Latest articles from Retro To Go

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• Battersea Blanket by Mary Penny
• Vintage Tea and Coffee Pots Wrapping Paper
• eBay watch: Original Festival of Britain Design in the Festival book
• Pocket Classics - working half-scale versions of classic cars
• Button Front Cape Blouse by Pippa Lynn
• Seventies Striped Platforms from River Island
• Vintage Tsukesage Kimono from Lascivious
• Alex Monroe Picnic Hamper Necklace
• Hanna Melin retro childhood ABC print
• Hackman summer jug and colander
• WowHaus website launches - finding interesting property along the way

Battersea Blanket by Mary Penny Posted: 18 May 2011 10:14 AM PDT   A cosy blanket is always useful, whether for wrapping around yourself to keep warm or to lay out your picnic on in summer. This Battersea Blanket by Mary Penny is more stylish than the traditional tartan blanket and being designed by a graduate of the Royal College of Art, is perhaps closer to a piece of art than your usual bedding. The iconic London landmark Battersea Power Station has been woven into the blanket in bold colours against a subdued background on one side, with the colours reversed on the other . It measures 140cm by 190cm and is made from 100% Lambswool. Buy from Thorsten Van Elten for £215.

Vintage Tea and Coffee Pots Wrapping Paper Posted: 18 May 2011 09:59 AM PDT     As you would probably guess by how often we feature such items, we really like vintage-style teacups, coffee pots and mugs. And so it seems does the designer of this Vintage Tea and Coffee Pots Wrapping Paper. The design consists of images of enamel pots and mid-century patterned cups, printed on matt paper. Interspersed with these images are tea spoons with silver detailing. As the seller says, it is nice enough to hang as a poster in your kitchen. The wrapping paper costs AUS $4.95 from Lark Made.

eBay watch: Original Festival of Britain Design in the Festival book Posted: 18 May 2011 09:50 AM PDT Do a search for Festival of Britain on eBay, you'll be amazed at what you find. Everything from stamps and coins through to glasses and teapots, most of it for not a lot of cash. Why an I telling you this? Well, this year is the 60th anniversary of the Festival of Britain, a celebration of post-war Britain and all it offered. Lots of reproduction material is likely to hit the market, but something like this original Design In The Festival book is far more interesting - and not too expensive. It's an original publication produced by the Council of Industrial Design and according to the seller, one of the 'scarcer publications' of the event. Certain to appeal to midcentury fans, it is a fully illustrated review of British goods including sections on furniture, textiles, ceramics, electrical appliances, motor cars and cameras. Also numerous pages of contemporary advertisements, many in full colour. 132 pages including covers and in 'generally very good clean condition', the book is up now at £14.95. Find out more at the eBay website

Pocket Classics - working half-scale versions of classic cars Posted: 18 May 2011 09:04 AM PDT Ever dreamt of owning a Porsche Speedster, a Mercedes 300SL, a Jaguar E-Type or a vintage Jeep? Well, that dream might be a little nearer with Pocket Classics. From the name, you might expect these to be toy cars for your desk. Oh no - these are working replicas of classic cars, but at half scale. Take your pick from the four models mentioned above (none of them branded for legal reasons), each one faithfully recreated with a composite GRP body shell, steel chassis, twin rear hydraulic disk brakes, and semi automatic gearbox. There's also  working headlights, indicators and horn, with a top speed of 46mph. All cars are built to order, but it's worth noting that they are toys. So not road legal. Which means the £9,995 price of each one will undoubtedly make it the most expensive toy you ever buy. See the website for images of the other models on offer. Find out more at the Firebox website

Button Front Cape Blouse by Pippa Lynn Posted: 18 May 2011 09:01 AM PDT When we think of sixties cape styles, most people recall luxurious coats and jackets. The unique silhouette wasn't just used in outerwear however, making this Pippa Lynn Cape Blouse a chic little sixties look item that stands out from the crowd. The use of a flowing fabric allows for the swing shape to really shine, with a collarless neckline and three quarter sleeve length giving some delicate and subtle femininity. The use of a warm beige and red polka dot print adds some cutesy retro charm in keeping with the vintage inspiration. Get yours online now from ASOS for £48. Find out more from the website

Seventies Striped Platforms from River Island Posted: 18 May 2011 09:01 AM PDT The high street's big names have truly embraced this season's 70s trend, providing retro lovers with everything you need to emulate the era's many fashion tribes. It seems that footwear is the area where the designers are having most fun, with pairs like these Striped Platform Sandals from River Island. Combining a chunky wooden platform heel with suede uppers, the textures are spot on for a sumptuous seventies look. Choose from the more classic muted colours or go all out with the Rainbow Brite-esque pair, each capturing a real vintage feel. They're available now from River Island for £64.99. Find out more from the website

Vintage Tsukesage Kimono from Lascivious Posted: 18 May 2011 07:44 AM PDT There's no doubt that a vintage kimono is a classic investment piece that will last a lifetime. This Tsukesage Kimono from luxury lingerie purveyors Lascivious ensures you'll makes a serious style statement even when lounging around the house. Lascivious source their vintage silk kimonos from Japan and this one dates from the 1970's. It's made from 100% silk and decorated with hand-painted cherry blossoms, so will confer a certain movie-star aura that your dressing gown really can't compete with. A luxurious and unique item like this doesn't come cheap - the kimono is £275. Take a look in more detail on the Lascivious website.

Alex Monroe Picnic Hamper Necklace Posted: 18 May 2011 04:36 AM PDT For a uniquely British take on vintage-inspired jewellery, look no further than South London designer Alex Monroe. The Picnic Hamper Necklace is part of Alex's newest collection, inspired by the rural idyll of British summertime and the traditional English pursuits of bicycle rides and picnics. The gold-plated wicker hamper opens to reveal a silver plate packed inside and three further charms, a bottle, a glass and a plate, on silver chains. You can wear the necklace closed or open to reveal the treasures within. The necklace is made of sterling silver and 22-karat gold. It costs £300 and is available from net-a-porter.

Hanna Melin retro childhood ABC print Posted: 18 May 2011 03:05 AM PDT We've had a glimpse into Hanna Melin's childhood before with her Summer Holiday 1989 tote bag. Now that nostalgia is taken one step further with this retro childhood ABC print, available exclusively at Rockett St George.  The print is crammed full of Melin's illustration of famous toys, mainly drawn from the 1980s and 90s: keep a look out for Mr Potato Head, My Little Pony, Trolls and Barbie just for starters. It's sure to have you longing for the toy box of your childhood.  The print is sold unframed and costs £25.  See it online

Hackman summer jug and colander Posted: 18 May 2011 03:04 AM PDT Cast your mind back and you may remember Hackman summer casserole dish, a charming piece of kitchenware featuring a great 50s-style pattern. That range has now been expanded to include more things for your kitchen, including a summer jug and a colander.  Like the casserole dish, both items are decorated with the retro pattern of vegetables, produced by Dog Design. All the products are made from traditional enamelware, meaning the products should last you for the foreseeable future - a touch of pretty practicality for your kitchen.  The colander costs 33 euros, while the jug is available for 19 euros.  Buy them from Artic Design

WowHaus website launches - finding interesting property along the way Posted: 18 May 2011 12:34 AM PDT I'm not very good at doing nothing. So when I went down with a bug over the weekend, I found myself developing a website idea I've had a for a long time to fill the time. That site has just gone live, going by the name WowHaus. The idea is simple. Find the most interesting houses and properties on the market. Classic, vintage, retro, modern, run-down, cheap, expensive - any type really and anywhere at all. UK and beyond. We like nosying around houses online, so why not feature the pick of them? Don't expect a volume of posts each day (like Retro To Go). The site is more of an experiment and will be updated as and when we find interesting houses. But please bookmark it, sign up to the feed or follow the site on Facebook or Twitter to get the latest finds that way. Feedback welcome - it's early days, so we're open to ideas. Visit the WowHaus website

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