7 Ways To Dress For A Vintage Wine Day Out In West Sussex

Unless you own a vintage wardrobe, knowing what to wear to a vintage-themed event can be tricky. What materials did they wear? What colours and styles are correct for the era? Luckily, a vintage-themed wine day out doesn’t need a full costume, for men or women. Choose 1-2 accessories and a bit of British-fashion knowledge, and you’re set.

Here are seven ways to get it right, along with details of the Bolney Revival event, a vintage-themed day at Bolney Wine Estate in West Sussex. Dressing up is optional, but you’ll receive a complimentary glass of English sparkling wine if you do!

What Is The Bolney Revival, And When Is It?

The Bolney Revival is a one-off vintage-themed day at Bolney Wine Estate in West Sussex, taking place on Saturday, 3 October 2026. The estate is open as usual, with vintage-inspired theming, classic cars, and nostalgic games set among the vineyard. No booking is needed to visit and enjoy the general atmosphere. A ticket is only needed for the two named experiences further down this guide.

7 Ways To Dress For A Vintage Wine Day Out

These seven tips work for men and women, and cover the wardrobe pieces that really showcase the vintage era of the 40s and 50s. Plus, a few practical ideas for spending the day outdoors at a vineyard.

1. Choose your era and style

The 1940s and 1950s cover everything from tailored city glamour to relaxed country style, so there’s no single correct look. Choose whatever era and style appeals to you. For this particular event, country style is worth considering. The Bolney Revival event itself blends motor racing heritage with a countryside setting, and a country-inspired outfit tends to be more comfortable on grass and gravel underfoot.

For women, a 1940s look is a knee-length skirt suit or a shirt dress with a nipped-in waist and structured, padded shoulders, finished with a small hat, such as a pillbox, or a headscarf. A 1950s look is a fuller circle skirt or a fitted pencil dress, often in a floral print or polka dot, finished with a petticoat underneath and a wide fabric belt at the waist.

For men, a 1940s look is a boxy double-breasted suit in grey or navy wool, or, for a more country feel, a tweed sports jacket worn with contrasting trousers and a flat cap. A 1950s look is a slimmer single-breasted suit in grey flannel, or a tweed jacket paired with cavalry twill trousers.

2. Start with what you already own

A tweed or wool jacket in a check or houndstooth pattern, a floral or polka-dot dress, or a knitted waistcoat in a muted colour like mustard, burgundy or forest green can already lean vintage. Look through your own wardrobe before buying anything new.

3. Add one stand-out accessory instead of a full costume

For women, a silk headscarf tied under the chin, a pair of leather gloves, or a brooch pinned to a lapel is a vintage touch if you don’t want to go all out.

For men, a pair of braces worn visibly over a shirt, a cravat (a wide band of fabric knotted at the neck and tucked into an open collar, worn instead of a tie), or a folded pocket square has the same effect. It’s an easy way to join in without changing your whole outfit.

4. Pick shoes that can handle grass and gravel

For women, brown leather jodhpur boots (a short ankle boot with a buckled strap that originated with British polo riders) are genuinely period-correct for 1940s country wear and handle grass far better than a heel. If you’d rather stay in shoes, a 1940s peep-toe wedge heel or a 1950s ballet flat is authentic to the era and much easier to walk on grass in than a thin heel or a pointed pump.

For men, leather brogues or Oxford shoes hold up better than smooth-soled dress shoes. You’ll spend most of the day walking between areas of the vineyard, and thin heels and slippery soles both sink or slide on grass.

To mix and match, try Chuck Taylor Converse trainers, first sold in the 1920s and already a familiar sight by the 1940s, for a more comfortable, casual take on the look.

5. Bring a layer for when the sun goes down

October afternoons in Sussex cool quickly once the light starts to fade. A wool overcoat, a tweed cape, or a cardigan keeps you comfortable if you’re staying for the evening BBQ.

6. Add hair and makeup touches that finish the look

You can easily find vintage makeup and hair accessories in your dresser: a red lipstick, a liquid eyeliner pencil, red nail polish, a comb, and pomade.

For a 1940s look, women wore victory rolls or pin curls, defined arched brows, a natural complexion with a soft rosy cheek, and a bold red lipstick, the signature finish of the decade. For a 1950s look, hair moved to fuller curls or a rolled style, with winged eyeliner, a pale, powdered base, and lips in classic red or rose pink.

For men, a side parting set with a little hair pomade and a neatly groomed moustache or a close shave is enough to finish either era.

7. Remember dressing up is optional, not compulsory

You’re welcome at the Bolney Revival exactly as you are. Dressing up adds to the day and comes with a complimentary glass of Bolney sparkling wine, but there’s no pressure to take part.

British Heritage Fabrics, Tones And Accessories To Look For

Britain’s own wartime history explains why the two decades look so different. Clothes rationing began on 1 June 1941 and stayed in place until 1949, four years after the war ended, according to English Heritage.

From 1941, quality-controlled “Utility” clothing was introduced to make rationing fairer, and Imperial War Museums notes that surviving Utility pieces included tweed sports jackets and leather gloves, made from a limited range of hardwearing fabrics. That’s part of why 1940s British tailoring looks pared back rather than showy.

The 1950s took its cue from Christian Dior’s 1947 New Look. According to the Victoria and Albert Museum, the New Look’s fabric use sparked controversy in Britain while rationing was still in force, and it caught on more widely only after Princess Margaret adopted it. That shift drove the decade’s fuller, more feminine skirts and petticoats.

Small accessories, a tie bar, a brooch, a pair of braces, are usually enough to bring a heritage feel to a modern outfit without needing a full period suit or dress.

What Does “Vintage” Mean In Wine?

In wine, vintage refers to the year the grapes were harvested, usually printed on the wine label. A vintage wine is made mostly or entirely from grapes grown in that single year, so the taste can shift from one vintage to the next depending on the weather.

Jargon explained: vintage vs non-vintage

A vintage wine comes from a single year’s harvest. A non-vintage wine, common in sparkling wine, blends grapes from several years to keep the taste consistent when the weather varies.

England’s cool, changeable climate means vintage variation is more noticeable here than in warmer wine regions. WineGB’s harvest data shows English wine production swinging from around 6 million bottles in one year to over 21 million the next, largely down to how the weather and each growing season play out.

Where Does The Vintage Dress Theme Come From?

Bolney became the Official English Wine Partner of Goodwood from 2026, with our wines represented across Goodwood’s venues and events, including the Goodwood Revival motorsport meeting held nearby every September. You can read more about the announcement on Goodwood’s own site and on Sport Industry Group.

Goodwood Revival’s dress theme comes from the era the circuit itself belongs to. Goodwood’s own guide explains that the circuit opened in 1948, and the event’s style theme spans 1948 to 1966, running from wartime-influenced tailoring through to the fuller, more glamorous silhouettes of the 1950s. The Bolney Revival borrows that same theme.

What’s Included In The Two Bookable Experiences?

Alongside general entry, Bolney is running two ticketed experiences on the day, both served with a glass of the estate’s sparkling wine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to dress up for the Bolney Revival?

No. Dressing up is optional. If you do, you’ll receive a complimentary glass of Bolney sparkling wine on arrival, but you’re welcome to visit as normal without it.

Do I need a ticket to visit the estate on the day?

General entry to the estate on 3 October works as usual. You only need a ticket for the Vintage Sparkling Afternoon Tea or the Revival BBQ.

Is the Bolney Revival part of the Goodwood Revival event?

No. Goodwood Revival is a separate motorsport meeting held at Goodwood Motor Circuit. The Bolney Revival is Bolney’s own vintage-themed day, held at its West Sussex vineyard to mark its new partnership as Goodwood’s Official English Wine Partner.

Does “vintage” on a wine label mean the same as vintage clothing?

No. Vintage clothing means styled in an earlier era. On a wine label, vintage means the specific year the grapes were harvested.

Sources

• Sussex Express — event details, date and dress theme for the Bolney Revival
• Goodwood Media — announcement of Bolney as Official English Wine Partner of Goodwood
• Sport Industry Group — scope of the Bolney and Goodwood partnership
• Goodwood — history and era of Goodwood Revival’s vintage dress theme
• English Heritage — British clothes rationing and 1940s fashion
• Imperial War Museums — Utility clothing and wartime fabrics in Britain
• Victoria and Albert Museum — Dior’s New Look and its reception in Britain
• WineGB Harvest Summary — year-on-year production variation in English wine