This week I visited the Imperial War Museum in Manchester to see the Fashion on the Ration Exhibition. As a bit of a history nerd I really enjoyed this exhibition and found out some really interesting facts about clothing during the war that I had never heard before. Did you know that during the time of the blackouts, white accessories were promoted by brands to make sure women were seen when out in the dark evenings? Or that house coats were promoted by Vogue so women could look stylish even during an air raid in the middle of the night? Nope me neither until I visited this exhibition.

The Imperial War Museum, Manchester.

Uniforms worn by women during the war.

War time clothing throughout the era. 

House Coats. 

Pieces made from silk maps, previously used by pilots.

The exhibitions itself is not the biggest I have ever been to but it is filled with information which is a lot to take in but very interesting. I visited on a Tuesday afternoon around 3pm so the exhibition was extremely quiet however that meant I could take my time and look at everything in detail. My favourite piece from the exhibition was the map print dressing gown and underwear which were made from the maps used by pilots. 

After the exhibition we decided to go into the center of town where we found a vintage photo booth and could not resist giving it a try. 

Coat and culottes Boohoo, Bag Urban Outfitters, Jumper M&S, Gilet Matalan, shoes converse and necklaces market stall. 

The weather has been so chilly recently, therefore I decided to warm up my orange and black print culottes, which were my fave throughout summer because of their gorgeous floaty material, with a black turtle neck jumper, furry gilet and my boohoo coat. I bought this shearling style avaitar coat at the start of the winter season because I thought it was the closest I would get to the amazing Acne Studios Velocite shearling coat I fell in love with last year. However more and more stores are starting to produce them including Topshop, Urban Outfitters and Primark but due to being tall and having really long arms they were all a little short for me.   

Photographs-All my own. 

Alexa loves... Yorks Vintage

On the outside York may seem like just a quaint little city with idyllic streets and sweet tea shops but it is also the perfect place to get your hands on some fab vintage pieces. Whether your a retro lover or a vintage newbie there is something for everyone in York...

The Chinese Laundry 

    51 Goodramgate, Y01 7LS 

If you are new to the vintage game or just looking for a few pieces to add to your wardrobe The Chinese Laundry is the place to start. Band tees, denim jackets and a range of Pop boutique products are the sort of thing you can expect to find and all at affordable prices. Allowing you to experiment without breaking the bank. 

http://www.chinese-laundry.co.uk/

Bowler Vintage 

    52 Fossgate, YO1 9TF 

Placed at a higher price range than The Chinese Laundry, Bowlers vintage offers a range of retro 1950s style pieces for both men and women. As the products are so focused on a specific era, it makes them classic and timeless, great investment pieces. 

http://bowlervintage.co.uk/

Priestleys Vintage

   1 Norma Court, 11 Grape Lane, YO1    7HU

Stocking more luxurious pieces, Priestley vintage offers an array of beautiful products at a more premium price. From evening dresses to Gucci mules, this is the place to find something special. 

http://www.priestleysvintage.co.uk/

Vintage Fair

Situated in the Merchant Adventures hall Britain does Vintage held a vintage fair offering a range of stalls, teas, cakes and music for just a £2 entry fee. Promoted using leaflets and giant sign posts, held across the town centre by friendly helper offering directions, so there is no need to worry about getting lost. Traveling around from York to Durham to Newcastle, you can find a vintage fair near you on the website at http://www.britaindoesvintage.co.uk/vintage-fair-dates/

Alexa loves... The Military Jacket

Take charge of your wardrobe with the Military jacket. The easy to wear jacket style is set to transition in to a warm cape or coat as the seasons change from Autumn to Winter.

Alexa loves... Embelished Bikers

The embellished biker jacket is a piece which I intend to invest in for Autumn/ Winter 2016.

There are lots to choose from on the high street or if you are feeling creative you can make your own personalised jacket. Studs are widely available in haberdashery stores as well as online. Badges can also be found online. Esty offers a wide range of sew on badges by unique sellers, allowing you to put your own twist on one of the biggest trends this Autumn/ Winter.  

Alexa loves... Jackie the Musical

One of the best ways to spend evenings is loosing yourself in the plot of a show at the theatre and nothing beats a feel good musical. I have seen lots of musicals from Pricilla to Hairspray and I thought I had found my favourite in Dirty Dancing until I went to see Jackie the Musical.

 As a lover of all things retro and vintage this musical appealed to me as the costumes ranged from flared trouser to flower power mini dresses and the music included all the hits from the era including Get it on by T-Rex, Puppy Love by Donny Osmond and Could It Be Forever by David Cassidy.
The story follows the journey of a women who has recently split up from her husband and finds her old Jackie Magazines while clearing out the house. By the end of the performance the whole theatre were on their feet dancing, including my mum who also loved the performance as she used to read Jackie Magazine.
Jackie the Musical is a must see feel good performance which comes to a close on the 30th of July at Glasgows Kings Theatre so get you will have to book your tickets soon.

Alexa loves... Pleats

One of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe right now is my orange pleated skirt. Not only can it be dressed up or down for any occasion but it can also be worn in both summer or winter. Team it with a cami and sandals for a pretty summer feel and then as the weather turn cold wear it with a jumper and boots for an effortlessly cool winter look.

Alexa Loves... Embroidery

Trickling down from the Catwalks of Gucci and sported by celebrities such as Florence Welsh and Alexa Chung, embroidery has been everywhere this year.

From silk bombers to boyfriend jeans, it has made its way into every wardrobe this summer.