Today we welcome our first guest blogger and fellow vintage enthusiast, Kate! Kate hails from East London but moved to the U.S. in 1987 for love. She says she never would have left her family, London or British chocolate for anything less. We hear ya, Kate! Kate says, "I adore treasures from a bygone era. Back in the 1970s, and before it became the tourist destination it is today, I regularly scoured London's Portobello Market for clothes and bric-a-brac from the 1940s and '50s. Portobello Road in the '70s was magical. I wanted to emulate my idol at the time, the 1940s movie star, Rita Hayworth! I used to walk almost the entire length of the market from Notting Hill Gate to the flyover at Ladbroke Grove. All the best vintage clothes stalls were under the flyover! Back then, most people wanted new clothes, not second hand, so I had my pick of rails and rails, and all were very inexpensive. I especially loved the crepe de chine blouses and embroidered knitwear. I used to pair them with modern skirts from Miss Selfridge! I still have a floral dress and also a cream blouse with a peter pan collar. The blouse has beautiful detailing on the collar and down the front, with lovely, dainty buttons. It was originally from Marks & Spencer and still has a very old 'St. Michael' label sewn in it. It is made from Tricel. Things were made to last back then! I also had a couple of bakelite bangles, now sadly gone. Coincidentally, during the 1960s, my mum worked as a secretary for Bakelite Xylonite Ltd. in the UK!"
Aren't Kate's Portobello Road dresses precious and completely timeless? We'd pair the dress with some neutral wedges and a straw clutch to make the perfect summertime outfit. The blouse would be perfect for the office with a pencil shirt and a summer wedge in a fun color (yellow perhaps?). We might even pull out a Bakelite bangle as our accessory of choice for this one! The possibilities are truly endless! Thank you, Kate, for sharing your vintage goodies and incredible Portobello Road memories with us!
Readers, do you want to share your favorite vintage pieces or family heirlooms on the Gerald & Joan blog? We would love to have you, so shoot us a message to learn more!
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