Back in November of last year (when times were arguably more simple) I proudly launched my very own Instagram vintage store, Top Of The Town. Vintage style is something I've loved since I was a teen and if you follow me on Instagram there's no doubt you've heard me harp on about it a million and one times. The sixties and seventies most notably have played such a huge role on my personal style and in turn my wardrobe, with hunting down great vintage pieces being one of my biggest hobbies (or vices on my purse strings). Vintage shopping as a whole is amazing, it's environmentally friendly and it means you're finding unique, one of a kind pieces. The only problem I've found is that when I'm sharing my outfits on Instagram and I'm being asked about one off vintage pieces, without giving people the clothes of my own back it's impossible for my looks to be 100% shoppable. Granted I've posted plenty of vintage inspired shopping guides in the past but still, I appreciate that not everyone has the time to trawl around vintage fairs, charity stores and flea markets, so this is where the Top Of The Town seed was first planted.

A store on Instagram meant I could make vintage shopping easy and accessible... And it gave me a guilt free excuse to keep up my vintage hunting habit. The name Top Of The Town comes from an old Manchester nightclub my mum used to visit in the 1970s and dance the night away to great soul music. It was always a no brainer that this would be the name of my vintage store and it's actually an idea I've been harbouring for absolute years now. Both my mum and the Northern Soul she lovingly brought me up on have played such an instrumental role on my personal style and my love of music, there's was no doubt in my mind I would some how incorporate the two into my vintage store. I guess you could say Top Of The Town is an ode to all my favourite things and a unmistakable labour of love. The concept for the store is quite simple, every 6 weeks or so I curate capsule collections themed around films, songs, people and places which inspire me. I shoot pieces from the collection in a way which matches the theme, I post it on social media giving you guys a launch date and then I release the items on Top Of The Town's Instagram page to be snapped up by a fellow lover of vintage. Simple and so far, an absolute joy to create.

Our next collection will be the first so far to embrace Spring and is called "Sunday Morning". As a proud Piscean (and therefore daydreamer by nature) you might say I've had a life long affinity with Spring being that mid March is my birthday and so a time of year I always remember clearly. Truth be told I adore every season equally in it's own way and for it's own reasons but there's something about the magic of Spring that has a particularly large place in my heart. I love the way it feels like everything is finally awakening after winter, the weather feels fresher, greenery has started to reemerge and decorate the outdoors, there's a sweet smell in the air and the sunshine begins to burst through the grey. One of my all time favourite moments in the year and in the week is a Spring Sunday morning when everything is quiet and calm. You wake up to bright blue skies outside and the hazy smell of coffee inside. This happy place in Spring and it's vitality- along with a little help from The Velvet Underground- were the key inspirations for our new "Sunday Morning" collection.

Within the "Sunday Morning" collection you can expect to find 10 vintage pieces, all loving hand picked by yours truly and all ready and waiting to be worn with pride this Spring (or every Spring after that, as current circumstances may not inspire you to dress your best right now). The colour palette still has a hint of winter in there with deep burgundy and rusty tones still making an appearance- we hate the impracticality of a Spring collection which only applies to great weather and not the realistic chances of rain (or worse). Running along side these rich winter hues are welcome bursts of fresh "Spring" colours such as pastel pinks, yellows and fresh greens which altogether give the most amazing 1970s aesthetic. Of course florals will be making a big appearance because no spring collection would be the same without it and you can expect to see a whole lot of pinafore style dresses- something we feel are a happy compromise in Spring when you're half way between still wearing your winter dresses and desperately wanted to dig out your summer frocks. The collection will launch Thursday 2nd April at 8pm (GMT) on Top Of The Town's Instagram page. All purchase, delivery and return information can be found on the Top Of The Town's Instagram Story highlights.

See you there,

Sophia x

Pieces featured in chronological order:

The Faithfull Dress

The Asher Cardigan

The Nico Blouse

The Louey Blouse and The Reed Pinafore

The Shakusky Dress

The Jessica Dress

Photography by Catherine Booty