THE CHANEL THRIFT STORE FIND

I have been going to charity shops for eons. As a kid I can remember getting 10p to spend on something from the toy box in the Oxfam in Blackheath on a treat day. You'd rummage through trying to find the best item out of an eclectic bunch - a mangled My Little Pony, 25 piece jigsaw, ugly teddy bear and then go home happy with your bargain. Almost everything in my childhood was second hand from charity shops and jumble sales so nothing freaks me out about my shoes having a previous wearer or a little old man possibly dying in that golfing sweater.  

I still charity shop (not as often as I'd like however as that pesky full time job gets in the way) and in all my years there are some items you keep a look out for 'just in case'. In the past these items have been the perfect cowboy boots (wanted in 1996, finally found in 2001), cashmere sweaters and Levi jeans, but now include an Hermes bag, Chanel anything, Prada lucite platforms from S/S 1997, an original Ossie Clark dress and a pair of Ralph Lauren skull and crossbones embroidered jeans. 

So, when I walked into the Sloan Kettering Cancer Thrift Store on the Upper East Side and found an ENTIRE RACK of Chanel direct from the shop I nearly died. Sure, these were not traditional charity shop prices, but they were almost 1/10th of Chanel prices and Chanel at that price is not to be sniffed at in my opinion. It costs more than that in vintage stores, and this shit was brand new! I must admit when I paid I was shaking like a leaf just in case someone realised their mistake and tried to take the Chanel off me. 

Jacket - Chanel from a thrift store on the Upper East Side 

T shirt - Giles 

Jeans - J Brand

Belt - Charity shop 

Shoes - Chanel 

FAIL SAFE DRESSING

Last year it was Topshop Jamie jeans, this year it's J Brand Agnes and Houlihan trousers that I can't get enough of. I'm trying not to wear them too often, because if I do my outfit posts would be even more boring than usual, but I can't help it because they are too damn comfy and go with everything. Do you have those items in your closet that you know are the lazy option, but still wear anyway?

Jacket - Kate Moss for Topshop 

T shirt - Christopher Kane

Trousers - J Brand

Shoes - Zara

T shirt - Giles 

Trousers - J Brand 

Shoes - Clarks 

Blazer - Krizia from Oxfam 

T shirt - Acne 

Trousers - J Brand 

Socks - Burlington 

Trainers - Converse

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

Inappropriate bag lust thanks to Giles Deacon

My mother would have a heart attack if I ever bought this bag. "You're too old for novelty fashion" she'd say, or perhaps even worse, "You do know you're in your 30's?"

Well - pah! Look how great the dino bag is! The world is so ageist. First the Natural History Museum does a sleep over for 8 - 12 year olds, I mean, hello, give me a chance first, and now I'm 'too old' for a bag?

So, what do you say? Would you be able to stifle your giggles if you saw me bopping round London with one of these triceratops hold alls?