Rajah Quilt, Made by convicts on board HMS Rajah, 1841, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra 
Right to Life, by Grayson Perry, 1998.
Coverlet (detail), Ann West, U.K. 1820.
Asafo Flag from Adire African Textiles
Adire African Textiles have a great website and blog where you can learn in depth about these fantastic and historical pieces and traditions.
Photographs from Janes Antiques
It is hard to imagine what the British public felt when they were informed about their country and France being at war with Germany. We can get a good idea about the way people had to make do with much less - but somehow still managed to make themselves and their homes look immaculate.
Clothing items became much more tailored which was caused by the shortage of pretty much everything including fabrics. Designers didn't have much to work with which resulted in a more fitted look and more details were added to make up for the lack of pleats, which would have required more material.
A small snippet of fabric went a long way if added as a decorative pocket flap for example. One label/stamp to look out for is 'CC41' which stands for Civilian Clothing 1941, these items are very rare but you can find some true gems at Tin Tin Collectables:
Pretty blouse with 'CC41' label from Tin Tin Collectables
Original 'CC41' labelled socks from Tin Tin Collectables
Original 'CC41' labelled children's boots from Tin Tin Collectables
Just like food, clothing required tokens and if you wanted to get something very fancy this required the use of a large amount of tokens. No wonder most women perfected the art of making clothes out of fabrics or old dresses.
Should you have found a true vintage gem not in its best condition and don't possess the expertise to bring it back to its former glory, pay a visit to Empire Vintage, where the very skilled Julie Elgar will be happy to take on your project. While you are there why not have a rummage for another vintage bargain?
Lovely dressing corner in Empire Vintage
Should you be tempted to try your hand at sewing/mending yourself you might want to look at getting a vintage tailors dummy. They are not only useful for dressmaking but if you get a lovely vintage one they are great for adding a feminine touch to any space.
Why not use it to showcase your favourite vintage finds or projects? Stephen Lazarus has this beautiful vintage Singer model for sale at the moment:
Original Singer tailor's dummy at Stephen Lazarus
It is definitely hard to find 40's items, not only because they are so rare but also because that era was dominated by the war, thus design and style was not a very important factor. Saying that, people did make a point of dressing up when going for dinner (if they could afford it), it was important to look one's best when out in public.
We feel that back then ladies seemed to be a lot better at doing their hair, for modern women like us, all the gorgeous vintage hairstyles look masterpieces which we could never manage to create ourselves. Fret not - the ladies at Nina's Hair Parlour know all the secrets to turn anyone's bad hair day to one of vintage glamour.
Lovely 40's updo at Nina's Vintage Hair Parlour
And for those that are looking for a perfect gift but can't quite decide what to get, why not purchase some beautiful gift certificates that would put a smile on any vintage lover's face?
We are mad about vintage, not much of a surprise there, but we are also into art, style and fun. All of these can be found here at Alfies, but there is also a new exhibition in town that will guarantee to satisfy you vintage lovers' need for all of the above.
From tonight you can extend your visit at Alfies by taking a short bus ride to Camden to see a new exhibition. The work shown is (partly previously unpublished) photographs by Berlin based photographer David Biene, who has spent the majority of the past few years travelling around Europe attending so called 'weekenders'.
His book 'Hopped-Up' is a portrait of the European scene of the Hot Rodding culture. David Biene uses fine art photography and sophisticated face-to-face interviews to present all the different facets of this subculture and some of its protagonists. This book is about real people and about personalities. It is about true enthusiasm and passion, about sweat and fun, about friendship and individuality. As well as about style and photography.
If you would like to see stunning evidence of a very much alive subculture inspired by the past, enjoy some music from a long gone era and meet the photographer himself you should RSVP to info@proudgalleries.co.uk now. The private opening will be between 6:30pm and 8:30pm followed by live music and the chance to explore 'Hopped-Up' a bit deeper 'til late. Should you not be able to make it tonight don't fret, the exhibition is on until early April.
For those of you who would like to look the part but don't have the wardrobe yet we recommend a little shopping spree to Alfies beforehand where you will definitely be able to find some stunning outfits. And to finish off the look we suggest you get on the phone to Nina's Vintage Hair Parlour and book an appointment to get a sleek hairdo. Oh yes, it will be a long night, so be sure to grab a bite to eat from our Rooftop Restaurant! Right, all set, what's stopping you?
