On the day after I chauffeured Naomi to Julia Boggio's studios, I had a rather busy day! I spent the morning and early afternoon round at the Casting Couch, doing a shoot for Hula Boogie's latest flyer. Fiona who runs Notorious Kitsch (who is also one of my lovely sponsors) was there, and on the spur of the moment I modelled something a bit special for her... two of her lovely Hawaiian tea towels as a bikini top, and a tablecloth as a sarong! Hilarious!
Candids were taken by Fiona, and one more can be seen on her brilliant blog. You can buy the teatowels and tablecloth from NK when they come back in stock!
So, as soon as I finished the shoot, I had to tear off into central London, to do a bit of work for my absolute favourite gin company, Hendrick's. They had opened a very special Refined Courtship Clinic for Valentine's Day. The premise was thus:
"In a day when public displays of affection from one to another (e.g., wolf-whistles, forthright chat-up lines and robust embracing) are often perceived as vulgar or inappropriate, the Hendrick’s Refined Courtship Clinic exists to educate the masses in good courtship manners and etiquette. It was author Og Mandino that once said, “I seek constantly to improve my manners and graces, for they are the sugar to which all are attracted.”
The new service, offering etiquette instruction to both singletons and couples, is set to open on Friday, February 12th in the heart of London’s red-light district, Soho. The clinic is for those looking to woo potential suitors and imbue their relationships with a level of decorum that will make those who espouse Victorian-era principles proud. The Hendrick’s Refined Courtship Clinic is a public drop-in surgery, run by courtship connoisseurs Dr. Humphrey Sixwivs and Mrs. Isabella Forlornicate.
The clinicians will be offering one-on-one advice, free of charge, on all matters from polite body language to acceptable topics of conversation and procedures of courtship to reading signals from a lady’s fan movements. The clinic will also offer tips on a most unusual, yet wonderfully eccentric, way to present roses to a Valentine."
I was Mrs Isabella Forlonicate for the purposes of the pre-opening press photos, and Dr Sixwivs was the always amazing Atters, whom I've mentioned here lots before. Here's the inside of the Clinic, which featured a real Victorian bath tub that dispensed Hendrick's and Tonic through the taps!
And here's Atters and I doing what we do!
If you wish to see more photos of the actual Clinic in action, pop and read the post at the Hendrick's Unusual Times. And do try Hendrick's if you haven't already. It should be drunk with cucumber instead of lime or lemon - I always keep a cucumber in the fridge in case of emergency G&T!
Moving swiftly on to Valentine's weekend proper, the 13th was, of course, the next instalment of Tart. I don't think this needs much introduction any more, so just have a look at some photos instead!
This time, we had my marvellous mother doing mini-readings from her angel card sets! She was an absolute hit! Clockwise from top left; the spread; mummy dearest; the décor; Lipstick and Curls and Benefit doing their thing; our Hendrick's Gin mixologist (see above); and more décor!
I was lucky enough to be sent the brand-new Able Grable frock to wear... which is being released tomorrow! So you're having something of a sneaky peek! Make sure you check out the site tomorrow to find out a bit more.
Photos by the lovely Claudia Burlotti
After Tart, I collected my chap and my good friends Torquil Arbuthnot and his partner and fellow vintage blogger Red Legs, and hurried off to the art deco-themed Last Days of Decadence bar in Shoreditch, to review their Valentines Day special event for my column in The Chap Magazine. To find out exactly what I thought of it, you'll just have to read said column in the next issue, for I am only providing some photos for you to peruse! Red Legs wrote a splendid review in her blog, which you can read here.
Stylish friends and glorious cocktails - a thoroughly enjoyable Saturday night! (Yes, that is my new chap. ;) )
Last, but not least, I had a truly lovely Valentine's day at home, cooking a roast dinner with all the trimmings. I got a card and some beautiful vintage plastic bangles. Here's my amazing card, which is a vintage 1930s one. It was originally signed 'From Mariane to Mr Post'. I wonder where Mariane is now and if Mr Post became hers...
I'll be back tomorrow (famous last words) with part 2, which covers my adventures of the last week! Hope you have all had lovely weekends.
Fleur xx
DiaryofaVintageGirl.com
PS. I (or rather my YouTube channel) was mentioned in the Sunday Times Style today, complete with a little picture! I'll do a scan, or rather take a photo as I don't have a scanner, tomorrow and post it here; but the article is online (sans pic) and can be read here. Yippee!
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