eggcentric dressing

I was supposed to post this one in April. I have no egg-scuse egg-cept that I did not have the technology to permit me at the time, and now all these terrible egg puns are completely out of context.... 

It is a tradition in my friendship group that we go OUT-OUT on Good Friday. I mean, I go hard or go home most fridays, but Good Friday is a diaried-in-advance-given.This year I thought I'd wear an Easter themed outfit, and stopping short of wearing bunny ears (though I have 3 pairs to choose from) I went for a Mini Egg pastel colour scheme. Back to stripes again - this trousers and braces THING was from an East End Thrift Store fill-a-bag. In 2014 I definitely should not be cooing over things because I think they're like, so Carrie Bradshaw but I'm sorry, I did. Needless to say this cost me about £1.50 so it was worth the risk. You can't see the detail but it's pale pink and white stripes with tiny purple dots on. I could have worn it with a white or black crop top but I was like naaaah, definitely turquoise. The clutch bag was also from an EETSFAB. My Sylvanian Families collector's club pin which is a permanent feature on my leather jacket ties in the easter theme nicely. I look fucking horrendous (drunk, sweaty, bad hair day) but this outfit was FUN to wear.  

you'll never get rich

As much as I love charity shops (had you noticed?) I do have a few favourite vintage shops. And let's not even get started on my River Island addiction. One of my favourite vintage shops is Beyond Retro on Cheshire Street, and no, not just because of the cat that lives there. The Brick Lane area is awash with vintage shops and it can be quite a headache, but if I'm short of time I tend to only visit Blitz and Beyond Retro. I like Blitz because I find it cleverly curated, which coupled with the smell of coffee from the in-store cafe makes it a nice, sensual shopping experience. Beyond Retro I like because I think the prices are reasonable and I've had some fortuitous times with their sale rail.  Which leads me on to this outfit: 

This dress was £12 from the Beyond Retro sale rail a few months back, and the shoes were £9 from their sale section on Friday. I love the pronounced shoulders and pulled in waist shape of the dress; it's that '40s silhouette I find so flattering, with a '90s print. And the green shade brings out the colour of my eyes, if I do say so myself. The tap/bowling/clown style shoes were from the Clarks sale, I was hoping with this dress I might look a bit Rita Hayworth rehearsing with Fred Astaire. A long shot, I know. 

Michael Jacketson

Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair has been taking place in York Hall at Bethnal Green - a 10 minute walk from where I used to live - for over a year and a half, but I never went when I lived there. Now I'm back in Reading and they've started holding them here too have I actually made it along to one. I didn't go too mad, I only bought a blouse (which I will blog at some point) and this red leather jacket, from Raiders Vintage. I'm concerned it is a bit Michael Jackson, but I think it looks cool with a shirt. 

I wore it to Dowload festival, accessorised with the biker pins my dad used to wear on his leather motorcyle jacket. I don't even want to know why he has one that says 'prick teaser'.... 

Benidorm barmaid blouse y una bolsa de tapiz

I bought a floral jumpsuit from a vintage seller at Glasto last year, and was tempted by this blouse but thought better of its frothy frills and walked away. Not for long though, it had laid a little style egg in my mind, which hatched a few hours later and then I HAD TO HAVE THE BLOUSE NOW WHAT IF ITS GONE OUT OF MY WAY MOTHERFUCKERSSS. AKA I got a bit sozzled and dreamt it in to my wardrobe, because clearly its so versatile. Obviously no one else had bought it. I haggled it down to £8 and then sobered up and never wore it. Elle and I still joke about this as the 'i love youuu' blouse because I was so obsessed with having it, I caressed it and whispered to it once it was mine. I know other clothes lovers will know what I'm saying. It's not even flattering, I don't know what's wrong with me. It seemed perfect to wear to the Spanish food festival on the Southbank.

The bag was a 50p treat from a Sue Ryder sale at the Nettlebed Hospice. Because of it's two different sides it was a versatile bag to pack when I did a cat sit stint. On Friday night I wore it 'Madeira' side out, and on Saturday I wore it hibiscus side out. I am irrationally fond of this bag. 

It also coordinates perfectly with my Mexican belt

strawbeary sunday

The notorious British summertime. I got a lovely strawberry print fabric lined picnic basket for my birthday a few years ago, and every time I have planned to use it, the weather has let me down. Luckily I have managed to give it 2 outings so far this year; there is something so pleasing about picnic-ing properly. As always, I see part of that as dressing appropriately. Realistically this would mean wearing something you don't mind sitting in swan shit in, or spilling houmous down, but we can't let practicality ruin all the fun, all the time. 

The bulk of my summer dresses are still locked up in my parent's garage out of reach as my mortgage application rumbles on, but I have been enjoying this striped a-line summer dress which was my mum's in the 80s/90s. The top part doesn't quite fit but I think because of the sweetheart neckline it doesn't look too bad having the top button undone. Plus the big a-line skirt is good for hiding your muffin top under. On a separate humble brag note, the blueberry muffins I made for the occasion were divine! 

Fifty shades of green

Last Saturday night I went with my mumma, one of my sisters and two of my soul sisters to a charity ball in aid of Macmillan, Sue Ryder and Ian Rennie. My other-mother Elaine arranges fantastic charity balls every couple of years in Hughenden village hall and this fantastic rock n roll covers band (who specialise in Elvis covers) play and I LOVE THEM, so I try and go whenever I can.

As a black tie event this calls for extra special dresses. In September I bought a ridiculous green 1980s prom dress from the East End Thrift Store that just had far too many clashing elements - plunging neckline, cold shoulder detail, glittery lace, netting, poofy a-line skirt. You get the picture, but incase you don't, here's a picture:

 

It was £15 and at that point it was bought with no outing in mind but lots of potential - Halloween, christmas tree dress.... In actuality, it's first outing was New Years for the Ultimate Power/Guilty Pleasures party at Kentish Town Forum. It got a lot of attention and was a dream to wear - the skirt really swings, and the bodice makes a meal of your milkshake.

I've struggled accessorising it, I've worn it with metallic open toe sandals both times, natural pink lipstickm minimal lashes and my hair up in a messy top knot. I think anything else looks too fancy dress or panto.

I don't even know or care if it looks good, its such a joy to wear. Not an easy one to repeat though, is it?

Busting five knots, wind whipping out my coat

In an unexpected turn of events, I attended the Southampton Boat Show on Friday. IT WAS EXCELLENT. 

I've had a soft spot for boats since I went on a boating holiday down the Thames as a kid, with my friend Kate and her family. Actually scrap that, it started way before that, there is a super adorable picture of me  as a toddler, with my big brother, pretending to steer my mum and dad's friend's boat. They had a huge house that backed on to the river in Caversham and to this day that is one of my 'dream houses'. Imagine, keeping your own boat in the river equivalent of a garage. One day I got carried away 'play steering' and it turned out I was steering the motherfucking boat yo! Back to the boating holiday - I loved when we would get to a lock and it would be action stations. We even made up a song to the theme of 'Rosie and Jim' - basically just replace those names with 'Lucy and Kate' and the put Martin and 'laine in there somewhere, oh and the KING'S FUSILIER, as that was the boat name. So cool. The only bad thing was when we got super-pooped on by a bird. But thatcould have happened on dry land too.

Now I take any opportunity to get on a boat. One of my favourite times from holiday last year was the one-day cruise we did around Cyprus. Ah yes, I would get on very well on one of those boats with a sun deck. Or a speed boat. So the long haired animals could sit along the sides and let their ears blow in the wind. I digress... YES, A PIRATE'S LIFE FOR ME. 

Almost as much as I like the idea of having a pleasure cruiser, a 5-man staff in tight whites and magnums of champagne on ice, there is one more shallow thing I like about the idea of sailing on the deep - the clothes of course! I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times, I will always dress to the theme. So to the boat show I wore this boat-neck, nautical striped number from one of the thrift store fill-a-bags. I also wore my captain's jacket (the navy M&S one from the previous post). I wore plain old an ankle boots there. I had got this right, all of the fellow show attendees were wearing tan footwear but there was an abundance of deck shoes! I can turn anything in to a shopping expedition, so I bought the best cheapest pair I could find (well, my boots were rubbing too...)

The top is made of a heavy material and is quite big, so I probably look as fat as a sea cow in it, but it is super comfy to wear, and I actually think it does look pretty cool with a leather mini skirt.

Eighties bridesmaid Barbie

It feels a bit weird posting this outfit considering the total about-face that the weather has done in the last week, but I actually wore this on perhaps one of the wettest days of this summer (well, the 2 quite decent months we can call summer in the UK). Unfortunately this was the weather on one of my friend's wedding days, but we'd be damned if we were going to change our outfit plans to suit the weather (well, for obvious reasons the bride wasn't going to). I bought this dress months ago from the half price rail in Beyond Retro on Cheshire Street (the one with the store cat!) for £14. I thought this was a total bargain. I wanted to save it for a worthy event, and isn't it just perfect for a 'summer' wedding?

Once the total outfit was assembled, in hand with my post-Barca tan, I realised it was all a bit '80s Barbie...and quite a lot briesmaidy - luckily I knew it was nothing like the actual bridesmaid dresses for the day. But as you can see, we had a bit of fun faux bridesmaiding with one of the real maids (in mint). The shiny, strappy pink shoes have nealy been sent to the charity shop a couple of times but luckily this was intervened and now I am so glad to still have them. I bought them in 2007 in Bracknell and my friend Simone who was with me at the time thought I had lost my mind. The navy blazer is old M&S bought in the Thames Hospice shop in Woodley Precinct for £6 (I have the short sleeved version too!) and the pink tote bag is Jaeger - a new job treat to myself. Now magazine had a thing in their issue out today abot how pink bags are 'the very latest thing' so I feel unintentionally 'on trend'.

I LOVED the bride's dress so much. It was Candy Anthony and looked so fantastic and swishy when she danced.

no pants polka dance

I suppose I should start by saying I mean pants in the American sense as I was definitely wearing an enormo pair of cycling short style shapewear kecks with this dress. I have also worn it in the daytime with actual cycling shorts (on show) and white Converse style trainers, i.e. a bit '90s. This dress/long top was £18 from Blitz on Hanbury Street. Someone had very roughly taken a considerable amout off the length and re-hemmed it, but I like how this has meant that the skirt bottom really flares out. Also, navy and white polka dots, what a classic combo. I wore this to a Motown/Soul night in Highbury called 'Great Big Kiss', so you can't see but I'd attempted to do a bit of a '60s black and white cat eye. As usual I didn't take any pictures myself so I've stolen them from Elle. On the day I bought this I also bought a fantastic floral dress, which will hopefully be in my next post, if I can work out how to get the pictures off of my phone (luddite).

hot air

I LOVE THIS DRESS SO MUCH I JUST CAN'T EVEN.... But this is a written blog so I'll try. One of my favourite things about Glasto (my first) was the abundance of fantastic vintage clothing. This dress was from a stall where pretty much all dresses were £10 - a bargain compared to Brick Lane prices. It's soft and light weight and has a men in top hats in hot air balloons print. The only problem is the unforunately placed, protruding darts, that look like massive erect nipples. I love the navy and tan colours in it which mean I have a plethora of exciting 70s style shoe options to wear with it. The one draw back is that it is calf length, and I've got some hefty old calves on me. I bet it dies on my first wash attempt too. Oh well, here it is for now, hopefully forever (I love you....)

jumpsuit jack flash

For Elle's birthday she had a sixites themed party and night out - a great excuse to crack out the underlash extensions I've had for years and never used. 

I wore a fantastic black and white jumpsuit from an East End fill-a-bag. I love it so so much, and it was less than £2. Also had the opportunity to crack out an old favourite charity shop handbag, I think it was from one in Golder's Green. Or maybe Pimlico. I forget. Anyway, I photographed it the next morning because I remembered that despite having it for years it has never appeared on this blog.

Tex-mexi dress

Howdy partners!

For my sister's birthday she had a mexican fiesta. There were lethal tequila drinks, incredible edibles and a pinata (my contribution). As I love a theme dress, I finally had an opportunity to wear my cowboy-style denim shirt dress (from an East End thrift store fill-a-bag). I teamed it with the new belt I got for my birthday which was very tex-mex- cowboy buckle but made of a colourful striped material remniscient of a poncho (from Beyond Retro). I finished the outfit off with my tatty devine day of the dead necklace and silver snakeskin high heels (good old M&S), as I felt the dress needed sophisitcated shoes to contend with its voluminosity. The close-up is from a little fun shoot my friend Elle and I did in October, hence the difference in hair colour. 

bin bag

I quite enjoy the challenge that sometimes comes when I'm at my parents' for the weekend and I have to construct a last minute outfit from the few things I've brought with me and the random stuff I've left at theirs. On Friday night I went for cocktails and nibbles with my mum and sister so I wanted something dressy/casual. I rediscovered my pewter platform stilettos, which dressed up the navy chinos and t-shirt I was wearing, and I pulled this bag out of a drawer which is in my life after I rescued it from a bin a few years back (classy). 

hot like Mexico

Last night my flatmate had people over for some Mexican style grub and I helped cook/provided the Margaritas. Making and eating the churros was the best bit, mmm. Typically overdressed I wore this vintage ruffle sleeved dress that I swiped when my flatmate was having a clear out. I had my eye on it since I first ever saw it and couldn't hide my delight when I saw it in her charity bag. In preparing for the Mexican night we discovered this awesome shop that is so near to our flat that we couldn't believe we never knew it was there before! The skull and feather earring is Little Wing.

http://www.casamexico.co.uk/

 

The tan is Vita Liberata which I definitely recommend as it is the only product I have tried that does not smell of fake tan at all.