Vintage wedding frocks!

Almost a whole year married and I'm still slowly weaning myself off drooling at wedding dresses, particularly vintage wedding dresses. Admittedly a lot of the beautiful dresses I've come across would do absolutely nothing for me but I love the idea of finding dresses out there that other girls would love. I wonder would anyone hire me as a wedding dress tracker-downer!? I don't think you should have to pay a lot for vintage, with a little bit of internet trawling you will find something perfect for less than €500, and maybe a tiny fraction of that.
Bear in mind that you may have to get the dress drycleaned and this will be pricey. I used Craft Cleaners on Baggott St to clean my lace 1960s wedding dress, it cost €120 which was less than it costs to clean a new dress but I then had a very nervous 2 weeks wondering if it would come back to me in shreds! ( No reflection on Craft Cleaners, they are expert cleaners and do specialise in vintage wear but they had warned me aged fabrics can just spontaneously fall apart upon washing with even the best care.)

1950s Vintage polka dot dress €236 from TimelessVixenVintage on http://www.etsy.com/

1950s lace tunic currently on Ebay for less than €10 but shipping from the USA...

1950s lace wedding dress, bids starting at £50 on Ebay

Obviously the major issue with buying online is that you can't try the dress on before you buy, which is a bit of a gamble, but a good dressmaker could alter it to fit as long as it is on the big side.
To avoid such problems there are some great vintage boutiques in Ireland where you can try on beautiful pre-cleaned wedding dresses with helpful advice and pampering to boot, the first one that springs to mind is Dirty Fabulous, where I got my own dress! As well as beautiful vintage pieces they have recently sourced a vintage inspired range which runs to larger sizes than the often eensy genuine vintage dresses.

1950s inspired wedding dress €740

When you consider that the cost of most new modern wedding dresses is an average of €1,600 these dresses are infinitely more affordable, quirky and unique, and a nod to vintage without the teeny sizing and risk of imperfections.

Some of the Irish vintage stores that stock bridalwear:

Dirty Fabulous, Dublin ~ http://www.dirtyfabulous.com/
Enchanted Vintage, Sligo ~ http://www.vintageclothing.ie/
The Goddess Room, Wicklow ~www.thegoddessroom.net
Hayworth Vintage, Dublin ~www.hayworthvintage.com
After Sybil, Cork ~www.aftersybil.com
De Paor Designs, Wicklow ~www.depaordesigns.com/
Oxfam Bridal, Dublin ~http://www.oxfamireland.org/oxfambridal

Yup. Still obsessed.

Had to add this beautiful vintage art-deco inspired Phase Eight dress I came across today, available on www.johnlewis.com and at £450 not at all unreasonable for a wedding dress.

Phase Eight Elizabeth wedding dress with beaded bodice £450

Beautiful metallic bags

I cam across these beauties from Zatchel yesterday, they are so beautiful, a little pricey at £109 but such a bold statement, and they're only going to improve with age. And a classic satchel is never going to go out of fashion! You can find them at http://www.zatchel.com/.

My initial internet search was inspired by this offering from the Cambridge Satchel Company on http://www.asos.com/, it's amazing but maybe a little too shiny? Can't help but feel it would be somewhat of a hazard, attracting medieval knights on the hunt for the Holy Grail and suchlike.......

Cambridge Satchel Company £110

Can you hear choirs of angels?

Love of the day

I love the muted colours here, these M Missoni dresses remind me of the faded yellowed photos from the 1970s where the colours are all slightly off , there's something lovely and nostalgic about them.

M Missoni Colour block dress €262 ASOS

M Missoni Double halterneck dress €192 ASOS

Vintage handbag offerings

I love bags as much as the next girl but the huge satchel bags that we're supposed to all love right now are just too big for me, I'm small and a big bag just swamps me.
All the bags that have resonated with me, the bags that friends have had and I've envied to the point of almost stealing them, are invariably vintage bags. Beautiful, classic and manageably sized.
 Personally I love the doctor bag style but there's so many different sizes and shapes out there, there's something for everyone. I think it's a great way of buying leather for a good price and expressing your own style rather than going down the mass-produced route.

1960s blue handbag €40 Vintage Trig

Vintage "skin" bag €45 Vintage Trig -how cool would this be as a laptop bag?

Vintage french Zara satchel €78.40 Dandelion Daydreamer

I love this. I may just buy it when I'm finished posting! Doctor's bag €56 Dandelion Daydreamer

French vintage tan messenger bag €63.88 Dandelion Daydreamer

This beautiful caramelly chestnutty colour only comes with age!

1950s snakeskin bag €71 Dandelion Daydreamer

Doctor's bag by Allencompanyinc on Etsy €71

Bronze beaded bag 1930s €150 The Goddess Room. It's pricey but it's more an antique than just vintage. You're buying history!

1950s tortoise-shell lucite box bag €141.25 Devoted 2 Vintage

19602 wood&burlap box bag €96.05 Devoted 2 Vintage

Amazing black leather bag from the 1940s €108 by blackflamingovintage on Etsy

 I have always loved wicker things, it's lovely and creaky and makes me think of picnics and summer and nature!

1960s picnic box from HavePitty on Etsy. Faux leather but it is only €11. And very cute.

Perfect for a Mad Men moment !

Update: I bought this on Etsy to go with a black pencil dress I've added feather trim to, mixing up my 50s and 60s a little but hey I think it works! It was only €9 from Sailorettes on Etsy.

Melissa Diamantidi A/W 2011

I came across this designer on my internet trawls, I love the materials used and the attitude throughout.

I love bronze!

Her jewellery is amazing, so unusual.

Really want leather sleeves but not sure I can carry them off?

She is inspired by strong , feisty women. I think I'd feel pretty fierce wearing these.

Too old for Oxegen

I am as big a music fan as the next person and there are quite a few bands I love playing Oxegen this weekend but I am soooooo glad I'm not there tonight!

I'm lying on the sofa, with a glass of wine and a Twirl, I'm warm and dry and will tip off to bed in an hour or so where I will actually be able to sleep! Nobody will drunkenly stand on my head. I will not wake up shivering at 5am with a wet tent stuck to the side of my head thinking the world has ended. Nobody will keep me awake til 8am singing Coldplay very badly (Is there an ok version of a Coldplay song?). I may also wake up with a hangover but I will have full access to showers/cups of tea/hairdryers/clean things.

No food is this nice. I have no patience.

Actually quite a challenge to set wet tents on fire. Bear Gryllis are you taking notes?

 Ok I am officially old. But I don't care dammit! I need never darken the door of a Portaloo again!

Tooled leather

Now you'll have no  problem coming across lots of tooled leather bags if you're off to Morocco for your holliers but if not, here are come nice vintage finds from Etsy I came across.

1960s tooled leather bag €27 Etsy.com

1970s tooled bag also Etsy.com €42

1980s tan faux leather messenger bag €29 Etsy Am including this fake leather cos of the cool clasp.

 Three decades of very lovely baggage.

Kate Moss Wedding

Kate Moss looks just lovely in her wedding photos, not overdone, over-polished, overly groomed. She looks like herself, but happier, which is exactly what the perfect bride should be.

I don't really love the choice of suit/tie/hairstyle on the groom's part but it does add to the laid-back, care-free, summery vibe, said she grudgingly.

Oh gosh yes, The Kills, how terribly rock 'n' roll! Up there with Jimi.

Whether or not your friend is a world-renowned designer it must be lovely to wear a wedding dress designed especially for you by a really good friend. It is perfect for her, simple, laid-back and pretty cool.

Love the vintagey elfin/medieval feel to both dress and veil

Looks like little Lila has inherited both her mother's looks and poise.

Hope they had a wonderful day.