Charity Shop Finds: Velvet and Denim!

Everyone: being ill sucks. I am currently in bed, with a horrendous headache and the shivers, but I couldn't bear to leave my blog un-updated (yes, love for you guys is all I need! Feeling a little less virus-ridden wouldn't go amiss though). So I'll just do a quick post on some awesome finds from my weekend trip to the charity shops. I went with two things in mind - boyfriend jeans and a denim jacket. Both were found, which was great and I then went on to rip the jeans and bleach the jacket (yes! Target set and acquired). If you'd like a post on how to rip and bleach denim, please tell me in the comments below my friends and I shall make your wish come true (just call me your fairy godmother!).

These jeans were a bargain! Only £3.95 for a pair of Levis and the size was perfect (with a belt they make la parfait boyfriend jeans).

This is the after picture for the denim jacket, it's been bleached (much like my hair, many times) and I forgot to take a picture before. Do you like it? It was £6 for the jacket and I'm very happy with it.

This East velvet top was £3.95 also and I've worn it a couple of times already with a shirt underneath (it really makes you look slimmer - always a plus).

The velvet scarf (for £2.95) has no label in it but it's so soft and I thought it'd be a great addition to outfits (do you agree?) And the picture really doesn't do it justice!

I rarely find shoes at charity shops, but these boots are great (tres comfortable) and it's better to pay £5 than £45 on ASOS, don't you agree? (And I think you do!)

My final purchase of the day and so purrrrr-fect - they will be fabulous for an upcoming cocktail party I'm attending! And only £4.95 *smiles like a cat that got the cream*

Thank you for reading and I hope none of you are ill right now, it's so dull.

Have you had any amazing charity shop finds recently? What do you think of my purchases?

Take care,
Louise <3

Oversized? Yes please!

So recently I was flicking through my old Company magazines (seriously gotta love Company) as I was doing some collaging, only to find a little piece of text that's really been how I've been feeling fashion-wise recently.... "The hourglass is old news, it's all about the oversized look". It sums up the look of many guys and gals (or guys and dolls), and I hope it's a trend that's here to stay! Now, everything Company utters is gospel to me, since I'm such an avid reader, but this struck me as bang-on. I can't remember quite which issue it was from, but if I find out, I'll add it to the bottom of this post. So many thanks to Company for providing some much-appreciated inspiration (not much-needed yet, since I'm still brimming with ideas... Well, sorta!) and I've hunted around the internet shopping world (oh, what a wonderful world) and found some of my picks. Let's have a look~

1. House of Holland oversized Tee-dress - I really love this dress, it's very loose and flattering as well as being BOT (yep, I did steal that from Company. And it means bang-on-trend if you didn't know). The bright colours caught my eye and I've been hankering (unexpected word usage) after some tights from them too.

2. River Island oversized light wash denim jacket - denim's really 'in' right now, or so I hear and I think this jacket's perfect, especially if you wanna tone down the denim look and avoid totally bleached or acid washed pieces (but then again, who doesn't love a bit o' acid wash). 

3. Susie Tuesday at ASOS Marketplace vintage oversized blazer - this is such a unique piece (and of course, I had to throw a little vintage into this post) and it could be really versatile (plus it's on sale, win win, right?) 

4. Topshop leather oversized biker jacket - every girl needs a leather jacket (in my opinion) and this one is one of my favourite since most leather jackets are fitted. It's refreshing to see an oversized one. 

5. ASOS petite rocco boyfriend jeans - not hugely oversized, but I'm in love with the boyfriend jeans that have been hitting the high street recently. 

Well, I hope you found this post useful (if not, then at least quite interesting).

Are you rocking the oversized look? Or do you prefer a good pair of skinny jeans and fitted jacket? 

Take care, 

Louise <3 

Vintage Vendredi: the 50's coat!

Bonjour mes amis. Ce soir... Okay, I'll stop with the French now, you'll be pleased to hear (sorry, I take it for A Level and I'm addicted). It's Vintage Vendredi again! So, I was working at the charity shop which I volunteer at (I can't remember if I've told you about this), and I found this beautiful vintage coat-thing. It's pretty (oh so pretty) thin and isn't particularly warm, but it was so striking I just had to buy it. It's in perfect condition too (excuse me while I perform a fangirl-esque happy dance) and I paired it with black to emphasize the beautiful print and to ensure the outfit didn't look too busy. Let's check out the outfit~

Voila!

Gaze to the right...

Is it just me, or does this remind you a little of a butterfly? (Just me? Oh okay then - I think I'm just crazy)

Look down... But what am I looking at, I wonder?

Smiley me~

My vintage Italian leather boots <3

Mid shot close up, complete with leather gloves!

Let's back up a little. 

Under the coat I'm wearing a simple black long-sleeved t-shirt from Dorothy Perkins (or Dotty Ps) and a leather pencil skirt (love love) found in my local charity shop (but not the one I work in). The necklace was found at a local island fete and the gloves' brand is unknown (they're my mother's, you see!). The shoes were also found in a charity shop (Addicted - they tried to make me go to rehab and I said 'no, no, no') and the belt is also my mother's from many years ago. Can you see a pattern forming here? The headband is a DIY from ages ago (I must make some more!)

Well, I hope you enjoyed this installment of Vintage Vendredi. 

Do you have any amazing charity-shop or vintage finds? 

Take care, 

Louise <3 

Blazers Galore!

Everyone likes a good blazer, right?

Until recently, I would never (ever) have considered wearing a blazer (bar that one time I dressed as David Tennant as Dr Who for a costume party), but now I just feel they fit my style really well. For my college there isn't a set uniform, however we must be dressed smartly, so ties and suits for the boys and whatever-the-heck-they-like for the girls. For me, a blazer is a great way to formalise (I know that's not a word!) an outfit. I even wear blazers for casual-laying-about days and enjoy it. But is there an outfit where every blazer looks good? Is it possible to throw on any blazer over one single outfit? Let's find out!

I decided to pair each outfit with a pinstripe white and blue shirt and a pair of light wash denim jeans. The shirt was a thrifty find in my local Red Cross shop and the jeans (I do believe) are from New Look (one of the few times I found myself in there).

The red velvet blazer:

The shoes are my vintage leather boots, found in a local charity shop and the hat is from Dorothy Perkins (or Dotty Ps as I like to say). 

This blazer is another find from ASOS Marketplace (it seems to be my favourite store at the moment) and I actually really like it, but what do you think?

The gentlemanly blazer:

My brogues are from The White Pepper!

And this one is another find in a charity shop (actually the one I work in, which is the Survive Cancer one) and I always feel a little like Sherlock Holmes wearing this. I'm not opposed to gentlemanly tailoring!

The pastel blazer:

Havin' a whale o' a time!

My bow-tie-esque bow (is that what you'd call it?) is from Miss Selfridge and the shoes are Dr Martens (as I'm sure you've guessed!) Gotta love Docs, right? Oh, and I made the headband!

You may have seen this blazer before, it featured in 'Suit Up' and in fact this outfit is pretty similar to 'Suit Up', sorry guys (forgive me?).

I did change up the accessories and shoes to give a different feel, and I hope you enjoying seeing how a blazer can really change a look.

Are you a blazer-phobe or are blazers your thing? Let me know~

Take care,
Louise <3

Platforms - the Height of Fashion (quite literally)

So I'm blogging about shoes again (am I addicted? I'd go with yes). Recently I've been lusting after various platform boots and shoes, and as a tiny little elfin person at 5'1, I need all the height I can get. However are they practical? I'm the kind of person who loves a good platform (if you hadn't guessed already) but I do kinda need to be able to walk... Without painful death feet and the constant fear of falling flat on my face, that is! So where can we look for easy-to-walk-in, sans-humiliation yet stylish (with an edge) shoes? I first turn to Jeffrey Campbell~

Here are my picks:

1. Homg sneakers

2. Munster in distressed black (they come in brown too!)

3. Skalite Spike creeper shoes

Jeffrey Campbell's platforms (well, these are flatforms) are well known for being comfortable, yet with levels of awesomeness few can comprehend. There are other good places to find platform shoes too (and these I can vouch for being comfortable!) - I like the ones available at The White Pepper~

1. Chunky Heeled Brogues (I have these and they're awesome!)

2. Retro Style Chunky High Heels (a little higher)

3. Enamel Chunky Heel Brogues

The shoes at The White Pepper are very unusual and it's refreshing to see brogues with a platform! And of course if you're looking for a bit of height with comfort, creepers are always a good bet. You can find creepers on many sites, such as ASOS and Mr Shoes. I prefer ones with a chunkier platform, but there many with smaller ones (I'm short - I need it!). I hope this post has been helpful. Stand tall and enjoy your platforms *winks*

Have you got any killer platforms? 

Take care, 

Louise <3 

disclaimer: I am not associated with any of the companies mentioned. My opinions are 100% honest. 

Vintage Vendredi - The Oxblood Velvet

So, I've always loved French culture and the language and the croissants and the... Well, everything. I've been to France quite a few times, with family, and I hope to one day live there. Or at least be fluent? Would that be good enough? Anyway, I wanted to throw a little Français into this blog (for good measure, and perhaps a little 'je ne sais quoi' if you will). This leads to the weekly or bi-weekly feature, which you may have guessed at from the title - Vintage Vendredi.

This will include one outfit focusing on a vintage piece and then accessorizing it and so on. I hope you (my non-existent readers - let me know if you're reading this, leave me a comment or something?) enjoy this. This week it's my velvet dress in oxblood (yes, I fell for oxblood, just as the whole fashion industry has at the moment, how cliché). It's ruched in the bodice and stands at a midi-skirt length, with t-shirt-esque sleeves.

Gazing... As per usual!

Hands in pockets... Aren't I cool? (I kid, I kid)

Feet/leg shot!

Mid shot!

The dress is a piece I found on ASOS Marketplace and the coat is from my local Bourgs Hospice (found a while ago) and the tights and socks are from M&S! Oh, and the necklace was a gift from a friend (it's an owl if you can't tell). 

Well, that's it folks, Vintage Vendredi #1 done, and I hope you enjoyed this post! 

Take care, 

Louise <3

The Healing Power of Shoes... I mean, Love (for shoes that is)

Shoes. Oh, where to start... They're every girl's best friend (not diamonds - get with the times gurl) and the crux of every stylish wardrobe. Whether they're heels, riding boots or creepers, they all are expressions of ourselves or how we'd like to portray ourselves (woah, getting deep here). I do love a good creeper, though riding boots aren't my thing, and heels, loved though they are, encourage my subtle limp so I look like a heeled monkey staggering around. I am adamant I will persevere with my heel situation though and be ready to wear them lots this year. In my naive mind, heels are the height of glamour and I always stare wistfully at those striding around (rather than tottering) in their sculpted heels or litas with grace. Well jell (oh yes, I said it, I went there!)

Not only can a pair of shoes literally make you carry yourself differently, they can give you confidence - poise, if you will. Adorning myself with a pair of creepers, whether it be studded or strikingly bright in colour (I have a great pair of jade-green ones), always makes me feel grungey and street-styled. This is just as a pair of heels can give you courage, and despite the pain of the evening, as there's no doubt they'll be pinching and rubbing all night, it can actually make you feel better about yourself.

Believe it or not, I'm pretty damn sure that people change on a night out in a pair of heels - maybe it's the alcohol surging through their veins, but it could be the added confidence from the beautiful pair of shoes on their feet. I like to think it's the shoes, although I'm sure others will say it's the drink...

Shoes can also change our mood - if I'm feeling like having a laid-back blog-centered day, I always just lace up some comfy converse and enjoy the relaxed feeling they give me. However, if I'm off to classes or the like, I'll wear a pair of vintage low heeled boots (which I can just about walk in), for a more grown-up and formal feel. For many, including me, shoes can make an outfit, and I don't think any girl could do without them fashion-wise (well, it's too cold to go bare-foot at the moment anyway!).

I've been stepping outside of my shoe comfort zone recently, and bought a pair of platform heeled tan brogues. Kinda vintage meets boyish meets cute, I think. I'm in love, now let's see if I can walk in them... What's beauty without pain and embarrassment, eh?

How do shoes make you feel? Any recent shoe purchases you're in love with?

Take care,
Louise <3

Cat got your tongue?

Well, a cat seems to have got my tongue, since there hasn't been a post since Friday; I don't know about you! 

Just a quick outfit that I threw together (with pizzazz, of course) at the weekend and I thought I'd share it with you. This is going to be a pretty quick post, since I am (procrastinating) revising for an exam tomorrow. Wish me luck~ 

Cat girl gazes into the distance to her left. 

It was fairly chilly in Guernsey that day so I decided to throw on my coat. It's from JOY (of course) and is actually called the Louise coat (which I only discovered on the website after I bought it). 

The feet/legs shot, with my odd socks (oh, how quirky am I? Joking)

Let's see those cats~

Now I'm gazing at the floor... That's awkward. 

The jumper is from Topshop (I found it on my recent(ish) Jersey trip) and the leggings are from Uniqlo, and there are those brogues again (I do love them, I must say). The shirt is from New Look and I do believe the owl necklace (which I received as a gift - thanks Louise! Not me, my friend Louise...) is also from JOY. 

There will be a better, less rushed post up soon, I promise! 

Take care, 

Louise <3

Hyper Stripes!

Two things I love: stripes and brights! So this is an amalgamation (have I ever used that word? Ever?) of the two. I found this dress in the January sales after receiving a voucher for one of my favourite shops for Christmas, can you guess? (I don't think so, you guys don't know me very well yet). But it's JOY (and this jumper dress had me jumping for joy, lemme tell ya). 

My dress of choice! Accessorized with handbag, belt and tights. Oh and shoes (but that's kinda a given - I'm not 'free-spirit' enough to go barefoot, believe me). 

The classic hand-on-hip shot, I'm not sure I can pull it off but what the heck. 

What am I looking at?

No jewelry for this outfit, although I am wearing a ring, which you can't see. How helpful. 

Shoessss~ I love these, they give me height yet don't make me fall over. Win win!

The dress is from JOY (as you already have discovered, but I'll link it for your convenience) and the handbag is the brand Dice (I found it at a local department store, so unfortunately no link - no crying allowed! I kid, I kid.) The belt I found somewhere in my room... (how omnious!) And the shoes are from The White Pepper. Oh and the tights are M&S. I hope you enjoyed this outfit, please check out my Lookbook, if you'd like to give me feedback there. 

What's your favourite high street store? 

Take care, 

Louise <3

Where to buy Vintage Pieces - Online & Offline

Hello, my name's Louise and I'm a vintage-oholic (and an internet addict, but we won't go into that...)

So, I've been trying to assemble a wardrobe I can truly wear to the moon and back (much politer than to Hell and back, right?) and so that each piece is something I really love. Now, I am not a buy-everything-everyone-else-has-and-follow-fashion-to-the-letter kinda girl, and I love interesting, one off and colourful items. I wanted to find a place where I could buy vintage items, which were unique and could aid me in creating a street styled look for little funds. Look what I found, two online and three for those reality-shoppers (which everyone will know anyway):

Etsy is a great place to find things with a reasonably price, which are very nice - I rhymed (sorta on purpose, but who doesn't love a bit of casual rhyming?) and that are one of a kind (or one of a few). If you go to the search bar options and select 'vintage' you can browse to your heart's content. It's also possible to narrow down your search (without this you could be browsing for forever and a day) so you can search for certain items. Most sellers have good feedback and you can ask any questions you desire.

ASOS Marketplace is a great site in which to find many vintage items, although there are also many new and second-hand modern items at great prices. I picked up a vintage blue dress with a print for a mere 12 quid! I was so happy with that (so easily pleased, I am) and there is also a sale section quite often (bargains for the win!)

Winchester Vintage Market is an excellent place to go for vintage or retro shopping and it occurs on the first sunday of every month from 10am - 4pm. I've been two or three times and they always had many stalls with a great deal of interesting pieces. You can find some real gems - I found a grey faux fur bomber jacket last year and it's come to be a staple piece in my winter wardrobe. There was a lovely selection of hats last time I  went (unfortunately I have an alien head, and by that I mean overly large, so none of them fitted). Fur coats and silk scarves are in abundance! I would always recommend going to Winchester - it's a lovely town, not only with an awesome market, but also with a beautifully historic cathedral.

Camden Town in London is another place for those who like to touch clothing before they buy it! Along with the alternative, punk and gothic shops you can find some great vintage pieces. There are some quite large stores that sell vintage and re-sale items in the Stables - it's a bit hard to describe their exact location (it's like a rabbit warren in there), but if you wander around a bit or ask a local, you'll be sure to find them.

Charity shops, for me, are like treasure troves - they may contain some extremely large, hideous garments only blind people would (unintentionally) wear, but there can also be some great things to find. They should not be forgotten when on the hunt for vintage. Not long ago I found a red and white vintage dress and leather backpack in my local charity shop, so there is always an excuse to visit, and of course, giving to a good cause is another (very good, and very convenient) excuse to go. I'd recommend maybe visiting once a week or so? If you find out when they receive new items, then you can easily plan when to go. Win win!

I hope this post has helped and I wish you the best of luck with your vintage endeavors! (Bit headmaster sounding I was there... Oh well!)

Do you love vintage? Do you have any other places you like to shop for such clothing?

Take care,
Louise <3

I do not own the image, it's from 123rf.com

Suit Up

Anyone get the title reference? Just me? Oh, okay then (it's a pretty obscure reference, I must say - unless you're an avid e4 viewer).

I've never really been a suit person, especially since I don't really go anywhere deserving of a suit. But as I attend a college that calls for "office wear", although I'm not quite sure that one would wear a belt (I mean mini skirt) and woolly jumper to the office, so I wore a suit to school for the first time. "Very smart", "off to a wedding?" and "oh, you look fancy" seemed to be the overall reception, but then again, I was wearing the full suit and this was my weekend outfit, which only used the blazer; I'm blazin'!

Toning down a suit blazer was my intention - did I succeed? I rolled up the blazer sleeves to reveal my shirt and added a brighter peach-coloured necklace for a lil' bit o' contrast. And of course, what's an outfit without a pair of unwalkable-in shoes? Believe me (or not) that flatforms are harder for me to walk in than heels - I think it's the thin soles. I remember this one time (oh here we go, she's going off on a tangent) I wore my flatforms to dinner and had to walk to the nearby restaurant in them. I told my friends in advance that I'd probably fall over and I did... Flat. On my face. Like a fool.

Anyway - less of my clumsiness, on to the outfit~

I found the blazer in a charity shop along with a matching skirt and the shirt used to belong to my mother (I didn't steal it, she gave it to me, promise!) The bag is vintage from the 1970s and I actually found a shopping list from then in the bag when I bought it, and the shoes are from boohoo. Finally the jeans and necklace are from New Look a while ago (would you believe that the necklace only cost me a quid (very bargainous). 

How would you style a suit to tone it down? 

Will you be suiting up any time soon? 

Take care, 

Louise <3