A New Vintage Frock

I had a bit of a trying-on session of lots of my vintage clobber last weekend. Sad times. As I bought most of them just after The Great Weight-loss Campaign and have subsequently chubbed up a bit, lots of them don't quite fit any more. Actually, lots of them never really fitted - I was hoping I'd slim down a bit more and magically get into them and, well, that never happened.

On the bright side, the fabulous Vix was in my neck of the woods at the time. All her vintage stock is so incredibly tempting that it's not really surprising that I treated myself to some new bits and bobs, is it? Then I went back the next day and bestowed a large bag of vintage goodies on her. In the spirit of decluttering, I decided to get rid of all the aforementioned stuff that never fitted, along with a load of silk scarves I never wear. Might as well let them get passed onto someone that will appreciate them!

Being the all-round excellent person she is, Vix made me take a couple more delightful vintage frocks home with me in exchange. Think we can all agree that this 70s midi is a winner, right?



As with anything midi on me, I need some extra height so I don't look too drowned by all the fabric. Enter a nice pair of sandals with enough of a heel to help out my poor stumpy legs.



My resting bitch face is strong today but I do love it, I promise! Also well done hair, you look epic here.








Dress - courtesy of Vix's amazing vintage shop
Summery wedges - Dolcis
Ring - Dorothy Perkins sale
Necklace - either Dorothy Perkins or H&M! All my jewellery comes from there...

Long time, no outfit post...

I'm just not entirely feeling it at the moment. Mainly cos urgh, life is severely getting in the way, but also because I am feeling mahoosive right now and outfit photos are not turning out the same way that my reflection does. Funny that.



My new skirt is undoubtedly very pretty though, so that's some solace. As is the cardi. You just have to be careful not to wear it on sunny days because hello awkward tan lines.



Also I've finally been able to dig out all my summer sandals. Yay! These trusty cork-soled wedges have been going strong for about 15 years now. Love 'em.




Skirt - George
Cardi - Dorothy Perkins
Stacking rings - H&M sale
Wedges - Dolcis

Day Five

Liverpool appears to have avoided the hottest day of the year so far.  I bet all the Southerners reading this are looking at me in horror for daring to wear jeans today but it just hasn't been warm enough for anything else.  Plus my right calf is about two inches fatter than usual due to an evil insect bite so dresses and skirts won't be worn until the swelling has gone down.  Fun eh?

I may not be able to get my legs out but I can debut a new handbag. Well, I say new. It's not. It's vintage and it's from a charity shop, but it's new to me and that's what counts. Lovely, isn't it?

Top - ASOS via charity shop

Jeans - Dorothy Perkins

Shoes - Dolcis

Bag - vintage, via charity shop

ps - Some of you may be wondering why yesterday wasn't Day Five.  Well technically it should have been but a day of fence judging is not really conducive to outfit posting.  I wore a waterproof and a high vis vest for most of the day.  I shall try and do better tomorrow.

An Outfit Post Abroad

I do sometimes think it would be lovely to live in a permanently warm climate. Then I go on holiday, come back with painfully sunburnt upper thighs (remembered to apply suntan lotion everywhere but there) and remember that I actually don't cope that well with dressing properly in hot weather. It would be impossible for me to look even halfway presentable - I'd always be sweaty, covered in suntan lotion or sand or have my hair tied back up so it didn't annoy me. I'm much safer in the UK.

That's a long winded way of explaining why there aren't very many pics of me on holiday wearing anything very nice. I managed a few though:

Please ignore my matronly upper arms. They only ever see the light of day on holiday.

I should take all my blog photos in cloisters.

Or on cathedral roofs.


Dress - Primark via ebay
Sandals - Primark
Sunnies - Marks & Spencer

Beachfront ones are more tricky though. It was so windy this night (hence the scragged back hair) and I kept getting blown off balance whilst trying to stand still and have my photo taken.



Dress - Peacocks via car boot sale
Cardi - Topshop, present from the ever-lovely and generous Char
Shoes - Dolcis
Watch - shop in Barcelona
Ring - Dorothy Perkins sale
Bag - H&M via car boot sale
Toenails - Barry M Spring Green


And despite the fact that this is a total out-take shot (I should have a special folder entitled Alex Arses Up The Self-Timer), I am showing it to you because...duh duh duh... I found some green trousers! Aren't they quite fantastically green? Expect a proper outfit post featuring them soon.


(Pa demanded credit for his photography so here goes - thanks Dad! Awesome holiday companion that you are.)

The Long and Short Of It

I remember, not so very long ago, that I was griping loudly on here about shorts not suiting me. But I find blogging is very good for making you expand your fashion horizons. I took the plunge and bought a pair in the Gap sale last year.

I was an immediate convert. Then I went nuts and bought the infamous H&M ones in both red and navy.

And I've even plucked up the courage to wear my shortest and most madly patterned pair.

Want to see my new pair? I went bold with these ones. Prepare yourself for some orange shorty goodness:

They're definitely drawing comments from the people at work! It must be the colour of them because everyone should be used to me getting my legs out by now. I do love a bit of orange.

Shorts - George @ Asda sale
Top - Matalan
Cardi - H&M via charity shop
Shoes - Dolcis, ancient
Wristy thing - silk scarf
Ring - Next sale

Vintage Bargains?

(but only when it's a bargain)

I've decided to start treating the big Oxfam store in town as less of a charity shop and more of a bargain vintage store. I'm just as guilty as anyone of bitching and moaning about how prices have gone up in charity shops recently but the same applies to vintage stores. I'm a girl in constant search of a bargain and I'm no more likely to spend £12.99 on a secondhand Primark dress from a charity shop than I am £55 on a dirty, ripped 70's maxi from a vintage shop.

But this particular store always has a really good selection of stock. Their stuff is clean, it's good quality, it's in good condition and I personally think prices are pretty reasonable. The frocks tend to range from £6.99 to about £12.99 (maybe up to about £20 for the more evening dress type things but I don't tend to peruse that section). I know this can't compare to unearthing vintage treasures for £2.50 in a little charity shop or 25p at a jumble sale but frankly, I don't have that kind of luck! I'm constantly envious of Vix's bargain hunting skills and have come to the conclusion that I just don't have that sort of luck/instinct/perseverance.

My general rule of thumb tends to be that if I love it and I'd pay the same price or higher for it in a High Street shop then I'll buy it. Do bear in mind that I'm quite stingy and rarely buy anything from proper shops that isn't on sale. Ultimately I'd rather my money went to the charity but I won't pay silly prices for things from charity shops. Barnados in Hunts Cross, with your £39.99 grubby Oasis frock, I hereby name and shame you. I know they have overheads etc but ultimately they're getting their stock for free so I strongly object to being swizzed on prices.

The manager of my local YMCA shop has strong views on this. We had an excellent chinwag about it last time I was in and most of the other customers chimed in with their thoughts (mostly outrage at the prices that the shops in Smithdown Road charge). She's firmly of the opinion that she prices on the low side of realistic because it gets people shopping there and they will come back again and again in search of a bargain. She won't implement the national pricing standards because the shop is always way ahead of its targets anyway. Rock on Mrs Charity Shop Manager.

Ahem. Where was I? Oh yes, today's frock cost £9.99. I think that's reasonable. It's a little too big around the waist but a belt sorts that out. I bought a couple of other dresses whilst I was there but one didn't suit me and has winged its way across to Pearl and the other has a pesky pinging zip which will need fixing before I can wear it out in public safely.

The print is a little bold but hey, I like the crazy prints. That's why I am drawn, magpie-like, to the vintage section in the first place. It's just so much more interesting, colourful and shiny.

Frock - vintage, possibly handmade? No labels anyway
Cardi & belt - Primark
Wedges - Dolcis, present ages ago
Ring - Stolen Thunder

Matchstalk Men

Item number two from the weekend's vintage shopping purchases: a patterned shirt. And what a pattern it is! There's something very Lowry-esque about it.

Jeans - Dorothy Perkins
Shirt - vintage (I think West German? The label is definitely foreign)
Wedges - Dolcis, present
Bangle - pinched from Mum's jewellery box

First of all, do excuse the giant black socks faux-pas I'm making in these photos. We are having an extremely unpredictable sort of day weather-wise. I had to dash out in a break in the pouring rain to quickly snap these photos and it was just too cold to go bare footed so emergency socks had to be brought into use. In my defence, no-one can see them under my desk... It's also too cold to have any sort of bare arms on display, so I'm currently huddled in a work fleece jacket. Stylish it is not.

Interesting fact for you all - I have never worn flared jeans before today. Never. I bought these a few months ago in a fit of madness, encouraged by surprisingly flattering changing room lighting. Despite being petite length, they are too long for everyday wear and need wedges or platforms of some description so the time has just never seemed quite right to wear them. This shirt seemed to be crying out for something super 70's to go with it though so I brought them out for their first airing today. I'd like them to be a darker wash as I'm feeling thigh conscious in them in a way that I never am in my indigo skinnies, but they're kinda fun. I shall channel my inner Donna and stomp around a bit. I'm sure I'll grow to love them.

Voila!

Item number one from the weekend's vintage shopping purchases: a slightly mad maxi.

Confession time. I did not buy this for myself. I saw it and immediately thought "ooh, I could totally see Vix in it." However, upon getting it home I realised it would absolutely swim on her (am I the only one who is TERRIBLE at judging sizing in things without labels? I seriously thought it was much smaller than it really is) and tried it on myself. It fits, I love it and I'm keeping it.

It's a bit bolder than things I usually buy but I think this is the year of breaking out of my comfort zone. Playsuits, maxis, crazy prints - there's room for them all in my wardrobe now!




Maxi - vintage
Vest top - Dorothy Perkins
Cardi - Primark
Wedges - Dolcis, present
Sunnies - Marks & Spencer
Vintage bangles & beads - present from lovely Zoe
Flower clips - H&M