Vintage at The Victoria

Hi Lovelies,

Sowe is back! We are taking part in an afternoon of vintage wonders and delights at The Victoria, Birmingham.

Sunday 29th January will be the date to get in your diary and we look forward to seeing you there.

The Victoria is located next to the Alexandra Theatre and its where all the cool kids hang out! They serve food and their amazing selection of cocktails will be 2 for the price of 1, so your even more likely to get a great deal from us Vintage sellers as we will all be tipsy!

The Victoria is a gorgeous traditional old pub from the outside, however on the inside it has a distinctly modern feel - the cocktails are amazing (they literally squeeze the blackberries in front of you hmmm)and have even been featured in Stylist magazine;

http://issue.stylist.co.uk/Stylist-magazine-issue-read-stylist-magazine-onli/1Z4f0ab47aa412c012.cde/page/45

They have lots of interesting stuff going on check out their website;

http://www.thevictoriabirmingham.co.uk/

Sowe will be there with lots of cosy knitted jumpers and some fresh spring wear to remind you that warmer weather is on its way..!

Vintage pastel pink dress, with gorgeous collar detail - Sowe

Beautiful cosy cardigan - Sowe

So come along and pop in have a cocktail buy something amazing and make the most of your Sunday!

Love

Elle-phant

x

Sowe at Sutton Vintage Fair

hi lovelies,

Just a heads up for a date for your diaries... 11th September sees Sutton Town Hall host the Vintage & Arts Fair. It has been hugely successful in the past and looks set to be another fantastic event!

Sowe will be there with some new Autumn pieces to kick off your winter wardrobe!

We look forward to seeing you there!!

Ellephant

xx

Fatima Fatima!

Once again the "Emerald Street" newsletter strikes....its full of really interesting and intriguing events in your area and fashion must haves & trends! It is currently my favourite!

Todays email contained a micro-trend of Hamsa hands (also known as the hand of Fatima)...which I just love! Ellephant and I have been wearing our evil eye bracelets for a couple of years, picked up on a trip to Turkey. This beautiful necklace is available at my-wardrobe.com;

Aamaya by Priyanka Fatima Gold Hand Necklace - £140

A little steep if you think its cute but aren't made of bucks, no fear I am literally placing orders to make "Sowes" own original bracelet and necklaces for you to purchase at a bargain price...I will keep you updated with piccys!

Scarlet

xxx

Images - http://www.my-wardrobe.com/aamaya-by-priyanka/fatima-gold-hand-necklace-514088

Moseley Vintage Fair

Hey hey,

This Sunday the Birmingham Vintage Fair will be at The Cross, Moseley as if this isn't enough the Moseley Jass Festival is also on all weekend. What more could you possibly want from a Sunday - Vintage treats, Jazz and the forecast is for sunshine!

Sowe will of course be there with our usual selection of Vintage clothes, accessories, bags and jewellery.

We have some brand spanking new vintage stock in this week to, here are a few sneakpeeks..

Why give yourself back ache and tennis elbow with a massive bag? We have a beautiful selection of vintage clutches in a range of colours and styles. Here is a kitsch heart shaped velvet clutch..

Ahh pretend to be a pink lady from Grease in this classic 50's look (without the tacky satin jacket)!

A great scarf can add so much to an outfit whether you wear it in your hair, as a belt, tied to your bag or even tied round your neck - try these light chiffon ones for a splash of summer freshness.

The nautical look is always a classic and this cute vintage inspired naval skirt is easy to wear with classic white pumps or coloured wedges..




Cant wait to see you there!

Ellephant

xx

70's Makeup

Some 70's makeup looks for Saturdays Vintage Fair!

Enjoy

Ellephant

x

70's Styles from Sowe

Birmingham Vintage Fair!!

If you havent been able to make it along to Glastonbury this weekend, fear not we have a mud free alternative! Come along to the Birmingham Vintage Fair in St Pauls Square where we will be channelling woodstock with our hippie vibes! We will also have performances by 2 local bands to really finish off the festival feel!

Now to one of life's eternal questions.....What to wear?
We have some lovely 70's ensembles for sale, see some of them previewed in the pictures below.

Cant wait to see you there!
As always peace and love

Ellephant

xx

Saturday Matthew...We're going to be...

Hippies!...this Saturday at the Birmingham Vintage Fair El & I will be channelling our inner hippies....peace

Scarlet

xxx

Images - afashionmind.blogspot.com

New stock for Birmingham Vintage this Sat 25th June!!!

Hey hey hey!

Me and Elle-phant got busy last night and took some piccys of some of our latest stock for the vintage fair in Birmingham on Saturday this weekend (as previously mentioned by Elle-phant) check out the link below for details...Sowe will be there, all day for you stylish sisters and trendy brothers, yes we have some menswear guys!

http://www.birminghamvintage.co.uk/

Look out for El's blog in the next few days with our 70's stock pics...trust me there are some bargains and must haves, I've had to restrain myself from keeping alot of it!!!!

Scarlet

xxx

Images - www.google.co.uk/maps

Birmingham Vintage Fair

Hello Lovelies,

Finally we have fantastic news to deliver - we are over the moon to announce Sowe will be joining a fantastic line up at Birminghams newest Vintage Fair.

Birmingham Vintage is taking a fresh new approach to the scene and seeks to project a festival atmosphere by creating a fair with vintage fashion and accessories, art, food & drink as well as makeup and hair consultants to work their magic!

The fair will be held on the 25th June from 11-5 in the creative hotbed that is the Jewellery Quarter at AE Harris. For more information, directions and lots of other interesting stuff go to http://birminghamvintage.co.uk/

As if things couldnt get any better they are having a 70's theme so I will be channelling my inner hippie (not hard really ha!) and going all out with the peace and love vibe!!

Cant wait to see you there!!

Ellephant
PS stay tuned for more info on what Sowe will be taking to the Vintage Fair!
x

Its like a bitter divorce...

Hi people,

So unfortunately I have more bad news to bring you and it is as I have said above like a bad break up I am left feeling angry, confused, betrayed, bitter and wondering how to get my maiden name back!! Ha

As many of you know myself and Scarlet are also proud mamas to Sowe (selling vintage and customised clothing and accessories). We have always operated from the Custard Factory (hence our Custard Cream moniker) originally at the Saturday Flea (RIP) and more recently from Retro Brum.

I recently blogged to say that we had been advised that due to an electrical problem the venue wasnt able to be used and that the Saturday Retro Brum had to be cancelled, so we were disappointed but we thought ok its fine we arent gonna make a big deal about it and we just looked forward to the next one...then that was cancelled too and to make matters worse we were also given the news that it was all over no more Retro Brum at the Custard Factory.

Unfortunately we dont know why it was cancelled so we can't speculate on that.

Now like all break-ups it seems like once its over the ugly truth begins to rear its head and we hear from fellow stall holders (and the good old internet) that the so-called electrical fault was actually that they had double booked the venue for a wine tasting event!! And looksy heres the evidence..

http://www.virginwines.co.uk/main/rules.jsp?ref=VG6318

Now Im not gonna sit on here and bitch about my ex (the Custard Factory) but... (ok I will) but its not the first time they have let us down like this and I cant help but feel that they wanted the relationship to end a long time ago... so why not have the balls to do it, why string us along keep us interested (make us buy more stock) to dump us the day before the big Vintage Fair (one of our busiest days) oh and did I mention they did the exact same thing to us last time right before the big Vintage Fair.....Oh we were fools to trust them again after that.

Its a shame as I think Birmingham albeit an amazing city really lacks unique and independent trading spaces as Scarlet has said before (see her recent blog on the Candy Store) there arent a huge amount of boutiques and shops that are independent from the usual high street chains. The skyhigh rents of the city centre tends to either force people out or gives them a short shelf life. Whereas cities like Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham and Sheffield have a thriving range of independent venues.

I had always thought that the aim of the Custard Factory was to provide a space that was accessible for the community as a creative outlet and venue.

Owner of the CF Bennie Gray stated in 2010 when asked about the redevelopment of the Zellig area “The most important thing is the working community – the idea that hundreds of creative enterprises can be in one place." Isnt getting rid of an established weekly event home to 30-50 stallholders a complete contradiction to this statement?!

The fact that in 2010 the CF had around £6 million of funding from Advantage West Midlands to carry out the redevelopment works to the Zellig area makes it even more galling that so many of us have been left without an income from the saturday Vintage markets.

If you visit the CF as a tourist you are unlikely to find much there almost everything other than a cafe is closed ..not to boast but we were literally the life and soul of the place!

So safe to say we are looking for new venues / events for us to continue with Sowe and there is no way we will be going back to the Custard Factory! We are definitely all about on to bigger and better and we will keep you posted!

Hopefully you will find Sowe and our vintage chums in a nice new home soon - also if you have any ideas suggestions for new homes please get in touch?! (Especially you secret millionaires please!!)

So Im off to cut up old pictures, listen to Adele, drink wine eat Ben & Jerrys and generally get over the CF!!

lots love

Elle-phant

xx

If you want to read the interview with Bennie Gray its here: http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2010/05/28/10m-expansion-at-custard-factory-hints-at-greater-ambition-for-digbeth-65233-26545553/

My latest creation...

This Saturday 21st May, myself and Elle-phant will be at Retro Brum @ Space2 - The Custard Factory amongst many other vintage floosies!

We will be there from 11am-5pm and entry is only a £1, but worth it for all the different stalls, makeup, hair and tea room! Come down and spend spend spend, while the weathers still good ; )

Sort of getting back to my original subject I will be there with Elle-phant as "Sowe", our baby!!! We sell vintage and customised clothing, jewellery, bags, & hats amongst many many MANY other things...too many to go into....(bags galore!ha) Below is one of the items I have recently created that MAY be on sale...look out for further creations as I am on this sewing thing hardcore! haha I won't go into my inspiration or thoughts on where and how it can be worn, it is what it is ladies...

Hope you like girls....

Scarlet

xxx

Images - My own...

Sowe sells sea shell (jewellery)

Handmade Sea shell jewellery and much more available from Sowe at the Saturday Flea, Custard Factory.

Elle-phant

x

Well Hello there..

Thought I had better introduce myself before I just go right ahead and start blogging! I am Elle the 'we' half of Sowe a Vintage Clothing & Accessories stall in the Saturday Flea at the Custard Factory. We along with Nat-ter and Missy (and plenty of other lovelies) are there every Saturday offering Birminghams shoppers something unique!

Elle-phant

x