If you have been a long time follower of my blog, you will know I attend Twinwood every year.
Twinwood 2023 Day 1
A vintage festival in the heart of Bedford over the Bank Holiday weekend, it is my Happy Place.
My normal plan is that I save up for it all year, organise my outfits, accessories, hats and hair flowers for months ahead. I decide how I am going to do my hair, my nails and even my make-up.
I have to say it becomes quite stressful in the long run, but has always been a necessary part of the “big” weekend.
Twinwood 23 Day 2
Well, until two years ago.
Back in 2023, a month before Twinwood, my Mum passed away. I had been caring for her for seven months and I had organised tickets for her and my two uncles to come along. Even though she was in a wheelchair, she would have loved the music, the clothes and even more so, the people she met.
Sadly that never happened, and Twinwood 2023 was very much a “throw some clothes on” and hope to turn up kind of event.
Twinwood 23 Day 3
Whilst I still wore outfits with a vague vintage feel, I didn’t bother with anything else. I had cut my hair into a very short bob and it was bright pink, which was how I wanted it for Mum’s funeral.
All my Twinwood friends were absolutely amazing. Coming from all over the Country, we meet one or twice a year at events, but follow each other via social media.
They made my Twinwood that year.
Twinwood 24 Day 1
Welcoming my two uncles, Albert and Diverus, they danced and sang along with them and it made me smile.
Another thing it did was make me realise that I didn’t need to start planning my weekend, months in advance.
I had thrown on clothing, turned up and had as good a time, given the circumstances, as I could.
Twinwood 2024 Day 2
Fast forward to Twinwood 2024.
Again, I would be taking my Uncles and over the course of the year I had worked out that their needs have to come before mine.
The usual time I would spend doing my hair and make-up, getting dressed and accessorising before leaving, no longer belonged to me.
Twinwood 2024 Day 3
Chasing them up, getting them in the shower, making sure they had the right clothing on, that they had their medication became more important than my preening.
Now I assumed I could do all of that and get ready in time, arriving at the opening of the event, around 1000.
Sadly this was not to be.
The Boys
In fact, on the first day of the event, it poured with rain for the morning, so I had to change my clothing ideas.
We arrived at around 1pm, which I think is the latest I have ever been.
The following day, I got up a little earlier and still didn’t get there until 1130, and the last day was around 1200.
Evening 2024
I have to say, I was really pleased with my outfits on those days, and certainly was more vintage than the year before.
However, it made me learn my lesson.
Twinwood 2025 was a different kettle of fish.
Backcombed enough?
This year we had rented one of the top boxes. This meant that we got a parking space behind the boxes, and toilets.
Whilst this doesn’t sound like an amazing deal for some, given my Uncles both are mentally disabled, it meant I could leave them sat in the box, have a wander whilst they watched the bands and not worry they had got lost or if they went to the toilet, not find their chairs back in the main arena.
This was a life-changer!
Half Way
I had, of course, forgotten that people decorate the boxes. In fact, some go all out, with sofa’s, bars, lamps and more.
Popping on Amazon, I ordered a load of Tiki based items which would arrive two days before the Festival (next day delivery). It wasn’t going to be spectacular, but it would be something, at least.
I had Friday off from work, so I decided then to make my list of clothing, accessories, shoes and more. It was a bit late, but I managed to get everything collated together and this calmed me down somewhat.
Just Needs A Hairnet, Now
Learning from my previous two Twinwoods, I got up extremely early to get ready, thus allowing me time for get “The Boys” as they are known, sorted too.
Given it is only a 30 minute drive, getting up at 0600 seemed a bit extreme, but better to have more time than not enough.
Now, last Twinwood, I had ear-length curly hair, which I put up in a faux Poodle, hiding the short back with my hats.
Ready to Leave
This year, my hair was almost shoulder length.
Yet, I hadn’t done any vintage styles myself for nearly three years.
Most people would have had a few practice runs, wouldn’t they?
Not A Bad View
Well, I left it until 0600 on the first day to try and decide just what I was going to do for the event.
What an Idiot!
Out came the curling tongs, Marcel spray, comb, badger bristle brush and a huge can of hairspray.
Diverus and I
My intention was to get some Victory rolls at the front of my head, and throw my naturally curly hair in a hair net and snood at the back.
Simples, right?
Wrong.
Bangles Galore
I just couldn’t form the rolls. It didn’t matter how I formed them, if I used a gadget or not, they just didn’t want to roll.
Maybe I hadn’t backcombed them quite enough, so I had another go, leaving my hair sticking up in a large point, and tried again.
This time I got the basis of the rolls and quickly pinned and sprayed before I lost them again.
The Full Look
It wasn’t the smoothest of rolls, I have to admit, but it was as set of rolls.
Quickly doing my make-up and adding a set of false half lashes, I was ready to just put my clothing on.
But first, I needed to check on The Boys and see that they had done everything I had told them to.
With the Fabulous Jenny Tree
Apart from a couple of wrong shirts, they were good to go and so put on my outfit of choice for day one.
A brown and turquoise Pake Muu that was made for my by the amazing Karen Harvey from “Reinvintaged UK” a few years back.
I added my Doodlebug bag, which was made by the stunning Lisa Marie (which had leftover material from Karen sewn inside.
Our Tiki Home
My shoes were a trusty pair of Lulu Hun brown snakeskin sandals and my bangles were a mixture of Splendette, Alice Browns Cupboard and Bow and Crossbones.
Ready to go, we hopped in the car for the journey there which only took 25 minutes that morning.
I did the booking in, got our wristbands and packed at the back of the top boxes.
Having a Tiki-Tastic Time
We ferried everything up in about 10 minutes and I wanted to decorate the box before I did anything else.
This was when I found out we had left the pushpins and double sided tape back at home…
With a bit of thinking, we were able to use some sticky glue dots, fishing wire and ribbon to attach our bunting, birds, paper shaped items and backdrop.
My Tiki Mug
It would simply have to do!
At this point, the first band started to play, so chairs were put down and drinks poured.
Into our ceramic Tiki style drinking vessels.
The Headline Act
Bottoms up!
The day and night went brilliantly, and I managed to catch up with quite a few of my vintage friends which is always a bonus!
Sitting in the sun, in our box was just wonderful. We had our picnic, drinks and comfy chairs in the daytime, and added some blankets and furry throws for the evening as the temperature always drops.
The Rolls Coming Out!
The headliner on Saturday night was The Chicago Blues Brothers and they got everyone up singing and dancing.
Then it was time to head home for some sleep before doing it all again.
Till next time,
SPSG.