Things that matter to me... What is redressing built upon?

Things that matter to me..

Redressing is built upon a platform of strong foundations which relate to self-worth and re-scripted identity. We are all created with abilities, desires, interests and a sense of purpose....here are some of those foundations unpacked for you....

A- Acceptance. It matters that we ladies accept ourselves! It doesn't matter what shape, size, colour or demographic we are so long as we accept ourselves. Yes, there are aspects we want to change, habits we'd like to break and thoughts we wish we didn't have but the fundamental thing is that we love and accept ourselves for who we are and embrace the potential that's within us!

 B- Beauty is on the inside..
With 3 daughters, hairstyles, make up, clothes and shoes can be a big feature of our house yet I have instilled in my girls that beauty is on the inside. Are they kind? Considerate? Thoughtful and gentle? These are the attributes that make a woman beautiful. The way you dress your outer body still needs serious consideration and appropriate guidance but who you are on the inside is what really counts.

C- Creativity
Creativity is not just the prerogative of the artistically talented. All of us can be creative in our thinking systems and can choose to view our world positively and purposefully. The choice to transcend traditional ideas, rules and patterns and to create meaningful new ideas and be original is ours. Creativity can influence the way we dress and influence the way we think about ourselves. Be who you know you can be, always be the very best version of yourself.

These are just the first 3 of many of Redressing's foundations....is it time to refresh the way you dress, think and value yourself?

Thank you!

Just a quickie to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who attended the Redressing 1st Birthday Bash on Friday. It was wonderful to see so many of you, old customers and new, great friends and brand new acquaintances! I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of you again, drinking champagne and re-scripting the identity of women together. Oh, and selling some fab frocks and gorgeous gowns of course!
I'm afraid I was far too busy being the hostess with the mostess to take any pictures but did get this one of me and the lovely Ele from hotchpotch vintage.

Thanks for a fab night guys, a fab year and the incredible opportunity to restore that knowledge of inner beauty, femininity and strength we ladies sometimes lose!

Don't forget to leave you comment HERE to enter our fab Cath Kidston Giveaway! Closing date is next Thursday Dec 1st....

Our next public appearance is on Thursday December 1st at Earlsdon School Christmas Fayre and Pamper evening. Join us for dresses, accessories, colour analysis and more.
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Fab Frock Friday, Cath Kidston Giveaway and 1st birthday bash!

Well! What a week!
First up, it's Fab Frock Friday and today's Fab Frock comes straight from the Redressing collection. Available in a size 12 this is a wonderfully retro styled halter neck dress perfect for Christmas parties and beyond!

Size 12 Zuma dress £25

Isn't it beautiful?! Brand new in to Redressing this dress is not yet on the website but if you really can't wait then do email me for more details!

Size 12 Zuma dress £25

The fabric is a silk/taffeta style and the dress has a netted underskirt and is covered in darling little sequins in a delicate rose pattern. Be the belle of the ball this Christmas for a mere £25!

Speaking of Christmas, don't forget our fab Cath Kidston vintage Christmas giveaway which ends next Thursday Dec 1st. To enter, leave a comment on HERE, re tweet the blog or like us on face book (just make sure you leave a new comment for all 3!)

Cath Kidston goodies up for grabs

As if that wasn't exciting enough already, we also have our big 1st birthday Champagne reception tonight here at Redressing House! All the fab frocks, gorgeous gown, handmade, bespoke chic jewellery and accessories will be available to purchase so what are you waiting for? Pop along!


Email: angie@redressing.co.uk for details of this event or today's fab frock.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway- winner will be drawn at random next Thursday Dec 1st!

Bye for now
   x

Who can wear which dress Wednesday: a little bit of dress history.

It's Wednesday so that must mean it's time for another encouraging identity re-scripting blog for all you dress lovers out there!

I've blogged quite a bit before about body shapes and corresponding dress styles and am encouraged to meet more and more women wearing dresses and looking and feeling girly and glam!

Dresses have had quite a turn around over the last century. Think back to what women were wearing in the 1900s and just how much skirt lengths, shoulder widths and collars have changed in the last century or so!

 Isn't it great that we can now wear what we love and like with such freedom?

So ladies, whether you're a Vintage Vixen, Daring Diva, Plain Jane or Yummy Mummy, there's no excuse! get that dress on!!!!

Don't forget to leave your comment on the Vintage Christmas Cath Kidston giveaway blog post to be in with a chance of winning some fantabulous CK treats!!!

And it's our 1st birthday bash this Friday- join us for champagne, fab frocks and gorgeous gowns! Here's some reminders of styles gone by!

   x

1900s

1920s

1940s

1960s

1980s

Vintage Christmas Giveaway and Redressing's first birthday bash!

As it's approaching that magical time of year when thoughts turn to the true meaning of life, love and goodwill to all men. I want to show my support of the true Christmas Spirit of giving by having a Redressing Christmas giveaway!

I'm offering the lucky winner a little goody bag of Cath Kidston treats!

You have 3 chances to enter the giveaway!
1. Leave me a message here on the blog,
2. Tweet/share a link on Facebook to the blog (leave me a message here so I know you've done that!) and
3. Share a link and mention the giveaway on your own blog, (again, leaving me a message here also).

Easy!
The winner will be drawn at random on Thursday December 1st so you have plenty of time to enter!

In the meantime, don't forget this Friday is Redressing's 1st birthday bash! Champagne will be chilling and there will be a plethora of fab frocks and gorgeous gowns not to mention the gorgeous handmade, bespoke jewellery available to purchase. Whether it's a vintage button necklace, a swarovski crystal heart or a funky glass bead bracelet, you will find it all here on Friday! Contact me angie@redressing.co.uk for details, DM on Twitter or message me on Face Book!

Vintage button choker £12.50. Any colour made to order.

Handmade bead bracelets £8.

And much, much more!.....

The giveaway winner will be drawn at random on Thursday December 1st. Good luck and see you soon!
        x

Fab Frock Friday: The Redressing Wall of Fame! (part 1)

 I've been asking lately for photos of gorgeous girls in their Redressing fab frocks and thought I would showcase just a few from the current Wall of Fame. If you'd like to appear on the Wall, just send me your outfit photo!

Don't forget, you can join us tonight from 7pm at the wonderful Ladies Pamper & Shopping night at St. Christopher's school, Allesley. Take part in our prize draw to become a catwalk model tonight and receive a free goody bag of girly vintage and pamper treats! You too could be appearing on the next Redressing Wall of Fame!

The fabulous Faith!

Gorgeous Kelly G in green!

Wonderful Kelly G in white!

Lovely Alysia and Penny, both in Redressing fab frocks!

Stunning Soph in her shift dress!

Perfect Pippa in her Posh Frock!

Tracie rocks her Everyday Glam look!

Sun, Sea, Surf and 50s kitsch!

While out and about last weekend we visited the Coventry Transport Museum's temporary exhibition dedicated to the vehicles used by surfers through the years entitled 'Wheels and Waves'.

It was a great exhibit and as I love all things that remind me of the 50s and Australia, it was the perfect spot for some reminiscing of glorious holidays down under with my brother and his wonderful family!

There were some great VW camper vans parked on the makeshift beach. One was even decked out in Cath Kidston accessories which of course was squealed over by the girls I had with me.

There was a history of surfing dating back to Good Ole Captain Cook watching Aborigines on the surf near Sydney through to planks of wood being used right up to contemporary British surfers and the exclusive boards still made in Cornwall.

I quite liked the surf shack full of retro memorabilia and the use of kitsch films like 'Beach Party' which starred Frankie Avalon in 1963.

So that was the Wheels & Waves retro surfer exhibition. Here's me in my new Heyday wrap top and Lady K Loves Rosie trousers enjoying the camper vans!!!!

What are your favourite retro or vintage holiday spots?
                              X

What a Vintage weekend!

The fabulous Vintage Fair found its way to Coventry last Saturday. It was a really fabulous day with lots of different and affordable stalls. I went along with my 2 eldest daughters and their friend and we all found the perfect purchase!

Image courtesy of the Vintage Fair

I found a beautiful 50s summer dress (photos to follow shortly!) and the girls bought pretty jewellery, shabby chic style bookmarks and a stunning french style wooden box. Not vintage, but it has with lots of dividers which was just perfect for my second daughters bead, button and sewing collection!

We then popped over to Coventry Transport Museum Christmas Craft Fair for a browse and a spot of tea and cupcakes and then over to a little shop called Hannigans which has a small but perfectly formed ladies vintage section in the basement. Although many of the vintage items had undergone clever up-cycling and there were no dresses we did however find some fab hats and scarves so I'm looking forward to trying out Retro Chick's post on 3 ways to wear a beret!

There was more vintage wondefulness last weekend too, but that can wait for a post all of it's own!

What did you get up to at the weekend? Did you visit the vintage fair too?
   x

Outfit post: Swing when you're winning!

I haven't blogged an outfit post for a little while so here's one for you!

Dress: Et Vous, Shrug: thrifted, Shoes: Brantano

This is a gorgeous swing dress which I picked up in a sale in the summer. I'm wearing it with a little black shrug as it's a sleeveless dress and it was chilly. I love wearing summer dresses way beyond their intended season- after all Make Do And Mend is the 40s mantra!

What I like about this dress is its nod to vintage 50s styling in both the cut (nipped in waist & full skirt albeit shorter!) and it's floral print. It has so many wonderful colours that it goes with ALL my Mary Jane shoes which is no mean feat!

I wore this on the evening of my birthday last week out for a meal with the rest of the family. As you can see, we had quite a few laughs and a free glass of champagne! Still, not every day one turns 40!

Happy Birthday to me!

"Cheers"!

I always Swing when I'm winning!
 
Don't forget Ladies night on Friday! £3 per ticket (available from my good self!) and if you buy a 50p raffle ticket you are in with a chance of modelling with us on the catwalk!

X

Fab Frock Friday! Designer of the future: Guest post by El Coles and Stop Traffic Clothing Competition

El's Blog Post

I’ve always loved Vintage, and being the 12 year old daughter of the founder of Redressing, it’s a given. My favourite era is probably the 60’s, but I love the values and ethics (and hairstyles!!!) of the 1940’s. I also love sewing and creating beautiful things using beautiful fabrics - mainly Cath Kidston but sometimes I opt for cheaper materials.

I have quite an individual style, and sometimes it can be relatively hard to find things that I like. It would be amazing to make my own clothes, and then I would be able to wear what I liked, so that’s what I set about doing one weekend, with one of mine and my Mum’s friends...

I often do sewing with Jackie (mine and Mum’s friend) and I really enjoy staying over at her house. We have made bags together in the past, and now we were about to make a dress.



Jackie

Half a metre of Cath Kidston floral fabric- left over from a previous sewing project- and about the same measurement in plain pale pink fabric was all I had and needed to make my dress. Firstly we sketched out a dress on a post-it note, only a rough guide. Then we used a vest top of mine as a template to make the top part of the outfit. We drew an outline on the CK fabric, and then cut it out. We cut out two pieces; one for the front, and one for the back, which was two pieces in itself because we had cut that in half to make room for the zip. We sewed these pieces together (right sides facing) and then all we needed was the zip...

A zip couldn’t be that much of a challenge- or at least you would think. After changing the machine foot to a zipper foot, and then inserting the zip, we were very pleased with our work! Now we had finished the top.

Top of dress in Cath Kidston fabric

To make the skirt, we used the pink fabric. We folded it in half and looked to see if it fitted on me okay. Then Jackie began to make very small pleats in the fabric by gathering it at the top, and then pinned and stitched them down. Then we turned it inside out, and simply sewed up the side.

Skirt part in plain fabric

Before attaching the two together, we had to hem the skirt and sew facings onto the top to neaten the edges. Once combined, the top and skirt looked amazing together, and I love my dress very much!!!

Finished dress!

The dress I made was one of the most simple types of clothing, and took us no time at all. A great fun way to spend my weekend, I can definitely assure you that I will be dress-making again!!! If you want to try making a similar dress, all you will need is half a metre of your desired top fabric, and either the same or a different fabric for the skirt part. With a bit of know-how, a sewing machine and lots of enthusiasm, you too can make a simple dress!

Dress worn with vintage belt

By El Coles

El x

Isn't she amazing?!
Before we go, just a mention on fab Frock Friday of the Stop Traffic Clothing competition-Yay! Win a pin-up shoot, subscription to Vintage life Mag, £150 to spend on Stop Traffic Clothing and lots more! Closing date is Dec 31st so there's still plenty of time to enter!

                     x

Ladies Night November Madness!

Wow! What a month for Redressing November is turning out to be! As you will know from the side panel on the blog, we have lots of fabulous and exciting events planned this month so I thought I'd take a moment to share them with you. I've blogged before about what actually goes on at a Redressing Event, but this month contains a unique and somewhat milestone event in our calendar.

That's right! It's ....Ladies Pamper and Shopping night at St. Christopher's School, Allesley, Coventry on Friday November 18th and Redressing is the main attraction!

I'm busy planning an amazing Fashion Show for the evening with my wonderful Creative Director Sophy. We are showcasing all 3 of the Redressing Collections, so that's Everyday Glam, Posh Frocks and of course, my baby, Vintage Chic. I have 3 gorgeous, glorious and real sized models for the evening who will strut their stuff on the catwalk in outfits from all 3 collections and there will also be the opportunity for one of you lucky people to be a catwalk model for the evening and join us on stage! Yep, that's right, come along to the event (tickets £3) and purchase a raffle ticket for a mere 50p and if your name is drawn, you could be a Redressing model for the evening and be taught the moves and grooves by our very own Ex-Model Creative Director Sophy Walker, get a style-over and strut your funky stuff! We may even throw in a goody bag!

Can't wait to see you all there! And you may bring your own wine!!! Tickets available at £3 from yours truly; what does the ice-cream van say? "Stop me and buy one"!!!

(Oh yes, there's also Pampering By Karen, Fairy Elephant Designs, Adelle's cupcakes @Del-lite, Gifts from Angelique, Phoenix cards, Forever living beauty products, handmade toys...... and much more besides!)