Stands sold vintage clothes, shoes and accessories under a clear blue sky without a cloud in sight. Vintage cars, polished to within an inch of their lives, glinted in the sunshine ready for the parade in the showground. And all against a backdrop of the rolling hills of Cranbourne Chase, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
People rolled up to camp for the weekend in classic caravans and tents and whole vintage families complete with babies in knitted romper suits and retro prams, turned up to enjoy the laid-back festival atmosphere. Women and girls wandered around with their hair in amazing styles courtesy of The Vintage Hair Lounge, a fabulous travelling vintage hair and makeup outfit.
In the evening The Obscuritones rocked the place with their blend of original and covered rockabilly songs. We sat with friends on deckchairs by the Silver Rocketeer, an iconic Jetstream caravan which has been converted into a cocktail bar, and watched a group of dancers jive the night away and I longed for my old friend and dancing partner, Steve, who taught me to jive when I was in my 20s.
It also brought back memories of (wait for it....) dancing on stage with Showaddywaddy at the Bahrain Bankers club in the early 1990s. Yes, dear reader, you heard it here first. I have danced on stage with Showaddywaddy. What's more, as Dave Bartram threw me in the air - a feat he'd certainly struggle to do these days, not least because he must be at least 103, and certainly nothing to do with my two decades of weight gain - I split my skirt from hem to waistband. As he caught me, he stated the obvious 'you've split your skirt haven't you' and ever the gentleman, offered to give me his jacket to hide my embarrassment. Embarrassed? Moi? I thought it would be a much better idea to just wiggle my knicker-clad bum at the audience. Well, it was during The Drinking Years! There are people sitting on the boards of major international banks who have seen my knickers. But back to the Vintage Nostalgia Show.
It was a perfect, balmy early summer evening and everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, danced their bobby-socks off.
The next day, we went back with The Girl, who had her eye on some vintage clothes. I'd read in the paper that since 1952 womens' waistlines have grown by 7 inches, and certainly, looking at some of the clothes there was no way an average 2000s girl was going to get into them. Fortunately for The Girl, she has a perfect 1950s figure with a lovely nipped in waist and we found her a fantastic dress which fitted her like a glove.
We cooled off with some delicious cones from 'Mimi', a VW split screen camper who is enjoying a new lease of life as an ice cream van.
and admired a few more vintage cars
On our way out, we met Russ, the organiser, who looked like he needed to sleep for a week. He told us the inaugural event had gone well and that it would definitely be happening again next year. As The Husband said as we walked to the car, 'that was how Glastonbury started.'
3 comments:
What a fantastic weekend it sounds - and you had great weather.
I found a vintage dress...very fifties...in a ropa americana (second hand clothes shop) last week.
What you say about waists is very true....
Showaddywaddy? Plainly you have lived among gods.
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