Another month of minxy dressing up with a fair dollop of recessionista chic.

The night that Camden banned //Shop Socials //1920’s Lawn Games// Reviving the Country House Party //Become a pin-up! .

Dark corners. Yes please sir. Frolicsome performance art. Oui oui. Ooo look a gilded cage! A naughty night of decadence? Is the pope Catholic? Filling the void in the cabaret scene left by the loss of gorgeous and quirky venues like The Cafe Royal and Soho Revue Bar, Boom Boom Club lives in the Victorian grandeur of the The Bathhouse [8 Bishopsgate Churchyard, EC3. Every Sunday 8pm till 3am. £7 on the door]. Banned from Camden for being too audacious, it hosts regular appearances from cabaret starlets such as Vicky Butterfly, Kitty Bang Bang, Chrys Columbine and Dusty Limits. Resident DJs Bioux and David H supplying a mix of 50s swing, rock n’ roll and exotica from within their birdcage DJ booth.

Shopping, eating and drinking. The three commandments of my life. One Monday morning, meandering around Shoreditch, I stumbled across a delightful vintage shop by the name of Speedies. Impossible for me to walk past these things. It’s a treasure trove of clothes and retro home furnishings. Striking up a conversation with the owner, he let me into a little secret: once a month he throws a party in the shop. So far so good. The only problem is that they have got so popular that you have to be on the mailing list to know about them. I can let you into a little secret as well: the next night will be the 6th of August. Featuring music from Your Kids with resident dj JetBoy plus special guests on the decks, plus fully stocked bar and BBQ weather permitting. Location and dates are but a click away speediegazelle@googlemail.com

For those who read the musings of RR Editor, Patrick Hussey, you may have noticed the risqué pictures that adorned his article on the first White Black Bird party at Stoke Place. Hussey’s hussie in the risqué suspenders throwing fistful of feathers at all and sundry? Yours truly dear reader. I’m sorry; I intended to keep the 1940’s silk dressing gown on. The inner working of corsets and suspenders were merely meant to hold everything into place, and I certainly didn’t mean to sit on that mans head in the pillow fighting ring. Oh no. However, being away from home at such a wonderfully devilish party brought out my inner minx, and the harlot hung around for most of the night. These clever people are at it again with Colourscape, Friday August 28th, 8pm, at Stoke place, Stoke Poges Street Tickets £35 / Return coach from Central London £15. Expect Rainbow hued performances, dance classes from the past: learn to cha-cha-cha from 1940s recorded lessons. There are rumours of a Gourmet jelly feast and an Inflatable installation in the grounds. In short, more entertainment than you could shake a heavily jewelled stick at.

Vivienne of Holloway makes the best replica 40’s and 50’s dresses around. Fact.
Fancy having a poster of yourself dressed in a fabulous Vivien frock hanging in pride of place in the soon to open store on Holloway road? Of course you do! Her too cute dresses have adorned the figures of many a star and an outfit of hers is guaranteed to turn you in a retro lovely. So beg, borrow and steal (or just buy) as the lady herself is looking for a new pin-up to add to the roster. All you have to do is email them a picture of you, pulling your most glamorous pose in your favourite Vivien outfit (make sure we can see you and the dress!) with your contact information, dress size and a couple of lines about yourself. The closing date for the competition is August 31st so hurry up and get your entries in. If selected you’ll get to take part in a professional photoshoot, have your hair and make up done and keep the outfit too!
vivien@vivienofholloway.com

On my radar this month

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Sabina who is the creative genius behind Motasem. She creates bridle wear that can also be worn as evening dresses. Recessionista chic at its best and not meringue in site.
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Because we all know one… Look at this hipster!
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