Just wanted to let you Vintage lovers know about a one-off sale happening this week; Tuesday and Wednesday at The Sloane Square Hotel, London SW1 [nearest tube Sloane Square] and the hours are Tuesday 2nd from 12 noon till 8.30pm and Wednesday 3rd from 10am till 8.30pm.

The sale includes over 100 carefully selected beautiful 1960s coats, evening dresses including Wakeley, Dior, Valentino,Pucci and Burrows from the 1960s to the 1990s and a host of other wonderful pieces William Banks-Blaney has discovered on his travels.Seamstresses will be on site to make any necessary alterations.ENJOY!

Also, today is the LAST day you can vote for our blog in the awards we’ve been nominated in. Please, please take a minute to vote if you enjoy our blog, we really appreciate your support!

What a weekend!We kicked off with a Vintage Secret dressing room at the White Blackbird ‘Tweed’ knees-up at Stoke Place.Here are just a few of the photos I took of people trying on our frocks!And a lovely picture I took of Naomi in all her tweed, looking very Coco Chanel!

And then on to Tart on Saturday! The wonderful Uma Turan brought along her headpieces which were a great success; Naomi modeled a flowery hairband whilst other guests tried on some of the more elaborate pieces.

Fleur de Guerre gave her talks on 1940s glamour whilst Katie of What Katie Did fame explained the intricacies of stocking wearing.

Rachel Rose Reid gave a brilliant masterclass on cocktail making with Hendrick’s Gin.

We had some special guests including Sophie from The Express, above, and iconic fashion blogger Laetitia, aka Mademoiselle Robot.

The Benefit beauty team added oodles of glamour to the whole affair, as did their additions to the goody bags!
For future Tart dates, check here, and for further information on forthcoming vintage shindigs, see the guestblog I posted on LoveMyDress.
We are really, really flattered to be nominated for a blog award from ShrimpSaladCircus; please, please stop by and vote for us if you have a moment.

Exciting news everyone!We have a pair of tickets to the wonderful White Blackbird Tweed party on the 22nd January for one lucky Vintage Secret fan!We’ll be at the event providing frocks for a pop-up dressing-up box, and here are a few of the other treats you can expect:

CONFESS YOUR SINS BY CANDLELIGHT
In the Attic Room’s Confessional Portrait Booth

SWAP TALES OF DERRING DO AROUND THE FIRE
Roast marshmallow, literary readings and adventurers stories with La Horrox in the bell tent on the lawn

GET A LITTLE BLOTTO AND RAISE THE ROOF
Whisky tasting & piano singalong with Lily Farling in the Highland Bar

FIGHT TO THE DEATH
Or at least work out who else has in the Murder Mystery Hunt

DRESS THE PART
Vintage Secret and David Saxby Tweeds in the dressing up room

HAVE YOUR ANCESTRAL PORTRAIT TAKEN
By a noted fashion photographer

DO A SPOT OF BOATING
In the Ballroom, with Josh Knowles

HAVE THE FRIGHT OF YOUR LIFE
In the haunted chapel with the Lady Greys

JOIN OUR MOST UNUSUAL HORSE RACE
Are you a pony or a jockey? Miniature steeplechasing course for the brave or stupid

SCOTTISH REELING CLASS
For those with any faculties still intact

WHITE BLACKBIRD DJS
Dance into the wee hours

MIDNIGHT FEAST
Gigantic game pies, pasties, fruit and cheese

THE BAR THAT NEVER CLOSES
For those quick enough to book a bedroom (contact Stoke Place for prices and availability)

JOHNNY’S SUPER 8 COLLECTION
Not recommended for the delicate constitution

MILLICENT BINKS IN YOUR POCKET
Not a metaphor

Tempted to help revive the country house party in your finest tweed???Want to start a pillow fight with Vintage Secret’s Naomi as above???We have one pair of tickets, (excluding travel) to give away.Simply leave a comment on this post- make-sure you fill in your details so we can contact you!Tweed is one of the many forthcoming vintage events now listed on our Events page, as recommended by the Observer. Time to fill in those shiny new 2010 diaries!

NB: If you’re trying to organise a group trip, don’t wait around to see if you win- buy the number of tickets you need now and if you win a pair, those tickets will be refunded.

Naomi’s fabulous collection of original 1950s swimwear had an airing for a glamorous shoot in the retro haven that is Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes.

These shots appeared in the December issue of Kismet magazine , styled by celebrity stylist Madeline Macfarlane.

Launched in November 2009, Tart is a simmering orgy of fun, fashion and frivolity aimed at
girls who want to put some old fashioned glamour back in to their lives. Hosted at the decadent 40 Winks by the dandyesque David Carter, pin-up queen Fleur de Guerre and Vintage Secret’s Naomi Thompson.

Recommended by Style Bible, the Saturday Times Magazine, Stylist, Glam.com, Le Cool, Amelia’s Magazine, MyMetropole (Tart came 2nd in their list of London’s top five places for
afternoon tea), and with a rave review from the marvellous India Knight, Tart is the ultimate
afternoon of naughty self indulgence, seductive style and decadent pampering. It has quickly
established itself as one of London’s must–do monthly events.

Naomi Thompson, David Carter and Fleur de Guerre, shot by Lara Jade

HOT NEWS FOR THE NEXT TART ON THE 23RD JANUARY

BENEFIT AT TART
Our favourite cosmetics brand, Benefit, has generously agreed to provide two of its fabulous
beauty artists to transform guests into gorgeous goddesses from January onwards. Lisa PotterDixon, Benefit’s beauty guru and events manager, will also be on hand to share her tips on
how to create the perfect look for 2010.

Vintage Patisserie will be serving up delicious cakes and chocolates, whilst cocktails are served in Vintage teacups!

HENDRICK’S COCKTAIL MAKING MASTERCLASS
Guests who can’t tell the difference between ‘A Fallen Angel’ and ‘A Flying Dutchman’ will
be taught how to unlock the mysteries of alcoholic alchemy by a top mixologist, utilising the
potent properties of the world’s most unusual gin.

FLEUR DE GUERRE’S GUIDE TO 40S GLAMOUR
Starting this month, pin-up queen Fleur de Guerre will be launching a series of classes for
girls who have always dreamt of becoming 1940s silver screen vixens with expert advice on
vintage hair and make-up.

WHAT KATIE DID (BUT DIDN’T TELL HER PARENTS…)
Katie Halford, lingerie designer and owner of What Katie Did, will be sharing her ‘stocking secrets’ over the course of the afternoon (how to put them on, how to take them off and how to hold them up when you’ve got them up..). All very important, and essential training for
every girl who wants to climb the style ladder. Our lovely Fleur is pictured here modelling the glamorous What Katie Did vintage style undies, photographed by Tony Rusecki.

DESIGNERS AT TART
Tart is proud to support and promote emerging young design talent. Fashion and accessory designers who will be showcasing their work over the next few months include Uma Turan, Miss Magou, Jessica de Lotz, Laura Strand, Rachael Hannah, Tallulah Love, SVE, Nahoko
Kojima and Ornella Iannuzzi.

UPCOMING DATES
Saturday 23rd January, 13th February, 13th March, 17th April, 15th May… EMAIL: info@40winks.org for tickets!

Here are a couple of ways to kick of your New Year in true vintage Style. Fancy being in a movie?or the Sunday Times Style?Here’s your chance.
1930s-50s/burlesque beauties and beaus are needed as extras for a movie shoot on Sunday 10th January- performers include Son Of Dave, Amanda Rodgers (Stranger Than Paradise), Big Daddy Kai (The Future Shape Of Sound), Paul-Ronney Angel, Lady Ane Angel, The Urban Voodoo Machine, El Nino & Lady Kamikaze (Ladyluck)- you will basically be creating a Ladyluck club night sort of vibe- all supposedly in someone’s alternative reality…for more plot synopsis and location/time details read here.
Do you follow tutorials on Youtube before a good old vintage style knees up?Maybe you’ve used some of the fabulous ones by our friend and pin-up model Fleur de Guerre?(pictured above)Or maybe you do your own?Fleur Britten from Sunday Times Style is looking for lovely girls who use Youtube tutorials to learn how to do their hair for a night out – perhaps 40s style hair, a beehive, a 20s wave, whatever… She’s looking for a handful of girls (can be solo or in a small group) to photograph and interview about what they learn and how easy it is to replicate. Just send a photo of yourself and a description of what you like to do, where you learnt it, how you do it, and where you party with your hairstyles, to fleur.britten@sunday-times.co.uk.