Takako Kitahara Japanese Hot Girls

Takako Kitahara Japanese Hot Girls

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Ishihara Satomi Beautifull Japanese Girls

Ishihara Satomi Cute Japanese Girls

Ishihara Satomi Pretty Japanese Girls

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Size matters....

So...as per the previous blog I am on a mission to get back into the jeans....it is now day four of the regime and although aching and not being able to walk properly (damn you fitness instructors) I am feeling ok....alright...maybe less than ok as I am missing red wine and chocolate but I WILL get through it.

Anyway on Saturday before I had the 'jeans realisation' I went shopping which was amazing as I haven't been able to do this for a long time.

However...although I found some gorgeous bits and pieces I was amazed at the random sizes in shops.

I am a vintage wearer normally so I am used to exact measurements...if a waist 28 inches it means it is 28 inches.

When I wandered into H&M I (as usual) staggered into the changing room with armfuls of clothing only to find that the sizing was ridiculous....a size 10 skirt was waay to big on the waist yet a size 12 dress wouldn't even fit over my head. And don't even get me started on the arms....I will admit that my upper arms are of the bingo wing variety but the sleeves on some of the dresses seem to be made for people with tiny arms (the kind of arms I dream of) and anything over that made the dress off limits.

I left H&M empty handed and went into Topshop....first thing I realised was that I am now maybe slightly too old for Topshop and (I find this quite cringeworthy to say) I don't really understand the fashion all that much. Don't get me wrong there were some absolutely gorgeous things in there such as

...and I have to admit that their sizes weren't too bad....size ten dresses fitted fine but I stayed away from the jeans and trousers so they may have been a different story altogether...!

Finally (at this point I was very red faced through trying to squeeze my body into clothes in very hot changing rooms) I went into Mango. Ahhh....Mango....how I love thee. I love it for two reasons....the sizings make me feel extremely slinky and the clothes (although more expensive than H&M and Topshop) are made from the most gorgeous fabrics and they last...and yes...I do realise that the last comment made me sound like my Mother.

So here is what I bought....

I do love shopping...ALOT but looking around the high street has made me realise that I prefer finding vintage versions of current fashion trends as it takes away the worry that I am going to walk into a bar to find a girl wearing the same dress as me and....even worse...looking better in it than I do...!!

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Curve Control.....

As you all know I am a curvy lady and proud of it (most of the time) and I want to make other ladies feel good which is why I have created Hummingbird Vintage lingerie so we can all feel good all the time.

However....it seems that my curves have got out of control.

For the past five months I have worn nothing but lovely vintage dresses and skirts but yesterday I woke up and reached for the jeans...BIG MISTAKE.

I ended up having to take them into another room to put on to save the boy from seeing me trying to force my body into too tight jeans. He did hear me do it though and described it as listening to someone trying to wrap a really big awkward present but not having much luck.

I finally got them on (I actually hurt my hand in the process) an they looked ok so off to work I went.

I spent the day walking in a very awkward way, afraid to go to the loo incase I couldn't get them back on and afraid to eat anything incase they popped open.

I almost ran home just so I could get them off (this also took alot of effort) and I have now hidden them...never to be worn again....well...at least until the curves are under control.

I was astounded that I hadn't noticed the increased curves but luckily my waist always stays the same so all my tight waisted skirts and dresses will always fit.....thanks god for small mercy's..!!

So I am now on a mission to CONTROL THE CURVES....today I have already been to a kettle bell class (totally ridiculously hard and run by a women much like Hitler) and I plan to only eat healthy food until I can get back into the dreaded jeans.

I have four weeks until holiday so this is my deadline....wish me luck..!!

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Cancer Schmancer....

...this blog is not as bad as the title suggests...promise.

So cancer...a totally crap thing to go through....!

Although I am not technically going through it myself, Mother Hummingbird is so I get to relive the night sweats, loss of appetite, nails breaking plus all the other wonderful side effects through her.

Being the lovely daughter that I am (...and I really am) I have looked around for lovely things to make the Old Dear feel more like herself...but alas I have not found much so I have decided to sort it out.

As you all know the underwear range is well under way to give breast cancer sufferers something a bit sexy to wear even when they feel at their worst but I then had a thought...cue light bulb over head.

Most women going through ANY type of cancer either lose weight through loss of appetite or put weight on through steroids and other nasty drugs so they could all use some ego boosting, sexy as hell, adjustable underwear, guaranteed to make you feel good anywhere anytime....right..?

And what about the other stuff...like how to apply false eye lashes, how to stop your nails breaking, what you should be eating, what moisturiser will cure that dread 'chemo' dry skin....wouldn't it be lovely to have a girly place to go where all these things are answered rather than having to ask your doctor...?

I would love feedback so if you (or anyone you know) are going through cancer please have a quick read and contact me at lucy@hummingbirdvintage.co.uk.

Also help us stick two fingers up at cancer at our Vintage Swish event in London town on the 8th May....email me (as above) for details xx

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FREE SHOES FREE SHOES.....

So...I am sure some of you will remember the blog below but I thought I would add it in for a re-cap.

After writing about these lovely shoes Hummingbird Vintage now have the chance to sell them in our shop...totally amazing!!

To celebrate this we are giving away one pair (winners choice) and I may even include some sweets to make it really exciting...!!

To enter please follow us @hummingbirdvin on twitter and re-tweet this post. And also please join us on Hummingbird Vintage here join us. This will also keep you up to date on all our giveaways, new stock and our fab parties...!!

You will only be entered if you complete all the steps....winners will be announced in two weeks.

Good luck shoe lovers xx

Secret Shoes and Dreamy Designers.....

Now....those of you that have read my blog before know that when God was handing out legs he gave me a pair that....at best can be described as sturdy. After almost thirty years I have come to terms with my misgivings but what I haven't come to terms with is the fact that I can't walk in high heels.

I think the fact I am curvy means I am less able to skip around on sky high heels without the fear of falling flat on my face but this doesn't mean I don't dream of walking down the street in heels without a care in the world.

Don't get me wrong I do have a few pairs of high heels but they all have one thing in common....a low chunky heel which these days in the land of the super platform skinny heel is hard to find....or so I thought.

I am now going to let you into a little shoe secret (which I may regret as I would really like to keep these all to myself) calledCinquanta 50. These gorgeously vintage inspired Italian made shoes are just divine and the best thing is that each heel is only 50mm high...hence the name and gloriously chunky. The team behind Cinquanta 50 worked together in the fashion industry for 5 years before realising the footwear currently available was totally impractical (I couldn't agree more!!) so..viola...a brand was born.

Here are my current favourites...prepare for some serious shoe envy.....

The colour and detailing on these shoes in simply gorgeous....a new twist on the classic 1950's court shoe...

The shoe everyone everyone should own.....at last a stunning pair of black courts that I will actually be able to walk in....

Over the knee boots that I can walk in....get me a pair now....

Wedges are not going away this season and this shoe boot is bang on trend...

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Today is a GREAT DAY...

Those of you that have followed my story from the beginning will know that I have been on a clothes buying ban. For some people this is not a hard thing to do but for me it was tantamount to going to the dentist and having my wisdom teeth pulled.

I LOVE CLOTHES....love them....it is how I express myself..so having to wear the same black skirt to work over and over again has almost killed me.

The reason for my lack of clothes buying (I used to buy at least twice a week) is that I am almost thirty and I decided that I should be saving up for grown up things like houses, pensions and other totally boring things that...to be honest..I don't understand nor do I want to.

Saving has commenced and I have done very well even if I do say so myself but it has been hard and it has been getting to me quite a bit. So when the chance arose to do a bit of work on the side for some extra cash I jumped at it....pound signs practically shone from my eyes as I imagined actually being able to buy clothes again.

So after two months of working like a crazy person the day has arrived....LETS GO SHOPPING..!!

As I am sure you love clothes as much as me here is what I have just bought (and yes I do realise it is 10.30am and I should be working but desperate times.....)

.....I think maybe someone should take my bank card away from me before any more damage is done!!

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Help....I need somebody....

So the story so far....I awoke one morning at the start of the year with the incredible urge to do something different so I decided to take my love/near on obsession with vintage and put it to good use.

I opened up Hummingbird Vintage almost two months ago now and things are going extremely well.

Hummingbird Vintage  -

I have added an affordable (yet still bloody gorgeous) bridal range and am just about to add footwear too.

Bridal range -

And...(just because I clearly didn't have enough to do) I have just launched my vintage inspired boudoir lingerie especially for real women (love handles and all) and those going through breast cancer treatment/surgery to which the reviews have been AMAZING....AND....I am also taking vintage to a new level and creating vintage events (first one in aid of Macmillan Cancer and CoppaFeel)....phew I feel knackered just writing this.

Boudoir lingerie phase one -

And to be honest I am loving it...I feel like this is totally what I want to do and after twelve years of random jobs (including hosting children's birthday parties and working for a man who used to change his mind each day about what he was wearing and make me go out and buy him a whole new outfit...EVERYDAY) I have found what makes me happy.....hurrah.

However I am still doing this on top of my day job of looking after young social media types in a mother like way, making sure they have enough to eat and get to meetings in time.

So...after this essay type blog I just wanted to see if anyone had any advice as to where to go next....should I carry on working like a mental person (whilst possibly getting dumped by the boy due to lack of TLC) or do I look for another way....thoughts....anyone....?? x

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High Heel Hero's....

For a long time now I have been a vintage dress and flat's kinda girl. Don't get me wrong....I did dabble with high fashion for a good eight months a while back but I realised that super straight hair and outfits that matched completely just weren't me.

However over the past couple of months I have felt that I needed a more grown up version of my look as I am almost thirty but still look about twenty two (amazing at times but when trying to be taken seriously not so good).

So....I have bravely made the decision to wear high heels.....EVERYDAY.

I started this on Saturday for a lovely friends birthday....within 30 mins I had blood all over my feet and I am still finding it hard to walk now....damn those unfriendly high heels.

So I am on a mission to find some foot friendly high heels that will transform me into a lady of sophistication.....until the white wine kicks in at least.

So here are my options....

Mid-heels...not as high as I like but these do increase my chances of walking normally and not having people pointing and laughing (this has actually happened).

Wedges....the high heel haters saving grace....I love wedges but I am going for a more ladylike like so not sure if these babies project grown up sophistication or high end fashion fun (which as previously discussed just doesn't suit me).

I have spent the last couple of days trawling the internet (for research purposes obviously) and this is my shortlist....

Dorothy Perkins £25

Cinquanta 50 - Available from Hummingbird Vintage

Dune £60

I LOVE THEM ALL...perfect for summer dresses and all have a ladylike vintage vibe..!

All I need to do now is learn to walk like a lady rather than a man in drag....I will keep you updated on my progress and if you see me in the street....please don't laugh!! xx

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Swish Swiroo.....Part Two

So...as mentioned on a previous post I am all up for helping charity this year...especially the cancer charities due to Mother having the big C.

And what could possibly be better than raising money for charity and getting free clothes...and...cake...my idea of heaven.

So (as I also mentioned previously) I am organising an event along with Preloved Reloved to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Support and Coppa Feel (two AMAZING causes) and also to have some fun.

The event is taking place on Sunday 8th of May at Bar Music Hall in Shoreditch (tres trendy and does amazing chips).

Doors will open at 4pm and when you step inside you will find the following....

• Pop-up vintage boutiques inc clothes, jewellery, home wares...you name it - 10% of all sales will go to MacMillan
• Retro hair and make-up - ever wondered how the gorgeous vintage girls always look so stunning...now is your chance to find out how
• Vintage photobooth
• Alcoholic afternoon tea - booze + cake....I don't think I need to explain this one

And...of course...the all important Swish event.

When you come through the door you will be required to give your clothes to the lovely Swish Assistants who will asses your clothing and give you tokens which you can then use to buy other 'Swished' clothing.

All clothing must be in a relatively good state and clean please...!!

In the evening there will be entertainment in the form of burlesque and of course more booze and cake...!!

So...alcohol, shopping, cake....perfect day out...non..??

If you don't have any clothes to swish this does not matter you are more than welcome to come along for the shopping and/or everything else.

Entrance to the event is £2 and all proceeds go to MacMillan.

So tell your friends, work colleagues, family, the random people you meet when drunk on the train home as we need to raise as much money as possible...!!

Details can be found here - http://swishing.com/events/498 and any queries can be sent here - lucy@hummingbirdvintage.co.uk

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A home for Hummingbird Vintage....

So last night the boy got back from holiday after the obligatory present hand over (MAC red lipstick in a gorgeous vintage shade and an AMAZING candy striped vintage dress....lots of brownie points earned) we sat down for a serious chat.

But before we get on to this.....just so you know...my dress is like this....I LOVE IT

Both of us hail from Essex...the land of white stilettos and vajazzles and moved up here just over a year ago. It was only meant to be for a year so we could have some crazy fun in the Big Smoke and not have to commute but we had so much fun that we decided to stay for longer.

Our flat is tiny....really tiny and when we thought it was just for a year it was fine but now we are here for another year at least and...to top it all off I have started this crazy vintage adventure which is going better than expected but also means there are vintage clothes everywhere....so much so that I have to literally climb over them to get into bed.

So the chat last night among other things was the lack of space..as... lets be honest what boy really wants to live in a tiny flat surrounded by vintage clothes and kitsch objects...he is a saint to have put up for it for as long as he has. And not to mention the new wedding dress phase....a panicked look comes into his eyes when he see's them I am sure.

So after racking my brain for a solution (which included moving back to Essex, giving up vintage all together (this caused tears), getting a bigger flat but having no money for fun) I have decided to look for a shop....ideally vintage...that I can rent a rail off of or they can take commission on my sales. Anything that I sell through my shop I can pick up from the shop and package nicely and send to its new home. It will be like a Hummingbird Vintage feature.

So this is where I need help...if there are any shops you know of....preferably in the Land of London who would even consider this then please pass this on.....I will reward you in homemade cupcakes and gin...promise..!!

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Musical Glamour....

So this week the boy has been away and although I have missed him it has also given me a chance to indulge in my guilty pleasure.....Old Musicals.

I have a theory that men don't really understand these films but for me (and don't get me wrong I love being able to vote, earn my own money and drink gin until I fall over) it makes me wish for a time when women got to wear amazing dresses, go to dances and spend the days shopping and marry a man who was usually very debonair, carried cigarettes in those great silver cases, was (usually) very rich rich and knew how to dance....bliss.

Of course I know that it is just a film and therefore not actual reality (although I do need reminding at times) but a girl can dream.

In the past week I have watched a number of films but the one I have watched more than once (four times infact) is Singing in the Rain.

If you haven't seen it, it is the classic story of boy meets girl...they fall in love...they fall out...they get back together in a big all singing all dancing finale. It is much like a much less racy version of Dirty Dancing.

It also features one of my all time great loves....Gene Kelly.

I love this man...I think it is mainly the dancing ability as I have a similar crush on one of my dancing teachers even though he is clearly ten years younger than me and gay.

For those of you who don't know...here he is......

...I think I fell in love at a young age...and...looking back...all my lovely gentleman friends throughout the years have all had dark hair and blue eyes...but...sadly not the dancing ability....shame.

But the best bit about the film (apart from the well know song) are the dresses.....total ladylike perfection and gorgeousness during the day and then sequins and high splits in the night.

So...if you fancy evoking a bit of Singing in the Rain glamour then these pieces may be right up your street....

£30

£30

£35

£35

£30

£30

...all available at Hummingbird Vintage...and if you are interested in any then drop me an email for the discount code...lucy@hummingbirdvintage.co.uk xx

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An affair to remember....??

So this weekend saw me at my first ever vintage fair as a trader....exciting stuff.

I spent all Saturday packing everything up and then Sister Hummingbird (Holly) arrived bright and early on Sunday to help pack everything off into a car and then off we went.

From the start we were regarded suspiciously....this is probably due to the fact that we were clearly first timers as everyone else had beautifully prepared rails and mannequins whereas we were hanging things up in the street and my mannequin fell over and broke which gave her a drunk appearance all day....not quite the look we were going for.

When we finally got in the venue after the rail braking every three steps, me swearing like a trooper and lots of disapproving looks from the regulars we made it to our spot on the stage.

We rushed to get everything ready as the doors were opening in ten minutes and when the clock hit eleven we were set....me slightly on edge and wired and Holly stroking the fur coats on the stand next to us.

And then we waited....and waited...and waited....and to be honest not much happened. Don't get me wrong we sold quite a few dresses (including my favourite one that Holly had literally to force me to sell) and we got alot of lingerie orders and wedding enquiries but I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit disappointed.

This is my own fault as I had visions of us selling out of everything by lunchtime and then toasting our success with a gin and tonic down the pub whereas, in reality we were sitting in an almost empty, freezing town hall drinking red wine secretly under our table in order to a. keep warm and b. try and make the situation a bit more amusing.

I had been told by the other traders that is was unusually quiet and a one off but I am afraid this may have put me off for life.

Buy the end of the fair Holly and I had drunk the best part of a bottle of wine and the thought of packing everything up again did make us consider giving everything away and going to the pub to carry on drinking...!! But...like good Hummingbird Girls we packed everything away and set off again and then drank wine.....bliss.

Although (as you can gather from reading this) I am not the biggest fan of fairs it made me realise how much GORGEOUS (if slightly pricey) vintage stuff there is out there and infact people were way more interested in my made to measure lingerie and wedding package service than the clothes. So...where do I go from here....carry on with the vintage or concentrate more on wedding and undies.....answers on a postcard please...!!

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Underwear state of mind.....

So...the Hummingbird Boudoir lingerie range is finally ready to be reviewed...phew...!!

I am sending sets to six lovely readers and seeing what they think and will of course be posting the results (good or bad) on here.

Here is the blurb about the range...

Hummingbird Boudoir lingerie is made to make girls feel good about themselves...we all have days when we pull on our sexy undies to find that the don't quite fit as nicely as the used to (frequent occurrence in my house) and this can put you in a bad mood and make you swear off chocolate for the rest of the day.

So...to stop women feeling like this...as...lets be honest we already have enough to worry about ....we have created really gorgeous boudoir underwear that is totally adjustable at the sides, bra straps and the front of the bra so you can wear Hummingbird Boudoir at any time and still feel sexy.

Each piece is handmade and embellished with luxurious ribbons and vintage buttons and come in a range of colours. If you are looking for something extra special let us know and we can make it happen.

If you feel like treating someone else as well as yourself then these make great gifts and are also perfect for weddings...and wedding nights...!!!

We also have created a range for women undergoing treatment for breast cancer as we have experience in this and know how hard it is to feel sexy when you are going through treatment. The bras are specially designed to be able to hold a prosthetic if need be and are also made from high quality fabric so are comfortable to wear.....yet still damn sexy!!

Prices are £15 - 20 for a bra and £8 - 10 for knickers and come beautifully wrapped in tissue paper and ribbon.

And her are some rough pics (more coming of the full range after the weekend)

And here is the question...I am doing a photo shoot for this range in a couple of weeks and I need to know...would people rather see real women with rounded bodies, bit of cellulite and stretch marks (aka me) or an actual model....thoughts please....?? x

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Start-Up Sisters...

I will warn you this is not my normal blog but I just wanted to get feedback for my lovely sister on the following concept.....

So here it is....presenting Start-Up Sisters.....please let me know your thoughts and whether or not you would use this service...

START-UP SISTERS  

Welcome to Start-Up Sisters

Both my sister and myself have over 15 years working with start-ups as both an Admin/PA and Office Manager.

We are extremely experienced in the following - 

Sourcing offices

Leasing/buying computer equipment

Sourcing interns (often an invaluable asset at the start of a company)

Sourcing furniture

Decorating offices

Sourcing suppliers i.e stationery, office supplies

Office TLC (soft furnishings, pictures etc)

Book keeping/Accounts

Filing

All PA work from managing diaries to booking travel

All HR including sourcing and interviewing candidates, inductions, processing new starter forms and P45's and further down the line arranging and managing reviews

Fire Assessments

Health and Safety Assessment

Website Management

Social Media Management

We understand that at the start of a company people do not have the time to take on any of the above as it can result in a loss of revenue and the also can't afford to take on anyone full time to look after it either.

So what we provide is any (or all) of the services above on an hourly rate, that way if it is a busy week we can be booked everyday or if it is just some basic admin that needs doing we can be booked for a couple of hours.

We would also keep all the details on file so in the future if we are needed again for some admin, office management or even to find a plumber they can call on us and it will be like we never left.

We work remotely (although are happy to travel for meetings) so we do not need to be housed and we can be reached 24 hours a day incase of emergencies.

So that is us in a nutshell….we are extremely friendly and always bring snacks to meetings so if you are interested in our services or just want to meet for an informal chat please contact us on 0203 195 1714 or 07920 583257

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Swish Swish....

This week marks the start of lent and the start of giving up things. I have given up eating everything I love in a bid to lose weight (thank-you photoshoot with models for insecurities) although I expect this to last until the weekend.

At the start of the year I gave up buying clothes....something I am finding VERY hard to stick to but I find solace in buying vintage clothes for the shop.

So there I was.....dreaming of having new clothes but knowing that this was unlikely to turn into a reality when I found out about Swishing.

Swishing is basically a clothes swapping party....and the rules are as follows -

1) Everyone must bring at least one item of quality clothing.
2) You will have half an hour to browse before the swish opens.
3) No item may be claimed before the swish opens.
4) As soon as the swish is declared open, everyone may take what they want.
5) Remember no scratching, spitting or fighting.


So basically you get to rid yourself of your old clothes and get some lovely new ones....amazing.

In my wardrobe I have many clothes I don't wear...mostly...like many other women...due to sizing. Over the years I have been alot bigger and alot smaller. I keep the smaller clothes as I like to think I will slim into them (some of these must be five years old....surely it is time for me to have a reality check) and I keep the bigger ones as I can't bear the chuck anything that i may need at some point in my life....stupid eh..!!??


But as I live in a shoebox in Shoreditch and now have to find room for the vintage clothes, wedding dresses and shoes for the shop the time has come to have a clear out and a swishing party seems like the perfect way to do it.


So after speaking with the lovely Kim from Preloved Reloved we have decided to host a Swishing Party in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support. This way Kim get some new lovely clothes for her challenge, I get some new lovely clothes just because I am literally weeping at the thought of not shopping and MacMillan gets some much needed donations.


So here is the deal...it will be at a bar in East London...on a night we can all drink....and I may even make cupcakes...!!
Anyone interested....it's for a good cause after all...!!

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Photoshoot Madness Part Two.....We all love a wedding....

So as I mentioned in my last blog I spent the weekend surrounded in photoshoot madness and this included shooting the new Hummingbird Bridal range.


I love weddings....love the dresses, flowers, cakes (definitely the cakes) and the traditions...! 


Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue....this phrase has probably been repeated countless times by brides to be in order to appease the Wedding God (or Goddess perhaps) and make sure their day goes off without a hitch and  they live happily ever after...!

Now...what I am really interested in is the 'old' and the 'borrowed' parts. With the trend for vintage huge right now it is only to be expected to see it filter down to weddings and wedding dresses....and what beautiful wedding dresses they make....so here is the Hummingbird Bridal range.....all the dresses are old...the venues are new......the models are borrowed and the sky was blue...at times!!

All these dresses are from Hummingbird Vintage at all cost under £100. We will come to your house with the dresses, style the dress should you require and even bring cupcakes and bubbles...!! 

If you decide to buy one of our lovely dresses we will help find accessories to go with it and help with anything else you  need...how great are we!! Also....if you can't find what you want from us but would love some affordable vintage at your wedding then let us know what you are looking for and we will do our best to find it....we have great alteration people so we can make most dreams come true..!


As always feedback would be amazing so please don't hold back x

  

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