The Joy Of Thrift

This skirt epitomises what I love about charity shopping - that you not only find crazy stuff, but crazy cheap stuff. This skirt is clearly homemade and fashioned out of a very heavy fabric that is probably for curtains, not dressmaking. At $25 there was no way I'd usually buy a skirt this loud, but for $1 on sale I had to have it, if only to experiment with for a little while. Not sure about wearing it out...instead thinking cushion covers would be more appropriate because there's a hell of lot of fabric...my Mum reckons I could cover a sofa.

Top - American Apparel 

Skirt - Housing Works Thrift Store

Belt - Oscar by Oscar De La Renta from Centry 21 

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Thrift Shopping In New York - Chanel and other stuff

I've just returned from a long weekend in New York. For the first time EVER (okay, in about 5 years) I didn't buy a pair of shoes in Barney's. This is partly because of the two pairs of shoes I really wanted one cost about $2,000 (Givenchy, stiletto heeled boots that I know I would never wear out) and the other pair weren't in my size. 

But never mind. Whilst the shoe gods my not have been on my side the charity shop gods were (or should I say thrift shop gods?).

I bought tons of crazy stuff in a Housing Works on Crosby Street for a dollar an item, including a Christian Dior skirt and in a Housing Works on the Upper East Side where they were having a 50% off rainy day special (because by heck was it raining), I found a Chanel jacket. Brand new with tags. And it fitted. And did I mention it was half off? Chanel jackets usually cost £1,500 and up, so I think I got a bargain. Add to that a Dries Van Noten skirt for $25 and you have an extremely happy charity shopper. 

If These Walls Could Talk...

This is the least 'me' outfit ever. I was trying to work out how to wear these tights, but I ended up getting carried away with a gothic lolita look instead. Sadly, when you are a 30 something woman you can't pull it off as well as a Japanese school girl. Still, I had fun. 

Top - American Apparel 

Skirt - Topshop 

Tights - House of Holland 

Shoes - Jeffrey Campbell

Dressing For My Childhood

For me peacocks always remind me of one thing - a children's book (and 1980's BBC TV adaptation which was watched every Christmas in our house until the VHS broke) called The Children Of Green Knowe. I think that's why I love this skirt so much, as well as the names Toesland and Linnet. I've never met a Toesland, but I hope to one day. 

Top - American Apparel 

Skirt - River Island 

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Giles Deacon Dino T-Shirt - Back From Extinction

Back in January I wrote about how much I wanted the Giles Deacon dino bag. Six months on I cannot say I own one (more's the pity), let alone seen one in real life (there was a single pap shot of one at LFW last week), but at least I now have the t-shirt.  

I was reminded of the dino bag when I saw Giles walking down the street as I looked out of my window a week or two ago. My first instinct was to run after him like a lunatic begging him to make a dino bag on special order. But I settled for the next best thing - getting on Farfetch.com and finding the last pieces of his collection in the sale. I can't recommend Farfetch enough. It's a website that brings together the stock from boutiques across Europe and the U.S. and sells them from one central site. When you think that hope may be lost, always try Farfetch. They have a pretty nifty sale site too. 

T-shirt - Giles 

Trousers & belt - Zara

Shoes - Charity shop

The Birds (from New Look)

I have a weakness for sheer shirts, but my aversion to vests often prevents me from wearing them. This shirt was bought because of the bird print, but also because it was a size 16 - I often buy shirts quite a big bigger as I like them to have volume. But how to wear it now I've got it? Thankfully Topshop has just released a new style of vest with thick but not too broad straps, a scoop neck and enough length that you are not pulling it down all day as it migrates towards your waist (or does this only happen to me?). Even better - you can get 2 for £10. Sold. 

Necklace - gift 

Shirt - New Look

Vest - Topshop

Trousers - Zara

Shoes - Marni

Tabio - tastic

Not sure pairing my old lady socks with old lady shoes was the best idea, but I did have warm feet, which I often forget is one of the primary goals of successful footwear. 

Trousers - Zara

Socks - Tabio

Shoes - Solea 

Running On Empty

It's been a crazy couple of days running around in Newcastle visiting family, and tomorrow I repack and head off to New York. My photo bank is running on empty so I thought I'd post a quick pic of an outfit that never made it out. One of the good things about this blog is getting to look at my clothes a bit more objectively. I've never really worn this shirt and after photographing it I decided it didn't suit me much, so it's gone on to a better life with someone else at Oxfam. 

Top - Celia Birtwell for Topshop 

Jeans - Uniqlo 

Shoes - Charity shop

To Be Adored - the tba dress

I've got my brother staying me with, which means not much time to blog or take photos - indeed if I took a picture right now all you would see are suitcases, towels and random Italian toys flung everywhere...and a talcum powder explosion (long story). 

So, a picture from last week. I almost didn't buy this dress when I saw it in the Urban Outfitters sale, but it's now my go to outfit for a smart / casual evening out. It's got a great cut and the tie front means you can eat without worrying about showing off any food baby. Handy for a greedy one like me. 

Dress - tba (to be adored)

Bag - Chanel 

Shoes - Chloe 

David Koma Zig Zag Dress

David Koma showed this morning at LFW along with Holly Fulton. I'm sure if you're into reading fashion blogs you'll know that David Koma shot to fame / infamy when Cheryl Cole wore one of his dresses on the X-Factor last year (an odd place for experimental fashion to get a workout, but that's the world today) - the 'garbage bin dress' as it was dubbed by The Daily Mail. This was clearly a good sign, after all if The Daily Mail hate something, the chances are it is bloody good (e.g. Stephen Fry, feminism). 


I will go though his show pictures later, but in the meantime I wanted to share this dress with you that I found snapped on the pages of The Times 2 last week...

I want this David Koma dress about as much as want a puppy, which is to say about as much as I ever want anything. Sadly, it costs a bit more than a puppy (which I don't believe in paying for, it would have to come from a shelter) and won't do cute / stupid things like chase it's tail or give you bacon eyes. But other than those very small issues, which are not entirely fair to place on something when they are as different as a living breathing animal and a kick ass piece of clothing, why would you not want this dress? Oh yes, the price, as I said before...David Koma may be a new kid on the block but his prices are old school. So how much is it, I hear you ask. This dress is £2,780 from Browns. Keep waiting for the puppy kiddo. 

Pictures from www.brownsfashion.com 

My New Best Friend Is An Inanimate Object

My new favourite piece of jewellery is this octopus pendant my Aunt bought for me for my birthday. We found it in a market in Fiesole, a town just outside Florence. Isn't he great?

Top Pic 

T-Shirt - Abercrombie & Fitch 

Trousers - Etoile by Isabel Marant 

Shoes - Prada 

Glasses - MaxMara from T.K.Maxx

Necklace - Fiesole Market 

Bottom Pic 

T-Shirt - Acne

Henry Holland After Party

Miss M and I went to the House of Holland after show party yesterday in Brick Lane. We weren't really in the mood to go (I was hungover, she was feeling the onset of an illness), but I'm glad we did. All of Henry's friends and family were there, including his cute little sister in a lovely get up, who was telling people about her looming exam year. Of course, friends and family also meant we were hoping Aggy would be coming, and she did. Aggy is so beautiful - utterly radiant, very small (she was wearing flats but I towered over her in my not that high heels) and so sweet - she burst into tears when she saw Henry and from what I heard they'd only been away from each other for two weeks - bless. She also seemed to the only person at the party drinking champagne. They must keep a special supermodel stash somewhere. 

L-R

Silver stud ring - H&M, Disc ring - YSL, Gold and diamond ring - My Grandma's, Watch - Chanel, Random bracelets - ASOS

Dress - H&M

Jewellery - as above 

Shoes - Zara

Go The Pies!

Double Denim Day

I don't wear these shoes enough (translated from me speak that means I bought them a good 5 years ago and they've never set foot on tarmac), but yesterday I came across them and decided it was time for them to get a coveted spot in my shoes on rotation. 

When I tried to buy these in the Liberty sale they couldn't find the other one and I was about to go home empty handed. My brother saved the day and put up a mini stink (I'm not very pushy in shops, in life yes, but shops, no) demanding they look again in their stock room and thank goodness he did, as they are the perfect shoe for this time of year when sandals feel over but boots are still too hot and sweaty. 

Shirt - Zara

Jeans - Topshop 

Shoes - Marc Jacobs

The Kooples - Coming To London UPDATE!

Since the stats features has been added to blogger I have much better information about when and why people are reading my blog. One of the biggest surprises is that a little random post I wrote on The Kooples coming to London still gets quite a few hits every day. I wrote that post last year, it's now nearing the end of 2010, so I thought I would have a little dig around and see what's going on, because I am assuming that if a Kooples shop had opened I would bloody well know about it. Happily I can say I have found adverts (posted in early September 2010) on various fashion job sites for store managers both here in the capital and in shopping hotspots Birmingham and Manchester, so the wait shouldn't be too much longer. 


If they do open in time for the end of the year then I might be able to get my mits on my two favourite items from this season...

This amazing dress  

and these cigarette pants

I think for me what really appeals is the idiot proof nature of the brand. Like Whistles it is most often a collection of separates but one that feels like a very cohesive collection - you know you could buy the whole lot and mix and match for decades to come. Topshop allows you to shop to your hearts content but are usually 'key' pieces that don't fit together because it's all about more, more, more. The Kooples sticks to basic clean cuts, luxe fabrics and a muted colour palate with edge that will see you from season to season. 

The Wonder Years

I feel like an 80's prepster from a Donna Tartt novel in this outfit, which is a totally good thing, as long as I don't end up dead at the bottom of a ditch. 

Necklace - bday gift from friends 

Knit top - Topshop 

Belt - Moschino from eBay 

Trousers - Zara

Shoes - Carvela from Charity Shop