So we've reached the last set of photos from the shoot with Jac and Steve that we've been calling Through The Ages. For this section we did a really fun 1970s look with an original 1970s pair of flares and giant hair. This look is so completely different to how I normally look but it's refreshing to mix things up sometimes.

See the rest of the series: 1920s, 1930s/40s, 1960s

I am completely in love with the English countryside, and have been forcefully reminded of that fact now that the weather is getting better and I'm going out more. The location where these photos were taken is one of my favourite places locally to visit; it gives me a real sense of calm and contentedness.

Today I have something a little bit different for you: a little feature on fellow blogger Carla of Tiny Angry Crafts. Carla has been extremely supportive of Lovebirds Vintage in the last few months so it's my pleasure to share her lovely blog with you.

She knits and sews really well and regularly showcases her handiwork. I love her Victory sweater a huge amount but her blue peasant blouse really suits her too. You can see her creations from 2014 here as well as her plans for 2015 here.

Continuing with the pictures from our Through The Ages photoshoot. This time it's a 1960s look featuring a beautiful original 60s dress (not my own). The silk millinery flower is from Natty Titfers.

Images are by Steve Bond and hair styling is by Jac at Tip Top Hair Design. You can see the 1920s section here and the 1930s/40s section here. There's one more section to go now with a 1970s look.

Today I have an interview with Jessica of Chronically Vintage as part of her new blogger interview series. Check it out here!

Happy (late) Easter everyone! I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend even if you don't celebrate it. My brother was on his Easter break from uni so we could spend some time with the family altogether. My grandparents came to see us on Saturday when I wore this outfit, then my brother and I went to Crich Tramway for the Easter 1940s weekend on Easter Sunday. I didn't take my camera, but there will be photos at some point from some of the photographers who've taken pictures of me in previous years.

The dress I'm wearing here is a new-to-me 1950s dress which I was actually saving for something later in the year, but I just couldn't not wear it for Easter when it was so perfectly Easter-coloured. This dress matches the pink and green shades from my ORLY polishes really well, but I was too busy on the night before and in the morning to paint my nails. I'm saving the idea for later though, because it'll look really nice with this dress for the summer.







This dress came to me in quite poor condition but as such was a good price; I had to mend quite a few burst seams and a couple of tears, as well as replacing the zip. I was really pleased with the result but I managed to break a couple of stitches at the underarm when I reached a bit too far while wearing it, so it's back in my mending pile again. I can't be too disappointed though, because the dress has pockets! Love a dress with pockets, for sure.

A while ago I shared the pictures from the 1920s section of the last photoshoot I did with Jac from Tip Top Hair Design and Steve Bond. After the 1920s section we moved onto this amazing Hollywood Glam look inspired by images of Hollywood's leading ladies of the 1930s and 40s. This was my favourite look overall from the photoshoot, and I am completely in love with the results.








I don't think I can choose a favourite from these as I'm so happy with all of them! Next time will be 1960s - you may have already seen a little preview if you follow me on Facebook  and I'm also active on Twitter and Instagram where you can see more pictures, articles, and interesting things I find on the web.

Also, if you live in the UK, you can now order Bésame cosmetics from Tip Top's online store, and Jac will also be expanding with other lines soon. If you live close enough to visit the salon (Leicestershire) you can also get gift vouchers to spend in store.

Vintage Life Magazine is one of the best loved vintage publications available, covering topics including fashion and beauty, culture, home décor and lifestyle. The magazine explores everything that vintage lovers enjoy about the 1920s-70s. The lovely people at Vintage Life were kind enough to send me a copy of April's issue to review, so I sat down with some tea and scones to have a read.





April's issue kicks off with an article about Coco Chanel and her career in the fashion industry - a really interesting insight into how Chanel got started as the global brand we recognise today. Other articles include a piece on how to wear wellies (which inspired me to wear them in my most recent outfit post), a discussion on the 21st century woman's figure, a 1980s wedding lookbook, and a look at the interior of the gorgeous Highclere Castle, to name just a few. I really like the variety of articles in Vintage Life as I find I always learn something new and it keeps me interested all the way through. The features are organised into sections: "My Style", "My Look", "My Health", "My Life", "My Home" and "My Food".



The "My Look" section in the April issue includes answers to some beauty questions from readers as well as a tutorial on how to put on false eyelashes and a tutorial for a beautiful 1940s updo. I really enjoy the hair tutorials in particular that are included in Vintage Life as I'm not the most talented at styling my hair, and I find the ideas useful. I hope to try and recreate the hairstyle from this issue soon.

The issue also features some great tips on how to create a 70s look (bang on trend) and I surprised myself by really liking the looks even though I normally think that I dislike a lot of 70s fashion. The photos are so beautiful though, that it's hard not to feel inspired. The model's hair and makeup is lovely.





The only article from this particular issue that I wasn't too sure about was on the subject of retirement. While I'm sure the magazine attracts a wide readership including all ages, the article didn't seem to me as though it fitted in as well with the concept of the magazine as the rest of the content. That said, the rest of the magazine feels really well put together, so perhaps I have missed the point. I did enjoy all the other articles in the magazine, and I even like looking at the adverts in Vintage Life as they're always for things which feel relevant to my personal style and lifestyle.
   



Priced at £4.25 per issue, Vintage Life is a bit more expensive than I would normally pay for a magazine, but it's comparable with other publications of this length and quality. You really do get a lot of magazine for your money, with lengthy articles and plenty of how-to's and recipes. I usually find that it takes me a few days to thoroughly read a copy of Vintage Life as I like to dip in and read a couple of articles at a time - whereas I can burn through a lot of fashion or celebrity magazines in one sitting. If you're interested in vintage - whether your interest is in clothing, homeware, music, or any other aspect - Vintage Life is sure to have something to interest you. As of the 50th issue, they magazine also has a swanky new look and a new website which I really like (although I had no objections to the previous look!).

Vintage Life Magazine has a worldwide readership and you can find stockists in the UK and Ireland, USA, and Australia on the website or you can order online to anywhere in the world.



Thanks again to the Vintage Life team for sending me the magazine!

After reading my copy of the April issue of Vintage Life Magazine which features an article all about wellies, I felt inspired to wear wellies with everything. We even had a couple of days when it rained heavily, so wellies suddenly became the most appropriate footwear. The outfit itself was a little bit inspired by an outfit shown in one of the photos in the feature, and was also something easy and comfortable to wear. I've been working six days a week recently (though thankfully not quite full days) and I've also been running a lot, so I'm finding myself gravitating towards outfits which are practical and don't require too much thought. I do a lot of lifting and kneeling, so I prefer to wear things which I can move around in and which don't matter too much if they get dirty. This loose-fitting 1960s dress fits the bill perfectly.







This jacket has also been getting quite a bit of wear recently. It's one left over from when I was at school which I bought when I was still bothered about trying to fit in with what was in fashion at the time, although honestly it was never really much my style. It's much more modern than most of my clothes - even my non-vintage clothes tend to be a classic style if not vintage repro - but I've actually been quite enjoying wearing it a bit now that the weather is starting to warm up a bit. I did have to dodge the raindrops for these photos though!