TOG Blog

Hey! January is here and with it a slight malaise. I try to shy away from the doom and gloom of January and blue Monday because it’s the start of a new year and anything is possible! I promise I’m not going to go full on Almost Famous and suggest listening to Tommy in full while burning a candle, but January is a good time for ritual and ceremony! So these are some of the songs I like to listen to on days when I need a bit of a pick me up. ROADHOUSE BLUES – THE DOORS I could write a whole blog about The Doors and I probably will at some point because they’re my favourite band. They’ve got loads of songs that are a pick me up but this song has the line “I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer” while I’m not explicitly advocating morning beers, the thought reminds me of summer festivals and also, sometimes, it is just nice to have a morning beer. Jim was on to something. This is The Doors at their blues rock best - driving guitars, sexy harmonicas and wonderful almost honky-tonk ...

Hey guys, welcome back to another music with Mark! The 1960s are my favourite musical decade and for me, The Monks and The Sonics are two of my favourites. They had relatively short careers but were hugely influential on me, my tastes and how I like to dress. When we're working away in our studio sorting through mounds of vintage clothes or making some handmade treasures, we love nothing more than playing their albums and turning it up to 11. The Monks: In Monk's Robes Dave, Larry, Roger, Eddie and Gary were a group of American GIs stationed in Germany and formed The Monks in 1964. They dressed in black, wore winkle pickers, a rope around their neck and even went as far as to shave bald patches on their heads (tonsures). While I'd not go as far as shaving my head, I definitely dug their choice in shoes and along with The Horrors, they inspired me to get myself off to the vintage markets and vintage shops in Camden to hunt for shoes like theirs. They released their only albu...

Happy Autumn TOG babes! One of the best times of the year - the leaves are turning golden and the air is crisp, and that means it's Dirndl time baby!! Millions of people attend thousands of Oktoberfest events across the world, and yes we love beer and yes we love pretzels, but obviously we are all here for one dress and one dress only: the dirndl! The iconic Bavarian dress has a deep-rooted history that's intrinsically connected to the spirit of Oktoberfest, so we want to delve into the rich history of the dirndl dress and explore its close ties to the world-famous Oktoberfest celebration. The Origins of the Dirndl The dirndl dress, known for its distinctive design, originates from rural Bavaria and the Alpine regions during the 19th century. Originally worn by working-class women and peasants, the dirndl was a practical and modest outfit tailored for the demands of daily life. The word "dirndl" itself derives from the Bavarian-Austrian dialect, meaning 'young gi...

  Happy Second Hand September TOG babes!  If you've not heard of it before, in 2019 Oxfam began the campaign challenging people to only buy preloved items for 30 days - which has never been more important than right now! Now I know I'm preaching to the converted to all of you guys, who have probably all been shopping vintage for years, but it's vital to highlight the importance of reducing our impact on the planet. With so many companies greenwashing and taking advantage of those with an eco-conscience, remember that the most environmentally friendly thing you can do is promote a circular economy! SO we have enlisted the help of one of favourite creators - Helena Smith Parucker (aka @ditsy.floral) to get her tips on a successful Second Hand September this year!                1. Create a list of your dream pieces or just things you're looking for so you can tick them off when you find them.          ...

  Well guys it's been a long time coming, but the Barbie film is here!! With queen Margot Robbie literally living out every little girl's dream by dressing up in actual Barbie outfits, we wanted to take a look back at the most iconic Barbie looks and really answer the question - How can I dress up like Barbie? - in the most sustainable way of course!   Let's start with one of the most iconic Barbie looks - the late 50s/early 60s fit and flare dress! Classic Barbie (I think one of the first outfits she wore?!), the most girly feminine shape, and we just so happen to have one super similar (and original!) on our site right now!   Now you vintage babes will be pleased to know that Barbie isn't all about the pink! The 60s and 70s hippie looks are absolutely incredible, with some fits that us TOG babes would DIE for! Thankfully you can absolutely recreate them with the hippie pieces on our site right now!  The 60s Barbie also saw some of the most amazing groovy dresses, a...

Happy July TOG babes! It might be a bit late to say that but the month is flying by! With festival season in full swing, we thought we would bring you a blog that you can read for those long journeys to the fields. This month we are so excited to chat to the grooviest dance troupe in the UK - The Meyer Dancers!! London is so lucky to have this sensational sisterhood, teaming with energy and embodying everything about the 60s and 70s! Having appeared on TV, music videos, and at festivals and events all across the UK, The Meyer Dancers are a pillar of the vintage community, so we get to know them a little better! We have been a fan of you guys for so long! Tell us how you founded the Meyer Dancers? A group of us met whilst studying dance over 10 years ago, we shared a joint passion for music, all things vintage and the colourful essence of the 60s and 70s. We were inspired by the strong female characters in Russ Meyer movies so that's where our name originated from! We started t...