It’s fair to say that in the last couple of years, Newcastle’s vintage scene has been dying a slow and painful death. Despite a few new additions to the city, the loss of places like Attica and online treasure trove, Cotton Love, has meant there’s only really a handful of decent places left to peruse. And unless you’re wanting a pair of denim cut offs, a garish 80s jumper or a Pop dress with an elastic waistband, there’s not really that many places left. Enter the ladies at Yesterday Vintage Society, a cute little treasure trove tucked in Grainger Market. The market is somewhere I love to spend wandering around (ok, mainly for Pet Lamb’s brownies), so it’s been great to see more and more places spring up in the last few years. The Yesterday Vintage Society sprang up two years ago and it’s the brain child of two friends, Rosie and Rachael. With their shared love of vintage clothing and little serendipity in finding a great spot in Grainger Market they dove into their business venture head first. Their ethos is pretty simple, they fill their little Aladdin’s cave with only grade A vintage stock, so you won’t have to wade through piles of rubbish stock. And they try to keep their prices down – even offering student discount – to help more people afford to wear good quality vintage clothing.



There’s a lot of places starting to put more emphasis on price point, but like most things, quality always trumps cost. I’d rather spend more money and know that I’m getting something that’s been well manufactured and is still in great condition. What’s great about Yesterday Vintage Society, is that you get a balance of both. Nice prints and good quality stock, with a pretty low price tag. Not too shabby. I’ve always had a soft spot for vintage shopping but it’s definitely not the quickest way to shop. You need to train yourself to be patient while sifting through the racks. Plus you need a bit of imagination. Sometimes your favourite dress is only 4 inches away… and by that I mean don’t be afraid to consider cutting up and re-hemming pieces. One of my favourite pieces of vintage is an old floral Laura Ashley floor length dress that I hacked into a mini dress. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of stumbling on that perfect piece though when you least expect it. But sometimes (most of the time) you’ll probably leave empty handed. I think the key to all good vintage shopping though is going when you’re in the mood for a rummage and when you’re not after something in particular.



As I was raking about in the store though, amidst the pretty floral dresses and suede jackets, I did stumble on something I’ve been after for ages: the perfect vintage Levis jacket. Slightly bleached denim, as soon I slid it on, I could already tell it was going to fit like a glove. And of course, I’ve been after a denim jacket for AGES. But somehow they’ve never been the right shape or fit. I think denim (expect skinny jeans) is probably one of the few fabrics that gets better with ages. There’s something about that distinct fraying around the collars and the sleeves that you just can’t quite fake. Since I was far too excited about my find, I forgot to photograph it. Idiot. BUT I’ll try and get it photographed as soon as I can. Safe to say, it’ll definitely be making its way in my backpack for Glastonbury!! Despite my proclamations that I’ll be packing MUCH LIGHTER this year. What’s a girl to do though? I mean I don’t want to be caught without options!
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