The Dressing Parlour: Date

Showing posts with label Date. Show all posts

Tuesday, 6 August 2013

Live by the Lake - Give Away

Hello everyone!

Hope you are all well. I am rather excited about this post as it involves an amazing giveaway for you all. Before I went on my vacation I was contacted by the people behind Live by the Lake who asked me whether I would like for my readers to win a pair of tickets to an outdoor showing of Singin' in the Rain? Well of course I would!

Live by the Lake is a series of summer concerts set in sumptuous surroundings at Kenwood House. The showing sounds pretty fabulous - the movie will be shown on an open-air big screen accompanied with the score performed live by The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra! That's amazing in itself. You will be able to bring along your own picnic to enjoy or you can even pre-order one from them ready for the evening.

Here are the details for entering...

You have to be a follower of mine :)
Unfortunately I have to make this give-away a UK only entrant as the showing is based in London. If you do not live in London, please make sure you are able to make your own way to and from the venue for the showing on the day.
You can enter by leaving me a comment below that you are entering.
You can enter a 2nd time by posting about this competition and linking me on either your Twitter or Instagram with @dressingparlour
There will only be one winner chosen at random.
The prize - 1 pair of tickets to the show on 30th Aug 2013. No alternatives will be given.
Enter the competition by Monday 12th Aug 2013 23:59 GMT.
The winner will be announced later on in that week.

If you want to find out more about the various shows or even to pick up some tickets, these are the links to follow - Facebook: facebook.com/LiveByTheLake | Twitter: @LiveByTheLake | Website: Live by the Lake

Good luck and I will pick the winner after the competition closes. I look forward to picking a happy winner out of the hat :D

Take care,

Alison xxx

Monday, 15 July 2013

Chaps & Chappettes - The Chap Olympiad 2013

Well what sweltering weather it has been here in London. I'm sat here in my flat eating some watermelons to try and cool down and keeping myself out of the suns rays. The air is so still and apparently it is going to continue like this for the next couple of weeks! Amazing when I'm not working, haha.

This Saturday gone was once again that time of year where all (well most) of the chaps and chappettes of London and afar gathered together for the event that always makes it into my diary. The one and only Chap Olympiads. There's nothing like it.

I missed a few games this year having only turned up mid afternoon and so didn't take as many photos as I usually would. It did mean that I spent more time with friends and less time running around. It was a jolly good time!

Having a good catch up with the lovely Sophie.

The girls with the picnic, the strawberries and the smuggled Gin!

Something was happening with some tarts and knocking them out of the opponents cake slice.

Horse-Play... Make as you will.

My outfit for the day...

A newly acquired vintage hat from Sweden

My again new Match necklace by the fabulous Luxulite

Clear Lucite repro handbag from Miss L Fire

Cropped top from Urban Outfitters

Vintage skirt with plaited red belt

Sunnies also from same Sweden trip

This was the hats first outing and well it was quite appropriate with the sun and I absolutely fell in love with it. And best of all... It only cost me 20kronos/£2 from the flea market at Live & Rockin' which I visited recently held in Sweden! It's so versatile as I can adorn it with all kinds of accessories and colours to match my outfits! Dream hat if ever I had one.

Briefcase Phalanx

Bread-roll Basketball

My attempt at a sneak photo of The Vintage News chaps at work but my parasol got in the way!

I loved that this year they had a vintage photo-booth on site!

Here I am with the gorgeous Alice :)

The much needed said parasol put into good use.

Of course things got a little pyramidy as the event went into the night...

There were many a photographers there; professional & amateur, as well as plenty of press as usual. It gets international coverage nowadays you know! I had my photo taken by several people and found this lovely vibrant copy by Soul Stealer Photography. Hope he doesn't mind my using it!

I'm already looking forward to next year. Hope you can join me there in 2014 for what is sure to be a spectacular 10th year anniversary for the Olympiad!

Pip pip!
Alison xxx

Tuesday, 12 June 2012

Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins

Today marks the anniversary of the legendary Norman Keith Collins' death (January 14, 1911 - June 12, 1973). Most people best know him as Sailor Jerry; the tattoo artist. Born in Northern California, Norman started to learn the art of tattooing from Gib "Tatts" Thomas in Chicago during the 1920s. When he turned 19 years of age Norman joined up with the United States Navy. With them he travelled the seas wide across the Pacific, China and Japan before finally settling down in Hawaii in the early 1930s. It was here that Norman opened up his Sailor Jerry Tattoo Parlour in Honolulu's Hotel Street. Having been fascinated with Asian art and culture through his travels and seafaring ending up in Honolulu's Chinatown just felt right to him. With all the hustle and bustle of sailors passing through and Chinatown feeding his interest in their culture it was a good mix of the two things close to his heart.

Of course this is a very very brief insight into the life of Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins. He was much more than just a sailor and tattoo artist. He was an innovator for the tattoo industry. Setting the standards high in both his craft and the way he worked. SJ didn't lose his sea-legs altogether when he set up shop but remained a sailor to his death working as a skipper on a large three-masted schooner. As they say - Once a Sailor. Always a Sailor!

My personal growing fascination with tattoos and tattooing has led me to all different places including The London Tattoo Convention last year. My own tattoos also seem to attract a lot of attention which I am still getting use to. I had my very first tattoo ten years ago and since then have added a few more to my body. Currently I have a list with a number of designs in mind including a big thigh piece which I am holding off on for the moment. I'm hoping that Valerie will again work on this piece for me; that is if she can fit me in! My last piece was made a year and two days ago, haha I am literally counting down the days. You can tell I'm craving for my next. They say it's addictive and I guess it is!

My own classic style tattoo - 6yrs old

Right this very moment if you happen to be in London you may well have come across the pop-up bar Sailor Jerry - 'Hotel Street' on Charing Cross Road. It opened up in April and will be around until mid July (not very long) so be sure to swing by if you are in town. I have frequented the bar a couple of times and probably will do so many times again before it disappears for good. During the day you can grab yourself a coffee, some merchandise, as well as view some of Sailor Jerry's original flashes on the 2nd floor exhibition. In the evening the bar starts to flow and music plays. Bands and events run on various dates which you can find out about via their FB page or on their website. I highly recommend a visit. It's rather cute!

Blurrry pic of me with the wall of flashes...

The Bar where I am yet to try 'Hotel Hooch'

Hmm... I have always wanted an anchor and a pair of swallows but just haven't figured out where I want to place them on my body. Maybe I'll have something small inked very soon.

Until next time... Make mine a large Rum and Coke with Lime. Cheers SJ!
Alison xx

Friday, 13 April 2012

Book Launch for Wearable Vintage Fashion!

Hi All

So all is a-go-go for the book launch next Saturday 21st April! It would be great to meet some of my fellow bloggers and readers at the launch if you can make it along. I'm not sure many of my followers are based in London unfortunately but do say hi if you can :)

At the launch there will be performances by Jake Vegas and Tricity Vogue. The amazing Lipstick & Curls ladies will also be on hand to beautify you all. Music all night to twist to, cupcakes to keep everyone happy and the drinks will be a-flowing of course.

Wearable Vintage Fashion will also be on sale at a special price on the night sold by our gorgeous usherettes doing their turns. Oh, there's also a dressing up box just because!

The Brown Derby pub is only 2mins away from Oval tube station so wear your highest heels and your most glamorous dress to make it a night of frivolous fun. Don't forget to RSVP.

Hope to see you all there! xxx

Ps. go take a little look at the shop run by the girls behind this magnificent book - Second Hand Rose.

Saturday, 11 February 2012

CAKE. SHOP. DANCE.

Our second instalment at The Brown Derby on Saturday 18th this month. So the coming Saturday really.

This will be a similar event to our last with cake and complimentary tea, clothes and accessories for sale, music and dancing! If you are in London I'd love for you to come and join us for a little bobbing on down or a lil' toe tapping if you are shy.

Bloomie and I will be sound tracking the night as always. We also throw in a wiggle or two of our own when not behind the decks. Well... we do need a cocktail from the bar too :P

Hope to see you there! xxx

Friday, 6 January 2012

My First Year as a Blogger

In my first year I have racked up 65 posts. That's not bad at all. Especially since I've had quite a busy year and blogging takes a lot longer than I could have ever imagined it to.

Highlights of the year for me has been all the events I have attended, though not all written about unfortunately. Delving into events again; namely 'A Vintage Tea Party' but more to come. Some of other people/friends projects I have been lucky enough to be involved with. The Book(s). And starting up my blog and brand; The Dressing Parlour of course! This ultimately has lead me to push myself forward more and to get out there to do more things. Things that I love and things that, well, make me a happier person.

I would like to carry on blogging as long as people like to read what I write. At the moment it seems I have so much to say, I just don't always have the time to post them up. I would like to manage that better in this new year because I don't want to miss anything out again. Not if I can help it. This is almost like a diary and who would want to miss a chapter of their life out of that?

I would like to thank everyone who has stumbled across my little old blog and stayed a while. I will make a birthday post when the date comes. Maybe a Birthday give-away post? What to give...?

I leave you here with some of my favourite things of my year in the order that they happened. xxx

2011 started with my stylist work being on display.