Down to earth like this, rocking this business; May 2026
Here’s another month in the life of a vintage dealer and all that comes with it.
FYI, ‘Jenny from the block’ is on my gym playlist, and it slaps on a treadmill!
Nothing, truly nothing, takes all the stress and worries away from me like a visit to my motherland and my family home. And since April was pure chaos in every form (moving house, starting a new life, learning new ways), those few days of break from my reality felt like I was slipping back into my old, trusty boots.
Chocolate cake for dinner after a whole day out in the best company <3
My little nephew picking me up from the airport, mum making my favourite half sour gherkins, my father playing a medley on his old accordion for me in the garden - those are some of the things that help me detach from my own world, even if just for a while. Full of homegrown food and with pain in my cheeks from the hours of giggles with my nephew, I came back recharged and ready for the full month of markets, online drops and new projects that fuel this little biz.
Some of you might remember the brief period when this shop became part of a partnership and temporarily changed its name to Cowboys Trading Post. Though the whole collab (and friendship) eventually fell through, the idea behind the trading post is something I wanted to keep on doing. Over the year since joining the market, people have come to know who I am and what I'm into, so they often bring me things they think I'd like, which is exactly what the original trading posts were back in the day.
Those shorts and a few shirts beneath were brought to me before I even started the tarding day.
Connecting, dealing, exchanging - not just goods, but ideas or experiences, those old-fashioned ways, is what fuels me now and helps me stock up with some truly exceptional pieces. One of the items brought to me this month was an incredible 100-year-old deer jacket. It has been sold now, and it’s currently on its way to Colorado. Needless to say, if you have something I might be interested in, come by a market or email me.
Late 1930s to 1940s handmade deerskin jacket
artisan-made, not a reproduction
Cut from pale cream buff deerskin — undyed hide that has aged to a natural patina over 80-odd years
notch lapels, turned cuffs with single topstitched edge, hip length
a very dense long fringe cut directly from the hide at the hem and sleeves
all original horn and antler-slice buttons
full X-lace saddle hand-stitching in every seam
Underarm sleeve vents with hand-stitched gusset panels - an exceptionally rare feature, present on pre-WWII sporting and frontier jackets to allow full arm mobility
cotton thread throughout
condition: fully wearable, heavy grey-blue oxidation staining across the chest and body (patina) expected at this age, three old puncture holes at the upper right chest, fringe complete.
pit to pit 19in
shoulder to shoulder 20in
sleeve 25in
length 34in (including fringe)
Sold as is
Items are used and may contain unmentioned flaws
Thank you for visiting my store!
Because I’ve been lucky to collect a lot of great stock this month, I made sure to process it while the iron was still hot. Processing means: washing and/or dry cleaning, packing it all in the suitcase, jumping on a train up North, going back to my old HQ and looking for new shooting places, ironing, photographing, listing, measuring, washing and ironing again. It takes a few days from start to finish to create a quality online drop - this month I’ve had the time to do it twice, and some of the listed pieces are still available here.
Here are some bts from both shoots:
Back in the city, I went to celebrate the release of the X-1 watch by Darte. It’s so inspiring to see other creative people chasing their dreams and bringing something they’re so passionate about into the world. Big respect for building something from the ground up - and for gathering such a cool, supportive community along the way. Many thanks for having me over!
Talking about community… I’ve been following Leo and his denim repair business for a while, and when I realised that my favourite pair of jeans needed urgent tlc, I asked him to do his magic. This is a 60s pair that was already quite beaten up when I purchased it back in 2023, and the work he’s done is outstanding. The fabric feels so solid, all the holes and tears are repaired, and I can continue wearing them without worrying if today will be the day my phone slips through the back pocket… If you need a good repair, I genuinely recommend reaching out to Leo.
The recent heatwave made me question my outfit choices not once, not twice. And yes, I can compromise and not wear jeans for a day, but boots? Hell nah. There is a minimum standard of quality that must be upheld in this establishment. Have you seen real cowboys in Southern heat rocking a pair of Birkenstocks?
But this sudden week of summer made me go through some of the forsaken boxes in my storage, and one of the things I pulled out was this 1930s dress. I bought it ages ago (for £18…) as it gave me a bit of a Mexican, Southern feel, but never quite felt like myself in it. I probably still wouldn’t dare to go out in it for a full day out, but 30 degrees in the concrete city is not to be messed with. This also gave me an idea of possibly extending my stock to pieces that aren’t necessarily western, but could be styled as such. Yay or nay??
And for the section of ‘cool people visiting my stall’ - once again, the finest UK cowboys, head to toes in vintage couples, and customers who inspire me by taking their stance on styling my pieces the way I simply wouldn’t:
Big shoutout to me for learning to take time off and not feeling guilty about it - which is something that isn’t the case when you both run your business alone and from home, and also are a perfectionist, because that means that most of my free time goes towards improvements or admin. But I sneaked out of the market for one weekend and ended up exploring a coast I’ve never been to before.
This horse made of stones has been there for almost 100 years… How cool!
Market days starting at dawn? This time of year I say: is it really 5 am? It’s not even remotely difficult to be up and ready this early.
This picture was taken at 6:12 am. Not so long ago it was still dark!
I love challenging myself when it comes to setting up in ways I haven’t tried before. It is mainly a game I play with myself but a) those early hours before the rush begins need to be spent, and b) there are so many incredibly organised and creative traders who inspire me to get better. One of those OG traders came by one morning and with the coldest, most poker face asked if that’s the best I can do. I turned pale and she started laughing saying it was just a joke. It was a joke but my life will never be the same since ;)
Morning sun hitting on my Wild West ghosts
This set up was inspired by Clint Eastwood who turned 96 a few days ago!
And that’s a wrap! Thank you all for your continuous support - whether that’s by liking what I do on IG, buying my shit, popping by the market or supporting in other ways, like by reading my blog. Anything helps! Catch me out yonder across June on local Portobello markets - check my stories each day for the exact location and trading hours. Happy pride month to those of y’all celebrating,
*tips the hat
Marina
