Big Bead Boutique

Dyke Road Arts Trail, 12 Dyke Rd Brighton (10am-5pm).

Vintage designer Joanne Tomlin’s fantastic wedding accessories are created using old jewellery and her vintage style birdcage headdresses are a must-see. The boutique is also currently showcasing a collection of photographs celebrating local vintage lovers by Mat Keller: Be inspired by the ongoing series of personal portraits of people who fully live and breath the vintage life, dressing always in Vintage clothing and filling their homes with antique and second-hand furniture and artifacts. Marvel at all the delights the open house has to offer, whilst accompanied by 30s and 40s swing music.

Polish and Pin 

Hove Arts Trail, 23 Wilbury Gardens Hove (11am-6pm).

Polish & Pin boasts art works made with re-cycled and pre-loved vintage lovelies. If you’re looking for vintage with a modern twist, get your oh-so-pretty purse ready because you will want to spend. Expect to see floral cushions from Sue Milner, amazing up-cycled vintage lighting by Boboho and gorgeous re-upholstered vintage chairs from Treacle Furniture to name just a few of the 19 exhibitors. With a café on site serving light lunches and cakes all day, take a break and enjoy a well deserved weekend treat!

Makers Boutique

Independent House, Flat 4 40 Goldstone Villas Hove (10am-5pm).

Arty types might recognise the ‘Makers’ name from the many arts and crafts fairs they have created since November 2010. Now providing unique crafts in the comfort of their boutique, this a fantastic opportunity to pop in, have a chat to the wonderful makers and become inspired! See the Bag Lady of Brighton’s fabulous waste-not-want-not creations and keep a piece of Brighton, close to your heart with handmade jewellery made from beach findings!

Betty and Friends

Beyond the Level Trail, Basement 20a Springfield Road (12-6pm).

For quirky pieces of art and jewellery designed with felt and vintage buttons, pop over to Betty and her Friends’ house for a warm welcome. After working in Hong Kong as a fashion and merchandising designer, Betty specialises in cutesy British designs with an individual Asian twist. Pick up travel inspiration as well as fabulous felt pieces!

One Must Dash

Dyke Road Art Trail, 27 Compton Road, BN1 5AL (11am-6pm).

Perhaps one of the best named open houses? We think so. Scandinavian best friends Anneli and Aniki started their business in 2010, their products inspired by the quirky and romantic moments of everyday life. Enjoy romantic, playful and quirky pieces such as vintage typographic art prints, cards, tea towels, cushions and jewellery from this dynamic duo!

14 Southdown Avenue

Beyond The Level Trail, 14 Southdown Avenue (12-6pm).

For a colour rich adventure, head right over to see Sean Sims and Mel Williams – their vibrant prints and colourful cushions are guaranteed to brighten up a dull mood! Inspired by travel posters and picture books from the 1950s to 1970s and printed on the highest quality Epson papers, you can’t help but smile at these fabulous bright and cheery pieces! And Mel Williams vintage cushions take you back to a happier yester-year full of childlike enthusiasm.

Full of unique, up-cycled and lovingly handmade pieces, now’s the time to not only support local artists and bag yourself some fantastic one off pieces. Be quick though – the houses close on 27 May.

Biba mail order catalogue, 1968-9, copyright Barbara Hulanicki

With its cutting edge yet affordable fashion, which combined elements of Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Victoriana and Hollywood glamour, Barbara Hulanicki’s iconic Biba label transformed the high street shopping experience in the 1960s and 70s. Young working women shopped alongside models and celebrities, including Sonny and Cher, Yoko Ono, Mick Jagger, Princess Anne, Mia Farrow, Twiggy and Brigitte Bardot.

Biba models photographed by Brian Duffy, 1973

From Biba’s Postal Boutique and shops in London’s trendiest neighbourhoods to the six-storey ‘Big Biba’ department store, the brand’s success changed the face of UK fashion with in-store experiences designed to match the excitement created by the clothes – think loud music, stylish staff, dimly lit period interiors and bustling changing rooms.

Dresses from 1967 and 1966. Photograph copyright Tessa Hallmann, Royal Pavilion & Museums

Big Biba sold everything from fashion, soft furnishings and satin sheets, to household products, specially packaged baked beans and babies’ nappies, and shoppers could enjoy cocktails on the Roof Garden or in the Rainbow Room restaurant, where The New York Dolls, Cockney Rebel, Liberace and The Bay City Rollers were among the bands to play live.

Dresses 1964 and 1970. Photograph copyright Tessa Hallmann, Royal Pavilion & Museums

During 1966, Barbara returned to Brighton, where she had started her fashion illustration career at Brighton Art College, to establish a Biba store on 21 Queen’s Road – now Fair ethical fashion boutique. Barbara remembers: “We employed a manageress who lived above the shop, but we hadn’t realised that she was a mobsters’ moll who entertained half the Brighton underworld! Stock was disappearing by the armful, and when a very famous ex-boxer came to see the ‘governor’ in Church Street, Kensington, to demand protection money, we felt we should call it a day.”

Beyond Biba

 Trouser suits 1985 and 1971. Photograph copyright Tessa Hallmann, Royal Pavilion & Museums

Until 1969, Barbara’s husband Stephen Fitz-Simon had been head of the company, but with a move to 120 Kensington High Street, Biba Ltd was formed in partnership with garment manufacturer Dennis Day Ltd and retailer Dorothy Perkins, who jointly owned 75%, Barbara and Fitz holding the remaining 25%. During 1973-4 the working relationship between British Land and Barbara and Fitz deteriorated badly and in October 1974 Barbara and Fitz walked away from Biba.

In 1980, Barbara opened a series of clothing boutiques and launched a make-up line under her own name. She also revived her illustration and photography career, producing fashion shots for the London Evening Standard and drawing Sarah Ferguson’s wedding dress for London newspapers.

Make-up, 1985. Photograph copyright Tessa Hallmann, Royal Pavilion & Museums

Arriving in Miami Beach in 1987, the entrepreneur reinvented herself as an interior designer, re-conceiving Miami Beach’s then re-emerging Art Deco District. From 1992 to 1997 she worked for Gloria and Emilio Estefan designing the interiors for their personal recording studios, the Cardozo Hotel on Ocean Drive and their private home on Star Island.

In the Noughties, Barbara returned to consumer fashion design, creating a collection of handbags for Italian luxury goods brand Coccinelle in 2003, a line for Topshop in 2009 and most recently ranges for George @ Asda. She was awarded Outstanding Contribution to Fashion at 2011’s Global Fashion Awards in New York and an OBE in the New Year’s Honours’ list 2012 for her contribution to British fashion.

Barbara Hulanicki today. Photograph by Dania Graibe

Among the 200 items on display at the exhibition is an illustration of Audrey Hepburn, sketched by Barbara at Brighton Art College during the 1950s, a photograph of a pink gingham dress, bought by 17,000 people through the Biba Postal Boutique, a jumpsuit worn by Jill Richter to her wedding, which made the front cover of the London Evening Standard, and make-up from the 1960s.

Biba and Beyond: Barbara Hulanicki runs from 22 September 2012 – 14 April 2013 at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery.

For more archive images, see our Biba & Beyond Facebook album. 

These copies of the Imperial State Crown, the Orb, the Sovereign’s Sceptre with the Cross, the Imperial State Crown of India and St Edward’s Crown have taken months to complete and have been expertly crafted using nothing more than card, sequins and costume jewellery.

Fidra Jewellers, which celebrated its own 40 year Ruby anniversary last year, specialises in antique Victorian and Art Deco jewellery, is no stranger to Royal visits: In 1977, as part of her Silver Jubilee, the Queen visited the Lanes and spoke to staff there. A photograph of Her Majesty outside with the owner’s children takes pride of place in the shop.

Managers Pippa and Helen said: “We thought a Diamond Jubilee required a very special window display befitting such a celebration. We are very excited about the national events planned for 2012 and wanted to bring a little piece of that royal glamour and pageantry to Brighton.”

The peplum has taken the fashion world by storm this spring. I heard Sarah Jessica Parker’s Louis Vuitton dress labelled as a ‘Heplum’ at Paris Fashion Week and when a trend starts to spawn its own language, you know it’s going to be big…

Lace peplum top – Warehouse, £35

So what is the rather quaint sounding peplum? A flared piece of fabric that is attached around the waistline, it can be ruffled or flat, long or short. It can be found on the bottom of a blouse, top or jacket or can be added as a standout feature on a skirt or dress.

I can remember flouncing around in a Topshop peplum dress in the 1980s, but the style actually dates back to the ’40s, when it was used to create the illusion of a small waist and exaggerate the feminine figure.

Clockwise from top left: ASOS, £28, Marc by Marc Jacobs at farfetch.com, £195, Fever Designs, £65.99, ASOS, £48, Le Petite Robe Di Chiara Boni at farfetch.com, £324, Matalan, £14, Love Label at very.co.uk, £35, Givency at farfetch.com, £1089

How to wear the peplum

During a discussion about this somewhat ‘marmite’ trend, a hairdressing buddy of mine bemoaned the fact that she doesn’t have a prayer of wearing her beautiful peplum skirt at work. Glamorous as she is, the heels that prove vital to getting the look right are simply not an option. Heels are so key to this style – it’s unashamedly feminine, dressy and fashion-forward.

Worn correctly, a rightly positioned peplum can emphasise a tiny waist and cover a multitude of sins in the tummy area. What’s not to like?

However, the style tends to be one with some constraints when applied to everyday life. This is due to the fact that it’s most commonly paired with the pencil skirt, which is, by definition, narrow, rendering running for a bus or getting in and out of the car somewhat challenging.

So, before popping the peplum in your shopping bag, look at your lifestyle and think about where this elegant feature fits. A pencil skirt or dress peplum may be ideal for a meeting or evening out, but if you’re looking for a more comfortable option, pair a cap-sleeved peplum top with your trusty skinny jeans or city shorts for the summer. Alternatively, choose a peplum dress with stretch, such as that in a jersey fabric.

In the right hands the peplum can really play up your curves and add va va voom – look at what it did for Carol Vorderman. Just make sure you shop smart.

How do you wear yours?

We first came across this vintage and remade boutique at The Vintage Fair and since clapping eyes on these floral-backed beauties have been torn between the seductive Seventies’ and glamorous Twenties’ outfits. But who ever said you had to pick just look…

Launched in 2005, Ayten Gasson Lingerie has become known for its firm commitment to supporting the UK fashion industry and has been championed by infashion titles including Elle, Vogue, Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan.

As uses Nottingham lace and new English lace as well as Peace and Organic Silk and each item is lovingly made in small production units in London, Nottingham and Wales.

While continuing to supply luxurious boutiques around the world as well as selling online at www.aytengasson.com, Ayten now plans to open her own boutique along the south coast, so watch this space!

“After six years in London, slowly growing the business, I am so excited to be back in Brighton,” Ayten says. “It’s such a creative place, filled with so many opportunities – I cannot believe I was away for so long.”

Win a bespoke silk eye mask

For the chance to win a silk eye mask made to order with your choice of colour, trim and which vintage lace, simply leave a comment below telling us who you’d like to drift off and dream of…

Deadline for entries is Sunday 20 May. A winner will be picked at random and contacted during the week commencing Monday 21 May. Please use the e-mail address you’d like to be contacted on when leaving your comment.

Blackbird Tea Rooms on Ship Street has been lovingly restored to an imagined former glory and the attention to detail means that as well as delicious tea and cake, customers can savour a sense of authentic nostalgia that will make afternoon tea an experience to remember. Take a look at our photos and leave your own review in the comments section below.

Brighton’s annual Beyond Days in-store gig will kick off events on Friday 11th May as part of Brighton’s biggest music weekend and The Alternative Escape. Previous year’s acts include Guillemots, Rizzle Kicks, Bleeding Knees Club and Tribes, so look out for big announcements soon. Entry is free but with limited space available, be sure to get there early for a 2pm start.

The store will also hold a special Recovery Sunday Sale, with 50% off selected items and special treats in-store from 12pm – 6pm.

Beyond Retro will be giving away £1,000 worth of prizes with competitions online and through its social media sites throughout the month. For more details visit blog.beyondretro.com, see in-store and keep up to date on Facebook and Twitter .

See a full list of suppliers on the Hove Centre website and the Belle’s Vintage Wedding Fair Facebook page. For more information on local companies that can help bring your big day dreams to life, read our vintage wedding feature, and plan your pre-party fun with the Brighton hen do guide.

Belle’s Vintage Wedding Fair was organised by Sussex Love Bug.

Vintage lovers listen up! Leave the sofa and the TV on a Friday and Saturday evening and instead get yourself to the sexiest vintage venue in town. Put on your most revealing attire, grab the girls and head to Proud Cabaret Brighton in Kemptown, for the events weekends are made for.

Having recently undergone a glamorous £500,000 refurbishment, the venue is the latest addition to the national Proud Cabaret family and clearly influenced by Brighton’s ‘more is more’ attitude. Sashaying through the modest entrance into a smoky, sexy atmosphere, complete with gorgeous burlesque waitresses, you feel as though you’ve stepped back in time: Back to a time built on elegance and risqué charm.

Slide into the intimate python skin booths seating a party of six, take in the sultry atmosphere and enjoy some of the best burlesque in the business. From the quirky award-winning Kiki Kaboom, whose scandalous performances have entertained audiences across the world, to glamorous Hollywood pin up Banbury Cross and not forgetting one for the ladies, sexy burlesque star Adriano Fettucini! Sequins, champagne and a hot male: what more can you ask for?

While watching the show, indulge in the fabulously exquisite three course menu- all dishes prepared with the finest ingredients in the venue’s brand new kitchen. Mouth wateringingly delicious, the food is also a treat for the eyes! Enjoy with a bottle or two of wine – or if you’re really up for a celebration, the champagne is a MUST – and the evening is complete!

Proud Cabaret Brighton is a must-visit destination for vintage-lovers. From the huey dimmed lighting to the disco balls hanging from the domed ceiling, no expense has been spared in making this one of the best vintage venues in Brighton. If you’re looking for a fantastic place to socialise, feast on delicious food and be thoroughly entertained, look no further.

And with a new fabulous bus ferrying customers from the city centre to the re-vamped ballroom, there’s no excuse not to get yourself down to Proud’s latest addition. Remember to book in advance though, it’s going to be busy!

For up-to-date events listings, visit www.brightonballroom.com.

Images by Paul Marc Mitchell