Kennedy and McCall

Another example of Unilocal-​in-​action; I read Emma-Louise’s review of the Triangle vintage fair and, on her mention of the Didsbury fair, I got very excited and arranged a Didsbury Day with Tea Snob Friend and Saintly Friend.
Of course, it is a sorry affair that despite copious signage, we got a liiiiiiiiiitle lost and ended up in the *actual* church, instead of the church *hall* where the fair was being held. Anyway, once we *found* the hall (which was clearly, very clearly, signposted, all was well)
This being Didsbury, the place was packed out with yummy mummies, Indie Cindies and, errr, Trendy Wendies. So packed that it was a little hard for us to move our poor hungover bodies around the place. A £1 cup of tea and a sit down outside later, and the initial hordes had thinned out, affording us the space to breathe and browse.
Stuffed to the rafters with local craftsmen (mainly craftsladies, actually) and vintagerie, the atmosphere in the hall was really lovely, helped along by the faact that they were playing the Human League (heart!!)
Amongst the crafty shizzle, I spotted rainbow buttons arranged on a canvas, lovely felted fascinators and some seriously swish silver jewelry. Of course, where there’s treasure, there’s trash, so the weird felted rings were a real no-​no for me, and made me feel a liiiitle queasy. Still, all in all, a good crafty spread in a hall mainly full o’ vintage.
The buzzword right now being ‘upcycled’, there was a great stall from local upcycling gurus Me & Yu, with seriously cutesy leopard print skirted dresses and a dress so loud I almost went deaf (or blind… whatevs) A stall covered in such trinkets as lucite cigarette cases and diamanté’d everything yielded me up a tiiiiiiny duck brooch from the 60s, for £2. Shockingly cheap for such an adorable wee trinket. No, I have no idea when I will ever wear a tiny duck brooch, but are you gonna argue with the crazy American vintage seller who dresses like a cross between your auntie and Iona from Pretty In Pink? No, me either. As well as vintage clothes, there was a good range of vintage homewares on offer, including a beautiful 70s Polosh teaset that I just couldn’t justify buying (I drink tea at home maybe once a month) and some classically garish 80s wineglasses that I just missed out on grabbing. Tea Snob Friend grabbed herself a lovely paisley mug for her toothbrush for £2. There was, of course, a lot of jolly lovely vintage fashion, and I had to hold back the tears when a lush silver lurex 60s miniskirt (£10) came up a size too small. Tea Snob Friend had to take me firmly in hand, and informed me that if I were to burst into «skirt tears» in a church hall, I would find myself firmly slapped.
As well as the duck I also picked up a lovely brooch for my present drawer, and a pair of vintage Balmain tights for an incredible £2!!!
I shall certainly be keeping an eye out for the next event, and you should too!

While shopping last Saturday with the brunette in town, when I collected her from Victoria Station I couldn’t help notice that adjacent to our eatery of choice that day, Tampopo, there was a big sign saying ‘Vintage Fashion Fair’.
Well, count me in.
This was a weekend bonanza of insanely cheap vintage clothing from a number of sellers (and I’m talking fur coats from the 1940s for £35 — not that I’d wear fur, I’m highlighting the low prices here), occupying a disused space with mountains of wonderful stuff. I could have spent hours in there. With offers like two for £10 — I grabbed a sweet little bobbly cyan jumper and a pair of shiny 80s cigarette pants with a gold pinstripe — it was definitely worth a look. I wish that unit was used for this all the time.
But don’t fret if you didn’t make it… one of the reasons I wrote this review was to inform you that the company is holding a Vintage and Craft Fair in Didsbury (Emmanuel Hall, behing the library on Barlow Moor Road) on Saturday 20^th February. I’d be there if I could, but I’m actually in the Canaries. So let me live vicariously through you and please attend, do tell me what it’s like because it sounds like heaven.