Winter in Australia can be really miserable what with the rain, sleet and all round bad weather; especially in Melbourne. But in June, there is one absolute lifesaver of an event that will fix every kind of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Wintersun!!  This fabulous nostalgia festival has been running for the last 24 years and is going from strength to strength.  This year for the first time, it is being held in sunny coastal town of Port Macquarie, where all of my favourite vintage festivities will come together.

Originally begun as a bit of a Show n Shine type of event, Wintersun has grown and morhphed into the biggest and most lauded nostalgia festival in the country.  Running over ten days (yes that’s 10 big ones), there is everything from cars to pin up girls, markets, vintage fashion fairs, vintage parades, the best swing and rockabilly bands from around the country, dance work shops, fashion and style workshops (that’s me amongst others), and more retro contests and activities than you can handle!

I’m telling you about this now so you can start planning your winter get away and shining your dancing shoes. In fact, let me give you an idea of a common day at Wintersun for me…

9am – breakfast on the balcony, swathed in silk and watching the shiny, souped up classic cars drive by.

10.30am – a bit of a promenade down the street with my vintageous lasses, arm in arm as we head down to the market.

10.45am – pose for photos with cars enroute and eye off the talent.

11.00am – find beautiful vintage frocks at market; squeal with excitement and make deals as to who gets what without loosing an eye.

12.30pm – lunch on the terrace at main street, checking out dapper chaps from behind our sunnies and making plans for the evening.

2pm – Vintage fashion parade – strut some stuff.

4pm – Hanging out en’masse in our apartment, doing each others hair and talking beauty tips (yep, super girly)

5pm – Cocktails and comparison of purchases. More excitement, donning of sequins and a little dancing around the living room.

7pm – Dinner with as many suitably attired people as you can muster, all descending upon a local establishment where Mojitos are on the menu.

8.30pm – Arriving at the first band venue

Until at least midnight – (or 3am for some of us)- Continue to dance until you can’t stand up, laugh, joke, chat and give those vintage frocks the time of their lives.

….. then do it all agin the next day!

So just what is in store this year? Well read on and click through to Wintersun’s VINTAGE ALLEY for information and ticket details for each event.  Be there or be Square!

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Tickets for all Wintersun events can be found here!

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And you know what… you can even apply to be the next Face of Wintersun!

So book your tickets, pack your suitcase and come hang out with me vintage style!

Garterbelts & Gasoline isn’t just all cool cars and red hot bands, it was shopping too!  We’d been anticipating a big day of touring around the mountain for some time, and when we realised it would coincide with the Royal Wedding we thought it only best to add tiaras and sashes to our ensembles.

As you well know, a big day of shopping with around 32 other ladies would require some stamina, and certainly the right outfit, and so I planned to wear something cute and comfortable.  The lovely Em from Miskonduct Klothing sent me this stunning little birdy dress to wear. Handmade in the UK to a 1940′s pattern, it is simply to die for. It is one of those heavy cottons that hardly wrinkles, and is nicely lined in the bodice too; but it is the print that has me all gaga.

Birds and blossoms? Just too, too good!

I did feel a little silly posing around in the ‘bush’ in my tiara, but really, how often does one get a chance to break it out?

Anyway, once we’d finished faffing around with our spangles, we headed off to meet the ladies, get them sashed up and hit the shops!  None of those nasty party buses for us though, Miss Chrissy had organised the Mount Tambourine replica trolley to chauffeur us for the day.

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Very regal don’t you think?

Of course, no ladies day would be complete without kicking off with a High Tea, so we stopped at Felicity’s with her rooms of retro treasures and scones. And boy was I going to need those three espresso’s!

When we got to Amanda Darling’s and Helen’s it was sighs of joy all round as the ladies whipped things off the shelves faster than you can imagine. I was waiting to see if any feathers would fly over fedoras or scratches over sequins.  Luckily, the stunning red sequinned number I was eyeing off went to my friend Bonnie, so I can crash tackle her for that another day if need be.

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I found the cutest little posy of velvet violets to pin to my hat, but if you look closely you’ll see the tubs of tiaras that kept asking for my attention too. In fact, I have trouble shopping in groups as I’m not quite sure where to divide my attention… well that’s the excuse I gave when I put my hand up to go back and visit for a little more shopping the next day!

It was then at Kitty’s Vintage & Kitsch that I scored the most divine red, white and blue plasti-cane bag as well as had the time to try on a dress or too.

It was really the most divine day, like hanging with all your best friends on mass in your own slice of heaven.

Le Sigh…

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I did something cruel yesterday. I posted a sneaky picture to Twitter and let you know it was from an upcoming garage sale… but didn’t yet tell you where it was. This Friday the 8th April and Saturday 9th April in Melbourne, some friends are holding a fabulous vintage garage sale!

With all proceeds going towards the National Trust Costume Collection, these lovely ladies have collected donations of wonderful vintage pieces from all around the place.  There is some stunning millinery from a well known Melbourne designer, wonderful dead stock hand made shoes (if you’re extra small or extra large DO NOT miss out!), Victorian garments, 50′s, 60′s 70′s & 80′s vintage, as well as some more modern designer pieces.  And not to forget all the other things that make an outfit, gloves, bags, scarves and  boxes of patterns.  I was fortunate enough to get a bit of a sneak peak yesterday and took a few shots to whet your appetite.

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Details

Vintage Garage Sale

Friday 8th & Saturday 9th April

Opens at 10am – 4pm each day

13 Parlington Street, Canterbury

Make sure to get in early to get the best pieces!

I couldn’t help but bring home a spectacular something from my fact finding mission. shhh..!