Long time, no blog...

Hi Retro Lovers,

I know, it's been a while (and that's an incredible understatement). I'm totally and utterly rubbish and have been neglecting my blogging duties for a whole nine months. For this, I can only apologise and promise you all that I plan to get back to blogging in the new year.

There have been reasons for my absence however and in the hope of avoiding a boredom inducing fifty two page essay that none of you will find stimulating to read, I'll try and keep this as short and as sweet as possible. As I'm sure some of you may know, I embarked upon a change of career at the start of 2013 and as it always does, time has quite literally flown and I've been putting my all into passing my course and pretty much nothing else. In fact looking back, it seems like I've been living the life of a recluse and I'm beginning to realise that whoever said that people could multi task may well have been lying. But with only two weeks to go until my course finishes and with Christmas on the horizon also, this last month especially has felt like a mad panic whirlwind but the end is finally in sight. Hurrah!

But one thing I've realised is that I've really missed blogging and with a new year brings new and exciting blogging ideas, lots more time and maybe even a new laptop (one can dream!).

So I do hope you all have happy and peaceful Christmases and very prosperous New Years and I'll be seeing you all in 2014 with some exciting (and regular!) vintage updates.

Keep you posted,

Helen. xxx

Granny Chic...

Hey Everyone,

Many of you have been suggesting that I do this post for a long time now, so today I'm finally getting round to updating you all on my knitting and crocheting progress including how I've been learning and what I've been making. So many of you guys seem to be into crafting in a big way right now, so whether you're a seasoned pro or just thinking about taking up a woolen craft of some sort, hopefully this will give you some inspiration, or at the very least, a bit of amusement.

I decided to take up knitting last summer. My boyfriend and I had just moved house and I seized the opportunity to learn whilst I had the enthusiasm - I'd wanted to learn for ages. I haven't included any pictures of my knitting because, whilst I took quite a few to document my progess, it's all pretty rubbish. And who wants to see photos of strange shaped bits of wool with holes in, right? I find knitting fairly difficult, mainly because I'm never quite sure how to correct my mistakes. I'm sticking with it though, and it certainly helps that I have a decent set of bamboo Cath Kidston knitting needles, a Christmas gift from Sam and Leighton, my boyfriend's sister and brother-in-law.

I then decided to take up crochet, probably due to the fact that I was getting frustrated with my knitting at the time and I just wanted to succeed at something (and I also had a whole load of wool to use up!). I'm so glad I did, because even though I don't consider myself an expert, I find it a lot easier, plus you can make pretty much anything with a ball of wool and a crochet hook. I started out with my boyfriends mum Barbara (who made a lovely granny square blanket that we have on our bed) giving me the quickest tutorial ever. But I mastered the granny square basics fairly quickly and after a lot of trial and error, managed to whip up my first project whilst on a family holiday; a little crochet bag that was very quickly snapped up by my lovely niece Lyla (see super cute photo number 1, below).

Once I'd mastered the art of the granny square, I quickly progressed on to learning how to change and work with different colours, crocheting in the round (to make hats, etc.) and crocheting flat (for scarves, snoods and that sort of thing). Despite having many books on crafting, knitting and crochet, I'm not that great at following any sort of written pattern. I can do it, but it can get super confusing with all those abbreviations and symbols and it never takes long before I get annoyed and have to take a break. I've always found it easier to learn when I'm shown how, and so I started to crochet along to YouTube tutorials. I've found it a great way to master even the most complicated of stitches and it's how I've managed to make the majority of the projects I've crocheted. If I don't follow a specific pattern, I find that with a general idea of the finished item, plus my knowlege of most stitches, I can pretty much make it up and see where it takes me, sometimes with very surprising and exciting results (this is how I made the smaller lilac snowflakes, picured below).

One of the best things about being able to knit and crochet is that you can make very unique and inexpensive gifts. One of my biggest (and first) projects was a huge grey snood I made my brother for Christmas. To my relief, he loved it and my mum was so taken with it that she wanted one for herself. I then made her a smaller multicoloured one, which she is very kindly modelling in a picture below. I also made a set of baby headbands to greet the arrival of our newest member of the family, our baby niece Emma (see super cute photo number 2!). After spending a day with my friend Kristy (who's blog I will link here) and her teaching me how to make crochet flowers, I was stitching them on to everything!

So what do you need to start learning? All it really takes is a pair of knitting needles or a crochet hook (I bought my first pair of knitting needles from a charity shop and purchased my set of crochet hooks from Amazon for around £5), some wool (which you can get for a really decent quality and price from market stalls or charity shops) and either a crochet/knitting pattern or YouTube. There are of course, many different ways of learning any craft, but if you're just starting out, I highly recommend YouTube as not only can you see what your project is supposed to look like, but every step is explained for you in more detail which I think helps your understanding of the whole process. Check out Australian crochet channel Bobwilson123 - they have some great tutorials and cover everything from mastering basic stitches to more complicated individual projects. I guess it's all about finding what works best for you.

I'm currently working on a multicoloured afghan blanket which I'm really enjoying making but which is taking forever (I think I started it about three months ago). I've also included a picture below so you can see how it's shaping up.

What projects are you currently working on and what inspires you? Tweet me your project pics to @Fashion_Rockets, tag me in your pics via Instagram (@fashionrockets) or simply leave a comment below. It's always great to see what you guys are making plus I love sharing ideas as I always get some great inspiration.

Hope you've all found this helpful and as always, thanks for reading!

The Vintage Cosmetic Company...

Several months ago now, I was scanning Twitter for some new vintage related people to follow and to my delight, came across The Vintage Cosmetic Company. Managing to combinine two of my favourite things (vintage and beauty) so brilliantly, I couldn't not follow!

The VCC are a UK based company that sells beautifully made make-up brushes and beauty accessories such as tweezers, eyelash curlers and make-up bags. They also carry a fabulous selection of false lashes, from pretty and subtle to all out glamourous. Basically, everything you need to complete the perfect vintage look.

The make-up brushes all have sleek cream wooden handles with the cute addition of the name printed on each one so you know what it's used for. If that wasn't cute enough, each set of lashes has a different name. There's the Nancy lashes, the Betty lashes, the Kitty lashes...you can't get more vintage than that! The unique packaging bears the VCC logo and a lovely floral print which sets their products apart from many other brands, giving it such a luxurous look. You really do feel like you're getting something very special, and you are! I have to admit, I'm hooked and have already put in my order for the bronzing brush (pictured below) and the concealer brush.

Talking of the concealer brush, you can purchase it for half price until the end of March when you type in 'CONCEALER' at the check out. They are also running a brilliant Twitter competition where their entire range is up for grabs! All you need to do is tweet a picture of your less than loved make-up bag along with the hashtag #springintovintage to @thevintagecosco to be in with a chance. Hurry though, the giveaway ends 24th March!

Prices range from £7 - £17.50 for brushes, £6 - £7.50 for lashes and £7 - £16.50 for accessories. So not only is everything absolutely beautiful, it's all super affordable too. There's something for everyone!

You can find The Vintage Cosmetic Company online here (where you can also pick up some great beauty tricks and tips and read their blog) or follow them via Twitter and Facebook. Alternatively, check out their lovely stuff at feelunique.com or The Powder Room.

Have you bought anything from The Vintage Cosmetic Company? What have you got your eye on?

Clock Watching...

I was sorting through a box of random bits and pieces the other day and found where I'd hidden this beautiful vintage watch. I've had it for a long time now and been meaning to find out a bit more about it like where and when it was made.

I have to admit, I'm also a little curious as to how much it would be worth. I'd never sell it though as it once belonged to my Grandma so it's of huge sentimental value. My Grandma died when I was 18 and when my Grandpa asked if I wanted to keep anything of hers, of course I wanted something to remember her by, so chose this. As you can see from the pictures below, it's a stunning piece of antique jewellery.

I've not yet asked my Mum if she knows anything about it (that's my next step) but with just the information on the watch alone, it's not been much to go on. It doesn't have any engraving on the back other than a six digit serial number. You'd think a Google search would return a few snippets of information, but so far, nothing. What I do know is this; It's made by Rotary, a famous Swiss watch maker founded in 1895. It has the makers name written on the watch face but doesn't bear the recognisable winged Rotary logo (adopted in 1925) which leads me to think it may have belonged to someone else who then passed it down to Grandma, as she wasn't born until 1927. So as you can see, this whole thing is turning into a bit of a sleuthing mission. How exciting!

I didn't think it still worked after all this time as it doesn't tick, but since digging it out again and taking photos, I've noticed that the hands do move. So I set the time properly, tested it against the clock on my phone and low and behold, it keeps time perfectly! They certainly don't make 'em like that any more.

If you know anything about how to trace the origin of antique watches, or even know anything more about the history of Rotary watch company, please comment below, drop me an email (fashionnotrocketscience@hotmail.co.uk) or tweet (@Fashion_Rockets) as I'd love to know the story behind this amazing piece.

BIBA and Beyond...

When I heard that an exhibition all about the life and work of Barbara Hulanicki was coming to the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery back in September, I was absolutely beside myself with excitement!

For those of you who aren't familiar with the name Barbara Hulanicki (and if you're not, where have you been for the last 50 years?!), she is the original founder of BIBA, a chain of fashion stores in London and Brighton in the 1960's and 70's. BIBA became so popular, it wasn't just a clothing line, it was a way of life. And with famous fans such as Twiggy and Cilla Black, everyone wanted a bit of BIBA. The company eventually met it's untimely demise in 1975 and has seen many an unsuccessful revival, mainly in the 1990's and early 2000's. Thankfully, the label was purchased by House of Fraser in 2009 and is currently a concession sold within the majority of their department stores and online. Hulanicki has also been recently involved in designing collections for Topshop and George, ASDA's in house clothing label.

The exhibition itself covers every part of Hulanicki's life, from her childhood years in Poland, to moving with her family to England, to setting up 'Big Biba' - a stunning department store located on Kensington High Street (where Derry & Toms department store is located today) - to her most recent design endeavours and everything in between. There are many interactive delights to enjoy during the exhibition; video clips, sound bites, photos, interviews, catalogue clippings...the highlight for me however? The incredibly breath taking collection of original BIBA clothing. A massive haul of vintage pieces, beautifully displayed all in one place? What heaven is this?! Every single item is utterly stunning and in near perfect condition. The one piece that really stood out for me was a black floor-length evening dress with plunging sequin neckline and matching black jacket. I couldn't stop staring at it and just wanted to put it on & frolic around town like a 1970's film star! The exhibition even boasts a fabulous display of original BIBA make-up, kindly on loan from make-up artist, Lisa Eldridge (if you haven't yet checked out Lisa's YouTube channel, it's definitely worth taking a look).

I have been lucky enough to visit the exhibition twice. The first time was back when it first opened to the public in September 2012, the second with my Mum just last month. I am even more lucky to own a BIBA item myself - a lovely pinstripe wool jacket from the first revival collection for A/W 2009. It's a real piece of history that will no doubt increase in value with age. I can't ever imagine selling it though, it's too beautiful and such an amazing piece to have in my collection.

'BIBA and Beyond' is on at the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery until 14th April, so if you hurry, you might just catch it! It's a £6 entry fee but students, seniors, children and Brighton & Hove residents benefit from generous discounts. Well worth the money I might add. There is also a special event affectionally named 'BIBA Believers', being held at the Museum on 23rd March. A day of events celebrating everything BIBA, where the wonderful woman herself will be making a guest appearance and doing a book signing. Tickets are £5 but you do need to book in advance. See you there!

Have you been to see 'BIBA and Beyond'? What did you think? Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

The Twelve Days of Lipstick - BONUS...

When I went to put on my lipstick first thing this morning, I couldn't not blog about it because todays choice is just so pretty. So this is The Twelve Days of Lipstick, bonus day!

I'm wearing 'Betty Bright' from the MAC Archie's Girls collection (£15.50) and as you can see from the swatch, it does what it says on the tin. It's bright, beautiful and perfect for lifting the spirits on a dull day like today. I'm also one of those people who gets drawn in by snazzy packaging so as you can imagine, I was like a moth to a flame all over this one - it's just so cute!

Do you own any items from the Archie's Girls collection? What are your favourites?

I do hope you've all enjoyed following my Twelve Days of Lipstick series? A slight deviation from my usual stuff I know, but what could be more vintage than lipstick? I've certainly loved digging out some long lost make-up and sharing it with you all.

As always, thank you for reading. I'll be back very soon with some very exciting vintage news! xxx

Bloglovin'!

Hi all!

Just a quick post to let you all know that Fashion Not Rocket Science is now on Bloglovin'!!!! Well, with the eradication of Google Reader looming, something had to be done. Follow by clicking the button below...

Thank you so much for your time and of course, thank you for following! xxx

The Twelve Days of Lipstick - Day 12...

And so we come to last day of The Twelve Days of Lipstick...

I wanted to wear a dark lip today but not so dark it trespassed into winter territory, it is nearly spring after all! I always find these 'dark-but-not-too-dark' shades so hard to find. They're either too brown, too purple, too dark, not dark enough, too opaque...what I nightmare! And so I give you 'Sophisto' by MAC (£14). Good old MAC, eh. They've pretty much thought of every lip colour you could possibly need.

I don't hear enough about 'Sophisto' which is surprising as it's so unique. It looks quite brown in the tube, a lot pinker on the hand swatch and looks a lot more 'berry-ish' on my lips which shows how multi-tonal it is. It's a lustre finish so it's nice and sheer and has a pretty shimmer to it.

The perfect berry shade? What do you think?