Big News....

So...this week saw the first of my double wedding bonanza and it was beautiful.

It was in a gorgeous church and then a stunning manor house and I have to say that all of us looked fabulous.

However the day was slightly marred by the boys....not just mine but all of them. It turns out that five hours of cheesy music does not a happy boyfriend make.

The next day I was still slightly put out by the situation so the boy took me off for a day sightseeing (I bloody love being a tourist) in order to cheer me up.

The day was perfect and upon returning home he was completely forgiven.

We then got on to the subject of weddings and how I would like a big diamond ring...I jokingly told him to go and make me one out of tin foil and then I would think about it....off he went and then came back into the room and told me to close my eyes so I can have my made ring.....but....when I opend my eyes he was on one knee....WITH THIS RING....

BLOODY AMAZING.....it is from the 1930's and even has the original inscription in it.

Obviously I said yes.....after alot of tears though.

So...I am now I fully grown up lady....and it does go to show that mentioning weddings/marraige everyday for around a year does....in fact...work!!

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Wedding fever...

In the next seven days I have two weddings....both of whom involve the same group of girlfriends so we are all very excited indeed.

I have been eating healthily, not drinking very much and generally looking after my body in a bid to look fabulous for both events...that is until my good friend Alice visited me on Saturday and we drank three bottles of wine and then the boy came home yesterday from a weekend away and we ate pizza and ice cream...oh dear.

The only issue I have had with having the weddings so close together is the fact I had to find two dresses.

Now this in itself is not a problem but as I like a dance (especially after a few drinks) and I am not a regular high heel wearer the dresses I always were to weddings are full length so I can wear pretty little sandals and dance the night away.

I thought I would have to pay a ridiculous amount of money to find a maxi dress nice enough to carry me through from day to evening but I was wrong...

..this dress being worn by the delicious Kylie Minogue is my actual dress...it was £39.99 from H&M and looks really beautiful on. It also comes in olive green and cream with a black and red pattern (totally amazing and I would have got that one as well but they didn't have it in my size).

I will be teaming it with sandals from Accessorize which were £35 and earrings from Monsoon which were £12.

Best this about it all is that the dress is not too weddingy so I can wear it again in a more casual way ala Kylie Minogue...!!

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I am addicted....

to wedding blogs....phew....now that my secret is out in the open I feel better already.

I am unsure what started this...it is certainly not the fact that I will be getting married anytime soon or that I am one of those girls desperate to get married (well...maybe) but I LOVE THEM.

I think maybe it is because I am very nosy. When the boy and I are introduced to people he is very polite (he is not a big fan of small talk) where as I launch into 20 questions demanding to know all the intricate details of their lives.

So as the wedding blog allows you to see all the details of a complete strangers most important day is it any wonder I am addicted.

I can spend a good hour at least a day reading and then I relay everything I liked about each wedding to the boy later on that night....he loves this I am sure although he did remark this morning 'You mention weddings everyday at the moment...you know we are not getting married...right..??'....so I am hoping that by telling you guys all about it I will resist the urge for get another wedding recap this evening.

Todays favourite comes from the fabulous Love My Dress blog which is my favourite to read....the lovely couple are Kate and Steve....or as I like to think of them...my new friends who have just got married.

The got married in Scotland and Kate wore a dress from my absolute favourite wedding dress shop The Vintage Wedding Dress Company (one of the main reasons I want to get married is so I can spend a day trying on their dresses!!)

And here are a few gorgeous pics...

...ahhh...simply lovely...!!

You can read the full story at the Love My Dress blog ....but I warn you...they can be VERY addictive!!

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The 24inch Waist...

It gets to a point during the day when I can't do anymore work...so instead I pretend to do work whilst looking at vintage dresses on the internet (I am now a master at this deception).

Now I am a big fan of 1950's prom dresses (much to the boys despair). I love the nipped in waists and full skirts...so when I find one of these in my price range my heart tends to start beating faster and I get slightly sweaty palms...that is until I scroll down and read the dreaded words - 24 inch waist.

For some reason there seems to be a stockpile in gorgeous dresses with 24 inch waists.

I realise this is because the average waist is slightly bigger than it was back then (damn you chocolate and red wine) but it seems unfair to let these beauties go to waste...so....here is my guide to fitting into a smaller sized vintage dress that you simply had to have and bought even though it was too small.....phew!!

First of all make sure you measure yourself properly. I am a standard size 10 which would equate (according to clothing sizes) to a 28 inch waist...however...when I measured myself I actually have a 26 inch waist....this meant that a whole world of new vintage opened up to me and my savings got depleted.

Secondly find a good dressmaker....I have a wonderful lady who is used to vintage queries. If you find the dress of your dreams that is too small then a good dressmaker can add a panel to make the dress bigger and actually make the panel a fabulous new feature of the dress. For you bigger breasted ladies (I am very jealous) it is easy to raise the bust line to give the dress more coverage.

And lastly....the right undies can work wonders and knock those final few inches of the waist. I recommend spanx or a waist cincher to get a smooth, tiny waisted look. Yes is may end up being slightly uncomfortable after a few hours but surely looking fabulous makes up for it...?

So there we have...a few tips to allow you to go forth and conquer the world of vintage clothing.

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Skinny Jeans....

This weekend marked a glorious occasion....for the first time this year I can now fit into the skinny jeans that have been lurking at the back of my wardrobe mocking me for having big thighs and an even bigger bottom.

I will admit it took some heaving but I got them on and even wore them for a whole day before realising that I am not a fan of skinny jeans and I was an idiot for putting myself through ridiculous diets in order to get back into a item of clothing that I have no intention of really wearing.....silly girl.

I read in the paper today that a survey was carried out asking women if they would rather be blind or fat....one in six women went for blindness.

This makes me very sad indeed....as a girl who has always been extremely curvy I do understand the frustration of not finding clothes that fit..but blindness is a bit drastic...!!

So....in order to celebrate the fabulous female form with all it's lumps, bumps and curves here are my favourite vintage ladies showing us how it should be done...

Betty Grable

Elizabeth Taylor

Jayne Russell

Jane Mansfield

And...of course...Marilyn Monroe

I am sure you will all admit that these women are HOT but not skinny...I love them and their figures....and now I am off to throw out my skinny jeans and get myself some cake!!

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Curly Sue....

Today marked my first venture into the land of heater rollers.

Now...I have ALOT of hair...when it is freshly washed it can resemble a lions mane...it is ridiculous...!!

I really love big hair and have been known to spend mornings backcombing the mane to get the desired look, however, after a lesson from Miss Honey Bare in roller etiquette I decided to bite the backcombing bullet and invest in some heated rollers.

So I got up early this morning to the surprise of the boy (I usually have to be dragged out of bed) and set about the curling business.

After a few goes and a couple of burns I managed to get the hang of it and wound and secured my hair up and put a scarf round it....I looked like  younger version of Nora Batty and am surprised the boy didn't jump on me I looked that sexy!!

What is amazing about curlers is that you can put them in and then potter around doing things while they cool.

After around 30mins it was time to see whether my first dip in the heated roller pool had been a success.

And...well....to be honest I was looking for hair like this....

...beautiful soft curls. Instead I ended up looking like a less well groomed version of Maria from The Only Way is Essex.

I had a RIDICULOUS amount of volume and as I am also tanned the fact I am from Essex has never been clearer....I may even top it all off with some fake nails later and start calling everyone 'Babe'.

SO...the first try was not the success story I was hoping for but I will not give up though....I will have gorgeous curls one day.....hopefully!!

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Wedding Wednesday...

HAPPY WEDDING WEDNESDAY PEOPLE...

Today's short blog is mainly about dresses. I do apologise for the shortness but I am up to my eyes with wedding enquiries...totally fabulous although I fear the boy may soon move out over the increasing number of wedding dresses in our house and my obsession with trying them on and waltzing around whilst humming 'Here Comes the Bride'...!!

Now for all you vintage lovers out there I am sure that a vintage dress on your most special day is a must....however....how many of us are really prepared to pay over the odds for what is really a second hand dress.

I think...and this is just my opinion...that you should be able to find beautiful vintage dress for under £300 and then pay around £50 - £100 having it altered.

So here is a sample of what you can for under (and waaay under) £300.....as always if you want any details the items from any blogs just email me at lucy@hummingbirdvntage.co.uk xx

Seventies Perfection - £90

Stunning Sixties with amazing fringe detail - £80

Seventies Chic - £80

Fifties Glamour - £90

Fifties Fabulousness - £90

Twenties Flapper - £80

Mad Men Wedding - £250

Fairytale Frock - £190

Beautiful Ballerina - £290

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A VERY SAD POST...

Being a vintage boutique owner every once in a while I find a real treasure and think....'THAT IS MINE'.

This is what happened with this dress....although slightly out of my price range I decided that the Austrian themed dress was destined to be mine and I would parade around London like a curvy Carrie Bradshaw wearing this dress, big curly hair and cream peep toes.

Infact I was so certain this dress was destined to be mine that I took the traders word on the sizing (big mistake) and bought it without trying on.

I literally ran home so I could see it in all it's glory only to find it is too big. Sadly...although I am a curvy creature I have a very small waist (although not anything else) and even with a belt to cinch it in it just didn't look right and would look alot better on a size 12 or 14.

So...here it is....

I am selling this beauty for £40 + free delivery

...if this is also the dress of your dreams then email me at lucy@hummingbirdvintage.co.uk 

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Swish Delish....

Wow...last night saw the first charity vintage swish and it was fabulous....!!

I was extremely nervous (nerves kicked in on Saturday morning) and didn't really go til late last night which saw me surviving on glasses of fizz as I couldn't eat....could be worse!!

Day started early with a shed load of prep and then it was off to get changed (fabulous 1970's green maxi with gave me a cleavage to be proud of) and have my hair and make-up done by the wonderful Miss Honey Bare. I ended up going for a 70's gypsy vibe so had massive hair and gorgeous gold themed make-up. Even the boy (who is not a fan of vintage) had to admit that I looked a treat but did comment I would look better running through a field or sitting in a forrest due to the way I looked....bless.

So 4pm came and the doors opened....and...to be honest I was expecting a HUGE rush but in the end it was more like a steady trickle.

I met some totally fabulous people throughout the day including people I have met on twitter but not in person, made a shed load of money for Macmillan and Coppa Feel and then got to watch a fantastic burlesque show....I may do this every weekend!!

Sadly I have no pics of my own as I was running around all day but I will be posting them on here when they come through.

I do want to say a MASSIVE thank-you to the following people....Nat Garner (for the fab cakes), Emma from Rock Candy Vintage, Celine Chaplin, Curious of London, Luna DeLovely, Ava Iscariot, Daisy Champagne, Bettie Wishes, Sophia StVillier, Miss Lainy Tuesday, Miss Honey Bare,  Kim (Preloved Reloved), Mark Green, The FAB Swish Pout girls, the boy (for putting up with me)....couldn't have done it without you guys...!!

Now....better start planning the next one!! xx

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Happy Friday...

Today I am happy for many things....

Firstly it is my last full day at work....hurrah...!! Don't get me wrong I will still be working more than part time but each day I will have a couple of hours to work on the vintage, bridal, lingerie and charity....amazing!!

Secondly the Vintage Swish is on Sunday and everything has come together it seems and the burlesque part of the event is looking particularly amazing.....gorgeous girls, getting their kit off (tastefully) for charity...what could be better.

I am sure things will go wrong on the night but I am now looking forward to it rather than being very nervous and feeling slightly sick. If you are coming and you would like priority entry then please email on lucy@hummingbirdvintage.co.uk for guest list.

And lastly I have given up being so strict on the diet of death and had raisins on my cereal this morning. This may not seem like a big thing but believe me when you have been having plain porridge and water for breakfast everyday it is akin to finding water in the desert....god bless the raisin!!

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A Thrifty Wedding Guest...

This year I have been invited to six weddings....yes people SIX!!

Now I love a wedding, I really do but the thought of finding outfits for them leaves me in a cold sweat mainly because I am broke....rubbish.

I have two coming up in three weeks time so I don't even have the luxury of a pay day before hand to cushion the blow.

I had actually planned to wear a lovely mauve vintage dress but upon trying it on last week and giving the boy a fashion show (me stomping up and down our front room and getting moody with him when he doesn't like something) we decided that it was actually too big and not in great condition (the downside of buying vintage).

So I am now back to square one....my dress must have the following things....be full length (so I can wear flats and therefore not end up walking funny and not have to take them off as the dancing gets underway as my feet hurt), have sleeves (bingo wings...need I say more) and be relatively cheap (however I am planning on wearing it to three different weddings so I can pay a bit more if needs must).

So...I have had a quick look around the wonder that is online shopping and this is what I have found...

Mango £89.90

Monsoon £140

Zara £119

Wallis £70

As you can see the selection wasn't huge and it was hard to find the elusive sleeve...however I think my favourite is the Zara number....with some fab gold sandals and statement earrings it should be wedding worthy but if you have seen anything else them please let me know as i am getting slightly desperate..!! 

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Swish and Pout....

So....only a few days to go until the fab Vintage Swish and it looks like it is going to be absolutely amazing.

However up until 8pm last night I was not so sure of this and was in panic mode.

Basically I had assumed that running a swish (as well as the rest of the event) would be very easy....I thought people would just give in their clothes and then magically get new ones....THIS IS NOT THE CASE.

I finally realised this whilst on holiday in Spain and started to panic...which really took the fun out of all the red wine I was consuming...!!

Luckily for me two swishing angels have stepped in and saved the day. Lucy and Nikki run Swish Pout, a fab company running swishing events around London and they even give you fizz and cake whilst you wait....clearly girls after my own heart!!

So these lovely ladies will be making sure things run smoothly on Sunday whilst I look after all the other bits and pieces...love them!!

As well as the clothes swappage there are also some lovely vintage clothes to be bought and I am also bringing along my affordable vintage wedding dress range so if you are a bride looking for a vintage touch pop in and see me on Sunday for a look at the dresses, advice or just a glass of fizz and a gossip.

Here is a sneak peak of what we have and for Sunday only there will be a 10% discount on all Hummingbird Vintage dresses including the bridal range and hand made lingerie....I think it is the promise of booze and cake and the end of a hard weeks dieting that is making me generous!!

If you are popping down then email me your names so I can add them to the guest list..email is lucy@hummingbirdvintage.co.uk

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And I'm back....

WOW...after what seems like ages I am back at work.....however the good news is that it is my last week in real full time employment and from next week I can give much more attention to Victory Vixens and all my Hummingbird projects so it is not all bad.

I spent the past week in Spain...well I say Spain but infact it was more like Essex with slightly more sunshine.

Due to lack of funds the boy and I ended up staying in an apartment on a golf resort.....imagine ex-pat city. We tried to sample the local cuisine one night and attempted to find some tapas however we ended up being served a bowl of tuna mayo and some bread....we didn't try again!!

So after a week of pub grub and alot of red wine I am back on the diet wagon...BIG TIME so any tips please let me know as I have a wedding to go to in two weeks and nothing fits...HELP!! xx

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