Please do excuse my absence over the last few days, I’ve had a pretty hefty few days at work to make up for the fact that I’m now OFF FOR A WEEK. Eeeeeeep! The joys. I plan to do lots of cultured things. I also plan to keep talking about the fact that the sun is firmly out (even if seven layers are still commonplace) and I saw my first daffodils last week. Spring is springing, don’tcha know.
I’m desperate to tell you about something that happened last week, but I thought I would hold off until I had photographic evidence. But I’ve decided that I can’t wait to tell you, so I’m going to. Hopefully this will heighten your anticipation for the photos (I know, I’m deluded). So, here’s the thing. You know Retro Rehab, vintage shop extraordinaire? They had a sale last week. Not just any old sale, but a sale of clawing insanity. Basically, the idea was that you could buy a bag (just their ordinary plastic carrier bags) for a tenner and then fill it up as much you wanted (or as much as you could, as most interpretations went). They had filled the shop up to the brim with all their back-stock and devised this idea to get rid of it and make some cash.
Well, it worked. I had expected maybe a few other faithfuls when the shop opened at 11. Instead, there was a queue down the street. (Yes, I queued.) Vintage shopping makes us girls competitive, doesn’t it? Feral, even. I didn’t get to go in the shop in the first batch. Gutted. I had to watch through the window as girls greedily grabbed whatever fabric they liked and rolled it up tight and stuffed it into their bags. Some girls even had their boyfriends with them, for the purpose of holding the bags, of course.
They let the first batch of girls basically empty the shop in about half an hour. All of us stood out on the street were traumatised by the fact that there was nothing of any value left and wondered if there was any point waiting. But then! When the shop emptied they came out and announced that they were going to spend 10 minutes filling the shop back up! Yes! When they had done this, they let the next batch of eager girls in (me included). I couldn’t get close enough to the rails to look properly, so I decided upon the cunning technique of running my hand along and searching out any item that was not made of a static-shock-inducing material. I pulled out the item and if I saw any potential, kept it under my arm. I worked this process all around the shop. Then I bought a bag for a tenner and shoved them in, in order of importance.
In the end, I came out with 8 dresses. I have to say, I’m mightily impressed with my choices. I can’t show you them yet, because I need to do a major job with the fabric scissors and some bondaweb (all the dresses are much too long). If I had been truly cunning, I would’ve taken the fabric scissors with me and cut the excess material off there and then, thereby freeing up space in the bag for perhaps a couple more dresses. Alas, I am not made of such cunning. But I reckon 8 dresses for a tenner is a bit of a billy. I will take great pleasure, when anyone asks where the dresses are from (which I’m sure they will, they are that nice!), in telling them, “It was £1.25 from Retro Rehab!”
So, I need to get busy with the scissors. What better time to give my wardrobe a spring-clean too? In the meantime, here’s one of my favourite Parkinson photos. Would you believe me if I told you the girls in this picture are talking about the Retro Rehab sale?
