So I ventured beyond the M25 up to UK’s 2nd largest city Manchester for the very first time over the weekend (yes I’m the person who has been to many a random place in the world but never to UK’s 2nd metropolis…) and actually found a place that was FAR easier to navigate than the higgelty piggelty-ness of London. Straight forward, no-mess/fuss and inexpensive are my first impressions of Manchester.
However, aesthetics does tend to win me over and though I could well have gone on a bitterly cold and possibly painful charity shop bargain hunting trail, in the end a shop like Rags to Bitches in the Northern Quarter had to find me and win me over with its bucket loads of charm. The name of this vintage shop doesn’t quite befit the abundance of PRETTINESS going on inside the store but I suppose that’s the point. It’s quite the visual feast and given my love of atmsopheric shopping, I couldn’t help but snap away and report back here.
Cue eclectic French boudoir atmosphere, flocked wallpaper, lush textiles and haphazardly placed random objects that of course don’t look haphazard or random. There are nooks and crannies displayed with the sort of stuff that I’d collect if I was older and had many an empty day to go scouring car boot sales. A bit of a visual feast that gives me much inspiration for what I want to do with new abode seeing as my present hovel is… well…. a shit hole (fingers crossed for moving in May!)
But what of the clothes, the clothes, the important stuff? Well, it’s obvious that the prices aren’t rock bottom but neither are they sky high. I’d say it’s the happy medium between ridiculous London prices and eBay and with many of the dresses being specifically sourced and usually having an older and a more unique provenance than 1980’s deadstock (and let’s face it, so many shops have now taken to selling 90’s Matalan/C&A stock and calling it vintage…), ¬£30-¬£50 for a 1950s’ purple taffeta dress with a pleated boddice ain’t bad at all.
Rags to Bitches also has its own atelier where they make their own range of vintage inspired dresses as well as making vintage alterations and offering dressmaking courses.
I could have stayed there for a few fairy cakes (which they’re apprently well into!) and a cocktail (to celebrate their 3rd birthday) but it was onwards and upwards and this pale blue lace dress quickly caught my eye for its heaviness and mass of very old blue lace. Though the fit is not absolutely perfect, there’s got to be scope here to do something with it in the direction of a Prada AW08-9 lace robot.
I too have never been to Manchester. Thanks for filling us in on the vintage market there, your right, C&A and Matalan, vintage? I dont think so!
i’m glad you found this shop. it’s so nice for a browse, although i’m not sure i’ve bought much other than accessories.
my best mate’s little sister used to work there. i was very jealous.
Ooh, pretty lace. The entire shop sounds like a dream.
I don’t know if you’re still in Manc but I’d recommend the vintage shop on the top floor of the legendary Affleck’s Palace down Oldham Street. There’s a few quirky indie boutiques and things in there too, if you sift through the goth stuff.
Love the dress, by the way. Gorgeous colour.
Just a little comment – Manchester is not the UKs 2nd largest city – Birmingham is. Manchester only just gets in the top ten. Leeds, Glasgow, Sheffield, Bradford, Liverpool, Edinburgh are all bigger than Manchester.
Pedantic I know, but you’ll only get shouted at by irate brummies.
Ah… Wikipedia lied! I’m never sure about these things…. thanks for pointing it out…. I believe it’s complex though as it depends on whether it’s calculated on population or area in which case if including Greater Manchester, is it not the 2nd biggest? I dunno…
You never fail to put a smile with your outfit! It’s fun, daring and quirky! I just love it!
The dress is really pretty, you always come across amazing pieces. The shop looks full of beautiful stuff and I really like the layout.
I think you should have that grotto with the tree-trunk stools. Out of all these pictures, that is the one that caught my eye. I’d want to locate it in a garden, but the living room would do.
I might use camo netting, however. More organic. More urban. Takes more of a stand.
If I lived in England, I’d be off every weekend exploring somewhere new. Like Skegness. As it stands, I just poke about farmer’s markets and get too much sunshine. I always knew there was a bigger world out there.
Wow. That is what I want my house to be like, or my shop. I really like the attention to detail, all the little knick knacks. Lovely dress also, very cute.
Oh how I’d love to spend a day browsing through this store. What a visual feast!
ooo i always have to stop myself from buying dainty chained satin bags from there as really, they will get ruined in a second, but are so pretty! what did you think of manchester in general? did you see the protesters outside afflecks?
wow, what a gorgeous shop!
If only I lived closer to Manchester.
that dress is perfect! and i hope you get to move out of your erm… shit hole (your words not mine!!) this may 🙂
nice shop!
did you lose some weight? i have to admit you look great in everything when you appear thinner. that’s why runway models are required to be skinny. that blue lace dress itself is perfection. xxx
When I started reading this post I was so happy, because it was about manchester. I love London but I have this “thing” for Manchester. I know it’s a dark city with bad weather, but at the same time, so great stuff has come from that city 🙂 great bands, great musics lol
Anyway, that store must be amazing (I’m really jealous). Ahh there’s nothing like a french boudoir atmosphere. It makes me dream 🙂 I was delighted with the photos you took.
Here in Lisbon we also have great shops, especially in an old area of the city (named Bairro Alto). There’s a store very similar to that one and everytime I pass by I have to go inside 🙂
Although here in Lisbon, most vintage stores are expensive.
Wow that store is unbelievably pretty! That is exactly how I’d want my apartment to look if I didn’t live with my boyfriend! I just can’t see making him sleep in pink toile sheets though…
haha
bellismia! blue lace!
boy have I got some beauties from that wee little shop.. as manchester is my stomping ground.. my favourite: the singer sewing machine table they had in there, before all saints kitted out all their shops with them.. I remember how my mate used to work there, and I’d get discount on cute dresses.. ace.