A Swinging Vintage Guide to London

Posted by Fergus B.
1
Aug 19, 2015
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Elegance has always been in the blood of the capital city like London. From music to fashion, hair and cultural scene etc. took the world by storm in the 60s. Vintage in the capital always reflects style and is till date marked as an epitome of elegance. When we talk about a 60s style in the city, we primarily talk about mod fashion, discos and music. Swinging London was commemorated as the capital cool of the city. Though, you will find numerous places within the city which you can actually related to the 60’s times, however as far as fashion and style is concerned, Brick Lane is the hub.

60’s style is even represented in various London 5 star hotels which makes them both modern and vintage at the same time. During those times, the capital city of England was the world capital of cool. Even in today’s times there are few places where you can witness ancient elegance meeting new opulence. Some of these places where you can still feel that freshness of 60s in the air are:

Counterculture Haunt:
The Troubadour is one of the oldest folk clubs. This was even famous as a site where Bob Dylan performed his first impromptu gig in the year 1962. Throughout that era this club hosted great mixes of poetry readings, live performances and performances by Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Jimi Hendrix and lot more. This club still allures both locals and travelers alike and each evening crowds are gathered in front of the club.

Retro Style:
You may have heard this term Retro quite a number of times. This is a style that has been into existence since the year 1970. Retro style is used for music, fashion and trends. In today’s times if you tell someone to come in retro style attire, you will find men wearing drainpipe pants and daring miniskirts by females. Miniskirts by Mary Quant were termed as the splendid outlines which still continue to be in vogue. Fashion travelers are attracted to her Chelsea boutique which gives them all the retro clothing style they want. You can even catch a glimpse of some trendsetting fashion at the renowned Victoria & Albert museum.

Retro Roadster Tour:
How about a ride in a mini cooper which was first launched on the streets of the capital city in the year 1962? Noting could be as grand as a retro roadster tour. this mini cooper was formed because of the shortage of the fuel post war. Ever since 1962, this vehicle has ruled the roads and today it gives a classy vintage look. Whosoever takes this tour shall feel the pride of sitting in a vintage vehicle. There is a tour company which organizes chauffer ride in the retro roadster that was one of the favorite vehicles of everyone from Beatles to Princess Margaret. A drive in this car is like elegance redefined.

Musical Memorabilia:
The famous British Library is an iconic place in itself showcasing view of the Fab Four’s creative process. It even includes a lyric by George Harrison which was left unpublished. Catch a glimpse of the fabulous O2 arena in London which is a large entertainment complex hosting multiple events featuring second-highest seating capacity. This is an indoor venue which time and again hosts several musical memorabilia’s. This is a place where you can see Roger Daltrey’s Woodstock outfit, tiny spectacles of John Lennon and Dusty Springfield’s beautiful satin mini dress.

Secret Agent Man cave:
James Bond was a style icon of 60s and this Brit laid a great impact as far as his style goes. He became the style icon when martini sipping was launched by Sean Connery. An Aston Martin driving spy in 1962 made him a star. The clubby Dukes Bar is inspired from the famous line “Shaken, not stirred.”

Vintage London:
In 21st century, this capital city still bleeds vintage and the place has really got all love for retro. If we talk about fashion and shopping, London has got some of the best vintage shops where you can get all sorts of 60s fashion. From boutiques to thrift stores there is everything you could dream of. Retro shopping can be done in every part of the city be it north, west, central, south and east. At the time of Swinging London, photography and fashion both were featured in the popular Queens magazine. This was basically a phenomenon that was completely youth oriented.

Not only shopping, but hotel accommodation in London can be found featuring a glimpse of retro style. Hotels in London are beautifully constructed and serve all kinds of visitors. Montcalm hotel London is a similar one offering the best of stay and comfort.

If you are retro style lover and are expecting London to give you that feel of 60s at few places then you are actually traveling to the right part of the world.

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