My new novel the Proposal, set between present day Manhattan and Fifties London was one of my favourites to write. Not just because it had a love-story at its heart but because I loved researching all the 1950’s detail to make the book as authentic as possible.
I’ve always loved anything vintage, ever since I bought a fabulous emerald silk Fifties dress for my Eighteenth birthday party many moons ago. Even today I like nothing better than rummaging round vintage shops or having afternoon tea in somewhere gloriously ‘old-school’. Here’s some of my favourite places.
The Secret Tea-Room in Soho.
Talk about secret – you hardly even know it’s there! On the first floor of the famous Coach and Horse pub in Soho, you have to go behind the bar to find it. Great cake and Fifties tea-girls that bring in shivering plates of cucumber sandwiches.
Beyond Retro
A brilliant vintage clothes emporium with its main branch just off Brick Lane in East London. My husband bought me a batch of Fifties sunglasses from there for my birthday, an they all came in silky banana yellow cases. There’s a branch in Brighton too.
The Glasgow Vintage
I stumbled across this place on a recent trip to Glasgow (I was there to do a boot-camp after six months stuck at my desk!) Cheap and cheerful with lots of quirky touches. It’s on the Great Western Road.
Pop Boutique
Growing up in Manchester, I used to come here a lot. Nearby Afflecks is also worth a try (I got my Eighteenth birthday dress from here when it used to be called Afflecks Palace!)
Issy’s Milky Way
Think milk-shakes, a Fifties juke-box and Elvis memorabilia tucked away in a side street in
Islington.
Crimson Heart
Another East London Vintage treat – this one sells everything from kitsch lava lamps to Earl grey tea and a slice of Victoria Sandwich.
Rellik
In The Proposal, Former debutante Georgia has a wardrobe full of vintage Dior, Halston and YSL. Try Rellik for similar finds (but with a hefty price tag to boot).
Hope and Greenwood Sweet-shop
I love old-fashioned sweet-shops (I am particularly fond of liquorice and butterscotch tablets). Hope and Greenwoods are great but I also like the sweet shop in Rye and the one on the high street in Burford, in the Cotswolds.
The blog tour continues tomorrow at Rea Book Review so make sure you pop by to see what Rea and Tasmina have in store for you.
What an interesting post. Thanks Tasmina, I'm going to check out Glasgow Vintage next time I'm there. I'm a big fan of Tasmina's books and can't wait to read The Proposal!
ReplyDeleteCongrats (again) on your Romance Book Blogger award Shaz! I'm sooooo thrilled for you and I was whooping and cheering loudly when your name was called out after the words 'and the winner is...'
Janice xxx
The Proposal is a fab read so would def recommend it.
DeleteI'd love to accept the praise but it's the wrong Shaz, it's Shaz from Jera's Jamboree that won and it was well deserved by her too x