My Cool Caravan
A new book and site champions the glory of retro trailers
In the U.S., owning a trailer—or as they say in the U.K. a caravan—has an unfortunate association with low-income living, hurricane magnets and Arizona retirees. Brits Chris Haddon and Jane Field are attempting to change all that by celebrating the greatness of the retro caravan with their nascent website, book (“An Inspirational Guide to Retro-Style Caravans”) and blog, My Cool Caravan.
The caravans, as styled by Field and captured by Australian photographer Hilary Walker, are clean, compact and with an appealing vintage feel. As shown in the gallery and on their blog, caravan owners come in all ages and from all walks of life—from young couples who want a quick getaway to older people who have been “caravanning” for their entire lives. “We sought out caravans that had soul and charm,” said co-author Haddon. “We also wanted to make sure that our readers could take ideas to use in their own caravans.”
The book is divided into sections according to styles, such as “old retro” and “trailer park treasures.” An extensive resource for anyone who owns or wants to own a retro caravan, the website includes helpful tips about logistics such as insurance and cleaning.
For tips on where to find a usable trailer and how to decorate and restore it, as well as a photo gallery and list of events, visit Amazon or Powell’s. For more of Hilary Walker’s work, visit her website.
