Tuesday 2 August 2016

The Age Of The Train - Indietracks 2016





Indietracks is a festival like no other, an intimate gathering with a capacity of just 2000, held in the heart of the Derbyshire countryside, run by a team of volunteers with the annual profits ploughed back into maintaining the Midland Railway Museum where the festival takes place. The bands are signed to independent labels, the traders & food stalls all indie businesses and the bar serves locally produced cask ales and ciders. There's a craft tent where you can learn screen printing or decoupage, daily pop quizzes and, when the main act finishes, an old-fashioned Indie-pop disco which closes at midnight allowing the revellers to catch the last train home (there's no camping on-site). Even the festival guide is hand-printed by a worker's co-operative, looking more like an old fashioned 'zine than a glossy programme.


Unlike other festivals we trade at there's a distinct lack of selfie-taking, littering or outrageous behaviour and no sign of the micro fashion trends you'll see on revellers elsewhere - no Adidas tops, glitter tattoos, twin buns, 1990s stretch chokers, black lipstick, bum bags or spandex leggings. Vintage is the favoured attire, worn the way we like to, not to capture a bygone era but as an alternative to the homogeneity of mainstream fashion.


Festival goers tell us that a vintage purchase from Kinky Melon's stall is as much a part of Indietracks as buying a programme or quaffing a pint of fruit cider. We've got a steady stream of regulars and, after four years, know their tastes pretty well, collecting Indietracks specific clothing over the months.

Turnbull & Asser shirt, Diesel waistcoat, black skinnies (all charity shopped)

Vintage gingham maxi (99p, charity shop, 2012) and pom-pom trimmed mirror work waistcoat (Colaba Causeway, Mumbai)

We arrived on site on Friday at 10am, set up and were ready and waiting for the gates to open to the Indie kids at 5pm


Within minutes we sold this fantastic 1960s cotton shift. Doesn't she look amazing?



On Saturday and Sunday Indietracks doesn't get going until 12pm, allowing plenty of time for a leisurely breakfast and to explore the festival site.


Vintage Levi's Panatella shorts (Flea market, Goa), Canadian-made cowboy shirt (vintage stall, this year's Cornbury Festival)




Thomas made an appearance on Saturday but got covered with more and more layers as the day wore on and the sunshine was replaced by chilly grey skies.

Dress made by me 

Indietracks - probably the only place in the world where I'll meet another girl wearing a dress she'd made from a vintage curtain printed with trains. ('Scuse my demented face.)


Talk about a bird's eye view of the stage! I didn't even need to move from my chair to catch the headliners.


Simon Love & The Old Romantics and Nervous Twitch

Dirty Girl, Vacaciones and St Etienne.

The shop may be positioned right next to the railway line but we never get tired of looking at old trains. On Sunday morning we whiled away an hour or so in the West Shed Experience, marvelling at the huge collection of vintage engines and railway memorabilia on display.



After a rather civilised late breakfast we opened for business.

 

Although the shorts and sleeveless dress were soon replaced by warmer attire.


My Sharon's World maxi was my American friend Sandra's prom dress in 1976


Sunday at Indietracks last year was a wash-out but thankfully this year it stayed dry - except for a shower at sunset, producing a magical double rainbow.





Although tempted by the disco, by the time the main stage closed and the stragglers had made their last minute purchases we called it a day, downed the last of the cans of G&T and packed away what was left of our seriously depleted stock....there's always next year.



No rest for the wicked - we're off to Wales tomorrow. Jon's 50th birthday on Friday will be spent working but try not to feel too sorry for him, he'll have a prime spot for watching Asian Dub Foundation from our festival trade pitch at Kaya.

See you soon!

Linking to Patti & the gang for Visible Monday.

88 comments:

  1. ahhh - a fest afte my taste!!!
    small, fine, vinage-y, independent - and trains!!!! :-)
    wish you lots of fun and success at kaya!!! xxxxxx

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    1. Even if you aren't keen on the music Indietracks is so lovely I think most people would love it! xxx

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  2. Ay Caramba!
    Ms Vix looks like a glamorous senorita in the turquoise & beflounced maxi!
    On the hideous homogeneity of modern fashion-
    I was just reflecting the other day on all my travels how sad it is that EVERYWHERE nearly EVERYONE wears the same cheap Chinese made crappy clothes. Rarely do you see ethnic dress nor traditional fashions in daily use anywhere on the planet. How sad is that? I'm burning my jeans & wearing only churidars, kurtis, & salwars. Well, maybe the occasional pair of yoga pants too.

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    1. Wah! Tell me about it. In the 1980s you used to be able to tell where someone was from by their style of dress but nowadays nearly everyone wears the same things from the same shops. I'd love to live in churidars, kurtis and salwars. xxx

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  3. Looks fantastic! Love the train dresses!

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  4. This looks like the sort of Event we'd like. Letting off a bit of steam sounds just up the welders street.
    Massive birthday hugs for Jon on his 50th birthday. He's catching me up now. Xxxxx

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    1. He'd have been in his element in the train museum! xxx

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  5. Looks like a fine fest - and two lovely women in train dresses! How wonderful your customers return year after year (of course!) and you can prepare for their preferences - like any fine boutique. Thanks for linking, and xox

    Patti
    http://notdeadyetstyle.com

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    1. When people come in wearing stuff they've bought off us three and four years ago I glow with pride! xxx

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  6. I'm fascinated with old trains too. Your dress choices were perfect, but I especially love that gingham dress! :)

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  7. What a fabulous backdrop for a festival! Good to see Thomas made an appearance, even if it was just for a short time. And what are the odds of meeting another girl with a hand-made from a curtain, train print dress? Have a great time at Kaya, and happy 50th birthday to Jon! xxx

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    1. Thomas had to come with me even if he did spend most of the day hidden under a coat! xxx

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  8. all i can say is wow! such a beautiful spot. i so admire and envy your lifestyle vix, you two are amazing. you and your customers look so great! ps - where do you get your energy?! xoxo

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    1. Thank you! Ask me again in September when I've aged 40 years after three months on the road! xxx

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  9. This festival looks like the only type I could ever manage...very civilized indeed. I adore that gingham maxi, every time I see it I want it. I nearly bought a fab midi recently but the lyrics of National Express came to mind when I looked at my rear view in the mirror! .... But your customer looks foxy in the green shift. Birthday Wishes to Jon. X

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    1. I'd actually relegated that gingham maxi to the Kinky rails but saw the light a couple of weeks ago and snatched it back. What was I thinking? xxx

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  10. What a great festival! Sounds like you all had a good and very stylish time. Love your customer in that 1960s shift, she looks fab. And the train curtain dresses!

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  11. That looks like such a fun festival! And that gingham maxi with the vest, wow! The train print dresses are brilliant as well. Love vintage novelty prints and those are two of the coolest I've seen.

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  12. Now that looks like the perfect festival for me - vintage clothes and trains! A great combo. Love the photo of you and the girl with the train dress on, bet that was one of the things that made your weekend xxx P.S. I need a Brooke Bond Tea sign like that in my life!

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    1. There were quite a few of those old tin signs around, I love them! xxx

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  13. So great seeing the trains - thanks for taking us along.
    You guys rock! Happy upcoming birthday to Jon and have a wonderful time in Wales!!

    oxooxx

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    1. Thanks Carol! He had a brilliant day! xxx

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  14. It really does sound a wonderful festival- much more my scene- smaller, more friendly! I LOVE the duo of train dresses- they look so good!!!! Happy Birthday to Jon!x

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    1. Thanks, Kezzie! Train dresses are the future. xxx

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  15. I do like a small festival! And I love old trains too. I still miss the vintage tube trains that used to run on the Underground right up to the late 90s...

    Funnily enough I was just reading about a place where you can stay in old train carriages: http://www.messynessychic.com/2016/08/02/for-sale-the-antique-train-hotel/ If you ever decide to swap India for a road trip around the States, you need to go there :)

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    1. Wow! Thanks for that link, Anna. I'm seriously tempted! xxx

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  16. Excellent. I do love this mix and I do love a smaller festival. I also bloody love that green shift and I'm glad to see it went to a good home. That Kinky punter looks banging in it. Your train frocks rock together and that's a helluva pitch!
    Kaya time again! Lots of my Welsh mates are going and I will make it meself one year. It's a cracker.
    As are you ...have a fab time in Welsh Wales.
    Loves ya.
    xxxx

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    1. She was one of our best customers, she bought something every day (and looked cracking in everything!)
      Wales rocks - but you know that already! xxx

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  17. toot toot, I love a train museum. The California State one in Sacramento is awesome. Sounds like my kind of festival, not too big.

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  18. I love that this is a smaller more manageable festival for you where you were able to sleep in and enjoy the event. How fun that you are wearing someone's prom dress! The stories it could tell!

    I loved the two train dresses.

    This is more my pace of festival : )

    bisous
    Suzanne

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    1. It did feel like a mini holiday after the madness of previous weeks! xxx

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  19. Hi Vix, glad Indietracks went well for you and Jon, it looks like you had a great time! And you two girls look fabulous in your homemade train curtain dresses, so awesome. Hope the next festival is great, looking forward to reading about it. Xxx

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    1. Thanks, Jess! I still can't believe there's two of us mad enough to make dresses from vintage train print curtains, proves Indietracks is my kind of festival! xxx

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  20. That sounds like a festival I could tolerate! Glad to hear it was successful.

    Happy Birthday to Jon.

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    1. Thanks, Goody! I think even a die-hard festival hater would be hard pressed not to enjoy themselves at Indietracks! xxx

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  21. Sounds like an amazing festival, glad you had a good time.

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    1. One for your festival wishlist, maybe? xxx

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  22. That looks great, what a fun place to work. I loved the shift dress your lady is wearing - I would have snapped it up. Betty

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    1. Wasn't it a fab dress? I was tempted to "borrow" it, too! xxx

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  23. I love your train festival. Saw St.Etienne years ago when they toured Canada. They were great.

    I think your Thomas dress is my favourite of all your dresses, and that's saying a lot considering you have so many excellent ones! People must have smiled seeing it worn at that particular festival. And so neat you found someone else who'd also made a train dress from a curtain.

    You both look great. Hope you sensed my smile across the airwaves as I looked at these pictures! xo

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    1. Thanks, Louise! St Etienne were wonderful but my highlight was definitely meeting a fellow home made train dress wearer! xxx

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  24. Victor is also fascinating by trains. He tell us that counting and writing down their names was his pass time as a boy. Difficult to understand to spaniards with few trains about. I am so glad that you have steady customers and life tastes sweet.
    happiest birthday to Jon.
    We are off to cool England on Saturday. I am only taking my underwear, toiletry, walking gear and whatever I am wearing to travel cos I know I will be getting new clothes fresh from English Charity shops, car boot sales. I am not coming back with less than my 25 kilos paid hahahha
    Quite excited for Victor as well who we thought he wouldn´t make it through cancer.
    Much love, my dear friend

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    1. Ahhh, a trainspotter! Bless him!
      Hope you have a wonderful holiday in the Uk and fingers crossed you get some good walking weather you can enjoy. xxx

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  25. I love those train signs , You have such a unique style , Nobody else could carry off a Thomas the tank engine dress , loving the other lady's train dress too , you always look as though you have had so much fun xxx

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    1. Thank you! Its a fabulous place to visit even when the festival isn't on. xxx

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  26. Delighted to see that cotton shift found an appreciative owner right out of the gate! One feels that as an event begins, so will it continue...and Kinky Melon's contributions to this festival of vintage/trains deserved generous compensation. It's certain that your -- and the other sweet lady's - attire made specially for the occasion was noted!

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    1. Selling that dress within minutes was a great start to a brilliant weekend! Indie music and steam trains are an odd combination but it seems to work! xxx

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  27. That sounds really appealing actually, both in terms of the numbers of people and the opening times. Chilled rather than frantic. I don't think I fancy anything bigger these days. And it's just up the road. Yep, a Kinky Melon purchase is a vital part of life. You look lovely in your turquoise dress and your gingham maxi, and it just wouldn't be the same if Thomas the tank engine didn't make an appearance. Oh, there's that lovely tin tabernacle again. Xxxx

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    1. Its definitely a festival at a more relaxed pace, most welcome after some of the madness of the others we've done recently! Golden Valley is the poshest campsite ever, isn't it? Jacuzzis and all! xxx

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  28. I love trains, old trains from here goes ... when the steam locomotive is a time of celebration for me (a bit 'less for the My Nero cat !!), that's why I feel a sense of disbelief reading your post: this festival is too good, and I'm exactly agree with what you say about the standard revelers (better without!) and vintage fashion against the approval of large retailers. I admire all of this, even though in my Old Boot all this perhaps will never come, in Italy there are too many boor and I hate them!
    Thanks for these photos, clothing, trains, beautiful people and your dress with train sets is too right! And then .. the rainbow! WOW!

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    1. Its so good to get away from the rampant commercialism and corporate nonsense of the bigger festivals! xxx

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  29. Joyful birthday wishes to Jon! It's thoroughly cool that his birthday proceeds my husband's by just one day (his falling on the 6th, that is). I hope that you guys have a marvelous, fun filled celebration and a great time in Wales.

    xoxo ♥ Jessica

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  30. Seems verk genuine. And two ladies wearing dresses With train print! You should be in a rockvideo.

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  31. Excellent that weather and customers were well behaved. I love that you're an attraction to the festival.

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    1. Too right, Sam - made a refreshing change! xxx

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  32. Don't you wish all the festivals could be this fabulous? Maybe I'm projecting, but this seems just about perfect. I love old trains too, and I'm so glad you have an appreciative, return audience for your wares!!! You and Jon look fab as always. It makes me so happy to be able to vicariously enjoy the festival with you. Your photos and writing capture it all so beautifully. Sending infinite love your way!!!!! xoxoxo

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    1. I know we say this about nearly all our festivals but it really doesn't feel like work spending time at indietracks! xxx

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  33. A wonderful festival and how fun to know your customers over the years. You have captured the essence of this festive gatheringl to perfection. Happy Birthday to Jon and hope you have a fabulous celebration!

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  34. What a unique, fabulous festival - one you can enjoy both business and pleasure - and returning, happy customers. I love the checked gingham maxi dress, you look fabulous and the waistcoat and more arm accessories are perfect. Hope you're having a great weekend in Wales. xx

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    1. Its no wonder Indietracks often gets awarded best boutiques festival, is it? A smashing little event. xxx

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  35. Happy 50th Jon! He's looking very cool in all of his outfits as do you, Vix, and what a lovely coincidence meeting a person who had a homemade train printed dress on - or maybe not!

    This festival sounded a little less hectic than previous ones you've blogged about; one I might even manage!

    Hope Wales is fab and that you have a great week.

    xxx

    Veronica
    vronni60s.blogspot.com

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    1. I think you'd love it, Vronni! There's an incredibly posh campsite a gentle walk away so you can have some exercise, peace and quiet and hot showers along with your usual festival entertainment. xxx

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  36. How adorable you look in you-made Thomas dress! And the red-head girl's dress is very cute too - you're soul sisters. I remember this festival from the last year - "intimate" seems to be a perfect word for it. The double rainbow means one thing in my book: HAPPINESS, DOUBLED. So happy festivals to you, my friend, and happy birthday to Jon! Much love to you, wonderful people!

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    1. You're right, Natalia - the rainbow summed up our weekend! xxx

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  37. Thus sounds really lovely. I do find littering and drunkenness so disappointing at any event. I did chuckle at the 'uniform' of wearing hunter wellies and shorts at latitude rather hilarious. It was so hot, wellies were the last thing I'd put on!
    Happy birthday to Jon, hope you have a fab weekend!

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    1. I know - I'm all for a drink but not to the point where I'm chucking stuff around and being obnoxious.
      Shorts, Hunter wellies, fringed kimono.... it is a blinking uniform, isn't it? How on earth do people find their mates when they get lost, everyone looks the blinking same! xxx

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  38. The train dresses are fab! Glad you had a wonderful time and I hope Jon had a fantastic 50th!! x

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    1. Thank you! It was a fab weekend and so was Kaya! xxx

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  39. The Indie festival looks like a goodie. Now you will have to go shopping again to re stock after a good time there. Love all your double rainbow photos, magical stuff.

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    1. Restocking is the best bit!
      Wasn't that double rainbow a beauty? xxx

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  40. So cool you met a vintage train curtain twin! Looks like a faboo festival!

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    1. I know, what are the chances of meeting a curtain twin? xxx

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  41. Wow, that lady looks fantastic in that 60's sheath dress. I am in love with the fabric and with the very Mod -looking pink dress with the photo where you are wearing that gorgeous turquoise maxi dress. You really look fabulous in it. I love the double-train dresses. Sounds like this festival is absolutely brilliant. Glad the hear that you had a great time and hope that Kaya was fab. Xx

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    1. That green dress was a beauty, wasn't it? The pink dress is a 1960s St Michael, still awaiting a new owner - believe it or not!
      Indietracks really is a lovely festival, long may it continue. xxx

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  42. What's better than gingham? Tri-colour gingham! What an unusual dress, I've never seen anything like it before. Looks like this festival was as good as you hoped, what a fab view from your pitch! xx

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    1. That dress is great, it goes with anything! I don't know why I forgot I had it! xxx

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  43. Indietracks sounds like such a lovely festival. Perhaps I'll give it a go next year! x

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    1. You'd love it, loads of super stylish people and a really lovely relaxed feel! xxx

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  44. Your gingham dress always reminds me of the pair of pastel coloured tiered dresses I had as a child, both in pink, blue and yellow, I loved them so much I get all dewy eyed when I see your grown up version xxx

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    1. I loved gingham as a little girl, I used to get really excited when we'd go back to school after the Easter holidays and be able to wear our gingham summer dresses, red Clarks' sandals and straw boaters! xxx

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Thanks for reading and for leaving a message. Please don't be anonymous, I'd love it if you left a name (or a nom de plume).

Lots of love, Vix