, an ampersand necklace and turquoise earrings, as a last minute impulse buy from the airport, along with a copy of The Great Gatsby. I loved the art deco inspired cover and I can’t wait to see the film version, directed by Baz Luhrmann, when it comes out at the end of the year : )

What are you up to this weekend?

Fix Up Look Sharp launch at CLIC Sargent’s Shop on Gloucester Road

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Fix Up Look Sharp launch party at ClIC Sargent’s awesome vintage empire, Shop on Gloucester Road.

The new range of upcycled clothes has been designed and created by the charity shop’s Deputy Manager, Ruth, and her design partner Gemma. Working from a studio in Stokes Croft, the design duo have created a range of cute bralets, backless tops and body con dresses, with plenty more to follow.

As charity shops in Bristol go, Shop on Gloucester Road is up there with the best, thanks to its quirky window displays, focus on vintage and a fantastic selection of preloved homewares and crockery. I blogged about Shop when it first opened last year, and in this time it has become a much loved addition to Gloucester Road’s quirky, mostly independent high street.

The shop is the first dedicated CLIC Sargent vintage store, and last night it was buzzing with Bristol’s best dressed, not to mention DJs, live illustrations and scrumptious smiley face cupcakes, which hit the spot nicely!

I had the opportunity to catch up with Ruth and Gemma, fashion graduates from Bath Spa and Bournemouth respectively, and find out a bit more about the collection.

Ruth explained that all the fabric used in the making of the collection has been sourced from CLIC Sargent donations; “The backless shirts were originally skirts, and we’ve even used old duvet covers too.” Both the girls were buzzing with excitement, though it took long days at their studio to get the collection together; “When I’m not [working] here, I’m and the studio, and when I’m not there, I’m here!” says Ruth.

One of the best things about the collection is that all the fabric comes from donated clothes that wouldn’t necessarily make it onto the shop floor, and every penny from each garment goes straight back to the charity. Prices vary – the first sale of the night went on a £25 denim bralet – but thanks to the duo’s design back ground, each garment is finished to a high standard.

The evening was great fun and I suggest to you check out the new Fix Up Look Sharp collection soon, as it won’t stay on the shelves for long! Even if the collection isn’t your cup of tea – as much as I love bralets they just don’t suit my figure – there is a wealth of vintage treats here – check out the photos below if you don’t believe me…

Above: Fashion artwork by Hugo Good / The Fix Up Look Sharp window display / Live illustration inside the shop / A Fix Up Look Sharp denim bralet – the first sale of the night! / Tasty CLIC Sargent smiley cupcakes

A Very Vintage Summer

Summer, is that you? Like a fine wine or a slab of cheddar cheese, Summer 2012 has taken it’s time to mature. We finally experienced a bit of a breakthrough this morning, so much so that I decided to get my legs out in these denim shorts.

The deliciously bright green blouse is one of Grandma Ship-Shape’s cast-offs, and the Paisely scarf is one I picked up from the Bristol Flea Market. The sandals are Primark and are falling to pieces (becuase I’ve literally worn them to death) but hopefully they’ll survive one last pilgrimage to the Bristol Harbour Festival. See you there?

Isms

A couple of weeks ago I went to a house warming party in Cheltenham. The invite was strictly fancy dress, anything beginning with the letters ‘A’ or ‘C’ after the hosts. I’m not a huge fan of fancy dress, but I don’t mind letter parties, as you can be a lot more creative, and you don’t need to go running and screaming to the nearest party shop to pay for an overpriced pirate/robot/70s costume – you can work with what’s already in your wardrobe.

Now it must be said that while I don’t mind dressing up, Mr Ship-Shape is very against it, so much so that it might possibly have developed into a fancy dress phobia. He made the mistake of declaring to our friends that he would be attending the party as himself, and as a result everyone thought I would follow suit. Which is why, at nine o’clock on a Saturday evening, we were confronted with ten people who had decided to come to the party dressed as us.

Complete with creepy face masks with holes for eyes, after laughing myself off the sofa, I was struck by how easily definable my style is. I genuinely don’t think I dress in one particular way or have one particular style.

Some days I wake up with the urge to dress in bold colours, other days I pick a more masculine outfit. Sometimes I like vintage dresses, other times I opt for leather and glitter. So it came as quite a surprise that there are so many isms, so many little traits that define my style, that my friends picked up on. Their list of Sarah-isms included the following:

• Man watch
• Camera
• Paisley scarves
• Floral/patterned/stripy dresses
• Rolled up sleeves
• Converse
• Lipstick
• French plaits/braids
• Pearl earrings

Some of these traits can be found in abundance on this blog, some less so. Do you have any isms that others use to define your style?