Severn Valley Railway + What We Wore

The Severn Valley Railway is a heritage railway that runs from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth following the path of the River Severn crossing over the boarders of Worcestershire and Shropshire in England's West Midlands. In other words, it's a vintage steam train which runs through a number of tiny picturesque towns in Western England. Jeordy and I payed a visit to my childhood home in Worcestershire and decided to spend a day on the vintage railway, an outing I frequently requested and loved as a child. The tiny yet powerful steam engine starts at Kidderminster Heritage Station and winds its way slowly through a green expanse of fields dotted with sheep and lush English forest. This doubled as a fun vintage attraction and a great way for Jeordy to see more of the English countryside.

After some time the train stopped at Bewdley where we hopped off to visit the Vintage Railway Museum. Set alongside the tracks, this large building was once the coach house for many of the impressive steam engines which it now houses. All of the steam engines in the museum are kept in working order and used by the Severn Valley Railway, although the oldest, dating from the 1890s to the 1920s, are only used on special occasions.

We passed the day enjoying the train's luxurious interiors and admiring the quaint countryside with our faces pressed against the glass and often even out of the windows for the best views. We got off at Bridgnorth, the far end, to explore in the rain and have a scrumptious afternoon tea, before riding the train all the way back in the late afternoon.

Jeordy put together a 1930s-40s inspired outfit consisting of an appropriate amount of tweed and wool. Layering is the key to looking fashionable in colder weather, so she was able to put together something which not only kept her warm but looked smart, too.

She wore a vintage Edwardian style blouse with a high neck and long sleeves under a 1940s vintage multicoloured wool sweater, which she then topped with a lovely mossy green tweed blazer. On the bottom she chose a warm (and she claims extremely comfortable) pleated tweed skirt, thick knee high stockings, and her black heels from Aerosoles. As accessories she picked the sensible and classic vintage black wool babydoll hat, and vintage black leather purse. To brighten the outfit a bit she added her vintage Russian floral wool scarf, which protected her exposed neck from the damp chill of the day.

Blouse: Vintage - Thrifted (~$10) Sweater: Vintage - Etsy (~$25)

Blazer: Vintage - Thrifted (~$10) Slip: Target (~$5) Skirt: Vintage - Thrifted ($6) Knee-high hose: Vintage - Gifted

Shoes: Aerosoles (~$30)

Hat: Thrifted (~$15) Earrings: Vintage - Handed Down

Scarf: Vintage - Thrifted (£1)

Handbag: Vintage - Thrifted (£12)

Total Estimated Cost: $115/£87

I am no stranger to an English summer, and by that I mean I am always prepared for rain. Inspired by 1930's outfits for men on train travel I chose a darker palette of colours mostly consisting of greys and browns. My grey Charles Thyrwhitt jacket is part of a suit and one of my go-to's in weather such as this. The brown waistcoat which matched my shoes is also part of a suit, and added a much needed extra layer for the cold train journey. Similarly, the dark blue pin stripe wool trousers, again part of a suit, are incredibly warm but also very comfortable, perfect for exploring small wet towns and also for sitting on trains. The light blue shirt is also Charles Thyrwhitt and very comfortable. The scarf added a warm tone to the darker outfit and was borrowed from Jeordy. The umbrella, though vintage and sadly falling apart, aided against those summer showers. Lastly, my shoes were handed down to me and were formally my grandfathers. They are steady and comfortable leather brogues, perfect for everyday wear and waking.