Serial sewer Jenny Leggings answers our questions on all things vintage and Brighton.

Who are you? Hi, I’m Sam but I also go by Jenny Leggings!

What do you do? I’m a Crafter; serial sewer; maker of all sorts of things; blogger on Jeggings Does Vintage; sewing tutor to kids of all ages and I work at my fave local haberdashery and fabric shop in town – Brighton Sewing Centre.

What does vintage mean to you? Vintage is a way of life for me – it’s not just what I wear from time to time, it extends to my hobbies and the furniture I have in my house as well as what I wear everyday. It’s my way of expressing my personality and interests and I feel such a buzz finding something beautiful and full of history that I can appreciate everyday!

How do you like to get dressed in the morning (and afternoon and evening)? Everyday is a dress up day for me – I like to wear pretty dresses and my fave handmade cardigans. I just dress how I feel comfortable; I do like to mix up my outfits with vintage items I have bought and vintage items I have made from vintage patterns using my favourite colours and materials.

What’s your favourite decade for style? I am in love with the 40s and 50s – I feel they suit my body shape the best also but I do mix it up with items from the 70s and 80s that have been inspired by the 40s and 50s also, but when I am making vintage from patterns I tend to stick with the early 40s to the early 50s. It’s where my heart is especially with knitwear!

What’s your favourite vintage shop in Brighton (and the surrounding area)? Oh it’s difficult to choose I love
mooching around Snooper’s for haberdashery and jewelry, I love To Be Worn Again for bits and bobs, Tramp for something extra special but my
all time fave shop is in Kemp Town near the flea market; there’s a lady with a little shop who is a textile collector and I have had so many BEAUTIFUL pieces from her including some of
my all time favourite fabrics I own.

What’s your favourite online vintage shop? I
love scouring ETSY and Ebay – both wonderful and both places you can really score a bargain!

Where do you like to go to eat and drink yummy things? My favourite restaurant at the moment is Pho which is a yummy noodle soup place on Black Lion Street!

Where do you like to go to listen to awesome music? I love staying at home with my hubby and guinea pigs rocking out to our record collection!

Have you been to any tip top vintage events of late? I spend a wonderful afternoon at Frock Me! last month and I had such an amazing time and picked up some beautiful buttons and a show stopping dress I cant wait for it to come round again!

What are your favourite vintage hangouts? I love to go for a cream tea on a sunday afternoon at Metro Deco with my chums; knitting and gossiping theres nothing like it and the cream teas are exceptional!

Where do you like to go hunting for second-hand bargains? I love charity shops and have scored some beautiful bits and bobs over the years some of my favourites are in Hove and Lewes

What has been your best ever vintage/second-hand/charity shop find? I would have to say my original linen 1940s mother of pearl button up trousers I found at the little shop in Kemp Town and a beautiful navy tailored dress I found at Frock Me for £18 that fitted like it was made for me!

What is it about Brighton that makes you smile? Everything! The creativity, the individuality, there’s inspiration everywhere, wonderful people everywhere! When I moved here from a small town in Hampshire it was like coming home; like I had always lived here! Brighton always makes me smile when I think of what it has given me over the past few years – confidence and finding the person I want to be!

Any other hints, tips or recommendations for vintage-lovers in Brighton and beyond? Get making! Some of the best vintage I have are items that I have made either by knitting them or sewing them!! There are so many vintage patterns out there and big pattern companies are reissuing vintage patterns all the time – you can make an amazing dress in a fabric that you love, it’s such a great feeling! And you have to become an awesome rummager, you can find some of the most beautiful pieces in the most unsuspecting places!