It's August! Let's go out and play...

August has just begun, with some sunshine! Hurrah! June has been busy, July was busier and August promised to be even more chaotic. Here are just a few of the things happening here in London:

Tashes picni..err I mean cricket match..

I’m not very interested in sport and quite disinterested in cricket. Fortunately however the annual ‘Tashes’ match, hirsute versus clean shaven seems to basically be a big picnic free for all. Held  on August 13th in the wilds of Roehampton it is an opportunity to pack a hamper, bring some bubbly and sit in the sun. Oh…and there are a few people knocking a small red ball around in the far distance. Easy to join in, or even to play some cricket: this is one of the rare instances when fake face topiary is acceptable. See here for further information:

Candlelight Club.

After Vintage at Southbank on Saturday we took a ‘breather’ at the delightful art deco Knight’s Bar above Simpson’s on the Strand. We were sitting there minding our own business drinking our cocktails when in breezed Librarian around town and NSC fixer Artemis Scarheart. In full white tie he was heading off the Candlelight club.  Entirely lit by candlelight this event has really taken off but unlike many so-called speakeasy events it does not, despite an expansion in numbers, seem to have attracted that dodgy crowd that turn up at other prohibition-inspired events. Not necessarily a typical retro crowd they do dress up, are very friendly and dance uninhibitedly. In August on the 20th they are having a Ball in an as yet secret location although they say it is somewhere special, I can really recommend this well run event with delicious cocktails, further details here.

Dancing at the Candlelight Club.

The Vintage Mafia are holding the second of their sales on Sunday 21st August at the Love Shake  Here you can find well cared for clothes at decent prices and honestly sold. Last time I picked up a lovely thirties style Karen Millen dress and a hand- made felt brooch which has earned me lots of positive comments. Pop in to Johnny Vercoutre’s Time for Tea for a quick cuppa beforehand, there are diner style drinks and food at the sale and then you can wander off to examine you buys at the pub afterwards. Perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Details here.

Stylish Clothes from stylish ladies.

Seaside frolics at the Kiss Me Quick party.

The high point of the month is for me the New Sheridan Club's Kiss me Quick! summer party on the 27th of August. These events are closer to the Chap Olympiad in spirit than anything else. They only happen twice a year and are organised for love rather than profit and are inclusive not cliquey. This summer’s theme is seaside/maritime and it will include some form of entertainment not to mention the famed silly games. They also provide an excuse to either wear your finest finery or take the more, ahem, dramatic route. My challenge this year is to choose between sailorette or pirate: now that is what I call a quandary.  This year’s event will take place in the Tea House Theatre in Vauxhall, very close to tube, train, bus connections and MI6 headquarters. Further information: here.

Photographs of recent NSC Summer events below:

A heads - up for early September , on Saturday the 10^th those lovely ladies ‘The Vintage Mafia’ are hosting their initial evening social event: ‘The Ric Rac Club’. Details are sketchy at the moment but I anticipate it will involve good music and some of London’s more stylish night owls. Bearing in mind the general ebullience of the hostesses themselves it is also very likely to be a lot of fun as they don’t take themselves too seriously. I also anticipate booze, well the venue is the Fox which is a characterful old pub close to Old Street Tube. Oh and by the way for those who may be wondering, ric rac is a kind of trimming made of curvy woven cotton, not a medieval torture gizmo! Details of the night can be found here.

Ric Rac!

New Sheridan Club Christmas Party...

The hadron collider did something with neutron-bits and speed the other day. Has it impacted on real time without our knowing? I don’t know about you but this year the acceleration of time between now and Christmas feels quite unnatural. Not that I am complaining, after spending years in Asia in a country where Yule doesn’t take place I am happy with mince pies in October and Reindeer the moment the smoke from the fireworks clear. The tinny strains of jingle bells emanating from plastic Santas in the pound shop (I am so classy) remind me that plans have to be made and presents bought.

Plans for the season  for me always include what to wear to the New Sheridan Christmas party customarily held in the twinkly and festive Punch Tavern. This year it falls on the 11^th of December. One of the joys of this event is the determination of the organisers to avoid obviously festive themes. Over the last four years we have had an Agatha Christie like murder theme at which I won the raffle booby prize: an axe. Torquil has now hidden this, admittedly I do have a bad temper. The next was 'The Kredit Krunch Kabaret 'in which the Club presciently chose to return to the Wiemar Republic and we all had fun shooting a capitalist. Last year’s 'Yes we Can Can' party saw an outbreak of Entente Cordiale and something to do with pinning a moustache on someone.  This year they have announced an Avant Garde theme with a futurist, expressionist, any damn ist theme. This is a fine choice, between the wars London’s bohemians and artists had a series of art balls with Avant Garde themes often held by the Chelsea Arts Club. My favourite was the Dazzle ball celebrating the mad yet strangely effective geometric shapes applied to battleships. Details of the 'Back to the Futurists' party can be found here along with lots of other interesting events.

One fun thing about the NSC parties is the dress up opportunity. The options are wide, jeans and trainers would frankly be silly but every thing else from a low key suit, to a sequin suit, to a birthday suit would be happily accepted.  The events are smallish and very friendly, most attendees know each other. People who turn up for the first time will find those at the party are accessible and welcoming. Overall the guests are fans of the past: Victorian to fifties with the 30’s and 40’s aficionados being probably the largest group. The membership are a real mix in background, profession, enthusiasms and political leanings. The latter is very marked, everyone from Marxists to the Libertarian right. I can always someone to bicker with. I’m also amused by the range of professions: journalists, the priest hood, policemen, poets, librarians, artists, musicians, tailors, writers, plumbers, retailers, designers, loafers and students. The NSC party's also have their parlour games, performers (up close) and a raucous raffle.They are smallish convivial events and my Christmas wouldn’t be quite the same without one. Hopefully I'll see a few of you there? xx

Yes we Can Can Party

NSC Far Pavilions Party.

NSC Kredit Krunch Kabaret Party

Get out of my nostalgic world - confessions of a retro snob?

I'd have this lot as vintage door dragons....

One of my nicest vintage friends has been getting some flak, undeservedly, for producing a measured personal account of her experience working at a certain recent purportedly vintage festival. Now I didn’t attend said festival and this post is not about it, I reserve judgement and maybe I’ll go next time. I do have something to say however about a comment, unfounded, concerning vintage ‘snobbery’.

I am coming out as a vintage snob. I am not the kind of person who believes in absolute authenticity. Good luck to you if your entire outfit was hand sewn by prisoners of war using needles fashioned from downed Messerschmidts. Quite probably you look great. But so does the girl wearing the Next vintagey dress and new look shoes that look just the same as yours. So it’s not a ‘purist’ snobbery.

Nor is it that kind of ‘I have been doing this for years’ snobbery. That shows commitment true, but not superiority. Someone who has just got into it all is a joy. The more the merrier. And if they decide next year they prefer the 80’s? It matters not and they may sell their dresses, hopefully to me, for next to nothing. So it’s not a ‘lets bash the newbie’ snobbery.

I don’t have that ‘but that isn’t period style!’ attitude. If people have gone to town, dressed up in their favourite things and are looking forward to an event, superb. It doesn’t matter if it is a contemporary minimal cocktail dress. If someone has gone for their own version of fancy pants and they feel good: great. Bring on the sequin dresses and halston inspired silky jumpsuits. Glamour is, as Gordon Gekko should have said, good. So I’m not a ‘period’ snob.

So what is my snobbery? Simply that I really really don’t want jeans, trainers, T shirts and fancy dress in my face at a vintage event. I really don’t give a monkeys if it is elitist, they can just piss off. Why the invective? Well I wear my nice little dress and go somewhere that has a retro style and elegance that appeals to the romantic in me (please see my recent post onTthe Far Pavilion Party to see what I mean). I am surrounded by lovely people who have made an effort, no matter how simple and can imagine myself somewhere wonderful. Then a group of twats wander in t shirts and crappy festival fashion and ruin it. They appear and spoil the feel for others whilst enjoying it themselves without contributing or taking part. Selfish gits.

Is it so bloody difficult to make a slight concession? Fancy dress is the worst. You spend your time having fun, collecting and enjoying music and an era then some pillock walks in a nylon wig. Would they turn up at a reggae festival and black up? No, because it is offensive. I’ll repeat it offensive. There are plenty of lovely events which make a virtue of costumes and fantasy to go to, such as The Secret Garden Party. So why come and annoy me, I'm old enough and grumpy enought as it is.

These girls are obviously hiding their Topshop togs......

Whilst for many fashion is the thing, and yes as a vintage chapette an element of wearing your best is the dressing up and showing off. But there is a difference between that and being local colour for a load of gormless festies or trendy revellers. I don’t like finding I have been invited to provide a nice vintage image for others, unless I am being paid or rewarded for doing it. If you go to a fete to demonstrate jive dancing fine, if you go to a social vintage event you are a participator not a decoration. Don't forget we get quite a lot of abuse for our vintage inclinations on a daily basis, declared 'vintage' events are our safe relaxing harbour, our fun. I can go to any All Bar One on a Saturday night and mix with Ugg boots and distressed t-shirts. I don’t go to vintage events to provide entertainment for the normals. They can go out and hire a dvd of the Great Gatsby from Blockbusters.

I’ll be nice to anyone who is nice to me and sympathetic to anyone who turns up in…shudders…trainers by accident. Similarly those who blunder in but are nice are, well, simply nice. But there is not reason why I should be expected to have my enjoyment compromised in order to be accessible to others.

So there I am, outed as a ‘snob’, or am I?

Intelligent comments welcome.

The Far Pavilions Party

Interior of Salon D'Ete Far Pavilions Party.

I suspect that many of those reading this will know of the New Sheridan Club. It is an offshoot of an offshoot of that splendid magazine The Chap (although not officially affiliated, the NSC doesn’t really do official). They hold monthly meetings in Fitzrovia upstairs in the Wheatsheaf. These usually include a small talk or show or presentation encompassing a frankly bewildering range of subjects. Yours truly once gave a talk on typewriters cunningly disguised as a discourse on vampires. It is quite a blokey version of vintageyness. Be prepared for blathering on about cricket and other entirely tedious gentlemanly pursuits. However the reactionary wannabe an aristo type of pseudo doesn’t really fit in here, but the profoundly eccentric or simply cheerful type does.

The Committee themselves, an entirely voluntary foursome set the tone: the Chairman, whom I, ahem know rather well is a furry charmball who tempers his cleverness with, well, light inebriation. Artemis the Louche Librarian, quipper and afficianado of rather severe uniforms. Mr Clayton Hartley whose expression of bemused dapperness hides a handiness with both saucepan and bass guitar (although thankfully not at once) and the other Chairman, a gentleman who combines dressing his infant daughter up in a series of bizarre hats with running an imaginary rowing club.

Mr Clayton Hartley

The club which has about 300 members across the globe has an influence in vintage circles as pernicious as the illuminati. The dominate the Chap Olympiad, can be seen faffing around at most retro events (or more likely propping up the bar) but their most natural environment is the NSC party. An event that descends upon London twice a year. The Christmas ones are distinctly lacking in yuletide references, 2008’s ‘Kredit Krunk Kabaret’ was followed by last years superb ‘Yes we can can’ do. A couple of weeks ago saw this year’s Summer event, of which this post is supposed to be a review.

The Far Pavilions Party was held this year at the Salon D’Ete, a pop up club near Selfridges set up by NSC members Ed Saperia , Willow and with chef Will Sprunt (also a club member). Prominently featuring lots of greenery and with a glass roof it has the air of a colonial café circa 1890. Thus the theme. This was interpreted very widely by the attendees. One of the strengths of these parties is that people do go for it, although the NSC member tends to be the kind of person that has fly whisks, pith helmets and silk kimonos in their wardrobes. We had lots of khaki and the British raj, but also elements of South Asia and the Orient.

Far Pavilions guests..

Plotting under the palms..

Torquil Arbuthnot manned the door, looking frankly rather seedy in a Last Man in Africa Foreign Correspondent gone to pot way. MC Fruity manned the shellac playing hits from the 30’s and 40’s. There were at various points during the event, outbreaks of lindy hopping, jiving and a large amount of maniacal Charlestoning.


This is what you get when you play music people actually want to dance to. Live music was also provided by one half of Twin and Tonic and her band.

One of the unique elements is that NSC parties have games, cheese rolling, pinning the moustache on Poirot, Tiger Hunting and my personal favourite so far ‘shoot the capitalist’. This years games included balloon shaving and poppadom shooting, an interesting indoor variation clay pigeon shooting.

Poppadom shooting.

The committee had cleverly obtained some ‘subsidised gin’, which softened the shock of the usual bar prices (usual for Mayfair that is) along with free white absinthe from the absinthe ‘fairy’. Some of those who indulged in the latter reported the next day that they did indeed feel as if they had spent the night in a fairy ring: having their head walloped with a big stick.

It was a good atmospheric night and I have few criticisms. Letting in non NSC members or friends was not perhaps the best idea, some were really annoying but fortunately they were outnumbered. This also watered down the usual feeling of clubby repartee and membership. It did feel a bit more like a club night than a party. But as a change it was a good evening and vastly superior to most of its competition. Congratulations to the organisers and to the attendees!

NSC Ladies...

Yours truly....
last 2 pics courtesy of Jenny

Redleg's Retro Rave Up!

I didn’t go to Vintage at Goodwood, and although people had a good time on reflection, weather, queues, primark an’ all I am quite glad I didn’t. However it is all well and good (and a national pastime) to have a good moan but have any of us considered how we would go about it ourselves? I have thought about the kind of vintage event(s) I’d enjoy and came to the conclusion of how I’d do it. Welcome to Redleg’s Retro Rave-Up (first thing I would do is change the name!)

Era. I’d go for an inclusive 20’s/30’s and 40’s theme. The reasons for this are that:

a) The 20’s and 30’s are under-represented.

b) The 40’s on it’s own gets bogged down in the war which are covered in re-enactment events although forties home-front style would be welcomed.

c) The music and dance of the period, jazz, swing, big band, lindy-hop, jive etc works across the periods and might appeal to fifties fans too.

Location. Smaller events appeal to me and this kind of location would suit:

a) Somewhere like Bisley where the Hotrod Hayride is held. It is close to London, near a major train line, has camping facilities and a charming retro-feel. No Glamping or camp apartheid.

b) A London park ie Victoria or Crystal Palace Parks. Easy to get to, a huge range of accommodation on the doorstep and historical park features (boating lakes, bandstands, dinosaurs). Plus profits go to local council.

c) Cost: daily advance entry, reasonable pitch and vendor charges to cover licensing, security, amenities and clean-up. Sponsorship welcome only from relevant suppliers ie: gin and lingerie companies.

Organisation. Divide into four sections:

a) The Chap Olympiad in one section (because you can never have too many Chap Olympiads!)

b) A vintage fete: beer and cider tents, entertainment marquees and bands, performers and activities. And bumper cars.

c) Vintage flea market: vendors, vintage emporiums.

d) Arena. Area for display of cars, motorbikes, bicycles, utility vehicles and other shiny things that people are proud of.

Things I’d like to see?

A dress code at the entry gates.

Lectures on dress from various periods and how to preserve, care and clean vintage clobber. Fan painting.

Men’s hat doffing classes.

A dog show.

A fashion show a la the Chapwalk but where visitors can sign up on the day and show off their best togs.

A bonfire of jeans to end the day with pagan purification.

Now I just need someone with a bit of cash to help out with the funding.

Would you come to this or do you have ideas for your perfect vintage beano, please share, who knows perhaps a future organiser might listen, so please comment. x