Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair launches “The Social” in Manchester

This weekend Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair came to Manchester. It was hosted in the Victoria Warehouse hotel in Trafford Park – a hotel that I didn’t even realise existed even though it’s a stone’s throw from where I live. But it’s really a very cool hotel with its original warehouse features, exposed brickwork and pillars, plus the addition of arty décor and funky elements such as the foyer library made from wooden crates and the cute mini cinema next to the bar area.

Judy’s is a “floating” vintage fair that brings together a collection of great affordable vintage traders in one location for a day. They’ve been incredibly successful since they began in 2005 and apparently now serve 30 cities, bring them true vintage fashion, homewares and accessories, plus reworked and handmade stalls.

And this weekend they launched their new initiative – “The Social” – which is an extension of their vintage fair. It’s meant to create a real sense of occasion by combining the retail therapy of the fair with some entertainment, relaxation and dining. And this is why the Victoria Warehouse was such a great venue for the event. As well as the cool warehouse space for the stalls, they utilised the hotel cinema to show some classic retro films, created gin cocktails at the hotel bar, and served food, tea and cake in the dining area. Overall it resulted in a great Sunday day out!

And the best thing was that these stalls really did feel affordable – practically every stall had an “under £10” or “sale” rail. And there was a great range of sizes too, which can be a bit of an issue when it comes to vintage shopping. I even picked up a little something – this checked jacket, which I think will be a very versatile addition to my wardrobe.