Lovers of vintage fashion and music will want to make sure that they set time aside on the 13th to the 15th of July and head on over to Boughton House in Northamptonshire to attend the Vintage Festival 2012. This vibrant annual festival features a wide range of events aimed at celebrating all things vintage, and covers genres of fashion and music from the 1920s all the way through to the 1980s.

People who purchase tickets to this three day festival will be able to witness and take part in a wide range of specially organised events, from catwalk shows to workshops. There will be plenty of opportunities to shop for vintage clothing at the many stalls that are set up during the festival, while visitors can also get their grove on to vintage music played by well-known bands and during exclusive DJ sets.

The Vintage Festival 2012 is the perfect time to discover the broad range of vintage fashion and create a whole new look. Complimentary hair and beauty makeovers are provided by the onsite team, who create decade specific looks for visitors to make them look and feel absolutely fabulous. There is also a huge dressing up box, which visitors are invited to rummage through in search of the perfect style.

The festival features several catwalk shows over the three days, and this is a great way to admire vintage fashion as it was intended to be seen. Watching these vibrant shows is like stepping back in time, and the Vintage Fashion Theatre runway showcases the classic designs of prolific designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Mary Quant and Ossie Clark. Visitors are also given the chance to shine in the Best in Show Parade. During the festival the team of style hunters will be snapping pictures of the most stylish festival goers, who will then be invited to take part in their very own fash-mob catwalk.

If you have a passion for fashion and want to learn more about creating striking vintage outfits, then attending one of the hands-on-creative workshops is a great way to pick up a few tips. Creative festival goers can make their way to the Vintage Upcycling area, where they will be able to take part in workshops aimed at unleashing their creativity. Some of the many activities available to take part in include sewing vintage style fashion accessories, creating original vintage style clothing such as ponchos and petticoats and making bunting.

There are plenty of bargains to be found at the Vintage Marketplace. Here, more than 200 vendors gather to sell everything from clothing to accessories and music that hail from the 1980s all the way back to the 1920s. Items start at just £5, and include plenty of rare treasures.

Of course, vintage fashion and vintage music go hand in hand, and the music that can be heard at the Vintage Festival 2012 covers all genres, decades and styles, from rockabilly to ska and swing. Several stages are set up for the musicians that attend the event to play on, and some of the performers that are scheduled to play at the festival include Aloe Blacc, Baxter Dury, Chic, St Etienne and Swing Out Sister. There are also five vintage nightclubs, with each decade to a different musical genre. If you’re toes are tapping but you simply don’t know the steps, then taking one of the specially arranged dance classes is the perfect solution. Festival goers will be taught a select of vintage dances, and this is the perfect way to get into the swing of things.

Enjoy the gala of the summer at the 2011 Vintage Festival for a chance to celebrate a bygone era. Rock to the music of the carefree 1960s or disco to the beat of the 1980s. Don favourite vintage attire and experience time travel surrounded by the sights and music of yesteryear.

Hosting a line-up of entertainment, choices for favourite time frames throughout the past 70 years will be featured. Find out about Rock and Roll culture of the 1950s and the lifestyle it inspired. Dress to impress in his and hers 1950s outfits and get down with the beat of the drums and electric guitar. Match up in nautical inspired sailor outfits or find an original nautical uniform for him while she can wear a knee-length collared sailor dress complete with pleated skirt, hat and stockings.

Made even more popular by Audrey Hepburn in 1954, the Little Black Dress has been evolving since 1926 when Coco Chanel thought of a way for a style affordable to all social classes. Add gloves and a Pill Box hat for that classic and classy finishing touch. Whether strolling around the Village Marketplace or up on the Catwalk, this look will continue to be a head-turner for ages to come. At the Village Marketplace, make the most of celebrating the 1950s style and look for the chance to find fashion and accessories to add to individual collections.

Styles of the Little Black Dress expanded from conservative to sexy with the invention of the Halter Top. Receiving mixed reviews in April, 1950 due to the low scooped back and bare shoulders, the Halter covered the front much like a Puritan would have it. Bare that back and shoulders at the Vintage Festival, 2011. In style on up from the 1950s to the present, halters come in many forms from casual to wedding formal. Perhaps the odds of finding a one-of-a-kind original at the Village Marketplace isn't too far fetched.

Arrive at Southbank Centre ready to join Let It Rock and catch the musical gigs of El Nino and Black Elvis to name a few. Learn how to swing dance after sampling a wide range of era-inspired dishes. Get a makeover to match the outfit and try for the chance to be voted "Best Dressed." Be sure to peruse the shops for matching accessories that accent the chosen era of vintage finery.

Cruise the Thames for even bigger surprises that include funk and electro swing while celebrating the 60th anniversary of the original 1951 Festival of Britain. Sit back and be entertained by the line-up of comedy routines featured this year. Take part in the Vintage Karaoke at the North South Divide on Saturday evening. Men may want to dress down in the ever popular 1950s bowling shirt, trousers and Jive White Creeper Sneakers, while ladies may opt to dress up in a Cabaret Swing Dress.

Whichever era brings back memories or fits a personal style, the Vintage Festival 2011 will be a smashing hit. Find vintage clothing and memorabilia while having fun with fashion, food and entertainment.

Vtg paisley printed red headscarf scarf gold nautical granny silk rockabilly    £2.00

Original Rock and Roll Record Handbag Rockabilly    £.99

Vintage vanity case- skinhead mod rockabilly rockin pin up    £9.99

Vintage 50s Rockabilly B & W Checked Summer Oversized Cropped Top/Blouse 8/10/12    £14.95

Polka Dot retro vintage style full RaRa apron 1950s/1960s/1970s/1980s Rockabilly    £22.00

Polka Dot retro vintage style full apron 1950s/1960s/1970s/1980s Rockabilly    £14.00

1	Powered by phpBay Pro

The Rockabilly style of sleek quiffs, sophisticated yet edgy looks can be said to have been influenced largely by the 1950s glamour style mixed with Beatnik and a healthy dose of American Rock ‘n’ Roll.

This strong and dynamic age of fashion was driven by the emergence of the teenage voice at the beginning of the 1950s when the trend for an older fashionable age group in their 30s and 40s gave way to the younger teen market. This, coupled with the music of Rock ‘n’ Roll gave birth to a mode that is still in operation today where the young teenagers dress to look as old as their adult counterparts.

Modern trends may come and go, but the glamour and vibrancy of the 50s has stayed with us for both men and women. The decade gave birth to influential designers such as Anne Fogarty who invented the Poodle Skirt and the “Paper Doll” sillouette look and later shocked the world with a new trend in swimwear – the bikini. She also created a range of glamorous clothing which women could wear even whilst doing their housework – her book, “Wife Dressing” which received a mixed response as some critics felt its title implied that women needed to dress to please their husbands but was actually more about dressing appropriately for every occasion.

Then came Bonnie Cashin who had already made her mark creating amazing costumes for the movie business in the 1940’s and in the 50s starting creating simple lines of clothing for everyday wear, which became known as “ready-to-wear” or more commonly, “sportswear” in America and then later introduced classics such as suede fringed jackets and the Poncho.

It was the first time that young people used fashion to define themselves and this is still prevalent today where different styles of clothing are used to identify groups of people such as punk, hippy, street-wear or retro.

Rockabilly Stunning SunFlower / Sun Flower Hair Clip *** sassy-frans ***    £2.70

*SALE* Rockabilly Baby Blue Gerbera Daisy Flower Hair Clip    £2.00

1950s floral rockabilly prom dress GORGEOUS: Red Herring 10 full skirt    £23.99

Rockabilly black ditsy prom dress full skirt-Evie S VGC    £13.00

Rockabilly black floral prom dress full skirt 10    £12.00

vintage style rockabilly duffle bag    £2.00

Rockabilly Vintage Look Blouse in Black/Blue trim    £2.00

50's ROCKABILLY VINTAGE STYLE RETRO PROM PIN-UP Black White Dot Dress 8 to16    £39.99

1930s Marshall & Snelgrove fur shawl 1940s 1950s vintage rockabilly sailor    £79.99

SAILOR SKULL TATTOO ROCKABILLY NAUTICAL GOTH HORROR PUNK T-SHIRT VEST SMALL S    £9.99

ROCKABILLY PETTICOAT    £7.50

Rockabilly/50s Double Rose Hair Clip Orange    £5.99

1	Powered by phpBay Pro

The wonderful thing about vintage underwear is that it appeals to both men and women albeit not always for the same reasons.

Perhaps one aspect they would both agree is the elegance of the designs and sensual nature of fabrics used.  The colours and materials that go to make up many of the retro knickers and briefs available today are not only pleasing on the eye but comfortable for the wearer too.

The appeal of events like the annual Goodwood Revival which celebrate the fashions of the 1950s as well as the motor sport, music and aviation of the era has created a demand for the likes of nylon stockings not seen since the days of World War II.

Meanwhile, the revival of burlesque shows has ensured that some women are eager to add retro stockings and suspender belts to their wardrobes as well as corsets and basques.  This must come as good news indeed for those partners who have either openly or secretly wished that their adored women who would wear such garb.

A new addition to a woman's wardrobe can work wonders for that special weekend or to fan the embers of a relationship into new life.  A pair of retro knickers, a satin bullet bra or even vintage petticoats may be all the catalyst needed to restore vitality and sparkle to where it has been lost.

Unlike the cheap and frankly tarty underwear that has been (and remains) in many shops, retro underwear can easily be obtained from a few reputable suppliers who genuinely care about the products they sell and are enthusiastic about providing their customers with elegant and well made underwear and lingerie that is both a joy to wear and to see.

The 1950s was the start of a huge global shift in lifestyle and fashion from the chic and stylish pre-Second World War French designers to the glamour of Hollywood.

A new generation was born – not the baby boomers that shaped the swinging sixties – but the teenager.

Sure 13 – 19 year olds had always been around but this was the first time the phrase teenagers was coined to a new niche fashion and lifestyle market.

Teenagers were created by a two-pronged onslaught – TV and money.

TV and cash give birth to the teenager

TV from the US exposed British and European youngsters to a new world of rock’n’roll, high school proms and colourful clothing that broke the mould of post-war austerity.

Without TV, the argument might be teenagers might not have come on to the scene, but the other driver was disposable income.

Youngsters had jobs and jobs put cash in their pockets that TV and advertising persuaded them they should spend on records, magazines and fashion.

Relentless exposure to a celebrity led lifestyle became the self-perpetuating monster that has led us to reality TV and beyond.

The generation gap separates teens and parents

The 1950s gave the world the glamour of Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn who reflected the styles of the leading designers of the day – Chanel, Hartnell, Ricci and Dior.

For the teenager, the 1950s also gave us the prom dress, drapes and crepes and the high school look.

This was the first decade where the generation gap separated teens from their parents and gave them their own clothes and sense of style.

Rich pickings for collectors

The Fifties is a rich vintage for clothing collectors. The world turned fashion crazy and designers started to experiment with texture and colour.

Watch out for a Chanel LBD – little black dress – or handbag at the top-end of the market. For those with more modest means, cotton floral print day dresses or prom dresses make the cut.

original 1970s MAXI dress DOLLYROCKERS. peach green floral FESTIVAL frill sleeve    £17.00

1940s 1950s hawaiian vintage style wiggle dress, size 12    £44.99

Gorgeous fine silk dress delicate floral three quarter sleeves uk 12 us 10    £14.00

Vintage 1940s WW2 style M & S heritage tea dress UK 16    £25.00

1950s/60s STYLE FLORAL TEA DRESS BY ELLOS: UK 14 - NEW!    £19.99

Ladies vintage dress    £4.99

Tea dress/shift dress by Royal Creations, Hawaii S VGC    £19.99

Vintage 1980S Blue Floral Silky Wiggle/Tea Dress UK 14    £18.00

1950s style rock and roll dress    £24.99

1	Powered by phpBay Pro

Hollywood film star Audrey Hepburn’s iconic clothes from the 1950s that stunned cinema audiences in some of the most famous films of all time have gone under the hammer at a London auction.

Renowned as one of the world’s most beautiful movie stars ever, Hepburn was tiny - only 5’ 7" tall with a waspish 32-22-34 inch figure.

Included in the sale at fashionable La Galleria, Pall Mall, were a Givenchy opera gown she wore in Love In The Afternoon (1956), and a wedding dress designed by the Fortuna Sisters for Hepburn’s sadly cancelled wedding to James Hanson, later Lord Hanson.

The sale raised more than £270,000 for Tanja Star-Busmann, Hepburn’s friend from the age of 15.

Friend tells of Hepburn’s generosity

In the auction catalogue, Star-Busmann told how her friend would sort through her unwanted clothes and pass them on to her.

'This became something of a fabulous tradition,' said Ms Star-Busmann. 'Over the years a cavalcade of boxes filled to the brim with haute-couture evening dresses, divine little cocktail ensembles, easy-to-wear silk supper dresses, sensible tweed coats, chic little day suits and glamorous dressing gowns, often accompanied by wonderful accessories, arrived at my door.'

'Unpacking them was always like Christmas a thousand times over.'

Dating from 1953 to the late 60s, the couture collection included belts, hats and tweed coats to evening gowns.

Chic Valentino LBD to lace cocktail gowns

Also auctioned was a bundle of private letters in which the star talked about an early film break, her proposed wedding to Hanson and filming Roman Holiday.

Among the lots were chic little black dresses by Valentino, evening wear by Elizabeth Arden and couture pieces by her favourite designer Hubert de Givenchy.

A Chantilly lace cocktail gown worn by Hepburn in the 1966 movie How to Steal a Million was the centrepiece of the auction and was thought it might make £20,000, but the fabulous dress went for more £60,000.

Most of the 36 items in the auction were in Hepburn’s signature pastel colours or black and ivory with some hot pink to make a splash of colour.

retro 1950's style cropped womens cream blouse UK12    £5.00

Fabulous Vintage ` Mad Men` Style 1950`s Nightgown    £22.99

Vintage Wool Reversible Coat 1950`s    £45.00

Quality Vintage Ladies Leather Black Handbag Circa 1950s    £8.75

1940s 1950s hawaiian vintage style wiggle dress, size 12    £44.99

1950s/60s STYLE FLORAL TEA DRESS BY ELLOS: UK 14 - NEW!    £19.99

1950s style rock and roll dress    £24.99

1940s 1950s towie style peplum wiggle pencil dress    £39.99

1950s floral rockabilly prom dress GORGEOUS: Red Herring 10 full skirt    £23.99

1	Powered by phpBay Pro

Teddy Boys in the 1950s paved the way for future generations when they made it acceptable for young, working class men to care about fashion and style.

In the early 1950s, groups of young men in Britain started dressing in clothes styled on the Edwardian period. Christened `Teddy Boys´ by a newspaper headline at the time, the name stuck and the first British teenage subculture was born. The Teddy Boy subculture started in London in the early 1950s, and soon spread to cities across the United Kingdom.

A tailored drape jacket was the cornerstone of Teddy Boy style. Often cut from a wool fabric with a contrasting velvet collar, variations in style were common and served as a way of identifying various sub-groups within the Teddy Boy movement. Jackets were always worn with drainpipe trousers, a smart shirt and narrow `Slim Jim´ tie.

Teddy Boy suits were not usually made or sold by traditional menswear outlets, so Teddy Boys had to either have their suits custom made by tailors or shop at outlets which specialised in American imports. Given that Teddy Boys were mainly young working class men, buying a new suit would often require either months of saving or splitting the payments into weekly instalments.

Suede shoes with crepe soles were the footwear of choice, often worn with coloured socks as another way of showing allegiance to a particular Teddy Boy group. As well as fashion and clothing, a lot of attention was also paid to hairstyles. Although Teddy Boys liked to experiment with different looks, the most widely adopted was a carefully sculpted quiff with long sideburns, combed sides and `duck´s arse´ wave at the back.

In the early 1950s, Teddy Girl fashion broke the mould at a time when femininity and glamour were very much the mainstream look. Girls out with their Teddy Boy boyfriends could sometimes be spotted wearing trousers, shirts and thin velvet ties. Some even sported short quiffed hairstyles, although ponytails and long hair were more common. As the decade progressed, American-inspired circle skirts and dresses became popular and grew to typify the female rock `n´ roll look.

Given that the post-war era was the first time many young working class men had a disposable income, older generations scorned the Teddy Boys for spending hard-earned cash on fashion and clothes. The Teddy Boys were also criticised for their behaviour, although mild outbreaks of fighting and petty violence were often exaggerated by the media. The Teddy Boys hung out at dance halls and cafés listening to music, and became closely associated with American rock `n` roll.

Dressing in a Teddy Boy style gave young people a shared identity, enabling them to express their personality and lifestyle through their clothes. The Teddy Boys were the first group of young people to differentiate themselves from older generations by their style of dress, setting a precedent that is still followed today.

With the war over, beauty and makeup trends in the 1950s saw a return to femininity and glamour.

While many women had donned overalls to work in factories during the war, many found themselves back in the role of housewife and mother when the 1950s came along. Women were advised to dress-up and look good for their husbands, while single women were told to leave no stone unturned in their search for a man.

This new emphasis on femininity heavily influenced beauty trends and styles, as did the increased amount of time and money women had to spend on looking good. The arrival of colour films also had a big impact on beauty in the 1950s, as cinema-goers were treated to close-up images of glamorous film stars like Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor.

Emulating the glamour and perfection of these stars was all the rage during the 1950s, and no self-respecting woman would be seen without her Max Factor “Pan Cake” foundation. Applied with a moist sponge, this solid foundation gave total coverage for a flawless look. A peach or pink coloured blusher was applied directly to the cheeks to give a healthy glow.

Lipstick was another makeup must-have in the 1950s; always red or pink, and often teamed with matching nail polish for a highly glamorous look. Many women chose to wear matte lipsticks rather than gloss shades, as this was thought to look more natural. Popular lipstick brands in the 1950s included Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein; big beauty names that are just as sought-after today.

Women in the 1950s favoured pale shades of eye shadow like shimmering blue and green; dark colours like grey and brown had not yet made it to the beauty fashion table. Mascara was applied thick and heavy, and always black. Although they were often plucked and shaped to give a feminine look, eyebrows were usually left natural.

Another beauty trend which started in the 1950s was wearing thick black eyeliner. Made famous by Audrey Hepburn, women drew a thick black line on their upper eyelid and extended it beyond the corner for a dramatic feline look.

The 1950s can be seen as an era when classic, feminine beauty came to the fore. Many of the beauty and makeup styles popular in the 1950s are still worn today, showing that classic beauty never goes out of fashion

1950s Ladies' Clothes on eBay

retro 1950's style cropped womens cream blouse UK12    £5.00

Fabulous Vintage ` Mad Men` Style 1950`s Nightgown    £22.99

Vintage Wool Reversible Coat 1950`s    £45.00

Quality Vintage Ladies Leather Black Handbag Circa 1950s    £8.75

1940s 1950s hawaiian vintage style wiggle dress, size 12    £44.99

1950s/60s STYLE FLORAL TEA DRESS BY ELLOS: UK 14 - NEW!    £19.99

1950s style rock and roll dress    £24.99

1940s 1950s towie style peplum wiggle pencil dress    £39.99

1950s floral rockabilly prom dress GORGEOUS: Red Herring 10 full skirt    £23.99

1	Powered by phpBay Pro

This year's Goodwood Revival was a great success! The weather was kind to us, the crowds were out in force, and there were thousands of spectators and participants dressed in retro and vintage clothes from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.

The dancing was wonderful to watch as couples jived to jazz and swung each other around to rock and roll. The clothes were superb and people are clearly gone to a great effort to 'get the look'. There were some elegant Dior style dresses and plenty of floral frocks complimented by matching accessories.

The crowds were entertained by music, dancing, air displays and of course motor racing throughout the day. There was a market area in which many retro clothing shops were doing a busy trade with visitors keen to buy outfits for their own collections and for other retro events.

I'm looking forward to next September already and next August sees the first 'Vintage at Goodwood' event!