CHARITY FASHION SHOW - DOWNE HOUSE SCHOOL -

The charity event is being held by the Upper Sixth at Downe House School, Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berkshire. Francesca van Oss is organising the Centenary charity fashion show on Saturday 17th March, in aid of Helen & Douglas House hospice in Oxford -which was the subject of a television documentary of recently.

The show sponsored sponsored by MAC cosmetics, styled by Char Pilcher asst. fashion editor at VOGUE magazine uk, the vintage clothing supplied by Sara's Attic.

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Clai

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Shopping dilemmas Question:I am getting married this spring and would love a vintage wedding dress from the 40's or 50's, but l have no idea where to start my search.

A London based designer Catherine Buckley by appointment only, 020 7229 8786 makes excellent copies of vintage wedding dresses. Alternatively, check the websites www.sarasattic.co.uk , www.vivalafrock.co.uk , www.samimiller.co.uk

The Vintage Retailer
Name: Sara Wilson
Location: Rural Farm Location, Nearest Village 3 miles- Longtown, 15 miles from city of Carlisle, Cumbria
Age: 46
Business: Vintage Clothing & Accessories Online
Started business: February 2002

What inspired you to set up your business? I have always had a passion for vintage bags, jewellery, shoes & dresses and have collected bits & pieces for my own various collections over the years. After attending a local house clearance & buying 24 tea chests of 60s & 70s clothing, I knew I had to sell some of it.

What is your business all about? Well, it comprises of a web site containing vintage clothing, accessories & kitsch household items. It also has pages on fashion trends, featured years with pop & news trivia and vintage news & book reviews.

What do you think it is that has made your business work? Well, I have 20 years retail, management & buying experience to draw on and have always wanted to buy for & have my own shop. So I have that now albeit not the shop I always imagined it would be but it is a virtual one!

What are the best bits about setting up on your own? That I don’t have to answer to anyone, or dance the corporate tune. And the crucial aspect is It allows me enormous flexibility… as I have a family with two young children, a husband, a home and two dogs.

What are the downfalls you have experienced? Keeping too much stock!

When did you realise that your vision was working? I knew Sara’s Attic had arrived when it has been favourably reviewed in the Sunday Times Culture in its first year. Again recently I was amazed and proud when The Independent ran a feature, ’50 best vintage fashion shops’ in the Uk and ranked Sara’s Attic 3rd. Of course the only true litmus test is, when a customer emails me to say how pleased they are…and then return for another item!

What is the best advice you have been given? ‘Go for it!’

What is the best advice you can give? Research your market as far as possible to ensure you understand it and then go with your gut feeling…

Do you have any good advice for someone else who would like to become a vintage retailer? Know your product and know what you are selling. Its also essential to have something different to set you apart from the other retailers, in my case I have a very professional site and I knew I had products which were quite rare, unworn virgin vintage and that formed my original core stock.

Would you do it all again? In a heart beat…yes!

EXPERT RECOMMENDS: The most famous Internet site for designer vintage buys is probably eBay (wwww.ebay.com). Sift through the warped vinyl and other offerings and you'll be able to find vintage Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dresses, Oscar de la Renta suits and much more. Topshop have also just launched their own on-line vintage boutique (www.topshop.co.uk). Second-hand clothing experts Peekaboo and Vintage Princess source great dresses and accessories, and the selection is updated every week.

Others sites worth a visit include Candy Says (www.candysays.co.uk), Sara's Attic (www.sarasattic.co.uk) and The Cat's Pajamas (www.catspajamas.com). As with all vintage shopping remember sizes are often cut smaller than today's. If in doubt, buy accessories and don't be afraid to customise your purchases.

All details correct at time of publishing, 27 July, 2004.

The 50 best vintage fashion Shops'One for shoppers who want their retro in virgin condition. The majority of goods for sale through Sara's Attic have been stored for more than 25 years and are as new and in pristine condition, ('...well almost pristine', says Sara ), some with labels intact.

 This is an easy website to navigate, and browsers can click on a variety of shopping departments including Party Wear or Wedding Belles. If you have something special in mind, contact former shop fashion buyer Sara, who will try and source it for you,' says Jane.

My fiancé and I are planning a wedding with a '20s, '40s or '50s theme. I'm looking for a vintage wedding dress, but I have no idea where to find one.
Isy
I have had a hard time locating shops that specialise in vintage bridalwear but you're in luck. Catherine Buckley at 302 Westbourne Grove, W11 sells copies of vintage wedding dresses and is open by appointment only (020 7229 8786). In the same area at 98 Portland Rd, W11 is a fantastic vintage shop called Virginia, which may have a few wedding dresses. Call (020 7727 9908) before visiting, as the opening hours can be erratic.Here are some good sites to check out

:www.vivalafrock.co.uk
www.sarasattic.co.uk
www.samimiller.co.uk
www.stores.ebay.co.uk.
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Go surfing for vintage chic
By Lindsey Groh
16 June 2004

With high street shops jumping on the same fashion bandwagons there’s only one affordable way to make your style unique – vintage chic. SJP’s Sex And The City alter-ego Carrie opened our eyes to the joys of vintage style, and since then we can’t resist bagging unique, retro pieces to customize our look. But let's face it, who wants to search through dark, musty shops and hunt through piles of clothes for that one ‘great find’? So welcome to the retro Internet revolution! There's bags of websites ready to cater to your vintage needs. Here’s our top three:

Sarasattic.co.uk
Former fashion buyer and retail fashion manager Sara decided to use her discerning eye for classic items to set up her vintage fashion and homewares site. As a result there’s plenty of must-buy shoes, bags, coats and even erm, lampshades. Plus, it’s all at affordable prices, like bags from £15!

Candysays.co.uk
For top retro bargains I headed to CandySays. It has a massive selection of vintage clothing and accessories from the 1950s right through to the 1980s. There’s plenty of unusual and eye-catching pieces to choose from, we particularly love its choice of summer dresses and shoes. The prices are unbelieveably affordable with gorgeous unique dresses starting from around £20.

Ebay.co.uk
There’s plenty of vintage designer gear going under the virtual hammer. Using searching words such as vintage, retro, vintage Gucci, vintage designer (you get the picture) I found myself tempted by a vintage Gucci-shopper last spotted for £67. Just when I thought I’d had my “great find” I came across vintage Nina Ricci sunglasses (£16.00), not to mention some gorgeous vintage brooches to brighten my denim jacket.

This useful Internet directory lists Sara's Attic on its fashion page....nice to get a mention!! Many thanks!!

Prada's spring/summer 04 menswear collection features paisley prints splashed across shirts and ties. It may be time for you to be captivated by the power of paisley too. You won't find much around in the fashion glossies or high street shop windows, but it is one of the most formidable prints ever created and has yet to be hijacked (unlike some tartans) by one designer or label. Paisley's origins have nothing to do with the Scottish town, the teardrop pattern has roots in both Celtic art (some 2,000 years ago) and, more recently in India. Apparently, it first appeared on shawls in Kashmir which were then brought to England by the East India Company during the 18th century. British mills began making their own versions of paisley (including those in the town of Paisley) to meet the demand for cheaper versions and the print has featured in everything from haute couture pieces to napkins ever since.

Head to Sara's Attic for a beautiful paisley print mini dress tunic by Marks and Spencer's from the 60s (just £28 in their January sale and brilliant over a pair of jeans), or check out La Redoute's paisley print tops.

B Magazine - September 2003

The fast Fashion Bible - 250 'shop at your desk' fashion finds!

Shop without leaving your living room with our indispensable guide to the best websites and mail order catalogues around!

Don't fancy wading through racks of musty old tat? Vintage shopping has hit the web.

If, like me, you are fed up to the back teeth of the current trend of fluorescent string vests and leg-warmers with stilettos in gaudy colours..... the internet is the ideal playground for the retro shopper. One of our favourites is Sara's Attic...its ideal for  those wanting to lend a touch of old school chic to a special occasion.

Handbags and Gladrags! - Sara's treasure trove on show 

Take a look inside any woman's wardrobe and there will be an assortment of bags, shoes and accessories dating back over the years. Some people may class them as old junk, but to Longtown woman Sara Wilson they are treasure! She is the founder of popular vintage clothing website 'Sara's Attic and is behind a new exhibition in Langholm's Town Hall Gallery this month. Sara said, 'It follows the theme of the website, featuring party wear and accessories from 1950s-1980s with a selection of Victorian Ebony Vanity items.

Culture Section- Doors Site Test: Stepping back in time                    Sick of trudging round muddy car-boot sales? Gail Robinson compares websites that offer retro and second-hand gear, from records to ra-ra skirts

Classic wear www.sarasattic.co.uk      rated 3/5 stars

'Sara Wilson has a passion for vintage clothes that she wants to share with the world. On her site you will find second-hand fashion gems for sale from the last century. It is the glammed-up 1970s that Wilson has a fondness for, so if you are after that Abigail's Party look, you have come to the right place. men, women and children are all catered for and most of the clothes are good value for money. Hit the party wear section, if only to gaze in wonder at the 1980s ra-ra dress (£22).'

'We review this fortnights crop of the best new and revamped websites Sara's Attic - Our rating 3/5 stars

Sara's attic is a recently launched website offering original vintage and retro clothing and accessories from the Fifties to the Nineties. The site will interest fans of nostalgia, keen collectors or anyone attending a theme party. Most things on the site are from the 60s and 70s, including some items that have never been worn and are still in their original packaging. items we spotted on the site ranged from a Sixties blue and white paisley print day dress to a classic Adidas sports top from the Seventies. Some of the categories, including men's clothing, have a shortage of items but expect more as the site grows. The DIY design (version 1) lacks the hi-tech glitz of corporate sites, but it perfectly suits the quirkiness of the clothes.

Fashion feature in Carlisle's Daily Newspaper

'Hooked on Classics' by Jane Loughran

Sara's vintage clothing business is booming

It's absolutely fabulous Darling...Who needs Harvey Nicks? Patsy and Edina's idea of seventh heaven is right here in Longtown. If you tune in to Sara Wilson's Attic, you can take a magical mystery tour into the past. Perhaps you want to look like a hip Sixties chick - all Mary Quant mini skirts and geometric hairstyles. Patsy just adores that look. Or maybe - like Edina - a full-skirted Fifties cocktail dress is more your style? Longtown's Sara Wilson has set up a website which sources, sells and hires original dresses, skirts, coats, tops, shoes and accessories from decades back.

Many of Sara's collectable clothing items have been in storage for more than 25 years; some have never been worn and many still have their original labels still attached and intact. The odd piece is still in its original packaging. "Fashions are constantly recycled!" says Sara, "look how big the Hippie look is this summer."

Sara, 43, is a former London retail buyer who now lives in a farmhouse near Longtown. Her passion for vintage clothing and accessories escalated when she attended a house clearance sale and stumbled across an enormous stash of authentic classic clothing.

"I started hunting down vintage clothing in boot sales, flea markets, charity shops and auction houses- wherever l could find it- with the result that all the rooms in our house started to fill up and overflowing with boxes of my finds. It became obvious that l would have to do something with it all," says Sara.

In March 2002, Sara launched her website www.sarasattic.co.uk and she has been overwhelmed by the response. The site has already had more than 17,000 hits from all over the world with enormous interest from Australia, Canada and the USA. Items in Sara's attic date from the Thirties to the late wannabe Eighties but the Swinging Sixties and Glitzy Seventies are Sara's speciality. As well as buying and browsing, some visitors have been asking for vintage advice on how to care for clothes. The site offers a collection of kitsch items and retro clothing.

Sara defines vintage clothing as any garment over 25 years old. "If it is still around, it is usually a quality piece of clothing," she says. With some pieces of vintage clothing, the sky is the limit when it comes to price. Some garments are worth hundreds or thousands of pounds, but I am dealing in affordable clothing," says Sara, a married mother of two, who is now hoping to open a vintage clothing shop in Cumbria.

The bulk of Sara's customers are partygoers with a taste for nostalgia or fashion fanatics looking for something to set them apart form the crowd. "One professional woman bought several blouses from me because she wanted to look distinctive -despite the fact that she had to dress formally for work. The fact was that she wanted to wear something that complimented her personality. I think that sums up a lot of my customers," says Sara who tries to update her website at least once a week. 

Sara writes..."a very special thank you to you... Sandra (Harrison)...for helping me with the modelling and cream cakes...I wouldn't have done it without you!"

Review appears in the ONLINE section of  the Business Gazette.

'World Wide Winners' reviewed by Richard Simpson

'This new site offers vintage clothing, plus the variety of kitsch accoutrements that are so essential to anyone who's keen on the retro lifestyle.

A minority taste of course, but well supported by a website that's simultaneously efficient and suitably stylish .

Site Design: 4/ 5     Content: 3/5     Usability: 4/5

'Exploring Sara's Attic' by Fiona Reid

"Step inside Sara Wilson's attic and go back in time to the nifty fifties, swinging sixties and groovy seventies. Launched in February, Sara's Attic sources, sells and hires original dresses, skirts, coats, tops, shoes and accessories from decades back. cocktail dress, mini skirts and tasselled bags are just some of the online gems! Many still have their original labels, some have never been worn.

Not sure what to expect, Sara has been overwhelmed at the response. In the first month about 1000 people people visited the site and in May the figure rose to 5200. As well as buying and browsing, some visitors have been asking for advice on how to care for clothes. She said: 'It is very satisfying and feels like having a book published. I really get a thrill out of it.'

WEB SITE AWARD - APRIL 2002