On the cheap

Change to scheduled Kat Von D style steal post, see I've decided to brag about my bargain buys instead.What? It's been months since I tripped upon a vintage thrift treat, the charity shops in my local area have officially redeemed them rotten selves. Believe me inserting the word rotten isn't no harsh exaggeration, as one charity shop has not only vintage garments but a rather vintage odour that whifts around beneath the nose and dominates the air-urrgh p-e-g pleassse.I was uncertain whether to drag myself through that ordeal all over again after I failed last time leaving with only a nasty stubborn smell that refused to fade off my clothes and in my hair (vom)not exactly what I had in mind.After much should I, should I nots and reliving my last thrift nightmare I thought 'one more last time sod it.Be brave don't just take the easy option and opt for the nearest DP's' give it ago, get your thrift thinking hat on' so I adopted my own advice and did just that-am I mad?

One hour in why on earth did I swap today's highstreet shopping plans for charity shops again?No really please someone remind me?So far I've dragged myself around all the familiar charity shops, and picked up a glorious yellow pop art alarm clock which obviously I can't wear,or could I? Hmm what would Lady Ga Ga do?
Time for a break, oohh DP's is calling me I become distracted by a ditsy bird print blouse,red boat print dress, bright orange lace crop top and khaki military trousers (£5.00)...yes is in not either a skirt or dress wtf is wrong with me today?I only own two pairs of trousers and they are part of my work uniform!Did I really just bypass the boat dress, oh my days am I now really standing at the till waiting to purchase these trouser things (complete alien concept to me), Okay did I really just make trousers part of my wardrobe?Yikes I really did, didn't I? Two hours in to my failure of a shopping date,now regretting my random khaki military mistake I decide to make Sue Ryder
my last and final thrift stop of the day,(only because I was swayed by a fruit salad print tea pot in the window display and a set of sticks for my drum kit)before I head home no doubt shall be feeling very much deflated.
Wrong I exited the charity shop feeling smug and very much smitten with my Sue Ryder fashion goodies vintage shoulder bag-tick,floral tapestry needlepoint clutch/purse handmade by a granny somewhere-tick,cream chiffon mix Pussybow blouse-tick,charming feather necklace-tick.Tick, tick and tick again man I done good on the cheap (insert even more smuger face here), I have faith in thrifty fashion once again hoorays for that!











P.S...TOMORROWS POST - KAT VON D STYLE STEALING

Should be sleeping

...but I'm wide awake instead so figured might as well do a wee quick post as wireless connection failed me big time earlier today (by-the-by I saw your comments much love thanks I always forget anyone reads this so I'm still surprised when I see they/you do!)despite me waving around the laptop above my head in different corners of the house,'wait, I've got it I'll try the attic room, it has to work up there!' Wrong.But heyho the invisible magic that is wireless has once again returned, and on time for me to show off this kooky little purse by Nicky Snow...me needs!



P.S...TOMORROWS POST KAT VON D STYLE STEAL

Star gazing

As promised an outfit post, I feel I should have put more effort into my hair/make up and strike a stylish pose like all the cool kids do, except it's Saturday and I'm far too lazy to fuss about.So a dress and tight combo it is. With hair scoped back in a bun as in all honesty its due a wash! I went star gazing late last night (it's what I do when I'm not stalking fashion, stalking stars instead),and it seems to of had an instant domino effect on today's wardrobe choice.This dress is quite old probably vintage in fashion magazine terms?I picked it up from Primark many moons ago when I was a bake bean broke student it was in the dump bin near the till point I saw the star print peaking out from underneath a bunch of old Xmas novelty socks. Before I could grab the star dress my friend beat me to it and sarcastically told me "I'll get that for you that way when you go looking up at the night sky you can at least geek it up in true star style." So that's the little story behind this £2 dress, which I'm never ever saying goodbye to.Happy weekend my loves...mwa!

Tough Whimsical Girl

I've been inspired by my friends blog posts to play wardrobe catch up and dedicate an hour (or two, or indeed three)to crack on and do some serious clothes shopping. I'm not the spontaneous shopper,I can't just go and hit h&m and randomly browse through rails buying whatever jumps out at me. Because I know that this method of shopping simply clogs up my wardrobe with items that are only destined for the fashion recycling bin that is e to the bay.I do envy those who can just dive straight in for a Primark basket and pile it up high.It's sad that I fail to function without the company of my lists,and I mean lists. Lists for everything,plan, plan,plan striving away for impossible perfection.It can become quite a migraine from time to time hence why often I go clothes shopping alone!Or of course get my click on and fire up the computer for online shopping, no need to play elbow wars then with fellow shoppers, which is definitely for me the big attraction with online shopping- you escape bruise free!No need to risk your life and limb, no need to tolerate standing underneath an armpit for a roof on the packed out train (yesterdays commute is still very much annoying me.Is it obvious?) instead you can sit down eat ginger cake and click-click way until your mouse actually begins to squeak from all the scrolling.

Whether I'm shopping on the highstreet or in cyberspace the reality is I still require two things before I get started a) big mood boards and b)lists with all the items I'm looking for grouped correctly together i.e bag options grouped together, dress options grouped together. There is a method to my compulsive madness it prevents from straying and spending money on crap I don't need such as yet more coloured/patterned tights and chiffon pleated skirts (that's another post altogether) thus leaving me with more change for cafes and coffee which admittedly I'm suppose to avoid but hell gotta live on the edge!I thought I'd stopped with all the rambling? Seems not.Ah yes so online shopping my list is complete after much research I've finally found a poor mans version of THEM Miu Miu platforms by Fearne Cotton for Very who's collections I always develop a crazy crush on, despite my default hatred for most celebrity 'fashion collections' Cottons clothes always have such brilliant little touches and details.Good example being the peter pan bead collar Toile de juoy print dress which just so happens to match a charming little teapot I own. Nice I can blend into the surroundings of my kitchen.Another Fearne dress I've added to my list is the tomboyish dungaree denim dress which reminds me of a very similar denim dress I lived in every summer down the local park getting dizzy on roundabouts and dripping ice cream on me ...don't worry I was four years old, it isn't recently.It's going to be a challenge opting for just the one Ferane Cotton frock. Hmm I'm swaying more towards the one that matches my teapot, I'm lurrrvin the whimsical design though whether that peter pan collar will do me any favours I'm not entirely convinced?I've had problems with 'em peter pan collars: peter can have them back me thinks?! Moving on and away from teapots, peter pan and all charming whimsical dresses, the other item on my shopping list is a fierce I'm talking Kat Von D fierce
pair of Iron Fist lace ups, contrast to the delicate, pretty Fearne frock I guess underneath this grown up twenty something exterior remains the inner twelve/thirteen year old emo-goth partial to heavy black khol pencils and skulls.Tough, whimsical girl?







images very.co.uk

So there you have it my Saturday is sorted I can't even recall the last time I had a Saturday all to myself?I'll probably swan around the house be vain and do a little outfit post tomorrow.Are any of you doing some Saturday clothes shopping? Do spill...

Wood you? Yes I wood!

One of Angie Johnson's fringtastic chain necklaces has been on my wardrobe wish list now since oohh lets say FOREVER, maybe not the most practical choice of accessory for someone as accident prone as I am? What with all those glorious layers of swishing,swaying, swooshing dancing strands of multi-coloured fringe another "my scarf is trapped in the train door, ekk . Help!" will surely be a repeat episode if I were to opt for a Norwegian Wood item. However its a risk I'm willing to take and indeed put my life on the line for (bloody train doors)if it means I can get my fringing flick on then so be it.I can no longer deny myself a piece of wood I've had a weak spot for all things fringed since '09.Flirting with fringed bags, fringed leather skirts, fringed tops,fringed jewellery:pretty safe to say this is no fickle fashion phase unlike all the other fashion phases that I've fell in and out of love with faster than you can flick a fringed necklace at...hmm my fashion phases where to begin?'07 was my summer (and winter)of neon's and nudes,'08 was my six months of mono mayhem mocked by many who I know (mono will return yes a giant mono monster shall gate crash your a/w wardrobe this year)'09 was my space journey through the universe bypassing red giants, nebula's and vast milkyways via my even more vast collection of psychedelic space inspired print tee's by spring '09 I began gravitating towards fringing especially suede, fringed suede skirts which I collided and clashed with my futuristic space tee's(What? Flapper meets space cadet seemed like a brilliant idea?Come on I bet you tried it too? Didn't you, huh?Nope Okay just me then?)Convinced this was nothing except another phase in which I become fixated on and wear out until I can no longer tolerate the sight of anything remotely flapper-esque I made the very wrong decision not to invest in an Norwegian Wood statement fringed necklace. Did I mention this was a very wrong decision?
After much consideration and despite those near death experiences I discover myself in whenever I wear long layers of necklaces, I'm going to do it. I'm going to commit and at long, long, long last and God damn it get my frigging fringe on...err if this blog goes silent all of a sudden I've been trapped in a train door, or indeed bus door, either way doors shall mostly be involved if not a hundred percent guaranteed?

Faking it

Once upon a time as all you long term readers may already be aware of I was an hardcore vintage addict always rummaging around my local shops sniffing out for my next funny smelling pre-loved vintage fix.And whether it took me minutes, hours or complete three day weekends I'd be dead set on snagging something, anything a bit old, a bit dated, a bit granny,a bit dusty, a bit ugly to everyone yet extremely beautiful in my eyes.When your lucky enough to live in such close distance to cool thrift shops, and vintage boutiques you take it for granted: just like one takes their Topshops, Primarks and Newlooks for granted. Its easy shopping that you become accustomed to and think nothing more of it, simply rails buckling underneath the weight of glorious garments.
Well I'm beginning to learn the hard way not to take thrift/ vintage shops for granted, as I now live an area which is surrounded by mind boggling, busy, dizzy shopping centres and a city that on every corner has a cool trendy buzzing H&M, Riverisland,French Connection and Zara etc - etc.No thrift stores or vintage hang outs (wait a minute I just need to dry my eyes*) and try as they might these highstreet giants to create vintage look-a-like collections the majority fail to get it and understand what makes vintage vintage. I've not yet found one single convincing vintage inspired piece in any highstreet store, because they fail to capture the essence of vintage by making silly design detail errors.Such as using the wrong fabric and incorrect colourways that say a vintage Sixties dress would of never consisted of.Being a complete fuss pot, and Sixties obsessive I can't help but spot these silly little design hick ups which with all my might I cannot shrug off or ignore.Which is a real pity because I'm beginning to experience cold turkey withdrawn symptoms,until I find a local vintage treasure gem of a shop I've made the bold decision to ...fake it.

I know, and yes I do remember me preaching about how very much I detest fake vintage, how much of a joke a mass produced highstreet garment dressed up as vintage can be, how over my dead body I'll never be seen faking it how vintage must be the real genuine McCoy or you risk looking like your about to attend an Austin Powers themed costume party.In my defense these extreme vintage beliefs of mine were before I was made aware of fashion designer Kylie Malcolm. This girl gets vintage!Kylie's very pretty dresses are constructed using a mixture soft recycled and found vintage fabrics, ric-rac, ruffles and lace make Kylie Malcolm's vintage inspired dresses, skirts and accessories genuine more genuine compared to the highstreets failed attempt at vintage.Faking it is easy when wearing Kylie's garments now all you need to do is start scouring and digging around for a pair of fabulous vintage shoes.





P.S...TOMORROWS POST NORWEGIAN WOOD ACCESSORIES

Hippo Who?

Whilst I was out of action and generally mourning the blogshere due to major technical issues (i.e my pc died a sudden death)I continued to blog in my scrap book needless to say I have one epic long backlog of posts to publish.Many seem invalid and way past their sell by date (fashion just keeps on revolving with such light speed momentum that s/s 11 trends are already stale leaving an awful bad after taste: bring on those fresh and minty s/s 12 key trends already...ridi-culoooous eh?).Despite this, I thought I'd share with you my hippo dress obsession which to be honest I've only just snapped out of...

Let me to take you back to a few months ago when I was style stalking my two fave fashion forward girls (Paloma Faith and Marina of course, who else sticks their middle finger up towards fickle fashion trends like these two?I love 'em and their colourful clashing clobber!)when I noticed a recurring theme Marina's super fun, super loud ,super over sized pop-art T-shirt dresses.One particular dress that I became utterly determined to hunt down and steal featured a big fat cartoon hippo face.Yep this was enough to have me following hundreds of tangled, turning links via numerous image search engines. For days my investigating came to no avail each and every time.Broken links, bits of articles and lots of incorrect information was all I kept stumbling across.Seemed the designer behind Marina's hippo dress would forever remain an unsolved mystery?Then I struck gold and discovered the woman behind the hippo (err so to speak)is print designer Yang Du who's s/s 10 collection consist of many a happy cartoon animal character inspired by a trip to the toy museum...oh Yang Du I sure do love you!

My pal the palazzo

Phew after what feels like a whole century of pesky skin tight denim that is the skinny jean, the nightmare is over for there is at long, long last more trouser/ pant options available to us girls who don't fancy going down the Kate Moss, Amy Winehouse style route.Just take your pick what shall it be? Perhaps a sixties inspired denim flare?Polka dot culottes? Or my personal favourite and much preferred trouser the high-waisted p-p-palazzo not only is that quite fun to pronounce but the palazzo has the ability to take you from OKish ordinary to cool Riviera chic chick yes quite a transformation just in one little or rather super-wide big trouser. Who would have thought eh?The
pasta dish sounding trouser has such sophisticated qualities. Qualities that its harem and jean rivals cannot compete with-fact.Can a skinny jean swish, sway and offer that feminine flow of freedom in a way that the palazzo does so effortlessly?For those of us who are guilty of being attached to our faithful skirts and dresses (hands up, yep I am one of those girls!)the palazzo trouser isn't too much of an enormous style leap,plus one doesn't have to deal with denim nor sacrifice those familiar, pretty and soft patterned fabrics that us girlie girls are so fond of and have such affection towards-chiffon's,cottons, crepe, jersey, silks these darlings can still remain in your life without threatening those trusty summer dresses that vacate inside your wardrobe,the two may just become best buddies.
There is one minor glitch though.With such an abundance of palazzo's out there from polka dots,nautical stripes,Aztec triangles and ditsy florals its impossible to pick out the perfect palazzo isn't it?Well lucky for you not one to be put off by a challenge I've done my research (bit of a bitch that was-not browsing the many rails of highstreet shops), and narrowed down the best palazzo trousers out there...skinny jeans, harems and the rest you should all be afraid very afraid, for your time in the fashion spotlight is about to reach an abrupt ending.Ha!





images:look.co.uk,topshop,river island





P.S...TOMORROWS POST- YANG'S COLLECTION POP ART-A-PLENTY

The wait is over

I know it's midnight(ish)round about now but heck I'm busting to blog (it's been forever if not a decade already since my last post...so you want an explanation for my slacking huh? Well it's simple I've had no computer!Yikes and yes I lost my life support machine that is the oh so stylish fashion blogshere, tears were indeed very much involved as was lots of hanging around and saving for this God send of a laptop.I attempted to fill the void with magazines-a-plenty however it just didn't fulfill those fierce fashion hunger pains like blogs can and do.Magazines are rice cakes they only fill the hunger for oohh five minutes, blogs on the other hand are, well blogs are thick crusty bread -much more substance and far more satisfying. Look at me back for five seconds and I'm comparing fashion to bread...you get the drift). I'm very much aware how I'm most probably to be the only one who is reading this post what with me doing a complete vanishing act since what , September '10?
Just in case there are any prettyneon readers that remain out there?Here is a quick glance at what I've been stalking since I last logged off...those Miu Miu shoes, the face paint gone stark raving mad Vivienne Westwood accessories campaign,Juicy Couture (I want to be there amongst all that vibrant out door tea party mayhem with the 'ickle white bunnies, heart shaped balloons,hats and bags)and of course swooning over THAT Paloma Faith frock- no words for it really just a big fat WHOAWOW!
Well night all, see you in the morning with what is possibly in my humble opinion the very best pair of super-wide trousers you have and will ever see in your life...just maybe?