By Andrea McVeigh.

Buying vintage is the most stylish way to recycle in these cash-strapped times.

You still get to spend money, and boost the local economy (in the form of individual retailers and tradespeople), but each item you buy, whether it's a piece of Art Deco jewellery or a 1960s Pop Art radio, comes with its own story.

Doyenne of all things vintage, Becky Moore, of online store Decadence Vintage, knows this only too well.

That's why she set up her fabulous Frock Around The Clock vintage fairs (the next one is being held at Belfast's Wellington Park Hotel on Sunday 15th February).

The benefit of behind buying vintage is that there's no cost to the environment in terms of manufacturing - the item is already in existence, it's just new to you.

Becky sums it up well when she explains why she's so passionate about vintage.

"When I'm wearing a fabulous vintage evening gown to a special event I always wonder about the woman who originally wore it 50, 60, 70 or more years ago, and wonder about her life and her loves."

Green Living will be at the fair with its own stall - we'll be the ones with the manic collection of 1950s/'60s and '70s homeware, from plates decorated with 1950s Parisian city scenes to 1960s coffee sets and a super cool original Harry Bertoia diamond chair - so call over and say hello.

Becky used to own and run a vintage Decadence boutique in Bangor before it closed down in January last year, and she moved her business online.

But, being a vintage junkie, she continued to scour shops, fairs and markets in London and longed for a similar scene in Northern Ireland.

So, she created one herself in the form of the Frock Around The Clock vintage fairs, which will be held four times a year.

"Thus my idea for Frock Around The Clock was born, with the aim of helping the survival of the vintage-selling community and the preservation of our history through the survival of vintage items.

"I also want to raise awareness of vintage and promote it as an attractive and environmentally-friendly alternative to modern consumerism and the throwaway fashion society that we are living in.

"I'm always going on about superiority of fabrics and workmanship in most vintage pieces compared to modern high street fashion - which is why they have stood the test of time."

The fair stands for everything that Green Living loves about buying vintage - each item comes with its own story and history, and, even if you never find out what that history is, it's fun to imagine.

Who owned that gorgeous necklace before you and what glittering social occasions was it worn at? And where did the funky retro vase live before it landed up on your mantelpiece?

"Vintage is the hottest look around right now and is set to become a necessity as people want to spend their money on unique and classical investment pieces, rather than throwaway fashion fads," says Becky.

"We are also becoming more ethically sound in our consumer choices and recycling items of beauty from the past, taking them on a journey from one loving owner to another, allows us to be stylish with a conscience."

As Becky says, the fair will feature an abundance of "time-travelled treasures", which is not only romantic (considering that the fair is being held the day after Valentine's Day) but totally 'green' too.

There'll be antique and vintage clothes, jewellery, homeware, reclaimed and antique furniture, ceramics, silver, vintage comics and vinyl records, limited edition prints.

The recycling theme takes a further fashionable twist at the fair as there'll be local young designers showcasing everything from T-shirts to accessories, which have been made from recycled and vintage textiles.

Even the music will be vintage! The Siobhán Pettit Jazz Quartet will be providing a musical medley of tunes from the 1920s to the 1950s.

Ultimately, for green types, it's a great opportunity to get your hands on a real item of beauty, at no added cost to the environment.

Plus, visitors can have a vintage makeover as there'll be hair and make-up demonstrations taking place throughout the day - you could go home sporting a retro-fabulous beehive!

Becky is also responsible for a fortnightly e-newsletter filled with news about the fairs as well as vintage recipes, sewing projects, recycling initiatives, features, style and beauty tips, news about local vintage-themed events and reviews of vintage shops outside Northern Ireland.

For more details about the fair or to sign up for the newsletter, visit Becky's website at www.northernirelandvintage.com and see you at the fair on Sunday 15th!

Photocaptions: Above - recycled vintage furniture, directly above, young local designers showcase their recycled accessories.