A Fine Summers Day

Well today was a fine Spring/Summers day and Urban Village

was on good form with loads of scooters and shoppers coming out to see us, thanks..

A great photo outside Urban Village, with Pod the Mod looking very cool. x

The New Untouchables Midlands Mod Weekender

We are happy to welcome The New Untouchables Midlands Mod Weekender, 2nd & 3rd June 2012.

It's the first New Untouchables event there for three years, the weekender taking place at the 70 Eight Venue (4, Gibb Street, B9 4AA Birmingham), which is along side us at Urban Village at the Custard Factory in Digbeth. The venue is set out over three floors, with two rooms of music and a capacity of 400.

The daytime event includes a market, scooter run and competition plus an open decks DJ session - free entry for that. The evening event is DJ sounds, with guests to be confirmed. Sunday is about the bands, with the reformed Sorrows with Don Fardon playing, as well as the Small Fakers, plus some more DJ sounds too.

More information closer to the date.

All @Urban Village.

Vintage Records

We will be putting a superb range of Records in store for Saturday 10th March.

Mod, Punk, Ska, Reggae & Rock!

Plus as always, the best in male & female vintage clothing :0)

The Vintage Fair Comes To The Custard Factory, Birmingham

The Vintage Fair Comes To Birmingham, The Custard Factory, this Saturday 3rd March.

A great day to be had by all the family.

Lots of vintage bargains to be had :0)

See you there.

Urban Village

The Urban Village Winter Sale!

The Urban Village winter sale starts this Saturday 4th February till Saturday 11th February 2012. All of you who visit us down at the Urban Village shop will be aware of the low prices we charge for our superb vintage clothing. So for one week only you will be able to grab a massive vintage bargain in our Sale.

Don't miss out on this great vintage sale...
You are all welcome.

Find us at...
Urban Village
The Custard Factory
Gibb Street
Digbeth
Birmingham
B9 4AA

Opening time:

Monday to Friday - 10.30am to 6pm
Saturday - 10.30am to 5.30pm
Sunday - Closed


Tell: 0121.224.7367 or Email us at: info@urban-village.co.uk

Hooray, Vintage back on line soon!

Hooray!

Urban Village will have its online sales back up and running by the end of Jan!

Meanwhile don't forget to shop with us online at our Ebay shop...

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Urban-Village?_rdc=1

Or pop down to the shop in Birmingham and say hi ;0)

OPENING HOURS OVER THE FESTIVE PERIOD.

We would like to wish all our
Urban Village
customers a very
Merry Christmas
and a superb
New Year. x

OPENING HOURS OVER THE FESTIVE PERIOD.

Friday 23rd Dec – Open as normal.
Saturday 24th Dec – 10.30am – 3pm.
Sunday 25th - (Christmas Day) closed.
Monday 26th - (Boxing Day) closed.
Tuesday 27th - closed.
Wednesday 28th - Open as normal.
Thursday 29th – Open as normal.
Friday 30th – Open as normal.
Saturday 31st (New Years Eve)11am - 3pm.
Sunday 1st Jan 2012 – closed.
Monday 2nd closed.
Tuesday 3rd Open as normal.

Show Your Support For Our Boys

Urban Village is proud to support this event for HELP FOR HEROES!
If you can make it please come along Friday 16th December and show your support for our boys!

http://www.fightforfashion.info/

The Custard Factory

The Custard Factory by night.

Come and visit Urban Village and the rest of the site this Christmas :0)

Great Photos

If you like cool 1960s vintage photos, check out our facebook page Mod Photograhs.

The group is for all Mods past and present, we will try and bring you some cool photos we find on a travels. Scooters, clothing, music, its all on our hit list.

If you have a photo you would like to see on our group just email them to info@urban-village.co.uk Please try and give us as much information on the photo as you can.

We look forward to seeing all your cool photos.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/230191858561/

“Scooter, Suit, Haircut, Parka…

“Scooter, Suit, Haircut, Parka…

The Visual Mod Stereotype.”

There a 2 types of 'Mod' Parkas. The M-51 & the M-65. The 'M' standing for Military and the number the year it came into issue. Both had a 'Fishtail' which was designed to "be tied around the upper legs...for added wind proofing as they are not, as some think, waterproof (1)". Both have a liner but the main difference between the two is that the M-65 has a removable hood and the M-51 an attached.

The US Parka - A little bit of history.

The Godfather of the all Parkas Is the M-48. A sturdy no nonsense piece of Military Kit hard to find, and highly collectable due to the limited numbers that were made. When the Korean War started there was a need for a similar coat that could be used in combat but was much cheaper to mass produce than the M-48 hence, the birth of the M-51.

The first ones were made of the much heavier cotton as used in the M-48's but this proved both costly and impractical due to the drying time once they got wet. This is the reason why we ended up with shinier 'Sateen' material.

Made in the US up to 1956 and in Germany up to 1958 there was a second run "around 1963 for UK & Canadian specification (1)". No more M-51's were made which takes us up to 1965 with the M-65 Parka – now a cheaper alternative to the highly prized M-51.

Why the US Fishtail Parka?

Most countries have their own versions but it was the US versions which made it onto every self respecting Mods back.

Firstly, it was cheap and widely available. For the same reasons Mods could often get hold of Levis maybe the American G.I's populating the Soho Jazz clubs were pawning their Army issued clothing for Bourbon money.

Secondly, and more importantly, were the dimensions and construction. They had both a liner and a shell so were suitable for both summer and winter wear but they were also fantastically roomy as they were made to fit over uniform. Many other Parkas seemingly aren't designed to get much under them. As a result you could get in one with your suit on and with it being longer than a German Parka, for example, there was much less chance of getting your sharp attire marked by an overflowing London pothole.

The Parka Today

The function of the Parka for todays Mod is different. It is very much emblematic than actually role playing - It is a want rather than a need. Where the 60s mod needed to keep their clothes neat and dry todays needs to show he is ‘in the club’ – it’s very much part of the Uniform.

Of course it still kind of fulfills a role for the Scooterist but chances are that underneath the Parka is a pair of 501’s and Fred Perry Polo – the big, baggy cover all coat again is to meet criteria. Further more it’s ironic that the initial attraction was the availability and the price. Kids getting into the scene who want the ‘uniform’ usually have to make do with a high-street imitation.

Still, this doesn’t detract from the fact that people still want, what is effectively, army surplus. And the rising price of these fast disappearing relics only makes them more desirable.

Urban village stock M-51 & M-65 Parkas - prices dependant of condition but as a rule of thumb £100 for the M-65 & £150 upwards for the M-51..

Sources/References:

(1) http://www.fishtailparkas.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anorak - Wikipedia

Warm woollys and cosy knits

Now the cold weather is here, it is time to stock up your wardrobe with warm woollys and cosy knits. We have a fantastic selection of Aran and cable knit cardys and jumpers for men and women - these just remind me of long winter walks and hot mugs of cocoa (or drizzly rain and luke warm tea, depending on how rose tinted your glasses are...) The only problem with vintage knitwear is the dreaded moth holes! These little blighters turn a fabulous garment into a ruined mess, that is unless you know how darn and make that hole disappear. Darning is really easy and if done correctly, creates an almost invisible repair, bringing your clothes back to life. It works best on chunkier, knitted clothes, but can also be applied to finer wool and even silk, if done with care and patience.
So, what do you need? Depending on the weight of your fabrics, a darning or embroidery needle. (Heavier fabrics need a thicker needle, light fabrics a finer one.) Let's assume you're repairing one of these lovely cable knit jumpers. You've got yourself a nice thick darning needle, now you need some thread. If you can find some wool to match your jumper that would be perfect, but failing that some embroidery thread would work almost as well. (Normal sewing thread would probably be a little thin for this repair.) Don't forget it needs to be a close a match to the colour of your item as possible.
The idea behind darning is to recreate the weave of the fabric, so look closely at the hole. Can you see where the threads have broken? You should be able to spot the horizontal and vertical threads, and you want to follow these with your needle and thread to 'fill in' the hole, rather than pull it together. So, put a knot in the end of your thread, and pull the needle through the top left hand side of your hole, with the knot on the inside. (Leave some space between the edge of the hole and your stitching, so that it doesn't pull through the broken threads and create a bigger hole!) Work down in long stitches to join the fabric on the other side. Don't pull it tight, as this will make the fabric pucker up. Imagine you are filling in the gap with thread. Now make a small stitch across, and come back up to the other side, continuing this until you reach the bottom right of the hole. It should look a little like a sideways ladder, with small stitches all round the outside of the hole. Now do the same again but this time working left to right, weaving the needle up and down through the first layer of stitching. You should start to see your woven patch filling in the hole and creating a nice flat repair in your knit. Check out this vintage example from a wartime 'make do and mend' leaflet!
Oh, and if you want to get your hands on one of the lovely aran jumper of cardigans (without holes of course!), check out our ebay page now, for gems like this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110755439119?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649


Oh, and if you fancy buying one of our lovely jumpers (without holes of course!) Check these ones out on our ebay page now!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110755439119?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Ruth, Urban Village

'Whole lotta love'

The Strange journey of 'Whole Lotta Love'

"Talent Borrows, Genius Steals" - Oscar Wilde

Now, Urban village doesn't just love vintage clothes. It loves the culture, the tunes, the ideas and sentiments which forms what we love about vintage. 'Whole lotta love' is the pure definition of a vintage tune. On the face of it it's a great timeless tune, but on the flip-side there's another vintage. A vintage that takes into account decades of influences that merge to form a confluence of cultures, people and ideas.

To get slightly technical - there are but 12 notes a musician can compose with. Of course these 12 notes can be combined in inumerable ways to create harmony. But because there are but 12 notes some songs, tunes, ditties, describe them how you will, step on each others toes from time to time and sound the same.

Sometimes this happens by accident (ask Coldplay but possibly not Joe Satriani), sometimes it can be much more deliberate....

...and this is where our Urban Village Vintage blog takes a look at the strange story of Page/Plant; Marriott/Lane & Dixon/Morganfield (Muddy to his friends).

I paraphrase Jimmy Page when questioned on the overt nature of L.Z's borrowings. 'If Robert had have just changed the words I don't think people would have noticed'. Plant didn't change much, especially on the 1st two albums, which much later led to Willie Dixon being given joint credit for a lot of the tunes (after a 1985 lawsuit).

So where should we start? At the begining or the middle? The beginning I think.

Chances are that if it was on Chess & the first time you heard it it smacked you straight in the face it was written by Willie Dixon. Dixon wrote for all the big names in the Chess stable as well as being the bass player on many-a-tune. "You need love" was recorded by Muddy Waters and released by chess in 1962. Many an ear was cocked in the 'Thames Delta'. As we shall see.... Check this out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFVjGOHnjUA

The Small Faces debut album in 1966 was much rawer then the immediate stuff which most people remember. Marriott/Lane where just taking their first steps in the songwriting game with support from the band and Kenny Lynch. As a result they needed a bit of help from the past. 'You Need Loving' would later escape the courtroom wrath of the Willie Dixon case but Heaven knows how or why - maybe the knots that the Small Faces had tangled themselves in mangement-wise was just not worth the investigative time or money.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkQpZpFLpv4

And so we end with Page, Plant, Jones & Bonham. The tune, now a rock classic, powered by one of the greatest riffs of all time has its roots planted firmly in the Dixon penned tune but the phrasing and delivery is all Marriott.

Plant would later go onto say: "Page's riff was Page's riff. It was there before anything else. I just thought, 'well, what am I going to sing?' That was it, a nick. Now happily paid for. At the time, there was a lot of conversation about what to do. It was decided that it was so far away in time and influence that...well, you only get caught when you're successful. That's the game".

In a statement that you wouldn't expect from a rock god he also went onto say "I could never be compared with Steve Marriott because he's too good, unfortunately! He's got the best white voice, for sheer bravado and balls."

Now let's not even get started on the Back door man reference in the Coda :o)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQmmM_qwG4k&ob=av2n

Richard, Urban Village.

We don't just sell clothes...

Here at Urban Village, we don't just sell clothes, oh no, you can kit your whole life out in vintage goodies if your quick off the mark! I'm about to move house, so naturally I'm drawn to all things pretty to furnish it with, so when I saw these little beauties I just had to tell you about them! How can anyone resist this little 70's owl cushion - look at his big eyes and beautiful pastel plumage? And we also have a veritable smorgasbord of retro crocheted blankets in all the colours under the sun. For some reason these always remind me of holidays and camper vans, and these would be just perfect for keeping you cosy when you're out and about in your VW! Don't forget to keep an eye out in the shop and on the website for all our houseware items - from lamps to tea-cosies, you won't want to miss them!
Right, back to my paint swatches - magnolia or ivory blush anyone?

Ruth Urban Village

Kids Vintage

As a vintage loving mama, it has occurred to me that perhaps it's not just my wardrobe that has been made significantly better by the introduction of vintage clothing. My dear daughter could also rock the retro look, and be fabulously cute at the same time. The only problem? Vintage clothing for babies and children is harder to find than hen's teeth! Apart from the occasional gem in the charity shop (recent finds - 2 unworn 1970s pointy collar shirts with embroidered bunnies on... score!) the babies of Birmingham are suffering a real lack of quality clothing. Well fear no more dear readers, because Urban Village has a lovely selection of vintage childrens wear just waiting for a new home, to be lovingly worn and dribbled on by your little people. And the even better news? There's lots of it in our sale shop, so you can pick up the perfect 70's print dress at a snip! Check out the lovely little selection I found in the store room this week; in case it's not clear the cream cape in the background has little embroidered bunnies on...I sense a theme developing...

Ruth, Urban Village.

Twinkle Twinkle...

Twinkle Twinkle...

Usually I'm the first person moaning about Christmas coming too early, tinsel in October, cards in the shops before Halloween etc, but today I seem to be surrounded by sequins, which is the nearest you can get to wearing the Christmas tree in my opinion (unless Granny has had too many sherries on Christmas day and takes a tumble, but that's another story...) There are rails full of glitter and sparkle in the shop and in the stock room, all ready for their new adventures at numerous December parties. Not wanting to keep all this festive cheer to ourselves, we'll also be listing a few things on ebay in the next few weeks, so if you can't come in to the Urban Village shop for your glitz fix, keep an eye out for the online sequin bonanza (you won't miss them, believe me!) coming up as we get nearer to Christmas!