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Your Vintage Guide

Let’s start off by saying Vintage is for everyone! I’m going to help you to identify it, style it in a modern way, and dispel some of those myths that have made the rounds.

Contrary to popular belief Vintage clothing isn’t smelly or dirty and the chances that someone ‘died in it’ are very slim 😀 A good,reliable Vintage shop/supplier will have steamed/washed their stock beforehand ready for you to bring home and cherish. If you’re lucky they will know the background to the item, maybe an event it was worn to, or something interesting about the previous owner.

Vintage-Carousel-boutique-fashion-m2.ilovecarousel.com

(L-R)Embroidered Vintage Dress: http://bit.ly/WSrZ6X ,
Vintage Colour Splash Dress: http://bit.ly/1qNb3v1 ,                                                                         Vintage Ditsy Dress: http://bit.ly/1xSZKpS .

Vintage is quite easily identifiable when you know what to look out for. Here’s a good guide:

  • Depending on the country, Vintage is either classed as anything older than 10 or 20 years. Anything 100 years or older is classed as ‘antique’.
  • Polyester wasn’t used commercially in clothing until the 1950’s so anything made before that would a natural fabric such as cotton, wool, linen etc.
  • Hems in vintage items are often hand-sewn. It wasn’t unusual to make your own clothing pre-1980’s so hand sewing on garments is a reflection of that.
  • Features such as fabric belts, fabric-covered buttons, Peter Pan collars and shoulder pads are distinct features found on Vintage items.
  • Ruffles were popular in the 80’s, Paisley prints in the 70’s, Block-coloured shift dresses in the 60’s, Prom dresses in the 40’s and Practical but pretty teadresses in the 40’s. Vintage ads are a good indicator of what was popular at the time

The easiest and best way to style vintage without looking like you’re wearing costume is by pairing it with modern-day items. A trilby hat with a teadress, Metallic stilletoes paired with a girly 50’s dress, 60’s shift blouse teamed with jeans.

Vintage is great fun to play with and opens up a whole world of styling variety. Do a bit of research before you head out searching for a unique piece and most importantly: Keep An Open Mind! 😉

Vintage-Carousel-boutique-fashion-m2.ilovecarousel.com

Vintage Dip-Dye Lace Dress http://bit.ly/1wm8Fyu

 We received a haul of 500 genuine vintage pieces recently and you can check them all out here http://bit.ly/1aHLb84

Carousel xoxo

Fall in Love With Autumn Fashion

We know it can be hard to let go of your short-shorts and tank tops but once you start to get excited about Autumn Fashion there will be no stopping you!

What we love about chilly-weather dressing  are the possibilities with mixing and matching pieces. Layering is great fun because you can combine items you’ve never thought of putting together before.

The other wonderful aspect to it is the colour palette…warm tones of Cranberry red, jewel tones of green, and Royal Navy Blues.

Don’t look at Autumn as a period of cooling down, look at it as a time to warm up…fashionably.

Circus Joan Dress, 65.00, http://bit.ly/1s926K6

Circus Joan Dress, 65.00, http://bit.ly/1s926K6

Closet Cut-Out Floral Dress

Closet Cut-Out Floral Dress, 69.00, http://bit.ly/1A4F0r0

Circus Keyhole Dress, 59.00, http://bit.ly/1u6BlaL

Circus Keyhole Dress, 59.00, http://bit.ly/1u6BlaL

We’ll be getting loads of snuggly Autumn stock in to the shop in the next few weeks so keep an eye on the website and facebook page for that!

Carousel xoxo

m2.ilovecarousel.com

Trés Chic! Vintage Cannes Film Festival Style.

In celebration of the beginning of the Cannes film festival 2014 this week, we’ve decided to take a look at some vintage Cannes style! This prestigious festival has always attracted the biggest stars from all over the world, and they really put their best fashion foot forward. Celebrities are mobbed by the paparazzi everywhere they go, and every minute spent there is turned into a photo opportunity. Cannes style seems to go from one extreme to the other, with no in between. It’s either laid back and casual chic as stars relax by the beach during the day, or all-out glitz and glamor as they strut the red carpet and attend parties at night. Here are some of our favorites:

From the beach…

cannes film festival style vintage bardot

Brigitte Bardot – barefoot and careless on the beachcannes film festival mens fashion retro

Cary Grant – so dapper!

boat cannes vintage grace kelly style carousel

Grace Kelly relaxes in chic floral capri pants

beach style summer cannes retro birkin

Love this laid back all white look on Jane Birkin

…to the red carpet.

cannes festival vintage loren dress

Sophia Loren stuns on the red carpet

red carpet cannes elizabeth taylor vintage

Elizabeth Taylor doesn’t need a crown to prove she’s the queen of style!

cannes retro style polka dot dress

Mitzi Gaynor and some delightful polka dots!

ballgown style retro fashion inspiration carousel

Grace Kelly’s polished ladylike evening look

Find your red carpet look with one of our modern vintage dresses, available here!

Carousel xox

An eye on style: We celebrate retro spectacles!

Whether you need to wear glasses or not, there’s no denying the appeal of vintage mid-century spectacles! We think women’s glasses in the 1940’s, 50s and 60s were much more daring, glamorous and stylish than many of their modern counterparts. Anyone remember what your average pair of glasses looked like in the 80s and 90s? *shudder*. The cat eye shape is definitely our favorite. Made in an assortment of colours, with offbeat shapes and embellishments, they made quite the statement!

Nowadays we’ve moved past the idea that wearing glasses is unattractive (we know you’re all gorgeous no matter what!), and can fully appreciate these retro frames style potential. Adding a pair of retro spectacles to an outfit will give it a wild and unique vintage twist. We love the drama a pair of sharp cat eyes add to any look, framing your eyes beautifully! You don’t need to have a prescription either. There are plenty of frame options available for those lucky enough to have 20/20 vision who want to give this retro look a try! We took a look around for some retro spectacle inspiration, and we were so inspired by what we found we had to share these images with you. So put your glasses on and keep scrolling for a closer look!

marily monroe wearing glasses inspirationGrace Kelly carousel spectaclesretro spectacles typewriter vintage styleglamorous women glasses retro stylecateye glasses vintage fashion1950s woman fashion spectacles carouselvintage style inspiration glasses carousel1960s advertising cat eye glassesglasses on table vintage retro

Here at Carousel we love retro spectacles so much, that we don’t just stick to wearing them atop our noses! You can show your appreciation (no prescription necessary!) with this fabulous fit and flare dress from Circus that has real “specs” appeal, available here!

vintage glasses print dress carousel

Carousel xox

Easter Holiday Style Inspiration: Fly Away With The Gorgeous New Dress From Circus.

Its almost Easter time, and for some of you (you lucky ducks!) that may mean a little holiday away somewhere. We here at Carousel have been dreaming of holidays, and we suspect it has something to do with the arrival of this delightful new printed dress from Circus.It has us with our heads up in the clouds, and it’s really giving us some holiday style inspiration! Covered in an adorable airplanes and clouds print, this dress is made for escaping on all kinds of adventures, whether they be abroad, or a bit closer to home. With a classic, flattering shape that harks back to the dawn of commercial flights in the 1940’s and 50’s, the dress is kept thoroughly modern with its fun and unique print, and a shorter hem line that hits just above the knee.

retro holiday style inspiration carouselThis print really speaks for itself, so keep all other layers and accessories simple and to a minimum. We would just add some comfortable nude wedge sandals and a cardigan to be travel ready! This dress is available here.

 Where would you love to escape most this weekend? The stylish streets of Paris? The balmy beaches of the Mediterranean? Or simply just exploring an unknown corner of your own country?

Carousel xox

Summer Essentials: Gorgeous new arrivals from Emily and Fin!

Seven new dresses have just arrived from Emily and Fin, and they are stunners! emily and fin dress vintage inspired carousel

We’ve been planning our wardrobes for better weather and summertime, and these new dresses are giving us lots of style inspiration! With a riot of patterns, colours, and gorgeous shapes to choose from, there is a dress for every occasion here. A classic polka dot dress can take you anywhere. You could easily wear these polka dot Emily and Fin dresses to work, a wedding, or a night out on the town. (You can find dress number 2 here, dress 4 here, and dress 5 here)

The two vibrant floral dresses from Emily and Fin will really get you in the mood for summer! Add a pop of colour to your wardrobe with the Sophie dress (here). We love its cinched waist – so flattering! Rock some vintage tropical vibes with the Scarlett dress (here). We’d add a big straw hat and sandals for summer. All we need now is a tropical beach!

Summer is always more fun than winter, and this year you can really up the fun factor with the Jessica and Lucy dresses from Emily and Fin. You’ll stay cool all summer long in the Jessica dress, with its ice lolly print and knock out shirt dress shape (available here)! We’d add some wedged sandals, cat eye shades and a retro hairstyle. Shake off the winter blues for good in the Lucy dress (available here), covered in energetic acrobats flying through the air. We love its longer length skirt, perfect if you want to stay cool with bare legs in the summer heat, but don’t like to show off too much leg!

We can’t decide which is our favorite – can we just have one of each?
Carousel xox

1950s Inspired: The Bestselling Dress From Circus Is Back!

We are in love with this 1950s inspired shirt dress shape. It sold out so fast the last time that it was in stock, that some of us feared we had missed our chance to own one! Well fear no more! The popular green polka version is back in stock here, and, as if things couldn’t get any better, Circus have also added a plain red version of the dress (here)!

The dress would be ideal for a retro themed night out – it really gets us in a 1950s Americana mood! We can imagine ourselves in this dress, sipping on a milkshake in a retro themed diner, then heading to a drive in movie to catch a classic flick. We’d wear it with a cardigan slung over your shoulders, bobby socks, oxford shoes, and a vintage inspired hairstyle to complete the look.

1950s inspired shirt dress vintage carouselGet this 1950’s inspired dress at Carousel!

Get a slice of the 1950’s for yourself, before this dress is as gone as the era it’s inspired by! You can find the red dress here, and the polka dot version here.

Carousel xox

If Spring Were A Dress: Vintage Inspired Spring Style From Circus

Call us crazy, but we reckon that if spring were a dress, it would be this delightful tea dress from Circus! Its delicate blossom print reminds us of all the flowers poking their little heads out of the ground, bursting into bloom as the season starts to warm up. It’s fresh, vibrant colours will invigorate your wardrobe, doing away with any leftover winter dreariness. Inspired by the 1940’s tea dress, this dress keeps that classic shape, but updates it with a shorter length hem. We can see ourselves wearing this dress at a picnic in the park; sitting with your best friends, enjoying some dappled sunlight on our faces and drinking tea from vintage crockery!

vintage inspired spring style dress inspiration carousel

Vintage inspired spring style from Circus – available exclusively at Carousel!

This dress is your very own slice of spring, and is available in two colours, green (here) and orange (here). Find these, and much more vintage inspired spring style, here.

Carousel xox

Weekend Style: We Style A Skirt 3 Ways For Every Day of The Weekend!

Around this time of the week, our minds often turn to whatever it is we’re looking forward to this weekend – and what we’ll wear! We decided to take one of our favorite pieces in the shop at the moment, and see how it can solve all of our weekend style woes, and get us through a busy weekend with ease. With its block red colour, this pleated midi skirt (available here) will go with almost anything. We adore its vintage inspired shape. We would wear it high on our waist for that classic 1950’s fit and flare look. So, let the weekend begin…

Friday night: Bowling Bonanza!

Ahhh work is finished for the week – now it’s time for the fun to begin. You’re joining your friends for the most retro of activities – bowling. You may not get a full strike every time, but this cute outfit is guaranteed to bowl everyone over! We unfastened the last few buttons on this cute bird cage print shirt and tied it in a knot to exaggerate this outfits retro vibe. You may not actually own a bowling ball, but this adorable bowling bag is just what you need to keep all your essentials in. Add some saddle or oxford style shoes, and you’re ready to hit those lanes! You can find the shirt here, and bag here.

styling bowling weekend style 50s carousel

Saturday: Shopping Trip

It’s Saturday morning, and time to meet up with your best friend for a relaxed coffee and a wander around some of your favorite shops or markets. Comfort is key here, but you won’t want to compromise on style. This gorgeous shirt puts a darling twist on the standard white shirt, with its dainty print and pretty pleating detail. Paired with the red midi skirt, this look is casual, but chic. Add a neckerchief to get a look reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn in “Roman Holiday” (1953). You’ll need a bag that can hold all the precious new trinkets you may pick up on your shopping trip, and this shopper bag is fit for the job. It’s gorgeous blue colour will compliment the whole outfit. Add a comfortable pair of flats or loafers, and you’re ready to head into town! You can find the shirt here, and bag here.

shopping weekend style vintage skirt carousel

Saturday Night: Restaurant Date

It’s time for some romance, and you have a tasty trip to a restaurant planned. Don’t be afraid to make a glamorous statement. Use block colours to add a contemporary edge to the vintage inspired skirt, and pile on the bling. You can make sure your accessories aren’t too overwhelming by sticking to accessorising one area only. Here we layered some large statement necklaces over a black top, but left our hands and wrists free of any decoration. This top is anything but plain. It has a sparkling sheer pleated panel on the back, ensuring you look great from all angles! Add this black and white bag and some bright colour block heels to complete this look.

date style weekend style circus midi skirt

Sunday: Time to Relax!

Phew! After all of that we think you deserve a rest! So throw on those comfy pajamas and head for the couch.

Take care!
Carousel xox

Gingham is Great! Get Inspired With One Of Our Favorite Patterns.

We’re taking a look at and getting inspired by one of our favorite patterns today – gingham!

With a history stretching back as far as the 1600’s, when it was first imported to Europe, gingham has always been a fashion staple. Fresh, fun, and easy to wear, it’s the perfect pattern to welcome spring into your wardrobe.

Gingham gained a new found popularity with style leaders during the 1940’s and 50’s. Featured in many movie wardrobes, such as on Katharine Hepburn in “The Philadelphia Song” (1940), and seen on many glamorous stars of old Hollywood, this checkered classic was having a stylish revival. Brigitte Bardot even got married in a gingham wedding dress, causing a shortage of the fabric in France! We’ve gathered together some of our favorite vintage gingham looks below, and we’ll show you how to get the look from Carousel!

vintage summer style inspiration carousel

summer dress style inspiration carousel

marilyn monroe style fashon carouselretro icon style hollywood carousel ginghamwedding dress style vintage carousel

Get some gorgeous gingham from Carousel!

We have a major crush on this adorable fit and flare dress from Circus! It’s cute checkered pattern and beautiful blue color will add a breath of fresh air to any wardrobe. Combined with it’s vintage inspired shape, this dress is an instant classic. Based on gingham’s rich and long history, you can’t go wrong with this fab frock! You can find out more about this dress here.
Circus clothing gingham vintage dress carousel

Carousel xox