The Right Trousers

OK, I think I've kept you all in suspense for long enough.  Time to reveal The Main Present that was given to me on my 30th birthday back in August.  Only a couple of weeks ago was it completely finished and finally delivered into my hands and now I have had the chance to take some suitable photographs for inclusion in this, a rare outfit post.  Outfit, I hear you ask?  Yes indeed, for it is... an authentically cut pair of fishtail trousers, plus braces, from Darcy Clothing (courtesy of mother - thanks Ma)!

Here they are modelled properly by Darcy Clothing's own man:

Fishtail back trousers from Darcy Clothing

And here they are modelled less professionally by the author(!):

Having had my eye on a proper pair of traditional trousers for some little time now and with the products in high street shops coming up woefully short in general style, comfort and fit (literally), not to mention quality it was agreed that an authentic pair of high-waisted trews would be mater's present to me on my thirtieth.  Bowing to my superior knowledge(!) and after much deliberation, a pair of Darcy's fishtail back trousers was decided upon and ordered.  (Other traditional outfitters were considered, as was the idea of locating an original vintage pair of slacks, but Darcy's won through in the end and I was reminded of my previous musings when it came to trying to locate an original pair.)

Forgive the sea of creases.  I'm really a pedantic ironer (and I enjoy
it, too!) but once it's all on, and with braces, well, it doesn't take long...
(The chain cuff links a present from my aunt & uncle in the USA)

Arriving promptly (and well-packaged) along with the requisite pair of proper button-on braces, the unfinished trews were handed on to mother for adjustment (cue much umm-ing and aah-ing, consulting of YouTube videos, measuring and remeasuring etc.).  And so it was a couple of weeks ago that they found their way back to me, properly (and professionally thanks to the master sewer of the family) finished to the right length, complete with turn-ups.  Earlier this week I took the opportunity to wear them and take some long-overdue photographs.

The fit and comfort, I should add, is first rate, with a perfect rise (an important requirement for a chap with long legs and a short body!) and a fine waist (Darcy's waist sizes are always on the conservative side, which is only a good thing as far as I'm concerned - getting the measurements right is the most off-putting aspect of buying online, I find).  The quality is more than acceptable; I chose a cotton fabric, although it is also possible to get them in harder-wearing corduroy or moleskin, and it is lightweight and well put together - as one would expect from a hand cut authentic pattern.  There was much deliberation on colour - being only trousers I wanted to get ones that matched the majority of my existing clothes (particularly jackets) - and here was the one area where Darcy Clothing's website could come in for some criticism as they don't currently give full descriptions of every colour choice (of which there are many).  "Gold", "tan" and "bottle green" are all clear enough but "colour 7", "colour 8" and "colour 11" aren't all that helpful and leave you staring at a computer screen trying to work out the shade for yourself.  (I suppose if you really wanted to be sure you could always telephone them and ask.)  Eventually we crossed our fingers and went with "colour 9 brown cotton herringbone" but I think you'd agree that from some angles there's more than a hint of grey in the image.

With the beige wide herringbone shirt from this post, an old tie from
goodness knows where (probably a charity job), brown pinstripe
waistcoat from British Home Stores (from a time when BHS had
clothes worth buying) and my late maternal grandfather's fob chain.

Thankfully when they arrived they were most definitely brown and just the right shade too - enough that they near-as-makes-no-difference go with my brown waistcoat, and will doubtless go with at least three of my jackets plus many more jumpers besides.  Now I am that much closer to a full-on vintage[-style] ensemble and, having successfully bought high-waisted trousers online, keen to continue adding to my wardrobe (as my wallet permits, of course!).  Who knows, maybe by the time I'm 35 I'll have a whole outfit(!)...

To top off this little rig, and because by this time I was getting quite caught up with the look (what right thinking chap wouldn't?) I dug out my Christy's trilby and was more than a little pleased with the result, if I do say so myself.

Well I hope you've enjoyed seeing all these pictures of my latest sartorial acquisition as as much as I have wearing it and I trust it was worth the wait too?  It certainly was for me - I think I'll have a job getting on with most modern trews now that I've experienced the comfort of these high-waisters!  It may also seem a silly thing to say but I feel another step further along now in reaching the vintage look I've always aimed for.  I'm looking forward now to getting a lot of wear out of these, day to day and - who knows? - maybe at the odd event or two!

Birthday tripper

So, I do believe I promised a little while ago an account of my doings on my birthday last month and now all the photos are gathered in here it finally is!  Actually this will be one of two posts, the other to feature The Main Present that I've been teasing you all with and which has just recently made it's completed appearance following some final adjustments in the skillful hands of mater - that's the only clue you'll get until the big reveal!  I could have lumped everything together in one post but it would have been very picture heavy and probably a bit of a snore after a while so here's the day out first, with the gift post to follow shortly.

My original plan had been to attend the Barrelhouse Stomp 1940s Weekend at Battlesbridge, as mentioned previously here, but as my health was (and still is) playing Lucky Dip with me come that weekend I didn't feel that I would do the event justice (and as it also turned out the local railway branch line that would normally have taken me there was closed for engineering work!) so I went with the consolation prize of a day trip to nearby Old Leigh on the Thames Estuary.

Leigh Creek and some of the fishing fleet, taken from the quay.

Old Leigh is a quaint little fishing village that sits on the banks of the Thames Estuary in Essex, a couple of miles west of Southend and roughly opposite the Isle of Grain in Kent.  While the main town of Leigh-on-sea has evolved into part of the London commuter belt, albeit still very much with a small seaside town flavour (although in recent years a little bit of "yuppyness" has crept in as evidenced by the types of some high street shops and, I'm afraid, prices in a few of the charities) and some lovely history, Old Leigh has remained very much as it was at the turn of the 20th century.  True it does play up its heritage a bit for the tourists these days but it is still a wonderful place to visit for us locals too and is best known for its seafood, which remains the village's prime industry (as you can probably tell from the first picture).  Cockles, winkles, crabs, all sorts of fish - it's all available at Old Leigh's many seafood merchants!

Very windy on the quayside!!

It was a lovely warm albeit sometimes cloudy Sunday in August when mater and I went there and more than a bit breezy at certain unprotected points!  The place was also heaving with people, quite the busiest I'd seen it in a while, as everyone made the most of the late summer weather.  We did two lengths of the old high street, taking in the splendid old fishermans' houses (many still private dwellings), the novelty shops, the two museums/galleries, and the many cafés, restaurants and fishmongers which litter the place (and all of which were packed!).  We eventually found ourselves back at Osborne's Café, which was busy (busier than in the photo below!) but still had a few seats free.  I had a couple of crab rolls (yummy!) and mother had a crab roll, a cheese & onion roll and some rollmops.  Rollmops, in case you're wondering, are pickled herrings wrapped around sliced onions/gherkins/olives etc.  Not so yummy in my opinion (!) - I like my herrings kippered personally ;).

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After lunch we decided to burn it all off by walking from Old Leigh into Leigh-on-sea town centre, via the intimidatingly long and steep Church Hill.  Starting a little way above the shoreline it runs all the way up to Leigh Broadway (the high street).  In its present location it dates from 1838 and the church at the summit, St Clement's, can trace its construction back to the 1400s (although there is evidence of a church on the site from as early as 1248).

Church Hill runs for about 520ft and blimey, is it steep!  We stopped a few times, not only to rest but to take photographic advantage of the rewards such an old route provides!

This is actually someone's back gate!

Quite apart from the historic nature of the hill and its immediate surroundings, there are fantastic views of Leigh Marshes and the estuary to be had on the way up.  The people living on the terraces that branch off either side are lucky blighters and no mistake!

Just starting off...

The top at last!  Long way, isn't it?

At the top there are more rewards to be enjoyed in the form of Leigh Library Gardens on one side of the summit and the aforementioned St Clement's church on the other.  We got our breath back in the gardens before having a look around the churchyard.

The entrance to Leigh Library Gardens

You'll have to excuse the decidedly non-vintage sunglasses and drinks bottle!

St Clement's Church, Leigh-on-sea

By the time we reached Leigh-on-sea town centre proper the afternoon was fast drawing to an end and most of the shops were closing up, so we didn't bother perusing anywhere but instead made our way home.

All in all it was a smashing day out and a very nice way to spend my birthday weekend in the end.  [Old] Leigh has always been one of my favourite day trip destinations and I will no doubt return there again soon; if you're ever in the area I can certainly recommend visiting!

Squads & Shirts

Hello-ello, remember me?!  I wouldn't blame you if you don't!

Once again I feel I must apologise for the lack of activity hereabouts; certain factors have meant this poor little blog has been awfully neglected recently.  Until things pick up, here's the first of two or three posts related to my 30th birthday a couple of weeks ago on the 19th August - a short presentation(!) of some of the things I got that are of a vintage bent.

Beige wide herringbone classic fit from Charles Tyrwhitt

Although not properly vintage as in "old", men's shirts can have a timeless quality to them particularly if one is discerning with the cut, style and colour (no bright colours or cutaway collars here!) and as my wardrobe needed refreshing some brand spanking new ones made their way to me in the week following the 19th.  A chap doesn't turn 30 every day so I decided to treat myself with some birthday money to four shirts from Charles Tyrwhitt, one of the newer (but no less worthy for that) names on London's famous Jermyn Street.

Light yellow wide herringbone classic fit from Charles Tyrwhitt

The herringbone shirts are easily equal to the two from Ede & Ravenscroft and Hawes & Curtis (both bargainous £3.95 charity shop finds from last couple of years!) that already grace my wardrobe and the poplins aren't far behind either.

Cream poplin classic fit shirt from Charles Tyrwhitt

I kept largely to plain, simple shades to maximise their use (and, of course, because they suited my taste!).  I fancied a bit of a pattern for at least one, though, and the red and blue check caught my eye.  The beige shirt has also has hints of pink to it in some lights, which is a bonus.  I'd love to have been able to show you some pictures of them as worn, or at least at chez Partington-Plans, but my ancient digital camera chooses not to show them in all their glory regardless of the ambient lighting so I'm afraid you'll have to make do with these borrowed images.

Red & blue grid check classic fit shirt from Charles Tyrwhitt

Likewise with the two new cravats I got from Tom Sawyer Waistcoats - two new colours/designs to add to my growing collection. 

Aubergine & mauve circles day Cravat, Tom Sawyer Waistcoats

Both should go well with most of those shirts, don't you think?  I hope to be able to bring you a proper outfit post or two (with my own, better pictures!) featuring combinations of them all, plus an extra-special surprise clothing present that is still in the final stages of completion.  You'll just have to wait and see what it is!

Richmond check day cravat, Tom Sawyer Waistcoats

Finally for this post, a new DVD (one of four but the only one set in the 1940s) - Gangster Squad!

I had really wanted to see this at the cinema back in January but alas it coincided with a hospital stay so it had to end up on the DVD list.  I had seen nothing of it beyond the trailers and of the four films I got this was the one I had the least expectations of, so I was more than delighted to discover that it really is a very good film that could easily stand comparison with the likes of The Untouchables and L.A. Confidential.  I would certainly recommend it and, if I get my act together, it may one day feature on the currently dormant Film Friday gangster series of blog posts.  Maybe.



That's it for now, though, but I hope to be back before too long with the aforementioned extra birthday posts plus more usual fare.

Pip-pip!

A quiet little corner

Is what this blog is in danger of becoming.  Ray Noble & his Orchestra featuring Al Bowlly do indeed pose the pertinent lyrical question.

But don't worry, folks!  With luck vintage news will pick up again in the coming weeks and autumn is just around the corner - my favourite season and a chance to dig into my more substantial "A/W" (as the fashion houses would call it!) wardrobe.

A week has passed since my 30th birthday and I hope before too much longer to have an extensive post written up to do it justice - as soon as mater gets photos of the day to me (and finishes off her present!) and the Royal Mail deliver some remaining gifts (the perils of a bank holiday weekend!).  Until then here's a little taster of where I went the Sunday before my birthday - and it was a lot busier than this!

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The Crooked Billet/ Osborne's Cafe, Old Leigh[-on-sea] Essex

The Barrelhouse Stomp Forties Weekend

I don't often feature events like vintage weekenders on this blog, mainly because I can never seem to get to them for one reason or other, or that they're usually comprehensively covered by others (who certainly seem to have a great time at them!).  With The Barrelhouse Stomp, though, I just might make an exception - for reasons that will become apparent very shortly!

First of all, I simply haven't seen it widely advertised.  If anything deserves greater exposure it is vintage events like this and it occurred to me who would enjoy them more than my fellow vintage bloggers?!

I only found out about it because it is local to me - by far and away the nearest one of these things has been to my location that I can remember.  So one of my usual hurdles - logistics - is practically nullified.  The place where it is being held has long been one of my favourite haunts (although I don't get over there as much as I would like to these days) and I think you can see why!

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Situated in the charming rural hamlet of Battlesbridge on the River Crouch, the Battlesbridge Antiques Centre consists of more than eighty - yes, you read that correctly, 80 - antiques dealers spread over five buildings.  What you see in the above picture is the Old Mill, now containing five storeys of antique goodness!  Beyond that and slightly further down the road (to the left) there are four more buildings/complexes full of all the odds and ends you can imagine.  Overall it is, according to the website, the largest antiques centre in the whole of Essex!  (British readers may have seen it featured in past episodes of Antiques Road Trip). Less than one hour from London [Liverpool Street] by train, too!

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There are a couple of cafes on site, as well as two public houses including the excellent The Hawk (which I can highly recommend), so there's no wanting for refreshment either.

Events such as classic car shows, autojumbles, rockabilly concerts and boat shows are held at Battlesbridge all year round, although it would be well worth visiting even without them.  The Barrelhouse Stomp, however, looks to be one of the biggest I've seen yet and I have my fingers crossed that it will be a success. 

As such I am seriously considering attending at least one day to see for myself.  I know I've long been a terrible one for prevaricating - saying I might go to this, or see that, or whatever and then finding some excuse as to why I didn't go - and I apologise for that.  Granted more recently the excuse has been the very real one of my health (or lack of it) and that will be my overriding concern on this occasion too.  But assuming I'll be up to it - and can cobble together a vaguely '40s-looking outfit - this may be the one that breaks my duck.  Oh, and the fact that it's the weekend nearest my 30th birthday ought to be added incentive as well, don't you think?

I'll post a reminder/update or two of this event nearer the time and - hopefully! - one reporting back on it as well.  Any readers within striking distance who might be interested in attending I would be very glad to meet up with should I make it - maybe consider this an unofficial birthday party invitation!

Slipper, (car) boot, hat and kettle - no, it's not Monopoly!

Only about half as big as this today, the Nevendon boot sale
(since when did boot sales have their own website?!)

First of all apologies for a week of radio silence, but some times these dry news spells come along and as much as I would like you to think I was gadding about during my "birthday week" I actually wasn't up to much of interest - I really am rather a boring fellow most of the time!  Although I did go to my first car boot sale for years today, a length of time made all the more shameful by the fact that it takes place just a mile down the road.  Two (or three if there's a bank holiday) times a week.  Today I resolved to check it out though and I must admit I've rediscovered the car boot bug.  I didn't end up buying anything but among the piles of charity shop rejects and dubious electrical appliances there were a few interesting items and I shall certainly be returning there in short order.

However, I did promise to show you my birthday presents when they arrived.  Well... most of them still haven't!  This is what comes of liking things that are not readily available in your high street shops, which these days usually results in money changing hands with the instruction to "buy something you like, you know where to get these things".  Not that I am for one second ungrateful for this, not a bit of it, but it of course adds to the equation time spent ordering gifts and waiting for them to be delivered.  A wait compounded by the presence of a bank holiday in the week following my birthday.  What this means is that of the objects I am about to show you, only one is currently in my possession - the others are still en route.

Churchill Grecian Slipper in brown (also available in black)
£17.50 (from £60) plus £5.75 p+p from Samuel Windsor

The item that has already reached me, that I have on my feet (big clue!) even as I type (not with my feet, you understand) is a new pair of... slippers!  I've never been one for just taking my shoes off indoors so the only gentlemanly answer is a pair of comfortable slippers.  Every other year or so I buy a new pair when the old ones wear out but this year I thought I'd try something a little different.  Whereas since time immemorial I've had standard cloth, rubber-soled jobs from Clarks et al., for some while I'd had my eyes of a pair of allegedly "handmade" full leather slippers from Samuel Windsor.  The splendid-sounding (and -looking) Churchill Grecian Slipper "comes from the Edwardian gentlemen's era" (so that had my attention immediately) and is supposedly handmade from the "finest" leather - upper and sole - and wool (for the lining).  The price - £17.50 (plus £5.75 p+p), still no more than I would have paid for a normal pair, from a RRP of £60 - ensured that my attention did not wander and the promise of "hardwearing properties" sealed the deal.  I've heard mixed reviews of Samuel Windsor and its wares in the past but I honestly can't envisage these being any worse than your bog standard house shoe, so I'm looking forward to these moccasins lasting longer than a couple of years.

When they first arrived they were a little tight despite being the size 10 I usually take, but a helpful note included in the box suggested that if this were the case I should remove the wool-lined innersoles and wear the slippers for about a week to allow them to "give" a little for "a perfect fit".  This was the one surprise for me; being used to a cloth slipper that would give and feel completely comfortable almost instantly these initially felt more like proper shoes, which being all-leather should not have come as a total surprise.  I'm happy to say that they are becoming more comfortable by the day (they arrived on Saturday) and I have high hopes that within a fortnight they should indeed be a perfect fit.

Staying with the sartorial theme my favourite online hatters (who I will continually recommend to anyone who will listen) came up trumps again with a sunhat that I hope will get some use before what passed for summer this year comes to an end.  Some of you may recall the grey fedora I purchased from Village Hats back in '09 (actually just before I started this blog, but I have mentioned it since).  Now along with the still-available (albeit now slightly more expensive) felt version a new straw one seems to have appeared as well!  I'd been after a new Panama-style hat for some time; the one I currently have, a Debenhams purchase from some years ago, while perfectly serviceable always had too high a crown I felt.  Attempting to counteract this by pushing the hat down low would only leave me with a noticeable dent in my hair(!).  This new hat, being a C-crown, shouldn't cause me to suffer from the same problem.  Plus at only £16.96 how could I resist?  (Admittedly this was with a 15% off code and free shipping - but I really do suggest signing up to Village Hats' newsletter which frequently contains such discounts on top of their already quite reasonable prices).

Jaxon Hats Summer C-Crown Fedora in Ivory (also available in Natural)
£19.95 (plus £1.50 p+p) from Village Hats

My final item is a mixture of style and necessity.  I believe it was Jeremy Clarkson who once said that you know you're grown up when you start buying useful things you actually need, but I still see no reason not to inject a bit of vintage charm into the proceedings.

Having gone through three electric kettles in a little over one year I have decided to turn my back on this new-fangled electricity (that's a lie, really, as I'll still be using an electric oven) and invest in a good old-fashioned hob-top whistling kettle.  No more burnt out elements and dangerously leaky spouts - just a plain old kettle with a whistle.  Hardly plain, though; this is what I'm getting:

Kitchen Craft Le'Xpress Coloured Whistling Kettle in Chilli Red
(also available in Midnight Black and Seashell Cream) from Amazon, price varies

Well that's it, that's all for now (although there will undoubtedly be other sundry purchases that I may show later, especially if and when I go back to the car boot sale) and it's enough, I reckon!  Another birth day, week and month is nearly over and done with; soon it will be time to look forward to the big 3-0 next year.  In the meantime I hope to resume normal service very shortly and see what new fun and frolics are occurring in the vintage blogosphere.

Tinkerty-tonk!

Cards and a "Crash" of a birthday

Today was my 29th birthday, which means that my "roaring twenties" are drawing to a close (and, incidentally, that has already given me the idea for next year's theme when I plan to do a "Twenties to Thirties" party and so celebrate my two favourite decades of the 20th century too).

I'd love to be able to show you some presents but the truth is being that it fell on a Sunday this year my 29th was marked very quietly (I'd also been to a friend's wedding the day before, so the whole weekend has been a kind of double celebration) and as such I, um... haven't got anything yet(!).  Keep watching this space and some birthday gifts might start appearing later in the week.

A good sport!

In the meantime I can show you some cards from this (and past) birthday(s) that are notable for celebrating and encouraging not only birthdays but also individualism and gentlemanly qualities - something I seem to have noticed appearing on cards recently.  The wider availability of cards with such sentiments can only be a good thing, and I welcome them.

It's nice to know that in these times of e-cards and online stationers the traditional birthday card is still alive and well, with many a beautiful design and kind word to be found.  Even the younger (read: modern) members of the family know me well, with a classic car and old English pub on a sunny day just another example of a delightful, apposite subject matter - this one from my teenage niece. 

And for funny uncles everywhere, know that the tradition of being the "silly Uncle ..." is still upheld and that no matter how little the nieces or nephews may be they've got you just as well pegged as the rest of the family has, as this card from my other nieces goes to prove(!).  It's actually a few years old now but I still smile at it (and I know the sentiment still holds true, and after all I haven't changed!) and put it up every year.

In what may turn out to be more of a "birthday week" for me I hope to be back with some presents (and more cards) from more family meetings and outings, as well as the usual mix of vintage-inspired stories from around the world.  Speaking of "around the world" the next one's an absolutely top-hole item, which I hope to bring to you in the next couple of days.