MyStyle-Fashion, Vintage and Me............

A London day out and coloured jeans

2012-01-15T10:38:00.000Z

Yesterday hubby and I had a lovely day out in London. We strolled along the South Bank up to Borough Market but decided to visit Southwark Cathedral first, which is so stunning and beautiful.

I am pictured in front of the organ, which is totally massive and very impressive!

After taking in the wonder of the Cathedral we ventured into Borough Market, which was a hive of activity and gorgeous smells. The vast variety of food was amazing too and we bought some English and French cheeses, French bread and apple chutney for lunch later.

We stopped off at the Mudlark just under London Bridge for a refreshment stop of mulled wine and cider before venturing home for a late relaxing lunch and lounge.

I've been wearing my red skinny jeans quite a lot, they are from Next and are a thick denim ideal for winter. Jess Cartner Morley did an article yesterday on coloured jeans. This trend is sure to continue this season, with pale pink. hot pink and aqua being the 'it' colours this summer.

Will you be in coloured or printed denim this season?

Current/Elliott and J Brand jeans-less than £5!!!

2012-01-12T11:58:00.001Z

Well I really was the early bird that caught the worm at the charity shops on Monday morning. Since New Year, I've really got the denim bug and I certainly bagged the best bargains of the year so far.

The 2nd shop I visited was Scope and I picked up these Current/Elliott mushroom skinny jeans-when I saw the price and the size I was amazed! I quickly checked the other rails and was giddy with excitement when I spied these J Brand Earhart jeans!! First stop was the changing rooms and was I pleased when they both fitted like gloves! On to the cash till and out the door and although I visited 3 more shops I didn't find anything else, not that I was worried though!

Now nicely laundered and pressed I thought I would show you my spoils!!

The J Brand Earhart are last season and are still available in the sale on Mywardrobe for £132 and the Current/Elliott The Skinny cord jeans are on sale for £94.99 on Net-A-Porter

On Tuesday I had more thrifting denim luck as I picked up a pair of James jeans for only £3.75 and a Levis denim skirt for only £3.99!!

My denim obsession really now needs to come to a halt for the moment as I need to be thrifty in general-its great to get bargains, but like everything I still need to watch the budget!

Whats been your best buy of the month so far?

Thrift Inspiration, Double Denim's New Dawn at Grazia

2012-01-07T14:42:00.000Z

I've noticed that nearly everyone is being very frugal and thrifty as we start the new year and two of my last purchases of 2011-just after Christmas, were a denim shirt and some coloured denim skinny jeans. These are items that I can wear now and also in the summer and will always be on trend.

So after getting my New Years Grazia on Thursday for just £1 as I used the prior editions discount voucher, I was pleased to see my new purchases were totally inspirational for Grazias fashion feature-Denim's New Dawn:

There is a lot of double denim going on, a trend that really took off last year and not only is blue denim featured, coloured denim is in the mix too:

The feature suitably inspired todays casual outfit, which is my denim shirt by H&M, scarlet red denim skinny jeans by Next and purple wool cardigan which I bought a couple of years ago from Uniqlo and is still going strong. The shirt and jeans were thrifted from my local Sue Ryder charity shop-both came to less than a tenner too!!

I'm on the look out for another feminine cut denim shirt with gold rivet fastenings, this one has silver and is short sleeved, making it a really versatile item for winter and summer, as are the coloured skinny jeans.

What is on your style radar for the new summer season?

Cocoon coats, Vintage v Modern

2012-01-04T16:14:00.001Z

Cocoon coats have been in style for decades now and the earliest picture I can see is from Balenciagas Fall 1954 collection, featuring this rather fashionable cocoon design:

Fast forward more than half a century and Prada have the style in their Autumn/Winter 2011 collection-the shape and cut is so easily such a style classic, reinvented by different designers virtually every decade in plain or printed versions:

Before I realised the coccon coat was back in fashion this winter, I had bought this 1960s heritage green version for my vintage fashion fair stall. It had not sold all year and I decided to try it on last month as an alternative day winter coat and its been in my own wardrobe ever since!

Lisa Armstrong did an article on cocoon coats last month, featuring an Etro claret version and I do agree with her that they are such a style which tend to go with skirts or trousers and have the added bonus of allowing thick jumpers underneath without creating extra bulk.

Here is my Aquascutum coat in action with skinny jeans-its a perfect day coat and I really love the colour too:

What style of coat are you currently in this winter?

Gucci vintage handbag- Christmas present to me!

2011-12-28T10:35:00.003Z

A big hello to you all!! I do so hope you all had a very Happy Christmas and are enjoying the rest of the holidays- fortunately for me, I am not back until next Tuesday-hurrah!!

Before Christmas, I was really excited to find a gorgeous vintage Gucci handbag which is in a classic flapover style- bang on trend for this season too!!

The first picture is the Gucci 1973 medium flap bag, with double G detail, currently available on Gucci's website now for £1520-totally gorgeous, but well out of my price range! It just goes to show how style does goes round in a cycle-the two designs of these handbags are so very similar, decades on:

Which is why I always love designer vintage pieces-for a fraction of the price and with its clean classic lines, this is certainly a real style investment purchase which will never date:

I love the gold G clasp fastener and as well as a few compartments it also has the added feature of a detachable strap so it can be used as a clutch too! With my Chanel no5 parfum from hubby for Christmas too I've been very fortunate indeed!!

I hope you all received some really lovely presents this Christmas and I'd like to take the opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year and a peaceful and successful 2012. Many thanks to all my readers who either read, comment or follow-your views are very much appreciated and please feel free to chat to me on twitter too-I've just signed up!!

Tissavel Vintage v Talitha at MyTheresa and Happy Christmas too!!

2011-12-15T09:48:00.000Z

Of course at this time of year, faux fur is an instant style piece to be worn and keep you snug and when I saw this Rachel Zoe 'Talitha' coat which was available at MyTheresa for £435, I thought I must start wearing my vintage version by Tissavel bought earlier this year

Talitha coat by Rachel Zoe

This is me wearing my version last winter and I'll certainly be wearing it again this season too. What I like about both coats are they are perfect day to night coats as by evening they will go so well with a LBD underneath.

This will most probably be my last post of 2011-my laptop is currently being repaired so service is more intermittent than usual!! I will endeavour to read and try and leave comments for all of you lovely bloggers over the festive season though.

In the meantime, wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and a very Thrifty and Stylish 2012-however you will be wearing it, have a fabulous one!!!

Mixing Vintage with Modern-Faux Fur and Miss Worth

2011-12-07T11:18:00.000Z

Hi everyone, I hope you are all having a great week so far! One of my key pieces for winter so far has been this faux fur winter white gilet by New Look, which I thrifted last year at the boot sale for only £2.

I'm wearing it with another high street favourite of mine, this fluffy black jumper by River Island, which I purchased last year brand new. Both pieces are teamed with my vintage 50s skirt by Miss Worth-originally a dress, but altered into a skirt to make it a versatile and key item in my wardrobe.

My black Clarks boots complete this winter look and black and winter white are definitely my favourite colour pallettes at the moment.

What is your favourite colours to wear this winter season?

Pop Up Vintage Fair, Hampstead

2011-12-05T09:35:00.000Z

Hi everyone!! We were at the Pop Up Vintage Fair in St Stephens Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead yesterday for their Christmas vintage fair and what a fantastic and gorgeous day it was too!

The hall was decked out in lights and tinsel and the lovely organiser Maxine had really pulled out the stops to ensure the day had plenty of Christmas cheer and atmosphere. She had also thoughtfully left out some chocolate santas for the stallholders too, yummy!! The lovely ladies from Vintage Teatime were in attendance and there was mulled wine, a beauty parlour and live music from the fabulous Three Belles.

Unfortunately I didn't get many photos at all as my battery went on on my phone, but check out the website for more on the day itself! It was also really lovely to meet the gorgeous Missy Vintage who had travelled down from Norwich for the day-so nice to meet you my dear!!

It was a great day and I look forward to seeing everyone again in the New Year.

I hope you all had a great weekend and wishing you all a lovely week ahead too!

Party dresses from George at Asda

2011-12-03T18:00:00.014Z

The lovely people from George at Asda has invited selected bloggers, including myself, to pick from a selection of party dresses from their range currently available and I decided to go for the G21 bird print dress, which is a bargainous £14.

What I really liked about it was not just the lovely print, but the cut and style, as it is perfectly versatile as a summer dress too. Here I have paired it with a pair of royal blue opaque tights, some diamante hoop earrings and a pair of black suedette peep toe shoe boots to wear for a pre Christmas get together with family:

The shoulders have a frill detail and the dress itself has two front pockets and an elasticated waist, making it a really stylish and comfortable dress for going out to a party or for an evening meal.

The whole range features dresses from jewel bright colours, to snakeskin print to the ultimate LBD with a budget that won't break the bank. From lace to floral to swirls, polka dots and chiffon there is bound to be a dress to suit!!

A big thanks to George for sending me my dress, I'm sure I will be wearing this not only for evenings out but also during the summer too!

£15 Party Dresses at Goddiva!!

2011-12-02T11:10:00.000Z

Hi everyone!! If you are still looking for a reasonably priced party dress, then do check out Goddiva, where they have a lovely selection of evening and party dresses for only £15!!

There are a variety of different styles, colours, cuts and patterns, so there should be something there to suit that Christmas night out if you're still searching:

I have just ordered the Origami satin dress in black, a perfect LBD for Christmas and also general evening wear!!

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend whatever you get up to-happy shopping too!

Wardrobe Addition-Vintage Arctic Fox faux fur

2011-11-27T13:58:00.002Z

My favourite item of clothing for winter is always a vintage faux fur jacket or coat and I was fortunate to find this vintage 'Arctic Fox' by Glenn Models Ltd, an English vintage faux furrier.

I only found it a few weeks ago at a neighbouring town's St Francis Hospice charity shop and priced at £20, it certainly beats the cost of a new coat from the high street. Its great timing as I can wear it straight away-it is a touch oversized, but thats all the better for snuggling in and wearing with skinny jeans and a wool polo neck for a cosy winter look.

I'm wearing flat brown ankle boots and I think a plain outfit with this pattern of coat is all that is necessary. My black skinnies are Baxter jeans at Topshop and were last weeks bargain thrift find for only £2.50, my one and only pair of black jeans!

Do you have a favourite winter coat or jacket that you will be wearing soon? I am hoping to visit all my regular blogger friends this week, with a comment hopefully too!!

Wishing you all a great week ahead!!

Thrift Inspiration, Make Do Style!!

2011-11-23T11:28:00.001Z

I have not really been buying much lately, just a few vintage pieces for my stall at forthcoming vintage fashion fairs. I haven't kept up with my blogging very well either, time just seems to be galloping away!! I do read my fellow bloggers latest posts but have not been commenting, so sorry to you all!

I was in my local town yesterday and was really pleased to find this LBD party/evening dress-its a Christopher Kane for Topshop limited edition from September 2009 and for £14.99 I had to snap it up from my local British Heart Foundation charity shop.

Reading my lovely blogger friend's latest post today, Kate at Make Do Style is doing a blog post series on A Dress A Day for under £100 and todays post echos my sentiments too- a love of second hand clobber and that nowhere is off limits in the shopping world- jumble sales, boot sales and charity shops included.

I think my find is a case in point-where else would I find such a quality, designer collaboration dress for only £14.99? For this price on the high street, I may be able to find a party dress in Primark or Peacocks, but I doubt I would love it or wear it for years to come!

For inspiration on that all important Christmas season dress, do check out the series that Make Do Style is featuring, from High Street to Designer to Vintage, her picks will surely inspire you if you've not already found that all important dress for your Christmas party or evening out!!

Layering up-Missoni, faux fur and leather

2011-11-15T09:15:00.001Z

So far this season I haven't yet worn any of my winter coats, instead I have been layering up and getting out old favourites.

I hadn't worn my Missoni foulard for a long while and its vibrant colours of purple, orange and gold thread will liven up a winter outfit. Last year I thrifted this faux fur gilet for only £2, which is a modern one from New Look. Its great as a layering piece over a leather or denim jacket and as you can see here, with a cashmere cardi underneath, I am really cosied up!!

Wearing Primark leather biker jacket (thrifted), New Look faux fur gilet (thrifted), M&S grey cashmere cardigan (thrifted), M&S grey skinny jeans, black ugg style suede boots, Gucci handbag (thrifted) and Missoni foulard (thrifted)

How are you keeping warm at the moment-are you in your winter coat or piling on the layers?

Falke tights at Tightsplease

2011-11-12T13:35:00.003Z

I was really pleased to be asked to review a pair of opaque tights from tightsplease and immediately decided to go for this seasons on trend colour, rioja- a perfect wine colour shade to go with winter outfits in shades of berry, brown or black.

I thought I would wear my favourite black hunza style, 80s bodycon dress as a skirt to show the tights to their advantage and I'm wearing my aztec style chunky knit jumper and brown suede Pavers boots to complete this winter look.

These winter tights by Falke are absolutely lovely-a really comfy waistband, soft and warm-just like gloves for your legs!! Made of soft merino wool, they come in sizes from small to extra large and retail at £29.48, as well as being available in a variety of different colours too. They have excellent customer reviews and are a great winter investment-wearing them for the next 6 months will only work out at £5 per month cost per wear!!

A big thanks to the people at Tightsplease - they really are a quality product and I will certainly be wearing these a lot this coming winter.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend-keep warm and cosy, whatever you get up to!!

Jean Varon-70s does 40s tea dress

2011-11-05T17:29:00.002Z

As you all may know, I love vintage dresses, especially if they're floral. I was lucky to find this lovely Jean Varon 70s crepe chiffon tea dress at one of the fairs I do. The dress dates to the 70s, but with the key hole opening at the back and batwing sleeve, definitely has a 40s feel to it and can be worn effortlessly from day to evening-with appropriate footwear of course!!

In Saturdays Guardian, Jess Cartner Morley is reviewing tea dresses and is wearing the infamous Miu Miu this season tea dress, which is totally gorgeous. She shows in her video what is on the high street this season from ASOS, Marks and Spencer, Warehouse and Topshop.

Of course, the tea dress vintage way offers the original real deal from the 40s or 70s and can be found either by thrifting at the charity shops or visiting a vintage fair near you.

Will you be wearing a tea dress this season?

Feeling Leopard print love for winter!!

2011-11-04T10:48:00.000Z

I am such a fan of leopardprint, be it on coats, jackets, shoes or boots and when I was asked to review these leopardprint bootees for Kaleidescope, who not only do a great range of footwear, but also offer a range of ladies fashion and homeware too, I jumped at the chance!

I picked these ankle boots from the lovely range of womens boots available and I think they will be ideal for this coming season. Leopardprint is on trend yet again and these will prove a versatile item in my wardrobe.

They have a low kitten heel, so are perfect for day to evening wear, ideal for wearing with jeans or a pair of black evening trousers:

The material is velvety to touch and the sides have an elastic gusset too

I think they are the perfect choice for me and a great way of chanelling some leopardprint love!! A big thanks to Kaleidoscope for my delightful footwear!

What style of footwear are you chanelling this season-is leopardprint on your style radar?

Pop Up Vintage Fair, Hampstead

2011-10-31T16:25:00.001Z

The Pop Up Vintage Fashion Fair yesterday was a real success, with a fabulous atmosphere and a wonderful flow of visitors. We were all treated to the singing sensations, The Three Belles who sang a medley of tunes in the morning and the afternoon.

The gorgeous Vintage Teatime were also in attendance, providing visitors and stallholders alike to a variety of gorgeously delicious home made cakes and tea-they really are a wonderful company and offer a mobile vintage tea party service, which should be considered if you ever have a vintage party!!

The fair was held at St Stephen's Rosslyn Hill which is now decommisioned. It has been fully renovated and restored to its former glory and is the perfect venue for vintage fashion, creating a lovely ambience and it was a really decadent and chic day out!

My stall below, was just at the front so we got a lovely view of all the people flocking in, including Mr Ricky Gervais-you can see we managed to get a picture of myself and the lovely man in question!!

Thank you Mr Gervais for stopping for a picture!!

Below-The Three Belles

Vintage Teatime getting prepared for the off!!

A big thanks to the lovely Maxine too, who really does such a fabulous job organising the fairs here and at the Town Hall in Hampstead-the fair was a wonderful success with a great buzz and atmosphere and the Christmas fair should be fantastic-I can't wait and anyone who is about on Sunday 4 December should definitely try and pop by, either to treat yourself or look for the perfect unique vintage gift for Christmas!!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend, whatever you were up to!!

Thrift Inspiration, chunky knits style!!!

2011-10-26T13:08:00.002+01:00

Well, winter is well and truly on its way and there's no better way of cosying up than wearing a hand knit chunky knit sweater or cardigan.

From designer to high street this is a trend which has so many different styles to suit all tastes and budgets and patterned or plain, it really is worth investing in at least one or two to see you through the winter.

They go so well with skinny jeans, floral tea dresses or the latest trend midi skirt. Here are my favourite picks which are currently available at Net-A-Porter and Topshop:

Etro, £360 from Net-A-Porter

Proenza Schouler, £785 from Net-A-Porter

Jil Sander, £1320 from Net-A-Porter

Fair Isle, Topshop, £38

Tweedy cable knit Topshop, £40

As you all know from my previous jumper posts, I do love chunky knits and here are a couple I picked up during the summer from my thrifting trips to the boot sale:

They are both chunky knits and were a complete bargain-the green was £1 and the multi colour knit was £2!! The charity shops have now started putting out their winter stocks so using these knits as inspiration, why don't you go and hunt down a stylish cosy bargain for much less than the high street or designer versions?

What sort of style of knit will you be wearing this winter?

Emma Forbes Life & Soul book launch at The Club at the Ivy

2011-10-18T11:42:00.002+01:00

Last night we were invited to The Club at the Ivy in London to celebrate the launch of the lovely Emma Forbes new book, Life & Soul.

Emma has her own website, ForbesStyle.com, which is a lifestyle online site which gives fresh inspirational advice on presents and parties for any occasion or age. Her book shares all her secrets on entertaining and celebrating in style-for anyone needing help or inspiration on hosting that all important party, her book is a must read!!

The evening was a decadent and fun affair and Emma looked totally amazing, she was wearing a Dolce & Gabbana number which was fabulous!!

Photo: Celebrity-pix

It was also lovely to see again the fabulous Mrs TNMA too, we had a fun filled evening with drinks and canapes a plenty which were totally divine-I loved the mini shepherds pies!!

I was fortunate to receive a copy of Emma's book and hubby managed to get it signed-for him!!

I didn't get any outfit shots, but here is a picture of my two favourite pieces that I wore last night- my recently thrifted Valentino lace tuxedo jacket and my coloured snakeskin clutch:

Hubbys signed book!!!

A very big thanks to Halpern for the invite too, it really was a fun filled glamorous evening and I wish Emma a lot of success with the new book too!!

A chunky knit for this season

2011-10-16T17:05:00.000+01:00

Autumn has arrived and my winter wardrobe is slowly amassing some heavier layers. Mindful that chunky hand knits are very much in trend this season, I was pleased to spot this really good condition, aran hand knit jumper which is so thick and warm and was purchased in my local Sue Ryder charity shop this week.

I'm sure it will be such a versatile piece in my wardrobe-I'm wearing the jumper today with thrifted Topshop skinny jeans, but it would also go well with a pencil skirt, a floral dress underneath, or even my 50s skirt featured in my last post!

I'm wearing Christophers horn necklace from Topman and a floral Gap shirt underneath

I also have a chunky aran knit cardigan which I thrifted in Spring and I've already worn it this season

What item of winter clothing is on your radar to buy this season?

Thrift Inspiration, Worth-The Effort

2011-10-11T17:54:00.001+01:00

A couple of weeks ago I visited a fairly new boot sale to me which is open on Fridays. This particular one doesn't tend to have many stalls but this one morning because I was prepared to rummage a big heap on the floor, I found a few treasures. I unearthed a couple of Jean Muir dresses (cleaned and already sold!), some vintage 40s handbags and a couple of 50s dresses. One was in great condition, a cotton day dress and the other one was sadly well worn under the arms but had to be bought because of the label and quality-Miss Worth of London.

According to the Vintage Fashion Guild, Worth London Ltd and Miss Worth are descendants of The House of Worth, the grand French couture house founded by Charles Frederick Worth in 1858. The Worth name was bought by Sydney Massin, who founded Worth London Ltd and was open on Grosvenor Street, London until 1967.

Beacuase of the provenance, I had to ensure that I salvaged this wonderful piece to its former glory. The dress had a sleeveless fitted bodice with the skirt fanning out but on trying on the dress it was clear it could not be saved in its entirity.

So at the Vintage Fashion Fair on Sunday, the seamstress in residence there, the lovely Nanna at www.facebook.com/splendidstitchesclothes quoted me a price to alter the dress to a skirt and worked on it all day, making a completely new waistband, sewing the hem up, doing an invisible mend and putting in a new zip. She even put in the original label for me and it was ready for well before closing time:

It was hard work for her, as the material is silk and lined and she had to use silk thread to maintain a professional finish:

The original lining maintained, above and below, the exquisite print close up:

Above, the original Worth label-the dress now skirt is from the late 50s so is 50 years old!!

I adore the skirt and just want to get a patent black or white wide vintage belt to go with it. I've a lovely original 50s cotton blouse which will go with it nicely.

Cost wise after alterations, the skirt is about what you would pay on the High Street, but I've had the pleasure of finding and salvaging an original 50s piece which may or may not have been rescued from a huge heap on the boot sale floor.

What lengths would you go as far as to restore a vintage or modern item?

There goes Summer, wearing thrifted Topshop

2011-10-05T12:04:00.001+01:00

The weekend was an absolute scorcher and for October it was such a treat to go out not only in bare legs, but with shorts and no jacket required! We headed for the park for a lazy Saturday afternoon.

My outfit of choice was some 7 For All Mankind cut off jean shorts which are thrifted and are years old, a pair of pink Havaiana flip flops and my newly thrifted Topshop 70s style floral kimono satin bias cut blouse, which with its wide sleeves, was a cool and boho chic style choice.

It was from the same seller as my picture skirt at the boot sale last week for just 50p-I couldn't not buy it and its already a favourite of mine as it can be worn casually or dressed up!!

It ticks a lot of style boxes for me-floral, 70s style, kimono with a bias cut-thats a lot for 50 pence worth!! For me its a true last minute summer bargain!

Back to reality now, the sun is out today but the temperature has dipped-back to jackets and October dressing! What will you look forward to wearing as the weather gets back to Autumnal temperatures?

Last sunny day in September!!

2011-09-30T16:05:00.000+01:00

For a long time now, I've always hankered after a 'picture' skirt-I had a couple as a teenager and I think they make such a pretty summer skirt.

I was pleased to pick this one up at the boot sale this week for only 25p-I think its from the late 70s, early 80s and perfect for the scorching sunshine we are having today!! It really is an Indian summer for us at the moment, I hope it goes right through this weekend!!

The picture is of perfume bottles, mirrors,dressing tables and accessories. The skirt has a side button feature too and I'm wearing a black Zara cami top with it. The skirt to me has quite a 'Carrie' vibe to it, I've linked back to a previous Sex and the City vintage outfit post I did back in 2008-it shows that vintage never goes out of style, especially when its paired with something modern.

Wishing you all a really great weekend whatever you get up to. There are no vintage fashion fairs for me this weekend but I'm at Primrose Hill next Sunday. I'll be browsing the boot sales tomorrow and Sunday for late season bargains most probably!!

Thrift Inspiration, Helmut Lang style!!!

2011-09-25T16:12:00.001+01:00

I've always loved the minimalism of Helmut Lang-the sharp lines, elagant silhouttes and his use of black and white, denim and deconstruction in his style have made him a designer whose pieces I've always admired through the late 80s and 90s.

Net-A-Porter have a gorgeous range of the current collection, which is now under the creative direction of designers Michael and Nicole Colovos-money permitting I would love the leather and wool asymmetric dress and the Analog leather jacket-perfect for the 'Fetish' trend going on this coming season:

Still, I am more than consoled by this Fridays find at my local boot sale, this gorgeous buttersoft black leather deconstructed style bag by Helmut Lang for only £1.

It will go perfectly with my charity shop find earlier this week in my last post, my black waxed River Island skinny jeans. Its a perfect day to night bag and is already a favourite in my wardrobe!

What style of bag will you be wearing for this coming season?

Thrift Inspiration, Fetish Rock Chic Style!!!

2011-09-22T16:47:00.002+01:00

My favourite look for Autumn and Winter is the 'fetish' trend, or for me, its more of a rock chic look.

I love the Giles outfit below, featuring skinny black jeans and a feathered jacket. Many designers such as Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and Alexander McQueen are channeling this trend with feathers, fur, patent, leather and waxed denim, plus lots of red lippy which is certainly the order of the season for this look.

My take on this look was very recent at Toni and Guy for London Fashion Week. I do love skinny black trousers and the ones I wore above have a faux leather trim down both legs and were bought at River Island last winter. I wore my vintage Thierry Mugler jacket and 'I Love London' Topshop tee with them for the evening.

Net A Porter have black waxed skinny jeans available for this season, Burberry Brit (above) are £225 and Ksubi (left) are £185. These style jeans are perfect for day to night wear and can easily be glammed up or dressed down with a cardi or hand knit jumper for casual day wear.

As I love this look and you can never have too many skinny black trousers or jeans, I was pleased to find these waxed black skinny jeans by River Island for £6 in my local Barnados charity shop this week.

They don't have too much hanger appeal but look great on-I'll do an outfit post with them soon!!

I know they will be perfect for a day look with a cosy knit or fur bolero and for night, with a tailored tuxedo or a leather black biker jacket. What look is inspiring you for Autumn and Winter?

London pop up vintage fair at Hampstead and Cision Top 10 Vintage Blog

2011-09-20T19:51:00.014+01:00

This Sunday was the pop up vintage fashion fair at Hampstead and it really was a very decadent and enjoyable affair. As you can see, their vintage cafe sells a delicious array of homemade cakes and cupcakes, which not only look good but are very tasty indeed!! We treated ourselves to a gin and tonic cupcake and a red velvet cupcake!!

The fair was held in Hampstead Town Hall and was busy with lovely stallholders and customers a plenty!! The pictures I took are of the main hall, we were situated in the smaller hall across the first floor landing.

It was a really great day out and it was good to be able to have a mix of different pieces on the stall for all our lovely customers too!!

Check out my links to all the vintage fashion fairs on the right for future dates and venues-it would be great to see you at any and you're bound to bag a vintage bargain or two!!

It was also fabulous to receive an email from Cision (a global media intelligence provider) to say I was in the Top Ten Vintage Fashion Blogs again-thanks so much!! Congratulations to Vintage Vixen and Penny Dreadful Vintage who also have top spots in the Cision list too!!

Toni & Guy at London Fashion Week S/S 12

2011-09-17T13:35:00.010+01:00

On Thursday evening, Christopher and I made our way to Somerset House for the Toni & Guy Hair-Fashion show at London Fashion Week.

Naomi Campbell opened the show- Hair Meet Wardrobe, which showcased four different categories- Casual, Classic, Glamour and Creative.

Over 60 models took to the catwalk to promote the new range. The show was fantastic and it was great to leave with a goody bag of the new Hair Meet Wardrobe styling products too

Queueing to get in and once inside we were treated to champagne, pimms and canapes.

Love this chair!!

Two rows back from Naomi Campbell!!

Matthew Williamson and Olivia Palermo front row

The after show party was held at the Hospital Club, with canapes and drinks again being served and music by DJ Dan Lywood.

Toni & Guy are already a major presence at London Fashion Week-they've worked it backstage for over 15 seasons, so it was a great honour to be at their first ever Hair-Fashion show which kicked off London Fashion Week. Thanks to Halpern for our invite too, we had a awesome time!!

MIA and Vintage Fashion Fair

2011-09-12T21:04:00.006+01:00

Hi everyone!! I've been away for quite a while, trying to get into a work and school routine and I've also enjoyed just reading everyones blogs without commenting or doing new posts-very lazy but just the mood I've been in really!!

Yesterday was the vintage fashion fair at Primrose Hill which Christopher came along to, so he could take photos with his 'new kit' (18th birthday present and a set up for future freelancing) and also to do some shopping in Camden.

We all had a fabulous day-apologies for not posting the event beforehand, but I now have updated my blog on the right hand side so a link to the fair is on here, so feel free to check out future dates by clicking the link through to the website.

Here are my favourite pictures he took of my stall-if you want to see all his pictures, then check out his facebook page link on the right hand side of my blog:

Me checking out some bargains!!

I hope you all have a great week-thanks for all your fabulous comments you've been leaving for me and a big thanks to all my readers and followers too. I hope to resume a fairly normal service of commenting back very soon, I just need to get my blog mojo back!!!

My Best Summer Thrift Find, some Lee Bender at Bus Stop!

2011-09-02T18:00:00.004+01:00

Hi everyone!! Firstly a big thanks to you all who commented on my new header, I was the 'muse' for my sons holiday college project and I decided to use the photos for my blog-thanks Chris!

During one of my thrifting trips last month I visited one of my favourite shops, which is my local town's Salvation Army. Whilst rummaging the rails, I was totally amazed to find this vintage 70s navy floral blouse by Lee Bender at Bus Stop no less!! The thrill of finding this by thrifting is as fabulous as finding an Ossie Clark or Jean Varon, the pieces being so rare and covetable. Its relatively easy to track these down on ebay, but generally at a cost, so to find this on the rails was a real pleasure indeed and is my favourite blouse for sure!!

I'm wearing it as a jacket with a simple black vest underneath and a pair of Levi's skinnies which I've had for a few years now.

Today has been a real scorcher weatherwise and hubby and I went for a lovely walk in one of our favourite Essex country parks.

Wishing you all a really lovely weekend, heres hoping the weather stays gorgeous for the next 48 hours!!

Thrift Inspiration, Ferragamo style!!!

2011-08-30T15:00:00.002+01:00

It feels like a long time since I've done a 'Thrift Inspiration...' post, but the turn of the weather and my latest charity shop find has prompted me to do one at last!!

A favourite recurring trend this Autumn is houndstooth, plaid and tartan and its been reworked by designers such as Yves Saint Laurent and Salvatore Ferragamo, who has brought out this gorgeous dress for this coming season:

On a shopping trip last week in Colchester we came across a hospice shop, which had an amazing amount of 'vintage'. I was really pleased to find this gorgeous St Michael Marks & Spencer houndstooth Chanel-esque cardigan, which ticks a few boxes for me-namely its really thick and cosy for now, is a great hybrid cardi jacket and is a perfect print for this season:

Its been ideal to wear for our temperamental weather now, I've teamed it with my Topshop denim gilet and Breton striped tee underneath and my grey M&S skinnies and summer ankle pirate style boots:

I love wearing jewelry too, especially earrings. What trends are influencing your look this season?

Day Tripping on the Orient Express

2011-08-28T13:28:00.005+01:00

It was my mums 75th birthday this year so we decided to celebrate in style and go on the Orient Express for the day. We checked in at London Victoria station and had a complimentary coffee before departure:

I am wearing my thrifted Marc Jacobs silk tea dress and thrifted Topshop cream tuxedo jacket!

On board, we had a welcome glass of champagne and a couple of glasses of chilled white wine before our delicious 3 course lunch. We had leek and watercress soup for starters, chicken for mains and an almond roulade for dessert-very nice indeed!!

The journey to Deal was lovely, it was approx 93 miles of lovely countryside and some more chilled white wine!

We stayed in Deal for around 2 hours, enough time for a stroll in to town, along the Pier and a rest on the seafront for a spot of people watching.

On our return journey we had afternoon tea, which was an assortment of sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam followed by pastries-delicious! All washed down with fine English tea.

Our carriage was the Pheonix-previous visitors to this carriage was Sophia Loren and The Queen Mother!!

Mum and me on Deal Pier

We were presented with a little box towards the end of the trip-a belgian chocolate truffle, not a diamond ring!!

It was a fantastic day and one that I would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to do something that bit special for a loved one-departures are in different areas of the UK, we went on the Pullman from Victoria in London.

I am back to work on Wednesday, the holidays have gone very quickly indeed. With the weather so up and down it will be good to get back in to a work routine again!

I hope you all have a lovely week ahead and for those of you who may be affected by Hurricane Irene, I wish you safe and well.

Latest Clarks Offerings

2011-08-26T17:50:00.004+01:00

I love to see every season what Clarks are offering with their shoes and handbags-they are now featured at Spartoo and some of their items are still on sale!

Having grown up with the brand like many of you, I still like to buy shoes from there every so often. Here is a pick of my favourite pieces available now and they also have a fabulous range of co-ordinating handbags too!!

Cadiz Treasure, £71

Moi Madame, £62

Modest Beauty, £67.20

Miss Louise, £71

Miss Daisy, £80

Ripple Wave, £67.20

What traditional brands of clothing and footwear do you still buy, regularly or every now and then?

Summer plays havoc with my blogging......

2011-08-23T19:03:00.003+01:00

A big hello to everyone!! The summer seems to be going by so quickly-unfortunately the weather during August has been so temperamental here, I'm thinking have we seen the last of the wonderfully sunny days?

I hope you are all enjoying August and making the most of summer, whatever you are up to. My mum and I went on the Orient Express on Saturday which was a memorable and fantastic experience, I hope to blog about it soon.

I've nothing really planned now until I go back to work, so I hope to catch up with you all and read your latest posts!

I'm wearing my trusty summer staple of a Topshop denim gilet with a Roberto Cavalli top and Marni skirt.

I've tried to wear a few summer dresses this season, but I still tend to gravitate back to jeans and tees-what has been your favourite summer style staple this year?

Thrift Inspiration, Snakeskin style!!!

2011-08-18T17:08:00.005+01:00

The big trend for Autumn and Winter is snakeskin-Gucci, Versace and Prada featured it at Milan Fashion Week for 2011-2012 and its not only the traditional brown colour featured, its actually gone multi coloured for this coming season:

Multi colour snakeskin, read about it here at Look magazine

Grazia also featured it recently, showcasing High Street retailers who have taken the trend on board:

If a dress, skirt or blouse isn't your thing, then how about investing in a bag, belt or a pair of shoes in multi colour snakeskin?

I thrifted this lovely little snakeskin clutch bag at the boot sale a couple of months ago for my vintage fashion fair, but considering its bang on trend and something uniquely different, I 've decided to put it in my wardrobe instead!!

I love the mix of multi colours and it will go with a lot in my wardrobe and certainly will dress up a winter jacket or coat.

Will you be getting into the multi colour snakeskin trend this coming season?

LBBs for Now and Later

2011-08-17T18:02:00.003+01:00

Summer is still here but thoughts of Autumn and Winter dressing are not too far away and a good compromise of a versatile item to buy now are some LBBs-Little black boots which Spartoo have in a great range of styles and budgets.

They look great for a casual look dressed with denim cutoffs and a tee, or to fierce up a pretty summer floral dress.

Here are a pick of my favourite styles which are quite plain and minimalist, but all the better to go with more in your wardrobe!

Betty London, Vatchi, £75.00

Blink Maron, £71.00

Esprit Manuela bootie, £80.00

Melissa Kissing, £72.00

TBS Chiema, £88.00

Will you be investing in a pair of LBBs this coming season?

Feeling Blue in Comme des Garcons Spots and Stripes

2011-08-14T03:00:00.002+01:00

The last couple of days since being back from Canterbury have been spent just catching up on chores and generally relaxing and also trying to catch up with my blogging too!!

For not doing much requires a fairly casual outfit, plus I fancied wearing all blue (could be as its that time of the month) so I'm wearing my Levi's flares with a Jane Norman striped cami top and my Comme des Garcons & H&M shirt-all thrifted from local charity shops.

I bought these flip flops for Robert when we went to Clacton last year and have now decided to wear them myself-I find cheap flip flops really comfy and cool during the summer and these ones remind me of when I was young and were about the only style of flip flops around!!

More relaxation is on the cards for today and I wish you all a very nice week ahead, whatever you get up to xxxx

A Canterbury Tale..... away from it all

2011-08-11T16:00:00.007+01:00

Hi to everyone, I thought I would share my some of my pictures of our family break away. We booked to go away to Canterbury and we also visited the coastal resorts of Whitstable and Herne Bay. We actually left our home on Sunday and on switching on the TV on Monday morning were horrified to see of all the riots that had taken place literally a few miles from where we live.

Suffice to say how sad and terrible things have been, especially in the main regions of London, Birmingham and Manchester I was so pleased my family were away from the problems. We live on the Essex and East London borders and our local towns of Ilford and Romford did experience some of the problems, but thankfully not as huge a scale of other areas. A couple of my sons friends were mugged for their bikes and phones in our own local parks, which is so sad and frustrating with it being the school holidays, as now for the forseeable we don't want them going there, which is such a shame for them all.

Anyhow, we had a really fabulous family break away and here are my favourite photos which feature Canterbury and the Cathedral, Herne Bay and Whitstable. Canterbury is a stunning city, steeped in history and exquisite architecture and what I loved most about it was being able to roam freely and stroll in the evenings, which given the present atmosphere where I live was so refreshing and enjoyable. Both coastal resorts were so easily accessible from Canterbury-Whitstable is a wonderful fishing resort with delicious seafood available and Herne Bay is a quaint, laid back English seaside town:

Herne Bay

Whitstable

We were blessed to have gorgeous weather and had a marvellous afternoon of sunbathing and paddling on the beach on Tuesday and we've just made it back home today before the weather turned and back to rain!! August is proving to be a very temperamental month weatherwise, I hope summer is not over yet!!

I sincerely hope the riots that have taken place have not affected any of you and that you are all keeping safe and well whatever part of the UK you live or are in. I am quite behind with blogging too so I hope to be visiting you all over the next few days.

Wishing you all a very nice, relaxing and sunny weekend too!!

Mixing Modern and Vintage Liberty

2011-08-01T14:27:00.003+01:00

A couple of months ago I posted that I found these Liberty vintage 80s shorts and wondered how I was going to style them. I had some excellent advice and a lot of comments suggested a white tee or vest top and a denim waistcoat.

I bought the Zara linen mix vest top a couple of weeks after getting the shorts and I've being wearing my Topshop denim gilet a lot this summer as its proved so versatile and goes with a lot of my wardrobe, plus its a great layering piece when the weather is being so unpredictable:

The sun has finally appeared in the South East and is glorious indeed, I hope it stays for quite a while longer. I do so hope you're having a good start to the week whether you're on holiday or at work. At the boot sale yesterday I stocked up on a good few books to last me the month, at 10p each and the most expensive at 50p, its a cheap alternative for ensuring I have a relaxing and chilled out time off before I gear up for our house move which will be either late August or September.

Whats on your agenda for resting and relaxation this summer?

I'm wearing my studded Matalan sandals too to pull the whole look together:

Guest post by Lucy @ Vintage London

2011-07-29T18:45:00.004+01:00

I was recently approached by budding young journalist Lucy to do a guest outfit post for her blog Vintage London, which you can see here

Thanks so much Lucy for a lovely post and best of luck with your internship at the Telegraph, I know you will do so very well!!

This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago when we actually had some sun!! The weather forecasters keep saying it will be sunny, but the last few days have seen virtually no sun at all-I am hoping for a bright weekend!!

I do hope to catch up with you all very soon and I wish you all a fabulous weekend, whatever you are up to xxx

Perfect holiday bags by Paul & Joe Sister

2011-07-26T09:15:00.004+01:00

When I saw these bags over at Spartoo, I immediately thought how perfect they would be as either a travelling bag on holiday or perfect for a weekend break.

The floral or plain beige designs are ideal for any environment and will make any outfit look stylish and complete, plus they look very spacious if you decide to use it for work at the office, collecting your treasures at the boot sale or for your shopping!!

Eloise Ada, £50

Bi-colore lope, £63

Ella Aloes S, £44

Bi-Colore Daly, £47

Will you be treating yourself to a new summer bag this season-whats your favourite for holding the kitchen sink in-is it florals, plain, totes or doctors bag style?

Plus a note to all my blogger friends!!!

I just want to say to everyone who has left comments on my posts recently that I've been having problems leaving comments on some of your blogs-I'm not sure if its a common issue or if its my browser (I'm using internet explorer as google chrome crashed a few weeks ago).

I have tried for about 4 days now with particular bloggers so I need to try and investigate now why I can't leave the comments. Apologies to those who do consistently leave lovely words, this is the reason too why they are not being returned at this time and I do hope to resolve what the problem is soon.

Wishing you all a very happy week ahead!!

Vintage Wrangler

2011-07-23T16:46:00.006+01:00

This summer I've been keenly collecting sleeveless boleros and waistcoats, as they are not only stylish but are a great layering piece over shirts, cami vest tops and dresses.

For quite a while now I've been coveting a Wrangler vintage denim waistcoat and I was pleased to find one at last on ebay last week. I am wearing it with my thrifted white Reiss shirt which I got from the DEBRA charity shop in May. I'm not a real fan of white shirts, but I found this one and one last week by Margaret Howell which I'm sure I will style with many different pieces in my wardrobe.

I'm also wearing my trusty grey denim skinnys from Marks & Spencer and my years old Peacock beige wedges which are still going strong!!

I really love waistcoats for summer and they are proving a versatile, stylish and indispensible item for me this season. What piece would you not be without this summer? I'm so sorry I've not been visiting you all regularly, now I've broken up for the summer holidays I am hoping for a bit more spare time, but with a house move planned things may continue to be rather hectic through August!!

I do wish you all a lovely weekend whatever you do or wherever you are. The weather here in the UK continues to be rather erratic, I do so hope the sun comes and stays out soon for us all for the next month at least!!

Vintage Versace Fest!!

2011-07-19T15:53:00.010+01:00

As you may know, I've been a fan of Gianni Versace for a while. My love affair started when I purchased this 90s Gianni Versace dress above on my very first A.B.C meet with the gorgeous Wendy Brandes back in July 2008.

This was my first Versace piece and in April I was so excited to pick up at my local charity shop The Art and Craft of Gianni Versace, see my post on it here.

It has been great to see how Lady Gaga has embraced vintage Versace and last month Grazia did a post on it and showed off some absolutely stunning pieces being sold by Zone7Style. I've just been browsing their Versace pieces and totally drooling-check out their amazing collection here

Lady Gaga wearing vintage Versace in her own ecletic, quirky stylish way:

Well onto my amazing find which is a 90s Versace Film Poster jacket:

I'm wearing it just with a cami and jeans but my full intention is to wear it with my cobalt blue Versace jeans.

Then again, maybe not, as head to toe in one label may not work that well, I'll have to try and see!

I was especially pleased to see that Zone7Style have the Versace film poster skirt in cord but I certainly could not wear the whole look as a suit!!!

Its only a few months until the eagerly awaited H&M and Versace collection.

So what is you opinion on Versace-vintage, modern or the new collaberation?

Mugler Handbag Love.....

2011-07-16T14:28:00.005+01:00

I've long been a Thierry Mugler fan especially his designer collections of the 80s and 90s. So I was pleased to see that his modern range of handbags are available on Spartoo and they are in the sale with some upto 50% off too!!

Jena, £36

The collection is lovely and there is a tote, handbag or shoulder bag in a variety of different colours, shapes and styles to suit all tastes and budgets.
I'm seriously tempted to get the red version-its my favourite here as it's a cute bag for summer days and gorgeous for evening wear too:

Zenith 94, £59

In PM 1, £18

In 7, £33

Lema, £43

Will you be shopping for a last minute sales bargain? Wishing you all a fabulous weekend whatever you get upto, unfortunately its been raining non stop here and I think its more of the same tomorrow too!!!

Sincere apologies for not visiting regularly either, summer is proving quite hectic but I will endeavour to visit you as soon as I can xxx

Blogger Meet, aka A.B.C, aka Pimms Time!!

2011-07-11T14:47:00.004+01:00

On Saturday it was so lovely to meet up with gorgeous blogger friends Kate of Make Do Style, Ms Peelpants of Vintage-A-Peel, Ms Penny Dreadful Vintage and Wendy of Wendy Brandes Fine Jewelry

It was actually the 4th A.B.C-Annual Blogger Convention, as I like to call it-I've managed to attend 3 out of 4-see Wendys fabulous post on past meet ups here

We had a wonderful lunch at Giraffe restaurant first and then we stopped off at a local public house for our Pimms Fest, where the lovely Mr B was official photographer and so kindly kept all the ladies glasses topped up at all times.

A few hours later we ended up at the Hamilton Hall in Liverpool Street for a Bon Voyage drink.Heres to the 5th one this time next year-a good time was had by all and it was so nice to see Wendy again, especially as she was not well on the Friday evening.

I also had the Vintage Fashion Fair in Primrose Hill yesterday and it was so nice to meet the lovely Ceri of Style Eyes Fashion Blog. It was a really good day, very busy and enjoyable to meet new customers and stallholders.

I am sorry as I really am so behind on catching up with you all, but will endeavour to visit your blogs during this week. Wishing you all a very good week ahead, whether its hectic, relaxing, vacational or working!!!

Casual Style in Gap and River Island

2011-07-06T19:15:00.003+01:00

The weather has been really lovely these last few days and for dressing down I wore a pair of recently thrifted River Island indigo skinny jeans, rolled up for a capri style look, with a plain black vest top and a Gap Liberty style print blouse that I rarely wear.

I like the idea of wearing blouses or shirts over a vest top for a summery layered look- I've been looking for a denim shirt but haven't had any luck so far.

When theres not much to do except work, housework and chores I like to be comfortable and casual and this is my sort of go to outfit for lounging.

What is your summer casual outfit of choice?

Its also the Vintage Fashion Fair at Primrose Hill on Sunday, the days seem to be flying by so this may be my last post before then!!

I hope you are all having a good week ahead so far-although I haven't been to any boot sales or charity shops just recently it seems the days are just going so quickly!!

Not long for the summer holidays now though, six weeks of hopefully sun, relaxation and general chilling out!! What are your plans for the summer?

Saturday Evening on the South Bank

2011-07-03T19:21:00.007+01:00

It has been lovely weather this weekend and last night hubby and I decided to have a drive to London and take a short walk and people watch along the South Bank from Tower Bridge. We stopped and pitched up on the grass by City Hall on the Thames with some drinks and nibbles, watching the world go by. We then had a stroll and came across the outdoor Art Exhibition, Rites of Life

It really is a stunning and free exhibition, which is worth stopping to look at:

I wore my 90s Jean Paul Gaultier body con tube dress which was originally a maxi but I cut it down for a more wearable and summery outfit.

I also wore my trusty leather biker jacket which I got from the Sue Ryder charity shop and is from Primark-its a favourite and goes with anything!!

I hope you all had a lovely weekend and heres to more sunshine for all of us this coming week!!

MyStyle Summer Trend: Sleeveless

2011-06-30T10:11:00.007+01:00

With the temperamental weather we are having here in the UK, my main staple of choice for this summer is a sleeveless waistcoat, gilet, bolero or cardigan.

If you like denim, then why not check out the denim jeans at Ellos. They also have a great collection of jeans for men. Check out the website now at http://www.ellos.co.uk/.

I thought I would do a few inspirational posts of my sleeveless pieces and this first post is based on denim and leather. This sort of piece depending on style-ie denim, leather, crochet, sequin, wool is ideal for this season, especially over a dress as you can still see the niceness of it but be slightly covered up for day or night if necessary.

The first denim gilet was originally a denim jacket which you can see in my header post and I decided to cut the sleeves off to make it more versatile and wearable for summer. The jacket is by MOTO-Topshop and I thrifted it last year at the charity shop for around £3.

This 3rd waistcoat was won on Ebay a few weeks ago when I asked for styling advice for something to go with my Vintage Liberty shorts and Hunza skirt.

The lovely Vintage Vixen suggested a denim waistcoat and I really liked this idea, as you can see if you click here, she styles her's to perfection and always wears it in very inspirational ways.

This Topshop waistcoat was won for less than £5 and I'm sure I'll get a lot of wear out of it.
My next couple of posts will feature more 'glam' sleeveless pieces and some 'crotchet and wool' pieces- for summer day and nights I really think they are so stylish and versatile.

Whats your 'Go To' or 'Must Have' style item for summer?

This second sleeveless piece is a brown leather gilet which I found a couple of weeks ago at the boot sale for just £2. Its an ideal cover over a cami top and jeans or over a dress:

Joe Browns for Summer!!

2011-06-26T20:29:00.003+01:00

I was asked by the lovely people from Joe Browns to do a review of their collection.

It was hard to pick from a Joe Browns Tea Dress, a Summer Maxi Dress or an Evening dress, so as I've been after a vibrant floral maxi summer dress, I chose this one below:

I was at a Christening, so I wore it with my thrifted black feather bolero and beige wedge sandals-the dress is actually a beach maxi dress, but it has proved versatile for a more formal look. I chose this maxi beach dress in a size 10 which is a perfect fit for me, especially around the bust and hips.

Because of the occasion I wore a slip underneath for a more fuller and complete coverage, although I wouldn't bother with one if I was wearing it to the park or beach as it isn't see through anyway.

I also chose this lovely Aztec all in one playsuit which I chose in a size 12, as I think they look better as a roomy look, especially if worn on the beach.

Both items I reviewed are not only in the sale at £14.95 each but have received a 100% shopper review too, so its not only me who thinks they are great summer items!!

I would definitely recommend both these pieces if you're after some versatile key pieces for summer which would take you from day to night if you choose the right accessories and shoes and both are fabulous for the beach or any other summery occasion!!

Thanks to Joe Browns, I am happy with my new summer items!!

Shimmery Summer Accessories

2011-06-24T09:16:00.003+01:00

Now Summer seems to be finally here, its great how it coincides with the sales and getting those last minute finishing touches to your wardrobe for holiday, day or evening wear.

The fabulous boho chic brand Antik Batik have some gorgeous on trend accessories featuring gold, silver and sequins-plus the range of accessories available are also in the Summer Sale over at Spartoo as well!

Here is a pick of my favourite pieces which will update any existing summer outfit you already have in your wardrobe:

Antik Batik Kouba Belt, £23

Antik Batik Gloria Bracelet, £60

Antik Batik Engy Necklace, £30

Antik Batik Novy Tote, £81

Antik Batik Indiana Necklace, £22

Are you looking for any last minute holiday accessories this Summer?

Some more 80s from Hunza

2011-06-19T12:04:00.005+01:00

Last week at the boot sale I found a piece from my favourite vintage 80s designer Hunza. As you know I found a neon green skirt last month by Hunza and I also have a couple of their vintage bodycon LBDs too.

As soon as I saw it on the rail, I grabbed it straight away-the material is so unmistakeable, its like a bubble texture and this skirt has a lace overlay to it:

I've dressed it down here, with a grey cami tee, black leather biker jacket and my new black and silver gladiator sandals from Matalan-which I've just noticed are in the sale now, definitely a bargain for £10!!

The skirt was a total bargain for £1-it's great to thrift something which is a vintage favourite.

What has been your favourite vintage or thrift find lately?

Thrifting for Pleasure and Giving back too

2011-06-17T16:57:00.004+01:00

A couple of months ago whilst out on a London drive, we stopped off at West Hampstead as they have a nice little High Street with quite a few charity shops. I was looking for pieces for the Vintage Fashion Fair, but when I come across something I love, it will primarily end up in my wardrobe!

I found this gorgeous black wool crepe, satin applique and embroidered jacket in one of the charity shops. There was no label in it, but from looking I was quite sure from its Art Deco styling it could be by Janice Wainwright. I had found some other Janice Wainwright pieces similar to my jacket on Posh Vintage-her work is just so distinctive and detailed.

I also emailed my lovely blogger friend Ms Peelpants, who has an immense knowledge of all things vintage and has the very covetable and gorgeous online vintage shop, Vintage-A-Peel- do stop by there if you haven't already, she stocks really stunning vintage designer items.

She was 99.9% sure it is by Janice Wainwright and as I don't have any of her pieces, I'm definitely keeping hold of this!!

I have been very fortunate to thrift some truly lovely finds over the last few months and years come to that, so when I heard about the fire at the Oxfam Huddersfield Wastesaver plant last month, I decided to raid my wardrobe over the last few weeks for some quality items that I just did not wear or need anymore and this morning I took the bag to my local Oxfam branch.

I think when you thrift regularly its really quite nice to give back every now and then-not only do the charity benefit but its a great way of decluttering and keeping your wardrobe up to date with items you truly love and wish to keep for that much longer.

Now Summer is here-well for us in the UK, it's here one minute, gone the next-its a great time to have a wardrobe clear out and check those summer items are still wearable-if not, why not do a bag for charity and while you're there you can always have a rummage to replenish supplies!!

Have a great weekend everyone, whatever you get up to!!

Summer Inspiration Shoes, Ballet Pumps

2011-06-15T03:00:00.001+01:00

In the last few months I've become quite interested in ballet pump style shoes- not only are they very cute looking, they go equally as well with dresses, skirts and jeans and if you pick the right pair they are very comfortable too. They make a great summer shoe alternative when you want a closed toe, light soled shoe.

My leopardprint ballet pumps are well and truly worn out, so now I'm looking to be inspired for picking a new pair.

I really like florals for Summer, but plain black, especially with ribbon lace is so chic and casual. Here are my favourite picks:

Mules at Home, Rose Noir £64

Mules at Home, Ines Camoflage £59

Mules at Home, Elie Rose £61

Mules at Home, Zora Noir £59

Mules at Home, Mina Noir £67

Will you be picking a Summer shoe this season, if so what sort of style?

21-Twice Over!!

2011-06-13T03:00:00.005+01:00

Cheers boys, I'll make sure I'm not 'Mommy Dearest' from now on:

Well, I'm now 21 Twice over!! I did have a fabulous time despite it raining ALL day, hubby drove us to Harrods, where we had a nice browse and I was treated to a box of Laduree macaroons, something I've always wanted to try and now finally have-very delicious indeed!!

Not a great picture, but shows off the lovely earrings my friend gave me for me birthday!!

Laduree is really gorgeous, if you can afford it and have the time, tea and patisserie is the order of the day, but we decided to get a gift box to take home and indulge in!!

Our afternoon was spent having a delicious Family BBQ at home-despite the rain hubby managed to cook a lovely range of delicious food on the barby-just as well it had a lid otherwise we would still be hungry!!

The champagne and macaroons were lovely for afters!!

And Music wise I indulged in Capitals Summertime Ball-so pleased I could listen to it in the dry rather than those who braved the wet for it!!

A lovely Birthday spent with with family, good food, drink and music-can't ask for much more!! Hope you all had a lovely weekend and thanks to everyone for their lovely Birthday and Well Wishes too!!

Last weeks thrift find and my Birthday present

2011-06-10T10:52:00.004+01:00

Last week I found a quite a few pieces, some for the vintage fair and some for me!

One of the items for me was this H&M and Comme des Garcons polka dot ladies shirt in my size for just £2.99. I'll wear it this summer open, with a cami vest underneath and some shorts:

I love finding rarer designer and high street collaborations and as I am a fan of Comme des Garcons too, this is certainly a keeper for me

I tried to make it a rule that I wouldn't buy personal items at the Vintage Fashion Fairs, but what a stupid rule-as soon as you set yourself fashion boundaries, they do tend to fall quite easily-well with me anyway, lol!!

As its my birthday this weekend, when I saw this gorgeous wool quilted vintage Jaeger jacket at Primrose Hill, I had to have it so hubby agreed it could be my birthday present.

I love the gold stitching and ric rac and also the colour and aztec design. It is wool and very light and I'll definitely be wearing it this weekend!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend, the weather is so unpredictable here at the moment, so I hope to dodge the rain and stay in the sunshine!!

Whirlwind Weekend at the Fashion Fairs

2011-06-07T18:12:00.003+01:00

Hi everyone, I have only just logged on to my laptop after 3 days, it has been a really busy weekend- a good one, just busy!!

I did a Vintage Fashion Fair on Saturday as well as Sunday, Saturdays one was at Wanstead, East London which I didn't blog about as I was a bit nervous it being my first time there. I didn't need to worry, as it was a lovely atmosphere and had a steady flow of customers and it was great to meet new sellers and also see again my lovely blogger friend at Elegancemaison who also had a stall.

I wore one of my thrift finds from last week, a 60s cotton sundress by Berkertex, quite in trend for this Summer too with Nautical style stripes:

My stall on Saturday:

Hubby and I had a really nice day, the weather was so hot so I didn't need a cardigan or jacket!

Sunday we were at Primrose Hill which was another lovely day out but the weather was really quite cold and then it poured down with rain!!

My outfit here is a silver 60s crocheted jerkin which was a find from the Wanstead Fashion Fair and my maxi skirt is a thrift find from last week and has a lovely Ethnic print-I'm not sure if its Egyptian or Indian but its a favourite for Summer:

It was back to the day job yesterday and I hit the boot sales and charity shops yesterday and today too, so feel quite knackered!! I'm behind on my blog reading, so I will definitely be checking in with you all over the next few days!

The sun has been out today-hurray, I hope it stays for a few days at least! Wishing you all a good week whatever you are upto!!

Thrift Inspiration, Kate Moss Style

2011-06-04T03:00:00.001+01:00

More thrift finds this week and as a big fan of Kate Moss, I was pleased to pick up this Photo book by Kate Moss and Liz Tilberis, which has totally amazing stunning photos of Kate back in the 90s.

I picked this up in my local Sue Ryder charity shop for only £2.95 and was pleasantly surprised to see them selling on Amazon of between £30 to £100, depending on condition!!

Well I'll be keeping my copy and this is my 3rd Kate book now:

When this picture first appeared in 2006, I just loved this total look-the shorts suit is just gorgeous and the hat really perfects the whole outfit:

So when I saw this Kelly Brook for New Look sun hat in the PDSA charity shop this week I had to get it-its not a trilby but I am in need of a sun hat this season and for £2, its very much Kate inspired with the polka dot banding:

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend and heres to more of the lovely sunshine that we've been having in the UK and for all of you wherever you are, I hope the weather is lovely for you too!!

Wrangler skirt, but not for me!!

2011-06-02T19:28:00.005+01:00

I bought this vintage 70s Wrangler denim skirt quite a while ago, but I've only worn it to be photographed as it unfortunately doesn't really fit me!! Well it fits, but is too snug on the waist-its meant to be high waisted, but is more suitable for a size 8 or a small waisted 10, so off it goes to the vintage fashion fair if its not snapped up before.

I kept it hanging in the wardrobe thinking it may well be fine to wear, but the photo session this morning was as long as I could do. I love the back pocket details, it really is a great find and is just waiting to go to the right gal to enjoy and wear!

Measurements are: Waist 26 inches, length 24.5 inches, hips 36 inches-for any one interested, I'll be selling it for £20.

Have you had many pieces that you've hoped will fit, but sadly don't?

High Street and Thrift Buys this week

2011-05-31T12:57:00.005+01:00

Hi everyone!!

I just want to say a big thanks to your replies in my last post, I've really taken on board the styling advice and comments received. The main opinions are pairing the skirt and shorts with a white vest or tee or shirt, a denim waistcoat and I also had a suggestion of colour blocking with the green skirt.

Wth this in mind, I decided to look for plain white tops this weekend. Yesterday I had a wonderful lunch with my mum at Harvey Nichols to celebrate her 75th birthday. Afterwards we browsed the Knightsbridge shops and one of my favourite High Street stores, Zara.

I rarely buy from the High Street anymore but I figured I should try and get brand new modern tops to go with my vintage items to make them look more stylish and versatile for the summer. I chose a couple of tops, one was this dark beige one which is a linen style tee which I'm wearing today with my Marni skirt and Peacock wedge sandals:

I think this top will go with a lot of my summer skirts and I really like the slouchy v neck and overall style of this tee. I also bought a vest/cami top in white to go with the Liberty shorts and Hunza skirt and I was pleased to win a Topshop denim waistcoat on ebay last night so hope these pieces will all style up well together!!

Todays thrfit finds were this cute leather black and brown satchel, which is minus its long strap but I still love it-it has a few compartments and is a great size too-not too big:

On Saturday, I was at the charity shop and saw this Reiss blouse for £6. I thought it was a lot to spend so left it, but considering I spent £15 on each of the Zara tops I quickly rushed back to the charity shop this morning and snapped the blouse up!!

It is folded at the bottom but is actually longer and it does style up quite slouchy. I was so pleased it hadn't gone as it will go with so many items in my wardrobe. So now I have a white blouse and a white vest top to style with last weeks finds.

Its half term this week so I'm having a rather chilled, relaxing week as the Vintage Fashion Fair is on this Sunday at Primrose Hill-click here if you want to apply for free tickets to get in!!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and wishing you a great week ahead too!!

80s Thrift Finds for Summer

2011-05-25T18:18:00.004+01:00

As you all know, I am doing my Vintage Fashion Fair every month and love to find suitable pieces for my stall. It is very tempting to keep pieces myself but generally I am good and have been putting things I find aside to sell.

However, I've been coveting an item of vintage Liberty of London for a long time now and when I found these, it was two finds in one for me-floral shorts and vintage Liberty.

They are typical 80s design, long line and high waisted and I think they'll prove versatile as I would also wear them rolled up. I would welcome styling suggestions too, as I don't want too much of a typical vintage or typical girly look when I wear them.

Another fab 80s find for me was this neon green Hunza stretch skirt, which is a lot more vibrant and colourful and neon-y than the photo shows!!

I loved Hunza back in the day, I had bodycon dresses and a gorgeous 2 piece skirt suit sourced from a boutique in the Roman Road market in East London - I still wish I 'd kept all my pieces, but gave them away when the boys were young. So when I find their pieces now, I'll try and make them wearable for me.

Again, style tips most appreciated, I think I may go for a grey or black tee, denim or leather jacket and flats-maybe cowboy boots.

I love finding vintage or retro dresses, but its great to find separates so you can incorporate them easier into a modern looking outfit.

What has been your recent favourite thrift find?

Looking Reem in Red Footwear

2011-05-24T03:00:00.002+01:00

For those of you uneducated in my County of Essex language-Reem is another word for nice or a complimentary adjective, according to one of the stars of the BAFTA award winning show, The Only Way is Essex-check out Joeys explanation here.

Anyhow back to style matters-I have hankered after a very nice pair of red shoes for a long time now as I did have a pair of red canvas wedge espadrilles a few years ago, but had to get rid of them as they made my feet quite sore.

So I've been looking for some inspiration for red on my feet and having a browse round, the choice may be harder, as not only are there some great sandals and shoes about, there are some lovely boots too!!

Here are my favourite picks of red footwear-I so love the red ballet shoes, but the boots are pretty fabulous too:

Hush Puppies, Lottie £88

Merell Lotta, £77

Cubanas, Piedra £67

Best Mountain, Cerada, £56

Buffalo, Baby Bill, £44

Is red on your shoe radar this Summer?

Lunch in Brighton and My Weekend

2011-05-22T13:46:00.007+01:00

Yesterday hubby and I decided to take a drive out and we ended up in Brighton.

It was such a lovely hot day and we managed to pack in a lot, starting off with lunch at an Italian restaurant with a view of the beach and seafront, before a gentle stroll along the beach, stopping to listen to the music playing, people watching and soaking up the sun.

When the weather gets sunnier, it's nicer to wear clothes that match the style and feel of the surroundings. There are plenty of bright summer dresses at www.very.co.uk that you can check out to wear in the sunnier weather.

We then to took a drive to Shoreham, which is where the RNLI are based and we saw up close how big the lifeboats are.

Then we took a leisurely countryside drive and ended up at Denbies Wine Estate, the largest Vineyard in England. We had a lovely look around, had a sample of their Rose and White wines and then we headed off home.

I decided to wear my Traffic People pink silk flapper style dress, which was one of my 40th birthday presents that I hadn't worn yet. I also wore my Topshop biker denim jacket with the Union jack detail on the back, also something I hadn't worn since buying.

The back view of my Topshop denim biker jacket

On Brighton seafront, it was a glorious sunny day and I didn't need my jacket-I hope we see more of this lovely weather this week!!

Today we went to the boot sale which was very windy-again. I picked up a lovely tan leather vintage jacket-Starsky and Hutch style, but it has been snatched by my eldest-we are both the same size-he loves a bit of vintage too and he looks great in it!

Wishing you all a lovely week ahead and hope you're having a great weekend too!

Leopard Inspiration from Mildred and some thrifted flat shoes

2011-05-19T17:09:00.004+01:00

For UK viewers on ITV3, there is currently a double daily dose of the wonderful 70s sitcom George and Mildred-one in the morning and one about five in the afternoon.

It never fails to make me laugh and I love seeing what outfit Mildred has to offer. After my leopard print post earlier this week, I had to show these pictures of her, resplendent in her leopard print best-I would love to find a vintage leopard print dress and I love how she has styled it with a faux fur leopard print stole on top!!

Mildred showing how stylish she was in her pussy bow dress

At the boot sale on Tuesday I was pleased to find some flat shoes-I found some mum style leather sandals-Clark Springers, which will be perfect for wearing with some denim this summer

And for a less frumpy look, I picked up these Topshop tan studded leather Gladiators, ideal for wearing with all my Summer dresses

So thats a couple of items now ticked off the Summer wishlist-I still want to get some black strappy flat sandals and some gold flat sandals if possible.

Whats on your Summer wishlist?

An evening at Penny Dreadful Vintage

2011-05-18T03:00:00.000+01:00

Saturday night was spent at the lovely home of Ms Penny Dreadful, who has fulfilled her ambition of setting up her own unique vintage boutique, which you can see in more detail here, but here is a taster below:

She has a wonderful selection of vintage pieces including some wonderful Designer finds too, I was so in love with a Thierry Mugler dress, unfortunately it was too big for me though.

So many delectable bags, shoes, dresses, skirts-how can one choose, it really is a delightful set up and it was great to go and see it in person too.

I met up again with lovely Kate at Make Do Style, Miss Peelpants of Vintage-A-Peel and met for the first time the lovely Perdita of Perditas Pursuits, who purchased an amazing Jean Varon frock which looked totally gorgeous on! There were also other lovely ladies present, including Land Girl 1980 and Miss Cherry Loves-everyone looked amazing in their vintage outfits too!!

There was lots of lovely party food, punch, pimms and lemonade and when I left I was given a lovely Goody Bag from Ms Penny Dreadful-thanks so much my dear, it was a really lovely evening!!

If you haven't already checked out Penny Dreadful Vintage, then do so immediately-plus it is possible to visit her wonderful boutique to have a styling session which is by private appointment only, her email details are on her blog!!

Needing some Summer Sandal Inspiration....

2011-05-16T09:07:00.003+01:00

Hi everyone!! Clogs and wedge style sandals still seem to be so on trend for summer shoes and I am still on the look out for a pair that is both stylish and comfortable, for mainly day wear too.

I still don't know whether to go with a flat pair or one with a wedge heel, a slide style seems to be the sort of thing I like-I already have wedges with straps so a slip on would be quite versatile to have and I think any of these choices will go with quite a lot in the wardrobe already:

Mambo, Betty London £47

Wishing Star, Skechers, £38

Mayari, Birkenstock, £55

The Randy, Skechers, £30

Jamelia, Hush Puppies, £59

What style sandal or shoe is inspiring you for this Summer?

Thrift Inspiration, Leopard Print Style

2011-05-14T12:40:00.003+01:00

This weeks Net-A-Porter magazine is featuring leopardprint -Feeling Feline is such a trend that never seems to date and is forever in style. Here are Net-A-Porters picks of whats hot this season:

Giambattista Valli's top, £1000

Tucker blouse, £200

I've always been a fan of leopardprint and will pick up quality pieces on my travels. Two of my favourite pieces are below, the Julien McDonald blouse for Debenhams was thrifted last year and I've worn it a few times.

This one below was thrifted earlier on this year, its a St Michael (Marks and Spencer) blouse from the 80s and can be worn as a blouse done up or as a light summer jacket.

Leopard or animal print is a style you either love or loathe, I definitely love it as it is easily thrifted and if you choose a quality piece, it will be a keeper in your wardrobe for years to come-this St Michaels one is over 25 years old but still has plenty of life left in it!!

Will you be in leopardprint this Summer?

Thrift Inspiration, 80s Style

2011-05-11T20:06:00.001+01:00

Oh how I love things 80s!! Some items from that decade certainly border on the chavtastic side, but to be honest, I won't be rocking rara skirts or a shellsuit anytime soon!

What caught my eye though is whilst browsing through 'The Cheap Date Guide to Style' which the gorgeous Vix sent to me a few months ago, is how some items do stay as classics through the decades. One of the pictures that I love is of Ramona Rainey wearing her Fila track top, looking cool and relaxed. In her words 'What I'm wearing relates to the music, I'm saying , This is what I like. My shorts move it on to the year we're at now. Not actually being 80s hip hop retro, just making a nod, I'm mixing and matching.'

As the style guide says, anything can be a classic of sorts if you're good at giving things iconic meaning. A tracksuit jacket can be reminiscent of hip-hop, East End geezers (see Danny Dyer here in my favourite 80s inspired film, The Business), comedy sketches about Liverpudlians and casuals-calm down, calm down-very chav indeed!!

More inspired by Rainey than 'The Scousers', I was pleased to find this authentic 80s Sergio Tacchini track top, which I think will work perfectly with a pair of modern print summer shorts for a relaxed summer afternoon/evening vibe.

I also found a navy blue one exactly the same and will be taking it to the Vintage Fashion Fair with me in June.

What sort of classic-chav or not, is inspiring you this summer?

Vintage Fashion Fair-Primrose Hill, 8 May

2011-05-10T03:00:00.002+01:00

It was a really lovely day at the Vintage Fashion Fair held at Cecil Sharp House in Primrose Hill. While we were waiting to go in, at about 8:35, across the road I saw the model Agyness Deyn walking by-she looked over so I smiled and she smiled back!! A great start to the morning, lol!!

Once indoors and set up, doors opened at 11am and although it was fairly quiet on the visitors front, there were still sales to be had. It was a really lovely, genteel atmosphere too-its so nice to meet new people and its fabulous to see your items for sale going to someone who really is enthralled with their new purchase!!

My stall on Sunday-it was great to have a spacious pitch, I had use of the piano, two tables and my two hanging rails-all ready for business!!

I didn't have to wait long for a V.I.P, a most discerning customer who knew straightaway what item he wanted-I wish all my customers could be like him.

Le Petit Garcon and his gorgeous mum Kate from Make Do Style came to visit as promised and it was lovely to catch up with her again-it was my first time meeting Le Petit Garcon and I did remark how handsome he was!! He was most taken with an 80s brooch and had to have it straight away! The deal was done and paid for, but I had to have a picture of the charming young man showing his purchase:

A very satisfied and handsome young customer-thank you for your purchase and do come again!!

Of course, me and mum had to get in on the picture, and as you can see we are both wearing bright colours-Kate is rocking her red scarf and jeans and I'm in my cobalt blue 90s Versace jeans and stripey top!

A picnic was beckoning for Le Petit Garcon and mum, so we bade farewell and they went on their way. The day soon went very quickly with some last minute sales before closing time.

The next fair is on 5 June, it would be great to see you and you can apply for free tickets here a little nearer the time. Its a lovely trip out and is great for all budgets, whether you want a little treat or a special purchase, then a unique vintage item may just be what you're after to mix in with a high street, designer or modern outfit.

I hope you all are having a great week so far!!

Another Find

2011-05-08T03:00:00.001+01:00

As you may already be aware, I love Celia Birtwells prints. I have over the years, had dresses and blouses from the Topshop diffusion line, some of which I've still got and some which I've sold on Ebay.

I found this one from her Autumn 2006 collection for Topshop.

Its an ideal summer dress, with a back keyhole detail and cute fluttery sleeves.

What items do you still buy that you don't really need?

Double Denim, featuring Red Jeans

2011-05-06T03:00:00.001+01:00

Now lately, if you see me in a scarf you can bet I've been to the boot sale. For some reason, all the bootys are incredibly dusty and with the days so windy a scarf has been a must accessory for over there.

My outfit is my thrifted H&M red jeans from the boot sale in Brentwood a couple of months ago for only £2. My Levis jacket was also only £2 from the boot sale last month and has been worn quite regularly since. I'm also wearing my Uniqlo Jean Michel Basquiat tee which I bought a couple of years ago.

I quite like double denim, hence my second most recent post featuring it!!

Will you work double denim this season?

Change of Direction for Me!!

2011-05-03T03:00:00.001+01:00

I must firstly apologise, as during March I announced I was going to open an Etsy store, which was my full intentions at the time. I also did actually commit to doing my first Vintage Fashion Fair on 17 April and because I didn't know how well it would go for me and because I'd announced the still unopened Etsy store, I stayed quiet!!

However, the event for me was fairly successful-it was the day of the London Marathon and Camden Town tube station was shut in the afternoon. The Fair wasn't as busy as it normally is, but fellow stallholders and the organiser said generally the amount of people through the door was only half of what it generally is.

Hubby helped out and for our first go, we had a really lovely time and I did make a few sales. The end of the day came too quickly and I quickly made sure the organiser signed me up for my place on May 8th-this Sunday!

So apologies to those awaiting my Etsy store, I have decided that doing Vintage Fashion Fairs is where my short term (maybe even long term!) future lays-it is such a lovely day out and there is such a wonderful, welcoming atmosphere and has a very genteel and 'time gone by' feel to it!!

I am at the Vintage Fashion Fair in Primrose Hill, anyone who is interested in visiting, here is the link to their website and you can apply for free tickets too!!

Shopping my Wardrobe-Kate Moss For Topshop Liberty Print Jacket

2011-05-02T03:00:00.002+01:00

This jacket is definitely one of my favourite summer pieces-I generally wear it with denim, but I will also wear it with some plain vintage dresses too.

I'm wearing my black striped Jaeger silk headscarf, thrifted a couple of months ago, a white St Michael Marks & Spencer shirt my mum gave me which is from the late 80s, my 7 For All Mankind denim shorts and my pirate boots, also a favourite summer item.

Its been gorgeous weather this Bank Holiday weekend, so wearing a scarf has not only been a sun shielder but it has been really windy too-a practical and stylish way to wear my new favourite look for summer.

What are your favourite summer pieces that you hope to be wearing soon?

UPDATED TO ADD-In response to the lovely comments I've received, the jacket is a Liberty of London print which was used in the Kate Moss for Topshop collection!!

Chilling After the Wedding

2011-04-29T20:36:00.003+01:00

The Royal Wedding was absolutely fantastic, I adored Kates dress, loved the whole ceremony, the build up, the kisses and the drive in the Aston Martin-a really stunning occasion and I wish them all the success in their marriage.

Anyhow, late afternoon saw hubby and I wanting to get away for some sun and solitude, so we went to a country park not too far away for a walk through the woods and the fields and a chance just to chill and relax and soak up some sunshine.

I'm wearing double denim-it wasn't exactly a style choice, more that my jacket was the nearest to get to as I was going out. Mind you, I quite like the look when different washes are worn together. My jacket is a Levis for Girls, thrifted at the boot sale a few weeks ago. I'm also wearing my newly thrifted skinny flares by Miss Sixty, they are my new favourites. They are super soft, super flarey and so comfortable!!

A bad hair day meant wearing a scarf, which worked well considering it was quite windy and made a good cover up from the sun too!!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and for all of us in the UK, its a nice long one-again!!

Converses, For a Stylish Casual Chic Look Anytime

2011-04-28T03:00:00.001+01:00

A couple of months ago my youngest son decided he wanted some Converse trainers. As I had a pair of barely worn black high tops and we are both the same size, he decided to nab mine!!

As a Converse convert, he fell in love with the Superman design and so I treated him to them last month. Converse shoes are really a fabulous choice for young or old, women or men and are always in style for a casual chic look.

Here are my favourite styles available at Spartoo, the only difficulty is they have such a wide variety of low, mid or high tops in different designs-what to choose??

Converse Slim Core Ox, £45

Converse Vagabond Gingham Ox, £62

Converse Seasonal Ox, £48

Converse Seasonal Hi, £53

How do you wear trainers-as part of a casual style within your outfit or are they purely for the gym or working out? Would a pair of Converses get your vote this Summer?

Book Find of the Month-Gianni Versace and also my Decade Musings!!

2011-04-26T17:51:00.005+01:00

I thought I'd take a wander to my local Sue Ryder as I hadn't visited it for quite a little while. I was pleased I did as I found this V&A book, The Art and Craft of Gianni Versace which accompanied the first major exhibition in the UK since Gianni's death.

I haven't read it, but had to show these wonderful pictures of his stunning works:

Famed for his bright and bold prints back in the 80s and 90s, this book is a wonderful representation of his designs and collections and also features Donatellas work too.

I would definitely recommend this and I can't wait to have a proper read through!!

I am a fan of vintage and if I have to choose favourite designers, my long term favourite is definitely Ossie Clark. I love Celia Birtwells prints and paired with the cuts of Ossies dresses, his pieces are simply stunning. I also love Jean Varons floaty floral maxi dresses and also the era of Studio 54 and the disco glam clothes. Maybe because the 80s was my era, I adored body con pieces-still do and would happily dress in Hunza and lycra tight dresses back in the day, what with Alaia being out of my price range!! I also love Thierry Muglers sculptural shapes and am fortunate to have a couple of his vintage pieces too.

Over the last few months I've really fell for Gianni Versaces work-I love the vibrant colours and patterns and the tight clothes he designed back in the day. So to find this book was a fabulous find for me. I now have my copy of Judith Watts Ossie Clark 1965-1974 and now The Art and Craft of Gianni Versace, which fulfills my vintage style inspirations from the late 60s to the late 90s.

What decades are you inspired by and are there any designers whose work you especially love?

Thrift Inspiration, Carrie Vintage Style

2011-04-24T03:00:00.001+01:00

Hi everyone!! Wishing you all a very Happy and Peaceful Easter.

This weekend I was inspired yet again by Carrie's vintage dresses. Sex and The City started in the 90s and each season there are many of her looks and outfits that I find so inspirational.

My favourite look are her simple vintage slip dresses:

SATC Season 4 vintage dress

SATC Season 2, Carries $7 vintage dress

A recent boot sale find was this cream vintage slip dress, which like Carries white floral one-picture one, is quite sheer, but a perfect summer vintage day dress

I'm wearing flat silver sandals and a Topshop denim jacket, thrifted last year

What type of dresses are inspiring you for summer day and evening wear this year?

Thrift Inspiration, Net-A-Porter Style in Valentino Red

2011-04-21T16:06:00.004+01:00

Hi everyone!! I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Easter and I hope everyone (especially so in the UK) is enjoying the glorious weather we are experiencing at the moment.

I want to apologise for not keeping up with you all as due to the school holidays and the wonderful weather we've been having I've not been on the laptop very much!! I will definitely do my best to catch up with you all as soon as I can and for those of you who are stopping by, thanks so much for your kind and lovely comments, they are always so much appreciated.

This post is a Pink one. Sugar pink is such a sweet and lovely shade of colour and especially for a Summer dress. Net-A-Porter have a gorgeous selection and my favourite picks are here below:

Christopher Kane Barbara pleated dress, £1620

Miu Miu, £470

The Row, Eastlyn £1470

Moschino Cheap and Chic, £785

One of my best thrift finds just lately is this vintage inspired sugar pink dress by Valentino RED. I thought it was vintage at first, but upon checking it is a newish dress.

I was amazed when I asked the price, the seller said 'Well it is designer, so I want £2' I was still looking at her rather amazed when I handed her a £2 coin, but she took it and smiled, so I did too and toddled off!!

The dress is lovely, I'm not a girly pink person, but for the money I'm sure it will get a few wears this summer!!

Will you be pretty in pink this Summer-is it a colour you like?

Prints and Patterns for Summer

2011-04-18T18:14:00.004+01:00

Colour is a must for summer shoes and I'm loving prints and patterns on fabric shoes, whether they are flats or have heels.

The beauty of choosing styles like these is that you can keep outfits quite plain and simple while the shoes do the talking. Espadrilles are a forever stylish choice, whether you choose plain or patterned ones and a perfect choice for casual wear at the beach or in town.

My favourite picks from Spartoo are below and I've chosen styles which are suitable for different budgets too-they are most inspiring for a gorgeous Summers day or evening:

Rayees, French Soule, £16

Meami, Zandra Rhodes £141

Fame, French Soule, £20

Paloma, Zandra Rhodes £141

Maki, French Soule £20

Will you be choosing a patterned print for your Summer shoe of choice?

Denim Shorts for Spring

2011-04-16T03:00:00.002+01:00

Denim never goes out of trend and denim shorts are back yet again for this season. If you don't fancy paying out for denim shorts, why not do a touch of diy on a pair of existing jeans?

From UK Vogue, May supplement

Now Spring is here and summer is in the air, I thought I'd wear my 7 For All Mankind denim shorts that I customised from jeans earlier this year.

I do like wearing them casually with black opaque tights for now and when summer is here I'll wear them with bare legs!

I'm wearing my Topshop I Love London tee which is from the Barnados Charity shop and my leopardprint ballet pumps with the shorts

How will you be wearing denim this spring-are shorts your thing, or do you prefer a denim skirt or denim capris for summer?

Flat Shoes for Summer

2011-04-14T13:00:00.002+01:00

Over the past few months every pair of shoes I've bought have a heel and recently all I'm craving is flat shoes-I'm now on a mission to track a pair that are stylish and comfortable-Mission Impossible? Hopefully not!!

Having a look around, I'm really drawn to either a ballerina style or loafer style and would like something preferably in black or red, maybe even tan!!

I really like the offerings from Geox, they have a revolutionary system that have a breathable rubber sole-perfect for selecting a summer shoe I think!!

Here is a pick of my favourites, available now at Spartoo:

Red Patent Geox Nadira, £77.60

Tan suede Geox Candy, £50.40

Black Ballerina Geox Piuma, £70

Brown Ballerinas Geox Lola, £69.60

When I'm ready to get a pair, I think I may well opt for a ballerina style-not only do they go well with trousers, jeans, dresses and shorts, if you pick the right pair they can be incredibly comfortable too.

What style of shoe are you going for this Summer?

Vintage Gorgeousness from Christina!!!

2011-04-12T12:57:00.003+01:00

I was totally thrilled to receive a wonderful bundle of fabulous items from the gorgeous Christina at Fashions Most Wanted yesterday. Not only is Christina one of the kindest and funniest bloggers I know of, she is immensely glamorous and must have the most stylish wardrobes of anyone I know-take a peek into her wardrobe here and drool over her amazing and stunning pieces she has bought recently and built up over the years-totally covetable indeed!!

Anyhow, I was bowled over by my goodies and amongst the things I received were 2 cashmere jumpers and as you can see I'm wearing one today-it is so soft and cuddly!! I didn't have any cashmere jumpers (only 1 cardigan) so these are a much welcome and stylish addition to my wardrobe!!

Sorry for the poor picture quality, the sun was really shining this morning, I was on my way out to the boot sale!!

Look how exquisite this Vintage Frank Usher jacket is that she gifted me-the sequins, pearls and beading are in totally stunning colours and patterns, a real vintage piece of art:

The work in this jacket is just awesome and beautiful

I also received 'Liz Jones Diary'-I read her weekly column in the Mail on Sunday every week without fail-I have done for years, so will enjoy reminiscing on Lizs life back in the day-its a really hilarious and great read!!

A big massive thank you to darling Christina, I am so very grateful for these kind and wonderful presents and for all of you who have not checked out Christinas blog, go there immediately, I guarantee you'll be bookmarking hers as a must read favourite for every day, as I do!!

Thrift Find,

2011-04-10T20:20:00.004+01:00

This weekend was another one spent at the boot sales, yesterday morning and this morning.

As usual, it was comfort and practicality first, so I wore a tee thrifted last week from Chigwell boot sale. Its a Versace Jeans Couture tee, which I wore with black Uniqlo leggings and my wellies-again!!

My wellies are very practical for the boot sale as it is amazingly dusty at the moment. When I've come home my boots are covered in it, so at least I'm not ruining any decent shoes or boots for the moment and my wellies get a quick hose down to make them all clean again!!

Thankfully its been a gorgeous weekend weatherwise, the sun has been shining and its been so lovely to relax in it-we spent this afternoon at St Katherines Dock and the Tower of London for the second Sunday in a row-its perfect for chilling out and people watching and is the perfect way to spend a lazy sunny Sunday afternoon.

Wishing you all a fabulous week ahead-heres hoping the sun stays with us for it too!!

My Perfect 'It' Dress-Vintage 70s Jean Varon

2011-04-07T17:17:00.004+01:00

Since I sold my Ossie Clark for Radley maxi dress about three years ago-something I did regret, but as they say 'c'est la vie', I've been after a vintage original maxi and have never been able to find the perfect one-until now.

Scouring Ebay, I found this gorgeous black maxi floral dress by 70s designer John Bates, aka Jean Varon.

The floral print is just so similar to the prints produced by Celia Birtwell for Ossie Clark back in the day. The maxi dress is my perfect length and style and just what I've been wanting for such a long time:

I just adore the print, florals against a black background are a huge favourite of mine

I do have an Ossie Clark dress, but its not a maxi, so this really fulfills my longing for a designer 70s vintage dress

What item are you hankering after this Summer season?

Thrift Inspiration, Comfy Style

2011-04-05T10:03:00.005+01:00

Because I'm up and out early for the boot sales now, comfort and warmth take priority over style- I wore my wellies on Sunday and when I came home they were thick with dust, normally its mud!!

So it was just a change of coat and boots for our trip into London and we had a lovely stroll around the Tower of London, before taking a leisurely drive through St Johns Wood and West Hampstead.

I'm wearing a Pauls Boutique parka, thrifted from the boot sale, cowboy boots also from the boot sale, Jean Paul Gaultier tee from the charity shop and M&S leggings.

Our drive back took us past London Zoo, so I had to snap the giraffes, they are so cute and what lovely skins they have, stylish forever, lol!!

When does comfort take priority over style for you??

Happy Mothers Day!!!

2011-04-03T17:08:00.002+01:00

Hi everyone, hope you're all having a lovely Sunday and for all the mums and grandmas out there, Happy Mothers Day to you All!!

My day started off very early, we were up and out by 7.30 to the local boot sale and the morning was gloriously sunny and perfect for finds and people watching whilst eating my breakfast there.

Then back home to see my boys, who made sure I had a card from each of them, plus a lovely teddy bear, a candle and some flowers-aah, my boys are so gorgeous!!

Lovely hubby had given me some money to treat myself and I found a lovely vintage sequin top on my travels which has peacock feathers on each shoulder:

So this was my pressie of choice, always clothes!!

We've had a lovely day, we visited St Katherines Dock, The Tower of London where we had a wander and then we stopped for a quick drink before taking a leisurely drive to Hampstead and a tour of their charity shops and some lunch.

I'm now back home and relaxing after being on the go, but its been such a wonderful day.

Wishing you all a good week ahead and heres hoping the sun stays with us too!! xxx

Thrift Inspiration, Carrie Style

2011-03-31T18:36:00.005+01:00

As you all know, I'll be opening my Vintage Etsy shop very soon, I am hoping it will be within the next couple of weeks.

One of the main trends for summer is the Midi skirt and in this weeks Grazia they are showcasing the new Whistles version called Carrie which is already being offered on a restricted basis while stocks last-its the It skirt for 2011!!

Gemma Bunston, Whistles designer and creator of the Carrie skirt-the Midi version is £110

I am really pleased to see the pleated Midi in trend, as this skirt below will be featured in my Etsy shop. Its a vintage Frank Usher and the colourings of it will prove to be very versatile and stylish as it can be worn as a summer piece or with boots and a black sweater and jacket for winter:

Vintage Frank Usher Midi Pleated Skirt, £35

It just shows how trends come full cycle!!

The skirt is a modern size 10 and fits my model perfectly, who like me is a size 10 too!!

I so hope it will go to a new home-if anyone is genuinely interested in it before it goes in the shop, send me an email and you could be the lucky owner of this gorgeous skirt!!

Thrift Inspiration, Net A Porter Style

2011-03-29T15:04:00.002+01:00

Spring is here-hurrah and hopefully this means lighter jackets, even if we are still layering. Over at Net-A-Porter, I've noticed Khaki is still a popular style following on from last year, featuring not only in jackets, but jumpsuits, dresses, shirts and trousers/jeans.

I like khaki jackets as they make a change from denim and leather ones and can be worn with anything, including denim and leather. Here are my favourite picks available at Net-A-Porter:

Paul & Joe Sister, £200

Zadig & Voltaire, £325

Bird by Juicy Couture, £355

My khaki jacket find from Autumn 2009 will be reappearing this Spring, its by Mexx and was only £3.99 from the PDSA charity shop. Its very light and I could wear a sweater quite easily underneath for cooler days and dress down a floral dress with it too:

What versatile item will you be getting out for Springtime?

Joining in with the Red Leg Brigade

2011-03-27T03:00:00.002+01:00

Whilst on my travels this weekend, I thought I'd combine my two current favourite trends-leopardprint and red jeans.

After seeing the gorgeous Wendy's post on Inspirational Ladies in Red, I thought I would wear mine to show solidarity of the red leg brigade.

Its a very popular look of the moment, the lovely Kate is doing Red Legs Too and wonderful Mrs TNMA also debated on Red Hot, or Not?

I suppose it really is much like marmite-you either love this trend-or not!!

As my red jeans by H&M were thrifted a few weeks ago at the boot sale for only £2, I felt I wasn't really losing out too much if after a couple of wears I didn't feel right in them. The fit of them are a skinny straight leg and although I will wear them as part of a winter/spring look, I think I'll feel more stylish wearing them in summer with a striped tee and ballet pumps.

H&M red jeans from the boot sale, faux fur vintage leopardprint coat, Uniqlo camel wool sweater from the boot sale, Gucci black loafers, gifted Louis Vuitton holdall.

My other accessory-but not a style choice, is my white bandage-I woke up in the early hours of Saturday morning in such pain, I think I've pulled a muscle and I'm left handed too, so its been rather cumbersome and painful at the moment-at least my regular doses of anadin is keeping the pain at bay now :-(

It didn't stop me from finding some pieces for my new vintage Etsy shop though-I've still got some work to do before the launch in April, but can't wait!!

I hope you all have a stress free and pain free relaxing Sunday!!

Forward Planning by Shopping my Wardrobe

2011-03-25T03:00:00.000Z

Its the time of year where plans are made or invites are received for forthcoming events and occasions. My mum is celebrating her 75th birthday this year so we have decided to mark the event by doing something we've not done before and have always wanted to do.

So I'm booking up a day trip on the British Pullman Orient Express for us. I'm really excited as it should be a really unique and special day out!

Of course, I had been wondering on my outfit of choice-do I buy something or wear something I already have. So I scoured the wardrobe and unless something else really special appears before I go this is my outfit of choice, which I have tried on and am happy how they both look together:

Topshop ivory tuxedo jacket, thrifted last year for just £3 in Clacton on Sea.

Marc Jacobs silk tea dress, not worn for ages and thrifted about 3 years ago at Help the Aged charity shop for £5.

I'm not going to make a point of shopping for an outfit as for a change I'm looking forward to wearing these pieces.

Have you any special events this year which you will shop your wardrobe for?