1940's Evening

We went to an amazing event at the weekend. It was held at a private airstrip outside of Norwich. A beautiful remote location in the midst of barley fields and a patchwork of countryside as far as the eye could see. We took picnic baskets loaded with scrummy salads, homemade cakes and scones (with jam and clotted cream of course) Pimms and champagne! It was Daddy’s belated birthday celebration. He had spent the day at Duxford ogling planes and telling stories of RAF days gone by, so the evening was a perfect follow on. He’s the one with the Union Jack tie & RAF issue moustache in case you were curious. One day I hope to have a moustache just as impressive ha ha.

The picnic area was enclosed in an impressive semi circle of pristine vintage planes. There were 3 Mustangs, Havard, and a Steerman biplane. The hanger was decorated with memorabilia and entertainment was in the form of an 18 piece band who delighted us all with incredible renditions of various Glenn Miller songs and Big Band classics.

There were some impressive outfits and a gentleman who looked very much like Winston Churchill, complete with cigar! I must confess to being pretty clueless when it comes to dancing to anything before 1980’s! I did get bullied into trying though & may have committed myself to going to some sort of dance lessons. I’m thinking I salsa classes with my girlfriends for the laugh factor (at me when I stuff it up hilariously)! There were a couple who looked fabulous and were throwing some amazing shapes on the dance floor, I believe it was called the Jitterbug!! Yes, I have much to learn!!!

Anyway the whole evening was brilliant fun, met some lovely people, the band were absolutely superb and we enjoyed being dressed in the best 1940’s style that we could manage in the short time we had to organise it!! I went for a Laura Lees tea dress which was in a late 1940’s style and an incredible vintage jacket that I got from Natasha Pickles last summer. My “What Katie Did” fully fashioned stockings were quite the talk of the town – no, I didn’t go for any pin up styled shots by the planes… but they had lipstick red seams! Oh and I had a fascinator that I made out of a vintage hat too, it was much admired by Winston as it so happens!!!

Mummy Butterfly managed to avoid all the photos but she did look the part in a lovely black & white floral 1940's summer dress with full skirt.

Looking out from the dance floor at the ladies & gentlemen dressed up to the nines, vintage cars and planes and the bunting fluttering I felt like I could actually have been in the 1940's but without the fear of air raids thankfully!

Hopefully there will be another of these events next year and I will definitely let you all know in advance as it was splendid!