Guelph: What, this old thing?
There are certain events that mark the beginning of summer in Guelph: the first time you can sit on the Cornerstone patio without a sweater, the day Hillside Festival tickets go on sale, and shortly thereafter sell out, and for some, the opening of the Aberfoyle Antique Market (
61 Brock Rd. S., 519-763-1077, aberfoyle-antiques.com).
Open every Sunday from April 26th to October 25th from 8am to 4pm, and located just 15 minutes from Guelph and one hour from Toronto, the market makes for a quaint little afternoon spent antique hunting.
The open-air market has over one hundred dealers, offering everything from solid wood furniture, old vinyl records, to, most importantly, a stellar selection of vintage clothing and jewellery.
My first trip to the market this season was for one purpose only, jewellery, more specifically brooches. With so many things to look at, it’s best to divide and conquer. (Last year I spent an entire afternoon searching for the perfect stoneware whiskey jug, haggling with three different dealers as if antique hunting was an Olympic sport).
In the end though, I passed up a Victorian-style ivory brooch for a long, black brocaded coat that fit perfectly and was only $20. No haggling here, this purchase was a no-brainer.
I graduated from the University of Guelph with a degree in philosophy. I am currently enrolled in Sheridan College’s Journalism – New Media post-grad program. My childhood attempt at fashion consisted of pairing a faded 49ers T-shirt with, well, pretty much anything. Since then my closet has evolved into a sea of black and grey clothing, ballet flats and riding boots. If I had the confidence (and salary!) to wear whatever clothing I wanted, I would stock my closet with Dries Van Noten and Bottega Veneta.