If repro vintage clothing was a buffet it'd be fair to say I've pretty much gorged myself on circle skirts recently!
I've sampled lindybop, Pinup Girl Clothing, Vivien of Holloway and (if they are ever released by Bulgarian customs) Bernie Dexter. Patterned or plain, novelty or not, cheap and cheerful or pricey pricey- I care not. For there is room in my wardrobe for all!!
But this isn't about my love of circle skirts- that's old news! Though in fairness to linear thinking I ought to be blogging about the old news first rather than skipping ahead to the new news.... I digress! At any rate this blog is about my desire to up my circle skirt game with Petticoats!!!
So if petticoats were cars it'd be reasonable to say that Sam's Petticoats are the fabric equivalent of one of those vintage rides that smell of old leather, even older money and have a busty silver lady chilling on the bonnet. You know- Fancy with a capital F. I have one cream Sam's that's stuffed (in a reverent way) into one of my wardrobes (I know, I know). Like that fancy pants car though, it's pretty much only ever used for special occasions (read- twice) and being in the market for an 'everyday wear' type undergarment at an affordable pricepoint I decided to look elsewhere.
Hell Bunny petticoats come well recommended so I duly tracked down an online supplier and got most of the way through check out before the inability to find/read my card details in the dark defeated me (PayPal is a must for anyone who does their online shopping in the dark waiting for the sound of toddler breath to change to the slow, steady sound of deep slumber that indicates ninja-ing out of the room is now possible).
At any rate I never got round to buying a Hell Bunny Petticoat. Instead I went to London and met this awesome lady (Leanda Lewis)
And together we visited Vivien of Holloway. And then I went back on my own. That's two visits to Vivien of Holloway on a two day stop over to buy not one, not two, not even three but FOUR(!!!) Sam's Petticoats. Oh the shame. So much for mid range affordability. I went intending to buy a skirt. One skirt (ok that's not entirely true). I tried on the skirt and in the corner of my eye, I could see hanging the fluffy, swishy softness that is a Sam's petticoat and suddenly it was there in front of me and I was stepping into it. One swish and I was asking for a red one to await me at the counter. Two swishes and a pink one joined it. I restrained myself at two under the watchful eye of Leanda (jk she's as big an enabler as I) and left with a vague feeling of dissatisfaction.
The missing practicality of a black one haunted me through the night and I knew that I had to go back and fill this petticoat emptiness! So I did. And because it was quite a long tube journey I convinced myself I needed a lavender petticoat along the way, you know, for fun. Sadly there were no lavender petticoats so I settled for a purple one and two brooches (yes I am the worst).
I might have had to buy an extra suitcase at the airport and be that person, hurriedly re-packing my suitcase at the check-in desk. And sure I splashed a ridiculous amount of money on undergarments that go largely unseen. And ok... Having reached the blistering hot climes of my final destination, Sofia, I realise that I will have to wait a few months before its cool enough to wear them without dying. But as I recall the gentle swish and soft sigh of my top quality, silky, Sam's petticoats against my bare legs and the cheeky flash of colour peeking out from beneath my now immeasurably more epic skirts I have but one smug thought- Worth. it.
