Capture The Spirit Of Goodwood Revival

GOODWOOD REVIVAL: Back On Track

This popular three-day festival takes place once a year in September at the Goodwood racing circuit near Chichester, West Sussex. The motor vehicles that would have competed during the track's heyday between 1948 and 1966 have enjoyed an annual reunion since 1998. To enhance the nostalgic atmosphere, visitors to the event are encouraged to wear vintage and reproduction clothing from the same decades. It is normally attended by 150,000 racing and vintage fans every year to enjoy the huge array of vintage vehicles, stalls, exhibits, live music and eateries. Later in this Blog Caroline, Alice and I experiment with the three decades to give you nine looks to help capture the spirit of Goodwood Revival.

Goodwood 2020 was cancelled because of Covid, of course. The cancellation was inevitable and it had a huge impact on the many businesses normally involved, including us. Here we look at the exciting new changes that the imposed halt in proceedings prompted and everything new that has been put into place for this year.

Nostalgic New Attractions

We are all relieved to see it is up and running again for 2021 17-19 September. The official Goodwood Revival website boasts: "New layout, new areas, new celebrations, same Revival spirit".

Enhancements include a new viewing gallery and bridge across the tricky Madgwick Corner. Further round at Lavant Infield, themed as RAF Westhampnett it celebrates the history of the airfield prior to the introduction of the Motor Circuit. It provides the base for the victory parade military vehicles so you get to explore them close up if you would like.

At gate two there will be a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Festival of Britain through the recreation of the jubilation seen in the summer of 1951. It focuses on Britain’s achievements, emulating what was a spectacular cultural event to raise the spirits of a country still in the grasp of austerity and rationing and undergoing severe economic reform.

A make do and mend area is also new for '21, a chance to look at restorations and ideas for putting a new lease of life into your own clothing through sewing transformations. I will definitely be checking that out for my next visit, I am a big sewing bee fan!

Another appealing addition is the 600 sqft allotment where vegetables are being grown in advance of the meet, encouraging us to dig for victory. Here you can immerse yourself in the world of home horticulture and be reminded of the great satisfaction to be had in growing and cooking your own produce.

There is even a vintage-style car boot sale on Sunday where you can buy your bits and pieces from the back of a classic car.

Wow, so many more great features to dress up for and have a ball! Speaking of which, the girls and I have taken outfits from the three decades featured at Goodwood Revival to share ideas if you are still undecided as to which look to go for. If you are fortunate enough to attend all three days why not go for Forties Friday, Rock & Roll Fifties Saturday and Swinging Sixties Sunday. Here we show you some ways you can achieve just that:

Three Decades, Nine Vintage Looks

Caroline, Alice and I have selected three very different looks for each of the three decades celebrated at Goodwood Revival. We hate fancy dress but we love to dress up in authentic period-accurate clothing from our own Revival Vintage stock. Here's how we got on:

1940s

When it comes to the 1940s, I am all about authenticity so for my look I have chosen to wear this vintage yellow & navy floral pleated dress from the forties era. We always try to source the best womens vintage dresses & this piece is a beautiful example of 40s womenswear. Made from a light silk fabric, this dress is perfect for daytime wear at events like Goodwood. The colours of this dress pair really well with a wide variety of accessories. I added a pair of navy crochet gloves and a black velvet tilt hat to complement my hairstyle. No authentic 40s outfit would be complete without a vintage leather handbag. This stunning chunky frame bag in a coarsely textured brown leather is ideal for a true 1940s vintage look and it has just enough room to carry your belongings around the festival.

True 1940s vintage clothing isn’t practical for many people. It tends to come in smaller sizes and might not withstand modern laundering. That’s why we started our Socialite collection of vintage inspired replica clothing that looks authentic enough to help you achieve a period accurate appearance in a wide range of sizes. Alice is wearing our two-piece Victory skirt suit in a fine grey and dark blue check cloth for a really smart daytime look. It is an exact copy of an original forties suit from our archive with all the authentic features you would expect from a women’s suit. She is wearing it with a cream vintage blouse and a dark red forties style half hat with a lovely bow & feather trim. To finish her look she is carrying a dark brown mock croc vintage handbag. The Victory suit also pairs really well with our Promenade coat & adds a touch of vintage glamour to your outfit if the weather isn’t behaving itself at Goodwood.

One of our top tips for 1940s style on a budget is to buy later vintage pieces with a strong 40s look to them. Caroline is wearing a 1980s does 1940s look. During the 1980s there was a bit of a revival for forties fashion trends and many of the vintage dresses from that era could easily be styled to give off an authentic 40s look. This pink & lilac floral cotton day dress is a brilliant example of 80s does 40s fashion and would be a much more affordable option to wear to a one-off event. Caroline has added a pair of pink vintage gloves and a pink narrow frame bag before topping it all off with this vintage occasion hat in a lovely magenta tone with decorative flowers & netting trim.

1950s

For fifties fashion fans, there are plenty of vintage style dresses to suit all tastes and dress sizes. I am wearing a beautiful blue 1950s style floral dress. It features a square neckline and the flared skirt has extra fullness from an inverted pleat at the front. Fifties style dresses are perfect for dancing which is why they are such a popular choice at nostalgia events. Red or white accessories would go really well with this dress because of the floral pattern. I added an elegant red narrow frame bag and red flower hair clip to tie the look together.

When it comes to a true 1950s vintage clothing look we have a plethora of unique vintage day dresses that will make sure you stand out from the crowd at Goodwood. Alice is wearing this lovely 1950s cotton day dress in a beautiful paisley print. This button-through shirt style can be dressed up or down and looks great with pink or blue accessories which Alice has demonstrated perfectly. She has layered it underneath this blue vintage 50s coat and topped it off with this adorable pink floral half hat for a cute look using all vintage pieces.

For something a bit different, Caroline has gone for a 1950s Rockabilly style outfit. If you want something quite simple that utilises pieces you already have in your wardrobe then this look would be perfect for you. Our vintage Hawaiian shirts look just as good on women as they do on men so Caroline is wearing one tied up at the waist for a more feminine silhouette. Underneath she is wearing a plain black vest top and a pair of blue jeans with those all important turn-ups. She is also carrying a sweet original fifties wicker basket and a pair of retro Clubmaster sunglasses for a bit of old school cool.

1960s

Sixties looks are always incredibly popular at Goodwood as it’s a brilliant opportunity to dress up in something bright & bold. For my true 1960s vintage clothing look I am wearing a graphic floral 1960s dress with a pussybow neckline. It has some great colourful stripes which allows for accessories in a wide range of colours. I am also wearing a blue 60s vintage coat to complement the navy of the dress. I then added a wide leather navy handbag and a pair of bright orange gloves. This outfit is classically sixties without any of the gimmicky additions that you generally do see in 60s inspired looks at vintage festivals.

Alice’s look is very typical of the kind of 60s style you will see at Goodwood. She is wearing a 1960s vintage style dress in a green floral pattern with white contrast collar and cuffs. The all-over print is very striking and goes well other brightly coloured accessories. Alice has teamed the dress with a blue vintage handbag and a yellow headscarf. This dress would also look great with a beehive hairdo and opaque coloured tights for that classic 60s Mod style.

If you want something a little bit more fun but with a true vintage edge then you will love Caroline’s outfit. She is wearing a vintage 1960s hot pink house dress for a fun char lady look. This dress has a great retro brown & pink all-over smudge pattern with a contrast pink pointed collar and pockets. Char ladies would often tie up their hair with a headscarf but Caroline has used one of our pink vintage scarves as a cute bow to add even more playfulness to her look. We think you’ll agree that these yellow vintage gloves are a rather chic take on Marigolds!

Above all else Goodwood Revival is the ultimate place to people watch especially if you are a vintage clothing lover. Mark and I have visited a couple of times and have enjoyed sitting in the late summer sunshine spotting items we have sold to customers also attending. It brings us great joy seeing our vintage pieces come alive and bring people confidence and pleasure over the long weekend.