City Buzz: Granny's Wardrobe full of vintage gems

Five years ago, inspired by her love of all things retro and glitzy, she launched Granny’s Wardobe – a brand which offers a range of vintage and vintage inspired jewellery and accessories

Chrissie, aged 38, said: “The concept for Granny’s Wardrobe came from my love for the 1920s and 1930s era.

“The people of that time had immaculate style and glamour; from the flapper girls to the dandy men and the jazz singers.

“I wanted Granny’s Wardrobe to capture that era with the sparkly jewellery, pearls and clutch bags.

“The items I sell are jewellery, hand-made hair accessories, bags, purses and shoes.

“I’ve recently added hand-made necklaces of jazz singers to the range, from Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald to Nina Simone, as well as black Hollywood actresses from Josephine Baker to Dorothy Dandridge.

“I realised there was a gap in the market and I wanted to create something that celebrates beauty diversity.”

The business has been running since 2013, and originally focused solely on products suitable for vintage-loving ladies.

However, not wanting to leave out any dapper chaps, Chrissie recently added a range of razor kits, cufflinks and handkerchiefs.

Granny’s Wardrobe is all about nostalgia and taking a trip down vintage lane. The name of the business was indeed inspired by Chrissie’s love of playing dress-up with her grandma’s clothes.

She said: “The name came from a conversation between me and my best friend when we were talking about when we were young and how we used to raid through our parents’ and grandparents’ wardrobes and play dress up.

“I loved the fur coats and the pearl necklaces, I used to sit in front of the mirror with powder all over my face and pretend I was going out to meet my girlfriends. Nothing much has changed. I’m sure most people did the same too at some stage.”

Chrissie, who is a mum-of-one, currently runs her business from her home and sells her wares at vintage fairs, but this year she hopes to launch her own website and also sell to customers using online store Etsy, which specialises in handmade and vintage items.

For now, Chrissie is continuing to sell her items at local vintage fairs and markets, though she does sometimes treat herself.

She said: “I do keep some special finds for myself but I try to resist.”

To find out more about Chrissie’s business and see some of the items she has for sale, please visit her official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/grannyswardrobeshop site. You can also visit www.instagram.com/grannyswardrobe site. Chrissie is a vintage fan and also loves upcycling, street art and tea.