WARTIME revelry was relived on Saturday as party-goers donned their best dresses and Army attire for a blitz era bash.
In a sea of polka-dots, floral prints, military regalia and trilby hats, guests danced to the sounds of the Three Belles, an all-female, vintage-inspired trio who recreate the sounds of bands such as the Andrews Sisters with their soaring harmonies and lively stage personas for the Essex Blitz Party at Rayne Village Hall.
The atmosphere was energetic from start to finish, with people of all ages dancing the night away, fuelled by a meat stew and pork pies.
Esther Shawe, 41, from Chelmsford, said: "It's fantastic just to see everyone make the effort to dress up; they put their heart and soul in to it."
The Three Belles, Isabelle Moore "Dorothy", Anneka Wass "Betty" and Sally Taylor "Gail", all 23, treated the 'soldiers' and 'civilians' to their set of vintage numbers, with songs about heartbreak, friendship and a good dose of comedy.
Isabelle said: "These are our favourite kind of gigs as everyone just really enjoys themselves. You really get to see people enjoying the music as they would have back then; people went out to forget the war and live in the moment."
Event organiser Carly Sayward-Jones, 32, from Braintree, said: "My favourite bit has been seeing all the dancers and all the guys in uniform. Everyone becomes the part."
