Passing by my local gem of a bookstore Black Gull Books never failes to bring some chuckles and smiles even though it is closed by the time I come home (ergo, at least an hour of my weekend is spent browsing there…) and this week, their window display has some excellent vintage ‘young persons’ books with the sort of illustrated covers that just don’t really exist anymore. Of course, the titles are intriguing enough.. ‘You’re a brick, Angela!’ and ‘The Girl’s Budget’ for example…. what could it all mean…. but having not gone beyond the covers at all, instead, I clock a rather fetching tweed beret and coat combo, some nun-chic 1930’s-40’s school hockey outfits, some juicy bright polo shirts and puffy ‘too-short’ childrens’ dresses that reminds me how I weep that I can’t fit into the stuff I had when I was five. Shallow? Me? Not at all…
I love these kind of books! I still have loads of chalet school and enid blyton books from when I was little and every so often I dip in to them for a good old fashioned nostalgic story with a happy ending! Brilliant for when I can’t sleep at night…kinda comforting.And they always have the best illustrations. I found out recently that my Nana actually used to read the Chalet school books when she was a little girl…thats how old they are!
Oh looking at these book covers makes me sad. Why can’t all books today be this special? Vintage fashion gets me excited but I never thought I’d feel the same way about vintage literature (especially judging just from the covers) lol. I suppose, though, if all books were like this, then they wouldn’t be special anyway because it would just be all the same.
Lol at that last one being called ‘Supposin’!
Cute post.
Oh I added you to my favourites by the way! 🙂
Romany
xx
Ooh, pervy boarding school books. Love those.
I love vintage books. Well I love any books really. Who am I kidding…I’ll read anything. I always have my eye out for great vintage children’s books when looking for clothing for our store. The newest favorite find in our house is Folk Tales Children Love. It has and especially good (and appropos) folk tale about the Easter Bunny. Anyway my girls really liked it, and it has given me my own crafty ideas about an Easter basket for this year.
Aww, I’m glad I’m not the only one who wants to dress like ’30s/’40s school children. Lately I’ve been searching Ebay for vintage little girls’ dresses, even though I can’t fit into most of them. I don’t know why, but I think it has to do with those wonderful old illustrations.
dressin like in those drawings is harden than what it seems !! good luck !! but u seem to wear everything with style
Ah, I used to have books like that when I was younger. The secret 7, Enid Blyton etc. Makes me little nostaligic when I see old books like that. I used to love reading books. Then I went to uni, now it’s boring old textbooks and no time for anything else! :p
I just love these kinds of books, I’m a huge fan of Enid Blyton and I’m ashamed to say I still read (ermm and have) all my Twin at St Clares and Mallory Towers books. They do bitchy in a very snooty fashion that makes me chuckle…Chuckle? I have no idea where that came from.
I have a bookstore festish! I have to say that I get such a greatly rich sense of the city (London) from your blog Susie, thank you.
This is very strange. I’m in the middle of a dissertation on The Chalet School series and they’re beginning to pop up wherever I look. I wish I had access to that bookstore, they’re proving difficult to source. I may reevaluate the covers now!
I love the look of those old covers. I bet the paper the pages are printed on smells musty.