Our latest Palava My Way blog features swing dancers Ruth and Bea! Both fans of Palava, we chatted about personal style, their favourite items from our autumn-winter collection and their thoughts on how to dress for dancing!
A big thank you to our photographer Michael for these beautiful portraits!
"Working in fashion I definitely went through a phase of rejecting my vintage clothes and slavishly trying to follow the catwalk trends, but I really can’t be bothered with that any more, it much too like hard work! I only buy whatever I think will suit me regardless of trend, and I try to either buy more ethically, such as made in the UK clothing which supports a home-grown industry or organic fibres which Palava uses."
"I tend to mix genuine vintage clothes with vintage-inspired pieces such as Palava dresses. With new ‘vintage-inspired’ items you don’t have to worry so much only dry-cleaning them, or that they might fall apart after one wear! (this is essential if you like to wear your best clothes out swing dancing which I do!)"
"For me it is the ultimate hobby, as it is good exercise, it is the MOST social hobby I can possibly imagine, and you get to go out with your friends and have a drink and a dance together in some of the most beautiful locations in London (such as The Ned, Where these photos were taken). In day to day life in London, you don’t always get much chance to dress up and put on your favourite clothes, but you can do this every week whilst swing dancing. If you ever feel a little down, swing dancing never fails to cheer you up. I really can’t express just how much fun it is!"
Which was your favourite dress from our Scottish Highlands collection?
"Very hard to pick one but the shape of the Rita dress is really flattering for my figure and the lovely Marbled Feathers pattern plus the soft feel of the fabric make it perfect for me. All the Palava dresses have incredible prints that are really unique, subtle and very classy so it is hard to choose!"
"Since my late teens I've been very into vintage fashion - it was a way to be a bit different and express myself while also being able to be a little bit glamorous! I have been a bit of a chameleon and tried out lots of different things over the years but have always been a bit of a unique dresser and enjoyed wearing unusual things that stand out while still looking nice. My interest in Hollywood's golden age and the interplay between masculine and feminine clothes on film stars like Marlene Dietrich and Katherine Hepburn have always been my key inspiration."
"I have always loved dancing in various forms and also enjoy all things vintage, so when a friend told me about the swing dance nights she was going to I was very interested! I went along to a brilliant night in North London called Mouthful O Jam and pretty much fell in love with the whole thing straight away! Everyone looked so great in their vintage outfits and the music was incredible, it was like stepping back in time. I started lessons soon after and it has become a huge part of my life - most of my close friends are also dancers now and there's a huge amount of events to enjoy. It's lovely to be able to go out and know that you'll see a roomful of friends from all walks of life just having a lovely time together. The social dancing environment always feels very safe and welcoming. I also love going to Jive nights with the rock n roll crowd and 60s nights too, so vintage scenes are definitely a big part of my social life!"
How do you dress for a night out of dancing?
"The key thing is to be comfortable and have room to move! It's good to have plenty of movement either through looseness or stretch in what you're wearing so you can bust out any move without ripping anything - although I've seen my fair share of split seams on the dancefloor! Other than that it's all about expressing yourself - I really enjoy employing a bit of vintage charm and getting glammed up for a night out dancing, whether that is with a flower laden hairdo or a glittery bow tie."
Thanks so much to Ruth and Bea for taking some time to chat with us - we think these two look fabulous in their Palava frocks! And a big thank you to our photographer Michael for this beautiful portraits at The Ned London.
If we weren't in the mood for a glass of prosecco or a mulled wine, we sure are now!
For information on deliveries in time for Christmas & extension of returns, please click HERE. We advise you to order your gifts as soon as possible to guarantee delivery in time for Christmas.
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EU customers: Enjoy 20% OFF orders
We know that Brexit has affected both customers and small business in the UK and EU countries, who found themselves sometimes affected by unexpected import duty taxes or customs fees.
We're pleased to announce an exclusive discount to our EU customers:
Enter code WeLoveEU upon checkout to receive 20% off on EU orders across the entire Palava range.
*Please note this discount code cannot be combined with other promo codes. Only one code can be applied at a time.
Palava products are shipped from the UK, but please keep in mind, that you or the recipient may have to pay duty and VAT upon or prior to delivery.
This differs for each country, so please check your local regulations beforehand. Each country is subject to their own laws for import of goods, taxes and duty.
You may not be charged anything, or be able to claim back any duty fees, however, we hope the 20% discount will help offset any potential Brexit related costs for our customers.
If you have problems applying the code on our website, please email hello@palava.co and we'll be happy to assist and reimburse you with the 20% off for EU orders.
1. Will I have to pay more now for EU shipping?
No, we haven't increased our delivery fees for EU customers, despite increased costs to ship to EU countries. Instead we have absorbed the additional postage costs and staff resources for the paperwork.
2. Will I be charged for Duty/Tax by customs on arrival of my parcel?
You may be charged tax for your order on arrival by the country of destination and this is not imposed by Palava.co, these taxes are referred to as “Import Taxes”. We thus advise looking into the national taxes imposed by your country on the import of goods from UK merchants. We have seen in the past that not all international sales are subject to import duty and taxes, but that does not mean that on arrival the individual country will not impose these charges. Charges on imports are often based on the destination country, product type, product value, county of origin, and declaration of use of goods. If goods are of a low value certain countries may not impose duty charges, but we highly recommend you look into the guidance provided by the local governing body that manages your country’s imports and tax charges.
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