Author: Julia Grant

Categories / Books, Music

Graceland – An Interactive Pop-Up Tour

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Graceland_book
I can’t say I’m the biggest Elvis fan – apart from a few of honourable exceptions, I can take or leave him. But I’ve always been keen on visiting Graceland – just to see first hand that money doesn’t necessarily buy you style.

It doesn’t look like I can stretch to a trip this year, but I can afford the next best thing – Graceland – An Interactive Pop-Up Tour. As the name suggests, you get access to three-dimensional spreads of nine rooms on the house, including the Music Room, Television Room, Jungle Room, Trophy Room, Kitchen and Meditation Garden.

Each room also has interactive elements, including a removable cut-out pair of Elvis-like sunglasses – worth the price alone. And there’s a foreward by Priscilla Presley.

Available now from Amazon.com for $26.40

Find out more from the Amazon website

Via Cool Hunting

Categories / Bags, Men's Fashion, Women's Fashion

Suitcase Bag – made from a recycled vintage suit

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Suitbag
If you’re looking for a novelty bag with a bit of a past, check out the Suitcase Bag.

It’s the work of designer Edson Raup, who uses suits picked up from charity shops in London to create hardwearing unisex bags. And just to add to your eco credentials, the adjustable carry strap is made from a car strap. The bag also features two front pockets, a zipped pocket to keep your valuables safe and a bright cerise silk lining.

Two sizes available – medium and large – retailing for £50 and £65 respectively.

Find out more at the V&A online shop

Categories / Design and Interiors

Poppy Cotton vintage fabric lampshades

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Poppycotton_shades

According to the website, Poppy Cotton began when my Melissa Cotton Womack and her husband moved into a new home, with a desire to recreate the look of their favourite films of the 60s and 70s. No-one stocked suitable items, so they decided to make them – and the company was born.

The lampshades here are part of range that also includes wall hangings and pillows, all using vintage fabrics to create new items and brightly-coloured items for the retro home. The two lamps featured are around 8 inches tall and should fit easily on any lamp base.

And because they’re made from vintage cloth, they’re limited in number, so you’re getting something fairly exclusive. They retail for $50 (around £26) each.

See the full range at the Poppy Cotton website

Categories / Cars and Bikes, eBay watch

eBay Watch: Jaguar Mk II – 60s villain’s car for under £1,000

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Jaguar_mk2
Watch UK crime flicks and TV series of the 60s and 70s and you’ll notice one motor being the vehicle of choice for the discerning villain – a Jaguar Mk II. Rumour has it that their rarity is down to the majority getting trashed by the entertainment industry! True or not, they’re rarely seen – so this one looks a bargain.

A mint one could cost you around £20,000 – this one is currently under £1,000. It’s a 3.4 model (so budget something for the petrol), seems fairly solid, has had plenty of money spent on its upkeep and a new paint job (British racing green).

There’s a reserve, so it’ll be interesting to see how cheaply this will go. If you’re interested in bidding, check out this classic Sweeney clip to see one in action.

See the full details at the eBay website

Categories / Cars and Bikes, Design and Interiors

Vespa scooter stationery range

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Vespa_stationary

Once it was just the scooter, then came a clothing range and now Piaggio has launched a Vespa stationery range for the desk-bound scooterist.

It’s actually quite stylish, mostly with just a simple Vespa logo on the cover or an image of a Vespa scooter. The range includes a selection of notebooks and journals in various sizes and colours, with prices starting at around £9.

You can pick them up at the Conran Shop.

Find out more at the Conran Shop website

Categories / Cars and Bikes

Chrysler PT Cruiser – good or bad?

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Pt_cruiser

We’ve covered a number of retro cars in the past, but one we haven’t mentioned previously is the Chrysler PT Cruiser.

It’s a car that you either love for its 1930s-inspired (or indeed hot rod) styling or you hate for its bulk and its likeness to the dreaded people carrier. We actually quite like it. It’s been around since 2001, with a few updates along the way, now including a convertible version.

You could say it’s the sensible silly car – you’ll turn a few heads with the larger-than-life looks, but under the bonnet is a solid performer with the even more sensible option of a diesel engine, plenty of room and comfort, some retro styling on the dashboard and loads of boot room, including (oddly), a picnic shelf.

You can pick one up for around £17.000 new, but older versions can easily be picked up for £5,000 onwards. Good or bad? Have your say below.

Find out more at the Chrysler website