Today I attended a Vintage Glamour workshop at City Square in Melbourne.  The event was being held for Melbourne Spring Fashion Week and had been put together by the lovely and talented Candice DeVille, of www.superkawaiimama.com.au

I have been a huge fan of Candice’s blog for nearly two years now.  Her site is a delight for any lover of vintage fashion and style.  Candice weaves glamour into the everyday and mundane and makes it sparkle.  She’s the woman to turn to if you want to know how to apply the perfect red lipstick, create effortlessly spohisticated looks, or set the smoothest curls.  I was so excited to see what she had cooked up for this workshop.

I wasn’t sure how casual the event would be, and so in the end, I decided to pull out all the stops and get rather dressed up:

I am wearing:

– Teal silk Vietnamese dress (thrifted)

– Nude fishnet stockings

– Black Nine West patent leather heels

– Swan Song fascinator from Dangerfield

– Amethyst ring

– Sapphire ring

– Onyx teardrop earrings (vintage).

– Black bodysuit from Remember Me

– Black leather corset belt

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the workshop.  I have a fair amount of knowledge and experience about vintage glamour, both from my own research and experimenting and also from reading Candice’s blog.    I didn’t know whether the workshop would be intended for beginners, or whether there would be some material that would be appropriate for some experienced vintage shoppers.

I found the workshop to be really fun and very informative.  Candice had a chat to everyone about the glamour of vintage style and how timeless most of these looks really are.  I loved the way she described dressing in vintage style as taking a piece of your soul and wearing it on the outside.  It is very true.  I find that, when you choose to dress a little differently from everybody else, it is rewarding, not only to the people around you, but to yourself.  Each time you step out in something a little bit dramatic, daring or glamorous, you get a massive confidence boost.

Candice showed us some genuine vintage outfits, and then went on to give us some ideas for creating vintage style looks using modern garments.

The gorgeous Mary-Anne from http://esmeandthelaneway.blogspot.com/

The key to pulling off the vintage look, according to Candice, is paying attention to detail.  You should look perfectly polished from top to toe.  Everything should match, you should never forget your stockings, your lips should be lined and your nails unchipped.  Adding sweet touches like gloves and vintage jewellery is also a good way to carry the vintage look into a more modern context.

Candice spoke to us about maintaining a sense of glamour in your everyday life, by selecting special vintage pieces, and wearing them for yourself.  She reiterated the message I have been trying to get across for ages, that you don’t need an occasion to get dressed up, and you don’t need somebody to get dressed up for.  It is perfectly acceptable, nay, wonderful, to dress up just for you.

 

I think the most informative part of the day, for me, was the section on vintage undergarments and foundation garments.  I have next to no knowledge in this area, and have been thinking of investing in some good quality vintage undergarments.  Candice gave the audience a really good insight into the type of garments that are available, where to buy them, and what to look for to ensure that you are buying a quality piece.  It was so very helpful.

 

At the end of the session, we all had a chance to ask questions, which Candice dutifully answered.  It was a really fun, informative session, and I walked out of it feeling inspired and uplifted.

Thankyou so much to Candice for putting this workshop together and for executing it so beautifully.  It was perfect for both beginners and vintage enthusiasts alike.  I had a wonderful afternoon.

If you have a chance, you should check out Candice’s website.  It is filled with marvellous tutorials, gorgeous outfit photos and brilliant advice on achieving the vintage glamour look.